Microsoft Test Manager (MTM) is an essential tool for managing test cases, executing test plans, and tracking test results within the Microsoft ecosystem. It is part of the Visual Studio Test Professional and Visual Studio Enterprise editions, providing a comprehensive environment for manual and automated testing. This article will guide you through the basics of using Microsoft Test Manager in a Windows environment, including creating test plans, running tests, and analyzing results.

Getting Started with Microsoft Test Manager

1. Installation and Setup:

   • Ensure you have Visual Studio 2019 or later installed, as MTM is integrated with these versions.
   • Open Visual Studio and sign in with your Microsoft account.
   • Navigate to the "Test" menu and select "Test Plans" to access Microsoft Test Manager.

2. Creating a Test Plan:

   • Open Microsoft Test Manager.
   • In the Test Hub, click on "New Test Plan."
   • Enter a name and description for your test plan.
   • Define the area path and iteration path to organize your test cases according to your project structure.

3. Adding Test Cases:

   • Within your test plan, click on "New Test Case."
   • Enter the title, steps, and expected results for your test case.
   • Assign configurations to test different environments or setups.

4. Executing Test Cases:

   • Select a test case from your test plan.
   • Click on "Run" to execute the test case.
   • Record the results and any defects found during testing.

5. Analyzing Test Results:

   • After executing test cases, navigate to the "Test Results" section.
   • Review the outcome of each test case and analyze any failures.
   • Use the built-in reporting tools to generate detailed reports on test coverage and defect trends.

Examples:

• Creating a Test Plan via Command Line: While MTM is primarily a GUI tool, you can automate certain tasks using PowerShell scripts. Here is a basic example of how you might script the creation of test artifacts using the Azure DevOps CLI, which can be integrated with MTM:

  az devops configure --defaults organization=https://dev.azure.com/YourOrganization project=YourProject
  az test plan create --name "Sample Test Plan" --project "YourProject"

• Automating Test Execution: To automate test execution, you can use the Visual Studio Test Platform (vstest.console.exe) from the command line:

  vstest.console.exe MyTestProject.dll /TestCaseFilter:"TestCategory=Smoke"

  This command runs all tests in the specified DLL that are tagged with the "Smoke" category.