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Azure Test Plans Actual Result for Manual Tests

29 posts · Sep 2011 – Apr 2026

What this trail covers

Azure Test Plans provides a web-based interface for test management and execution, allowing users to view, edit, and create test cases without requiring client installations. It supports plan-level filtering, pausing and resuming test execution, adding attachments to test outcomes, and testing Windows 8 Store applications. The feature is available for both Team Foundation Service and on-premises Team Foundation Server installations. This post introduces the general availability of the New Test R

All Microsoft trails
  1. Public Preview: Actual Result for Manual Tests in Azure Test PlansIntroduces the 'Actual Result' (AR) feature for manual testing in Azure Test Plans, allowing users to record precise outcomes for each test step via text and attachments. AR can be configured as optional or mandatory at the test plan level, supports programmatic access via the Azure DevOps REST API, and improves traceability and compliance.
  2. The New Test Run Hub is Going Generally Available!This post announces the General Availability (GA) of the "New Test Run Hub" within Azure Test Plans. This represents a significant UI and functional upgrade to how test runs are managed and analyzed. Key technical contributions include: centralization of manual and automated test execution, real-time visibility into test progress and quality trends, comprehensive analytics with built-in dashboards, enhanced filtering capabilities (timeline, run type, pipeline), richer collaboration features (screenshots, logs, artifacts, markdown comments), programmatic management via Azure DevOps REST API, improved attachment handling (preview, deletion), and persistent user-specific filter preferences. Specific user feedback-driven improvements include enhanced search by Test Run ID/Run Title within a 90-day timeframe, display of Run Title, Last Updated Date, and Owner on the landing page, and inline screenshot previews within test steps.
  3. New Test Run Hub in Azure Test PlansIntroduces the new Test Run Hub in Azure Test Plans, providing real-time visibility into test progress and quality trends, comprehensive analytics for auditing and improving testing strategies, and seamless end-to-end user flows for test run creation and management. Enhancements include filtering by pipeline execution, user-specific filter saving, filtering by area path, expanded attachment preview and deletion, and markdown support for comments. Programmatic management via the Azure DevOps REST API is also highlighted.
  4. Introducing Java, JS and Python support in Test PlansThis post announces the general availability of associating automated tests written in Java/JUnit (Maven and Gradle), JS (Jest), and Python (PyTest) with test cases in Azure Test Plans. It introduces a new Azure Test Plan pipeline task to run these tests, supporting combinations of automated and manual tests. Previously, only .NET frameworks were supported via Visual Studio Code. The post details how to associate tests from build pipeline runs and directly within test cases.
  5. Quick Copy and Import Test Case by Plan or Suite IDIntroduces a new feature in Azure Test Plans allowing users to quickly copy and import test cases by entering the Test Plan or Suite ID, bypassing lengthy dropdown menus for improved efficiency. The option for dropdown selection remains available.
  7. JUnit Attachments Support for Publish Test ResultsExtended the Publish Test Results task in Azure Pipelines to support file attachments within JUnit XML reports. This is achieved by recognizing a convention `[[ATTACHMENT|/path/to/file.ext]]` within the `<system-out>` element of test cases. The task now automatically uploads these specified files to Azure DevOps and associates them with the corresponding test results, facilitating easier debugging and analysis of test failures, particularly with tools like Playwright.
  8. The evolution of quality assurance and how Azure Test Plans is driving the future of manual testingThis post discusses the evolution of quality assurance and how Azure Test Plans is driving the future of manual testing. It highlights the integration of Azure Test Plans within the Azure DevOps ecosystem, the ability to capture screenshots, recordings, and comments during test runs, and the 'Grid View' and CSV import functionalities for migrating test cases from spreadsheets. It also emphasizes the role of exploratory testing through browser extensions and the collaboration it enables. The post concludes by stating that manual and exploratory testing complement automated testing features of ADO to encapsulate total quality management.
  9. Make Test Cases Readonly in Azure DevOps ServicesThis post details how to make 'Test Case' work items read-only in Azure DevOps Services using inherited process templates. It outlines the creation of custom rules to achieve this: 1. Making all fields read-only when the work item state is 'Ready'. 2. Restricting transitions from 'Ready' to 'Design' and 'Ready' to 'Closed'. This provides a mechanism to freeze test cases after they are constructed and moved to the 'Ready' state.
  10. Executing Automated tests in Build vNext using Test Plan, Test SuitesThis post introduces the ability to trigger automated test runs in Build vNext using Test Plans and Test Suites. This functionality is added to the Run Functional Tests task and is also shipping in Team Foundation Server 2015 Update 2. Users can select Test Plans, Test Suites, and Test Configurations. The task allows specifying runsettings or testsettings files from source code repo or disk. Test results can be viewed in the Tests tab of the Build Summary page, with options to group by Test Suite and navigate to the Test Hub for detailed history.
  11. Visual Studio Team Services Manual Testing Tips: Charts, Iterations and RunsThis post provides practical tips for manual testing in Visual Studio Team Services, focusing on three key areas: 1. Populating test chart dialogs by ensuring relevant columns are displayed in the 'Tests' view. 2. Displaying iteration data in manual test runs by including parameters in test cases. 3. Executing multiple manual test cases in a single run by selecting them together when starting the test runner, allowing for a consolidated view of results from different test cases and configurations.
  12. New Web Access Test features walk throughThis post details the enhancement of Azure Test Plans and Team Foundation Server (TFS) with new features for test case creation and management. Key contributions include: 1. Test Plans and Suites are now work items (TFS only), enabling customization and automatic tracking. 2. Improved Excel integration for creating test cases by pasting data into the grid view, requiring only test case titles and steps. 3. Creation of Shared Parameters for centralized updates across test cases. 4. Generation of Test Case Review Reports for exporting entire test plans or suites. 5. Browsing recent test results and associated suites, including viewing past pass/fail status and configurations. 6. Creating dynamic charts to track test status and integrating them into team project homepages.
  13. Test Plan and Test Suite Customization with TFS2013 Update3This post details the addition of custom fields and workflows to Test Plans and Test Suites in Team Foundation Server 2013 Update 3. It explains how to customize states, add user fields (e.g., reviewers, approvers), and custom fields (e.g., Test Type). It also introduces an enhanced permissions model for test suites, including a new 'Manage test suites' permission, and details how work item history is used to track changes to test plans and test suites.
  14. Microsoft Test Manager: Customization of test result fields and marking test results as NAIntroduced the ability to customize test result analysis fields like 'Resolution' and 'Failure type' in Microsoft Test Manager (MTM) and the TEST hub in TFS web access. Also introduced a new test outcome state called 'Not applicable' for marking test results in MTM or the TEST hub when test cases are not relevant to the current test pass or refer to unimplemented areas.
  15. Testing Improvements in Team Foundation Service Update for TechEd 2013This post details several new features for testers in Team Foundation Service, released during TechEd 2013. Key enhancements include: 1. Ability to add/rename/delete parameters and values to a test case, along with managing attachments to test steps. 2. Running all test cases in an entire suite with a single gesture. 3. Drag-and-drop functionality for test cases between suites. 4. Creation of test plans and new types of test suites (static, query-based, hierarchical). 5. Usability improvements for test step entry, including Shift+Enter for multiline input and ENTER for adding new rows, matching Microsoft Test Manager keystrokes.
  16. Cloning test plans using Microsoft Test ManagerIntroduced the capability to clone entire test plans and individual test suites within Microsoft Test Manager. This feature allows for the replication of test plan artifacts including test cases, shared steps, and requirements, while preserving suite structure, test settings, environments, builds, and configurations. The cloning process can be initiated from the MTM UI, with options to select specific suites and to clone associated requirement work items. A historical record of the clone operation is added to cloned work items for auditing.
  17. Light weight browser based test management and executionThis post announces the addition of a lightweight, browser-based test management and execution feature to Visual Studio Update 2. It highlights the ability to view and edit test cases, plan-level filtering, creating new test cases (with noted limitations on parameters and shared steps compared to Microsoft Test Manager), removing test cases, and executing tests without client installation. Key new capabilities include pausing and resuming test execution, and saving attachments to test outcomes. It also addresses an issue where the 'TEST' hub might be hidden due to licensing problems on upgraded on-prem TFS installations and provides a workaround and contact for a private utility.
  18. February CTP for Visual Studio Update 2This post announces the February CTP for Visual Studio Update 2, focusing on modern application lifecycle and development. Key ALM features include: Fakes now available in Visual Studio Premium, Coded UI testing support for Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 7, a Visual Studio HTML and JavaScript profiler for UI responsiveness in Windows Store apps, and enhancements to web-based test case management allowing attachments to test outcomes and the ability to pause and resume test execution. It also lists features from the January CTP, such as web-based Test Case Management, Code Map improvements, TDD for Windows Phone, Test Explorer grouping, web version control, work item emailing, and Git integration.
  19. How to execute tests locally using TCM.exe command-line?This post details how to execute tests locally using the TCM.exe command-line tool without a test controller or agent, requiring only MTM. It outlines two steps: first, creating a test run using `tcm run /create` without specifying a test environment, and second, executing the newly created test run locally using `tcm run /execute /id:id`.
  20. Edit Test Case properties directly from the test runner of Microsoft Test ManagerIntroduces the ability to edit test case properties directly from the Test Runner in Visual Studio 2012 Update 1. This feature allows testers to modify test cases in real-time during test execution, pausing the test run to open the Test Case Editor. Changes can include modifying step text, adding steps, changing iteration, state, and summary text. While edits are saved, they do not affect the currently running test; a new test run is required for changes to take effect. This enhances test case maintenance and quality improvement.
  21. Populate Test Suites using hierarchical queries in Microsoft Test ManagerThis post details how to populate test suites using hierarchical queries in Microsoft Test Manager. It explains how to select a query type (e.g., Work Items and Direct Links), run the query to return results, and then expand the linked items to select and add test cases to the test suite. The post highlights the use of the expand icon to reveal associated test cases.
  22. Enabling Test Case Management features in Team Foundation Server Web AccessThis post announces that test case management features for Team Foundation Server Web Access, previously available in a CTP for Visual Studio Update 1, have been moved to Visual Studio Update 2. The "Test" menu option was not present in the Oct 8th CTP, but the functionality can be accessed by appending '/_testManagement' to the TFS Web Access URL. Users can then view and edit test plans, test suites, test cases, change their status, and execute test cases.
  23. Changing the default filter for exploratory testingThis post details how to customize the default query for exploratory testing in Microsoft Test Manager. Users can now edit the query to include different sets of requirement work items, such as including bugs or filtering by a specific area path. The default query conditions for requirement category, area path, and iteration path can be modified. A reset option is also available to revert to the default query.
  24. What's new for Microsoft Test Manager in Visual Studio 11 BetaIntroduced significant performance improvements in Microsoft Test Manager (MTM) for various scenarios including connecting to plans, displaying tests, starting testing, saving bugs, listing runs, and creating lab environments. Added a new activity for exploratory testing, allowing users to create rich actionable bugs and regression test suites without a pre-existing test plan. Enabled multi-line support for test steps using ALT+ENTER. Implemented test data reduction by default, uploading only trx and data collector attachments, not deployment items or test binaries, unless code coverage is enabled. Added the ability to clone test suites with test cases across plans using the tcm.exe utility. Introduced rich text formatting for test steps. Improved the usability of the test steps grid with a splitter and accessibility fixes. Added the ability to access test case work items in the Test Runner via a hyperlink. Introduced the ability to mark test case results (pass/fail) directly in the 'Run Tests' activity without launching the Test Runner. Added a Results tab in the Plan Activity for viewing test plan result status by configuration and suite.
  25. FAQ: Why are my tests not included in the test run?This post addresses a specific FAQ regarding the `tcm.exe run /create` command in Microsoft Test Manager. It clarifies that by default, the command only includes tests in an 'active' state and explains how to use the `/include` option to force the inclusion of all tests, regardless of their state, for non-interactive test runs via scripts.
  26. Microsoft Test Manager stuck in "waiting for test controller" stateThis post details troubleshooting steps for Microsoft Test Manager when it gets stuck in a "waiting for test controller" state. It provides a by-design resolution (clicking refresh) and then outlines action plans for more persistent issues, including enabling MTM and Test Controller tracing, reviewing logs, checking service account permissions on build drop locations, ensuring controllers and agents are ready, and adding executables to firewall exceptions. It also mentions the need for "view test run" permission on the team project.
  27. How To: Associate automation programmaticallyThis post provides a code snippet demonstrating how to programmatically associate automation (specifically unit tests) with a test case artifact in Azure DevOps. It outlines the use of the `ITestCase.Project.CreateTmiTestImplementation` method and the generation of an automation GUID using SHA1 hashing of the automation test name. The snippet includes saving the test case after associating the automation.
  28. How To: Get the Test Case associated with the unit test?This post provides a C# code snippet demonstrating how to programmatically retrieve the test case work item associated with a unit test. It outlines the steps to connect to a TFS server and project, query for test cases using the `Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.AutomatedTestName` and `Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.AutomatedTestStorage` fields, and return the matching `ITestCase` object. This addresses a common question regarding the programmatic retrieval of test case artifacts.
  29. QFEs and Hotfix Rollup Package for Microsoft Test Manager 2010This post details several quality-focused updates for Microsoft Test Manager 2010, including multi-line support for editing test cases, reducing the size of test data saved to the TFS Database, and performance improvements for loading automated test cases from build drops and publishing test results. These updates address user feedback from Uservoice and Connect.
  30. Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview Testing DocumentationThis post announces new documentation for Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview, focusing on testing capabilities. It details the 'Exploratory Tester' feature in Microsoft Test Manager, which allows for unscripted testing, recording action steps, and automatically associating bugs and manual test cases with requirements. It also covers manual testing for Metro style apps and introduces support for unit testing Metro style apps with unit test library templates. The Unit Test Explorer is highlighted as a unified interface for running various test types and frameworks.