After executing hundreds of test cases across e-commerce, EdTech, and SaaS platforms, I've noticed a pattern: most test cases test the happy path and almost nothing else.
The Problem with Standard Test Case Templates
A typical test case looks like this:
| Field | Value |
| TC ID | TC_LOGIN_001 |
| Title | Valid login |
| Steps | Enter email → Enter password → Click Submit |
| Expected | User lands on dashboard |
This catches nothing. If the system is broken in an obvious way, yes. But real bugs hide in the edges.
The 4 Layers I Always Test
1. Happy Path (obvious, but necessary)
Get the baseline working. If this fails, everything else is noise.2. Boundary Values
For any input field, test:A password field that accepts "minimum 8 characters" should be tested with 7, 8, 9, and 256+ character inputs.
3. Negative / Invalid Inputs
' OR '1'='14. State-Based Tests
What happens when the same action is performed twice?Real Example: FK IT Solution Checkout
On the FK IT Solution e-commerce project, I found a critical bug using boundary testing. The cart allowed a product quantity of 0 — which then applied a 100% discount at checkout. This wasn't caught by any existing test because no one thought to test zero.
Template I Actually Use
TC_[MODULE]_[NUMBER]
Title: [What scenario]
Precondition: [System state before test]
Steps: [Numbered, specific actions]
Test Data: [Exact values used]
Expected Result: [Specific, measurable outcome]
Priority: [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
Type: [Functional/Boundary/Negative/Security]
The Type field forces you to think about why you're writing the test, not just what it covers.