# Requirements baselines, traceability and change control

*Business Analyst Study Guide · Requirements · Last updated October 15, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/business-analyst/requirements/requirements-baselines-traceability-and-change-control*

Why requirements live in one version-controlled repository, how a baseline and its change history expose scope creep, how change requests are logged and decided, and how unique IDs trace each requirement to the stories and tests that prove it.

- Certification: Salesforce Business Analyst
- Exam section: Requirements
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/business-analyst

**Official exam objective:**

> Document requirements in a version controlled repository to manage scope.

## What the exam expects

- Recommend one version-controlled repository over emailed spreadsheets, exports and personal notes, and say which risks it removes.
- Compare current requirements with the approved baseline to separate clarifications from scope creep.
- Take a new or changed requirement through change control: log it, assess impact, get a decision, update the item.
- Set access so a few people edit and stakeholders read and comment, with every revision showing who, when and which approval.
- Trace each requirement by unique ID to the stories and test cases that prove it, keep deferred items with their rationale, and merge duplicates.

Key terms:
- **Version control:** any system that keeps track of multiple versions of something.
- **Baseline:** the approved set of requirements that later requests and edits are compared against.
- **Scope creep:** unauthorized changes included without approval.
- **Change request log:** a log of every change request, with date, requester and other key information.
- **Requirements traceability matrix (RTM):** exam convention for the table linking each requirement ID to its stories and test cases.
- **Glossary:** key terms and definitions that boost understanding across teams.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single source of truth | The backlog describes all changes, updates and requirements | [Scrum Workflow](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/scrum-and-kanban-at-salesforce/learn-the-elements-of-the-scrum-workflow) |
| Exam objective | Document requirements in a version-controlled repository to manage scope | [Review Requirements](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/salesforce-business-analyst-certification-prep/review-requirements) |
| Without version control | Teammates can overwrite each other's changes, with no way to go back and recapture them | [Why Version Control Matters](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/git-and-git-hub-basics/learn-why-version-control-is-important-for-team-based-development) |
| Each saved change records | Author, time and date, and the changes made | [Work with Your History in Git](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/git-and-git-hub-basics/work-with-your-history-in-git) |
| Change request log | Date of request, requester and other key information | [Explore Documentation Types](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/learn-documentation-types-importance-documentation) |
| Significant requirements added mid-execution | Schedule or cost must change, or the item is deferred | [Gather Requirements](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/best-practices-for-project-management/gather-requirements) |
| Access rights | Determine who can view and who can edit a diagram | [Understand Universal Process Notation](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-process-mapping/understand-universal-process-notation) |
| Test cases | Validate the functional requirements | [Explore Documentation Types](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/learn-documentation-types-importance-documentation) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a baseline matter for scope?
- When should a change agreed in a refinement session be written into the repository?
- What does a change request log capture?
- Why keep a glossary in the repository?

## Sources

- [Review Requirements](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/salesforce-business-analyst-certification-prep/review-requirements)
- [Learn the Elements of the Scrum Workflow](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/scrum-and-kanban-at-salesforce/learn-the-elements-of-the-scrum-workflow)
- [Explore Documentation Types](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/learn-documentation-types-importance-documentation)
- [Gather Requirements](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/best-practices-for-project-management/gather-requirements)
- [Learn Why Version Control Is Important for Team-Based Development](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/git-and-git-hub-basics/learn-why-version-control-is-important-for-team-based-development)
- [Work with Your History in Git](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/git-and-git-hub-basics/work-with-your-history-in-git)
- [Learn About Salesforce Application Lifecycle Management](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/salesforce-application-lifecycle-management-quick-look/learn-about-salesforce-application-lifecycle-management)
- [Understand Universal Process Notation](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-process-mapping/understand-universal-process-notation)
- [See Business Process Mapping in Practice](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-process-mapping/see-business-process-mapping-in-practice)
- [Become A Business Analysis Detective](https://admin.salesforce.com/blog/2020/become-a-business-analysis-detective)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 14 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Business Analyst pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams