Organizing Test Cases with Metadata

AXQA provides structured metadata to help teams organize, assign, prioritize, and trace Test Cases.
Assignment, Category, Priority, Group, Tags, and Bug Links can be used together to keep large QA repositories manageable.

Why it matters

• Makes Test Cases easier to classify and manage.
• Helps teams assign ownership and testing responsibility.
• Supports filtering and operational planning.
• Connects Test Cases to external defect-management workflows.

When to use it

• When creating or editing a Test Case.
• When organizing Regression or Smoke libraries.
• When assigning Test Cases to testers.
• When linking QA coverage to known bugs.

Core concepts

• Assign To – The user responsible for the Test Case.
• Category – A broad classification of the Test Case.
• Priority – Indicates testing importance.
• Group – Organizes related Test Cases into operational collections.
• Tags – Additional free-form classification keywords.
• Bug Link – A URL linking the Test Case to an external defect or issue.

How it works

1. Metadata is assigned when creating or editing a Test Case.
2. Category, Priority, and Group values can be reused across Test Cases.
3. Test Cases can be assigned to eligible users.
4. Structured metadata appears in the Test Case Manager.
5. Supported fields can be used for filtering, inline editing, and bulk changes.

How to use it

Step 1: Assign the Test Case

Use Assign To to identify the person responsible for the Test Case.

AXQA limits the available assignees to active users eligible for the Current Project.

Step 2: Select a Category

Use Category to describe the general type of testing.

Examples:

Step 3: Set Priority

Priority communicates how important the Test Case is within the QA scope.

Examples may include:

The exact values depend on the configuration available in the workspace.

Step 4: Select a Group

Use Group to organize related Test Cases together.

Example:

The Test Case Manager groups Test Cases using this value.

Step 5: Add Tags

Tags provide additional free-form classification.

Use them for information that does not require its own structured Category or Group.

Tags are currently metadata and are not included in the Test Case Manager's Global Search.

Step 6: Add a Bug Link

Use Bug Link to connect the Test Case to an external issue or defect

Example:

AXQA displays the link directly from the Test Case Manager when a valid Bug Link exists.

Step 7: Manage classification values

Authorized users can create new:

• Categories
• Priorities
• Groups

These reusable values are available within the workspace.

A Category, Priority, or Group that is already used by existing Test Cases cannot be deleted until it is no longer in use.

Best practices

• Use Category for test type and Group for operational organization.
• Keep Priority values consistent across the workspace.
• Avoid creating duplicate classification values with slightly different names.
• Assign ownership when a Test Case requires a specific tester.
• Use Bug Links instead of copying defect details into the Test Case.

Common mistakes

❌ Using Category, Group, and Tags for exactly the same purpose.
✔ Give each metadata field a clear role in your QA process.

❌ Creating many nearly identical Groups.
✔ Reuse existing Groups whenever possible.

❌ Assuming Tags are part of Global Search.
✔ Use structured searchable fields such as Category, Priority, and Group when table searching is required.

Security & permissions

• Test Case assignment is restricted to eligible active users.
• Category, Priority, and Group creation or deletion is restricted to Staff or Superuser accounts.
• Classification values that are currently in use cannot be deleted.
• Bug Links should point only to trusted external systems authorized by your organization.

Related documentation

• Creating a Test Case
• Test Case Manager Overview
• Advanced Test Case Search, Filters & Saved Presets
• Inline Editing & Bulk Test Case Changes