Beta Testing Guide

Thank you for helping test Stuffolio! Your feedback shapes the app before public release.

Getting Started

Install via TestFlight

1. Install Apple's TestFlight app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
2. Tap the Stuffolio beta invite link.
3. Install Stuffolio and start testing!

First Steps

• Add a few items — Start with 3-5 items you know well (electronics, appliances, tools)
• Try the new Add Item flow — Choose Photo (AI-assisted), Barcode, or Manual entry
• Enable iCloud sync (optional) — Test syncing between devices if you have multiple Apple devices
• Explore AI assistance — Try Stuff Scout, AI Product Assistant, and the new Current Price lookup (runs only when you ask)

What to Test

Focus your testing on these priority areas:

AI assistance when you ask — silent when you don’t.

Stuffolio includes AI assistance that runs only when you explicitly request it. There is no background analysis, no passive monitoring, and no automatic data sharing.

New in Build 25

This build focuses on onboarding improvements, family sharing safety, backup security, and critical App Store readiness fixes.

Critical Fixes (February 10)

• CloudKit Batch Sync: Replaced sequential uploads with batch operations for better performance
• Partial Deletion Handling: Failed deletions remain in tracker for retry
• Enhanced Error Logging: Sentry captures all CloudKit errors for diagnostics
• App Store Compliance: Removed exit(0) patterns; now uses state-driven recovery

Simplified Onboarding

• Set Up Your Experience: New onboarding screen with 3 simple toggles
• AI Assistants: Stuff Scout, product identification, OCR
• Online Lookups: Barcode product info, safety recall checker
• iCloud Sync: Keep inventory synced across devices
• All toggles ON by default — just tap Continue to get started

How to Test Onboarding

• Delete and reinstall Stuffolio to see the new onboarding flow
• Toggle each option on/off to verify features enable/disable correctly
• Check that AI features work when AI Assistants is ON
• Verify barcode lookup works when Online Lookups is ON

Password-Protected Backups

• Go to Settings → Backup & Restore → Create Backup
• Toggle "Encrypt with password" ON
• Enter a password and create the backup
• Verify the file is saved as .stuffolio (not .json)
• Try restoring — app should prompt for password

Family Sharing Deletion Safety

• In a shared household, try to delete an item you didn't create
• Verify Editors can no longer delete shared items
• Verify the item creator can still delete their own items
• Verify Admins can delete any shared item

Terminology Update

• Notice "Product" has been changed to "Item" throughout the app
• Check menu items, navigation, and labels for consistency

Scan Depth Options

• Open Stuff Scout and take a photo
• Choose Quick ID (~15s) — verify fast identification results
• Choose With Pricing (~25s) — verify price estimates are included
• Choose Full Appraisal (~40s) — verify comprehensive analysis with historical context
• Compare results between depth levels for the same item

Data Tools

• Data Cleanup: Go to Actions → Data Cleanup → analyze inventory completeness
• Verify quality scores appear for each item category
• Test filtering by missing data (photos, values, warranties)
• Batch Categorize: Select multiple uncategorized items → apply category rules
• Verify keyword matching suggestions are accurate
• Bulk Price Update: Select multiple items → update prices using percentage or AI lookup
• Test Photo Optimizer on items with large photos

Legacy Wishes

• Enable Legacy Wishes in Settings → Legacy Planning
• Add beneficiaries (family, friends, organizations)
• Assign items to recipients with notes
• Set contingency recipients (succession order)
• Test CloudKit sharing with family members
• Verify conflict detection when multiple people want same item
• Export Legacy Wishes as PDF

From Build 24: Send to Apps

• Send to Apps Bar: Tap chips to send item details to Notes, Calendar, or Reminders
• Apple Notes: Opens Notes with item title, brand, and model copied
• Calendar: Creates warranty expiration events
• Reminders: Adds maintenance tasks or follow-up reminders

From Build 22: Simplified Add Item Flow

• 3 clear options: Photo, Barcode, or Manual — instead of 5 confusing choices
• Photo mode: Form appears immediately while AI analyzes in the background
• Optimistic loading: Start entering data right away — AI fields fill in automatically when ready
• Beta testers: Unlimited AI access — Photo analysis runs automatically for you!

Testing Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure comprehensive coverage:

Core Functionality

• Add items using all 3 methods (Photo, Barcode, Manual)
• Test Photo mode — verify form appears immediately while AI loads
• Verify AI fields fill in automatically after photo analysis
• Edit item details and verify changes save
• Delete an item and confirm it's removed
• Search for items by name, category, location
• Filter items using the filter menu
• Export inventory to CSV, PDF, or Excel

Backup & Security (New in Build 25)

• Create a plain (unencrypted) backup and verify restore
• Create an encrypted backup with password
• Verify encrypted file has .stuffolio extension
• Restore encrypted backup — verify password prompt appears
• Try wrong password — verify error message
• Restore with correct password — verify data integrity

Family Sharing (Updated in Build 25)

• Create a shared household
• Invite a family member as Editor
• As Editor, try to delete an item you didn't create
• Verify deletion is blocked with clear message
• As Admin, verify you can delete any shared item
• Verify item creator can always delete their own items

Price Watch

• Enable Price Watch on an item
• Add a price manually
• Set a price alert with target price
• View price history chart
• Use AI "Current Price" to fetch prices
• Apply Stuff Scout value to Price Watch

AI Features

• Use Stuff Scout to identify an item from photo
• Test Scan Depth: Quick ID (~15s)
• Test Scan Depth: With Pricing (~25s)
• Test Scan Depth: Full Appraisal (~40s)
• Refine Scout results with additional details
• Use AI Product Assistant for manual/parts lookup
• Try Current Price query
• Verify AI response caching works offline

Data Tools (New in Build 25)

• Run Data Cleanup analysis on your inventory
• Check quality scores for different categories
• Use Batch Categorize on uncategorized items
• Verify keyword matching suggestions
• Use Bulk Price Update with percentage adjustment
• Use Bulk Price Update with AI lookup
• Test Photo Optimizer on large photos
• Verify optimized photos maintain quality

Legacy Wishes

• Enable Legacy Wishes in Settings
• Add at least 2 beneficiaries
• Assign items to beneficiaries
• Set contingency recipients
• Test sharing via CloudKit (if family available)
• Export Legacy Wishes as PDF

Sync & Multi-Device

• Enable iCloud sync
• Add item on one device, verify it appears on another
• Edit same item on two devices, test conflict resolution
• Test with airplane mode / offline usage

How to Report Feedback

What to Include in Bug Reports

• What you were doing — Steps to reproduce the issue
• What you expected — The behavior you expected
• What actually happened — The actual result (crash, error, wrong data, etc.)
• Device info — iPhone/iPad/Mac model, iOS/macOS version
• Screenshots/screen recordings — Visual evidence is extremely helpful

Feature Requests

Have an idea for Stuffolio? Tell us:

• What problem are you trying to solve?
• How do you currently work around it?
• How would the ideal solution work?

Known Issues

These issues are already identified and being worked on:

• Price Watch charts — Charts may flicker briefly when first loading on older devices
• iPad Split View — Some layout issues when resizing in Split View mode
• Offline AI caching — Cached responses occasionally show stale provider info

You don't need to report these — we're already on it!

Beta Tester Expectations

What We Ask of You

• Use the app regularly — Daily or weekly usage helps find real-world issues
• Report issues promptly — The sooner we know, the sooner we can fix
• Keep the app updated — Install new beta builds when available
• Be patient — Beta software has bugs; that's why we're testing
• Keep it confidential — Don't share screenshots or details publicly until launch

What You Can Expect from Us

• Regular updates — New builds every 1-2 weeks during active development
• Responsiveness — We read every piece of feedback
• Credit — Beta testers who contribute significantly will be acknowledged
• Transparency — We'll share what we're working on and why

Resources

• Quick Start Guide — Get up and running fast
• Features Overview — See everything Stuffolio can do
• App Map — Visual guide to all screens and features
• What's New — Changelog for each build
• Support & FAQ — Common questions answered
• Full User Manual — Complete reference

Thank You!

Your testing helps make Stuffolio better for everyone. We genuinely appreciate your time and feedback.

— The Stuffolio Team