Rally Integration Script and Web Application

Overview

This project consists of a Python script for integrating with Rally (now part of Broadcom) and a Flask web application that provides a user interface for uploading Excel files and creating user stories and tasks in Rally.

Requirements

• Python 3.6+
• pyral library
• pandas library
• numpy library
• flask library
• Access to a Rally account with appropriate permissions

Installation

1. Ensure you have Python 3.6 or higher installed.
2. Install the required libraries:

   pip install pyral pandas numpy openpyxl flask
   

3. Place the rally_integration.py and app.py files in your project directory.

Obtaining a Rally API Key

To use this integration, you'll need a Rally API Key. Here's how to obtain one:

1. Log in to your Rally account.
2. Navigate to your user settings.
3. Look for a tab or section labeled "API Keys".
4. Click on "Create"
5. Give your API key a name (e.g., "Rally Integration Script").
6. Copy the generated API key and store it securely. You'll need this for the script.

Note: API keys are sensitive information. Never share your API key.

Flask Web Application

The Flask application provides a web interface for uploading Excel files and creating user stories and tasks in Rally.

Setting Up the Flask App

1. Ensure you have the app.py file in your project directory.
2. Create a templates folder in the same directory.
3. Create the following HTML templates in the templates folder:
   • home.html: The main page with the file upload form
   • success.html: A page to show when the operation is successful
   • failure.html: A page to show when an error occurs

Launching the Flask App

1. Open a terminal or command prompt.
2. Navigate to the directory containing app.py.
3. Run the following command:

   python app.py
   

4. The Flask development server will start, typically on http://127.0.0.1:5000/.
5. Open this URL in your web browser to access the application.

Using the Web Interface

1. On the home page, you'll see a form to input Rally credentials and upload an Excel file.
2. Fill in the following fields:
   • API Key: Your Rally API key
   • Username: Your Rally username
   • Workspace: The name of your Rally workspace
   • Project: The name of your Rally project
3. Upload your prepared Excel file.
4. Click the Submit button to process the file and create user stories and tasks in Rally.

Excel File Structure

Prepare your Excel file with the following columns:

Column	Name	Description
A	User Story or Task	Must contain either "User Story" or "Task"
B	Name	Name of the user story or task
C	Description	Description (can be left blank for tasks)
D	Plan Estimate	For user stories (can be left blank for tasks)
E	Todo Hours	For tasks (can be left blank for user stories)
F	Estimate Hours	For tasks (can be left blank for user stories)
G	Release	For user stories (can be left blank for tasks)
H	Iteration	For user stories (can be left blank for tasks)
I	Development End Date	For user stories, in MM/DD/YYYY format (can be left blank for tasks)
J	Owner	Username for both user stories and tasks

• You can find a sample of how the excel should be constructed in the excel template folder.

Sample Excel File Content

User Story or Task	Name	Description	Plan Estimate	Todo Hours	Estimate Hours	Release	Iteration	Development End Date	Owner
User Story	Implement login	Create login functionality	5			Release 1	Sprint 1	12/31/2024	john.doe@company.com
Task	Design UI			3	3				jane.smith@company.com
Task	Implement backend			5	5				john.doe@company.com
User Story	Add dashboard	Create user dashboard	8			Release 1	Sprint 2	01/15/2025	jane.smith@company.com
Task	Design layout			4	4				designer.user@company.com
Task	Implement widgets			6	6				developer.user@company.com

Important Notes

1. Ensure that the usernames in the 'Owner' column exist in your Rally instance. If a username is not found, the script will use the default username provided when calling the function.

2. The 'User Story or Task' column must contain either "User Story" or "Task" (case-insensitive).

3. Tasks must immediately follow their associated user story in the Excel file.

4. If a task's owner is left blank, it will inherit the owner from its parent user story.

5. The Release and Iteration names must match exactly with those in your Rally Project.

6. The Development End Date should be in MM/DD/YYYY format.

7. Numeric fields (Plan Estimate, Todo Hours, Estimate Hours) can be left blank if not applicable.

Error Handling

If the script encounters an error, it will display an error message on the failure page. Common errors include:

• Missing required columns in the Excel file
• Invalid values in the 'User Story or Task' column
• Tasks defined before a user story
• Failure to find specified Releases or Iterations in Rally

Support

For any issues or questions, please contact your Rally administrator or you can mail me at immadiuttej2@gmail.com