How ERP Testing Services can help you get the most out of your ERP Applications

Today, businesses have to compete in an unforgiving environment. They need to execute a host of activities including meeting tight deadlines, responding to client or customer issues in real-time, addressing downtime, and delivering superior customer experiences, among others. This can be a tedious exercise given the multi-dimensional approach businesses take to run their day-to-day activities. To infuse agility and efficiency, businesses use ERP systems. These systems bring multiple departments and processes under an integrated umbrella and help stakeholders to get better insights from the available data.

The data-driven approach of an ERP system helps in better planning and optimization of available resources leading to cost savings. However, notwithstanding the advantages of implementing an ERP system, businesses often face several challenges. These include gathering requirements, removal of redundant data, migration of assets, rationalization of processes, and change management, among others. ERP testing helps in addressing such challenges and allows businesses to preempt any malfunction.

What is an ERP system?

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system helps an organization to integrate and control its core processes such as finance, HR, sales and marketing, administration, manufacturing, and so on. It enables the seamless flow of data and information within the system and sub-systems. An ERP system helps organizations in doing way with repetitive manual work and generates relevant data in real-time for the stakeholders to take suitable decisions. It is only through a rigorous ERP software testing exercise that various processes and their deliverables are validated as per the expected parameters.

Various types of ERP testing services

To ensure the ERP system remains stable, functional, secure, and scalable, a crucial role is played by ERP quality assurance and testing. Some of the commonly used ERP testing processes are:

# Performance testing: This type of ERP QA tests whether the performance of the system is as per expected parameters or not. It identifies the threshold up to which the software can perform in a robust manner. For example, during certain days in a year, the load on the ERP system can be immense. These may include processing payslips for all employees, the last date of submission of investment declarations, and the issuance of hike letters, among others. Unless performance testing is carried out, the functioning of the system when subjected to load conditions cannot be ascertained.

# Functional testing: This type of ERP software testing validates the functioning of each module within the ERP system as per the expectations.

# Security testing: The ERP system deals with a quantum of sensitive business, customer, and client-related data. If such data fall into the wrong hands, the implications can be dire. Moreover, given the rising menace of cybercrime where hackers use several tricks to steal data, an enterprise resource planning testing activity with respect to security can work wonders. It can identify the inherent vulnerabilities, fix them, and make the software robust, secure, and safe.  

# Integration testing: The flow of data across various modules of the ERP system can only be seamless if proper integration has taken place. This can be validated using integration testing wherein both the accuracy of data and functioning of modules are tested.

# Regression testing: Whenever a new feature or module in the ERP system is launched, the same is validated through regression testing. In this type of automated ERP testing, the entire software is not checked but only the specific function, module, feature, or process that has changed.

Best practices to follow to test ERP implementation solutions

·       Proper test planning to be done by collating relevant information of every touchpoint of the organization. This helps in achieving enhanced test coverage.

·       Goal setting to be done in advance to understand the type of testing needed for each module or function. It will also give insights into the team structure, test plans, and resources needed for the test.

·       The test cases for various tests should be identified beforehand to ensure better test coverage. Further, the entire testing process and its results should be documented for further analysis.

·       A proper test lab configured with necessary specifications will help to address any performance issues during testing.

·       The failure reports should be analyzed to understand the kind of defects the ERP system can face during real-time operations.

Conclusion

ERP systems have become the need of the hour for organizations, be it small, medium, or large, to streamline processes, deliver better output, and achieve ROI. However, without proper ERP testing of various modules, achieving the desired objectives can remain a pipedream.

What is the importance of ERP testing?

Today’s enterprises are subjected to a lot of pulls and pressures - from the markets, competitors, customers, and stakeholders, among others. They need to be up with the times in terms of technology, processes, and general market trends to meet their productivity and sales targets. However, given their footprints, in many cases, lying across territories, they need to remain connected with their branches, employees, and stakeholders, in real time. This is where an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software can help matters by tying the organization in a single unit.

The ERP software enables an organization to run smoothly by collating all data generated from various units. It helps stakeholders to analyze such data and get insights into the processes and requirements in real time. The insights can further help in formulating and implementing strategies on the ground to remain competitive. An ERP software can have interfaces with various departments within an organization viz., finance, human resources, administration, supply-chain management, and customer relationship management, among others. By streamlining business processes and eliminating manual work, an ERP software suite can help improve productivity and efficiency, enhance the quality and speed of delivery, and achieve ROI.

Since the ERP software can be the virtual lifeline of an organization, its effectiveness needs to be top-notch at any given point in time. This is of utmost importance as any software glitch can bring processes to a standstill by giving erroneous inputs to the respective departments. To ensure smooth functioning of the software system under severe test conditions, ERP testing should be made a routine exercise. Nowadays, enterprises deploy third-party resources to manage various tasks owing to the latter’s core competencies. These resources are accessed (both ways) through the cloud or mobile services. To ensure a smooth progression of such services, businesses should brace themselves for testing ERP solutions. This is in alignment with the objectives of Agile or Lean methodologies. Let us understand in detail as to what an ERP testing exercise can deliver -

Why ERP quality assurance and testing?

For beginners, ERP testing is a QA process to ensure the comprehensive software suite is made fully operational before deployment. It checks various units, features, and functionalities of the software against a set of parameters or metrics. The various tests that are part of the ERP QA include functionality testing, performance testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing, and unit testing, among others. So, why do we go for ERP validation in the first place?

Time saving: During ERP implementation, any glitch can derail the functioning of the software or generate erroneous results. To identify such glitches, the testing team needs to unscramble each of the integrated units. This can be hugely time-consuming leading to delays. However, should testing ERP solutions be a part of the SLDC in the Agile format, considerable time can be saved in mitigating glitches.

Early mitigation of glitches: By following a shift-left automated ERP testing process, glitches can be identified quickly. Since both testing and development processes take place in a sprint, identification and mitigation of glitches can be quick.

Data security: One of the biggest issues plaguing the digital ecosystem is data security or the lack of it. Moreover, since an ERP system pools data from disparate sources to a centralized repository, hackers can exploit the data pool. An ERP centre of excellence can leverage the right tools to verify the centralized database. This way, it can secure the database by removing any inherent vulnerabilities.

Improved productivity: An operational ERP software can identify the operational needs and verify the presence of inventories. It can ensure the proper deployment of resources, thereby saving time and cost. Also, automated testing can get around the slow response times of manual testing and improve productivity.

Achieves ROI: An efficient ERP system can deliver suitable outcomes within tight turnarounds thereby saving time and cost for the organization. Moreover, by streamlining processes, breaking silos, and attending to customer feedback promptly, the organization can deliver better user experiences. A happy end-customer will generate better sales and enhance brand equity through word-of-mouth. This leads to better ROI for the organization.

Conclusion

Testing of ERP applications entails the validation of their performance, functionality, user acceptability, and security. Its absence can have serious implications for the business processes, configuration, interfaces, or security of an organization. A robust ERP testing exercise can help an organization to meet its business objectives by optimizing costs.

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How To Approach The Testing of ERP Application

ERP applications have become critical for the smooth running of enterprises. Since these comprise myriad modules, functions, and processes, the need to validate them becomes critical.

Enterprises are realizing the need to leverage the SMAC (Social, Mobile, Analytics, and Cloud) model to accelerate growth. However, overhauling core processes administered by legacy ERP applications is equally critical. ERP applications help enterprises manage various functions, departments, and processes, including the data generated therein.

These applications help enterprises to run as one single unit and, in the process, generate outcomes such as improved productivity, better efficiency, reduced waste, enhanced customer experience, and increased ROI. In view of the criticality of ERP applications for organizations, they should be tested and validated. Testing ERP applications can ensure the smooth functioning of multiple tasks within organizations. These may include tracking inventory and customer transactions, managing finances and human resources, among many others.

What is ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning aka ERP is a comprehensive software that integrates the various functions of an organization into a single system. The software has a shared database containing all information pertaining to the various functions or units of an organization. The ERP system helps to streamline the processes and access to information across the organization 24×7.

Why is ERP software testing needed?

ERP software is cost-intensive and requires a lot of investment in time and effort. Every ERP software comes with multiple versions and requires customization to suit specific business requisites. Moreover, since every element in the application is connected to some other module, upgrading them can be a challenging task. For example, creating a sales order would need access to the inventory management module. If any of the modules does not function to its optimum, the entire ERP application may be impacted. This can have a cascading effect on the performance of the company as well as create bad customer experiences. Hence, testing ERP applications shall ensure the correct implementation of the software and prevent crashes.

ERP software testing, besides checking the software’s functionalities, should ensure the generation of reports and forms accurately. By identifying and removing bugs during the testing phase, testers can avoid facing post-implementation blues. Moreover, it can lead to an early adoption of software and ensure its smooth running. ERP application testing services validate business processes, functions, and the rules governing them. They help reduce operational risks within the constraints of available resources and time.

The importance of automated ERP testing

Since the ERP system contains huge volumes of data, testing the manual procedures can be time and cost intensive. Automated testing can help to validate all the features and functionalities in minimum time and cost. Also, since multiple business units of an organization can have different processes or procedures, automated testing can check the accuracy of their output against specific parameters. Further, the ERP system needs to be updated periodically with the advent of new technologies like Cloud, Big Data, and Mobility, among others. Such updates help the organization to validate transactions in real-time, which is not possible manually.

Best available ERP testing tools

Since the ERP systems are available in multiple versions targeting multiple domains, units, and customers, the best testing tools available are:

·         Microsoft Dynamics NAV – For SMEs

·         SAP Insurance – For insurance companies

·         Microsoft Dynamics AX – For large scale enterprises

·         SAP Banking – For the banking sector

Approaching the testing of ERP applications

It is imperative for enterprises to set up a robust testing strategy. The strategy should prioritize the testing of processes depending on the short and long-term goals.

Setting up KPIs:

At the outset, testers should setup the KPIs or performance metrics and evaluate how they will impact the overall organizational goal as well as departmental objectives. Thus, establishing the KPIs will help derive the right ROI for the organization.

All-encompassing:

ERP implementation for a large organization with many departments and processes can be a complex and challenging job. However, it is important that all stakeholders are taken into confidence and involved in the process. The process also includes making the necessary investment in training. When everyone is involved in ERP implementation, there is more cohesiveness in the administration of the software.

Data migration:

An organization can plan its strategic moves if it can make use of its data emanating from various processes over a period. To ensure real data is not lost or distorted in any way during ERP validation and testing, its proper migration process should be planned beforehand.

Selecting the right automation tools:

As ERP software can have myriad variables interfacing with various processes, they need to be validated. This requires choosing the right test automation tools – open-source or premium ones. Automated ERP testing can validate many variables for various processes against expected outcomes. The right automation tool will help testers to write and execute test cases.

Identifying test cases:

Since it is not possible to test every sinew of an ERP application, proper test cases should be written to ensure the maximum test coverage. Thus, testers should identify the test cases for each test and document them as well. Also, since ERP processes are linked to each other, and even to third-party applications or modules, they should undergo automated ERP testing.

Conducting performance, regression, and security tests:

As an ERP system helps to run the operations of an enterprise as a single unit, it should run some critical tests. These include regression, performance, integration, security, and usability tests. This way the enterprise can ensure continuous monitoring of the system, save time and cost, and prevent any sudden downtime or latency.

Proper documentation:

Post testing of components in the ERP system, the documented glitches ought to be analyzed to preempt any failure in a real environment. Moreover, the reports can be used for future reference.

Conclusion

To sustain in the competitive business environment of today, businesses need to take digital initiatives such as implementing an ERP solution. However, to ensure the successful running of such a solution and derive benefits out of it, enterprises should carry out ERP testing. The approach for such a testing should involve automation and carrying out various types of testing.

This article is already published on softwaretestingmaterial.com

What impacts the Automated Business Process Testing of Workday Applications?

ERP platforms such as Workday manage the entire business processes of a company by integrating and leveraging their strengths. It removes redundancies present in each of the processes and improves their efficiency, thereby positively impacting the delivery of products or services, not to mention improving the end user experience to a great extent. Workday is also home to a slew of applications developed by various companies using the platform pertaining to various functions. These applications or the in-house ones used by Workday need to follow vigorous Workday testing services so that they can perform seamlessly on expected lines.  

As opposed to manual testing of business processes, which can take an inordinately long time, automation of Workday testing services can help increase efficiency, scale up the testing parameters, and improve the overall quality. However, while going about developing a Workday testing strategy for automation, a few things are needed to be considered:

Prepare a workflow diagram: Each segment of the overall business process that forms part of Workday ERP platform performs a particular task, and so should be fully understood by the Workday testing services while developing Workday testing strategy. Thus, the first step in undertaking Workday test automation is to prepare a workflow diagram of each process and its sub process. This can help in achieving the following:

·         Help the team of Workday test automation to understand various processes and agree to a singular design methodology

·         Identify the bottlenecks in a process or sub process

·         Help in removing redundant process or sub process

·         Help people associated with Workday testing services provide fresh perspective on the processes

·         Get information about the integration points with other software platforms

·         Help in building afresh or strengthening existing security related safeguards

·         Eliminate delays during implementation

Prioritize the test sequence: Before embarking on Workday test automation, the Workday testing strategy should include listing and sequencing of the parameters to be tested. In fact, the testing team should consider each function and various processes pertaining to it in terms of their inputs and outputs. Besides, the sequence in which they are to be tested is to be prioritized. For example: in the sales function, the team constituting Workday testing services should define the fields of say, vendors. 

Conduct of negative testing: The Workday test automation should put emphasis on negative testing, for it can find out various scenarios where the applications can crash, malfunction or give erroneous output. The processes should be tested for such inputs that violate business rules, and the output is checked thereof. Depending upon the output or the severity, suitable safeguards should be incorporated to prevent such inputs in the first place. 

Establishing triage: Workday test automation should include the establishment of a triage framework, wherein the priority of handling critical issues are decided. 

User acceptance testing: The most crucial part of Workday testing strategy that aims at automation, is the testing of application by users. These users should not be the ones who have developed the testing codes. This can help highlight hidden glitches that might be overlooked by the testing team. 

Conclusion

Automating the testing of Workday based business processes is crucial for removing bugs and improving efficiency. The process should be done methodically as detailed above for greater impact.  

Michael works for Cigniti Technologies, which is the world's first Independent Software Testing Services Company to be appraised at CMMI-SVC Level 5, and an ISO 9001:2008 & ISO 27001:2013 certified organization.