# How to Test a Message

Testing your messages is a very important process in quality assurance. We recommend thoroughly testing every message that you set up. Below are the steps necessary to send out test messages.

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## 1. Click on the "Test" step

[![image-1579103046790.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579103046790.png)](http://ts-connectdocs.internal.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579103046790.png)

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## 2. If required, select your Stakeholders

[![image-1579103079509.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579103079509.png)](http://ts-connectdocs.internal.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579103079509.png)

- Note: Do not have any Stakeholders set up? [Click Here](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/books/the-target-screen/page/how-to-upload-records-as-stakeholders-test-accounts-and-seeds).

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## 3. If required, select your Test Accounts

[![image-1579103100477.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579103100477.png)](http://ts-connectdocs.internal.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579103100477.png)

- **Note**: Do not have any Test Accounts set up? [Click Here](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/books/the-target-screen/page/how-to-upload-records-as-stakeholders-test-accounts-and-seeds).

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## 4. If required, select contacts for Dynamic Testing

[![image-1579103109350.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579103109350.png)](http://ts-connectdocs.internal.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579103109350.png)

- Click "Select Contacts"

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## 5. OPTIONAL: Type in a Prefix for the Subject Line to Track Versions

[![image-1579103120815.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579103120815.png)](http://ts-connectdocs.internal.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579103120815.png)

- This option allows you to save a value in the Test step so that if you make changes later, you can change the version and that version will appear in the subject line. 
    - **Example**: Test - V1 - Subject line goes here

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## 6. OPTIONAL: Select Creative Type to Send

[![image-1579286434884.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579286434884.png)](http://kb.connect.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579286434884.png)

- Tips: 
    - Email clients such as Microsoft Outlook, make it very difficult for email marketers to preview the text version when they are testing their email.
    - By sending yourself just the Text Version, it now becomes easy. **Subject prefix for testing:** This field allows you to place a value in your subject line for testing purposes.
    - For example, if I place "Version1" in this field, my subject line will look like "Test - Version 1 - Subject line text goes here".
    - This comes in handy when you are working with similar looking messages.

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## 7. Click Either "Send" or "Send 250ok Test Deployment"

[![image-1579286441696.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/scaled-1680-/image-1579286441696.png)](http://kb.connect.tekside.io/uploads/images/gallery/2020-01/image-1579286441696.png)

- **Send Test** - the "Send" button will send a copy of the current message to the user's email address.
- **250ok** - the "Send 250ok Test Deployment" button will verify if email addresses are legitimate.
- **Note**: If you selected contacts for dynamic testing, the tool will notify you of how many emails will be sent to the selected Stakeholders, Test accounts and yourself.

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## 8. OPTIONAL: Viewing the Results of your Tests

[![ViewTestResults.png](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2023-10/scaled-1680-/ViewTestResults.png)](https://resources.teksideconnect.com/uploads/images/gallery/2023-10/ViewTestResults.png)

- Navigate to the "Deploy" section and change the "Type" selector to "Tests".