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The Problem RISKSHEET Solves

Traditional risk management in Polarion relies on navigating multiple LiveDoc documents, work item tables, and scattered data across projects. This approach creates several challenges:
  • Fragmented workflow: Analysts constantly switch between documents, work items, and link editors to understand risk relationships
  • Limited visibility: Standard work item tables cannot represent the multi-level hierarchies required by FMEA (Failure Mode → Cause → Effect → Mitigation) or HARA workflows
  • Manual calculations: Risk Priority Numbers (RPN), severity ratings, and occurrence probabilities must be calculated manually or through complex custom fields
  • Traceability gaps: Connecting upstream hazards to downstream mitigations requires extensive link management across multiple work item types
RISKSHEET addresses these challenges by providing a unified, Excel-like interface where all risk data—from hazard identification through mitigation tracking—appears in a single, configurable view.

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How RISKSHEET Works: The Three-Layer Model

RISKSHEET operates on a three-layer architecture that separates data storage, configuration, and presentation: diagram

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Layer 1: Data Storage in Polarion

At its foundation, RISKSHEET stores all risk data as standard Polarion work items within a LiveDoc document. A typical FMEA implementation might use:
  • Risk work items representing failure modes and causes
  • Task work items representing mitigation actions
  • Link roles connecting risks to tasks (e.g., “mitigates” relationship)
This design ensures that all data remains accessible through standard Polarion APIs, reports, and integrations—even without RISKSHEET installed.

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Layer 2: Configuration as Code

The risksheet.json configuration file defines how raw Polarion data transforms into a risk management interface. This file specifies:
  • Columns: Which work item fields appear as columns, their display names, widths, and edit permissions
  • Levels: How data merges into hierarchical groups (e.g., merging all causes under a failure mode)
  • Data types: Which Polarion work item types represent risks versus mitigation tasks
  • Formulas: JavaScript functions calculating RPN, risk levels, and derived metrics
  • Styles: Conditional formatting rules that highlight high-severity risks or overdue mitigations
See Configuration System for detailed architecture.

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Layer 3: The Spreadsheet Interface

RISKSHEET renders the configured data as an interactive grid where:
  • Merged cells create visual hierarchies without duplicating data
  • Inline editing updates Polarion work items directly from the spreadsheet
  • Calculated columns automatically compute risk ratings based on configurable formulas
  • Conditional formatting applies color-coded visual indicators for risk thresholds
Think of RISKSHEET as Excel connected to a Polarion database. The spreadsheet provides familiar navigation and editing, while Polarion ensures data governance, version control, and traceability.

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Key Architectural Principles

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1:1 Document-to-Risksheet Relationship

Each RISKSHEET instance displays work items from exactly one Polarion LiveDoc document. This architectural constraint ensures:
  • Clear ownership: One document = one configuration = one team’s risk analysis
  • Predictable behavior: All work items in the document appear in the RISKSHEET (subject to query filters)
  • Simplified permissions: Polarion document permissions control RISKSHEET access
RISKSHEET cannot aggregate work items from multiple documents into a single view. If you need to analyze risks across multiple documents, create separate RISKSHEETs for each document or consolidate work items into a single master document using Polarion’s reuse features.
For cross-document scenarios, see Work with Branched Documents and Work with Collections.

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Template-Based Configuration Inheritance

RISKSHEET supports a template-to-document configuration hierarchy: diagram This pattern enables:
  • Standardization: All teams start with organization-approved FMEA/HARA templates
  • Flexibility: Individual projects can override configurations for unique requirements
  • Maintainability: Template updates propagate to all documents automatically
See Configuration Hierarchy and Override Template Configuration.

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Live Data Views, Not Static Reports

Unlike traditional risk reports that snapshot data at a point in time, RISKSHEET provides a live view of Polarion work items:
  • Changes made in RISKSHEET immediately update Polarion work items
  • Changes made in Polarion (via work item forms, table views, or API) appear in RISKSHEET after refresh
  • Baseline and revision support enables historical comparisons while maintaining live editing
This bidirectional synchronization ensures RISKSHEET integrates into existing Polarion workflows rather than creating a separate risk management silo.

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When to Use RISKSHEET vs. Standard Polarion Tables

Use RISKSHEET When…Use Polarion Tables When…
Conducting FMEA or HARA analysis with multi-level hierarchiesManaging simple lists of requirements or test cases
Need merged cells to represent failure mode → cause → effect relationshipsEach row represents an independent work item
Require calculated columns (RPN, risk levels) with real-time updatesField calculations can be handled by custom field formulas
Visual risk matrices and conditional formatting are criticalStandard table styling is sufficient
Team prefers Excel-like navigation and bulk editingTeam prefers form-based work item editing

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Integration with Polarion Ecosystem

RISKSHEET extends—rather than replaces—Polarion’s native capabilities:
  • Documents: RISKSHEET documents are standard Polarion LiveDocs with custom rendering
  • Work items: Risk items are standard Polarion work items accessible via API and reports
  • Links: Traceability uses Polarion’s built-in link roles and navigation
  • Baselines: RISKSHEET supports Polarion baselines for compliance and audit trails
  • Reviews: Configurable review workflows integrate with Polarion’s approval mechanisms
  • Permissions: Polarion project and document permissions control RISKSHEET access
See Embed Risksheet in LiveDoc for integration patterns.

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Common Use Cases

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FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)

RISKSHEET displays failure modes, causes, effects, and mitigation tasks in a hierarchical structure with automated RPN calculation:
  • Level 1: Failure modes (merged by failure mode field)
  • Level 2: Causes (one row per cause)
  • Level 3: Mitigation tasks (linked via “mitigates” role)
  • Calculated columns: RPN = Severity × Occurrence × Detection
  • Conditional formatting: Red highlighting for RPN > 350
See Configure FMEA Workflows.

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HARA (Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment)

RISKSHEET supports ISO 26262 HARA workflows with conditional probability calculations:
  • Level 1: Hazards (merged by hazard ID)
  • Level 2: Operating scenarios (one row per scenario)
  • Level 3: Safety goals (linked via custom role)
  • Conditional formulas: Auto-calculate ASIL from severity and probability
  • Multi-impact tracking: Device, patient, and operator impact columns
See Configure HARA Workflows.

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Next Steps

KB ArticlesSupport TicketsSource Code
  • risksheet.json
  • RisksheetProjectProperties.java
  • DefaultTraceProvider.java
  • AddTaskCommand.ts
  • AppConfig.ts