SAP solutions are used by 99 of the largest 100 global companies, which generate around 87% of the global commerce (equaling $46 trillion). SAP implementations are complex and touch various business processes, functions, and workflows. This is why testing is an inseparable part of any SAP implementation project. That said, implementation teams are being pushed to accelerate the speed at which testing must be carried out.
For one, most enterprises are under pressure to crash the “time to value” of the SAP solution implementation. Also, thanks to the fast and constant release cycles of SAP, there’s more to test more often.
Small and large SAP users do find it challenging to keep pace and realize their enormous leverage from SAP-based solutions. This is why SAP users are now switching from manual testing to automation testing as a crucial component of implementation and maintenance. Having said that, SAP automation testing is not a “cakewalk,” and its success depends on following the best practices and rules, without which it is most likely to fail or incur major costs.
Here are some of the Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to successful SAP testing automation.
5 Do’s of SAP Testing Automation
Here are 5 Do’s when implementing SAP testing automation in any business domain:
- Choose the right automation tools and testing team.
To start off on the right note, it is important for organizations to choose the right SAP testing team and automation tools. The testing team must have good knowledge of the SAP application being tested, as well as make the right choices for the required hardware and software resources.
- Break up the entire SAP application test cases into smaller units.
For any business organization, it is not practical to implement end-to-end SAP automation testing in one go. A better alternative is to segment or break up the entire testing flow into smaller testable units that are easier to manage. This ensures that even if any of the test cases fails during execution, they can be rectified (or replaced) without halting the entire process.
- Prioritize the automation tests.
SAP application testing involves multiple types of testing including unit testing, regression testing, and performance testing. In practical terms, all these types of testing cannot (and need not) be automated due to various constraints. Hence, prioritize the tests that need to be automated. For example, as regression tests are performed more regularly, they should be added to the priority list.
- Generate high-quality datasets.
The success of any automated SAP testing depends on the generation of high-quality datasets. Ensure that the datasets are designed for multiple test scenarios for the best results. Additionally, to avoid data corruption or any other constraints, an efficient data management policy and strategy is a must for any organization using SAP applications.
- Adopt codeless automation.
Codeless automation can help in improving the overall quality of any SAP application and prepare for any major updates or changes in the underlying SAP engine. Codeless testing is the best replacement for SAP’s proprietary testing tools. With codeless testing, SAP developers do not need to be dependent on knowing SAP’s proprietary language, namely, ABAP.
Next, let us look at some of the Don’ts when it comes to SAP automation testing.
4 Don’ts of SAP Testing Automation
Here are 4 Don’ts when implementing SAP testing automation:
- Don’t automate everything in testing.
As test automation comes at an added expense, business stakeholders need to think of the ROI from investing in automation. On its part, automation can enable the SAP testing team to prioritize manual or repetitive tasks. However, everything need not be automated, so it is prudent to go with a combination of both manual and automated testing. For instance, automated testing of unstable application features will largely be wasteful and ineffective over the long term.
- Don’t automate testing from Day 1.
Automated testing must be adopted after the development of a stable and viable final ecosystem, or when manual testing has been stabilized. Avoid automation testing from the first day, when there are higher chances of business requirements being changed or when new features are being added regularly to the finished application. It is crucial to choose automated testing at the right time.
- Don’t rely completely on automated testing tools.
Investing in SAP automation tools does not mean “human” resources with SAP expertise are no longer required. While automation tools can simplify the testing of repetitive and complex use cases, they still need to be set up and managed by skilled people. Besides, there will always be selected test cases in any application that cannot be automated and need human intervention.
- Don’t delay updating test cases.
Among the pitfalls of SAP automation testing, is that it is impacted by regular code changes due to new features or patches. As 90% of automation testing comes after the initial test cases have been created, there should not be any delay in updating the test cases to be in sync with the code changes. Further, in an agile development environment, the rate of updating test cases (for example, regression testing) must be extremely high.
Conclusion
With benefits like higher ROI, faster test execution, and cost reduction, automation testing for SAP applications can bring about a complete transformation of your business processes. Besides, the right SAP automation solution must be easy to configure and use, scalable, and have a short learning curve.
Enterprises must look to partner with the right SAP technology partner. As an experienced SAP implementation partner and consulting company, Groupsoft has enabled its global customers to conduct faster and more efficient testing of their SAP applications and systems. Our services range from SAP project management consulting services to Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and migration.
Looking to implement SAP automation testing for your business? We can help you. Just get in touch with us with your queries.
