---
title: "What are unchecked items?"
description: "Unchecked items are items that do not need to be controlled before release. The \"Require controlled items\" release control requires the count of items that are checked and not controlled to be 0. Said another way, all checked items must be controlled before release."
category: "Frequently Asked Questions"
section: "Software Release Process"
keywords: ["unchecked", "controlled", "checked", "version test", "filter", "release", "cases excluded", "increase"]
source_url: "https://support.ketryx.com/hc/en-us/articles/30938410133005-What-are-unchecked-items"
last_reviewed: 2026-06-11
---

# What are unchecked items?

> **In short:** Unchecked items are items that do not need to be controlled before release. The "Require controlled items" release control requires the count of items that are checked and not controlled to be 0. Said another way, all checked items must be controlled before release.

Unchecked items are items that do not need to be controlled before release. The "Require controlled items" release control requires the count of items that are checked and not controlled to be 0. Said another way, all checked items must be controlled before release. Therefore, the controlled status of unchecked items will not block release.

Items are unchecked for a particular version when they exist in that version and:

- are Test Cases that are excluded from that version's test plan or,
- are Anomalies that are deferred in that version or,
- meet the [unchecked items filter](https://docs.ketryx.com/reference/advanced-settings#unchecked-items-filter).

The unchecked items filter is an arbitrary filter defined with [KQL](https://docs.ketryx.com/reference/ketryx-query-language) that you can use to increase the scope of items that should be considered unchecked. Typically, this will be used for items that are being tracked in Ketryx but for which your QMS does not specify approval, or those that will not be included in release documentation.

## Related articles

- [Can I defer Anomalies in Ketryx?](can-i-defer-anomalies-in-ketryx.md)
- [Can Ketryx only track parts of a project?](can-ketryx-only-track-parts-of-a-project.md)
- [What Advanced Settings should I change when I \"Use existing Jira configuration\" for a new Ketryx Project](what-advanced-settings-should-i-change-when-i-use-existing-jira-configuration.md)
- [How do I exclude test cases in bulk?](how-do-i-exclude-test-cases-in-bulk.md)
- [How do I ensure my Test Cases are controlled before I create Test Executions?](how-do-i-ensure-my-test-cases-are-controlled-before-i-create-test-executions.md)