How to Create Shared Steps in Azure DevOps

Creating shared steps in Azure DevOps can greatly improve your testing process. By reusing common test steps, you can save time and ensure consistency across your test cases. This guide will walk you through understanding, creating, and using shared steps in Azure DevOps.

Key Takeaways

• Shared steps help reduce redundancy in test cases by allowing you to reuse common sequences of steps.
• Proper permissions and access levels are required to create and manage shared steps in Azure DevOps.
• You can easily insert shared steps into test cases, making it simple to update multiple test cases simultaneously.
• Managing parameters within shared steps allows for flexible and dynamic test configurations.
• Using shared steps can streamline your testing process and improve overall efficiency.

Understanding Shared Steps in Azure DevOps

What are Shared Steps?

Shared Steps in Azure DevOps are a way to reuse a sequence of test steps across multiple test cases. Instead of writing the same steps over and over, you can create a shared step work item and reference it wherever needed. This is especially useful for repetitive tasks like logging in or setting up a test environment.

Benefits of Using Shared Steps

Using Shared Steps can save you a lot of time and effort. Here are some key benefits:

• Consistency: Ensures that the same steps are followed every time.
• Efficiency: Reduces the need to rewrite steps for each test case.
• Easy Maintenance: Update the shared steps in one place, and all references get updated automatically.

When to Use Shared Steps

Shared Steps are ideal for scenarios where multiple test cases require the same sequence of actions. For example, if every test case starts with logging into the application, you can create a shared step for the login process. This way, you only need to update the login steps in one place if they change.

Pro Tip: Use Shared Steps for any repetitive actions to streamline your testing process and ensure consistency across test cases.

Setting Up Permissions for Shared Steps

Required Access Levels

To create and manage shared steps in Azure DevOps, you need specific access levels. Basic access or higher is necessary to view work items. For more advanced tasks like adding test plans and suites, you need Basic + Test Plans access or a Visual Studio subscription such as Enterprise, Test Professional, or MSDN Platforms.

Configuring Permissions

Setting permissions is crucial for managing test artifacts. Go to Project Settings > Permissions, then select a user or group. From the dropdown menus, change permissions to allow actions like adding or editing test-related artifacts. Make sure to set the "Edit work items in this node" permission to Allow under the corresponding Area Path.

Common Permission Issues

Sometimes, you might face issues even after setting permissions. Common problems include not having the "Manage test plans" or "Manage test suites" permissions set to Allow. Double-check these settings if you encounter issues. If problems persist, consult the Azure DevOps documentation for troubleshooting tips.

Properly setting permissions ensures smooth management of shared steps and avoids unnecessary roadblocks.

Creating Shared Steps in Azure DevOps

Navigating to Test Plans

First, you need to access your test plans. Go to the Azure DevOps portal and select Test Plans from the left-hand menu. You can filter your test plans by selecting Mine, All, or using the search bar to find a specific test plan. Once you locate the test plan, click on it to view the test cases.

Selecting and Creating Shared Steps

To create shared steps, open a test case by double-clicking it. Under the Steps section, select the steps you want to share. Click on the Create shared steps icon. A dialog box will appear where you can name your shared steps. After naming, click Create. The selected steps will be replaced with a link to the new shared steps work item.

Saving and Closing Shared Steps

Once you’ve created your shared steps, don’t forget to save your work. Click on Save & Close to save the shared steps and close the dialog. Your shared steps are now ready to be used in other test cases.

Using Shared Steps in Test Cases

Inserting Shared Steps into Test Cases

Adding shared steps to your test cases is a breeze. First, open the test case you want to edit. Under the steps section, click the Insert shared steps icon. A dialog box will pop up. Run a query to find the shared steps you need, select them, and insert. This way, you can reuse steps without rewriting them.

Editing Shared Steps

Editing shared steps is straightforward. Open the shared steps work item, make your changes, and save. The updates will reflect in all test cases using these steps. This centralized update feature is a huge time-saver, ensuring consistency across your test cases.

Managing Parameters in Shared Steps

Shared steps can include parameters to handle different data sets. Define the parameters in the shared steps, but provide values in the test cases. This flexibility allows you to reuse steps with different data, making your tests more dynamic and efficient.

Using shared steps in test cases not only reduces redundancy but also improves efficiency and ensures consistency across your testing process.

Running Tests with Shared Steps

Executing Tests with Shared Steps

Running tests with shared steps in Azure DevOps is straightforward. When you start a test, the shared steps will appear as a single unit. You can choose to mark the entire sequence as passed or failed, or you can mark each step individually. This flexibility allows you to be precise in your testing and ensures that every step is accounted for.

Marking Test Results

When marking test results, you have two options: mark the whole shared sequence or mark each step separately. This is useful when you need to identify exactly where a test failed. If a shared step fails, you can quickly pinpoint the issue and address it without having to sift through the entire test case.

Handling Test Failures

Handling test failures with shared steps is efficient. If a test fails, you can easily identify whether the failure occurred within the shared steps or in the unique steps of the test case. This makes troubleshooting faster and more effective. Additionally, since shared steps are used across multiple test cases, fixing an issue in the shared steps will resolve the problem in all related test cases.

Pro Tip: With shared steps and shared parameters, you can run multiple test cases with the same data, making your testing process more efficient and consistent.

Advanced Tips for Shared Steps

Best Practices for Shared Steps

To get the most out of shared steps, follow these best practices:

• Keep it simple: Avoid overcomplicating shared steps. They should be easy to understand and use.
• Reuse wisely: Only create shared steps for actions that are truly repetitive across multiple test cases.
• Regular updates: Keep your shared steps up-to-date to ensure they remain relevant and useful.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with the best planning, issues can arise. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

• Missing permissions: Ensure you have the correct access levels to create and edit shared steps.
• Broken links: If a shared step link is broken, check if the original shared step was deleted or moved.
• Parameter issues: Make sure all parameters are correctly defined and used in the test cases.

Migrating Shared Steps Between Projects

Migrating shared steps can save time when working on multiple projects. Follow these steps:

1. Export the shared steps from the original project.
2. Import the shared steps into the new project.
3. Verify that all links and parameters are intact.

Pro Tip: Always double-check your shared steps after migration to ensure they work as expected.

By following these advanced tips, you can make your testing process more efficient and effective.

Unlock the full potential of your shared steps with our advanced tips. These strategies will help you streamline your workflow and boost productivity. For more in-depth guides and resources, visit our website today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Shared Steps in Azure DevOps?

Shared Steps in Azure DevOps are a set of test steps that can be reused across multiple test cases. This helps in reducing redundancy and maintaining consistency in test procedures.

Why should I use Shared Steps?

Using Shared Steps helps you save time by avoiding repetitive entry of the same steps in different test cases. It also ensures consistency and makes it easier to update steps across multiple test cases.

How do I create Shared Steps?

To create Shared Steps, go to your test plan, open a test case, select the steps you want to share, and click on the ‘Create Shared Steps’ button. Give it a name and save it.

Can I edit Shared Steps after creating them?

Yes, you can edit Shared Steps at any time. Any changes you make will automatically appear in all test cases that use those Shared Steps.

What permissions are needed to create Shared Steps?

To create Shared Steps, you need Basic access or higher and permissions to view and edit work items. You also need ‘Basic + Test Plans’ access level or a Visual Studio subscription like Enterprise, Test Professional, or MSDN Platforms.

How do I add Shared Steps to a test case?

To add Shared Steps to a test case, open the test case, click on the ‘Insert Shared Steps’ icon, run a query to find the Shared Steps you want to insert, and add them to your test case.