What Does “Live Data” Mean?
In RISKSHEET, “live data” means the grid displays work item field values retrieved directly from Polarion’s repository at the moment you load the risksheet. Every cell reflects the current state of the underlying work item field—severity ratings, occurrence levels, mitigation task descriptions, link relationships—without intermediate caching or export steps.
This is fundamentally different from exporting risk data to Excel, editing the spreadsheet offline, and re-importing changes. RISKSHEET eliminates the export/edit/import cycle by connecting directly to Polarion’s live data model.
Query-Based Loading
When you configure a risksheet document, you specify a Polarion query that defines which work items appear in the grid. RISKSHEET executes this query every time someone opens the risksheet, fetching the current set of work items that match the query criteria.
Query Example:
type:fmeaFailureMode AND project.id:safety_analysis
fmeaFailureMode in the safety_analysis project. If someone creates a new failure mode work item that matches this query, it will automatically appear in the grid the next time you load the risksheet—no manual refresh or re-import required.
Queries make risksheets dynamic. As your team creates new risk items or updates existing ones in Polarion, those changes automatically become visible in the risksheet the next time it loads. You don’t need to manually add new rows or update static lists.
| Step | What Happens | Timing |
|---|
| 1. User changes cell value | RISKSHEET validates input | Instant |
| 2. Validation passes | Change queued for save | <1 second |
| 3. Save operation executes | Polarion work item API called | 1-3 seconds |
| 4. Polarion commits change | Work item revision created | <1 second |
| 5. Cell visually confirms save | Highlight or checkmark displayed | Instant |
Because RISKSHEET writes directly to Polarion work items, every edit you make appears in the work item’s revision history. You can view who changed a field, when, and what the previous value was through Polarion’s standard history tracking mechanisms.
Linked Item Resolution
When you configure upstream traceability columns or downstream traceability columns, RISKSHEET resolves link relationships by querying Polarion’s link structure in real time. If a failure mode links to a hazard via a verifies link role, RISKSHEET fetches the hazard work item and displays its fields in the configured columns.
These linked items are also live data. If someone updates the hazard’s description in Polarion, the next time you load the risksheet, the upstream traceability column will display the updated description—no synchronization or manual refresh needed.
Link Resolution Example:
For cross-project linking scenarios, see Configure Cross-Project Linking.
Refresh Behavior and Staleness
Because RISKSHEET loads data at the moment you open the risksheet, the view can become stale if you keep the risksheet open for an extended period while other users make changes. RISKSHEET does not automatically poll Polarion for updates every few seconds—it shows the data as of the last load or explicit refresh action.
Refresh Options:
- Browser refresh (F5): Reloads the entire risksheet, re-executing the query and fetching current work item states
- Inline updates: Your own edits appear immediately in your view, but you won’t see changes made by other users until you refresh
If you need to ensure you’re viewing the absolute latest data—for example, before making critical decisions based on risk ratings—perform a browser refresh to reload the live data.
If two users edit the same work item field simultaneously, the last save wins. RISKSHEET does not provide real-time collaborative editing with conflict resolution. Establish workflow conventions (status flags, ownership assignments) to minimize concurrent edit conflicts.
Baseline and Historical Data
While RISKSHEET typically displays current work item states, you can also view historical data by loading a risksheet against a Polarion baseline. When you select a baseline, RISKSHEET fetches work item field values as they existed at the time the baseline was created, providing a historical snapshot.
Baselines are read-only views—you cannot edit work items through a baseline-loaded risksheet. This makes them useful for audit trails, comparing risk assessments across product releases, or reviewing the state of an FMEA at a specific regulatory milestone.
For baseline-related troubleshooting, see Baseline Loading Issues.
Because RISKSHEET queries Polarion’s repository every time you load a risksheet, performance depends on:
- Query complexity: Broad queries matching thousands of work items take longer to execute than narrow queries filtering by specific projects or types
- Column configuration: Columns that resolve linked items (upstream/downstream traceability) require additional queries per row, increasing load time
- Polarion server performance: RISKSHEET’s responsiveness reflects Polarion’s underlying database and server capacity
Performance Tips:
Fast Loading:
- Narrow query scope (specific project, limited types)
- Fewer linked item columns
- Standard field columns (no calculated formulas)
Slower Loading:
- Broad query (multiple projects, many types)
- Many upstream/downstream traceability columns
- Complex calculated columns with nested formulas
Integration with Polarion Workflows
Because RISKSHEET operates on live Polarion work items, changes you make integrate seamlessly with Polarion’s workflow engine, notification systems, and business rules. When you update a risk severity in RISKSHEET:
- Polarion workflow transitions execute if configured
- Email notifications trigger if subscribed users exist
- Custom workflow functions run if defined
- Approval requirements enforce if applicable
This integration means RISKSHEET isn’t a separate risk management system—it’s a specialized interface layer on top of your existing Polarion infrastructure. All your existing Polarion governance, compliance, and workflow automation applies automatically to changes made through RISKSHEET.
Comparison with Static Exports
| Aspect | RISKSHEET Live Data | Excel Export |
|---|
| Data freshness | Always current (on load) | Snapshot at export time |
| Edit persistence | Immediate to Polarion | Manual re-import required |
| Linked item resolution | Automatic query | Manual VLOOKUP or copy/paste |
| Multi-user collaboration | Concurrent editing (with conflicts) | File locking or version confusion |
| Revision history | Integrated with Polarion | Separate file versions |
| Workflow integration | Automatic | Requires import + manual workflow actions |
