Developing manual test scripts

Developing and managing test scripts are essential parts of the quality management lifecycle.

Manual test scripts
You can use IBM® Engineering Test Management to manage your manual test scripts.
Manual test script steps
In IBM Engineering Test Management, you can add multiple steps to a test script.
Execution variables
To use specific values in your test scripts during a test run, define execution variables in test scripts or keywords. You can also pass execution variables from a test suite or a test case to associated test scripts or keywords. If you are an administrator or a test lead, you can set execution variables at the project level.
Manual test scripts and statements
Manual testing is a type of testing that includes human involvement and no automation.
Using the manual test script recorder
The manual test recorder integrates with IBM Rational® Functional Tester so that you can automate the creation and editing of manual test scripts. You record user gestures in your application, which are then converted into manual script statements in English.
Adding existing test scripts to test cases
When you add an existing test script to a test case, it is listed in the Test Scripts section of the test case.
Associating test artifacts with parent test artifacts
When you work on planning artifacts, you associate different types of artifacts. For example, you associate a test plan with multiple test cases, and you associate a test case with one or more test scripts. These associations are supported through the artifact editor of the parent artifact. The test plan editor has a Test Cases section where you can add new or existing test cases to associate with the test plan. Similarly, the test case editor has a Test Scripts section where you can add new or existing test scripts to associate with the test case.
Creating manual test scripts
The Manual Test editor is a rich-text editor for constructing test scripts.
Filtering manual steps in the Manual Test editor
You can specify filter criteria in the Manual Test editor and then modify specific manual steps based on the filter results.
Creating manual test scripts from the test case design
You can define test script steps in the Test Case Design section of a test case and use the design to automatically generate a test script.
Creating or modifying manual test scripts with the recorder
You can use the manual test script recorder in the manual test editor to complete a set of actions and capture them as steps in a manual test script. This approach saves your team time and eliminates user errors from manually writing manual test script steps. You can also save screen captures automatically or do exploratory testing.
Customizing the display of manual test scripts
You can customize how manual test scripts are displayed for specific scripts or for your entire enterprise. You can start by using the default test script template, or by creating a custom template.
Editing manual test scripts
You create and update scripts by using the Manual Test editor. The editor supports standard editing commands and specific commands for scripts.
Importing manual test scripts
You can import test scripts that are saved as local XML files directly into your repository, where they are then available on the Browse Test Scripts page.
Linking test script steps to requirements
You can ensure that your testing effort adequately covers the necessary requirements by linking requirements directly to your test script steps. When you save the test script, any new requirements that were not previously associated with the parent test case are automatically added to the test case.
Working with test data
You can add realistic test data to your manual test scripts.
Using keywords in manual tests
You can use keywords in your manual tests to facilitate statement reuse and automation. A keyword is a statement or group of statements that you want to reuse in other test scripts.
Incorporating execution variables into manual tests
To use specific values in a manual test script during testing, define execution variables and then pass their values to the manual test script and keywords. Within a manual test script, you can pass values between that manual test script and the keywords. You can also pass values between keywords.

Parent topic: Developing test cases, test suites, and test scripts