Excel Import
Import any client's Excel spreadsheet — requirements, test cases, or defects — with AI auto-mapping that eliminates manual column matching. No VLOOKUP, no copy-paste, no per-engagement setup.
The artifact pipeline starts in Excel — always
Your client sends a requirements workbook with their own column naming, nesting, and formatting conventions. The SI before you used a different template. You receive a 12-tab workbook with merged cells, hidden columns, date formats in DD/MM/YYYY when your system expects MM/DD/YYYY, and "Req ID" in sheet one but "Requirement Number" in sheet two.
The standard fix is a manual ritual every SI repeats: map columns one by one, copy, paste, fix format errors, repeat for each tab, repeat again when version 2 arrives with two new columns. A 200-row sheet takes 45 minutes. With 14 tabs and three revision rounds, that's a full day lost before any real testing work begins.
Generic tools compound this. Jira's CSV import expects exact headers. Test management "Excel import" features typically require you to download their template and reformat the client's data first — mapping moved upstream with extra steps.
Upload the client's spreadsheet as-is — AI adapts to the format
BriefSpec's Excel import uses AI to auto-detect column layout, data types, and relationship hierarchies — regardless of the source format. The AI scans headers, samples cell values, identifies date formats, and proposes a mapping from source columns to BriefSpec's data model. You review a side-by-side preview, adjust anything that needs tweaking, and confirm. A typical requirements workbook completes in under 60 seconds.
Parent-child relationships are preserved natively. Requirements import with linked test cases. Test cases import with their steps. Defects import with linked requirements and test cases. The result is a connected artifact graph — not a flat dump of rows.
- Row-level validation — format errors, duplicates, and missing fields are flagged before data is written — with a specific reason for each failed row.
- Hierarchy preserved — cross-reference columns, tab structure, and inline hierarchy notation become a traceable RTM graph immediately.
Why this isn't just another import
- Zero-template architecture — never download a BriefSpec template or restructure the client's data. The AI adapts to the spreadsheet.
- Relationship-aware import — reconstructs parent → child → test case → step from the spreadsheet's own structure.
- Intelligent date and type detection — recognizes varied date formats, enums, multi-select fields, and rich text.
- Incremental import with conflict detection — version 2 shows new, modified, and deleted rows as a three-way diff — approve or reject each change.
- Import where you work — entry points on Backlog, Test Cases, and Defects — not buried in an admin menu.
Built for messy client spreadsheets, not template lock-in
Jira CSV import and generic Excel wizards assume you will reshape the client's data first. BriefSpec reshapes the mapping instead — so every engagement starts from the file you already have.
Stop hand-mapping spreadsheets for every engagement
Import your first requirements file in under a minute.