---
title: Test Console
slug: test-console
docTags:
createdAt: 2025-08-11T11:13:48.000Z
---
The Turbine Canvas includes a Test Console within the playbook canvas, allowing end-to-end testing of entire playbooks and their trigger flows. This console displays each automation step to indicate whether a run succeeds or fails. You can test using real data or custom test data, offering a flexible environment for playbook verification.
:::hint{type="info"}
The Test Console is used for testing entire playbooks. For testing individual actions, use the **Test** tab within the action configuration dialog.
:::
## Accessing the Test Console
To open the Test Console, click the **Test** icon on the playbook canvas.
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/n8uUzk0MM4uC57-zlHNtY/N3V8vx7Z2gjqouDvZ2pTV_test.png" size="10" width="25" height="28" position="center" darkWidth="25" darkHeight="28" showCaption="false"}
## Understanding the Test Console Layout
After opening the Test Console, you'll see the flow being tested on the left side. This layout provides a clear view of each automation step. To the right, there are three main tabs:
- **Runs**: Displays the date and timestamp for each test run, including runs that are **Queued**, **Active**, **Successful**, or **Failed**. As a playbook executes, the Test Console updates in real time so you can monitor progress without waiting for the run to complete. You can expand each run to view detailed information about trigger data, action data, job execution details, and published results.
- **Test Data**: Allows input modification for custom testing. The available options depend on the trigger type:
- **Webhook Triggers**: Select from past events or enter custom JSON
- **Record Event Triggers**: Select from historical records
- **Flow Event Triggers**: Enter custom JSON
- **Schedule Triggers**: No test data required (test runs immediately)
- **YAML**: (Available when feature flag is enabled) Displays the playbook definition in YAML format.
Icons next to each run provide a quick status:
| **Status** | **Description** |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Queued | The playbook run has been submitted and is waiting to start. |
| Active | The playbook is currently running. A spinning indicator appears while execution is in progress. |
| Success
:inlineImage[]{src="https://images.archbee.com/511c8QBH-VHiwWnyzIwUb/mpefSC3X_OrjcvadE3BZZ_canvas-testconsole-success-icon.png?format=webp?format=webp?format=webp&width=200" alt caption width="200" height="209"} | The playbook completed successfully. |
| Fail
:inlineImage[]{src="https://images.archbee.com/511c8QBH-VHiwWnyzIwUb/E_0zVFw-Nk17JUL2KZa_7_canvas-testconsole-fail-icon.png?format=webp?format=webp&width=200" alt caption width="200" height="200"} | The playbook failed or was canceled before completion. |
## Monitoring Active Playbook Runs
When a playbook test is started, the run immediately appears in the **Runs** tab. You can view and monitor playbook runs while they are still executing.
To monitor an active playbook run:
1. Open the playbook in the Canvas.
2. Click **Test** to open the Test Console.
3. Configure any required test data.
4. Click **Test** to start the run.
5. Select the **Runs** tab.
While the playbook is running:
- The run appears with a status of **Active**.
- A spinning status indicator shows that execution is still in progress.
- Expanding the run displays live updates as jobs execute.
- Trigger data, action data, and other execution details become available as the playbook progresses.
:::hint{type="info"}
There may be a short delay between when a run starts and when it becomes visible in the Test Console.
:::
## Example of a Successful Test Run
In this example, the Test Console displays a successful run of Flow 1 on January 8, 2024, at 4:44 PM (UTC). For additional metadata about the flow and individual steps, such as trigger data, action data, and published results, expand each section using the collapse icons. If a run is marked with **TEST**, it indicates a console test run.
## Canceling an Active Test Run
If you need to stop a playbook test before it completes, you can cancel the run directly from the Test Console.
To cancel an active run:
1. Select the active run from the **Runs** tab.
2. Click **Cancel Run** in the upper-right corner of the run details panel.
The playbook execution stops immediately and the run status is updated.
After cancellation:
- The run status changes to **Fail**.
- The run end time is recorded.
- The **Error** field displays the cancellation reason.
Example error message: **Playbook run cancelled.**
## Example of a Failed Test Run
In this example, Flow 1 has failed. The console shows a detailed view at January 8, 2024, 7:20 PM (UTC). To investigate the failure, scroll down to the step with the Fail status and expand it for more information.
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/n8uUzk0MM4uC57-zlHNtY/uKSZTB0XCH7P7V1cDyaeL_failed-test-run.png" size="42" width="220" height="126" position="center" darkWidth="220" darkHeight="126" showCaption="false"}
In the expanded view, the **Message** field provides specific information to help identify and resolve the issue.
:::hint{type="info"}
A run may also show a Fail status if it was manually canceled from the Test Console. In this case, the Error field displays Playbook run cancelled.
:::
## Running Tests with Custom Data
The Test Console supports different test data options depending on the trigger type:
### Webhook Triggers
For webhook triggers, you can test with past events or custom JSON:
1. Select the **Test data** tab.
2. Choose a data source from the **Data source** dropdown:
- **Past event**: Select from the **Event** dropdown, which defaults to the most recent event. You can select past events for testing historical scenarios.
- **Custom JSON**: Opens a blank text editor where you can enter custom JSON for testing.
3. After configuring your test data, click **Test** to execute the run.
4. Navigate to the **Runs** tab to view the results of the most recent test.
For Flow Event triggers, you can enter custom JSON data directly in the **Test data** tab. The JSON should match the expected event data structure for your flow event.
### Schedule Triggers
Schedule triggers do not require test data. Simply click **Test** to run the playbook immediately.
## Testing with Record Event Triggers
For flows that use a **Record Event Trigger**, the Test Console provides the option to test with historical records. This feature is beneficial for verifying the playbook's behavior with data that has been processed before, ensuring that any changes to the flow work as expected in real-world scenarios.
### Configuring Record Event Test Data
In the **Test data** tab, a list of historical records is displayed with columns such as **Tracking ID**, **Time created**, and additional application-specific fields. You can customize which columns are displayed:
:::hint{type="info"}
**Limitation**: The Test data list currently shows only the first 100 records returned by the system, using the default sort order (Tracking ID ascending). This means the most recently created records might not appear in the list.
:::
1. Click the column filter icon (☰) in the records table header.
2. Use the filter input to search for specific columns.
3. Select up to 5 additional columns to display (in addition to Tracking ID and Time created).
4. Click **Apply** to update the table columns.
### Selecting Record Event Action Type
For Record Event triggers, you can also select the event action type:
- **Record create**: Simulates a record creation event
- **Record update**: Simulates a record update event
This dropdown appears in the action buttons area when testing Record Event triggers.
### Running the Test
To run the test:
1. Select the record you want to use for testing by clicking the checkbox next to the **Tracking ID**.
2. (Optional) Select the event action type (Record create or Record update) from the dropdown.
3. Click **Test** to initiate the flow with the selected historical record data.
**Note**: You cannot directly modify the record data for these tests. The Test Console will use the selected record exactly as it was originally processed.
This functionality is useful for debugging, troubleshooting, and validating flow behavior with actual historical data, ensuring the playbook operates correctly across different scenarios.
## Re-running Tests
You can re-run a previous test from the **Runs** tab:
1. Select a test run from the list.
2. Click the **Run again** button to re-execute the test with the same data that was used in the original run.
This is useful for verifying that changes to your playbook work correctly with the same test data, or for debugging issues that occurred in a previous run.
## Using Custom JSON in the Test Console
Custom JSON can be used with Webhook triggers and Flow Event triggers. Follow these steps:
1. **Open the Test Console**: Click the Test Console icon on the playbook canvas to open the console.
2. **Navigate to Test Data Tab**: Click the **Test data** tab.
3. **Select Custom JSON as the Data Source**:
- For Webhook triggers: Select **Custom JSON** from the **Data source** dropdown.
- For Flow Event triggers: The JSON editor is available directly.
4. **Enter Custom JSON Data**: In the JSON editor, enter the specific data you want to test with. This data should match the expected input format for your playbook. For example:
- For Webhook triggers: The JSON should match the webhook payload structure (e.g., `{"body": {...}, "headers": {...}}`).
- For Flow Event triggers: The JSON should match the event data schema defined for your flow event.
5. **Run the Test**: After entering the JSON data, click the **Test** button to execute the playbook with the specified input. The playbook will process this custom input, and the results can be observed in the **Runs** tab.
6. **Review the Results**: Go to the **Runs** tab to view the output of the playbook with your custom JSON input. You can expand each step in the flow to verify that the playbook processes the data as expected.
7. **Clear or Modify JSON Data**: If you need to make adjustments, you can edit the JSON directly in the editor or use the **Clear** button to reset the input.
## Closing the Test Console
To close the Test Console and return to a full canvas view, click the **X** icon in the upper right corner.