codeBeamer ALM Software

Pros

Well structured, good Usability and helpful support

Cons

incomplete Documentation makes it hard to use advanced features

Complete coverage of our software development process with full traceability in a strongly regulated medical environment

Pros

The generic approach which more or less allows to define any object or artefact needed along the software development lifecycle in the tool

Cons

It is a very good tool for IT minded users, but other users may struggle with the usability and the complexity

Before I joined the codeBeamer world, I worked with other ALM tools. It was really a hard time, lots of things didn't come together or were poor in performance. I remember my first steps in codeBeamer. It was like an epiphany - suddenly everything makes sense and it's really that easy to accomplish. Actually the tool supports you in collaboration and structured workflow.

Pros

Simply: it works!
Seriously. I worked with other ALM tools. Either the tools didn't cover (understand) the ALM universe, or the tools were glued together resulting in diminished functionality or even failure.
Supected links. Traceability browser. Test coverage. Those tools work perfectly in codeBeamer.

Cons

Sometimes it's difficult to handle WYSIWYG. Implementation is done with a third party tool (Froala) and codeBeamer is bound to its limitations and drawbacks.
Usually I get my ideas realized within the HTML editor, but sometimes you have to struggle a little.

We're using codebeamer to support the requirement management, risk management, and software development processes for medical device development. We also run Scrum in codebemaer.

Pros

Codebeamer is very powerful, because it's very flexible.

Cons

With great flexibility come a great many settings. Some of those (such as role permissions) are very tedious (and error-prone) to set up. A few buttons with macros, or a text-based interface would have been nice.

Also, automation across trackers (say, tasks in user stories) can be tricky/not satisfactory.

Pros

- Ease of Use
- Service and Support available
- Customizeable Tool
- Variety of Functionalities
- Reporting possible
- Versioning System and Audit Trail

Cons

- Not possible to adapt Codebeamer to some special company's processes
- Few Useability Bugs

Pros

I appreciate the ability to link entries. We have FRS, development, and testing tickets all linked for product releases and it does a great job of helping organize that information.

Cons

I find it cumbersome to assign certain attributes. The pick lists can be difficult to search and sometimes it is hard to determine the correct choice based on those lists. It can be frustrating.

Can used to work on a real -time project even a free trial

Pros

Simple core design
Easily generate documents based on trackers
Integration with wiki and managing bugs

Cons

UI needs some improvement(performance)
Does not support inline documents for live docs
Ajax unable to handle large datasets

Pros

Kanban view for a better work management.
Nice customisations potential and customer orientation development step by step.

Cons

Lack of specific examples in webinars.
Lack of traceability between low-level requirements and source code.

Pros

It's a browser based tool and for almost every funktion a GUI or WYSIWYG is available. It includes all necessary parts for complex development project; therefore you can avoid a tool break between a classic requirement management tool such as DOORS and a test management tool. This is one advantage use codeBeamer compared to other tools on the market.

Cons

The complexity you're faced with during the first setup of a complex project. The user interface itself is easy to handle, but the working process behind the UI is not self explained. Dashboards, Reports and Trackers are loaded every time they are opened. For elements with big data this lasts quite some time.
Therefore it is not helpful for newcomers to codeBeamer that the customer support only works with a ticket system. It would be appreciated also to provide a german speaking customer support.

Pros

a: CodeBeamer is browser based, that is very convinient
b: a GUI or WYSIWYG is available for almost every function

Cons

a: unfortunately there is no german speaking customer support I can explain my problems
b: dashboards, reports and trackers are loaded every time after opening - this lasts very long for elements with big data

All Informations and almost all processes needed for business in one software.

Pros

Multiple features along ALM and customizeability of the product. The integration of the multiple features in one product.

Cons

Features leave the product and information about that is missing. Qualtity of the .0-releases could be better.

Complete documentation of all artefacts along the software development process, flexible workflows, full traceability, all stakeholders in the process working in the same integrated environment

Pros

very powerful, with a multitude of functionality, not only to tracker the artefacts along the software development process, but also to collect all other types of documents, manage teams, great reporting, basically any object can be described and traced in this tool.

Cons

In some parts the usability is difficult, especially for non-IT people, who are coming from a document-oriented way of working.

Pros

Efficiency and traceability throughout the requirements and test management. Inclusion of tools like Jira and the bridge with DOORS gives much added value.

Pros

Tracking the requirements
Tracability between requirements
Create and use the libraries
Baslining of the specifications
Ajust the workflows of each Tracker/department
Release management
SW-test reuse
Change management for the requirements/test

Cons

There are tree ways to create the authorization/user-management and this is sometimes difficult because of the roles for each project. If in our template project is create a new role we have to make the input in each prject manually.

Pros

This software offers a lot of functions which we use for product development.
I use it for development of automotive products. Due to the huge amount of options it is easy to customize the software for your needs.

Cons

Sometimes it is not easy to find all options in the software. The menu can be interleaved so you need some time to find the option.

Pros

I do especially like the one stop solution that enables me to get applications checked from testing till release.

Cons

The look of the charts / reporting functionality is not perfectly fitting the needs of our company. I would look very much forward to a better visualisation and flexibility of the charts.

Control and documentation of our development process

Pros

The configurability of this software is outstanding. For each item, you can vary the content, the workflow and the access by status, user and role to the content. We have been able to make the tools conform to our process rather than conform our process to the tool.

Cons

The various licenses control a bewildering number of grants and denials of capabilities. Some things are a great surprise.

Pros

Very flexible and powerful platform that can be adapted in a variety of ways to align to your process and practices for managing your application lifecycle. Expect to invest time and effort to configure the platform to meet your needs and expect significant return on your investment.

Over a 6 month window we rolled out codeBeamer capabilities for:
1) Requirements Management
2) Risk Management
3) Architecture and Design Management
4) Test Management
5) Defect Management
6) Scrum Team Rituals (Sprints, Stories, Tasks, ...)

codeBeamer is now our single digital system of record for the full Application Lifecycle.

Cons

It can be challenging to debug why a user is unable to execute a task given the intersection of
1) license constraints
2) project permissions
3) tracker permissions
4) field permissions

The ability to collaborate with my team and others, working towards the completion of tasks and projects of all sizes.

Pros

I very much appreciate the flexibility of the Codebeamer structure. The option to group items by project or by type figures greatly into our staff's needs. The ability to sort by type of item (and task) allows our team to save time and increase productivity.

Cons

I have utilized Codebeamer for several years and have yet to stumble on a hurdle or work-staller. I think it works great - as designed.

Pros

I like this for our requirements management that mates with test cases for a full requirements to test result traceability.

Cons

At times the interface seems a bit "clunky" and not as intuitive as desired. There are arrows in some spots and pull-downs in other spots. Once you figure out the interface things go smoothly