help: managing properties in groups

I have a growing list of properties for use in a small smoke test suite. I would like to group the properties together so that related information is displayed together - and can be modified together.

I tried grouping all the properties together in a separate test case with the related data all in separate property test steps but the properties are not readable via property expansion in other test cases.

I'm certain there is a simple and elegant solution to what I would like to do but I am just not seeing it. I am currently using the open-source version (version 4.0.1) but if the solution is to go pro that is an option as well. I don't want to invest in the pro tool and find that I will still have this problem though.

Anyone have advice or examples of what I can do to group and manage my properties?

Thanks
Shane

Edited: added version