Layout Management

Note: The Layout Management feature is only available if you have purchased the Customization Package of QMetry.

 

Introduction

The Layout Management feature allows the admin to show/hide fields and organize the page layout of the Add, Detail, Bulk and Save New Version screens of modules. A default page layout is provided for Requirement, Test Case, Test Suite and Issue modules.

Admin can arrange custom fields and system fields of Requirement, Test Case, Test Suite and Issue modules in different sections. These sections can also be arranged on the page layout as per requirement. For example, mandatory fields can be at the top, custom fields can be grouped under different respective sections.

Admin can customize the page layout by making custom as well as system fields visible/hidden on the page layout. For example, A QA organization does not use the Test Category system field that is shown in the default QMetry page layout. The field takes up space and interferes with the flow of the add and edit process. The admin uses the layout management feature to quickly remove the Test Category field from the standard page layouts saving space and efforts during the add and edit process.

 

You can access Layout Management under the Customization section.

Page Layout

A page layout or template is a saved configuration of fields and their position for a particular screen within a QMetry module. For example, Add Test Case is a specific page within the Test Case module.

  • The layout is managed project-wise and any change within the page layout is applicable to all users of that project.

The left panel on the Layout Management screen contains drop-down lists for Module and relevant Pages. On the selection of Module and Page, the default layout is rendered at right.

 

Modules

Available Page Layout

Modules

Available Page Layout

Requirement

Add, Detail, Bulk, Save as New Version

Test Case

Add, Detail, Bulk, Save as New Version

Test Suite

Add, Detail, Bulk

Issue

Add, Detail, Bulk

 

Updating a Page Layout

You can make changes to the default page layout to suit your organization’s needs.

Steps

  1. Select the module on the Module drop-down.

  2. Select the Page for which you want to update the default page layout.

  3. Click Apply.

The default layout of the page opens at the right.

 

You can use the following toolbar options to update the page layout. The options are described in detail in later sections of this document.

Toolbar options

 

 

Buttons at the bottom of the page layout screen:

  • Preview: Click to have a preview of the module page before you save the page layout.

  • Update: Click to save the layout of the module page.

 

Specially Treated Sections

BDD section, Approval Workflow Sections and external tracker sections are treated differently. Only the outline of these sections is displayed on the page layout. Users can only see the section headers on the page layout (without fields underneath the section) and can arrange these sections on the page.

If your current QMetry project is integrated with BDD, Jira, Rally or Azure, the corresponding sections will be displayed on the page layout of the respective modules.

When an external tracker is integrated with the Issue module, the Issue module page layout will not be available in the Layout Management.

BDD: When BDD is configured with the QMetry project

 

External Tracker: When an external tracker like Jira is integrated with the QMetry project

 

Approval Workflow: When the eSignature feature is enabled for the QMetry project

Spacer

You can use Spacer to insert a space between two fields. The field size remains unchanged.

1. Click on the Spacer option on the toolbar. The Spacer is added on the panel at left.

2. Drag the Spacer to the desired location where you want to insert space on the page.

 

The Spacer is placed on the layout.

 

Preview the layout. You can see the space added between the fields.

 

To remove the space on the layout, hover over the spacer and click the cancel x sign.

Merger

You can use Merger to merge the two fields - making the field size bigger.

1. Click the option to drop the merge field in the hidden fields section.

2. Drag and drop it to the field’s desired position.

 

 

The merger is placed on the layout.

 

Preview the layout. You can see the two fields are merged.

Add a Section

The default page layout view displays system sections. Users can add custom sections to the page layout.

Click on the Add Section toolbar options to add a new section on the selected page.

 

 

The Section Header Details pop-up opens.

  • Title: Enter Title of the section. Each custom section should have a unique title. Custom sections with duplicate names are not allowed.

  • Description: Enter Description for the section.

  • Default State: Select from Collapsed and Expanded.

Note: Changing the Default State to Expanded might slow down the performance.

  • Hide Section: If you do not want to display the custom section on the module page, then select the Hide Section check box. The section will remain hidden with fields under it. Users can not hide System sections.

  • Default Section: If you want to make the section as the default section on the module page, then select the Default Section check box. When a new user defined field is created, it gets added to this Default Section of the module.

Notes:

  • Sections containing required fields and QMetry default sections (which are marked as “Default Section”) can not be hidden.

  • User-defined fields will be displayed in the default section, and each layout page can have only one default section.

 

  • Click Save to save the section header details.

 

 

The newly created section is added at the bottom of the screen.

Arranging Sections on the Page

You can arrange the section through the drag and drop operation on the page. Keep the sections collapsed while shuffling the sections.

 

Arranging Fields in a Section

Users can arrange custom fields and system fields of Requirement, Test Case, Test Suite and Issue modules in their different sections. For example, mandatory fields can be at the top, custom fields can be at the bottom of the section.

 

Editing a Section

You can edit each section by clicking the Edit icon for that section.

 

System sections

Custom sections

System sections

Custom sections

You can change the Description and Default State of system sections. You can not change the Title of system sections and hide system sections.

You can change the Title, Description, and Default State of custom sections. You can opt to hide custom sections on the page.

 

Hide Fields/Removing Component

Users can hide/remove spacer/merger or field from the screen. The removed spacer/merge or field appears on the left panel under Hidden Fields.

  • Users can not hide a mandatory custom field (i.e. the field marked as “Mandatory” under Manage Fields). Even the custom section that contains such mandatory fields can not be hidden.

  • Vice-a-versa, if a non-mandatory field is hidden on the page layout or the section containing it is hidden on the page layout, and the user tries to mark the field Mandatory afterwards from Manage Fields. The warning message pops up. First of all, users need to make the field visible on the page layout, only then this field can be marked as Mandatory.

 

To hide/remove a field on the page, follow either of the following -

  • hover the mouse over it and click the "X" sign.

  • drag the field to the Hidden Fields panel at left.

 

Replace Field with Spacer

The swap button is provided on the fields to preserve the default/existing layout when a field is removed from the layout. It saves the position of other fields and keeps the layout design intact.

When clicked, the swap button will move the field from the layout to Hidden Fields at the left and insert the spacer in that place. The field below the removed field remains at its place.

 

Arrange/Move Fields across Sections

Associated Releases and Associated Cycles should be in the same section. If you want to move the fields, then move both the fields together in the same section. If only one of the fields is moved, then the error will be displayed on saving the page layout.

A. You can move fields from one section to another through the drag and drop operation.

 

B. Right-click on the field. It shows options as per the available sections on the page. Select the section in which you want to move the field.

 

Copy Page

Copy from functionality provides users with the flexibility to copy layout across pages in the same module. Custom sections and arrangement of sections get copied to the destination page.

It allows users to copy sections and fields from other views to the current view. For example, you can copy sections and fields from the Add view to the Bulk view. The feature is useful to maintain a similar page format for the views.

 

The newly copied sections are appended at the bottom of the screen and the newly copied fields are appended at the bottom of respective sections.

Refresh Layout

To sync the current layout with any changes done in the Manage Fields section, click the Refresh Layout icon placed at the top right corner.

Note: Before clicking Refresh, make sure you save all the changes you have done in the layout. All unsaved changes will be lost on page refresh.