Once a bug is found, it is important to report it in such a way that everyone involved in the project can easily understand it. Reporting bugs provide developers with detailed information on how to reproduce an instance of a given issue, allowing them to quickly identify and fix the bug.
In addition, documenting all errors in a structured way allows teams to easily track the progress of a project.
Let's take a closer look at best practices in reporting errors!
What should a correctly reported error contain?
ID
The identifier is meant to easily identify the task. If we use a bug reporting system, an identification number will be created automatically.
Title
The title should describe the error in one sentence by informing what it exactly is and where it occurs. The title must be simple and easy to understand. At the beginning, you can add labels – additional information about the environment or a specific page ("Home Page").
Priority
It specifies the urgency of the error. The higher the priority, the faster the error should be fixed.
Environment
The test environment in which the error has occurred. The description should include the browser and its version or a device, model, operating system and the version of that system.
Error description
This section contains a detailed error description and the steps that lead to reproducing it. Each step should be short and accurate so that another person (even without technical knowledge) would be able to reproduce the error and understand what is happening.
Current result
The current test result – what happens after completing individual steps and what we should particularly focus on.
Expected result
Result – what should happen after completing each step in the scenario where error does not occur.
Screenshots/videos
Screenshots or videos may be useful when reproducing the error is complicated. This kind of feedback is especially helpful in case of ambiguity, and it speeds up the reproduction of the error.
Good practices in reporting bugs
Below you will find some good practices that will make creating tickets more effective for the whole team.
1. One mistake is one report
The more errors in a single report, the less transparent and clear it is for the whole team. What’s more, a ticket that contains reports of many errors cannot be closed until all errors have been fixed.
2. Avoid duplication of reports
It's a good idea to check existing bugs before reporting a new one. This way you won’t report the same bug twice.
3. Keep it short and specific
The report should be simple and specific, but also contain all relevant information. Use bulleted or numbered lists to make it as clear and understandable as possible.
4. Report errors immediately
It is important to report bugs as soon as you detect them. If you postpone it, there's a chance of missing important steps in your report.
5. Prepare a ticket template
Using a bug reporting template is a good practice. This will make the reporting process more repeatable, and reduce the chances of missing some significant information.
6. What to do when you're not sure if you're dealing with an error?
In case you're not sure if a particular action in the app is a bug, it's a good idea to check the documentation and consult the issue with a more experienced team member.
7. Reproduce the bug before you report it
The error should be reproducible. Make sure that the next steps are clear enough and the error can be easily reproduced. If the error doesn’t occur every time, you should mention it in the report.
Summary
The ability of creating a detailed bug report makes the testers' lives easier. If developers are provided with all the relevant information, there is no need to ask any additional questions. Such an action improves the work of the team and reduces the risk of delays.
To achieve the best results possible, at Comarch we use only the best practices, not only in testing process, but also at every other stage of software development. What else makes our company unique is the opportunity to work on a wide variety of fascinating projects.
In the Marketing Production Department, which is where I work, we focus on the development of websites and web applications for marketing purposes. Check out our recruitment offers for the position of software tester and find out what other growth opportunities Comarch has to offer!