Best Practices for Workflow Testing

Best Practices for Workflow Testing

Testing workflows within a CRM is an essential part of the development process. This ensures that the workflows function as intended before being deployed to your entire contact list. This guide will discuss the significance of testing and provide a basic approach to conducting an effective test.

Why Testing Matters

When designing workflows that include personalized elements like customer names or appointment times, it’s crucial to preview how these details will appear to the end-user. However, the 'Send Test' feature within many CRMs often fails to accurately reflect how personalized data will be displayed because it doesn't pull this information from actual contact records.

Performing an Accurate Live Test

To conduct a more realistic test that mirrors how your workflow will perform in a real-world scenario, you should simulate the experience by adding yourself as a contact within the workflow. The following steps will guide you through setting up a test contact and integrating it into a workflow for testing.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Create a Test Contact:

   • Go to the 'Contacts' section of your CRM.

   • Add a new contact entry with your own details, ensuring all relevant information that the workflow will use (such as your name and phone number) is included.
     

2. Add Your Test Contact to a Workflow:

   • Locate the 'Active Workflows' section in the profile of your test contact.

   • Click 'Add' and choose the workflow you wish to test from the dropdown menu.

   • You can start the workflow immediately by leaving the start time blank, or you can set a specific start time for the workflow to begin.

   • Click 'Add' to officially begin the workflow for your test contact.
     

3. Evaluate the Workflow:

   • As the test contact, you will receive all communications and progress through the workflow just like any other contact.

   • This allows you to observe how personalized data is populated and verify that all workflow triggers and actions are functioning correctly.

Troubleshooting and Common Questions

Common Issues:

• Personalized Data Not Appearing: Double-check that all necessary details are filled in within the test contact’s profile.

• Workflow Not Starting: Ensure that the workflow is activated. If it’s inactive, you’ll be prompted to activate it before proceeding with the test.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Q: Can I test a workflow without creating a test contact?

  • A: While using the 'Send Test' feature is an option, creating a test contact offers a more accurate simulation of the live workflow.

• Q: How can I verify that workflow triggers are functioning?

  • A: By using the live test method described above, you can directly observe whether the workflow's triggers and actions are executing as expected.

This approach will help ensure that your workflows are thoroughly tested and ready for deployment, minimizing potential issues once they are live.