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# Reporting Software Problems

A QATR is a standard part of a product’s development cycle before and after its release. It is a medium that a tester uses to document issues (errors, suggestions, and so on) for the benefit and use of the authors who need to know about them. The online QATR system is a database in which the tester enters the information and the application programmer retrieves it.

The QATR database allows for easy storage and retrieval and reduces the chance for duplication and loss of source documents. It also gives the users a wide choice of report options. The QA tester can obtain a report of all fixed programs, which makes it easy to check the fixes on the next round of media. You can select reports based on particular criteria, reducing the amount of paper used and preventing the occurrence of duplicate problem reporting. This system also allows the programmer to retrieve QATRs that are open and in need of being addressed.

Effective communication about software problems, changes, and resolutions is important. It helps to complete the quality assurance process in a timely and thorough manner, minimize risk, and maximize confidence in the final product.

As you find problems in the software during testing, document them on the QATR form or the QATR Tracking database. The form should clearly communicate the problem to the programmer who must investigate and to the QA person who will test the QATR during the next round of media.

When you write a QATR form, attach adequate printouts supporting the problem to the form. If you use a QATR database, mark the printouts and supporting documents with the QATR reference number. Printouts help the programmer and QA analyst re-create the problem.

Depending on the nature of the QATR, you may have to rerun a test that was written for the original test round. For example, suppose that the original test was to verify that the Post Transactions function in Accounts Payable worked. The problem was that when you tried to enter transactions, you encountered a Basic error. Because it was impossible to execute the original test fully upon receipt of the specification from development, you would execute the test while testing the QATR.