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sourceDocument: Yokohama Build or modify applications
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/application-development

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ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama Build or modify applications

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---

# Building and running automated tests with the Automated Test Framework

# Building and running automated tests with the Automated Test Framework {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated January 30, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Basic tasks in the Automated Test Framework.  
To build and run any test, you always perform certain operations:

* [Create a new automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/xFrLPa8T2sVd6TSx5iKzwQ "Create a named automated test containing a series of steps to execute.")
* [Add steps to an automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/2voHfJtRchR7DiTJX4F~qw "Create a series of steps for an automated test to run in a specified order.")
* [Run an automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dwTRseRJCBidFjoNlC6o1w "After creating an automated test, run it on a non-production instance.")
* [View the progress of automated tests](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/BE7bJN4tOdVoZ~ayVOWACQ "When an automated test is running, view its progress in the Run Test progress dialog.")
* [View test results and automated test results](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/jOP_IjQnL4z160_g2940~Q "View test results from completed test and test suite runs. Carefully consider the results of automated test runs and perform any corrective actions required to resolve any revealed issues.")
{#atf-build-overview__uf3_s2c_fy}  
You perform other operations often, but not necessarily for every test.

* For tests involving form steps, you might need to [View results
  screenshots from an automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/jOP_IjQnL4z160_g2940~Q "View test results from completed test and test suite runs. Carefully consider the results of automated test runs and perform any corrective actions required to resolve any revealed issues.").
* For some tests, you might need to know about [Passing data from one automated test step to another](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/doKSQyqk~YoA0ifkMWu1BQ "Some automated test steps create data that you can use as an input to a subsequent step.").
* Some steps frequently occur in the same sequence in many different tests, so you can [Add a predefined list of steps (template) to an automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/JnBcqZmKRaTwYsRtWmCotg "With test templates you can add a predefined list of steps to a test. Any list of steps that follows a set pattern makes a good candidate for a template.").
{#atf-build-overview__ul_a23_yms_kfb}
* **[Create a new automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/xFrLPa8T2sVd6TSx5iKzwQ)**   
  Create a named automated test containing a series of steps to execute.
* **[Copy automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/nthcVVded9T~NPFSZPXtVQ)**   
  Copy an existing test, which you can then re-name and modify.
* **[Run an automated test](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dwTRseRJCBidFjoNlC6o1w)**   
  After creating an automated test, run it on a non-production instance.
* **[Implementing breakpoints](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/3j3cvoFi1zHPivXqxKy5uQ)**   
  Breakpoints allow you to pause your test at any step of a test run in order to troubleshoot and test authoring.
* **[View test results and automated test results](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/jOP_IjQnL4z160_g2940~Q)**   
  View test results from completed test and test suite runs. Carefully consider the results of automated test runs and perform any corrective actions required to resolve any revealed issues.
* **[Identify and resolve client errors](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/uZvQd9aVsmWF73CSMVyrsA#identify-and-resolve-client-errors)**   
  Identify client errors and resolve them in client-side scripts.
* **[UI test steps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/8Z9mdUYgpKuwgMSKFSb9~Q)**   
  Test user interfaces by mimicking user actions and interacting with the visible components of a page.
* **[Server test steps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/EaJztQr1sv02IzB3LQOKqg)**   
  Test business logic and background processes by performing operations on the server.
* **[Attachment test steps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qYOPE7OQkZOoit_9FhCyZA)**   
  Test an attachment-dependent business rule by uploading an attachment either from a form or from a server-side API call. For example, you can have a business rule that doesn't let you close an incident without an attachment such as a screenshot.
* **[List UI actions test steps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/69s~f6PyRY0u~V4tjSJQNA)**   
  Select a UI action from a list to perform different actions on a list or a related list.
* **[Parameterized tests](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/uehGzniyJLaEBz8CO_0IOQ)**   
  Run a test multiple times with different test data for each run. Create parameters to store test data for each test run.
* **[Allowed client errors](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fivgAmsmFbvua00NZXhmWQ)**   
  Add known client errors to the allowed client errors list to allow tests and steps to continue running when a specific error occurs. Set the report level to specify what the Automated Test Framework does when the error occurs in future tests.
* **[View the progress of automated tests](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/BE7bJN4tOdVoZ~ayVOWACQ)**   
  When an automated test is running, view its progress in the Run Test progress dialog.
* **[Passing data from one automated test step to another](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/doKSQyqk~YoA0ifkMWu1BQ)**   
  Some automated test steps create data that you can use as an input to a subsequent step.

**Related concepts**   

* [Building and running automated test suites](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/xWup2thwq5mh4P~3Al42YQ "Run a group of tests in a specific order to test an application or a group of related features.")
* [Cancelling automated tests and test suites](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/7QK4cItQGt5TOq9Wd2ewqA#atf-cancelling "You can cancel automated tests and automated test suites that are running or are queued to run.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Auto-generate ATF tests](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eeW9pPcjZWEzvD_tSPL1QA "Auto-generate ATF tests by selecting the auto-generate option either from the Auto-generate Tests module or Tests/Suites modules.")