We are pleased to announce that Requirements & Test Management (RTM) is now officially live and ready to use directly inside Jira. This new tool replaces TestRail, bringing requirements, test cases, and bug tracking into one unified system. What is RTM? Requirements & Test Management, or RTM, is a Jira add-on that allows teams to manage requirements, test cases, test plans, test executions and defects directly within Jira. Why are we using RTM? This change brings significant benefits to our delivery teams, stakeholders and the wider University: Everything is in one place: No more logging into separate systems or jumping between TestRail and Jira. You can manage requirements, write test cases, run tests, and track bugs all within a single Jira project More advanced features on a familiar platform: RTM gives us enhanced testing features that weren’t available in TestRail, such as integrated requirements management, on a platform you may already be familiar with Improved traceability: Easily link requirements to test cases, test executions and related defects, so teams can see which requirements are affected when a test fails. Better visibility & standardised reporting: Project Managers can view real-time test progress in Jira. Over time, this will allow us to establish standardised reporting on test coverage, providing stakeholders with clear insights into project health Consistent, efficient ways of working: RTM enables a standardised approach to testing across the University, boosting collaboration. By using Jira's built-in automation, we can streamline our processes and reduce overall testing cycle times Saves the University money: Consolidating our tools and decommissioning TestRail helps us reduce software licensing costs What does this mean for you? TestRail is now no longer available for use. All users with existing projects in TestRail should now have been contacted regarding the migration of their data. Action required: If your team uses TestRail and you have not yet been contacted about your migration window, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing is.helpline@ed.ac.uk How to get started (Guides & Support) RTM is available to use inside Jira right now! Here is how to get started: Need Jira access? If you don't have a Jira account yet, email is.helpline@ed.ac.uk to request access Starting a new project? Please complete this short form and the IS Helpline will set up your new RTM project space for you Want user guides? We have built a dedicated SharePoint site with simple, step-by-step guides on how to get started in Jira and how to create requirements, test cases, test plans, test executions and raise defects Simplifying Jira project types Alongside the introduction of RTM, we have taken the opportunity to simplify our standard Jira project templates. This is a Jira configuration change only: it does not change project methodology, delivery governance, or how teams are expected to manage their projects. The aim is to make new Jira projects easier to request, set up and support by reducing four legacy templates to two simpler options: Waterfall: the familiar project setup, now with RTM enabled by default and a built‑in Kanban board to manage work items. Advanced: includes the standard setup, plus additional Jira features such as backlog and sprint support, an initial triage board, and a dedicated defects board for use with RTM. What’s standard in both: RTM enabled by default An additional ‘On hold’ status, allowing work items to be paused when needed The choice of template is about the Jira features your project needs at setup. It is not a change to the project’s delivery method. If you’re unsure which template is most appropriate, please contact is.helpline@ed.ac.uk and the team will advise. We will also be starting up the Jira Clinic meetings soon, please keep an eye out for further communication regarding this. Questions or Feedback? If you have any questions about the transition, need help getting started or want to share feedback with the project team, please reach out to is.helpline@ed.ac.uk. Thank you! This article was published on Thursday 25 June 2026
