Test reporting: what it is and how to do it

Testing is essential in software development because it ensures product quality and prevents costly post-release problems. Consider a banking system that malfunctions shortly after release, leading to poor customer satisfaction and ruining the bank’s reputation.

A key stage in the development process is testing your system and properly communicating the test reports, allowing teams to make more informed decisions and identify areas for improvement.

In this post, we’ll talk about test reporting and why it matters. We’ll also cover the different types of test reports and some of the best tools for test reporting.

What is test reporting?

Test reporting is the process of compiling, evaluating, and communicating test results to the relevant stakeholders. It helps everyone understand the quality and determine whether a feature, product, or solution for an error is ready for release.

Components of a Test Report

A good test report should include the following:

• A test summary that offers a high-level overview of the entire testing procedure, encompassing the goals, parameters, and outcomes. It should include the total number of test cases, the number of test cases executed, which cases passed, and which cases failed.
• A test environment provides all the necessary information regarding the configuration and where to perform the test, including the network configuration, hardware, and software used during testing.
• A list of all test cases executed with their corresponding results (passed, failed, blocked).
• A list of defects, including severity, priority, and status.
• Test metrics, which are the quantitative data on testing efforts, such as test case execution time, defect density, and test coverage.
• An in-depth test results analysis that emphasizes patterns, trends, and potential risks.
• Written conclusions and recommendations—bug fixes, retesting, and process enhancements—based on the test outcomes. Be sure to also lay out the foundation for future enhancements to guarantee an effective development process.

Test reports can help you prioritize bug fixes and enhancements depending on how they affect the user experience.

Benefits of test reporting

Enhanced Decision Making

Test reports can help you prioritize bug fixes and enhancements depending on how they affect the user experience. By identifying areas with high defect rates, teams can allocate resources effectively to improve product quality.

Increased Efficiency

Analyzing test results can help you discover inefficiencies in the testing process and offer ways to enhance it. Test reports can help you identify areas where test automation might be introduced to improve efficiency.

Saved Time and Resources

Test reporting helps save time and resources on a particular project. Potential issues are detected early on and addressed before the final product is released.

Enhanced Communication

Test reporting encourages effective communication and collaboration among team members. Potential issues discovered during testing are shared with the relevant team members and stakeholders. This keeps everyone informed and aware of the next steps rather than having to go back and forth, consuming time and resources.

Types of test reports

There are different types of test reports, but we’ll be looking at the three major ones.

Test Incident Report

A test incident report is a formal document that describes a problem that arises during software testing. It’s essentially an in-depth description of the bug. It communicates the issues and monitors the defect throughout the development life cycle.

Test Cycle Report

A test cycle report provides a complete summary of the outcomes obtained during a specific testing phase or iteration. It offers a summary of the testing efforts, results, and key performance metrics. It can also help you assess the effectiveness of the testing process and identify areas for improvement.

Test Summary Report

A test summary report is a detailed document that summarizes the entire software testing process. It compiles the results of all test cycles to provide a final assessment of the software’s quality and readiness for release. It provides stakeholders an understanding of test results, evaluates the effectiveness of the testing process, and identifies possible areas of improvement.

Test report tools

Here are some of the tools you can use to create a test report.

Tricentis

Tricentis is a renowned software testing solution that provides a set of tools that help streamline the testing process and provide actionable insights. It lets you tailor your reports to specific audiences and needs.

When it comes to test reporting, Tricentis provides several options:

1. Tricentis Tosca

• Built-in reporting: Tosca offers native reporting capabilities, allowing you to generate reports on modules, test cases, execution lists, execution logs, requirements, and more. You can customize these reports to fit your specific needs.
• Tosca dashboards: This tool helps you visualize your test data, allowing you to create interactive dashboards with real-time insights into test performance, coverage, and defects.

2. Tricentis Test Management for Jira

• Integrated reporting: Tricentis’s seamless integration with Jira enables extensive reporting on test metrics, execution, and traceability.
• Real-time insights: Get up-to-date information about test progress and outcomes from your Jira environment.

Tricentis’s seamless integration with Jira enables extensive reporting on test metrics, execution, and traceability.

ReportPortal

ReportPortal is a powerful test automation dashboard and analytics tool that delivers real-time insights into your testing process. It includes advanced features such as AI-powered analysis and collaborative tools. The key features of ReportPortal include real-time reporting, AI-powered analysis, collaboration, and good visualization.

Allure Report

Allure Report is an open-source framework for creating comprehensive and visually appealing test reports. It supports a variety of programming languages, integrates with test case management systems, and is intended to deliver clear insights into test outcomes, making it an essential tool for software development teams.

This tool improves test efficiency, enhances collaboration, and accelerates software delivery through efficient testing.

The key features of Allure Report include good visualization, history comparison, defect management, and integration with other frameworks (JUnit, pytest, TestNG, etc).

How to write a good test report

1. Understand your audience: First, determine who you’re writing the report for. Are you writing to developers, project managers, or stakeholders? This will help you understand how to format and narrow down the report. If you’re writing for a non-technical audience, make sure you provide relevant information and avoid technical jargon.
2. Define the purpose: Consider the scope of your report. Is it to summarize a test cycle, identify flaws, or provide an overall project evaluation? Always make sure the content relates to the intended objective.
3. Gather comprehensive data: Collect all necessary information, including test cases, execution results, defects, metrics, and environment details. Also make sure all the information you provide is correct.
4. Visualize data: Present data visually using charts and graphs to improve understanding.
5. Focus on key metrics: Always use metrics that are relevant to the report’s objective. Explain their significance and provide context for better understanding.
6. Provide actionable insights: Highlight important results and conclusions, and provide recommendations based on the best outcomes.
7. Proofread carefully: Check for errors to avoid typos and grammatical mistakes. Assess the report for logical flow and consistency to ensure clarity and coherence.

Conclusion

Good software development relies heavily on effective test reporting. Teams may use the correct tools and strategies to transform raw test data into actionable insights that drive better decision-making and product quality.

Tricentis provides a comprehensive test management and reporting solution, allowing organizations to streamline their testing operations and increase efficiency.

To learn more about how Tricentis may improve your testing strategy, visit the website.

This post was written by Vincent Chosen. Vincent is a web developer and technical writer. He has proficient knowledge in JavaScript, ReactJS, NextJS, React Native, Nodejs and Database. Aside from coding, Vincent loves playing chess and discussing tech related topics with other developers.