Do’s and Don’ts When Using TestMonitor With Jira for Test Case Management

Whether during initial design and build, DevOps, or new releases, efficient quality assurance comes down to efficient test case management, including the consolidation of results and any follow-on next steps.

That’s why the decision to integrate TestMonitor with Jira is a powerful one. 

Together, these two platforms offer a unique combination of features that quality assurance (QA) managers can use together to manage test cases, track issues, and streamline workflows, seamlessly and collaboratively.

So how do you get the most out of both platforms and overcome some of the common tweaks that need to be made when getting started?

This article outlines seven essential do’s and don’ts of pairing TestMonitor and Jira for test case management.

The Do’s of Integrating TestMonitor with Jira for Test Case Management

TestMonitor provides the flexibility to import Jira issues as requirements and send TestMonitor issues to Jira. 

Selecting the right strategy depends on your project's needs and requirements as well as your team’s own workflow. Here are some common strategies to help decide the best path for your QA process:

Strategy #1: Import Jira issues as requirements. This approach is ideal when Jira serves as your primary product management tool. By selecting issues from your sprint, importing them, and testing their functionality, any arising issues can be managed within TestMonitor, preventing your backlog from being cluttered with "test issues."

Strategy #2: Send TestMonitor issues to Jira. This works for implementation projects where a third-party software vendor uses Jira to manage all implementation issues.

Strategy #3: Utilize both!. This strategy is perfect for software development projects involving both in-house development and third-party vendor integrations.

2. Do Be Exhaustive in Your Test Design
Simply creating a test case titled something like  "Check if problem X is fixed" upon importing a Jira issue into TestMonitor misses the broader impact. 

Instead, consider whether the fix affects other systems or introduces regression changes before entering the issue and, if so, move forward with more comprehensive details to keep work moving forward smoothly.

3. Do Be Mindful of What to Send Between Platforms
While testing is primarily conducted in TestMonitor, not every issue necessitates handling in Jira. Issues concerning test cases or test data should remain within TestMonitor to avoid cluttering your Jira instance. 

This segregation maintains clarity and efficiency across both platforms.

4. Use 2-Way Sync
Leveraging the native two-way synchronization between both platforms enhances the integration's effectiveness by keeping both TestMonitor and Jira updated with the latest issue status. 

This feature facilitates seamless collaboration and ensures that all stakeholders are informed about the status of issues and tests.

The Don’ts  of Integrating TestMonitor with Jira for Test Case Management

1. Don't Go Overboard with Jira Workflows
While Jira's ability to restrict issue transitions to specific statuses can streamline workflows, overly restrictive settings can hinder TestMonitor’s own integration capabilities. For example, tight restrictions may prevent TestMonitor from transitioning issues, leading to sync failures. 

2. Don’t Over-Complicate Sync Setups
Two-way synchronization is beneficial but should be approached with caution. 

One common pitfall is the desire to map every possible status between TestMonitor and Jira. When done, this can increase the likelihood of sync failures and result in inaccurate information. 

Instead, focus on mapping statuses that are relevant to both systems to maintain simplicity and reliability.

3. Don’t Mix Realms Between TestMonitor and Jira
Maintaining separate realms for test data in TestMonitor and issue data in Jira helps to prevent duplication and confusion. 

We’ve found it helpful to utilize links to refer to data across platforms instead of copying it, and, in turn, ensure proper authorization for those needing access to test data. 

This approach helps to prevent versioning issues in managing test cases and issues.

Get the Best of Both Worlds
Integrating TestMonitor with Jira for test case management can significantly enhance your software testing process when done correctly. 

And by following these do’s and don’ts, teams can harness the best of both tools to boost efficiency, foster collaboration, and elevate overall test quality. From there, follow your team’s needs and configure the tools accordingly to make any adjustments over time to refine your implementation.

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