Zephyr - Shared Step Configuration

What is a Shared Steps

In the context of ALM (Application Lifecycle Management), particularly in test management systems like OpenText ALM Quality Center, Jira Zephyr, IBM Engineering Test Management , Azure DevOps. A shared step refers to a reusable, predefined step or set of actions that can be utilized across multiple test cases. This is a way to streamline the creation and execution of tests by allowing testers to reuse common testing actions without having to redefine them for each individual test case.

Different test management systems often use different terminology for similar concepts like shared steps.

Behavior of Shared Step in different systems.

Jira Zephyr – Shared Steps

In Zephyr (the Jira-based test management tool), the concept is also referred to as Shared Steps. Explain of shared step creation in jira In Jira Zephyr, one test case can include steps that are linked from another test case. By this link, the base entity will also contain the steps from the linked test case.

IBM Engineering Test Management - Keywords

In IBM Engineering Test Management (formerly known as IBM Rational Quality Manager or RQM), shared steps are known as "Keywords". In ETM, a Keyword can be linked within a test step of a Test Script entity. Thus, steps existing in a keyword become part of the test script’s steps.

Synchronization of Shared Steps Across Two Systems with Shared Step Support

To synchronize shared steps between two shared-step-supported systems, a customized workflow will be used.

Example: Zephyr and ETM Integration

Let's take an example of two system shared step supported system.

Zephyr as Source System and ETM as Target

To synchronize linked test case steps from Zephyr Scale to ETM, follow these steps:

1. First, synchronize all Zephyr test cases to ETM Keywords.

   • The purpose of the above step is to ensure that all test cases are synchronized to ETM as keywords. However, OpsHub Integration Manager does not know which test case is linked with another test case in Zephyr. Therefore, while synchronizing a test case to a Test Script, if OpsHub Integration Manager finds a linked test case, it can be replaced with a keyword.

2. Download the customized workflow from below

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Custom Integration Workflow For Shared Step.xml

Open

Custom Integration Workflow For Shared Step

Note: The attached workflow can be directly used as-is in this case. The parameters of the function EaiUtility.handleStepFromSharedStepToSharedStep are described as follows:

• steps → All the steps are set in this field.

• testcase-zephyr → Source linked entity type from which the shared step is imported in the source.

• keyword → Target linked entity type from which the shared step is imported in the target.

• description → Source system field in which the linked test case ID is appended.

For integration with systems other than Zephyr to ETM, modify the above-mentioned parameters according to the end systems. This method is responsible for replacing source linked entity steps with target linked entity steps.

1. Upload the above modified workflow and set it in the integration configuration of the Zephyr test case to ETM test script.

2. Then, synchronize all Zephyr test cases to ETM Test Steps using the customized workflow mentioned above.

ETM as Source and Zephyr as Target System

When Zephyr is the target system, all the above-mentioned steps will remain the same except for step 2.

Download the customized workflow from the above link and modify the workflow as follows:

Replace:

EaiUtility.handleStepFromSharedStepToSharedStep(mappedProperties, sourceSystemClient, destinationClient,"steps","description","OH_KY_DO_NOT_EDIT:",null,"testcase-zephyr",workflowInstanceId,"keyword");

With:

EaiUtility.handleStepFromSharedStepToSharedStep(mappedProperties, sourceSystemClient, destinationClient,"OH_Test_Steps","description","OH_KY_DO_NOT_EDIT:",null,"keyword",workflowInstanceId,"testcase-zephyr");

Synchronization of Shared steps from Shared Step Supported Systems to Non-Shared Step Systems

Consider the example of Zephyr → Zephyr Squad integration. Here, Zephyr Squad does not support shared steps.

1. Create an integration between Zephyr Test Case and Zephyr Squad Test Case.

2. Download the customized workflow from the above link and modify the workflow as follows:

   EaiUtility.handleStepFromSharedStepToSharedStep(mappedProperties, sourceSystemClient, destinationClient,"steps","description","OH_KY_DO_NOT_EDIT:",null,"testcase-zephyr",workflowInstanceId,"keyword");

   With:

   EaiUtility.handleStepsWithSharedStepToNonSharedStep(mappedProperties, destinationClient,"OH_Test_Steps","description","[OH_KY_DO_NOT_EDIT:");

3. Set the modified workflow in the integration mentioned in step 1.

Behavior of Shared step Synchronization

Both system supports Shared steps

• Regular steps will be synchronized as-is.

• If a new shared step is added, the corresponding linked entity will be added to the target.

Shared step supported system to non-shared step supported system

• Regular steps are synchronized as-is.

• If a linked test case is found, all its steps are synchronized to the target, with the linked test case ID appended in the description field. Example: [OH_KY_DO_NOT_EDIT:<TEST CASE ID>]

Non Shared Step supported system to shared supported system

• Creation, update, and deletion of regular steps are synchronized as-is.

• Creation, update, and deletion of shared steps are synchronized after the linked test case itself has been synchronized. Once the linked test case is synced, these changes are reflected in the base test case.