Test group characteristics
Define characteristics on a test group so that its test definitions can inherit them and the test group run can show them.
In Service Test Management, you can define characteristics on a test group in addition to a test definition. Characteristics describe the properties that are required to run and evaluate a test. When you define them once on the test group, you don't have to repeat them on every test definition in the group.
Each characteristic belongs to either a test group or a test definition, never both. You choose the owner when you create the characteristic, and you can't change it afterward. A test definition that needs a different or additional characteristic has its own characteristic.
How test definitions inherit characteristics
To let a test definition inherit a characteristic from its test group, you map the group characteristic to the test definition. The mapping is a configuration record, so you create it yourself. To change what a test definition inherits, you delete the mapping or add a characteristic that belongs to the test definition.
Each test group characteristic can be mapped once for a given test definition. A characteristic that belongs to a test definition can be the target of only one mapping within the same test group.
After the system selects a test definition, it applies the mapping to decide which characteristics show on the test group run. For details, see Test group run characteristics.
Selecting test groups by condition
You can add conditions to the relationship between a specification and a test group. The test group applies to a product inventory record only when the record meets the conditions. For details, see Define conditions for a test group relationship.
Related topics
--- title: Test group characteristics description: Define characteristics on a test group so that its test definitions can inherit them and the test group run can show them. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/telecom-media-technology/test-group-characteristics.html release: australia topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-09-29" reading_time_minutes: 2 keywords: [test group characteristics, characteristic mapping, conditional test group] breadcrumb: [Test groups, Explore, Service Test Management, Telecommunications, Media, and Technology \(TMT\)] --- # Test group characteristics Define characteristics on a test group so that its test definitions can inherit them and the test group run can show them. In Service Test Management, you can define characteristics on a test group in addition to a test definition. Characteristics describe the properties that are required to run and evaluate a test. When you define them once on the test group, you don't have to repeat them on every test definition in the group. Each characteristic belongs to either a test group or a test definition, never both. You choose the owner when you create the characteristic, and you can't change it afterward. A test definition that needs a different or additional characteristic has its own characteristic. ## How test definitions inherit characteristics To let a test definition inherit a characteristic from its test group, you map the group characteristic to the test definition. The mapping is a configuration record, so you create it yourself. To change what a test definition inherits, you delete the mapping or add a characteristic that belongs to the test definition. Each test group characteristic can be mapped once for a given test definition. A characteristic that belongs to a test definition can be the target of only one mapping within the same test group. After the system selects a test definition, it applies the mapping to decide which characteristics show on the test group run. For details, see [Test group run characteristics](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/telecom-media-technology/test-group-run-characteristics.md). ## Selecting test groups by condition You can add conditions to the relationship between a specification and a test group. The test group applies to a product inventory record only when the record meets the conditions. For details, see [Define conditions for a test group relationship](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/telecom-media-technology/define-conditions-for-test-group-relationship.md). **Related topics** [Test groups in Service Test Management](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/telecom-media-technology/test-group-stm.md) [Setting up a test group](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/telecom-media-technology/setting-test-group.md)
| title | Test group characteristics |
| description | Define characteristics on a test group so that its test definitions can inherit them and the test group run can show them. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/telecom-media-technology/test-group-characteristics.html |
| release | australia |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-09-29 |
| reading_time_minutes | 2 |
| keywords | test group characteristicscharacteristic mappingconditional test group |
| breadcrumb | Test groupsExploreService Test ManagementTelecommunicationsMediaand Technology \(TMT\) |