What is Action In QTP?

Whenever we test any application we always divide that in some logical grouping based on different functionality.
In QTP also when it comes to automate any functionality it becomes easy to divide features and functionalities. So action can be defined as a scenario which forms small part of entire application, group of all these actions form entire application.
Action contains scripts for that particular scenario and based on test cases these scripts can be modified.

How to create a new Action:
-On Insert Tab select option Call to new Action
-Type in the name that you want to give to your Action
-Select check box Reusable Action if you want to create an Action which can be reused, if you don’t want this option then un-select this check box
-Select option At the end of the Test(Action would be added to the end of the Test) or After the current step(The action will be added after the current Step)
-Click OK

Call to copy Of Action:
Selecting this option would allow user to create a copy of some already existing Action to the current action.

Call to existing Action:
Call to Existing Action would allow user to Use any existing Action but in read only mode.

Types of Action:
1) Reusable Action: Reusable Action is one that can be called multiple times by the test with which it is stored (the local test) as well as by other tests.

2) Non reusable Action: Non-reusable action is an action that can be called only in the test with which it is stored, and can be called only once.

3) External Action: A reusable action stored with another test, external actions are read-only in the calling test, but you can choose to use a local, editable copy of the Data Table information for the external action.