PractiTest includes a new type of test that supports Exploratory and Session Based Testing practices.
Exploratory tests in PT allow you to define Charters & Guide Points for your ET Sessions, document annotations as you are running your tests, report and link bugs directly from your runs, and finally to review your ET sessions with colleagues in order to gather feedback.
A Test Set can contain all types of tests at once: automated, manual, and exploratory. This ability allows to combine various tests and to improve QA coverage and traceability.
Exploratory Testing module’s improvements:
Exploratory Tests can be created from the Test Library in addition to the Test Sets & Runs section. Exploratory Tests that are created from the Test Library will have Title, Charter and Guide Points and can be run on multiple Test Sets. In addition, ET test cases can have linked requirements and issues and therefore it provides users with the full traceability. Users can add annotations while running the Exploratory Tests.
The Test Library may have a few different types of test cases:
Scripted - regular test cases where users predefine steps.
Exploratory - without predefined steps where users add annotations "on the fly".
Automated - automated test script.
The new ‘Type’ column separates Scripted and Exploratory test cases in the Test Library. Users can also sort test cases by the 'Type' column if they would like to: 
The new icons were added as well in order to separate test cases. Thus, users are able to see them throughout the system.
All the existing Exploratory test instances that were created in the Test Sets & Runs section were created as test cases in the Test Library as well.
The new ‘Test type’ field is added to the Test Library with values: Scripted and Exploratory. The ‘Scripted’ test type is selected by default after pressing the ‘+New Test’ button and users can select Exploratory if they wish. 
In addition, a new option called ‘New Exploratory Test’ is added to the Test Library. 
Thus users will get the Exploratory option selected by default after pressing the ‘New Exploratory Test’ button.
Creating an ET test
Exploratory Tests can be created either from the Test Library (two different options are stated above), or directly from a Test Set by clicking on the ‘New Test’ and choosing the ‘Exploratory’ option.
Enter required Test Title and Test Charter (equivalent to regular test Description field). Other Custom fields can be filled in as well.
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Learn more about defining Custom Fields]
You can enter descriptive steps in the Guide Points field to further focus you test instance. In addition, you can enter an Estimated Duration for your test instance.
When done with set up select “Save Changes”.
Once Test instance is saved, Run status field is added as well (By default it will be “No Run”)
Running an ET test
In the Exploratory Test Instance window, when you run an Exploratory Test you create annotations (parallel to regular test steps).
a. Each annotation looks like a table row.
b. The headers of the rows are
– Type: Setup, Note, Bug, Question, Test, Concern
– Description: unlimited text field
– Attachments / URL: if you want to attach a screen shot or other image/reference.
c. Annotations can be deleted or re-ordered using the control buttons on the right.
Note: you can customize annotation types by following instructions here.
Reporting an Issue
If you encounter a new issue, you can report it by pressing on the “Report Issue” button under the actions column.
This works similarly as the “Fail and Issue” link within regular test runs. The window that will opens to report the Issue depends on your project’s integrations. For instance, if your project has Two Way integration with JIRA, selecting “Report Issue” will pop open your JIRA account with “report a bug” option. If there is no integration set up, the Issue will be created in PractiTest’s Issues module and linked to the Test.
If you encounter an issue that already exists in your issue module (or external bug tracker), you can hit the “Link Existing Issue” button under the actions column and fill in the Issue ID.
ET test Status in Reports and Dashboards
When creating a dashboard item, to present test status (annotations) for exploratory tests, Select Entity> Instances, and Item type> Step Status Pie.
This will display the exploratory test steps (annotations) and their status.
In this manner you can view all status results in one pie chart for any manual, automated and exploratory test.
This is reflected in the reports as well –
The report displays detailed information about the exploratory tests including Charter, Guide Points and Annotations with linked Issue.
