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Test case settings and the steps editor: timeouts, retries, device settings, and data-driven runs

Test case configuration explained: timeouts and retries, browser/viewport settings, AI configuration, data-driven runs, and working with steps in the editor.

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Written by Teslim Bello

Timeouts, waits, and retries

If a step fails because a page or element is slow, adjust the waits in the test case's Configuration panel (right side of the test case) under Wait and retries:

  • Test Case Timeout (minutes) — how long the whole test can run.

  • Wait Timeout for Locators (secs) — how long ContextQA waits for an element before failing the step.

  • Retry Failed Steps — automatic retries before a step is marked failed.

  • Enable Avoid Auto wait for steps — turn off automatic waiting if you need precise timing.

These default to your organisation's values ("Org Level") and can be overridden per test case. Prefer raising the locator wait over adding fixed wait steps — fixed waits slow every run.

Browser and viewport settings

In the same Configuration panel, Device Setting controls the Default Browser (e.g. chromium) and Default Viewport (e.g. 1280×720) for the test. Key Flags below it toggle Mobile Testing, Extension Use, and Data Driven mode.

AI configuration on a test case

The AI Configuration section of the panel controls AI Smartness, the default AI action, the Knowledge Base default for the test, and AI metadata collection — each inheriting from the organisation level unless overridden.

Data-driven / parameterized test cases

To run the same flow with different data sets: manage your data under Environment & Data → Data Profiles, then in the test case's Configuration → Execution set the Test Data Profile and Test Data Set, and enable the Data Driven key flag. In your steps, set the value's test-data type to Parameter so it reads from the data set. For values that differ per environment (URLs, credentials), use the Environment test-data type instead — see our article on test data and environments.

Editing several steps at once

Each step row has a checkbox on the left — select multiple steps to act on them together, and use Reorder (top right of the steps list) to rearrange. Search Action Text finds a step in long tests.

Reporting a bug from the steps editor

If something looks broken rather than confusing — a toggle that resets, a button that does nothing, a step that won't save — tell support it's a bug report and include your workspace URL and a screenshot. That routes it to the engineering queue instead of a documentation answer.

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