Why Modern Assurance Demands Better Test Management

Test management is foundational to meeting validation, audit, and software assurance requirements. Traditional tools treat tests as data in web forms. Qualityfolio treats them as structured knowledge: versioned, executable, and audit-ready for accountability.

Most test management systems were built before assurance became code. They store tests in proprietary databases, generate manual reports, and struggle with version control. When auditors ask for evidence, teams scramble to export PDFs and reconstruct history.

Qualityfolio takes a different approach: Tests are authored in Markdown with YAML metadata, versioned in Git, executed automatically, and stored as structured evidence in surveilr's SQL schema with integrity and accountability. This isn't just convenient; it's how assurance-first organizations operate.

Qualityfolio vs. Traditional Test Management Tools

Test Authoring
Web forms, proprietary formats requiring manual entry
Markdown with YAML frontmatter, Git-versioned
Evidence Storage
Vendor databases with export limitations
surveilr SQL schema with integrity and accountability (orchestration_session tables)
Audit Trail
Limited change history, often requires manual documentation
Complete Git history + immutable SQL records for governance and accountability
Requirement Traceability
Manual linking that breaks during updates
FII (Foreign Integration Identifiers) for stable linkage
AI Integration
None or basic automation
ChatGPT-powered test generation and review
Regulatory Alignment
Generic compliance claims
Built for SOC 2, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, GxP, ISO 27001 assurance standards
Data Portability
Vendor lock-in, difficult exports
Open Markdown + SQL, GitOps compatible
Offline Support
Requires cloud connectivity
Full offline capability for air-gapped environments

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Qualityfolio vs. TestRail

Their Approach: Proprietary format, no Git integration, limited AI capabilities
Qualityfolio Advantage: Qualityfolio offers GitOps workflows, markdown authoring, SQL-level data access, and AI-assisted test generation

Qualityfolio vs. Xray / Zephyr

Their Approach: Cloud-dependent, limited version control, export constraints
Qualityfolio Advantage: Qualityfolio works offline, provides complete version history in Git, and integrates evidence directly into surveilr

Qualityfolio vs. qTest

Their Approach: Database-centric storage, limited audit trail transparency
Qualityfolio Advantage: Qualityfolio delivers evidence-grade storage with immutable records, complete provenance, queryable history, and governance-ready accountability

Assurance Lifecycle Integration

Test management isn't a standalone activity; it's woven into every phase of your assurance program.

1

Risk Assessment Phase

Identify test coverage needs based on regulatory requirements and risk analysis for governance

2

Control Implementation

Tests serve as evidence of control effectiveness for validation

3

Continuous Monitoring

Ongoing test execution captures current assurance state

4

Audit Preparation

Query surveilr for historical evidence across any timeframe for accountability

5

Regulatory Submissions

Export formatted compliance packages with full traceability

Why It Matters for Assurance

Versionable

Required for FDA 21 CFR Part 11. Complete change history tracked in Git with cryptographic hashes.

Composable

Build test libraries that reference shared regulatory fixtures and control frameworks.

Portable

Run in validated environments, air-gapped pharmaceutical labs, or production systems without modification.

Auditable

Immutable timestamps and cryptographic hashes in surveilr satisfy auditor requirements for evidence integrity and accountability.

Future-proof

No vendor lock-in. Your assurance evidence remains accessible forever in open Markdown and SQL formats.

"In regulated industries, test management is assurance infrastructure. Qualityfolio recognizes this reality and delivers the evidence-grade traceability, immutable audit trails with accountability, and structured documentation with integrity that auditors require, without manual effort or data reconstruction."