---
id: object-model.case-pool
title: Case Pool surface
summary: Understand Case Pool as the Assets view for reusable project Cases, candidates, and explicit Benchmark selection.
kind: reference
product_area: object_model
status: stable
updated: 2026-09-07
canonical: /docs/object-model/case-pool
---

# Case Pool surface

## Definition

**Case Pool** is a tab under **Assets → Cases**, not a separate Case object type. It shows reusable project Cases and candidate material that can be inspected before explicit selection into a Benchmark Dataset.

Use this reference when deciding whether a Case should stay in the project collection, be prepared further, or be selected for a Benchmark. **Sourcing Tasks** is the adjacent job and audit surface; it is not another Case state.

## Fields, states, or lifecycle rules

- Case Pool can contain useful Cases that are not selected into any Benchmark.
- Candidate and in-use labels describe curation and membership context; they do not create a different persisted Case type.
- Coverage dimensions and ontology values help explain what behavior the pool represents.
- Adding a Case to a current Benchmark Dataset changes mutable membership. A new Dataset Snapshot is required to freeze that change as an evidence boundary.
- This page does not define public upload schemas, export contracts, or retention behavior.

## Related objects

Read Case Pool with [Cases](/docs/object-model/cases), [Candidate and In-Use Cases](/docs/coverage-engineering/candidate-and-in-use-cases), [Coverage Dimensions](/docs/object-model/coverage-dimensions), and [Benchmark Dataset Cases](/docs/benchmark-datasets/cases). Use [Case Pool](/docs/coverage-engineering/case-pool) for operating instructions.

{% example-demo title="Case pool boundary" %}
Raw case: A new support transcript shows a refund exception question that reviewers have not seen before.

Case pool state: The example is a candidate case because it may close an exception-handling coverage gap.

Interpretation: It should not affect benchmark scores until source context, output identity, coverage labels, and benchmark membership are clear.
{% /example-demo %}

## Source confidence

Code-backed: the Assets Cases routes expose Case Pool and Sourcing Tasks tabs, candidate and in-use views, and an explicit add-to-Benchmark action. Case Pool is therefore a curation surface, not automatic Benchmark membership, a separate Case schema, or a public storage contract.

## Related task pages

{% related-card-grid title="Related task pages" %}
- [Case Pool](/docs/coverage-engineering/case-pool)
- [Candidate and In-Use Cases](/docs/coverage-engineering/candidate-and-in-use-cases)
- [Cases](/docs/object-model/cases)
- [Product quickstart](/docs/quickstart)
- [Task index](/docs/operating-manual/task-index)
{% /related-card-grid %}