> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://evalgate.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create an evaluation

> Start from the behavior, add checks, and create a runnable evaluation.

# Create an evaluation

An evaluation is a durable place to define the behavior you want to measure,
the cases that exercise it, and the checks that decide what counts as good.

## Step 1 — Open the builder

Open **Evaluations**, then choose **New evaluation**. The creation page is a
builder, not a one-field dialog.

At the top of the working surface, enter:

* **Evaluation Name** — required.
* **Description** — optional.

## Step 2 — Add at least one check

Use **Add a check** on the left. You can click or drag a template onto the
working surface.

Templates are a starting point, not a requirement to accept their defaults.
Choose a check that matches the behavior you actually care about.

The builder will not create the evaluation until it has a name and at least one
check.

## Step 3 — Configure the checks

Open a selected check's settings to review its **Overview**, **Criteria**, and
**Settings**. Keep the requirement specific enough that a future regression has
an interpretable reason for failing.

Then choose **Create evaluation**.

EvalGate creates the evaluation and opens its detail page. Model-backed checks
still require a [connected AI provider](https://evalgate.com/docs/help/evalgate-101/connect-provider-key.md).

## Step 4 — Finish the runnable setup

On the evaluation detail page, **Overview** contains the current test cases and
the run setup. Add at least one case and, when the page says configuration is
required, bind the approved executor/target/evaluator before running.

See [Add test cases](https://evalgate.com/docs/help/evaluations/add-test-cases.md) for the supported case paths.

## Up next

[Run the evaluation](https://evalgate.com/docs/help/evaluations/run-evaluation.md).


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