Navigating Test Execution: Tips and Tricks

To bet utilize the Test Execution feature, try looking through these tips and tricks.

Execute Approved Test Case

The Execute Approved Test Case pop-up may be displayed if the most recent version of the Test Case has not been approved in the Test Design module. If you have permission to approve Test Cases, you can select the latest version of the Test Case, so that you can approve it and select to execute at the same time. If you do not have approval permission, you can only execute the latest approved version (which may be outdated). Once you select the Test Case version to execute, select OK.

You can also specify the Test Case version to execute in advance by selecting the Test Case Version field on the Test Run (and saving) before you select Run. For more details on Test Case versioning and approval, see the article: Create, Edit, and Delete Test Cases.

Default Execution Mode

The default execution mode will be TestPad only, but you can change the default execution mode to one of the other options: TestPad + Desktop Explorer or TestPad + Web Explorer by clicking the drop-down arrow next to the Run icon. After you select a different execution mode, the default is updated so that the same mode applies the next time you select the Run icon.

Understanding Attachments

To add Test Case Attachments before execution:

Attachments added to the Test Case will flow to your TestPad during Test Execution. You can add Attachments from the Test Case in 2 areas:

  • Test Case Attachment section: these will be viewable in the Attachments tab on the TestPad and in the Attachments tab of the associated Test Run

  • Test Step attachment column on the Test Case: these will be viewable in the Test Step on the TestPad and in the Test Log details of the Execution History tab on the Test Run page

To add Attachments during Test Execution:

There are 4 methods to add Attachments during Execution:

  1. Test Case Attachment -TestPad Attachment tab

  2. Test Step Attachment -TestPad Step Grid

  3. Test Log Attachment - TestPad Attachment tab

  4. Test Step Log Attachment - TestPad Step Grid

View Attachments

  • To view attachments that are related to a Test Case: The Attachment tab in Execution History will show a cumulative view of your Test Case attachments that you entered on the Test Case Attachment section or the Attachment tab of the TestPad during Test Execution.

  • To view attachments that are related to a Test Log: The Attachment tab in Execution History will show a cumulative view of your Test Log attachments that you entered on the Attachment tab of the TestPad during Test Execution.

  • To view attachments that are related to a Test Step Log:

    1. From the Execution History tab of the Test Run, scroll to the bottom of the screen.

    2. The Test Log Details grid will display and you can view the attachments by selecting the clip icon in the Test Log column.

    3. If you need to view attachments from a different Test Log, you will need to select the associated Test Log above the grid, and the grid will update with those Test Log Details.

  • To view attachments that are related to a Test Step:

    1. From the Execution History tab of the Test Run, scroll to the bottom of the screen.

    2. The Test Log Details grid will display and you can view the attachments by selecting the clip icon in the Test Step column.

    3. If you need to view attachments for a different Test Step, you will need to select the associated Test Log above the grid, and the grid will update with those Test Log Details.

    4. You can also view your Test Step attachments that were added on the original Test Case in Test Design. These will show in the Test Step attachment column on the Test Case.

TestPad

The TestPad window contains five tabs across the Information bar that allow you to record detailed information for Test Steps, to view Test Case details, insert/view attachments, include notes, and record time tracking. This article serves as an overview of these functions and features.

new_test_pad_basic_screenshot_v3.png

TestPad Header

The TestPad Header provides information about the Test Run you are about to execute. Including the following:

  • Test Run ID

  • Test Run Name

  • If you execute multiple Test Runs, you can select the down-arrow to the right of the Test Run name. The selected Test Runs will display in the drop-down list for easy navigation.

  • You can select the Forward or Backward icons to execute the Test Runs in order.

  • Select the Load Last Log icon to view the most recent execution result of the Test Run. (This can be a helpful way to identify test steps that previously failed so that you can pay closer attention during this execution.

Execute Steps Tab

The Execute Steps Tab is where you will find information for the Test Case and you can record results, statues, and defects for Test Steps. You can display up to 200 Test Steps on one page. A rich-text editor is available in the Test Step fields to provide formatting options such as bold, underline, and text color. Select the ‘A’ icon to display the rich-text editor.

Test Steps Column Information:

  • Checkbox: allows you to select multiple Test Steps to bulk-assign a status

  • Step#: displays the number associated with the Test Step Note: Precondition is listed as Step#0. Precondition will display when entered on Test Design, or you can insert add-hock here.

  • Test Case Attachment (paperclip icon): allows you to add an attachment for the Test Case associated with the Test Step. When an attachment is available for the Test Case, the paperclip icon and attachment count will display in the column in line with the appropriate Test Step number.

    If you add attachments here, a new version of the Test Case will be created

  • Description: description of what the Test Step is accomplishing

  • Expected Result: what should happen when the Test Step executes

  • Actual Result: what does happen when the Test Step executes.

    Entering the Actual Result for Test Steps is optional. You may decide that if the expected result occurs for a given step, then it isn’t necessary to fill in the Actual Result. To save time, you may wish to enter details in the Actual Result cell only if a particular step fails to provide more detail on why the step failed.

  • Test Log Attachment (Clip icon/Log): allows you to add an attachment for the individual Test Step Log. When an attachment is available for the Test Step Log, the paperclip icon and attachment count will display in the column in line with the appropriate Test Step number.

  • Status: drop-down menu of available statuses you can individually assign to a Test Step.

    • Hover over the Status cell of the test step, and the status drop-down menu displays. Here, you can indicate whether each Test Step passed or failed.

      Select the checkbox for each Test Step to bulk edit the same status for multiple Test Steps. Choose Select to display the Status drop-down. Choose the appropriate status and select the Mark Selected Steps button. The Test Steps you chose previously will all receive the same status.

  • Defects (Bug icon): hover text displays the option to submit Defect(s) for individual Test Steps.

  • Action: options to reorder, add new, or delete the Test Step.

Set Status and Submit Defect for Test Log

After you have marked the execution status for the Test Steps, you can set the status of the overall Test Log in the Set Status field, by choosing the Select drop-down.

In addition to being able to submit Defects for a Test Step, you can also submit a Defect for the overall Test Log. Do this by selecting the Submit Defect icon. Once the Defect is submitted, a Defect count will be visible in parentheses. For more information, read the Submit Defects in Test Execution article.

Test Run Tab

The Test Run tab allows you to view and modify Test Run properties while executing a Test Run in the TestPad. The changes will save to the latest Test Run properties and the executed Test Log.

Test Case Details Tab

The Test Case Details tab is read-only and provides information entered in Test Design.

Attachments Tab

The Attachments tab allows you to add new attachments for the Test Case or the Test Log. The Attachments Table and Attachment Preview provide you with additional information for the attachment.

The Attachments Table provides the following details:

  • Name: name of the attachment

  • Uploaded by: user that uploaded the attachment

  • Date: date of upload

  • Type: type of attachment

    • Test Log: attachments for the specific Test Run

    • Test Case: attachments for the Test Case

  • Action: provides a delete option

The Attachments Preview on the TestPad allows you to preview the attached image/file in the bottom panel by selecting the attachment name in the Attachments Table. Alternatively, you can select the backward and forward arrows to navigate through the available attachments.

Neither a PDF or Excel file will display the image in preview mode. You will need to download the .pdf or .xls to view.

attachments_tab.png

Notes Tab

The Notes tab contains a Text field with a rich-text editor to allow you to document information regarding the Test Run. Notes entered here are seen on the Test Run page in the Test Log Details section of Execution History. A date/timestamp along with the user who entered the note is also displayed.

Time Tracking Tab

The Time Tracking tab allows you to manually track your planned time and the actual time spent executing the Test Run. Upon saving the TestPad, a Time Tracking dialog will display with an auto-calculated execution time based on your start and end time. You will have the ability to modify the auto-calculated value.

The auto-calculation is an additional option to being able to enter the planned and actual time manually. If you have logged your execution time on the TestPad in the Time Tracking tab, the manually entered values will override the auto-calculation.

Defects Tab

The Defects tab will display all Defects linked to previous Test Logs or Test Logs of sibling Test Runs.

Sibling Test Runs are considered to be other Test Runs from the same Test Case.

Saving your Test Log

  1. Once you have finished your execution, you will need to save the TestPad.

  2. The Execution Time widget displays with an auto-calculated execution time based on your start and end time. Select Save. You can modify the auto-calculated value.

  3. (Optional) If you wish to skip this step, you may, by selecting Skip.

  4. In the Planned Time field, enter the number of minutes you expected to take to execute the Test Run. In the Actual Time field, enter the minutes it took to execute the Test Run. Then, select Save. Manually entered values will override the auto-calculation. For more details, see the article Time Tracking Settings.

  5. When you close the TestPad window, the Execution History area of the Test Run page will auto-refresh so the details of this execution (including actual results and status for each test step), will display.

    If you are in the middle of making changes to any Test Execution properties and have not saved, and you close a TestPad, the background page will not refresh until you confirm you want to save your changes.