How to write test cases in Jira? The ultimate guide. 

Struggling with managing projects and writing test cases in separate tools? Jira is here to help. It is the top tool for managing software development, especially in Agile teams like Scrum or Kanban. But… did you know that you can also use Jira to handle your test cases? Let’s explore how you can do that to get the best results.

While Jira’s roots lie in bug tracking, its capabilities have expanded to all project management tasks. Test management is one of these functionalities. We have a dedicated article about the pros and cons of Jira as a testing tool. Dig in if you are curious about using the Atlassian flag product for testing. This time, we’ll go a little deeper. Let’s focus on using Jira to write, organize, and track test cases. 

The test case lifecycle refers to the stages a test case goes through from its creation to its completion. It includes the following key phases:

Collaboration among testers, developers, and stakeholders is essential during a test case lifecycle. It ensures that the team meets testing goals and addresses issues effectively.

Many QA teams use Jira for test case management. And no wonder they do it. Bringing testing into the rest of software development makes it clear and consistent. This is possible due to Jira’s flexibility and integration with other tools. Jira has features for organizing tasks, tracking progress, and managing Jira testing workflow. Its project management capabilities allow you to manage testing with ease. Teams can create custom issue types for test cases. Moreover, Jira custom fields successfully capture test case details. 

With plugins, teams can extend Jira’s functionality to support test management better. Here’s what it looks like in Requirements and Test Management for Jira:

Starting with setting up Jira for test cases is important. It makes your testing inside the Atlassian tool effective. You can create a dedicated project for test cases but it’s not obligatory. It would help if you focused on the testing workflow. Well-configured Jira workflow improves visibility and collaboration. Follow the steps below to control your tests on a high level.

Here’s how you can customize Jira workflow for test cases: 

Do you prefer to focus on tracking defects? Go to our article about setting Jira workflow for bugs. 

Jira doesn’t have built-in issue types for test cases. However, it enables its users to add their own issue types to the project. You should use this feature while setting up your Jira for tests.

Here’s what you should do to create dedicated issue types for test cases: 

Marking sub-tasks as test cases will enable the stakeholders to display the results of specific testing cases directly in Jira. To set up sub-tasks as test cases results:

We recommend creating a separate test case for each action. 

Here’s a test case template that you can copy and paste into your Jira:

Summary: Verify [functionality/feature]

Description: Ensure that [functionality/feature] works as expected.

Preconditions:

[List any preconditions or setup required before testing]

Test Steps:

[#1: Detailed action]

[#2: Detailed action]

[#3: Detailed action]

Expected Result:

[Expected outcome for each step or overall]

Actual Result:

[Outcome after test execution]

Some Marketplace apps can guide you through completing your test cases. Below you can see what it can look like in one of our testing apps, Requirements and Test Management for Jira: 

Choosing the best test case management tool in Jira is crucial. Plugins offer specific features for managing requirements, test cases, and defects. Bringing apps into the process improves collaboration between testers and developers. It also embeds testing inside the rest of software development. What else can they do?

With RTM for Jira, you can link requirements to specific test cases. With a dedicated Requirements module, you can verify if all initial ideas are met. Additionally, RTM provides 4 specific issue types for requirements. It makes it easy to categorize and manage them. It maintains high-quality standards in your project from the very start. 

RTM in Jira isn’t just about linking tests to requirements. It’s also handy for managing test plans, executions, and defects. You can create detailed test plans based on your test cases. Then, you execute them consistently and track defects. Plus, you can easily see which tests are passing and which cause issues. RTM makes managing testing a breeze, ensuring nothing goes unseen.

Tired of spending hours crafting test cases? Let AI automate the process. With our Requirements and Test Management for Jira app, you can easily generate comprehensive test cases directly from your requirements. This will save you time and effort, allowing you to focus on more strategic aspects of testing.

Here’s a quick demo:

Below you will find answers to the most common questions about writing tests in Jira. To explain details we used the tips and screens from Requirements and Test Management for Jira. The app’s functionalities support QA teams throughout the whole testing process. Customers value the app’s intuitiveness and transparency. Thanks to this, even non-tech-savvy people can benefit from its possibilities. 

You can track test case progress with testing plugins. The Marketplace apps provide users with additional capabilities and reports. These features make tracking tests intuitive. They enable users to see the progress of test cases and their executions at a glance. Moreover, the Traceability Matrix in Jira allows us to check if related tests cover all requirements. This is the strong point of RTM for Jira, worth considering while deciding on the testing tool. 

Test case management apps support you in maintaining your tests. You can use the plugin to create issue types for test cases. Fill in details like summary, steps, expected results, and priority. Then, group your test cases into folders or test sets. This helps keep them structured by feature or module. You can also organize test cases using labels. Link test cases to Jira issues (e.g., user stories or requirements). This ensures traceability later on. 

Next, create test plans or test cycles. Assign test cases to these plans and schedule execution dates. Run test cases during testing phases. Record results directly in Jira (pass, fail, blocked, etc.). If a test fails, create a bug issue in Jira. Link it to the failed test case for easy tracking. Regularly review test cases for accuracy. Update them based on changes in requirements or software. Use the plugin’s reporting tools to track test progress, coverage, and outcomes.

Finally, use Jira’s collaboration features. Comment on test cases and tag team members for feedback or updates.

Use a test management plugin to set up a test case issue type. Then, go to the Test Case module inside the app. To record a test case, create a new one by clicking the Create button. 

Next, fill in the test case details:

Remember to use the linked issues field to connect the test case to relevant Jira issues (user stories, bugs, or requirements). 

In RTM for Jira, test cases are reusable. You can clone specific tests or the whole test plans. First, find the test case you want to reuse in the Test Cases module. You can search for it or browse through the folders. Then, click on the test case and the Clone icon at the top of the tree-structured view. Adjust the details of the cloned test case if necessary (e.g., update the summary, steps, or preconditions).

Save your changes, and that’s it! The replicated test case will appear on your list. 

Go with the steps above. Use the Clone feature available in the test management plugin. Duplicate your test case and adjust it to match your needs.

Test case execution is executing test cases from a specific test plan. Remember to add test cases to the test plan before execution. You can display test cases in test execution as a list. This way, you will monitor their progress and results. 

From this view, you can change each test step status. You can also complete the actual results and link defects to particular tests. It’s a good practice to upload an attachment illustrating the issue and add a comment. 

First, select the test cases and add them to a test plan. Only then you will be able to execute them. Test cases can’t be executed separately. However, it’s possible to create a test plan with only one test case. 

You can import test cases across the majority of testing apps, including RTM for Jira. You can also upload them from a CSV or Excel file. First, choose the target folder for your test cases. Next, click the … icon and the Import from CSV option. 

At this point, you choose your project and the tool from which you import your test cases. To format your data well, select encoding and values separator. Adjust your file’s first line as a header, and decide not to continue importing if an error appears. You can also create missing versions and components if there are none in the target project.

After clicking Next, the import process starts automatically. 

Reports from writing test cases in Jira are crucial for managing software testing. Test reports show how testing is going and what’s working well. They let teams see the status of test cases and find out what needs improvement. Good reports allow all the stakeholders to stay in the loop. Let’s see how to prepare them. 

Test reporting in continuous testing is challenging. Teams must collect accurate data and use an effective system to report test results. Doing it manually is time-consuming. It makes it hard to keep up with fast development cycles. In large projects, generating comprehensive test reports can lead to data overload. 

Any errors or incomplete data can compromise the report’s credibility. Understanding and interpreting test case chart can be challenging, especially for non-technical stakeholders. This is why reports must be presented in a clear and understandable format. It’s not easy to do it in Excel or other manual tool. 

We advise you to benefit from the real-time reports. They generate automatically. All you need is to choose a test management plugin with reporting features.

Apart from the Traceability Matrix, RTM for Jira provides other reports for tests. For example, the Requirements Coverage report helps you verify if test cases cover all requirements. You can filter the report results to identify what needs to be taken care of quickly. 

The app also enables us to monitor progress using the dedicated Test Case Execution report. The chart displays all the statuses of the Test Case Executions. Below it, there is a table listing each test case, its results, potential defects, and other key details. The final document can be exported to a CSV file.

All reports can be exported to the dedicated project dashboard. Thanks to this, managers can track testing progress with ease, even if the project is demanding.  

Jira allows for creating tests as regular issues. However, we recommend using the dedicated issue type. You can configure it by using testing apps. 

Give your test cases descriptive names that reflect their purpose. This helps testers understand what’s being tested and makes finding specific tests easier.

Ensure your test cases cover the functionalities and requirements you’re testing. Link them to the specific requirements they validate for better traceability.

Specify any pre-conditions required before running the test case. This ensures a consistent testing environment.

Provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to execute the test. This should be easy to understand for anyone assigned to testing.

Whenever possible, create generic test cases applicable to multiple scenarios. This reduces repetitive work and saves time in the long run.

Don’t just test for successful outcomes. Include test steps that explore edge cases, error conditions, and unexpected inputs. Ensure comprehensive testing.

Define the expected outcome for each test step. This clarifies what a successful test run should look like.

Take advantage of labels, components, and other custom fields. Categorize and organize your test cases for better searchability.

If you use automation tools, link your test cases to relevant automated tests. It allows for a smoother testing workflow.