Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for providing a test procedure for testing a device using automatic test equipment (ATE). An ATE system includes memory having a test application stored therein, a test interface to connect to the device, and a processor coupled to the memory and the test interface. The processor is configured to operate in accordance with the test application to (i) provide a series of instructions based on a test procedure defining a device testing task, and (ii) control the test interface based on the provided series of instructions in order to test the device. The test procedure includes multiple test elements. Each test element defines instructions and programmable input variables that direct the processor to perform a particular test operation of the device testing task. The user of the ATE system combines test elements when creating the test procedure rather than write code from scratch, or modify code of prewritten templates.