Export, Update, and Import Rules

The following business rules apply during the export-update and import processes:

General Rules

  • If a test row in Excel does not have a TestID or a Path, then it is considered to be a new test and is created in a new folder under the test container from which the import functionality was executed.
  • You can add existing TestIDs to update tests on update, and you can add existing SharedStepIDs to add new shared steps on import/update.
  • New automated tests are not imported and updated.
  • Inherited attribute values are not exported.
  • If a test is moved to a different folder hierarchy in Excel, the move is ignored during update.
  • If a test is missing in Excel (it was deleted), the test is not deleted during update.
  • Import uses the Path column for (new) folder names.
  • You cannot use A-Z as a customized column name. These are reserved for Excel's A-Z, which can be used in mapping.

Shared Steps

  • Are added for import and update.
  • Are deleted and reordered for update.
  • Will not be updated.
  • If the Excel SharedStepID does not exist in Silk Central, an error is reported.

Data-Driven Tests

  • Non-atomic data-driven child tests are not exported.
  • All tests can be imported, but their data-driven properties cannot be exported to or imported from Excel.
  • Update from Excel is only supported if the target folder does not contain data-driven tests.