Understanding Excel/Google Sheets Test Cases in Testlify

Testlify offers Excel-based simulation questions that allow employers to test a candidate's ability to work with spreadsheets in real-world scenarios. To simplify evaluation, these questions use auto-scoring based on a set of predefined test cases. This article explains how these test cases work, what identifiers like S1C1 mean, and how scoring is calculated.

What Are Excel Simulation Test Cases?

When creating an Excel-based question in Testlify, you provide:

• An input sheet: The spreadsheet a candidate will work on.
• A model answer sheet: The correct version with expected outputs.
• A set of test cases: These are specific checks the system will use to auto-score the candidate’s response.

Understanding Identifiers Like S1C1

Each test case is linked to a specific cell or sheet in the spreadsheet. The identifiers follow this format:

So, S1C1 means Sheet 1, Cell A1. Similarly:

• S2C3 = Sheet 2, Cell C3
• S1C10 = Sheet 1, Cell J1
• S1C23 = Sheet 1, Cell W1

These identifiers are used to map where the system should check for the correct value in the candidate’s response.

What Does a Test Case Check?

Each test case verifies the following:

1. Correct Value in the specified cell.
2. Correct Formatting, if applicable (e.g., formulas, data types).
3. Cell Location — whether the response is in the exact expected cell.

✅ If all three criteria match, the test case passes.

❌ If any of them fail (wrong value, wrong cell, or missing), the test case fails.

Example Test Case

Let’s say your model answer has a value 500 in Sheet 1, Cell B2 .

You’ll define a test case for:

• Sheet: 1
• Cell: B2 (internally referred to as S1C2 )
• Expected Value: 500

If the candidate enters 500 in a different cell or sheet, this test case will not pass.

How Auto-Scoring Works

• Each test case is worth a certain number of points (usually 1 mark).
• The system compares the candidate's spreadsheet against each test case.
• The final score is the total number of test cases passed.

For example:

• 10 test cases = 10 total marks.
• Candidate passes 7 = Score: 7/10.

Common Reasons for Failed Test Cases

• Value entered in the wrong cell.
• Correct result, but missing formula.
• Correct output in wrong sheet.
• Incorrect data type or formatting (e.g., number stored as text).
• Candidate skipped the step.

Tips for Employers

• When designing test cases, make sure each one clearly maps to a specific cell.
• Always test your model answer before publishing the assessment.
• Keep your naming consistent across sheets and cells to avoid mismatches.

If you need further assistance setting up or troubleshooting your Excel-based questions, feel free to reach out to our support team.