Regression Test Bed — Master Suite
Build (and grow) a master regression suite that aggregates test cases from across your system. The suite is the single document that answers: what gets re-run before a release, in what order, and how long does it take?
Use it for legacy modernization projects (where regression is the safety net while you re-platform), for any large monolith with ≥ 50 programs / components, or any release pipeline where regression-suite scope is currently "we run what we remember to run."
When to use
- You're starting a regression-suite effort from scratch
- You have per-program / per-feature test files and need them in one organized index
- You need to publish "what we test before each release" to QA leadership or auditors
- You're modernizing a legacy system and need to prove behavioral parity
Prompt
You are a senior QA architect. Build (or grow) a master regression test
bed for the system below. Consolidate test cases from per-program /
per-feature files into one organized, runnable suite.
## Inputs
**System name:** {{system_name}}
**Functional domains:** {{domains}}
**Existing test files to consolidate:** {{existing_test_files}}
**Critical-path programs / components (run first):** {{critical_path_programs}}
## Output requirements
Return ONLY the markdown document below. Do not include preamble or
closing notes. Never duplicate full test-case detail in this document —
link to the per-program / per-feature test file instead. Only include
the regression-critical subset of each program's tests.
---
# {{system_name}} — Regression Test Bed (Master Suite)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| **System** | {{system_name}} |
| **Last Updated** | <today's date YYYY-MM-DD> |
| **Total Programs / Components** | <count> |
| **Total Regression Tests** | <count> |
| **Estimated Run Time** | <hours — sum of per-test estimates> |
## 📊 Coverage Summary
| Domain | Programs | Regression Tests | Critical | High | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <domain 1> | | | | | |
| <domain 2> | | | | | |
| **TOTAL** | | | | | |
## 🔴 Critical Path — Run These First
> Tests that must pass before the full regression suite runs.
> Cover core system integrity and shared utilities.
| TC ID | Program / Component | Title | Est. Time | Linked test file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
## Domain Sections
For each domain in `{{domains}}`, render a section with this exact shape:
### Domain: <NAME>
> **Programs in this domain:** <comma-separated list>
> **Test files:** `<path/to/file>` (etc.)
#### Regression Tests
| TC ID | Program | Title | Priority | Est. Time | Last Run | Status | Test file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#### Domain-Level Integration Tests
> Tests that span multiple programs within this domain.
| TC ID | Programs Involved | Scenario | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
## 🔗 End-to-End Scenarios
> Cross-domain transactions — simulate real business journeys.
### E2E-001: <Scenario name>
| Step | Program / Component | Input | Expected Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | | | |
| 2. | | | |
| 3. | | | |
[Add E2E-002, E2E-003, etc.]
## 🚫 Known Exclusions
> Tests out of scope for automated regression — manual or deferred.
| Program / Component | Test | Reason | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
## 📋 Regression Run Instructions
### Pre-Run Checklist
- [ ] Test data loaded to test datasets / databases
- [ ] Baseline DB snapshot restored
- [ ] Run scripts / JCL / pipelines reviewed for the test environment
- [ ] Output capture enabled
- [ ] Comparison files (expected output) in place
### Run Order
1. Critical Path tests (🔴 above)
2. Shared / utility components — these are dependencies
3. Domain sections in parallel where the environment allows
4. End-to-End scenarios last
### Pass / Fail Criteria
- **Pass:** Return code = expected AND output matches expected exactly
- **Warning:** Return code = expected with warnings AND output matches — investigate warnings
- **Fail:** Return code > expected OR output mismatch OR abend
### Defect Logging
Log defects with: Program / Component | TC ID | Actual vs Expected | Output snippet | Date found
## Style guide
- Coverage Summary numbers must add up — it's the executive view.
- Critical Path should be ≤ 10% of total tests; if it's more, you're
over-classifying and the "critical" signal loses meaning.
- Every test row links back to the per-program / per-feature test file —
never duplicate the full TC body in the master suite.
- E2E scenarios cross at least 2 domains; otherwise they belong in
Domain-Level Integration Tests.
- Run-time estimates should be honest — they drive the release timeline.
## Hard rules
1. The Coverage Summary is the source of truth — keep it updated whenever you add a test.
2. Each TC ID exists ONLY in the per-program / per-feature file. The master suite
only references it.
3. Critical-Path tests are flagged in the per-program file as
regression-critical — never silently include or exclude.
4. Known Exclusions must have a reason — "out of scope" is not enough.Example output (excerpt)
# LifePro Insurance PAS — Regression Test Bed (Master Suite)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| **System** | LifePro Insurance PAS (Customized) |
| **Last Updated** | 2026-04-26 |
| **Total Programs / Components** | 87 |
| **Total Regression Tests** | 412 |
| **Estimated Run Time** | 6.5 hours |
## 📊 Coverage Summary
| Domain | Programs | Regression Tests | Critical | High | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Policy Administration | 22 | 118 | 12 | 64 | 42 |
| Billing | 14 | 78 | 8 | 41 | 29 |
| Claims | 18 | 96 | 9 | 52 | 35 |
| Reporting / Batch | 9 | 28 | 2 | 14 | 12 |
| Utility / Common | 7 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| **TOTAL** | **70** | **339** | **38** | **183** | **118** |
## 🔴 Critical Path — Run These First
| TC ID | Program | Title | Est. Time | Linked test file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TC-MMACMN01-001 | MMACMN01 | Date routine returns correct policy anniversary | 3 min | `output/test-cases/MMACMN01_test_cases.md` |
| TC-MMASEC01-001 | MMASEC01 | Auth check rejects unknown user IDs | 4 min | `output/test-cases/MMASEC01_test_cases.md` |Tips
- Treat the master suite as a living document — every new feature / program adds rows; every release run updates "Last Run" and "Status."
- The Coverage Summary is the chart you put in front of leadership. Keep it accurate or stop showing it.
- Pair with the COBOL Functional Spec template for legacy work — each spec produces test cases that flow into one of the domain sections.
- For modern systems, the per-feature test files come from the Test Cases — Comprehensive template instead.
- Periodically prune Known Exclusions — items there for "the third-party sandbox is unstable" become stale fast.