Inflectra SpiraTest Reviews

The use case for Inflectra SpiraTest is to report on defects. It's also useful for writing test cases.

Inflectra SpiraTest is the new kid on the block compared to Jira and Azure. Still, when I started exploring the tool, I realized that it was no different from other tools I've used in the past, but it all boils down to adaptability because the features would always be more or less the same.

I found Inflectra SpiraTest intuitive enough. It's also easy to learn, so this is what I like about it.

Testing of new applications being deployed in a healthcare environment. SpiraTest is used to help manage our testing process for not only new software implementations but also for checking the interactions of other software on existing systems. The SpiraTest system allows us to bank our test scripts to quickly pull them out as needed to test the effects of new code on our existing systems. Since a lot of our systems are updated with software and data code on a very regular basis this allows us to better provide a reliable system to our end users in a very critical environment.

SpiraTest makes managing our testing scripts easy since many of our systems are interconnected we can retest existing systems to ensure that new applications and updates will not break the system. SpiraTest has also allowed us to better diagnose bugs with new vendor software quickly and efficiently. SpiraTest makes our end user acceptance [process so much easier. The ability to store and manage our test scripts for use at a moment's notice helps provide much more reliable systems and quickly identify software bugs.

After a detailed comparison with other tools, I chose to recommend Spiratest for its ease of use and integration readiness with other tools. Any legacy tool that the organization decides to transition slowly or even retain the old tool and integrate it with Spiratest, the plugins are readily available.  I started my journey as a user of Inflectra SpiraTest. It's more of preparing the road map or the strategy for the client and helping them migrate everything. I determine whether it is suitable for the client's needs. Sometimes it's the nature of the business model. It is driven more by the client's business model. Then the client determines whether to approve the tool that was tested. The client may have their own choice or their own tool. There's a lot of businesses. Based on all the criteria, I help the client make decisions on these things. But these days, the products are very salient. I do some analysis, some comparisons of SpiraTest, and other tools. SpiraTest is very mature and very stable, actually. For example, if you want to integrate with Jira or any other tool, they provide a plugin so you can continue to use Jira then call the test cases from SpiraTest assessment.

Projectwise requirements and test cases were migrated , mapped and traceability ready. Agile projects were mapped though not directly helpful for hybrid agile scenarios.

Fully featured test management tool:

• Enterprise license gives unlimited users
• Full artefact traceability is fantastic - requirements to test cases to execution to defects/reporting
• Customisability and product support

SpiraTest was initially implemented for our largest IT project at Amec Foster Wheeler (Implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009/2012). Prior to SpiraTest, spreadsheets were being used to control test collateral. Bringing SpiraTest in, provided immediate benefits in the area of test visibility, reporting capabilities, audibility and overall clarity of the testing effort.

Right now, I use it for test cases, that is, to link to other test cases because I need test coverage for the requirements.

Inflectra SpiraTest has a lot of functionality, which is good.

We used it to document our test cases. 

We were able to add a step-by-step procedure for someone to follow to assist in testing.

Add scripting functionality: Being able to add scripting for testing can and does save a lot of time. When you are able to just ‘run’ a test case rather than manually add it and run it, it saves so much time and effort. SpiraTest does not have that functionality now and I do not know if they will add it.

Since it can only store documented test cases, that is half our effort when we test. The rest is running the test case and adding over 400 test cases can take a lot of time and effort, especially when we upgrade quarterly.

The primary features that we most often use is the Release tracking, Test Case repository, and Defect tracking. The integration of all three of these features into the Dashboard reporting makes the job of a QA manager much easier to evaluate the status of a release.

Prior to using SpiraTeam the status of a release was based on a list of defects and the "gut feeling" of the QA tester. Now we are able to quantify our testing progress, level of quality we are seeing come out of App Dev, and if we are on target with the release date.

After a release is live on Production and we receive feedback from clients it gives us the ability to identify where we need improve our testing and add details to test cases.

Apart from bugs reporting and tracking, which are obvious features for test management tool, these are the important features:

• Simplicity and usability - SpiraTest is very intuitive and easy to learn
• Integration with other tools - I was integrating SpiraTest not only with Inflectra's Rapise, but also with MS TFS. I found the procedures straight forward, intuitive, logical and fairly easy to maintain. Spira Test has plugins for a number of tools.
• Reporting - Flexible reporting feature made managers' life much easier. XML based templates, easy to tailor to user's needs were really helpful in providing up to date feedback of projects progress.

We came from Excel and mindmaps to using the professional management tool, thus there were plenty of benefits. Out of the blue, we were able to link issues with requirements, hold the history of test runs, differentiate results in regards to release, provide complex reports. The organization finally became organised.