Close the email inbox view inside your test
When you are automating email-driven workflows in DoesQA, you often need to open the inbox to select, read, or interact with messages. Once these actions are complete, it is useful to close the inbox and return your test to the main application context.
The Close Inbox step closes the inbox interface that was previously opened with the Open Inbox step and allows your test to continue with the next part of the user journey. This keeps your flow orderly, predictable, and focused on the sequence of actions that matter.
Keep your flow clean and intentional
Email interactions are a powerful part of end-to-end testing because they simulate real user behaviour. However, leaving the inbox open can clutter your test context and make subsequent steps ambiguous.
By explicitly closing the inbox when you are done with email actions, you:
Return the focus back to the application under test
Avoid confusing subsequent steps
Preserve readability inside the Flow Designer
Make test results easier to interpret
This makes it clear where the email interaction ends and the next part of the workflow begins.
Typical use cases
The Close Inbox step is used after:
You have selected a specific email
You have opened the message
You have clicked a link inside the email
You have extracted values or verified text inside the message
Once these actions are complete, closing the inbox signals the end of the email interaction and allows the test to resume with the rest of the flow.
For example:
After opening a verification email, click the confirmation link and then close the inbox
After reading an order confirmation, return to the application and continue validation
After selecting an email and extracting a token, close the inbox before using that token in the next action
Explicitly closing the inbox keeps your automation contexts separated and less prone to confusion.
Improves readability and maintainability
Automation is not just about passing tests; it’s also about clarity.
When a Flow includes email steps, including Open Inbox, Select Email, and Open Email, adding a Close Inbox step:
Makes the sequence obvious
Helps future reviewers understand intent
Reduces the cognitive load of long flows
Clarifies boundaries between email and application interactions
Anyone looking at the Flow Designer or test results can easily spot where email logic starts and ends.
Clear context for next actions
After closing the inbox, your test is ready to:
Navigate to your application UI
Fill forms
Assert on application content
Proceed with transactional flows
Validate post-email behaviour
This ensures that your automation sequence always reflects how real users would move between email and application interfaces, providing confidence and clarity in your end-to-end coverage.