# Step 5: Test

Before you go live, send real sample documents through the channel and check the results in the Workbench and in your system.

:::warning Test documents are real documents
Workist has no test mode for customers: you cannot mark documents as test documents. Delivery is switched on by default. Every test document you complete is delivered like a real one, to the target set under **Upload**. So decide where test results should go before your first test.
:::

## Prerequisites

- A channel set up in [Step 3](/en/docs/implementation-guide/step-3-configure-processing-channel.md) and [Step 4](/en/docs/implementation-guide/step-4-configure-output-format.md).
- Some real sample documents, e.g. orders from different customers, with different layouts, multi-page, and with several attachments.

## 1. Decide where test results go

Choose one of the following options. All settings are in the Channel Configuration under **[Upload](/en/docs/channel-configuration/exported-documents.md#upload)**.

| Option | How | Keep in mind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Check in the Workbench only** | New channels have automation switched off. Workist therefore delivers nothing before someone completes a document in assistance. Check the extraction and delete test documents via the row menu (**Delete**) instead of completing them. | Tests only the extraction, not the output file and delivery. |
| **Separate test folder** (SFTP) | Under **Destination folder for generated files** and **Destination folder for outgoing documents**, enter a folder your production import does not read, e.g. `/test`. For AS2, enter your partner's test endpoint instead. | Restore the production targets before go-live. |
| **Switch delivery off** | Switch **Push results automatically** off or choose *Manual* as the delivery method. Workist processes the documents but delivers nothing. Download the output file from the processing history. | Documents you complete during that time are not delivered later either. After *Manual*, you must switch **Push results automatically** on again when you switch back. |
| **Test channel** | Duplicate the channel (⋮ → **Duplicate channel**) and **immediately** change the targets in the copy (test folder, AS2 test endpoint) or switch delivery off there. Send test documents to the copy's address. | The copy initially delivers to the same targets as the original. Only Workist can delete channels; disable the copy's inbox after testing. |

With **API**, Workist pushes nothing. However, if your pull process is already running in production, it also fetches test results. So test before you switch it to production, or check the results there manually.

## 2. Send test documents

- **By email**: send or forward sample documents to the channel's address. Copy the address in the document list via **Send file...** → **Copy channel email address**.
- **By upload**: in the document list, click **Send file...** → **Upload from computer**. Workist handles an uploaded `.eml` or `.msg` file like a received email; this way you test real customer emails including their attachments.

Which files and attachments Workist processes is described under [Which files does Workist process?](/en/docs/channel-configuration/incoming-documents.md#welche-dateien-verarbeitet-workist).

## 3. Check the result in the Workbench

1. The document appears in the channel's **Inbox**. With automation off, it waits in assistance.
2. Check the extracted header and line item data and the matching against your master data (customer, articles, addresses).
3. Complete the document with **Complete** if you also want to check the output file.
4. Open the sidebar with the **Show processing history** icon and download the file with **Download result**.
5. Compare the file with the description of your format under [Output formats](/en/docs/output-formats.md).

## 4. Adjust the configuration and check again

- Adjust the [Channel Configuration](/en/docs/channel-configuration.md) or your master data.
- Documents still in assistance can be extracted again with **Reprocess** (row menu), using the current configuration and master data. Your changes to the document are lost.
- Changes under **Upload** and **Output File** apply to the next document you complete.

## 5. Check the delivery

| Delivery method | How you recognize success |
| --- | --- |
| SFTP | The files are in the target folder. Your import only reads completely written files, see [Data exchange via SFTP](/en/docs/data-exchange/sftp.md). |
| AS2 | Your partner confirms receipt. |
| ERP integration | The document appears in your ERP system. |
| API | Your system fetches the result. |

If delivery fails, the document shows a red error banner with the response of the target system. Fix the cause and deliver again, see [Delivery failures](/en/docs/channel-configuration/exported-documents.md#zustellfehler).

## 6. Go live

- [ ] Production targets set (target folders or AS2 endpoint), correct delivery method chosen, **Push results automatically** on.
- [ ] Test channels disabled (inbox and delivery off).
- [ ] Senders informed, or forwarding to the channel's address set up.
- [ ] **Automation enabled** switched on once the results are reliably correct, ideally in agreement with your Workist contact. See [Document → Automation](/en/docs/channel-configuration/document-processing/document.md).
- [ ] Automation rate monitored in [Analytics](/en/docs/administration/analytics.md) (in the channel: ⋮ → **Show channel analytics**).

## Help and Support

If a test does not produce the expected result, contact your Workist representative and have the following ready:

- the **channel name** and the affected **document** (subject or time),
- what you expected and what Workist delivered,
- for delivery problems, the text of the **error banner**.