Guide · Task

Read a FAIL: expected vs observed

What each line of a COLVO verdict means, why “the reply said done” is not a PASS, and how to fix the agent.

Updated Sep 30, 2026
This guide⏱ 6 min
Level
beginner
You need
one finished test run

1 · Three verdicts

  • PASS — every check on the resulting state held, in every attempt.
  • FAIL — a check failed: wrong amount, wrong customer, access removed too early, a forbidden action, a double effect.
  • INCONCLUSIVE — the state could not be trusted (agent timeout, unreadable state). Never counted as a success.

The verdict comes from the simulated Stripe, not from the reply. An AI note may comment on tone or clarity, but it never turns a FAIL into a PASS.

2 · Expected vs Observed

Open a failed scenario. The Expected vs Observed table lists each field COLVO checked — for example a refund amount or cancel_at_period_end — what it should be, what the simulated Stripe actually shows, and a ✓ or ✗.

Checkpoint: find the first ✗: that is what your agent got wrong.

3 · The conversation and the proposals

Below the table is what the agent said. If the reply claims an outcome the state does not show, COLVO flags it: “Reply claims an outcome — state disagrees.” The proposals the agent made, with their decisions, show whether it asked for the wrong thing or asked twice.

4 · Attempts

Each scenario runs several attempts; it passes only if every attempt passes. “2 / 3 attempts passed” means the agent is inconsistent — usually a prompt that leaves room for guessing.

5 · Fix and compare

Change the prompt or the tool, save a new build and run again. On the Reports page, compare the two runs to see which scenarios you fixed, which broke and which are still failing.

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Stop trusting the reply.

Test your agent before it ships — and guard every real action once it’s live. In a safe copy of your world first.

Read a FAIL: expected vs observed · COLVO