Issues and Defects

When a test fails, you need to capture the problem so it can be fixed. ProvaLab.io lets you log defects directly from failed test results, track their lifecycle, and link them to your issue tracker.

Log a Defect from a Failed Test

The most common way to create a defect is directly from a test failure:

1. Open a test run and navigate to a failed test result.

2. Click Log Defect.

3. Fill in the defect details:

   • Title -- A clear summary of the problem (e.g., "Login button returns 500 error on Staging").

   • Severity -- How bad the problem is:

     Severity	Use when...
     Critical	The application crashes, data is lost, or a core feature is completely broken.
     High	A major feature does not work as expected, but there may be a workaround.
     Medium	A feature works but with incorrect behavior, poor performance, or cosmetic issues that affect usability.
     Low	Minor cosmetic issues, typos, or problems that rarely affect users.

   • Priority -- How urgently it should be fixed (Critical, High, Medium, Low). Severity describes impact; priority describes urgency.

   • Assignee -- The team member responsible for investigating or fixing the issue.

   • Description -- Detailed information about the defect, including:

     • What happened vs. what was expected.
     • The environment and browser.
     • Any error messages observed.

   • Steps to Reproduce -- A numbered list of steps to reliably trigger the issue. ProvaLab.io pre-fills this with the test case steps, which you can edit.

4. Click Create Defect.

tip

The more detail you include, the faster the issue gets resolved. At minimum, always include: what you expected to happen, what actually happened, and the exact steps to reproduce.

Defect Details

Each defect in ProvaLab.io includes:

Field	Description
ID	Auto-generated defect ID (e.g., DEF-042).
Title	Summary of the defect.
Severity	Critical, High, Medium, or Low.
Priority	Critical, High, Medium, or Low.
Status	Current lifecycle stage (see below).
Assignee	Person responsible for the fix.
Reporter	Person who logged the defect.
Test Result	Link to the failed test result that triggered the defect.
Description	Detailed description of the problem.
Steps to Reproduce	How to trigger the issue.
Attachments	Screenshots, logs, and other evidence.
Created / Updated	Timestamps for tracking.

Defect Lifecycle

Defects in ProvaLab.io follow a lifecycle that tracks their progress from discovery to resolution:

Open --> In Progress --> Fixed --> Verified --> Closed
                   \                              ^
                    \--> Won't Fix ---------------/

Status	Meaning
Open	The defect has been logged and is waiting to be worked on.
In Progress	A developer is actively investigating or fixing the issue.
Fixed	The developer has applied a fix. It is ready to be verified.
Verified	A tester has re-tested and confirmed the fix works.
Closed	The defect is resolved and the issue is done.
Won't Fix	The team has decided not to fix this issue (with justification).

Update a Defect's Status

1. Open the defect.
2. Click the Status dropdown.
3. Select the new status.
4. Add a comment explaining the change (e.g., "Fixed in build v3.2.2" or "Verified on Staging -- login now works correctly").
5. Click Update.

Link Defects to Jira

If your team uses Jira for bug tracking, you can link ProvaLab.io defects to Jira issues:

Create a Jira Issue from ProvaLab.io

1. Open the defect in ProvaLab.io.
2. Click Create Jira Issue.
3. ProvaLab.io pre-fills the Jira issue with the defect's title, description, severity, and steps to reproduce.
4. Select the Jira project and issue type.
5. Click Create.

The Jira issue is created and linked back to the ProvaLab.io defect. The Jira issue key (e.g., PROJ-456) is displayed on the defect.

Link to an Existing Jira Issue

1. Open the defect in ProvaLab.io.
2. Click Link Jira Issue.
3. Enter the Jira issue key (e.g., PROJ-456).
4. Click Link.

info

When the linked Jira issue is resolved, ProvaLab.io is notified automatically (if bi-directional sync is enabled in your Jira integration settings). You can then verify and close the defect in ProvaLab.io.

View and Filter Defects

Defect List

Go to the defect list within your project to see all logged defects. The list shows:

• Defect ID, title, and current status.
• Severity and priority indicators.
• Assignee and reporter.
• Created and last updated dates.

Filter Defects

Filter	Options
Status	Open, In Progress, Fixed, Verified, Closed, Won't Fix
Severity	Critical, High, Medium, Low
Priority	Critical, High, Medium, Low
Assignee	Filter by team member
Date Range	Filter by creation or update date

Best Practices

• Log defects immediately -- When a test fails, log the defect right away while the details are fresh. Do not wait until the end of the test run.
• One defect per issue -- Each defect should describe a single problem. If you find multiple issues in one test, create separate defects.
• Include reproduction steps -- Defects without clear reproduction steps take longer to fix. ProvaLab.io pre-fills steps from the test case; review and adjust them to be specific to the failure.
• Attach evidence -- Always include screenshots or logs when available. A screenshot is worth a thousand words in a bug report.
• Keep the lifecycle moving -- Regularly review open defects with your team. A defect that sits in "Open" status for weeks is a sign that it needs reprioritization or assignment.