Link Cycles & Test Cases

Link Test Cycles

The primary way to populate a test plan is by linking existing test cycles. Linking a cycle does not copy or move it — it creates a reference so the plan can display the cycle's execution data alongside other linked items. The cycle itself remains fully independent and accessible from the Test Cycles tab as usual.

How to Link Cycles

1. Open the test plan by clicking its name in the plan list.
2. Click the Link Test Cycles button in the plan toolbar. A dialog opens showing all available test cycles in the project.
3. Browse or search the cycle list. You can filter by name to quickly find the cycles you need. Cycles that are already linked to this plan are visually indicated so you can avoid duplicates.
4. Select one or more cycles by checking the checkbox next to each. You can select multiple cycles in a single operation for efficient bulk linking.
5. Click Link to add the selected cycles to the plan. The cycles appear immediately in the plan's linked-cycles section with their current execution progress.

What Linking Means

• Reference, not copy: Linking creates a reference to the cycle. The cycle's test cases, assignments, and statuses are not duplicated. The plan reads the cycle's live data.
• Bi-directional sync: Any execution updates made within the cycle (from the Test Cycles tab) are automatically reflected in the plan's aggregated progress, and vice versa.
• Multi-plan membership: A cycle can be linked to multiple plans simultaneously. For example, a "Core Regression" cycle might be linked to both the "v3.0 Release Plan" and the "Sprint 14 Plan".

Unlinking Cycles

To remove a cycle from the plan, click the Unlink button on the cycle's row within the plan. Unlinking removes the reference only — the cycle itself, its test cases, execution statuses, and history are completely unaffected. You can re-link the same cycle later if needed.

Manage Test Cases Across Cycles

Test cases enter a plan only through its linked cycles — the hierarchy is strictly Plan → Cycle → Case. There is no way to attach a standalone test case directly to a plan. When you link a cycle, every test case in that cycle automatically becomes part of the plan's aggregated view.

Viewing test cases in a plan

Open the plan and switch to the Test Cases view to see every test case across all linked cycles in one list. Each case shows the cycle it belongs to, its execution status, priority, and assignee. Use the search and filters to narrow the list — for example, to find all failing cases or all cases assigned to a specific tester across the entire plan.

Assigning and unlinking from the plan

From this consolidated view you can act on the cases that arrive via the plan's cycles:

• Assign testers — Assign or reassign a tester to one or more test cases without leaving the plan. The assignment is applied to the case within its cycle.
• Unlink test cases — Remove a test case from the plan's cycles. This detaches the case from the cycle it belongs to; the test case itself remains in your library.