Test Cases
Test cases are the building blocks of your QA process. Learn how to create, organize, and manage test cases effectively — manually, in bulk, or with AI assistance.
Creating Test Cases
Testably offers two ways to create test cases: manually for precise control, or via AI generation for speed. Both methods produce the same structured test case format.
Manual Creation
Navigate to the Test Cases tab in your project, then click "+ New Test Case". Fill in the fields below to define your test case.
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Yes | A clear description of what is tested. E.g. "User can login with valid credentials". |
| Custom ID | Auto | Auto-generated from project prefix (e.g. PRJ-1). Cannot be set manually. |
| Folder | No | Organize into folders. Select an existing folder or type to create a new one. |
| Priority | No | Critical, High, Medium (default), or Low. |
| Type | No | Manual (default) or Automated. |
| Lifecycle Status | No | Draft → Active → Deprecated. New cases start as Draft. |
| Precondition | No | Prerequisites or setup needed before executing the test. |
| Steps | No | Step-by-step instructions for executing the test. |
| Expected Result | No | What should happen when the test is executed correctly. |
| Tags | No | Free-form labels for categorization (e.g. "login", "regression", "smoke"). |
AI-Powered Generation
Click the "AI Generate" button to generate test cases automatically. Two modes are available:
- Mode 1 — Text-based: Describe a feature in natural language. The AI generates relevant test cases based on your description.
- Mode 2 — Session-based (Professional+): Select a Discovery Log session. The AI analyzes your recorded observations to generate structured test cases.
Plan Limits — AI Test Case Generation
Session-based mode requires a Professional plan or above.
- 1
Choose mode
Select "Text-based" to describe a feature, or "Session-based" (Professional+) to analyze a Discovery Log session.
- 2
Provide input
Type a natural language description of the feature, or select a completed Discovery Log session.
- 3
Review titles
AI generates candidate test case titles. Edit, remove, or add titles before proceeding.
- 4
Review details
AI fills in steps, expected results, and priority for each case. Review and adjust before saving.
Organizing with Folders
Folders help organize test cases into logical groups by feature, module, or sprint. A well-structured folder hierarchy makes it easy to find specific test cases and build focused test runs.
Creating a Folder
When creating or editing a test case, type a new name in the Folder field — the folder is created automatically. Each folder supports a custom icon and one of 10 colors: Indigo, Violet, Pink, Emerald, Amber, Cyan, Red, Teal, Orange, Blue.
Sidebar Navigation
The left sidebar displays all folders with a test case count next to each. Click any folder to filter the list and show only the test cases within it.
Moving Test Cases
Select one or more test cases using the checkboxes, then use the Bulk Action Bar's "Move" option that appears at the bottom of the screen. Choose the target folder to relocate the selected cases.
Tags and Priority
Tags
Tags are free-form labels used for categorization and filtering across your test library. Common examples include: smoke, regression, login, payment, P1.
Priority Levels
| Priority | When to Use | Visual |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Core functionality that must always work (login, checkout, payment). | Red badge |
| High | Important features that significantly impact users. | Orange badge |
| Medium | Standard functionality (default for new test cases). | Blue badge |
| Low | Nice-to-have features, edge cases, or cosmetic issues. | Gray badge |
Use the filter bar above the test case list to filter by Priority and Lifecycle Status (Draft, Active, or Deprecated).
Bulk Operations
Select multiple test cases using the row checkboxes — the Bulk Action Bar appears at the bottom of the screen with available actions. Use the header checkbox to select all visible test cases at once.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Assign | Assign selected test cases to a team member. |
| Move to Folder | Move selected cases to a different folder. |
| Remove from Folder | Remove the folder assignment from selected cases. |
| Change Lifecycle | Transition lifecycle status: Draft → Active → Deprecated. |
| Delete | Permanently delete selected cases (shows a confirmation dialog). |
Editing Test Case Details
Click any test case title to open the detail view. From here you can edit all fields, add numbered steps, and manage attachments.
Steps & Expected Results
Steps are numbered, with each step describing a single action. Here is an example:
- Navigate to the login page.
- Enter a valid email address.
- Enter a valid password.
- Click "Sign In".
Expected Result: User is redirected to the dashboard and sees a welcome message.
Attachments
Upload screenshots, documents, or other files to provide additional context for the test case. Attachments are visible in both the detail view and during test run execution.
Lifecycle Transitions
Test cases move through three lifecycle states: Draft (being written), Active (ready for use in runs), and Deprecated (retired from active use). Deprecated cases are hidden by default — use the lifecycle filter to show them.
Tip: Write test case titles as user actions: "User can [action]" or "Verify that [behavior]". This makes test cases self-documenting and easier to understand during execution.
Next Steps
Now that you know how to manage test cases, learn how to execute them in a test run or organize your releases with milestones.