Start automating your tests 10X Faster in Simple English with Testsigma
Try for freeWriting effective test cases is an integral part of the software development and testing process, especially when dealing with complex applications with multiple functionalities. Test cases serve as a reference for future testing cycles, facilitate knowledge transfer when new team members join, and help identify and document complex functionalities. They are also essential for preventing bugs, improving test coverage, and prioritizing product releases
Table Of Contents
What are Test Cases?
A test case is a set of steps or instructions written to test a functionality or a feature of a software application. To do comprehensive testing of a software application, we need detailed test cases in place. Test cases are also the easiest way and part of the process where knowledge transfer is concerned. It can help the other person understand the application at an initial level.
Why are test cases written:
Test cases are usually written for the following reasons:
3. Better test coverage
4. Identifying and documenting complex functionalities
5. Prioritizing them while releasing the product
Test Case Template
While writing a test case, a tester must have in mind to create a document which has the necessary information to execute and evaluate the test case status. A test usually consists of the below parameters.
1. Test case id: Each test must have a unique id that can be mapped to the Story id or Req id in the tool used in the team, which helps to keep track and calculate the test coverage. You can refer to a requirement document matrix for the same
2. Description: A brief description of what the functionality is about and test scenarios it is derived from, along with a brief idea of the business requirement, would be helpful for a new person to understand it in a better way
3. Module Name: The module to which the test steps belong, which helps us later to find out the dependent and impacted modules which need to be prioritized for testing.
4. Complexity: What is the complexity of the test case? It can be (Simple, Medium or Complex), which helps us to decide which one to pick first when a time crunch is there. We can simply filter out the complex scenarios and plan the testing.
5. Preconditions: The ideal environment to perform the steps for both positive and negative scenarios.
6. Test steps: Detailed steps which are followed by the user to perform the actions intended.
7. Test Data: A comprehensive test data set that the user has to use to execute the test case. It can be dummy data created in lower environments, but it is always preferred to use real user data to get a better output.
8. Expected Results: The result expected after completing the steps. It can be a message or another landing page, an error message (in case of a negative test case), or a confirmation message (for a successful transaction).
9. Actual Result: Capturing the system’s behavior after the steps are performed and comparing it to the expected result
10. Status: Set the status as PASS/Fail as per the previous step result. If the status is failed create and tag the bug for the specific test case
11. Priority: We need to set the priority of the test cases based on conditions like functionality which has the greatest impact on major workflows of a system and to be executed at all times or based on risks and coverage and functionalities which have less impact and can be neglected for a release.
Listed below some test case template for some instances
test case template for login page
test case template for mobile application
Few best practices to follow while writing test cases:
1. Aim for corner/edge case scenarios
2. Write the test steps precisely focusing on the scope
3. Attach and refer relevant test data or documents needed to be referred to in any step
4. Avoid using the complex English language
5. Don’t rely on assumptions while writing test cases
6. Gather as much domain knowledge as you can before you start on test ideas
7. Get your test cases reviewed by the product owner or BA and gather their feedback
8. Keep past user behaviors, and bugs in mind and include those in your test steps
9. Look beyond UI, and try to find non-functional test cases for the feature
10. Take the help of automation to increase productivity by reducing repetitive tasks and focusing more on creating better test ideas
11. Use test management tools actively to reduce maintenance.
Planning and Execution – Test Case Template
In simple words, it serves as a base document to initiate and steer the overall testing process for the project. It provides a high-level summary of the testing strategy, objectives to be achieved, scope of testing to be conducted, and the timeline in which testing will occur.
Normally, it includes the following key elements such as:
Test Plan: The approach to testing and the set goals, resources involved, and schedule.
Test Strategy: The overall approach to testing and its alignment with project goals.
Test Environment: Hardware, software, and network configurations required for testing.
Test Data: Describes the categories of data required for testing and that are necessary for creating and handling test data.
Test Schedule: Pertains to the establishment of the time frames in which various test activities shall take place, including but not limited to test execution, defect reporting, and retesting.
Test Metrics: Test metrics include KPIs that were used to measure how effective the testing was in terms of things such as defect density, test coverage, and test execution time.
Manual Testing Test Case Template
This template is used to write out test cases that are to be executed manually by testers. It gives a structured way in which steps, expected results, and actual results can be documented. Typically, the main elements included are:
Test Case ID: A unique identifier for a particular test case.
Test Case Title: A brief description of the test case.
Pre-conditions: What needs to be done prior to executing the test case?
Test Steps: A detailed sequence of actions that shall be performed during the course of the test.
Expected Results: What is supposed to happen after each test step.
Actual Results: What really took place after performing the test steps.
Pass/Fail: Yes or No to indicate whether the test case has passed or failed.
Test Case Status: The present condition of the test case (such as, not executed, in progress, executed, blocked).
Remarks: More details or comments regarding the test case.
Automation Testing Test Case Template
This test case template is used to develop test cases that will be executed automatically using tools like Testsigma. The template provides a way for the test engineer to write and organize the
- test script,
- test data, and
- expected results
that would serve as the basis for planning and executing the testing. In general, important elements that are included are:
Test Case ID: Unique identification of the test case.
Test Case Title: A clear statement about what the test case does.
Test Script: The automated script or code to carry out testing.
Test Data: Data to be used as input when running the test script.
Expected Results: What should come out of the test.
Actual Results: What came out of the test when it was executed.
Pass/Fail: Just an output to show if a test case passed or failed.
Test Case Status: The stage at which the test case currently is (for example: not run, running, run, blocked).Remarks: Any additional comments or notes of the test case.
Use Tools for Automating Test Cases:
Taking the help of tools for writing test cases decreases the effort of the team to a maximum percentage. By using these tools, we can increase the consistency, accuracy, and reusability of the test cases.
In order to write automated test cases
1. We need to decide the scope of the testing and identify the test scenarios for test automation
2. We need to pick an automation tool that best suits the requirements and skill sets of the team members.
3. Design and execute the test cases and evaluate the results in an automated manner whenever required.
Creating and Managing Test Cases through Testsigma:
To write, execute and maintain automated test cases, Testsigma offers a user-friendly platform where one can create different categories as per the requirement.
Define Testcase type:
Using the platform, users can automate different types of test cases such as UI, Functional, Nonfunctional, Integration, Regression, and Usability tests. These tests can be for web, mobile, desktop, or APIs.
As Testsigma is a no-code test automation tool, automating your tests is as easy as writing test cases in English.
Set priorities:
Users also can set priorities (Critical, High, Medium, Low ) for the created test cases inside the tool. Users are able to create customized priorities such as (eg: supercritical).
Define the requirements:
The user can also create its own requirement types from which the test case has been derived, as the requirements for the test cases come from different inputs.
Maintaining test cases:
While adding, updating, and removing test cases from the tool, it keeps track of past activities and helps avoid human error. It has history saved for each action that happened for the test step created by the user.
Users also can filter the required steps through different tags added to the test steps
Import and export:
Users can import the created test cases from different platforms such as jira , testsigma helps migrate or to upload the test steps in bulk where users need to make changes in all the existing test cases.
Users can also import from the GitHub repository through a YAML/zip file and directly through a .json file exported from your Postman collection.
Other features:
With Testsigma, you can start automating your test cases in minutes.
Testsigma also lets you execute your tests on 3000+ real devices and browsers, in parallel. Thus, saving you tonnes of time.
Testsigma is also available as an open-source and free version.
Find more information on automating your test cases with Testsigma at Test Cases – Overview
Summary:
Maintaining test cases can be a challenge in an agile environment, where requirements are subject to frequent changes. However, using automated tools can be valuable in such scenarios, allowing the team to adjust to changing requirements while keeping their test cases up-to-date.
Hope you find it useful
Happy testing ☺
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the main 5 required elements of a test case?
1. Gathering the right requirement criteria
2. Keep the user behaviour in mind.
3. Prerequisites are the most important part of any test case
4. Create concise test cases , which is easily readable by other people
5. Maintain and update the test cases whenever required
What are the 4 qualities of a test case?
1. Written in a precise and concise way
2. Easy to understand for everyone
3. Covers all aspects of testing
4. Easy to maintain
How do I create a test case in Jira?
1. Log into your Jira account and navigate to the project where you want to add the test cases.
2. Click on the “Issues” tab in the top navigation bar.
3. Select “Create Issue” to create a new issue.
4. In the “Create Issue” form, select the issue type as “Test”.
5. Fill in the required information such as summary, description, and any other relevant fields.
6. In the description or comments section, you can provide detailed steps for the test case, expected results, and any other necessary information.
7. Assign the issue to the appropriate team member responsible for executing the test case by selecting their name from the “Assignee” field.
8. Set the priority and other relevant fields based on your project’s requirements.
9. If necessary, you can attach files or screenshots to the test case by using the “Attachments” section.
10. Save the issue to create the test case in Jira.
11. Repeat the above steps for each additional test case you want to add.
