Test Automation Checklist: Which Tests Are Best to Automate
Creating a clear test automation checklist early in your project helps your testing team decide which tests to automate and why. This upfront planning leads to more accurate testing timelines, a better-organized test suite, and smarter decisions about which test automation solution to adopt. Some tests, like performance tests, are ideal for automation, while others, such as single-use “one-off” tests, are better left manual. In between lies a gray area where pros and cons must be carefully evaluated, such as dynamically generated content or semi-frequently changing user interfaces.
Before your team starts debating what should and shouldn’t be automated, skim this Test Automation Checklist to make faster, smarter decisions.
What to Automate – A Structured Checklist
When deciding what to automate, focus on high-impact, repeatable, and time-consuming processes that benefit from consistency and speed. Create a test automation checklist to prioritize the following:
1. Repetitive Tests with Clear Pass/Fail Outcomes
Automate older test cases that are stable and have definitive verification criteria.
Example: Trying different username/password combinations for a login screen.
2. Data-Driven and High-Setup Tests
Tests requiring extensive data prep, long forms, or many input variations are ideal for automation. Let your test automation solution handle the heavy lifting.
Example: Populating and submitting lengthy forms with multiple combinations.
3. Smoke and Sanity Tests on Common User Paths
Automate the typical workflows your users follow most often. These are critical to catch failures early.
Example: Browsing top product pages on an e-commerce site.
4. Long, Monotonous UI Interactions
Tests that are tedious and time-intensive for human testers should be automated to avoid fatigue and human error.
Example: Clicking through a 40-step order fulfillment process.
5. Performance and Load Testing
Automation is essential for measuring speed, scalability, and resource use. Consistency is key in benchmarking, and automated tools are built for that precision.
What Not to Automate
Your test automation checklist should also help you avoid wasting time automating the wrong types of tests. Skip tests that are unstable, subjective, or require manual judgment.
1. Tests Needing Instant Human Feedback
If real-time judgment is more valuable than an automation report, manual testing is a better fit.
2. New, Unstable, or Rarely Used Features
Avoid automating features that are still changing or seldom used—they’ll cost more in maintenance than they save.
3. Outliers and Edge Cases
Corner cases can be valuable but are often not worth the complexity to automate unless frequently repeated.
4. Exploratory Tests
These are meant for human insight and creativity. Only automate the repetitive prep work, like data setup or teardown.
5. Tests That Change Frequently
If a test’s UI or workflow changes constantly, the cost of maintaining automation may outweigh the benefits.
6. Subjective Look-and-Feel Checks
Automation can’t judge visual polish or brand alignment. Leave these to the human eye.
7. Physical Verification Steps
Any test that involves checking physical output (e.g., labels, printouts, or hardware) should be done manually—unless you’re integrating with additional hardware scanners or sensors.
The bottom line: Automated testing is a powerful tool for a wide range of scenarios, especially for repeatable, high-value tests like regression testing. But not every test is a good fit. One-off or unstable tests often don’t justify the effort it takes to automate them. We hope this Test Automation Checklist helps your team clearly distinguish which tests to automate—and which are better left manual.
Are you interested in learning more about implementing test automation in your warehouse system? Check out our success stories, our blog posts, or learn more about the Cycle platform.
This post was written by:
James Prior
Sales Engineer
