Design Steps Tab/Design Step Details Dialog Box

The Design Steps tab enables you to view and edit design steps for the selected test. The Design Step Details dialog box enables you to create and edit individual design steps.

To access

Design Steps tab: In the Test Plan module, select a test in the test plan tree, and click the Design Steps tab.

Design Step Details dialog box: In the Test Plan module, select a test in the test plan tree, and click the Design Steps tab. Then use one of the following:

  • Right-click the design steps grid, or a design step, and select New Step.

  • Right-click a design step and select Edit Step.
Important information
  • If you apply formatting to a parameter name in a design step, you must apply the same formatting to the entire parameter name, including the <<< and >>> characters. For example, if you want to italicize the parameter password, you must italicize the entire string <<<password>>> and not just the word password.
  • Specifying less than 2,500 characters in user-defined fields in this tab or dialog box can improve performance.
Relevant tasks

How to Design Test Steps

See also

Test Design Overview

User interface elements are described below (unlabeled elements are shown in angle brackets):

UI Element (A - Z)

Description

Save. Saves the details.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box

Allows you to browse through design steps.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box

Check Spelling. Checks the spelling for the selected word or text box.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box

Spelling Options. Enables you to configure the way ALM checks spelling.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box

Thesaurus. Displays a synonym, antonym, or related word for the selected word.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box

New Step. Creates a new design step in the Design Step Editor dialog box.

The new step is added below the selected step.

Edit Step. Opens the selected design step in the Design Step Editor dialog box.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Renumber Steps. Renumbers the design steps sequentially. Use this command after you rearrange steps.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Delete Selected. Deletes the selected design steps.

Copy/Paste Steps. Copies the selected design steps and pastes them to another test in the same project or in another project. The copied design step is inserted above the selected step.

When you paste design steps to another project, the Paste Design Steps to Target Project dialog box opens. For user interface details, see Paste Design Steps to Target Project Dialog Box.

Note: Parameters included in the design step are copied to the target test.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Attachments. Opens the Attachments page, enabling you to add attachments to the selected design step. For user interface details, see Attachments Page.

After you add an attachment, the icon displays in the Design Steps grid, next to the appropriate design step.

Note: If you add an attachment to a design step, a copy of the attachment is made every time the test is run.

Call to Test. Opens the Select Test dialog box, enabling you to call another manual test. For user interface details, see Select Test Dialog Box. The call to the test is inserted as a new design step below the selected step.

Tip: To return to the calling test, click in the upper left corner of the design step grid.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Generate Script. Enables you to convert the test to an automated test type that is run by the applicable automatic testing tool. For considerations on whether or not to automate a test, see Test Automation.

For reference details, see Test Types.

ALM generates a test script skeleton based on the current design steps.

The test icon next to the test you automated is replaced with the automated test icon.

Note:  

  • After automating a test, you cannot convert it back to the MANUAL test type.

  • For automated test types other than FLOW, you can use this button to select a different testing tool.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Insert Parameter. Opens the Parameters dialog box, enabling you to insert a test parameter in the Description or Expected Result field. The parameter is inserted at the cursor position. For user interface details, see Parameters Tab/Parameters Dialog Box.

Find Text. In the Design Steps tab, opens the Find dialog box, enabling you to find text in specific fields. For user interface details, see Find Dialog Box.

Find/Replace Text. In the Design Step Details dialog box, opens the Find & Replace dialog box, enabling you to find or replace a specified string in the selected field.

Select Columns. Opens the Select Columns dialog box, enabling you to define which columns appear in the grid, and the order in which they appear. For user interface details, see Select Columns/Select Fields Dialog Box.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Adjust Rows Height. Adjusts the row size of the steps in a test. This enables you to view all the text in the Description or Expected Result columns if the text is long.

Tip: To resize a single step, position the mouse in the gray sidebar on the gridline below the step. The cursor changes to a vertical arrow. Drag the gridline up or down.

Available from: Design Steps tab

Save Steps. Saves the design steps in the project. If you are typing long text, use the Save Steps button to prevent data loss.

Move Down/Move Up. Moves the selected design step up or down in the design steps grid.

Tip: Alternatively, select a design step and drag it to a new position.

Back. Returns to the test that called the currently-open template test. For task details on inserting calls to template tests, see Call a template test – optional.

Available from: Design Steps tab
<design steps grid>

Displays design steps that are included in the selected test.

Available from: Design Steps tab
Attachments

Enables you to add attachments that provide additional information about the design step. For user interface details, see Attachments Page.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box
Description

Instructions for the tester to perform.

Note:  

  • Test parameters included in the Description field are surrounded by <<< >>> brackets.

  • Design Steps Tab: If a step is a call to another test, the Description field displays a link to the called test, and actual values of the parameters included in the called test. To edit actual values of the called test parameters, right-click the link, and choose Called Test Parameters.

Tip:  

  • Clicking in this field displays a toolbar for formatting and spell checking the text.
  • Specifying less than 2,500 characters in this field can improve performance.
Details

Design step details. Required fields are displayed in red.

Available from: Design Step Details dialog box
Expected Result

The expected state after the step instructions are performed.

Tip:  

  • Clicking in this field displays a toolbar for formatting and spell checking the text.

  • Test parameters included in the Expected Result field are surrounded by <<< >>> brackets.

  • Specifying less than 2,500 characters in this field can improve performance.
Step Name

The name of the step.

Default value: The sequential number of the design step. For example, Step 1 if you are adding a step to a test for the first time.

Note: If a step is a call to another test, the Step Name field displays a link to the called test, and actual values of the parameters included in the called test. To edit actual values of the called test parameters, right-click the link, and choose Called Test Parameters.