Test sessions

Pro Every plan

Automated checks can't test everything. A test session records, for one page template, what a person found with each check of the manual checklist, which browser and assistive technology they used, and screenshots. Signed-off sessions count in your conformance report (ACR) and your statement.

Go to Lumtera → Checks → Test sessions. Anyone with the See reports and check the site permission can record sessions (editors and administrators by default).

Your own evaluation record

A test session is your own record of how you tested the site. It doesn't certify the site.

One session per template

Pages built the same way share a template, so testing one of each covers most of the site. The Page templates table lists your key templates, the same ones scheduled page checks include, for example Template: Home page, Template: Single Post, Template: Category archive, Template: Search results and Template: Page not found (404).

Each template has a Status (Not started, In progress: 3 of 20 checks or Signed off with the date and who signed it), its Results so far (passed, failed and not applicable), and a button: Start testing, Continue or View.

Record a session

1. Click Start testing next to a template.
2. Click Open the page to test. It opens in a new tab.
3. Under What you are testing with, enter the Browser (for example "Firefox 131"), the Assistive technology (for example "NVDA", "VoiceOver" or "keyboard only") and Its version. Click Save. These are recorded with each result, and you can change them for a single check under that check.
4. Work through the checks. Each one names its WCAG criterion and level, about how long it takes, the Tools to use, the Steps and What to record.
5. For each check, choose a Result: Pass, Fail or Not applicable. Optionally add a Note (optional): what you tested and found and screenshots, then click Save result.

Each saved check shows "Recorded as … by … on …". Clear result removes a result you saved by mistake. You don't have to finish in one go: come back with Continue.

The checks are the same guided checklist the block editor uses for single pages: one item for each WCAG criterion that needs a person, such as keyboard access, zoom and reflow, screen reader output, forms, media, motion and touch. See Guided checklists.

Screenshots

Click Add screenshot under a check to attach PNG, JPEG, GIF or WebP images.

Screenshots are public addresses

Screenshots are stored in your media library and can be opened by anyone with the link. Don't capture personal data, such as customer names, email addresses or order details.

While a session is signed off, its screenshots can't be deleted from the media library.

Sign off

When you've recorded what you tested:

1. Scroll to Sign off.
2. Tick I confirm these results are my own evaluation of this template.
3. Click Sign off session.

Signing off locks the results and records who signed and when. You need at least one result first. Checks without a result are listed as not evaluated in your conformance report.

Reopen a session

Only an administrator can reopen a signed-off session. Open the session, enter the Reason for reopening (kept in the session's history) and click Reopen session. The session's History lists every sign-off and reopening, with who did it and why. Reopening a session also takes its results out of the conformance report until it's signed off again.

Where the results count

• Accessibility Conformance Report. Each signed-off session counts as manual evidence for its template's page (public pages only), by criterion. A passed check can help make a row "Supports", and a failed check makes it "Partially Supports" or "Does Not Support". The remarks name the template, result, tester, assistive technology and date.
• Accessibility statement. The statement's evaluation methods list manual testing of your key page templates with the assistive technology you used. The Manual test sessions card on the Statement screen shows what's added.
• Evidence log. Each result, sign-off and reopening is recorded, and the evidence pack lists your manual test records.

Cross-page consistency

The Cross-page consistency card on the same screen compares the pages scheduled checks visit: menu order (WCAG 3.2.3), names of header and footer links (3.2.4), where help is (3.2.6), and search or a site map (2.4.5). It runs after each scheduled page check. Click Compare pages again to run it now. It needs the Growth plan or higher. See Consistency checks.

Privacy

Test sessions are part of WordPress's personal data tools, as Lumtera Pro manual test sessions (Tools → Export Personal Data and Erase Personal Data). An export includes the person's results, notes, sign-offs and reopening reasons. Erasing keeps every result and sign-off, because the evaluation took place, but removes who did it, their notes and their reopening reasons. Screenshots stay in the media library. Delete them there if they show personal data.