Test Runs
A test run is a single execution of a set of test cases. Create runs tied to milestones, assign test cases to team members, and execute them in Focus Mode for a distraction-free testing experience.
Creating a Test Run
Navigate to the Test Runs tab in your project and click "+ New Run". A modal guides you through five steps to configure the run before creation.
- 1
Name your run
Give the run a descriptive name such as "Sprint 12 Regression" or "Release 2.5 Smoke Test".
- 2
Link to a Milestone (optional)
Associate the run with a milestone to contribute toward that milestone's progress tracking.
- 3
Select Test Cases
Choose test cases individually, by folder, or select all cases in the project.
- 4
Assign to team members (optional)
Assign cases to specific team members. Each assignee sees only their assigned cases by default.
- 5
Create
Click "Create". The run is created with a status of New and is ready for execution.
Run Status Flow
Every test run goes through a defined lifecycle. Status can be updated manually from the run detail page, with the exception of Completed, which is a terminal state.
| Status | Code | Description | Transitions To |
|---|---|---|---|
| New | new | Created but not started. No results recorded yet. | In Progress |
| In Progress | in_progress | Testing underway. At least one result has been recorded. | Paused, Under Review, Completed |
| Paused | paused | Temporarily on hold (e.g. blocked by an external dependency). | In Progress |
| Under Review | under_review | Testing complete but results are being reviewed before finalization. | Completed, In Progress |
| Completed | completed | All testing done and results are final. | Terminal state |
Automated Runs (CI/CD)
Runs created through the CI/CD API are marked with an automation badge. These runs receive results from your pipeline automatically and do not require manual execution.
Assigning Test Cases
Within a test run, each test case can be assigned to a specific team member, making it clear who is responsible for executing which cases.
How to Assign
Open the run detail page → click the assignee icon next to any test case → select a team member from the dropdown. Only users with Admin or Member roles appear in the assignee list.
Filtering by Assignee
Use the contributor filter at the top of the run detail page to show only the test cases assigned to a specific person. This is useful for team members who want to focus on their own workload.
Focus Mode
Focus Mode is Testably's distraction-free testing interface, designed to let you move through test cases quickly and record results without context-switching.
Layout
Left Panel — Test Case List
All test cases in the run with their current status indicators. Click any case to load it in the right panel.
Right Panel — Active Test Case
Full details of the selected case — title, steps, expected result, preconditions, and attachments. The result input area appears below.
Entering Focus Mode
Open any test run → click the "Focus Mode" button, or click directly on a test case row. The URL will include ?focus=true while Focus Mode is active.
Recording Results
For each test case in a run, record a status and optional supporting details. The run's progress bar updates in real-time as you submit results.
| Status | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Passed ✅ | Test case executed as expected. All steps completed successfully. |
| Failed ❌ | Actual result differs from expected. A defect was found. |
| Blocked ⛔ | Test cannot be executed due to a dependency or environment issue. |
| Retest 🔄 | A previously failed test that needs re-execution after a fix has been applied. |
| Untested ⬜ | Not yet executed. Default state for all test cases in a new run. |
Additional Result Fields
- Note: A comment explaining the result (e.g. "Failed on step 3 — button not clickable").
- Elapsed time: Record how long the test took to execute.
- Step-level status: Mark individual steps as passed or failed for granular tracking.
- Issues: Link Jira issues to failed test results (requires Jira integration).
- Attachments: Upload screenshots or evidence files to support the recorded result.
Run Progress Bar
The progress bar at the top of the run updates in real-time and shows a breakdown: X passed, Y failed, Z blocked, W retest, V untested.
Tip: Use keyboard shortcuts in Focus Mode for faster execution. Navigate between test cases and record results without touching the mouse.
Next Steps
Learn how to build test cases or organize your runs under milestones for release tracking.