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Unit 11: Test Case Planning

Manual Bug Reporting and Tracking
The IEEE 829 standard does not define the format that the bug report should follow, but it does give an
example of a simple document.

Figure 11.7 shows an example of how a paper bug report can look like.

Figure 11.7 A Sample Bug Report

Source: Ron Patton, Software Testing, Second Edition, Sams Publishing
Figure 11.7 shows how the details of a bug can be condensed to a single page of data. Observe that this
single-page format can contain all the information required to identify and describe a bug. It also
includes fields that can be used to keep track of a bug through its life cycle. Once all the details are filed
by the tester, it can be given to a programmer for fixing the bugs.. There are fields provided in the form
where the programmer can enter information regarding the fix. There is also an area wherein, after
resolving the bug, the tester can provide information related to his efforts in retesting and closing out
the bug. At the bottom of the form is an area for signatures. Here, the tester’s name is written to indicate
that a bug has been satisfactorily resolved.
Paper forms can be used without any problem for both small and mission-critical projects. But, the
problem with paper forms is that it is inefficient for large scale testing.

If someone wants to know the status of Bug #5529 or how many Priority 1 bugs
were left to fix, then all the forms need to be checked manually in order to find
the form containing the relevant information.

To avoid such a cumbersome activity, spreadsheets and databases can be used to record the status of
bugs.

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