Starting December 5, 2025 (QMetry Test Management for Jira v4.15.1), the QMetry Test Management for Jira documentation moved from its location on Atlassian to a dedicated, standalone QMetry Test Management for Jira documentation page. For the latest updates, refer to Archive Test Cycles.

Introduction

Users need to archive the test cycles before they delete them. This feature prevents accidental deletion of test cycles and, hence, test cycles can be deleted only after archiving them.

The test cycles that are not in use currently can be archived to stop them from appearing on the active test cycle list. The archiving process moves the unwanted test cycles without deleting them permanently. Archived test cycles can be unarchived at any time to move them back to the active test cycle list. If not required anymore, the archived test cycles can also be deleted.

Archived Test Cycle will no longer be available on the list screen and can’t be updated. The archived Test Cycle will be available under “Show Archived Cycles”.

Impact of archiving test cycles:

Once a test cycle is archived, you cannot perform the following operations in the archived test cycle:
- Modify its details.
- Link and unlink test cases and stories to it.
- Add and remove comments and attachments to it.
- Link and unlink bugs to it.
You cannot perform the following operations on the execution screen:
- Create new executions and remove existing executions. The executions for the archived test cycles appear in read-only mode.
- Sync versions of test cases.
- Clone test executions.
The linked stories, test cases, and their executions will be preserved unless the story or test cases are deleted.
You can still modify the details of the linked test cases and perform operations on the steps unless the test cases are archived themselves.
The folder associations will be preserved unless the folder is deleted.
Archived test cycles will not appear on the Link Test Cycles screen when the test cycle is linked to other test assets.
When importing executions from Excel, the executions of archived test cycles will not get imported.
Automation: Archived test cycles cannot be reused in automation. The CI/CD jobs cannot be triggered from the archived test cycles.
Test Report Configuration: On the Test Report configuration screen, the Archived Test Cycles option is provided for Test Cycle and Execution filters. If you want to include the archived test cycles and their executions in the report, then select the option.
In Traceability Reports, the archived test cycles will be displayed with the Archived tag if the Archived Test Cycles option is selected.

→ Required Permission: Users with “Test Cycle Edit And Archive” permissions can archive test cycles.

You can archive test cycles individually as well as in bulk.

Archive a Single Test Cycle

You can archive a single test cycle from the list view of the Test Cycle module and from the test cycle detail page.

(A) Archive a Test Cycle from List View

Hover over the test cycle you want to archive and click on the Archive icon for the test cycle that you want to archive.

(B) Archive a Test Cycle from Detail Page

Open the test cycle that you want to archive and click on the Archive button on the detail page.

Archive Bulk Test Cycles

You can archive multiple test cycles in bulk at a time.

Note: A maximum of 50 test cycles can be archived at once.

Steps

1. On the folder tree at the left, select the source folder where the test cycles are located.

2. Select the test cycles that you want to archive.

Selection of Multiple Entities at a Time: To select entities within a range on the current page, select the first entity’s check box and then select the last entity’s check box and simultaneously hold the keyboard’s SHIFT key. All the entities between these two entities will get auto-selected.

Select All:

→ Select all records on the current page: Clicking on the check box in the column header only selects all the records on the current page. Alternatively, open the check box drop-down and select the Current Page option.

→ Select all records across all pages: Open the check box drop-down and select the Across All Pages option.

Once you select the test cycles you want to archive, the bulk operation options appear on the screen.

3. Click on the Archive button.

The Archive Test Cycle(s) screen opens.

4. Click on the Archive button to archive the selected test cycles.

View Archived Test Cycles

To view only archived test cycles on the list, open the more icon above the folder tree and click the Show Archived Test Cycles option.

The screen displays all the archived test cycles.

You can hide/show/re-arrange columns and apply filters to them. A maximum of 10 filters at a time for system and custom fields.

You can either unarchive or delete the archived test cycles.

Unarchive Test Cycles

When you unarchive a test cycle, it becomes active. The unarchived test cycles will move to their respective folders as the folder association of the test cycle is preserved even when archived. If the associated folder is deleted, the unarchived test cycles will move to the All Test Cycles root folder.

You can archive a single or multiple test cycles in bulk at a time.

→ Required Permission: Users with “Test Cycle Edit and Archive” permissions can unarchive the archived test cycles.

Unarchive a Single Test Cycle

Unarchive a Test Cycle from List View

Hover over the archived test cycle and click on the Unarchive icon for the test cycle.

Unarchive a Test Cycle from the Test Cycle Detail Page

Open the archived test cycle detail page and click the Unarchive button.

Unarchive Bulk Test Cycles

1. Select the archived test cycles you want to unarchive and click the Unarchive button.

The confirmation message pops up.

2. Click on the Unarchive button to proceed.

In Test Case > Executions tab

On the Test Case > Executions tab, you can apply All, Active, and Archived filters to view the test cycles accordingly.

The archived test cycle executions are displayed in disabled mode.

On the Execution Screen

The archived test cycle will appear in Read-Only mode. You can not edit the archived test cycle executions.

The warning of the Archived Test Cycle is displayed at the top of the execution screen.

Grid View

List View

Delete Test Cycles

Refer to Delete Test Cycles for more details.