Download the RTM template
XLSX
Requirements traceability matrix (Excel)
Header block, 13 columns, drop-downs for type, verification method and status, Failed rows in red, Concession rows in amber, filters and a How to use sheet.
CSV
Requirements traceability matrix (CSV)
The example rows as plain CSV (UTF-8), for Google Sheets or any other tool.
Both files are free under CC BY 4.0, with no form to fill in. The CSV carries the table only; the header block is in the XLSX.
What a requirements traceability matrix is
An RTM comes from systems and software engineering. Each row is one requirement. Forward traceability follows it to the design that meets it and the check that verifies it. Backward traceability follows any design item or test back to the requirement it serves. For the definition and the difference from a bid compliance matrix, see the requirements traceability matrix glossary entry.
RTM or compliance matrix?
| Compliance matrix | Requirements traceability matrix | |
|---|---|---|
| When | At bid stage, sent with the offer | After award, kept during design, build and test |
| Question | Does the offer meet each requirement? | Was each requirement designed, verified and recorded? |
| Columns | Requirement, offered, status, evidence | Requirement, design reference, verification method, evidence, status |
| Template | Compliance matrix template | This template |
A good compliance matrix is the natural first column of an RTM: the same requirement rows, carried forward after award. See compliance matrix vs traceability matrix.
Example rows: ball valve order PO-EX-3105
| Req ID | Source | Requirement | Agreed deviation | Design reference | Method | Verification reference | Evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-001 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 3.1 | Valves shall be designed, manufactured and tested to API 6D. | GA-BV-0600 Rev B; DS-BV-0600 Rev B | Review | ITP-BV-01 step 1 (design review) | GA-BV-0600 Rev B returned code 1 | Verified | |
| R-002 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 3.4 | The design minimum temperature shall be −46 °C. | EX-01 (clarified) | DS-BV-0600 Rev B line 9 | Review | ITP-BV-01 step 1 | TQ-EX-007 answer: −46 °C governs | Verified |
| R-003 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 4.2 | Body and closures shall be forged ASTM A350 LF2 Class 1. | BOM-BV-0600 Rev A items 1–3 | Inspection | ITP-BV-01 step 3 (material certificate review) | MTR set MTR-BV-SET, heats H-1001 to H-1004 | In progress | |
| R-004 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 4.5 | Seat inserts shall be PEEK. | EX-03 (accepted: RPTFE) | DS-BV-0600 Rev B line 18 | Inspection | ITP-BV-01 step 5 (assembly check) | Concession | |
| R-005 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 7.2 | Pressure-containing parts shall have EN 10204 type 3.2 certificates. | QP-01 Rev C | Inspection | ITP-BV-01 step 3 | Planned | ||
| R-006 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 9.4 | Valves shall be pressure tested (shell and seat). | EX-08 (accepted: API 6D tests) | TP-BV-02 Rev A | Test | ITP-BV-01 step 8 (witness point) | Planned | |
| R-007 | PS-VAL-001 Rev 2, 10.2 | Gear operators shall be sized for 1.5 times maximum breakaway torque. | Torque calculation TQ-BV-06 Rev B | Analysis | ITP-BV-01 step 2 | TQ-BV-06 Rev B returned code 3 | Failed | |
| R-008 | MR-VAL-001 Rev 1, 7.1 | Vendor documents shall be submitted as listed in the VDRL. | Vendor document register VDR-EX-3105 | Review | Monthly register review | VDR-EX-3105 Rev C | In progress |
The file also has Type, Owner and Remarks columns. Row R-004 shows an accepted deviation verified as a concession; R-007 shows a calculation returned for resubmission. Every example value is invented: the project, customer, purchase order PO-EX-3105, specification PS-VAL-001 and every document, transmittal and report number do not exist. Standards are named but not quoted.
Columns and what to write
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Req ID | A unique ID that never changes, even if the clause is renumbered. |
| Source document | The document the requirement comes from, with revision. |
| Clause | Clause, datasheet line or PO item. |
| Requirement | The requirement in the source's words, or a short faithful summary for long clauses. |
| Type | Mandatory (shall), Advisory (should) or Information (drop-down). |
| Agreed deviation | The agreed deviation or concession that changes this requirement, if any. |
| Design reference | The drawing, datasheet, calculation or procedure that meets the requirement. |
| Verification method | Test, Inspection, Analysis, Demonstration or Review (drop-down). |
| Verification reference | Where the check is planned: ITP step, test procedure or review step. |
| Evidence (record) | The record that proves it: report, certificate or returned document, with number. |
| Status | Open, Planned, In progress, Verified, Failed or Concession (drop-down). Failed rows turn red; Concession rows amber. |
| Owner | Who closes the row. |
| Remarks | Anything a reviewer needs, such as a linked change or open NCR. |
Verification methods
| Method | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Test | Measure the item under set conditions, such as a pressure or leak test. |
| Inspection | Look at or measure the item or its records, such as a dimensional check or certificate review. |
| Analysis | Show by calculation or model, such as a wall-thickness or torque calculation. |
| Demonstration | Operate the item and show it works, without detailed measurement. |
| Review | Check a document against the requirement, such as a drawing or procedure approval. |
Test, analysis, demonstration and inspection are the classic systems-engineering set. Review is added here because so many equipment requirements are met by an approved document.
How to use the template
- Fix the baseline: the purchase order, the specification and datasheet revisions, and the agreed deviation list. Put them in the header block.
- Give every requirement its own row and a unique ID that never changes. Split clauses that hold more than one requirement.
- Where an agreed deviation or concession changes a requirement, note it in the Agreed deviation column, so you verify what was agreed, not the original wording.
- For each row, name the design document that meets it and the verification method: test, inspection, analysis, demonstration or review.
- Link each row to where the check is planned, usually an inspection and test plan (ITP) step or a test procedure.
- When the check is done, add the record number in Evidence and set the status. Failed rows turn red and Concession rows amber.
- When a specification or drawing changes, filter the Source document or Design reference column to find every row it affects.
- Before handover, filter Status for anything that is not Verified or Concession. Every such row needs an action or an agreed deviation.
What OdysseyGPT does, and does not do
OdysseyGPT is not a requirements traceability or requirements management tool, and it does not build or maintain an RTM. What it does is check requirements against documents with citations: at bid stage, Document Review checks the customer's specification against your datasheets and drafts a compliance matrix with the clause and page for every requirement. Those rows are a sound starting point for the Requirement column here. For dedicated traceability software, look at requirements management tools.