> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.nextedy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure Multiple Downstream Types

> Configure a single downstream task data type that spans multiple work item types to support stepwise risk mitigation workflows such as ISO 12100 three-step risk reduction.

export const LastReviewed = ({date}) => {
  if (!date) return null;
  const formatted = new Date(`${date}T00:00:00Z`).toLocaleDateString("en-US", {
    year: "numeric",
    month: "long",
    day: "numeric",
    timeZone: "UTC"
  });
  return <p className="mt-10 text-sm text-gray-400 dark:text-zinc-500 not-prose">
      Last reviewed on {formatted}
    </p>;
};

## Prerequisites

* A working Nextedy RISKSHEET with basic downstream tasks configured (see [Configure Downstream Tasks](/risksheet/guides/risk-management/downstream-tasks))
* Separate Siemens Polarion ALM work item types defined for each mitigation category
* A Polarion link role connecting risk items to their downstream measures

<Steps>
  <Step title="Identify Your Mitigation Categories">
    Determine the distinct mitigation categories your workflow requires. For example, ISO 12100 machinery safety defines three risk reduction steps, each backed by its own Polarion work item type:

    | Step | Mitigation Category    | Work Item Type       |
    | ---- | ---------------------- | -------------------- |
    | 1    | Inherently safe design | `designMeasure`      |
    | 2    | Safeguarding measures  | `safeguardMeasure`   |
    | 3    | Information for use    | `informationMeasure` |

    All three types are downstream measures reached through the **same** link role (for example, `mitigates`). They are listed together in the comma-separated `dataTypes.task.type` and distinguished in the grid by per-type `taskLink` columns (see the column step below).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Define the Task Data Type with Multiple Types">
    Risksheet recognizes a single `task` data type slot for downstream items. To support multiple downstream work item types, set `dataTypes.task.type` to a **comma-separated list** of Polarion work item type IDs (supported since v25.3.1):

    ```yaml theme={null}
    dataTypes:
      task:
        type: designMeasure,safeguardMeasure,informationMeasure
        role: mitigates
        name: Mitigation Measure
        zoomColumn: measureId
    ```

    The `type` property lists every downstream work item type the sheet may create or link. The `role` property is the Polarion link role connecting the risk item to its downstream measures. The `name` property sets the display label shown in the toolbar and creation menus. The `zoomColumn` property names the column used for zoom/drill-down navigation after a task is created.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/none-17b4493f/yWl5nA2D0IzEnZC1/risksheet/diagrams/guides/risk-management/multiple-downstream-types/diagram-1.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=yWl5nA2D0IzEnZC1&q=85&s=5b1c0611e75952a3d1c98b6bca594d9f" alt="diagram" style={{ maxWidth: "560px", width: "100%" }} width="560" height="220" data-path="risksheet/diagrams/guides/risk-management/multiple-downstream-types/diagram-1.svg" />
    </Frame>

    <Warning title="Use one task data type, not task2 / task3">
      The engine recognizes only the `risk` and `task` data type slots. Extra keys such as `task2` or `task3` are **silently dropped** from the parsed configuration and have no effect. Express multiple downstream types through the comma-separated `dataTypes.task.type` shown above -- a single `task` entry that lists all downstream types.
    </Warning>

    <Note title="One link role for all downstream types">
      The comma-separated `type` mechanism applies the **same** link role (`dataTypes.task.role`) to every listed downstream type. If your methodology requires a genuinely different link role per downstream category (for example, a distinct role for design vs. safeguard vs. information measures), that is not expressible through this single `task` data type -- see the note in the next step before designing around it.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Columns for the Downstream Measures">
    The single `task` data type is surfaced by one task-link column plus nested task-attribute columns that read fields from the linked measure. Add the linked item's own `type` as an attribute column so readers can tell design, safeguard, and information measures apart in the grid:

    ```yaml theme={null}
    columns:
      - bindings: measureId
        header: Measure
        type: taskLink
        headerGroup: "Mitigation Measures"
      - bindings: task.type
        header: Category
        headerGroup: "Mitigation Measures"
      - bindings: task.title
        header: Title
        headerGroup: "Mitigation Measures"
      - bindings: task.status
        header: Status
        headerGroup: "Mitigation Measures"
    ```

    The task-link column (`measureId`) stores the link to the downstream measure; the nested `task.*` columns use the `linkedItem.fieldId` binding pattern to display read-only fields from whichever measure is linked. The `task.type` column shows the work item type (`designMeasure`, `safeguardMeasure`, or `informationMeasure`), so all three categories share one column group but remain individually identifiable. Make sure each `task.<field>` binding matches a Polarion field ID present on the downstream measure types.

    <Note title="Separate column groups per type need a different mechanism">
      A single `task` data type produces a single task-link column group. Splitting the measures into **separate, type-dedicated** column groups (one taskLink per downstream type, as an earlier version of this page showed) relied on the unsupported `task2` / `task3` keys and does not work. If your workflow genuinely requires per-type columns -- or a different link role per category -- those are not expressible through the comma-separated `dataTypes.task.type`; treat that as an open configuration question rather than copying the multi-key pattern.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Risk Recalculation Between Steps">
    For workflows that require recalculating risk after each mitigation step (common in ISO 12100), add intermediate RPN columns with formulas referencing post-mitigation ratings:

    ```yaml theme={null}
    formulas:
      rpnAfterDesign: "function(info){ var val = info.item['sevAfterDesign'] * info.item['occAfterDesign']; return val ? val : null; }"
      rpnAfterSafeguard: "function(info){ var val = info.item['sevAfterSafeguard'] * info.item['occAfterSafeguard']; return val ? val : null; }"
    ```

    This lets you track residual risk at each stage and demonstrate the cumulative effect of your mitigation strategy.

    <Tip title="Ensure countermeasure fields belong to the correct work item type">
      When configuring fields like specification or status for each mitigation type, verify that the column `bindings` reference the correct downstream work item type. Field assignment is controlled by the column configuration -- misconfiguring this causes fields to be stored on the wrong item type (e.g., a countermeasure specification appearing on the risk item instead).
    </Tip>

    <Warning title="Column IDs must match levels and sortBy">
      Column IDs used in `levels` and `sortBy` parameters must exactly match the `id` property defined in column configurations. Mismatched IDs cause row duplication in multi-level configurations. Double-check that all references are consistent.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Load Downstream Items from Multiple Projects">
    If mitigation items are distributed across projects, use the `projects` property (v23.7.0+) on the `task` data type:

    ```yaml theme={null}
    dataTypes:
      task:
        type: designMeasure,safeguardMeasure,informationMeasure
        role: mitigates
        name: Mitigation Measure
        zoomColumn: measureId
        projects:
          - DesignProject
          - SharedMitigations
    ```

    The `projects` property accepts an array of project IDs and enables cross-project autocomplete for the task link column.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Verification

After saving the sheet configuration:

1. Open the risksheet in the configured LiveDoc document.
2. Verify that the mitigation-measure column group appears, including the `Category` column that shows each linked item's work item type.
3. Right-click a risk item -- the context menu should show a creation option for the task type, labeled with the `name` you defined.
4. Create a new measure of each downstream type and confirm the correct work item type and the shared link role are applied.
5. Confirm that the `Category` column correctly reports the type of each linked measure (design, safeguard, or information).
6. Use the zoom navigation to drill into a newly created item -- it should focus the column named in `zoomColumn`.

You should now see one downstream measure section in your grid that spans all configured work item types, sharing a common link role, display name, and zoom target, with each measure's category identified by its `type` field.

## See Also

* [Configure Downstream Tasks](/risksheet/guides/risk-management/downstream-tasks) -- basic task data type setup
* [Configure FMEA Workflows](/risksheet/guides/risk-management/fmea-configuration) -- FMEA mitigation patterns
* [Configure HARA Workflows](/risksheet/guides/risk-management/hara-configuration) -- HARA with countermeasure types
* [Display Sub-Columns](/risksheet/guides/columns/sub-columns) -- sub-column display for linked items
* [Configure Cross-Project Linking](/risksheet/guides/advanced/cross-project-linking) -- cross-project downstream items

<LastReviewed date="2026-06-12" />