Sample Software Test Plan Template with Format and Contents

In this tutorial, we have provided a Sample Test Plan Template along with its contents. This Simple Test Plan Format will be helpful for you to write a detailed Test Plan. 

We keep getting requests for Sample Test Plans frequently. Hence, we are including a sample Test Plan template here for your reference.

It’s a Test Plan index only. Each point in this index will help you elaborate on your testing plan in a step-by-step manner. Take this as a guide and develop a full Test Plan for your project.

=> Click Here For Complete Test Plan Tutorial Series

Software Test Plan Template

Test Plan Template Table of Contents (TOC)

#1) Introduction

a) Test Plan Approach/Objective

This document includes and describes the information necessary to effectively define the strategy to successfully carry out the testing of the Application Under Test. This also includes the scope of the project testing.

It basically gives an idea of what will be covered in the test plan.

Example: This Test Plan is documented to describe the predefined scope, approach, resources (hardware & personnel), schedule of all the testing activities of the project STH Ecommerce, way of communication, and the risks associated with and corresponding mitigation plan.

#2) Scope

This section gives an insight into the approved work for the testing team and works as an excellent facilitator for reporting. It describes a list of overall areas which are included and excluded from the testing activity.

a) Features to be tested: This section defines a list of features/modules, functional or non-functional requirements of the Application Under Test, that need to be tested.

Example: The following features are to be tested:

  • Login page
  • Products
  • Product details
  • Shopping cart

b) Features NOT to be tested: This section defines a list of features/modules which are not to be tested. It also mentions the reason for exclusion.

Example: Payment using UPI need not be tested, as the feature is going to be disabled.

#3) Test Strategy (Approach)

This section describes the overall approach to testing. Various techniques which will be used for testing are mentioned. It also details the methodology and lists the different testing levels and testing types that will be carried out.

A number of rounds of testing to be carried out are also mentioned. It also mentions the defect-tracking process and the list of tools that will be used.

Example:

Test Types:

  • API Testing: Test all the developed APIs even before they are integrated with the UI.
  • UX Testing (Usability/User Experience Testing): Test the user-friendliness of the application.
  • GUI Functional Testing: Test the features for functionality against requirements.
  • Automation Testing: Run available automation scripts.
  • Smoke Testing: Run smoke tests on each new build.

Test Levels:

  • System Testing: Test the entire application as a whole.
  • Acceptance Testing: The user tests the application.

#4) Environmental Needs (Test Environment)

This section defines the list of hardware and software requirements for testing. Make sure to detail specific devices and software versions. It also mentions the tools that will be used.

Example:

  • Windows Server: Staging QA
  • Operating System on Test Machines: Windows 10
  • Browser (must have): Chrome – Last available version
  • Network – Wi-Fi: So that laptops can be used for testing
  • Jira: For bug tracking

#5) Staffing and Training Needs

In this section, it describes the required resources and training required (if any) for the efficient execution of testing. Identifying the training at the beginning provides a better idea of the total time and cost involved in training.

Example:

  • Staffing
    • Manual Testers: Tester1, Tester2
    • QA Lead: Test Lead1
    • Automation Tester: Auto Tester1, Auto Tester2
  • Training
    • Jira plugins are used for test case writing: 20 hours

#6) Test Schedule and Estimation

It includes details about the target start and end date of test execution, and a detailed schedule of all testing milestones, activities, and deadlines.

Example:

  • Test case design:
    • Start Date – <Test Case design start date>
    • End Date – <Test Case design end date>
  • Sign-in/Sign-up: 6 hours
  • Shopping cart: 8 hours

#7) Test Deliverables

This section defines the list of all documents/artifacts that need to be delivered/prepared during the testing life cycle. It also needs to mention the schedule and timeline for the preparation and submission of these artifacts.

Example:

  • Test Plan: Prepared and submitted before the start of the testing phase.
  • Test Cases: Prepared and delivered during the test design phase.
  • Bug Report: Prepared and shared at the end of each day throughout the execution cycle.
  • Test Summary Report: Prepared and submitted at the end of the testing phase.

#8) Exit Criteria

This section of the document describes the conditions that must be satisfied before the test is completed.

Example: The following conditions can be considered

  • All test cases are executed, exploratory testing is done and there are no functional bugs.
  • All unresolved bugs are of low severity.
  • No more than 10% of medium-severity bugs are unresolved.

#9) Suspension and Resumption Criteria

There might be some instances during test execution when testing cannot go ahead and needs to be suspended. This section of the test plan explicitly describes the conditions when the test execution has to stop and when it can be resumed.

Example: The following criteria can be considered

  • Suspend testing when
    • Critical (show-stopper) bugs are open – (e.g. login issues).
    • An open bug blocks many of the test cases in the test suite.
  • Testing can be resumed when
    • Show stopper bug(s) are resolved and test cases can be executed.

#10) Responsibilities

It details a list of all the roles and responsibilities of each team member involved in the testing.

Example:

NameEmailRole
Manager1Test Managermanager1@test1.com
TestLead1Test ManagertestLead1@test1.com
ManualTester1Manual TestingmanualTester1@test1.com

#11) Risk and Contingencies

This section defines the pre-identified risks and associated mitigation plans. It basically describes the actions that can be taken when a hazard occurs.

Example:

RiskMitigation
QA Environment is downKeep an alternate environment
Unplanned leavesMonitor this risk
Lack of essential skillHire skilled resource or plan for an on the job training.

#12) Assumptions

It describes the assumptions that need to be considered at the beginning or during the test phase.

Example:

  • Application features are deployed and available for testing on time.
  • License(s) of the tool(s) used were procured in time before the start of the testing phase.

#13) Test References

It details the documents that can be referred to.

Example:

  • UI design – Figma
  • User Stories
  • Requirements/Specification document
  • System Design document

#14) Review and Approvals

This section consists of the names of the people who should review and approve this document. It will also include the name of the person who should sign the project.

Example:

  • Test Manager: Approve the test plan
  • Project Manager: Signs off the testing phase

Conclusion

Test plan template and its components might differ from organization to organization, but what matters most is the intent and information mentioned in the test plan. It is important to keep the test plan document concise and very clear.

Hope you get some insight about the test plan template.

All the best!!

We hope this Test Plan Template would have been of immense help to you.

From this template, we have written the complete Test Plan from scratch. You can check them out in the below tutorials:

Have we missed anything? Express your thoughts/suggestions in the comments section below.

=> Visit Here For Complete Test Plan Tutorial Series

Recommended Reading

132 thoughts on “Sample Software Test Plan Template with Format and Contents”

  1. What is the difference between sanity test and smoke test?

    Reply
    • Smoke testing involves all the last build critical functions.
      Sanity testing involves all new functions and modules related to it

      Reply
  2. Hi,
    Can you please tell me how testing by automation tool is carried out in company? Please tell me the Process from starting of Frame work to reporting.

    Reply
    • often times test automation is built into what is known as a Continuous Integration tool, where, anytime a software engineer presents changes to the code base in the form of a pull request, the tool runs, and subjects the entire codebase (or whatever code is covered by automated tests) to the entire test automation suite. This means that automation is run constantly and has to pass before new code can be merged into the master codebase.

      Reply
  3. hi tell me about AGILE METHOD in detail, if possible send me documents to my mail id

    Reply
  4. ya i am a fresher i need to know the process about manual testing in the company can any one help me what are the tasks will be given to the one year experience employee in the company

    Reply
  5. hello
    i got a question in the interview that what are the challenging situation did u face in the manual testing

    Reply
    • Why are you asking a group the answer to an interview question that is based on YOUR Knowledge? If you don’t know, you don’t know.

      Reply
  6. I find a lot of job security in reading these posts. You are all seemingly in the QA space and pretty much everyone has horrible English writing skills. Where is the quality in the foundation of your being? Why are people posting their educational background and asking questions? This is not the forum for this… you should know, since you are mostly all in IT. Since this is a comments forum, here is mine: if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have such a high paying job. Thanks

    Reply
  7. Pls explain test plan templets

    Reply
  8. please any one tell me how to write test plan for mobile calling status

    Reply
  9. Hi,
    please any one tell me how to write test plan for mobile apps.

    Reply
  10. Is it possible to modify the test plan once it is created ?
    Suppose i have 6 requirements that has to be tested in this release.
    F1, F2 req. are planned for 1st build.
    F3, F4 req. are planned for 2nd build and
    F5,F6 are planned for 3rd build. All builds and reqs are scheduled in this way in Test plan document. But due to some technical issues with req#F3 and F4 developers implemented F5 &F6 reqs and released in build#2…So F3&F4 are changed to Build#3.

    Is it possible to update test plan document with the above changes after the test plan is created???

    Reply
  11. I need to write a test plan on gmail.plz anyone can help me

    Reply
  12. Can you help me how to create a test plan ?

    Reply
  13. Sir! how come we know we need to write so and so no. of cases? how to do calculation for a application? what is the test case? and scenario? and how to perform

    Reply
  14. Is there any documents with Mr.Vijay regarding CA LISA tool? If it is there please upload the same, It may be useful to many users. Much thanks in advance.

    Reply
  15. Not All organization look for elaborated Test Plans / Test Case Templates. Perhaps some water down versions that are Free should be available for our perusal. Thank You.

    Reply
  16. Thanks all for Q&A.. Nice to read.

    Test Scenario- High Level Business Requirement
    Test Case- Step by step procedure for the Requirement

    Thanks

    Reply
  17. Hi All,

    Please post me manual , DB and ETL testing related questions, I can able to help on this.

    Thanks

    Reply
  18. Hi all,

    I want a SOP document for a QA.

    Does anyone have that, if yes can it be sent to me pls.

    Reply
  19. Guys,

    CAn anyone help me with templates for QA

    Like

    Test plan
    Test Strategies
    Test Cases
    Use Cases
    User Stories
    Unit Test Cases for Development
    Sanity Test
    Test Approach Document
    Traceability Matrix
    Entity matrix
    Product Health
    Test Completion/coverage Report
    Bug Report
    Build Acceptance Criteria
    Sign Off Criteria
    Test Data
    Out of Scope with justification
    Software Benchmarking

    mail it to me on ronak.shah@tejora.com

    Thanks a ton in advance

    Reply
  20. Hi All,

    Can any one send me the Test Plan Document as well as Template in real time example

    Reply
  21. what is assumption in test plan ? give me detail explanation

    Reply
  22. How to write student test plan

    Reply
  23. how do rainbows work? also send me detail plan i help much time! me the best at crisp eating.

    Reply
  24. I need to download testplan för DW whre can I find it?

    Reply
  25. often times test automation is built into what is known as a Continuous Integration tool, where, anytime a software engineer presents changes to the code base in the form of a pull request, the tool runs, and subjects the entire codebase (or whatever code is covered by automated tests) to the entire test automation suite. This means that automation is run constantly and has to pass before new code can be merged into the master codebase.

    Reply
  26. thank you for sharing the template, much appreciated!

    Reply
  27. can anybody help me to create a test plan on facebook?

    Reply

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