Freeze the authoritative workbook, then map its meaning before importing any rows. The hard part is not copying cell text. It is deciding which sheet and version controls the programme, what formulas mean, and whether relationship columns point to valid requirements. Treat this as an engineering cutover with a source inventory and reconciliation.
Which workbook is authoritative?
Name one workbook, owner and revision. Preserve a read-only copy before editing. Record every sheet, hidden sheet, table, named range, formula, comment, hyperlink and external file reference. Find copied workbooks in email or shared drives and decide whether they are superseded or contain decisions missing from the nominated source.
Which rows are engineering requirements?
Choose stable requirement IDs. For each row, identify statement, parent, rationale, owner, status, verification method and test reference. Separate engineering values from formulas used only for display. For example, a synthetic battery-temperature row might have “0–40 °C” in the requirement text, a test ID in another sheet and a conditional-format colour for status. The colour is not an approval record, and the test ID is not proof of a passing result.
How do we map and trial the import?
Make a two-column mapping of source field to destination field, with an explicit “archive only” outcome for comments or calculations that cannot be represented. Export a representative sheet to a format the destination confirms. Arc's approved direct import list includes CSV, not native Excel workbook ingestion. Test encoding, newlines, formula results, duplicate IDs and parent references before running the full set.
| Frozen workbook field | Destination record or relationship | Acceptance check |
|---|---|---|
| REQ-EPS-017; battery temperature 0–40 °C | Requirement with preserved source ID and statement | Text, units and limits match the frozen row |
| Parent: SYS-THERM-004 | Parent requirement relationship | Parent exists; direction and link type are correct |
| Test: TVAC-012 | Verification activity reference | Activity exists; no passing result inferred |
| Green cell; approval in an email | Archive the colour convention and approval email | Reviewer accepts status provenance separately |
| Formula referring to another workbook | Retained dependency or reviewed exported value | Record formula, source revision and evaluated value |
This mapping is fictional. Reconcile records and links separately: 120 input rows might contain 118 unique IDs and two duplicates. Resolve the duplicates before cutover; a matching row total alone would hide that exception. Check every missing target and retain an exception log identifying the source cell, proposed disposition and accepting engineer. For the governing traceability principle, see NASA's requirements-management guidance.
How do we reconcile links and history?
Compare source and destination row counts, then verify the meaning of parent, allocation and test relationships. Sample difficult rows and every exception. Keep old workbook revisions, comments and approval emails under the programme's retention policy; they do not become native review history merely because the current requirements are imported. Have an engineering owner approve a new baseline.
How do we operate the new baseline?
Tell contributors where to propose changes and stop editing parallel workbook copies. Arc's branch and review model can govern new changes, but only after the imported requirement graph is checked. If a small single-owner workbook remains reliable, a cleaner convention may still be the lower-maintenance answer.
Frequently asked questions
Does Arc directly import .xlsx files?
The approved direct import scope names CSV, Word, Jira, Git and Confluence. Confirm a suitable workbook export and mapping route.
What happens to Excel formulas?
Decide whether each formula is a derived engineering value, a display aid or an external dependency; test the exported result and retain the source.
When can the workbook stop being edited?
After the destination records and relationships are reconciled, exceptions are accepted and the new authority is approved.
Evaluate a representative import in Arc
Agree the record mapping and reconciliation for a representative source package. Arc connects accepted requirement records to system context, controlled changes and verification evidence.
Luc will email from luc@archelps.com to arrange setup. Agree scope and data handling before adding programme information.