Engineering Requirements Management

I have some DMA files which i receive from the customer (without baselines). When there is a new version of the customer specification, they send another DMA file (without baselines). I would like to restore the updated requirement document as a baseline to the existing requirements module. I have looked around and have not found a solution to this. This is quite important for me to track changes etc.

Let's assume for the moment that you don't have links to worry about, however depending on what you are interested in seeing changes of, that may not matter.

Let's also assume that the drops you are getting are preserving the Object Identifiers, or some other Key attribute which is unique. I would baseline the current drop you have, and then use the new drop as an update to the current. To do that, I would restore the new drop in a temp area, and then export it with whatever pertinent attributes are needed to an excel file. (there's your warning about dealing with graphics and tables). Then use the Excel file, saved as a .CSV file (there's your warning about formatted Textual Objects) to update your current drop module. Now you have the baseline of was/is.

Most vendors/subs won't send you all baselines because of size. I have one with a module that has over 80 thousand objects in a single SRS, with 5 years of baselines. She is a big'un. Purge is not part of their vocabulary.

Another technique I have used where they do send all baselines, is to delete all baselines except the last one, and then use scripts like History Column to create the was/is in a side by side or marked up attribute. That, requires replacing the module when you get a new drop. I do that a lot too.

Hope this gives you some ideas.