Test Plan Template (Customizable Template) | Slite.com

What is the test plan template?

Test plans are used in the software and engineering industry. It is a detailed project document describing test strategies, objectives, schedules, test deliverables, estimations, and deliverables, as well as resources required for testing. The test plan is an important blueprint for all testing activities and a vital part of the development and implementation process. A test plan template gives you a framework that you can fill in with the necessary information for testing at every stage of development.

Examples of successful implementation of test plan templates

Test plans are not optional for projects that involve testing. Your plan doesn't have to be complicated, but it must be thorough. We've provided some successful test plan examples below.‍

How to write a software test plan using Slite's template

Test plans are technical documents that can be tedious to write, especially for non-tech people. Test execution is a critical phase where defined test cases are systematically executed and outcomes are documented to evaluate software quality and compliance with requirements. A test plan outline makes the job much easier, especially for a person with little knowledge of how to write a software test plan. Slite’s test plan template can slash about 50% of the time you’d spend writing from scratch and makes it easy for the writer to collaborate with the entire development team.

Modify

Our test procedure template is easy to modify to suit your project's needs. You can use our template as a base framework and subtract from or add to it as required.

Collaborate

Our project test plan template includes our live collaborative editor. Everybody on your team can share their information and experiences and provide input with our simple but powerful editing tools.

Comment

With Slite, your team can offer comments on anything they find in your test plan templates. Staying in the loop, providing feedback, and offering suggestions is easy when your team uses Slite.

Share

Slite lets you set access permissions, so you can make sure your sample test plan is only shared with the right people and decide who can edit the document and who only needs viewing access.

Search

Slite lets you search for document titles, specific contributors, or keywords. You can search through published public documents, within your private channels, or even through documents and messages in the trash.

Version Control

Slite's test plan template offers robust version control features that let you track changes, create new versions, and search through new and old versions of your test plan for information.

Integrate

Your master test plan will likely involve different teams sharing information and code on various platforms. Slite is integrated with many other collaborative tools, including Google Docs, Github, Asana, Okta, and many more.

Key Elements of a Test Plan Template

From lengthy documents to a one-page test plan, templates can cover many different formats depending on the industry and niche. You should always be direct with your points and cover all bases for quality assurance

Key elements of a test plan template include the following:

• Objectives
• Scope
• Test Strategy
• Test Environment
• Test Schedule
• Test Deliverables
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Test Coverage: Assessing the completeness and effectiveness of testing efforts to ensure all features of the software are adequately tested.
• Risks and Contingencies
• Approvals

Test Plan Overview

The overview introduces the project, product or feature being tested. Our test plan template includes the name, date created, and team members involved in development and review. You can also add a brief description of the project's attributes.

Test Objectives

The test plan format must include your objectives, the goals of the testing process, and the scope of work. You should outline the metrics the team aims to satisfy with the testing process and provide a brief overview of the product to be tested.

Test Approach

The test plan outlines the testing strategy and techniques used and the different levels and stages of testing (unit testing, step testing, developmental, etc). It also provides entry and exit criteria for each stage, as well as quality assurance procedures.

Test Conditions

The test plan template should outline the parameters under which each test is considered satisfactorily performed. The conditions can be technical or environmental and are based on the provision of resources. A clear listing of test conditions is especially crucial.

Expected Results

Your test procedure template must tabulate the target results from each stage of testing, and provide an outline of any parameters that can be used to evaluate whether or not the expected results are achieved.

Actual results

A test documentation template should tabulate the actual results from each stage of testing. It should outline the real-time parameters that were used for testing and highlight the difference between the expected and actual results.

Schedule & timeline

Your project test plan template tabulates the test timeline and test schedule for each test case, including the start date, end date, and optional duration if necessary. You can also add a field for soft and final deadlines.

Testing environment

Our test plan templates let you outline the testing environments, including the hardware and software requirements and operating systems. You can also provide information on setup and configuration procedures, security, access requirements, and authentication, if any.

Test progress report

The test progress report in our test plan document template is a massive table with many columns. It tabulates each test case and the executing team member, as well as the status, expected result, actual result, and expected date of completion.

Risk & issues

In this section, you outline possible risks with the testing process. This is where you highlight current issues with the product, such as deviations from intended or original design plans, and recommended mitigation strategies.

Sign-off & approval

The test protocol template includes a space for supervising officers and reviewers to approve the test plan and to leave comments.

‍

Test Planning Process

The test planning process is a critical component of software testing that ensures the testing process is well-organized, efficient, and effective. It involves several steps that help define the testing scope, objectives, and approach. By following a structured test planning process, you can ensure that all aspects of the software testing are covered, and the testing efforts are aligned with the project goals.

Steps to Create a Test Plan

1. Define Test Objectives: Identify the primary goals of testing, such as ensuring the software meets the requirements, identifying defects, and evaluating performance. Clear test objectives provide direction and focus for the testing process.
2. Determine Test Scope: Define what will be tested, including features, functionalities, and interfaces. Establishing the test scope helps in understanding the boundaries of the testing efforts and ensures that all critical areas are covered.
3. Develop Test Strategy: Outline the approach to testing, including the types of testing, test levels, and test techniques. A well-defined test strategy ensures that the testing process is systematic and comprehensive.
4. Create Test Plan: Document the test objectives, scope, strategy, and approach in a detailed test plan. A detailed test plan serves as a roadmap for the testing activities and provides a clear understanding of the testing process.
5. Review and Refine: Review the test plan with stakeholders and refine it as necessary. Regular reviews and refinements ensure that the test plan remains relevant and effective throughout the project lifecycle.

Test Strategy and Approach

A test strategy is a high-level document that outlines the approach to testing, including the types of testing, test levels, and test techniques. It serves as a guide for the testing process and helps ensure that all testing activities are aligned with the project objectives.

Approaches to Testing

1. Black Box Testing: Testing without knowledge of the internal workings of the software. This approach focuses on testing the software’s functionality based on the requirements and specifications.
2. White Box Testing: Testing with knowledge of the internal workings of the software. This approach involves testing the software’s internal structures, logic, and code.
3. Gray Box Testing: Testing with some knowledge of the internal workings of the software. This approach combines elements of both black box and white box testing, providing a balanced perspective.
4. Agile Testing: Testing in an agile development environment, with a focus on rapid testing and feedback. Agile testing emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement.

How to Modify a Test Plan Template for Your Needs

A test plan for a software template might not be suited precisely to fit your industry or niche, or fit the product roadmap for your project. If you need to switch your template up a bit, here are some suggestions on how to modify the test plan.

Based on objectives or constraints

If you are involved in a massive project, feel free to add more fields to your test plan templates to outline testing plan objectives, as well as any limitations or restrictions that must be accounted for. This can be used to modify the range of your plan and to allocate resources intelligently.

Based on project size, complexity and duration of the project

The size of the project largely dictates how changes to an engineering test plan template can be made. Project complexity and completion timelines also matter, and may require changes in the template to make room for necessary data or to organize various testing tasks and subtasks into a coherent format. A well-structured testing schedule is crucial for managing and tracking the progress of testing activities, especially in complex and lengthy projects.

Based on roles and responsibilities of the testing team

If you need to define a testing team member's obligations and deadlines in detail, you may need to add more columns. You may also need to add new sections if the testing process is particularly complex and involves more than a few employees.

Who should use this test plan template?

An application test plan template can be used by any project stakeholders, preferably people with intricate knowledge of the project who will be writing a test plan. Here are some people who would find Slite's test plan template useful:

Quality Assurance (QA) teams

A QA test plan template helps QA teams create tests that ensure your product meets the needs of your target audience and lets them compile hard data showing how it holds up under various conditions that users might encounter in the field.

Project managers

The test plan outline keeps project managers in the loop concerning upcoming tests, explains why these tests are important, and lets them respond to unexpected events and issues that arise during testing. Test plans allow them to allocate resources to problems immediately and can provide data as to potential causes.

Product development teams

A project test plan template gives product development teams testing deadlines that help them prioritize their work. Using test plan reports, they can debug and troubleshoot any issues that arise and get an idea of how their product functions in different operating environments.

Consultants

Consultants can use test plan templates to keep lines of communication open with QA and development teams. They can also provide input from their field of expertise regarding useful tests and testing environments and adapt their expectations concerning the final product in accordance with testing results.

‍

Why is a test plan important?

The unit test plan template provides a useful roadmap for quality assurance purposes. It provides guidance and can be changed as the project develops and new situations arise.Here are some reasons why test plans are important:

Ensures the implementation of all functional requirements

Following a test document template ensures that no essential features are botched or unstable at the time of product launch. By examining and responding to test results, you can see that all design specifications are fully met, patch any bugs that may be shaken out during testing, and make sure you are bringing the best possible product to market.

Central reference for all development teams

Test plan and product requirements document templates are a very effective tool for keeping all relevant teams on the same page. Design, coding, development, and other teams sometimes find themselves working at cross-purposes, unsure of what the other teams are doing. A test plan prevents misinterpretations of instructions and prevents redundancies as teams know what's already been done.

Helps keep track of the team's progress

When your application test plan template is regularly updated, everyone involved in the project knows what is going on. You can see goals that have been achieved and setbacks that need to be addressed in real time. This helps everybody keep tabs on the big picture and on their personal responsibilities.

Highlights improvement opportunities in the product

The test plan format provides ongoing information about test results, which lets teams address issues and make the necessary corrections. Testing uncovers defects in the software while the work is in progress and lets you avoid embarrassing release disasters and complicated hot-fixes. It also gives you a chance to modify expectations and remove impractical features before you go to market.‍

Test Planning Best Practices

Effective test planning is critical to ensuring the quality of software. Here are some best practices to follow:

Tips for Effective Test Planning

1. Involve Stakeholders: Involve stakeholders in the test planning process to ensure that their needs and expectations are met. Engaging stakeholders early on helps in aligning the testing efforts with the project goals.
2. Use Test Plan Templates: Use test plan templates to ensure consistency and efficiency in the test planning process. Templates provide a structured framework that can be customized to suit the project’s needs.
3. Prioritize Testing: Prioritize testing based on risk and business criticality. Focusing on high-risk areas and critical functionalities ensures that the most important aspects of the software are thoroughly tested.
4. Continuously Review and Refine: Continuously review and refine the test plan to ensure it remains relevant and effective. Regular updates help in adapting to changes in the project and addressing any new challenges.
5. Use Automated Testing: Use automated testing to improve efficiency and reduce testing time. Automated tests can quickly execute repetitive tasks and provide faster feedback.
6. Ensure Test Data Quality: Ensure that test data is accurate, complete, and relevant to the testing process. High-quality test data is essential for reliable and meaningful test results.
7. Use Test Environment Management: Use test environment management to ensure that test environments are properly configured and maintained. Well-managed test environments help in replicating real-world conditions and identifying potential issues.
8. Monitor Testing Progress: Monitor testing progress and adjust the test plan as necessary. Keeping track of testing activities helps in identifying bottlenecks and ensuring that the testing process stays on track.
9. Use Test Reports: Use test reports to communicate testing results and progress to stakeholders. Clear and concise test reports provide valuable insights and help in making informed decisions.
10. Continuously Improve: Continuously improve the test planning process to ensure it remains effective and efficient. Regular evaluations and feedback help in identifying areas for improvement and implementing best practices.

Slite's test plan template is all the energy you need

Slite's test plan templates can improve communications between QA, development, and other teams. It can help you organize data from different tests and teams into a coherent format that all your stakeholders can follow. You can use our templates as-is or customize them to suit your needs. And Slite's collaboration features make it easy to get feedback and respond to questions from team members, testers, and other interested parties.

‍Get this template