Metrics and evidence · Autessa Ethics Hotline
Hotline test
Autessa Ethics Hotline has a built-in hotline test: one click files a clearly marked test report through the same path as a real one, emails every committee member who gets new-report emails a notice marked [TEST], and gives you a case code and passphrase so you can check the case and reply as a reporter would.
Why it matters
Most hotlines are never tested until someone needs them
A broken mailbox, a member who left, or a setting nobody noticed can silently stop reports from arriving. Testing usually means asking a colleague to file a fake report and hoping they mark it as fake. The hotline test does it properly, end to end, and keeps tests out of your real numbers.
What you get
- Files a test report through the same path as a real report.
- Emails are marked [TEST], so nobody mistakes it for a real concern.
- Shows the test case code and passphrase with copy buttons.
- Tells you how to finish: open the hotline’s Check a report page, enter both, send a reply, then close the test case.
- Test cases carry a TEST badge and a banner on the case page.
- Tests are hidden from Cases, Metrics and the export unless you include them.
- Each test is recorded in the access log.
How it works
How does hotline test work?
Run a hotline test
From the Metrics page. The workspace says when the test report is filed.
Check the emails
Committee members with new-report emails on get one marked [TEST].
Act as the reporter
Open the hotline’s Check a report page with the test code and passphrase, and send a reply.
Close the test case
The banner on the case reminds you. The round trip is now proven, and logged.
Every option
What a hotline test does
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Report | A marked test case, filed through the public path. |
| Emails | New-report emails marked [TEST], to members who get them. |
| Code and passphrase | Shown once on the Metrics page with copy buttons and the check address. |
| Visibility | Hidden from Cases, Metrics and the export unless tests are included. |
| Audit | “Ran a hotline test” in the access log. |
Permissions
Who can do what?
The hotline’s access rules are enforced on the server for every request, not just hidden in the interface.
| Who | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Ethics committee member | Run a hotline test and work the test case. |
| Reporter (anyone with the hotline link; no account, no sign-in) | Unaffected; real reports keep flowing as usual. |
FAQ
Questions about hotline test
How do I test our whistleblower hotline?
Open Metrics and choose Run a hotline test. It files a marked test report, emails the committee a [TEST] notice, and gives you a code and passphrase to check the case and reply as a reporter. Then close the test case.
Will test reports show up in our metrics?
No. Tests are left out of Cases, Metrics and the export unless you switch on the option to include them.
How often should we test the hotline?
Many teams test after setup, after any committee change, and on a regular schedule such as each quarter or before an audit. Each test is logged, which doubles as evidence.
100% customizable, code and all
Make Autessa Ethics Hotline fully your own.
Use it out of the box, then change anything. Ask Autobot, Autessa’s AI builder, for a new field, screen, report, workflow or agent and it builds it into your copy of the app. Or open the code and edit it yourself. Nothing is locked: the app, its data and its code are yours.
Start free and make it yours