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Issue (POA&M) Editor

Issue (POA&M) Editor CLI

This CLI feature will allow you to edit Issues inside of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, save those changes, and update them to the RegScale database. Its purpose is to create a familiar user experience for control attestation based on Excel workflows while allowing seamless upload of edits to the database without any duplicate data entry.

Problem to Solve

Executives want the benefits of a real-time compliance system but practitioners want the familiar user experience and simplicity offered by Excel.

Solution

The issues editor was designed to provide a simple, repeatable, and consistent process for using Microsoft Excel to bulk edit assessments. This process is as follows:

  • Run a command to modify an existing issues
  • The CLI builds a templated and validated Excel file and loads the data for editing
  • The practitioner makes edits in Excel
  • Run a command to bulk update all records in RegScale in seconds

Details

The following fields are required to utilize this feature:

  • regscale_id - The ID (primary key) of the parent record housing the controls (NOTE: this is typically a Security Plan or a Component)
  • regscale_module - The name for the parent module you would like to view for the Control Implementations (NOTE: this is typically 'securityplans' or 'components'), please view RegScale Modules for options.
  • path - A temporary file path for where you will edit and save the excel file in your current working directory
    • --path - this value is already set as a default

The purpose of this CLI feature is to provide the ability to pull all Issues (POA&M), using a given rescale_id and regscale_module, into an Excel spreadsheet and allow clients with appropriate access to add/update the following fields:

  • Id - This is an integer key value
  • Title - This is a string value
  • Issue Owner (populated with user list)
  • Date Created - This is a date value that should be entered using mm/dd/yyyy formatting
  • Description - This is a string value
  • Severity Level - (populated with severity list dropdown)
  • Cost Estimate - This is a currency value. Any integers entered here should default to $0.00 formatting
  • Level Of Effort - This is an integer value that denotes hours in whole numbers.
  • Due Date - This is a date value that should be entered using mm/dd/yyyy formatting
  • Identification - (populated with identification list dropdown)
  • Status - (populated with list of statuses as dropdown)
  • Date Completed - This is a date value that should be entered using mm/dd/yyyy formatting
  • Activities Observed - This is a string value.
  • Failures Observed - This is a string value.
  • Requirements Observed - This is a string value.
  • Safety Impact - This is a string value
  • Security Impact - This is a string value
  • Quality Impact - This is a string value
  • Security Check - This is a string value
  • Recommended Actions - This is a string value

The CLI feature will analyze any differences made to these fields and make bulk updates where necessary in the RegScale database.

Assessments Editor Workflow

  1. Log into RegScale to set the token, which is good for 24 hours, and will secure all future RegScale API calls. (NOTE: You can skip this step if you are using a RegScale Service Account.)
    • regscale login
  2. Execute generate command.
  3. Open "artifacts" folder located in current working directory and make changes to "all_issues" workbook.
  4. Save changes to "all_issues" workbook.
  5. Check "artifacts" folder for file "differences.txt" to view a detailed listing of all changes that were made.
  6. Execute load command.
    (NOTE: It is important to follow steps as listed to ensure data accuracy and efficient loading. Always complete all steps and in the proper order.)

Example Commands

Enter the parameters below with your desired information

Create the excel file structure and load the current data from RegScale database into your workbook.

Make all edits necessary directly in Excel and save the workbook.

  • regscale issues generate generate and confirm that all data has been saved prior to upload
    • --regscale_id - The desired Parent ID
    • --regscale_module - The desired RegScale Module

Make all edits necessary directly in Excel and save the workbook.

Upload any changes made to your Excel workbook to the RegScale database.

  • regscale issues load