Getting started with the Automated Test Framework

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Getting started with the Automated Test Framework

    The Automated Test Framework (ATF) in ServiceNow enables you to create, run, and manage automated tests to validate your instance’s functionality. It provides a flexible set of features for testing various components such as forms, catalogs, navigation, REST endpoints, and server-side scripts. The framework automatically manages test data by tracking and rolling back changes after tests run, ensuring no residual test data remains.

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    Key Features

    • Test Step Configurations: ATF supports multiple test step categories tailored for different areas, including:
      • Service Catalog and Service Portal: Perform end-to-end testing for catalog items, record producers, order guides, and forms, including setting and validating variables, prices, quantities, and submitting orders.
      • Application Navigator: Verify and navigate application menus and modules as a user would.
      • Custom UI and Forms: Simulate user interactions such as setting field values, validating fields and UI states, clicking buttons, and submitting forms.
      • REST: Create and send inbound REST requests to test endpoints, including record creation, retrieval, updates, deletion, and response validations.
      • Server: Execute complex server-side tests, including JavaScript unit tests using Jasmine, testing business rules, script includes, and data operations.
    • Output Variables: Many test steps return output variables which can be used as inputs for subsequent steps, enabling complex, multi-step testing scenarios such as user context switching and chained record operations.
    • Custom Test Steps: You can create custom test steps that run on the server, allowing input and output variable configurations to extend testing capabilities beyond built-in steps.
    • Data Preservation: ATF automatically cleans up data created during tests and rolls back changes to maintain a clean testing environment.
    • Test Suites: Organize tests into suites to run multiple tests sequentially or hierarchically. Suites can be scheduled to run automatically at specified times.
    • Domain Separation Support: ATF supports domain separation, allowing you to manage data, processes, and administration in logical domains with controlled user access.

    Practical Use and Next Steps

    ServiceNow customers new to ATF should start by creating and running a basic test, such as adding a new user record, using the provided tutorial. Once comfortable with the basics, customers can explore advanced features like server-side scripting tests, custom test steps, and scheduling test suites. Leveraging ATF helps ensure consistent functionality, reduces manual testing effort, and maintains instance stability during updates and customizations.

    If you are new to the Automated Test Framework, read this overview to learn what the framework can do. Next, follow the tutorial to create and run a test that uses the most basic of ATF features. After you feel comfortable with the basics, explore more advanced features provided by the ATF.

    ATF features provide flexibility in how you test your instance.

    Test step configuration categories

    Category Description
    Service Catalog in Service Portal Perform end-to-end testing for a catalog item in the Service Portal.
    • Open a record producer, catalog item, or order guide.
    • Set variable values and catalog item quantity.
    • Validate variable values, states, price, and items included in an order guide.
    • Navigate in an order guide.
    • Open and toggle catalog items in an order guide.
    • Add an item or an order guide to a shopping cart.
    • Order a catalog item or an order guide.
    • Submit a record producer.
    Application Navigator Create tests to check navigation features.
    • Verify that application menus are listed in the left navigation bar.
    • Verify that application modules are listed in the left navigation bar.
    • Navigate to a module as if a user clicked the module in the left navigation bar.
    Custom UI Create simple tests that mimic user actions with no scripting.
    • Set component values.
    • Assert that specified text is or is not on a page.
    • Validate component values.
    • Click components.
    • Validate the states of components (read-only or not read-only).
    Form Create tests of forms.
    • Open a new form or an existing record.
    • Set field values.
    • Validate field values or field states (such as mandatory, not mandatory, read only, not read only, visible, and not visible).
    • Validate whether a UI action is visible.
    • Click a button on a modal page.
    • Click a UI action.
    • Submit a form.
    Service Catalog Perform end-to-end testing for a catalog item.
    • Open a catalog item or a record producer.
    • Search for a catalog item.
    • Set variable values and catalog item quantity.
    • Validate variable values, states, and price.
    • Add an item to a shopping cart.
    • Order a catalog item.
    • Submit a record producer.
    Forms in Service Portal Create tests of forms in the Service Portal.
    • Open a form.
    • Set field values.
    • Validate field values or field states (such as mandatory, not mandatory, read only, not read only, visible, and not visible).
    • Validate whether a UI action is visible.
    • Click a UI action.
    • Submit a form.
    REST Create and send an Inbound REST request and verify the response.
    • Test any REST endpoint on the instance.
    • Use a REST request to create records, as well as retrieve, update, or delete records created in a previous test step or that already existed on the instance.
    • Verify the response status code, response headers, response time, and response payload.
    Server Perform more complex operations, including the following:
    • Perform unit tests using JavaScript, including tests using the Jasmine test framework.
    • Test business rules, script includes, and other scripts.
    • Create tests that operate on data that you define.

    Output variables

    Many test steps return output variables whose values you can use as inputs to a later step. For example, you can use output variables to accomplish the following tasks:
    • Perform a server-side assert on a record that you previously inserted.
    • Create a record as one user, and then reopen its form as a different user.

    Custom test step configurations

    In addition to the steps built into the Automated Test Framework, you can create custom test step configurations. These custom steps can take input variables and return output variables that you define.
    Note:
    You can only define custom test steps that run on the server. The Automated Test Framework does not support creating custom step configurations that run on the browser.

    Data preservation

    The Automated Test Framework automatically tracks and deletes any data created by running tests, and automatically rolls back changes after testing.

    Test suites

    Test suites enable you to execute a batch of tests in a specified order. In addition, test suites can be hierarchical, with suites nested within other suites. You can associate test suites with schedules that determine when the system runs the test suites.