> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dalus.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Requirements

> Import requirements from CSV, Excel, ReqIF, or PDF and export to CSV

Import and export requirements to integrate with your existing tools and workflows.

## Importing Requirements

Bring existing requirements into Dalus from spreadsheets, standard interchange formats, or PDF documents.

### Import from CSV / Excel

Import requirements directly from spreadsheet files. Dalus supports `.csv`, `.xlsx`, and `.xls` formats.

1. Navigate to the **Requirements** page in your model
2. Click **Import** and select **CSV / Excel**
3. Upload your spreadsheet file
4. If your Excel file has multiple sheets, select which sheet to import
5. Map your spreadsheet columns to Dalus fields:

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/dalus/nVXGKHGeIs6KRnCF/images/import-export/req1.gif?s=63aba730f28fb8097df9b92feb909216" alt="Mapping spreadsheet columns to Dalus fields" width="1436" height="808" data-path="images/import-export/req1.gif" />

| Dalus Field   | Description                                      |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| **Name**      | Requirement identifier or title                  |
| **Statement** | The requirement text                             |
| **Level**     | Requirement level (e.g., System, Subsystem)      |
| **Type**      | Requirement type (Functional, Performance, etc.) |
| **Status**    | Verification status                              |
| **Parent**    | Parent requirement ID for hierarchy              |

6. Review the preview showing how requirements will be imported
7. Click **Confirm** to add requirements to your model

<Tip>
  Dalus automatically suggests column mappings based on your header names. For best results, use clear headers like "Requirement Text", "ID", or "Priority".
</Tip>

### Import from ReqIF

Import requirements using the Requirements Interchange Format (ReqIF), the standard exchange format for requirements management tools.

1. Navigate to the **Requirements** page in your model
2. Click **Import** and select **ReqIF**
3. Upload your `.reqif` file
4. Dalus parses the file and extracts requirements with their attributes
5. Review the imported requirements
6. Click **Confirm** to add them to your model

ReqIF import is useful when migrating from tools like:

* IBM DOORS
* Polarion
* Siemens Teamcenter
* Other ReqIF-compliant tools

### Import from PDF (AI Extraction)

Dalus can extract structured requirements from PDF documents using AI. This is helpful when working with:

* Specification documents
* Standards and compliance documents
* Legacy requirements not in structured formats

1. Navigate to the **Requirements** page in your model
2. Click **Import** and select **PDF**
3. Upload your PDF document (max 50MB)
4. Dalus processes the document and extracts requirements—this may take a moment for large files
5. Review the extracted requirements:
   * Requirement text and identifiers
   * Priority levels (when detected)
   * Section hierarchy
6. Edit any entries that need correction
7. Click **Confirm** to add requirements to your model

<Note>
  AI extraction works best with clearly formatted documents—numbered requirement lists, tables, or documents following standard templates like DOORs exports produce the most accurate results.
</Note>

<Warning>
  You can cancel a PDF import while it's processing. If the extraction isn't producing good results, consider reformatting the source document or using CSV/Excel import instead.
</Warning>

## Exporting Requirements

Export your requirements for sharing with stakeholders or use in external tools.

### Export to CSV

Export all requirements to a CSV file that can be opened in Excel, Google Sheets, or imported into other tools.

1. Navigate to the **Requirements** page in your model
2. Click **Export**
3. A `requirements.csv` file downloads to your machine

The CSV export includes:

| Column                 | Description                        |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| **No.**                | Row number                         |
| **Name**               | Requirement name/ID                |
| **Level**              | Requirement level                  |
| **Statement**          | Full requirement text              |
| **Assigned Systems**   | Linked parts (semicolon-separated) |
| **Constraints**        | Parameter constraints              |
| **Status**             | Verification status                |
| **Type**               | Requirement type                   |
| **Parent Requirement** | Parent ID for hierarchy            |
| **Custom Columns**     | Any custom columns you've defined  |

<Tip>
  Custom columns you've added to your requirements table are automatically included in the CSV export, preserving your team's specific data structure.
</Tip>

## Best Practices

1. **Clean your data before importing** — Remove empty rows, fix formatting issues, and ensure consistent column headers in your source files.

2. **Use ReqIF for tool migrations** — When moving from another requirements management tool, ReqIF preserves the most structure and metadata.

3. **Review AI extractions carefully** — PDF extraction is powerful but may misidentify requirement boundaries in complex documents. Always review before confirming.

4. **Export regularly** — Create CSV backups before major changes to your requirements. This gives you a restore point if needed.

5. **Maintain ID consistency** — If your requirements have existing IDs from another system, map them to the Name field to preserve traceability.

## Permissions

Import and export actions follow model permissions:

| Role       | Can Export | Can Import |
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| **Owner**  | ✓          | ✓          |
| **Admin**  | ✓          | ✓          |
| **Editor** | ✓          | ✓          |
| **Viewer** | ✓          | —          |

Viewers can export requirements but cannot import or modify them.