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How to Test your SM Apply Site
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Testing your site is a crucial step in ensuring that all aspects are working as you desired them to be. With many customized and automated processes, the system will work as it is configured to, therefore this article will walk through the different ways in which you can test different sections of the site prior to launch.

In this Article...

 

Adding a Test User

When testing your site, it is extremely helpful to have email accounts that you can use to test various processes in your site.

 

Adding a User

The process of adding a test user is the same as adding a live user to the site. In order to add a new user:

  1. Go to Manage Users
  2. Click on Add User in the top right corner
  3. Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email Address of the user you wish to add
  4. Select the Role(s) you wish to add the user to in order to test. For example, if testing the Application process, you will want to add the user as an Applicant.
  5. DO NOT select Notify user by email that they have been added
  6. Optional: Enter applicable Role Custom Fields
  7. Click Add User

Using Gmail Spoofing to Add Test Users

Within SurveyMonkey Apply, you can make use of Gmail's ability to spoof an email address. This process will allow you to set up multiple accounts within the site which appear to have different email addresses, however if an email is sent from the site it will be sent to the real email.

The way this works is, if your normal email is example@gmail.com you can create as many accounts as you need to under this email by adding a + and additional text after the initial part of the email. For example:
example+test1@gmail.com
example+applicant@gmail.com
example+100@gmail.com

This can be useful in testing how an email will be displayed when received and when in the process certain emails will be sent. You can refer to Testing Emails for more information in regards to this.

NOTE: The value that goes after the + can be anything you need it to be as long as the characters adhere to a regular email format.

 

Testing the Application Process

Once you have added a user as an Applicant to the site you can use this applicant to test the application process.

 

Testing the Submission Process

In order to test the submission process with applicant permissions:

  1. Assume the Role of the Applicant
  2. Create a new application for that user
  3. Navigate through the application process by completing the tasks in the application stage(s) as if you were an applicant applying to that application.

    TIP!  Try testing your application forms, uploads, recommender invites etc. This will also allow you to gain a better understanding of the process when it comes to Troubleshooting live applicant issues.

  4. Once you have completed all the tasks and are satisfied with the application process, submit your test application and begin testing the Review process.

 

Video Overview

 

Testing the Recommendation Task

If your application process has a recommendation task involved you may wish to test this process.

  1. Assume the Role of the test Applicant
  2. Within the created application Start the recommender task
  3. Enter information for your test recommender.

    TIP! Use Gmail spoofing detailed above to send the invite to your own email address and test the login process of a recommender.

  4. Either login as the test recommender or Assume the Role of the recommender
  5. Test accepting or declining the recommendation to see what occurs
  6. Once you accept the recommendation, complete the applicable task whether the form or upload task
  7. Submit the recommendation
  8. Check in the Admin Application Preview to see the completed recommendation appear.

NOTE: Ensure that the setting "Allow applicants to see completed recommendations" is set up correctly. If enabled, you will be able to see the recommendation when assuming the role of the applicant. If not enabled, it will only be visible within the Admin Application Preview.

Testing the application process will allow you to ensure that all active automations and piping variables in your forms are working correctly for you. You can also refer to the specific sections below for more information on how to test each feature. Adding a user and a test application will be consistently referred to throughout the various sections of this article.

 

 

Video Overview

 

Testing the Review Process 

After testing the application process, you can move these applications to the Review Stage in order to test the review process. To test the review process:

  1. Add a User as a Reviewer
  2. Assign the application(s) to the Reviewer. If the applications are not assigned to the reviewer using one of the available methods, the applications will not be visible to the reviewer in their reviewer panel.
  3. Assume the role of the Reviewer
  4. Refer to our article on the Reviewer Split Screen in regards to how to complete a review within the site.
  5. Navigate through the review process to complete reviews for your test applications.

    TIP!  Try by testing the review form, making notes on applications, downloading reviews and applications etc. This will also allow you to gain a better understanding of the process when it comes to Troubleshooting live reviewer issues.

Testing the review process will allow you to ensure that all active automations and piping variables in your forms are working correctly for you. You can also refer to the specific sections below for more information on how to test each feature.

 

Video Overview

 

Testing Automations 

When you have created an automation in the site it is important to test its functionality to ensure that the automation is correct. This is especially important for when you have conditions on your automations and want to ensure that it fires for the correct applications, and doesn't fire for applications that don't meet your conditions.

In order to test your automation

  1. Create a test application that matches all of your applicable conditions of the automation
  2. Ensure that your automation is Active
  3. Using the test application, perform the activation.
    For example, if the activation is to complete a form, use the application to complete that form.
  4. Check to see if the action has occurred. 

 

Testing Emails 

 

Using the Send Test button

When creating emails whether through Manage Users, Manage Applications, or Notifications there is the ability to Send a Test. This feature will allow you to enter in an email and test the format and deliverability of the emails when being received. For example, if you have a logo uploaded to the Design section of the Email settings you will be able to see how it appears within the received email.

This test email will display the general template of the email, but it will not be personalized to the user receiving it. Therefore, if you have piping variables within the email these would not be sent when clicking Send Test instead they would be shown as a placeholder.

Using a Test User/ Application (Recommended)

As mentioned above the Send Test button will not pipe in variables into the received emails, therefore if you are looking to test these variables you will need to send the email to a user/ application that those variables apply to. For example, if you are looking to pipe in a response from an applicant form, you will need to ensure that the test application you are using has completed that response.

This process is where Gmail Spoofing can come in handy. You can use a spoofed account to create an application, and then send the email to that account containing your piped variables. The email that is sent will be received to your real Gmail address and you will be able to see how the variables appear including any formatting and design that you have applied.

 

Testing Forms

 

Using the Form Preview

During the build process of a form you have the ability to Preview it within the Form Builder. This will allow you to see the form as an applicant would. It will also allow you to test any validation, advanced expression piping, in-form piping, or branching logic that has been created within the form in order to ensure that the correct questions are showing when they should be.

However, if you are looking to test piping variables within the form, such as pulling in the applicant's name, or a response to a question in a different form, you will not be able to test this within the Form Preview. This will need to be tested using a Test Application.

Using a Test Application

Although the Form Preview has a lot of capabilities for testing the form, you will not be able to test form-to-form piping variables, or piping specific to the applicant as a real user with this information will need to be used.

In order to test piping variables in this manner, we would recommend using a Test Application. Using a test application will allow you to test Piping Variables, as well as everything that can be tested within the Form Preview.

 

Testing a Program without making it Public

It is quite common to need to test a program in your site including the application process, review process, automations, etc. However, you may not be ready to make it visible to applicants.

If this is the case, you can take the following steps:

  1. Start by Launching your Program
  2. When launching your program, ensure that Program will be visible to applicants is not selected.
  3. Go to the Applications list for that program
  4. Click Create Application in the top right corner
  5. Enter the email address of your test user

When you assume the role or log in as that User the application will be available under My Applications and you will be able to use it to test in the site. However, the Program will remain hidden and applications can't be created by applicants.

 

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