Test cases are used in software testing extensively. Plainly speaking, a test case consists of one or more steps. The test case may have expected results given for one or more steps. Test cases commonly have other information such as an ID, a description, some pre-conditions and test data.
If you want to automate test cases without re-working them or making a lot of assumptions, you should ensure that the test cases at hand are specific. Here are some guidelines below. If you have been handed test cases authored by someone else, you can use these guidelines to determine if you need to modify these test cases before you automate them.