Test data is the foundation of stable checks. If data changes unpredictably, tests fail for the wrong reasons.
The best approach is repeatability and transparency: everyone understands where data comes from and who changes it.
Core practices
- Separate testing environments.
- Scripts to prepare datasets.
- Cleanup after tests.
What automation gives you
Automated data generation reduces manual work and makes tests repeatable.
Conclusion
Invest in the data layer once and you will get stability across the entire test suite.