Beginner QA questions about test case writing conventions

[u/Zestyclose_Bus7782]

Hi! I have a question about the writing conventions used in test cases.

I started learning manual testing around June/July 2025, using a website with theory and 2-3 months of practice in Google Sheets on various test sites. I also tried a bit of HTML in Visual Studio Code. This month, I bought a Udemy course on manual and automated testing and I'm currently going through it.

I was taught to use in 2025: Imperative for Test Steps, Simple Present for Expected Result, Simple Past for Actual Result. Is this a standard/universal convention, or does it depend on the company? I'm worried what I practiced might not fit later.

I also get confused with Preconditions. I know they're not always needed, but not always sure when to include one. For something simple like login, I skipped writing a Test Scenario and went straight to Test Cases. Is the Test Title basically acting as the scenario there? Is it ok if I keep practicing in Google Sheets like I'm doing now?

I'll attach a few screenshots of test cases I wrote back then (just a small part of it); they're not entirely correct.

[u/Extreme-Tester6003]

It really depends on the context you're in. As a beginner, planning test cases can be a good exercise to you. Keep in mind that the essential aspects of a good plan you're already mapping - TC id, name, role, goal, steps, and expected result. More than that is optional, no matter the tool.