Reporting is a crucial aspect of the product development lifecycle. Whether you’re working with requirements, testing, planning and tracking, or architecture, you will find a need to quickly gather, visualize, and share insights about your lifecycle data.

IBM ELM Platform offers plenty of options on how you can gather and visualize the data stored inside your IBM ELM Projects by using IBM Engineering Lifecycle Optimization - Publishing, IBM Engineering Lifecycle Optimization - Document Builder, IBM Engineering Insights or IBM Report Builder. 

This article describes the basics that users need to learn and know once trying to setup and run the reports in IBM Report Builder application. 

IBM Report Builder is a web-based reporting tool that runs on top of IBM Lifecycle Query Engine (LQE) or the Data Warehouse (DW). It provides a graphical interface for building custom reports without needing to write SPARQL queries or database code.

With Report Builder, users can:

• Combine information across ELM applications (DOORS Next, Engineering Workflow Management, Engineering Test Management, etc.)
• Create dynamic, real-time reports using LQE
• Build scheduled or snapshot reports using the Data Warehouse
• Visualize data using tables, charts, or dashboards
• Share reports with teams or embed them in project dashboards

IBM Report Builder functions as a centralized reporting application within the IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) platform. Its architecture is designed to integrate data from multiple lifecycle tools, transform it into a unified semantic model, and deliver actionable reports through a web-based interface. The system operates through a combination of data ingestion pipelines, semantic indexing, query generation, and visualization services.

The application relies heavily on the ELM platform’s Linked Data architecture. Each ELM application—such as Requirements Management DOORS Next, Engineering Workflow Management (EWM), and Engineering Test Management (ETM)—exposes its artifacts and relationships using OSLC-compliant REST APIs. 

To ensure accurate and continuous data ingestion, these applications publish Tracked Resource Set (TRS) feeds. These feeds provide incremental updates whenever an artifact is created, modified, or deleted. Report Builder consumes these feeds through the Lifecycle Query Engine (LQE) or the Data Collection Component (DCC), depending on which data source is used.

Afterwards, the data are published and accessible in the Reporting applications and the users can proceed with creation of the reports in any of the applications based on their needs.

This section and its subsections describes the details on how the reports can be created in IBM Report Builder.

The Choose Data step defines what data the report will query and how it is scoped. In this section, you select the data source, project scope, artifact types, and optionally refine the results using relationships and conditions.

The very first step of creating a report in IBM ELM Report Builder, is to select the appropriate data source and report type. These choices determine which data is available, how current the report is, and how the information can be structured and presented in the report. Usually (if configured), the users shall have three data sources to choose from:

Data Warehouse

Is a relational database populated by scheduled ETL jobs which is best for historical, cross-project, and trending reports requiring heavy reporting (data warehouse = stable performance) where Global Configuration Management (GCM) is not used or not critical.

Lifecycle Query Engine

Is a triplestore-based query engine using OSLC linked data which is best for up-to-date operational reports for projects that are not using global configurations (Global Configuration Management (GCM))

Lifecycle Query Engine scoped by a configuration 

Configuration-aware version of LQE, best for reporting on product variants, releases, or regulated baselines (projects using Global Configuration Management (GCM))

1.) Choose data - selection of data source and report type

Under the data source selections you can find two other options to choose from the report type, you can select either 

• Current data - to create reports based on the latest available information from the selected data source. This option is suited for operational and traceability reports that reflect the current state of artifacts and their relationships.
• or Historical trends - to create reports that analyze how data changes over time. This option is suited for trend analysis and historical reporting, using warehouse data to track metrics across defined time periods.

The Limit the scope tab defines which projects are included in the report. Use this section to restrict the report to one or more projects, ensuring that only data from the selected project areas is queried.

The users can select from all of the (for them) accessible project areas in any of the applications - when the user is at least a member of the project, then the project counts as accessible.

Note: for reports including cross-application relationships (e.g. Requirements - Test Cases), it is required to select both - Requirements Management and Test Management projects but without need to select the global configuration project (which is optional). 

2.) Choose data - limit the scope section

The Choose an artifact section lets you specify the type of artifact that will serve as the foundation for your report. In this section the Report Builder allows you to choose only one from all of the artifact types in all of your accessible projects (the artifact types are not limited based on the project(s) you selected in the “Limit the scope” section). But don’t worry! The other artifact types can be added afterwards in the “Trace relationships and add artifacts” section.

Once you select the required artifact type, you will be able to add and display its related artifacts (using the relationships) and define the conditions for any of its existing attributes.

Note: on some occasions you can find duplicated artifact types with an exclamation mark beside them - please refer to our IBM ELM Report Builder - Advanced Tricks and Tips article to learn how to get rid of them and also other useful tips.

3.) Choose data - choose an artifact

The “Trace relationships and add artifacts” section in IBM Report Builder enables users to explore, analyze, and document traceability across lifecycle artifacts. By tracing relationships, you can visualize how requirements, test cases, defects, change requests, and other artifacts are connected across tools and projects.

This capability helps teams understand upstream and downstream impacts, verify coverage, and ensure compliance with development and governance standards. Users can follow links between related artifacts to identify gaps, validate alignment, and support audits or impact analysis.

In addition to tracing existing relationships, users can add relevant artifacts directly to reports. This allows you to enrich reports with contextual data, capture key evidence, and create comprehensive views of project status and dependencies. The resulting reports provide stakeholders with actionable insights into how work items relate to one another throughout the application lifecycle.

4.) Choose data - Trace relationships and add artifacts

As can be seen in the picture above, usually, the first displayed element in “Trace relationships and add artifacts” is the artifact type you chose in the “Choose an artifact” section. To this element you can either add a relationship (if you would like to display linked artifacts in the report) or add other artifact types - if enabled by selecting “Enable multiple paths or add other source artifacts” checkbox option. In both cases when only the artifact is added or when a relationship is added, there is a selection of a “target” artifact type - once selected, the target artifact type becomes automatically added to the report and the users can use it to define conditions or further format the report.

5.) Trace relationships and add artifacts - relationship with target artifact type selected

Above the selected relationship label there are two other options to choose from:

Relationship - with values Required, Optional and Does not exist, defines what artifacts shall be displayed in the report. In our specific example, based on the selected value the report will display:

• Required - only the System Requirements that are containing a link of type Satisfies to Stakeholder Requirement + (if further selected) also the details of linked Stakeholder Requirements

• Optional - both, the System Requirements that are containing the links of type Satisfies to Stakeholder Requirements and at the same time also the System Requirements that are not including this link + (if further selected) also the details of linked Stakeholder Requirements - only when link is existing.

• Does not exist - only the System Requirements that are not containing any link of type Satisfies to Stakeholder Requirement. In this case, the Stakeholder Requirement is not added to the report and the users cannot define the conditions for this artifact type.

Link validity - with values Ignore, Required, Optional and Does not exist, defines which relationships shall be displayed in the report.

The values Required and Does not exist are available only in case that the “Required” value was also selected in “Relationship” selection. If the user selected “Does not exist” in “Relationship” field, the value of “Link Validity” selection will be automatically preselected to “Ignore” (since no other values are available, and if the “Relationship” field value is set to “Optional”, the Link Validity field offers also the value “Optional”. 

The values “Required” and “Optional” will allow the user to further specify the conditions for the link validity - e.g. display only the relationships that are set with “Valid” status in the report.

Note: the link validity shall be set to other than “Ignore” value only in case you are using link validity in your projects.

The Add conditions section in IBM Report Builder allows users to refine report results by defining specific criteria for the artifacts included in a report. By applying conditions, you can filter data based on attributes such as status, priority, owner, date values, or custom fields.

Conditions help ensure that reports return only the most relevant information, making it easier to focus on meaningful data and reduce noise. You can combine multiple conditions to create precise queries that reflect real-world project requirements and reporting needs.

Using conditions also supports consistent and repeatable reporting. By clearly defining selection criteria, teams can standardize reports, improve data accuracy, and provide stakeholders with reliable insights into project progress, quality, and compliance.

By default, this section contains only the “Add condition” button, using which the users can add the condition for any of the previously selected artifact types in “Choose an artifact” or “Trace relationships and add artifacts” sections (or in case the link validity is used also for the relationship type). 

Note: the link validity shall be set to other than “Ignore” value only in case you are using link validity in your projects.

6.) Add condition - selection of an artifact type

After you choose an artifact type, you can use the selection of attributes and the filters with values for every of them (similarly as in DOORS Next).

Once selected, the condition can be added to the report and also combined and grouped with other conditions using the logical operators (AND, OR, AND NOT, OR NOT).

7.) Set conditions - grouping and combining conditions

The Format Results tab in IBM Report Builder allows users to control how report data is presented, making results easier to read, interpret, and share. By configuring formatting options, you can organize report output into tables, group related data, and define how fields are displayed.

This tab enables you to adjust column order, apply sorting, and customize labels to improve clarity and usability. You can also choose how values such as dates, numbers, and text are displayed, ensuring consistency and alignment with reporting standards.

By formatting results effectively, teams can create clear, professional reports that communicate insights efficiently. Well-formatted results help stakeholders quickly understand key information, compare data, and make informed decisions based on accurate and well-presented report output.

8.) IBM Report Builder - Format results (table format)

By default, Report Builder automatically adds the Project Area and ID, Title + URL attributes of every artifact type selected in the “Choose data” tab. Title and URL attributes are usually merged into one column with clickable names of the displayed artifacts.

Users can easily adjust displayed attributes by using the drag and drop option (dots on the left side of the table), promote and demote icons and delete or add attributes icon and button.

Report builder allows the users to insert custom expressions, calculated values and even manually adjust the SQL/SPARQL query in the advanced section of the format results tab - please, refer to our TBD article describing these options.

If the user switches from Table to Graph format, by using navigation tabs, the UI will be changed and offer the options to define the formatting of Graph report.

9.) IBM Report Builder - Format results (graph format)

The Name and Share tab in IBM Report Builder allows users to define how a report is identified, saved, and shared with others. In this tab, you can assign a meaningful name and description to the report, making it easier for users to understand its purpose and locate it later.

This tab also provides options for sharing reports with individuals or groups, selecting the default visualization (table/graph), defining tags and many other options helping teams collaborate effectively while maintaining appropriate access control. By managing visibility and permissions, you can ensure that the right stakeholders have access to the report and its results.

Using the Name and Share tab supports consistent report management and reuse. Clearly named and properly shared reports improve discoverability, promote standardization, and enable teams to efficiently distribute insights across projects and organizations.

10.) IBM Report Builder - Name and share

In this tab the user is required to select the source of the data (project, component, configuration - baseline/stream). Additionally, if the conditions are specified in the report, the users are allowed to change the values of the conditions directly in the “Run report” tab.

If everything is properly selected, the users can use the “Run” or “Preview” buttons to get the report displayed.

11.) IBM Report Builder - Run report tab

IBM Report Builder provides a flexible and intuitive way to create meaningful reports across lifecycle artifacts and tools. By guiding users through selecting data, defining conditions, formatting results, and sharing reports, Report Builder helps transform complex project data into clear, actionable insights.

With features such as traceability, filtering, and customizable presentation, teams can analyze relationships, track progress, and support compliance and governance needs. Whether you are creating simple status reports or detailed traceability views, IBM Report Builder enables consistent, repeatable reporting that supports informed decision-making throughout the application lifecycle.

We, in Softacus, are experts when it comes to consulting and service delivery of IBM software products and solutions in your business. We help our clients to improve visibility and transparency when licensing and managing commercial software, providing measurable value while increasing efficiency and accountability and we are providing services in different areas (see Softacus Services).

The IBM ELM extensions developed by Softacus are free of charge for the customers who ordered IBM ELM licenses via Softacus or for the customers who ordered any of our services. If you are interested in any of our IBM ELM extensions, you found a bug or you have any enhancement request, please let us know at info@softacus.com.