How to Use Test Cases

Guide testers through a sequence of instructions to determine whether software meets the pre-defined requirements.

A test case defines which actions must be performed in order to verify whether a specific function or functionality meets the expected result. Test cases are organized and live inside a test suite. On this page, you’ll learn more about the benefits of using test cases, and how to use them in TestMonitor.

A test case contains a sequence of steps for a tester to follow and may even have the expected outcome a tester should end up with. Test cases are an organized way to validate if software is free of bugs and working as required. By making clear and concise test cases, you have a reusable set of testing parameters to make sure your software is working correctly and an organized way to track test results.

Before You Begin

Make sure you create test suites before beginning. 

Test Cases Overview

Test cases are created as part of a test suite. Click Design in the navigation menu and then click the test suite name or right arrow button to open the overview of the related test cases.

Add a Test Case

Test cases are created as part of a test suite. In order to add a new test case, first open up the test suite and then click the Add Test Case button in the top right corner. A popup will appear where you can fill out the various fields of the test case you’re creating.

• Name: Choose something to the point that will summarize the test case.
• Duration: This is an optional field where you can enter the estimated time it will take to execute the test case.
• Instructions: This area allows you to add step-by-step directions on how to run the test case. 
  • You can add as many steps as needed with the plus icon to the right and remove any steps with the minus sign. 
  • You can utilize rich text formatting for each step in the instructions (bold, italic).
  • Steps can be reordered by clicking the three horizontal lines and dragging it up or down.
  • You can copy and paste an entire set of bulleted or numbered directions into the instruction field and each point will automatically split into separate steps.

If you have defined custom fields for test cases, they will show up here when the Show on Form option is enabled. You can manage your custom fields for test cases in the Custom fields section in the project settings.

Some test cases may be more involved than others and require more information to successfully run them. Below the instruction field, you will see a + More option that will reveal further fields.

• Preconditions: Additional information about what has to be done before the test case can begin. This field allows for basic rich text formatting. If you highlight some text in this field, you will have the option to format text with bold, underline, italics and strikethrough. There are additional options to create lists, quotations, and hyperlinks in the field.
• Expected result: This space is to detail what the result or output of a test case should be. This lets a tester know if their result is unexpected and signals a bug or issue with the program. Highlighting text in this field will open a menu with advanced text formatting options.
• Test data: Any relevant information a tester may need to run a test case can be added here. Highlighting text in this field will open a menu with advanced text formatting options.
• Tags: You can add one or more tags to a test case by clicking the dropdown. Tags help to organize and sort test cases.
• Draft: Toggle the switch in order to move a test case from a pending draft to a test case that can be scheduled and assigned. If you have not finished creating your test case or are not ready for it to be assigned, leave it as a draft.

Relate Requirements, Risks and Applications

When creating a test case, there is  a + More option with fields to assign requirements, risks and applications to the case. This makes test cases visible on the details pages of the other features for easy reference. Assigning these other fields to test cases also allows you to filter test results, linked issues and project reports later on to help keep you organized.

Any associated requirements, risks and applications will also be visible on a test cases details page so that you can see how the feature your testing relates to the wider project. More information about the fields is below:

• Requirements: Click to see a dropdown of all of the requirements for your project. You can select multiple requirements to associate a test case with. You can remove a requirement by hitting the cross next to the requirement name.
• Risks: Click to see a dropdown of all of the risks for your project. You can select multiple risks to associate a test case with. You can remove a risk by hitting the cross next to the risk name.
• Applications: The application dropdown allows you to associate an application needed for the test case. You can remove an application by hitting the cross next to the application name. You can add additional applications as your project expands.

Update a Test Case

Updating information for a test case can be done through both the detail page and the sidebar view of the test case. In both views, you will have the basic test case fields as well as tabs for requirements, risks and applications where you can also update them!

To see the sidebar view of a test case, click anywhere in the test case row and a panel with the test cases information will popup on the right. To see the detail page, click on the code or right arrow and a new window will open with the test case information. Updating the information is simple:

1. Hover over a field and click the pencil edit icon.
2. Click the save icon by each field to save any changes made.

Clone a Test Case

If you need another copy of a test case, you do not have to manually create a duplicate of all of the information and links. TestMonitor provides an easy way to clone a test case and all of its associated information. 

If you are on the overview page for test cases:

1. Click the three dots in the row for the  test case you want to duplicate and select Clone.
2. A popup will give you the option to name the duplicate test case.
3. The newly cloned test case will appear at the bottom of the overview page.

If you are on a test case detail page:

1. Click Clone in the top right of the page.
2. A popup will give you the option to name the duplicate test case.
3. The newly cloned test case will appear at the bottom of the overview page.

Move Test Cases to Other Test Suites

If you created a test case in the wrong test suite, or maybe cloned a test case and now need it moved, TestMonitor provides an easy way to transfer the test case. 

If you are on the overview page for test cases:

1. Click the three dots in the row for the test case you want to duplicate and select Move.
2. A popup will give you a dropdown field where you can select one of the other test suites in your project to move your test case.
3. The test case will appear on the selected test suite page.

If you are on a test case detail page:

1. Click Move in the top right of the page.
2. A popup will give you a dropdown field where you can select one of the other test suites in your project to move your test case.
3. The test case will appear on the selected test suite page.
   
   

Sometimes you may need to move more than one test case at a time. You can move multiple test cases at once using multi-select: 

1. On the test case overview page, check the box that appears to the left of the row. Repeat this for every test case that you want to move. 
2. Click the Selected button in the toolbar and then click Update.
3. Use the Test Suite dropdown to select the test suite you want to move the test cases into.

Delete and Restore

To delete an individual test case: 

1. Open a test case detail page and click the three dots in the top right corner.
2. Choose Delete and confirm you want to delete this test case.

If you deleted a test case by accident, you can easily restore the data:

1. Click the three dots in the top right corner of the test case overview page, and then click on Restore test cases. A list of all trashed test cases displays.
2. Locate the test case you want to restore and click the arrow button.
3. Click Restore in the confirmation box and the restored test case now displays on the overview page again.

Batch Update Test Cases

Using multi-select, you can quickly edit or update several test cases at once:

1. Check the box on the left of the test case you want to select as part of your batch update.
2. Select additional test cases, as required. To select all, check the box in the table header. 
3. Click the selected button in the toolbar: 

• • When you select Update, a pop-up box displays. In this section you can add, change, or remove the Requirements, Risks, and Applications of a test case. You can also set or update the test case duration or change its draft state.
  • When you click Delete all the selected test cases will be deleted.