Eliminate repetitive testing, release faster

This post is our guide which top features to test, and how you can get the benefits of automated testing with minimum work. You don’t even need a dedicated test server, your laptop is enough. By adjusting this how-to to your needs, you can have your web project under automated testing in 45 minutes without the need to change your software or setup any additional servers.

Which features to test?

Test how to create a user. This is generally one of the first steps of any web based service.
Test how are the user’s first moments and how he/she is guided through your product and its features.
Test that your sign in works. The user cannot access your product without a properly functioning log in.
Secure your revenues by testing payment features, e.g. credit card purchases
Test the most valid features for your product. This can be sending messages, if the product is heavily based on communication. Alternatively, a crucial feature for your product could be searching items in a web shop or adding them to a shopping cart.

Set up a connection to test your app

If you have a web server which can be access from the internet you can skip this section.

When all your servers are in private networks or you only have your laptop computer, you can create a tunnel for your web app to enable Usetrace test it. To make private web server accessible from the internet see how to create a Tunneled connection. Remember to copy the public URL to be used later as the default base URL in Usetrace.

Set up your Usetrace account

If you don’t already have a Usetrace account, sign up at usetrace.com.

Set the default base URL

When you are logged in after signing up you will be asked for the base URL. Insert your web servers public URL as default base URL in Usetrace.

How to test a web shop?

Keep in mind that your product might differ a lot from the examples. Not everything fits all and there may be need for some adjustments specially for the features to test. Here are steps to help you test your web shop:

Create a test trace for signing in

http://intercom.help/usetrace/beginner/2-first-trace-login-form
Continue by adding something to the shopping cart
Finish the trace by buying the product
Name your trace with “Log in + Add to cart + Buy”

Split your trace to reuse its parts later on

Extract the trace into distinct use cases: log in, add to cart, and buying: http://intercom.help/usetrace/editor/how-to-avoid-repeating-tasks-in-test-cases-routines

Note! When extracting steps to create a new trace, a window will ask you for the name of the new trace. Give a meaningful name for the extracted use cases, e.g. ”Add to cart” or “Log in”.

Create another trace to test signing up as a new user

Start by selecting ‘New Trace’. Check out the tutorial for registering as a user (verification with e-mail): http://intercom.help/usetrace/beginner/3-testing-registration
Go through the steps the user faces the first time when logged in, e.g. filling user profile details
Add the previously created routines (Add to cart, Buy) by adding routine steps into the trace you have now open in the Editor: http://intercom.help/usetrace/editor/how-to-avoid-repeating-tasks-in-test-cases-routines
Name your trace with “Register + Fill User Profile + Add to cart + Buy”

Now you have created traces, which test the most prominent features with respect to your product. Now exit Editor.

See the results and get regular reports

Set up the reporting to get feedback from your test runs to your chat or email (http://intercom.help/usetrace/beginner/5-reporting)
Set the reporting to “always”.
To receive reports, you must have Pro or Enterprise Plan. Hit the upgrade button when inside Usetrace to upgrade
Launch your testing every time you have finished an improvement for your product by clicking ‘Run All Traces’ on the Usetrace Dashboard.
Check the status of your product from the feedback report

Note: You won’t receive reports when running your traces in the Editor. The reports will be sent when the test batch finishes after hitting the ‘Run All Traces’ button inside Usetrace, or via “Settings > Scheduling & Reporting > Scheduled run” or automation integrations like Jenkins

You’re all set

You have now set up testing for your most critical use cases and Usetrace cloud does the testing for you. You are ready to develop new features and release them quickly while you can be 100% sure those critical features are covered automatically by the tests you just defined.