If you’ve ever spent hours (or days) copying data from Jira into Word or Excel to create a test report for an audit, a customer, or an executive, you’re not alone. Manual reporting is one of the most common productivity killers in software testing teams. It’s repetitive, error-prone, and pulls skilled testers away from actual testing.
Xray’s Document Generator changes that equation completely. This powerful, template-based reporting engine turns your live Jira and Xray data into polished, fully branded Word, Excel, or PDF documents in just a few clicks. Create a template once. Reuse it forever. Share beautiful, professional reports with anyone, even people who have never logged into Jira.
Xray’s Document Generator creates professional reports automatically, saving time, reducing errors, and simplifying audits.
What Makes Document Generator Different?
At its core, Document Generator sits between two powerful worlds:
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On one side: all your rich Jira and Xray data (requirements, tests, executions, defects, steps, evidence, comments, attachments, and more).
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On the other: flexible, reusable templates you control.
You can pull ready-made templates from the Xray Template Store or build your own from scratch. Once a template exists, generating a report becomes almost effortless, right from inside Jira.
The real magic? These reports are designed to travel. Auditors, customers, partners, and executives who don’t have Jira access can still receive clear, professional documentation of your testing activities.
Where Teams Use It Most
Document Generator shines in three high-value scenarios:
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Regulatory Compliance: In healthcare, automotive, finance, and other regulated industries, proof of testing is often a legal requirement. Document Generator captures a clean, timestamped snapshot of your testing activities — ideal for audits and demonstrating that testing was performed correctly.
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Sharing With External Stakeholders: Not everyone needs (or should have) Jira access. Export results and give customers, partners, or auditors full visibility into testing outcomes without granting system access.
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Internal Records & Historical Tracking: Maintain a clean, organized archive of testing history. Whenever you need to revisit what was tested, when, and with what results, the evidence is ready.
Word vs Excel: Choose the Right Format for the Job
Document Generator supports two main template types, each optimized for different needs:
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Word-based templates: Perfect for comprehensive, narrative-style reports. Think full test reports, executive summaries, or audit packages. These are the documents you’d comfortably hand to a stakeholder or auditor.
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Excel-based templates: Deliver clean, flat, tabular list reports ideal for analysis. Great for reviewing runs, executions, plans, defects, or requirements, then filtering and sorting as needed.
Both can be exported to PDF for easy distribution. In short: Word is for storytelling. Excel is for deep analysis.
Ready-Made Report Types That Cover Real Needs
Out of the box (and via the Template Store), Document Generator supports several high-value report types:
| Report Type | Best Used For |
|---|---|
| Test Report | Detailed specifications of one or more tests |
| Test Execution Report | Summary of an execution, including requirements, defects, and results |
| Test Plan Report | Complete view of a test plan (tests, executions, defects, requirements) |
| Test Set Report | Breakdown of all tests in a set and the requirements they cover |
| Requirement Traceability Report | Forward and backward tracing through tests, runs, and defects |
| Excel List Reports | Flat, filterable lists for root-cause analysis, status monitoring, and more |
These cover the majority of common reporting needs. Most teams start here and customize rather than building everything from scratch.
Getting Started in Minutes: Use an Existing Template
The fastest path to value is the Template Store. In a typical workflow:
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Go to Space Settings → Apps → Xray Settings → Document Generator → Store.
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Search for something like the Xray Test Execution Report and install it.
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Open a Test Execution → Actions → Xray Document Generator → select the template → Export.
What you get is impressive: a professional cover page with project name, execution key (clickable), creation date, execution details, requirements coverage, overall status, and a full breakdown of every test run, including steps, evidence, comments, attachments, and linked defects. All generated automatically from your live data.
Building Your Own Templates: The Building Blocks
When store templates aren’t enough, Document Generator gives you powerful, approachable tools to create custom reports:
Mappings: Placeholders such as ${issue.summary} that pull live data from Jira and Xray.
Iterations: Pre-built loops that automatically expand sections for tests, steps, defects, linked issues, and more. Far faster than writing everything manually.
Conditional Blocks: Smart filters that show content only when certain conditions are met (e.g., only manual tests, only failed tests, only high-priority items).
Native Jira Data: Seamlessly include issue links, comments, attachments, and other standard Jira entities alongside Xray testing data.
Pro tip from the experts: Build incrementally. Add one section, generate the report, validate the output, then continue. This approach makes troubleshooting dramatically easier and keeps templates maintainable.
No More Testing Headaches with NUCIDA!
Building top-notch software doesn’t have to be a struggle. At NUCIDA, we’ve cracked the code with our B/R/AI/N Testwork testing solution - pairing our QA expertise with your test management tool to deliver streamlined processes, slick automation, and results you can count on. On time. Hassle-free. Ready to ditch future headaches? Let NUCIDA show you how!
Among others, NUCIDA's QA experts are certified consultants for Testiny, SmartBear, TestRail, and Xray software testing tools.
Why Choose NUCIDA?
For us, digitization does not just mean modernizing what already exists but, most importantly, reshaping the future. That is why we have made it our goal to provide our customers with sustainable support in digitizing the entire value chain. Our work has only one goal: your success!
- Effortless Tool Setup: We’re test management wizards, simplifying setup and integrating it with your favorite testing tools. Boost efficiency and accuracy with configurations tailored to your unique goals - complexity made easy.
- Superior Test Management: Our expert consulting supercharges your test management experience. Whether you’re launching a test management tool or leveling up, we streamline your testing for top-notch outcomes with precision and customization.
- Top-notch Automation: Our certified automation pros build frameworks that fit like a glove, integrating seamlessly with Xray. From fresh setups to fine-tuning, we deliver fast, flawless results.
- Flawless Test Execution: Our certified testers bring precision to every manual test, ensuring your apps shine with unbeatable reliability and performance. Quality? Nailed it.
- Insightful Reporting: Unlock game-changing insights with your tool's reporting tweaked to your needs. Our detailed quality reports empower smart, reliable decisions at every level.
- Proven Reliability: With 30+ years of experience, proprietary frameworks, and certified expertise, we craft efficient, easy-to-maintain solutions that keep you ahead of the curve.
Don’t let testing slow you down. Explore how consulting services can make your software quality soar - headache-free! Got questions? We’ve got answers. Let’s build something amazing together!
Key Takeaways & Best Practices
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Start with Store templates. They cover most common needs and can be customized quickly.
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Build incrementally and validate often.
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Keep your underlying test data clean and lean: better data produces faster, clearer reports.
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Focus the report on what the audience actually needs. More is not always better.
There’s still plenty of advanced territory to explore: custom fields, complex conditions, sophisticated formatting, and more. The best way to master Document Generator is simply to start building.
Test management shouldn’t be a burden. Xray Document Generator removes the friction between your testing data and the professional documentation your stakeholders expect. Whether you’re preparing for an audit, sharing progress with a customer, or simply keeping a reliable historical record, the path from Jira data to polished report has never been shorter.
Create a template once. Generate beautiful reports forever.
Your testing operations are about to undergo a significant upgrade. The NUCIDA QA Experts support you to guide you through the different Xray products. What are you waiting for? Let's test the future! What are your biggest test management challenges at scale? Drop a comment below: we’d love to hear how you’re tackling enterprise QA.
Want to know more about the new Xray document features? Watch our YouTube video, Xray Document Templates, to learn more about the Xray test management solution.
Pictures / Logos from pixabay.com, Xray, and NUCIDA Group
Article written and published by Torsten Zimmermann
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