Tasktop Integration Hub 18.1 is available today with several exciting new features for flowing folder structures, configuring state transitions, and deploying Docker images. We’ve also added support for Sparx Systems EA, an enterprise modeling tool, via Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server.
Create Folder Structures on the Fly
Many organizations rely heavily on folder structures within their software development tools to organize work items, with the hierarchical folder structure providing meaningful context for the individual work items. The location of a work item within that structure matters, and Tasktop helps preserve that structure as the work item flows from tool to tool.
Regardless of what ‘container’ your tool uses to create a hierarchical structure like folders, modules or packages, Tasktop Integration Hub 18.1 can create those containers on the fly and flow artifacts into the correct folder location. We’ve made it easy to configure how the desired containers and work items will flow in a single setup.
When you set up your integration, you’ll see the structures in both repositories and can configure exactly how you want the mirroring between them to work. Tasktop supports both one-way and bidirectional creation.
Let’s take an example from a common container mirroring use case, where the requirements management tool acts as the source of the container structure. An organization uses Jama for requirements management and Micro Focus ALM (formerly HPE) for test management. The team wants the folder structure from Jama to flow to ALM, where QA engineers can develop tests against the requirements. In Tasktop they’ll set up one-way container mirroring from Jama to ALM to replicate any new folder in Jama to ALM. Tasktop will also flow new requirements in Jama to the corresponding folder in ALM.
Container creation logic is independent of work item creation flows, for example container creation can be one directional, while work item synchronization is bidirectional. Work items within an integration inherit the routing you’ve set up between containers, minimizing or altogether eliminating the need for work item routing configuration.
Graphical Workflow Designer for State Transitions
Some repositories such as Jira, TFS and RTC require pre-defined state transitions for certain fields, for example where a work item’s status must move from “New” to “In Progress” to “Closed”.
Thanks to Tasktop, you can trigger state transitions based on a change to the work item in another tool. For example, when a defect is changed to “Fixed” in Micro Focus ALM (formerly HPE ALM), the bug’s status field in Jira will change to “Done”.
Tasktop executes state transitions seamlessly based on a state transition configuration you set up on Tasktop Integration Hub. Version 18.1 introduces a new graphical workflow designer for easily defining state transition logic and setting the parameter values for each transition.
The new state transition workflow designer provides an alternative to state transition extensions.
Now Supporting Sparx Systems EA via Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server
Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server is an add-on to Sparx Systems EA, a requirements modeling tool. Pro Cloud Server provides an API to support the exchange of information between the Sparx Enterprise Architect model repository and Tasktop Integration Hub.
In addition, Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server provides a web-based application called WebEA that enables sharing content in an Enterprise Architect cloud repository with anyone with a smartphone, tablet or computer.
The modeling abilities of Sparx Systems EA support the design of requirements, use cases and systems, and provides a platform for collaboration and feedback. Sparx Systems EA is often used in conjunction with a requirements management tool like Jama or DOORS to provide governance and traceability. It is also frequently integrated with Agile planning tools, like Jira or VersionOne.
By using Tasktop to integrate Sparx Systems EA with a requirements management tool, IT organizations can benefit from visual modeling as well as the ability to use the governance, traceability and precision necessary in requirements management.
Here’s a video that shows how Tasktop integrates Sparx Systems EA via Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server with Jama and Jira to maximize productivity for product owners, business analysts, and developers. The integration helps create a completely visible and traceable requirements management process.
For full details on new product features, supported artifacts and endpoints, please check out the Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server integration page.
Speak to us today about connecting Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server – or any other tool – to your software value stream.
What else?
- Docker deployment is now available! With version 18.1, customers can build their own Tasktop Integration Hub Docker image. Within the Docker folder of the Linux distribution of Tasktop Integration Hub, Tasktop provides the Docker files and instructions from which you can easily customize, build and run your own Planview Hub Docker image.
- Following the Micro Focus acquisition of HPE, the relevant products, such as HPE QC/ALM, HPE PPM and HPE ALM Octane have been rebranded in Tasktop Integration Hub as Micro Focus and display the new logos. You’ll see the new name and logo when creating a new repository or viewing existing repositories, collections, and integrations that involve those tools.
- Version 18.1 includes additional performance and security enhancements. You can check out the version release notes here.
