diff --git a/.github/flake8.yml b/.github/archive/flake8.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from .github/flake8.yml
rename to .github/archive/flake8.yml
diff --git a/.github/publish-anaconda.yml b/.github/archive/publish-anaconda.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from .github/publish-anaconda.yml
rename to .github/archive/publish-anaconda.yml
diff --git a/.github/unit-tests-epics-base.yml b/.github/archive/unit-tests-epics-base.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from .github/unit-tests-epics-base.yml
rename to .github/archive/unit-tests-epics-base.yml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yml
similarity index 61%
rename from .github/workflows/tests.yml
rename to .github/workflows/unit_tests.yml
index 0782c4e91..a5719d585 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yml
@@ -34,24 +34,63 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           flake8
 
+  install-catalogs:
+    name: Install & cache databroker catalogs
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: lint
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+
+      - name: Install Dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install git+https://github.com/bluesky/databroker-pack.git@master
+
+      - name: Unpack
+        run: |
+          cd resources
+          bash ./unpack.sh
+          cd ..
+
+      - name: Directory Listings
+        run: |
+          ls -lAFghR ~/.local/
+          ls -lAFghR /tmp/*_test/
+
+      - name: Prepare archival content
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/databroker_catalogs/
+          mv ~/.local ~/databroker_catalogs/
+          mv /tmp/*_test ~/databroker_catalogs/
+
+      - name: Archive catalog artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: databroker_catalogs
+          path: ~/databroker_catalogs
+
   test-matrix:
     name: Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: lint
+    needs: install-catalogs
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        # python-version: ['3.7', '3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
-        python-version: ['3.7', '3.8', '3.9']
+        python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
       max-parallel: 5
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
     - name: Create Python ${{ matrix.python-version }} environment
-      uses: mamba-org/provision-with-micromamba@v12
+      uses: mamba-org/provision-with-micromamba@main
+      # use main branch to enable choice of channel-priority
       with:
         cache-env: true
         cache-env-key: env-key-${{ matrix.python-version }}
+        channel-priority: flexible
         environment-file: environment.yml
         environment-name: anaconda-test-env-py-${{ matrix.python-version }}
         extra-specs: |
@@ -68,6 +107,9 @@ jobs:
         micromamba env list
         printenv | sort
 
+    - name: Directories before Docker
+      run: ls -lAFghrt ~/
+
     - name: Start EPICS IOCs in Docker
       run: |
         bash ./.github/scripts/start_xxx.sh gp
@@ -76,6 +118,9 @@ jobs:
         ls -lAFgh /tmp/docker_ioc/iocad/
         ls -lAFgh /tmp/docker_ioc/iocgp/
 
+    - name: Directories after Docker
+      run: ls -lAFghrt ~/
+
     - name: Confirm EPICS IOC is available via caget
       shell: bash -l {0}
       run: |
@@ -97,10 +142,17 @@ jobs:
         CMD+="; print(up.get())"
         python -c "${CMD}"
 
-    - name: install test data catalogs
-      shell: bash -l {0}
+    - name: Download catalog artifacts
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: databroker_catalogs
+        path: ~/databroker_catalogs
+
+    - name: Restore archival content
       run: |
-        ./resources/unpack.sh
+        mkdir -p ~/.local/share/intake
+        mv ~/databroker_catalogs/.local/share/intake/* ~/.local/share/intake
+        mv ~/databroker_catalogs/*_test /tmp/
 
     - name: Diagnostics
       shell: bash -l {0}
@@ -108,6 +160,10 @@ jobs:
         df -HT
         micromamba list
 
+    - name: Test catalog length, expect 53
+      shell: bash -l {0}
+      run: python -c "import databroker; print(len(databroker.catalog['apstools_test']))"
+
     - name: Run tests with pytest & coverage
       shell: bash -l {0}
       run: |
diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 1466ab0a9..2b09f05dc 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -17,11 +17,20 @@ Change History
 The project `milestones <https://github.com/BCDA-APS/apstools/milestones>`_
 describe the future plans.
 
-..
-   1.6.3
-   ******
+1.6.3
+******
+
+release expected by 2022-08-31
+
+Maintenance
+---------------
+
+* Unit tests now Python version 3.8, 3.9, & 3.10.
+
+Deprecations
+---------------
 
-   release expected by 2022-08-31
+* Drop support for Python 3.7.
 
 1.6.2
 ******
diff --git a/apstools/__init__.py b/apstools/__init__.py
index b3c92e1f1..8d6e42621 100644
--- a/apstools/__init__.py
+++ b/apstools/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 __platforms__ = "any"
 __zip_safe__ = False
 __exclude_project_dirs__ = "docs resources".split()
-__python_version_required__ = ">=3.7, <3.10"
+__python_version_required__ = ">=3.8, <3.11"
 
 __package_name__ = __project__
 __long_description__ = __description__
diff --git a/apstools/callbacks/tests/test_filewriter.py b/apstools/callbacks/tests/test_filewriter.py
index 5a07728fe..a7f07df45 100644
--- a/apstools/callbacks/tests/test_filewriter.py
+++ b/apstools/callbacks/tests/test_filewriter.py
@@ -164,27 +164,25 @@ def test_NXWriter_make_file_name(tempdir):
     assert callback.uid is None
 
     with pytest.raises(TypeError) as exinfo:
+        # error from f"-S{self.scan_id:05d}"
         callback.make_file_name()
-    assert (
-        "an integer is required (got type NoneType)"
-        in str(exinfo.value)
-    )
-    callback.start_time = 1000  # 1969-12-31T18:16:40
+    assert exinfo is not None
+    assert "NoneType" in str(exinfo.value), f"{callback=} {exinfo=}"
+    assert "an integer" in str(exinfo.value), f"{callback=} {exinfo=}"
 
+    callback.start_time = 1000  # 1969-12-31T18:16:40
     with pytest.raises(TypeError) as exinfo:
+        # error from datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp
         callback.make_file_name()
-    assert (
-        "unsupported format string passed to NoneType.__format__"
-        ==
-        str(exinfo.value)
-    )
-    callback.scan_id = 9876
+    expected = "unsupported format string passed to NoneType.__format__"
+    assert expected == str(exinfo.value)
 
+    callback.scan_id = 9876
     with pytest.raises(TypeError) as exinfo:
         callback.make_file_name()
     assert "'NoneType' object is not subscriptable" == str(exinfo.value)
-    callback.uid = "012345678901234567890123456789"
 
+    callback.uid = "012345678901234567890123456789"
     fname = callback.make_file_name()
     # https://github.com/BCDA-APS/apstools/issues/345
     tz_aps = dateutil.tz.gettz("America/Chicago")
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index f79c3c128..74d42142b 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,20 @@
-name: apstoolsdoc
+name: apstools-test-environment
 
 channels:
   - conda-forge
   - defaults
+  # nsls2forge channel for newer mongoquery 1.3.6 (issue #673)
+  - nsls2forge
 
 dependencies:
-  - python >=3.7, <3.10
+  - python >=3.8, <3.11
   - area-detector-handlers
   - bluesky >=1.6.7
   - databroker =1.2
   - databroker-pack
   - h5py
   - intake
+  - mongoquery >=1.3.6
   - openpyxl
   - ophyd >=1.6.1
   - pandas
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 4baec9acf..87c27fa13 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ bluesky>=1.6.2
 databroker==1
 databroker-pack
 h5py
+mongoquery>=1.3.6
 numpy
 ophyd>=1.5.1
 openpyxl