How to write a Manual Test Script in Quality Center

Software Testers need to add manual test scripts in Quality Center so that the jotted down steps can be followed in the mentioned order and the specific test can be performed.

To add a manual test script in Quality Center, we need to go to the "Test Plan" module. Here, we can add new folders as per our requirement from Tests --> New Folder. We can name the new folder as required. Once the new folder is created, we need to select the folder and create a new Test from Tests --> New Test. Now we need to name the New Test as per our requirement.

A Test Script has different sections namely: Details, Design Steps, Test Script, Test Parameters, Attachments, Req Coverage, Linked Defects, Dependencies, History.

The first step to write a manual test script is to enter all the mandatory values in the Details section. Quality Center administrators (mostly some senior members from the project) set up some fields in the Details section as mandatory. When we go the Details section, we can find these mandatory fields that are marked in Red color and they have (*) sign indicating that these are mandatory fields. A tester needs to fill in all such mandatory fields before he/she can proceed with writing the test script.

The next step is the Design Steps section. The tester can add new steps by clicking on the New Step icon or by pressing Alt+N. Each step comes with a Step Number. The tester needs to frame the steps sequentially so that even a person who is not accustomed with the functionality of the AUT can carry out the testing referring the test steps.

Each step has two sections -- (a) Description (b) Expected
In the description part we need to write what actually needs to be done in that step. For example: Navigate to ABC --> XYZ --> PQR
In the expected part we need to write what would be end result when the actions in the description part is performed. For example: The PQR page should be displayed.

In this way, we need to keep adding the steps till all the steps in the specific test has been jotted down. Once this is done, we can Save the test (Ctrl+S).
Thus we have created the manual test script successfully.

Sample step:
The Step 1 is normally the Login step.
Description:
Login to the application using the below mentioned credentials:
UserId: XXXXXX
Pwd: xxxxxx
Expected:
The user should be successfully logged into the application.

Terms and Terminologies

SDLC : Software Development Life Cycle. Its starts right from requirement gathering from the client / end user till the software product is deployed for use in real time.

AUT: Application Under Test. Refers to the Software or product that is being tested to make sure it meets all the requirements and performs as expected. AUT can be a webpage, a software package or anything on the similar lines.

Manual Testing: When a software is being tested by manual intervention, the tester is referred to as a Manual tester. In the initial phases, manual testing turns out to be very useful and cost effective as a lot of defects get detected by manual testers. In this kind of testing, the manual testers put in their judgement along with the help of the functional specifications to determine a scenario is performing as expected or not.

Automation Testing: When a AUT is stable and most of the defects have been fixed by the initial phases of testing, Automation testing is normally introduced. In this kind of testing, an automation tool is used to record the steps and when these recorded steps are executed, the automation tool performs the steps one after another. Thus manual intervention is minimized and the time of execution goes down. The commonly used tools for automation testing are Quick Test Professional and WinRunner.

Performance Testing: The testing performed to measure and make sure the performance of the AUT is meeting the client's expectations. For exmaple, let us consider the AUT is a webpage. Now the client expects around 100 users in real time. So performance testing is carried on to make sure that the webpage works perfectly when 100 users are using the webpage simultaneously. The commonly used tool for performance testing is Load Runner.

What is Software Testing ?

Software Testing consumes approximately 70% of the time frame of a Software Development Life Cycle.
Software Testing is all about challenging the software developers that there are short comings in the product that they have developed.
Software Testing is performed to make sure that the software product being developed meets all the client / end user's requirements.
Software Testing when completed provides an assurance that the software being developed will meet all of the requirements and will be able to perform as per the need of the end user.

While developing the code for the software product, the developers keep testing the code, which is termed as Unit Testing in the Software development life cycle. However, the basic code testing is not enough to guarantee the fact that the software will perform as expected. Hence, end to end testing of the software is of extremely high importance to provide the confidence that the software will be able to deliver according to its expectations.

In the process of Software Testing, the testers find out defects or bugs in the software product that the end users might face while using the software. These defects are then directed to the developers who look into the defect and analyze them. If the developers agree that the defect indeed is a shortcoming or malfunctioning of the software product, then they make changes in the code to meet the required expectations. Once the code is fixed, the software testers re-test the defect and if they are satisfied with the solution then the defect is Closed. In this fashion, most of the defects are eliminated from the software product and the software delivered to the end-user is in good shape.