Common Editing Problems at a Glance
Read-Only Cells: Diagnosis Checklist
When a cell appears non-editable, work through this checklist to identify the cause:System Fields (Always Read-Only)
The following Polarion system fields are always read-only in Risksheet. They cannot be edited regardless of column configuration:id(work item ID)status(workflow status)type(work item type)project(project identifier)outlineNumber(document structure position)author(item creator)resolution(workflow resolution)created(creation timestamp)updated(last modification timestamp)
Column-Level Read-Only
A column becomes read-only automatically when any of these conditions are true:Item-Level and Field-Level Permissions
Risksheet respects two levels of per-item permissions:systemReadOnly— Whentrue, the entire row is non-editable. This is set based on work item state and permissionssystemReadOnlyFields— A pipe-delimited string of field names (each wrapped as|fieldId|) that are non-editable for that item. Individual fields can be locked while the rest of the row remains editable
systemTaskReadOnly and systemTaskReadOnlyFields.
Auto-Population of Previous Item Values
Symptom: When you add a new risk item, the description or other fields are automatically filled with values from the previous item, and items may merge unexpectedly with the cell above. Cause: Two different levels in thelevels configuration point to the same controlColumn. Each level must use a unique control column.
Fix: Open your sheet configuration and verify that each entry in the levels array has a distinct controlColumn value:
controlColumn requirement. A complete level entry also needs name and zoomColumn — see Levels Configuration for the full structure.
Hidden Formula Columns Do Not Execute
Symptom: A formula column shows incorrect, stale, or missing values. Newly created work items have incorrect titles (just numbers instead of computed names). Cause: Formula columns do not execute when they are hidden from the Risksheet view via column visibility settings or saved views. If atitle column uses a formula and is hidden during item creation, the Polarion work item stores whatever raw value exists (often just a numeric ID).
Fix:
- Keep formula columns visible in all views where items are created or edited
- Use the Check stored formulas feature (available since v24.5.1) to reconcile stored values with current formula results after changes
- If the title column must use a formula, ensure it is visible during item creation workflows
Rich Text Formatting Loss
Symptom: Editing a rich text field in Risksheet removes line breaks, HTML formatting, and causes all text to appear as a single block. Cause: Risksheet does not fully support editing rich text (HTML) fields. When a rich text cell is edited, line breaks and HTML formatting may be stripped from the underlying work item XML. Fix: Switch the column type to"text" (multi-line plain text) instead of using rich text:
text column type supports multi-line plain text editing, preserving line breaks without the complications of HTML formatting. Text wrapping is controlled through CSS classes defined in the styles section of the sheet configuration — not via column-level properties.
Unsaved Changes Block Workflow Transitions
Symptom: Attempting to change the document status produces the error message:“There are unsaved changes. Please save the document first.”Cause: The grid has pending unsaved edits. Risksheet requires a clean state (no dirty cells) before document-level workflow actions can proceed, to avoid data loss or inconsistent state. Fix:
- Save all pending changes by pressing the Save button or keyboard shortcut
- Retry the workflow status transition
- The page reloads automatically after a successful status change to reflect the new document state
After a successful document status change, the entire browser page reloads automatically. This ensures all UI elements (buttons, permissions, validation rules) reflect the new document status. Any unsaved edits would be lost during this reload, which is why the save-first requirement exists.
Custom Polarion Script Conflicts
Symptom: Saving works for some rows but throws warnings or fails for others. The behavior is inconsistent and not explained by column configuration. Cause: Custom Polarion workflow scripts that validate work item fields (such as duplicate title checks, mandatory field enforcement, or status-based validation) can interfere with Risksheet save operations. These scripts execute on the server when Risksheet attempts to save work item changes. Diagnosis:- Open the browser developer tools (F12) and check the Console tab for error messages
- Check Polarion server logs for workflow script exceptions
- Look for patterns: does the failure correlate with specific work item types, statuses, or field values?
Cell Editor Type Mismatches
When the wrong editor appears for a cell (for example, a plain text input instead of an enum dropdown), the columntype property may be misconfigured or auto-detection failed:
For sub-columns of linked items, type auto-detection does not work — you must always specify the
type explicitly.
Verification
After applying fixes, verify the following:- You should now see editable cells responding to clicks with the appropriate editor (text input, enum dropdown, date picker, or autocomplete)
- Formula columns should display calculated values automatically when visible and show a read-only indicator when clicked
- New items should not auto-populate values from previous rows
- Workflow status transitions should succeed after saving all pending changes
- Rich text fields converted to
type: "text"should preserve line breaks during editing
See Also
- Permission-Based Field Restrictions — configure field-level permissions
- Rich Text Formatting Loss — detailed rich text troubleshooting
- Save Operation Failures — diagnose save-related errors
- Date Column Save Errors — date field formatting issues
- Rendering and Display Errors — visual rendering problems
- Error Messages Reference — complete list of Risksheet error messages