Test Cases: Plan/ Write/ Execute

Test case is the test documentation that a tester would write documenting the below:

• what functionality he's going to test, 
• what input he would require to give to execute this test, 
• in how many steps can he finish the step
• what is expected out of each step and finally document what is the Actual result of each step while executing.

Writing test cases is one of the typical responsibility that any tester would do all the time at his work. However writing test cases is done in chunks in different stages of SDLC. Test cases are planned, written and executed in different stages of application development. Test cases should be

Planned: when requirement documents are being prepared

Written: when requirement documents are signed off and when development is busy coding, should be peer reviewed, walk through'ed with all stake holders

Executed: when development is done with coding and when code is handed off to QA

What is a Test case Matrix:

Test cases could be written in either a spresdsheet or in Quality Centre like quality management tools. In most of the small companies, would go prepare a Test Case Matrix if they want save some money on these quality management tools.

Test case Matrix is nothing but a spreadsheet that has a list of tests and its results formatted in a column format for readability purposes. In some cases Test case matrix may have a set of requirements, set of test cases for each of those requirements and its results after the run, any defects if raised and a link to the test case running which caused that defect. A perfect relationship that one would see in Quality Centre like management tools can be replicated in Excel spreadsheet.

Example Template can be found here......