You are here: Reference > Rule types > Flows > Flow form - Working with the Test Cases tab
Use the Test Cases tab to work with test cases and flow markers for this flow.
This tab is visible only for starting flows, and only to operators who have the AutomatedTesting privilege through an access role. Starting flows are flows that have the Creates a new work object? option selected on the Process tab.
Recording test cases and viewing invalid test cases
Using the buttons on the Test Cases tab, you can record new test cases or request a report that alerts you to test cases that might need to be updated or re-recorded:
Field
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Description
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| Record New Test Case
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Click to record a new test case for unit testing this flow. See How to unit test a flow.
When you click this button, the system creates a new test page and starts executing the flow, and you can create a work item. The type of window, the portal, and the skin rule (styles and appearance) of the user form depend on your operator preferences.
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| Invalid Test Cases
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Click to get a report of any test cases saved for this flow that might need to be updated or re-recorded. If rules have changed, test cases that were recorded earlier might not return the expected results. Examine the Invalid Test Cases report to see which test cases are affected.
When you click this button, the Invalid Test Cases window opens, and you can choose to run the report immediately, or to run the report as a background process and have the results emailed to you. If you run the report immediately, the Test Case window lists the test cases.
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| Record From An Assignment
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Click to record a new test case using an assignment in the flow as the starting point for the test case. Assignments are points in the flow where the work item is paused and waiting for input before progressing to the next step in the flow.
When you click this button, the My Auto Test List window opens, and you can select a work item that has been assigned to either a particular operator or a particular workbasket. When you open the work item, the system begins executing the flow starting at the assignment point in the flow with the test case recording in progress.
When you record from an assignment, you are recording a resume test case because the flow starts at an assignment. After you select a particular open work item in the My Auto Test List window, you can use the Select Parent Test Case choice to select a parent test case for the resume test cases you record from the assignment point.
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| Refresh
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Click to update the list of saved test cases and saved flow markers displayed on this tab.
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Test cases
If any test cases are saved for this flow, they are listed in the table in the center of this tab. You can run an individual test case or resume test case by selecting its name. If a test case has saved results, you can view those results by selecting View Results.
Field
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Description
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| Name
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Name of the previously recorded and saved test case. To play back that test case, click its name in this list. The Testing Flow window opens, and you can choose to run that test case until differences are found or to walk through each step of the flow.
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| Type
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Displays either Test Case or Resume Test Case.
A resume test case is a test case that starts at an assignment in the flow, rather than at the creation of a work item. When you record a flow running from an assignment onward and save the test case, you are saving a resume test case.
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| Created By
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Operator who created the saved test case.
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| Created On
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When the saved test case was created.
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| Last Run On
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When the saved test case was last run.
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| Status of Last Run
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The test case's status from the last time it was run.
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| Saved Results
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Indicates whether there are any previously saved results for that test case. If a test case has results saved, you can click View Results to list the previously saved results. Saved results exist if some differences in the results were found the last time the test case was run, and the choice was made at that time to save those differences in the test case. You can select an entry in the list to examine the details of the results.
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Playing back saved test cases
Ordinarily, you initiate playback from the test case that was recorded at the start of the flow, and not from resume test cases. As you run through the flow test case, you have the option to play back any resume test cases that were recorded during that flow.
To play back a saved test case:
- Click its name in the Name field.
- Select whether to play back the test case until differences are found or to walk through each step of the flow, and then click Play.
During the playback of the test case, the preview of the flow appears. Use the Where-am-I? button to determine where you are in the flow as you play back the test case. Use the Cancel button to cancel the playback of the test case.
Running until differences are found:
If you select to run the flow until differences are found, the system goes through the flow until the point where there is a difference between the current state of the flow and the saved test case. When the system finds clipboard or database differences in a flow step, the playback stops and displays the differences in the window. The following actions are available:
Field
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Description
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| Next Difference
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Click to move to the next step in the flow where differences are found.
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| Save Ignores
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In the central part of the window, you can examine the differences as displayed in the Database and Clipboard tabs. If you want to indicate that a difference is to be ignored in future runs, you can select to have the system ignore it for either this test case or for all test cases, and then click Save Ignores to save your choices.
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| Save Results
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Click to save the results from playing back this test case.
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| Overwrite Step
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Click to overwrite this step in the test case with the current state of the flow.
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Walking through each step of the flow:
If you select to walk through each step of the flow, the system goes step by step through the flow, and displays first the stored input values used in the step and then the results after the step. The following actions are available:
Field
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Description
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| Next Flow Step
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Click this button to move to the next flow step, using the stored input values.
If you change any input values and want to use the changed values as you proceed to the next flow step, click Save New Inputs.
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| Input Values Prior to Step
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As you walk through the flow, this section appears prior to each step, and displays the input values used in the test case at that point in the flow. You can change these values by entering new ones and clicking Save New Inputs.
Optionally, if you want to use a dynamically created input value, click  to use the Dynamic Input Builder to guide you in creating that value. For example, if you want to always pass the current date into an Order Date field, select Today in the Function field of the Dynamic Input Builder.
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| Results After Step
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As you walk through the flow, this section is displayed after each step, and displays the results at that point in the flow. If the system finds clipboard or database differences in the step, the differences are displayed in Database and Clipboard tabs in this section. If you want to indicate that a difference is to be ignored when a flow test case runs, you can select to have the system ignore it for either this test case or for all of this flow's test cases, and then click Save Ignores to save your choices.
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| Save Results
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Click to save the results from playing back this test case.
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| Overwrite Step
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Click to overwrite this step in the test case with the current state of the flow.
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At the end of the play back of the test case, the following actions are available:
Field
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Description
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| Record From Here
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Optional. Click to record a resume test case from the current point in the flow.
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| Play
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Optional. If you want to play back a resume test case that exists at this point in the flow, select that resume test case from the list and click Play.
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| View Flow Summary
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Optional. Click to view a summary containing the results for each step in the test case.
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Flow markers
If any flow markers have been saved for this flow, they are listed in a table on this tab. To open the flow at a particular flow marker, click its name. The system automatically advances the flow process to the point of the flow marker with all of the data and decisions required to reach that point. You can continue moving through the flow from that point.
To create flow markers for this flow, begin by clicking Record New Test Case. When you reach the point in the flow process at which you want to create a flow marker, click Save Flow Marker. After you save the flow marker, click Refresh on the Test Cases tab to see it added to the list.
Field
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Description
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| Name
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Name of the saved flow marker. To jump to the point in the flow process where a particular flow marker was saved, click its name in this list.
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| Created By
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Operator who created the flow marker.
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| Created On
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When the flow marker was created.
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