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Quick Start Guide

Quick Start Guide

This guide will walk you through creating your first requirement in Catalio. You’ll learn the basics of navigating the interface, creating requirements, and leveraging AI assistance.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • A Catalio account (sign up at catalio.com)
  • Access to an organization
  • Basic understanding of requirements management

Step 1: Navigate to Requirements

  1. Log in to your Catalio account
  2. Select your organization from the dropdown
  3. Click on Requirements in the main navigation

You’ll see the requirements index page showing all requirements in your organization.

Step 2: Create Your First Requirement

Click the New Requirement button to open the requirement creation form.

Basic Information

Fill in the essential fields:

Title: User Authentication System Description: Implement secure user authentication with

email/password Business Value: High Technical Complexity: Medium

Categories and Tags

Organize your requirement:

  • Category: Select from predefined categories like “Security”, “User Management”, etc.
  • Tags: Add relevant tags like “authentication”, “security”, “phase-1”

Priority and Status

Set the requirement priority and initial status:

  • Priority: Select from Urgent, High, Normal, or Low
  • Status: New requirements start in “Draft” status

Step 3: Add Rich Details

Acceptance Criteria

Define clear acceptance criteria using the built-in editor:

## Acceptance Criteria



- [ ] Users can register with email and password

- [ ] Passwords are hashed using bcrypt

- [ ] Session tokens expire after 24 hours

- [ ] Failed login attempts are rate-limited

Assumptions and Constraints

Document any assumptions:

{

  "authentication_method": "Email/Password",

  "session_duration": "24 hours",

  "password_requirements": "Min 8 chars, 1 uppercase, 1 number"

}

Step 4: Use AI Assistance

Catalio’s AI can help enhance your requirements:

Generate from Brief Description

  1. Enter a brief description in the AI chat
  2. Ask: “Generate a detailed requirement for user authentication”
  3. Review and refine the AI-generated content

Analyze Quality

Use the “Analyze Requirement” action to get:

  • Quality score and suggestions
  • Missing information alerts
  • Best practice recommendations

Step 5: Save and Share

Once you’re satisfied with your requirement:

  1. Click Save to create the requirement
  2. Share the link with your team
  3. Enable notifications for updates

Next Steps

Now that you’ve created your first requirement, explore these features:

  • Link Related Requirements: Create dependencies and relationships
  • Attach Files: Upload diagrams, mockups, and documentation
  • Export: Download requirements in various formats
  • Integrate: Connect with your project management tools

Tips for Success

Write Clear Titles

Good title: “Implement password reset flow with email verification” Bad title: “Password stuff”

Be Specific in Descriptions

Include the who, what, why:

  • Who: Which users or systems are affected?
  • What: What functionality is needed?
  • Why: What problem does this solve?

Use Structured Data

Leverage JSON fields for:

  • Technical specifications
  • Configuration options
  • Integration requirements

Keep It Updated

Requirements evolve. Remember to:

  • Update status as work progresses
  • Document decisions and changes
  • Link to implementation details

Common Questions

Q: Can I import existing requirements? A: Yes! Use the bulk import feature from the Settings menu

Q: How do I link requirements? A: Use the “Add Dependency” button on the requirement detail page

Q: Can I customize categories? A: Yes, organization admins can manage categories in Settings

Get Help

Stuck? Try these resources:

Congratulations! You’ve created your first requirement. Start exploring more features and build better software together.