The Beginner’s Guide to ERP Testing (SAP Testing) – Part 1

In this article, we are going to delve into a fascinating and complex topic, “Performing Testing on ERP Software”. We will look at the hindrances encountered in ERP testing (including SAP Testing), in addition to providing advice and a framework for successful ERP testing.

Prior to delving deeper into ERP testing, it is essential to get a rudimentary understanding of ERP. To efficaciously test ERP modules, it is vital to understand the features, functionalities and ERP software’s workflow. Testing ERP modules without proper knowledge can be very critical and difficult.

What is ERP and why do businesses need ERP Software?

ERP is an acronym for Enterprise Resource Planning. In a practical context, if an organization or company plans to boost productivity and effectiveness by consolidating resources, then it falls under ERP.

So, what are these resources? They are generally referred to as the 4M’s – Manpower, Machinery, Method and Material which exist in any organization.

Globally, ERP software is manufactured on this premise since every company requires an accounting or ERP solution.

Different software may be utilised by an organization depending on the individual departments’ needs. For instance, the accounts department may use accounting software created in Oracle technologies, the finance department may use budgeting software developed in Microsoft technologies, the HR department may use payroll software written in Java, and the inventory department may use warehousing software devised by IBM, and so forth.

Also, each software and database used might differ. This absence of consolidated data storage causes complications in business scenarios, diminishing productivity and affecting employee performance.

For instance, the sales manager may not be aware of the stock in the inventory when making a sales order commitment, and the company’s Vice President may not know the company’s financial status until they contact the respective department.

These complexities are addressed by ERP software through the integration of workflows across various departments within an organization and centralizing the database through a server infrastructure.

As a result, data from every department is stored centrally, and authorized employees can access real-time data online without any dependency, enhancing productivity and decision-making.

The worldwide ERP software market exceeds $25 billion annually, growing at a rate of 10-20% a year. This demand is driven by small and medium-sized enterprises through SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and cloud platforms.

As a result, the demand for ERP testing professionals is also growing in the IT industry. Many ERP implementation projects allocate over half of their budget for testing and related activities.

Nonetheless, it is important to note that ERP software is not just software, but a business solution aimed at streamlining organizational processes and workflows. Successful ERP implementation necessitates dedicated effort and involvement from personnel.

Selecting the best ERP software that meets quality and performance expectations is a significant challenge for enterprise customers.

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Suggested Tools:

#1) Oracle NetSuite

Check out => Top AP Automation Software Solutions

Oracle NetSuite offers an ERP solution to streamline business-critical processes. Its features and functionalities provide clear visibility and control over a business.

Oracle NetSuite includes a Quality Management solution. This allows users to define tests, specify parameters for evaluation of results, and apply them to relevant items and operations for receiving and in-process testing.

Features:

• NetSuite allows users to define the type of inspection, tests, acceptable limits, and minimum qualifications through Test Definition.
• Manage a list of tests or inspections centrally.
• Collect measurements and compare them to pass or fail limits.
• Incorporates Data Collection features.

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#2) Avo Assure

Avo Assure is a 100% no-code and heterogeneous test automation solution that enables end-to-end testing. With its intuitive and friendly UI, it enhances support for businesses in delivering superior quality SAP and non-SAP applications in much less time. It accelerates and simplifies SAP upgrades and migrations.

With Avo Assure, you can:

• Ensure seamless cross-platform testing across web, mobile, desktop, ERP applications, mainframes, their corresponding emulators, and more without needing to individually download and install plugins for each platform.
• Attain over 90% test automation coverage without writing a single line of code.
• Aid migration from ECC to S/4HANA through conducting extensive end-to-end tests as required.
• Utilize hundreds of pre-built test cases with SAP test accelerators and fast-track SAP releases.
• Visualize SAP test flows through Mindmaps effortlessly. Design test flows and define test plans with just a few clicks.
• Use the Mindmap extension to reuse existing test constructs to build new individual scenarios or stitch together end-to-end business process flows.
• Easily enable accessibility testing with a single click. The tool supports WCAG standards, Section 508, and ARIA.
• Execute multiple scenarios simultaneously through the Smart Scheduling and Execution feature.
• Smooth integration with SDLC and continuous integration systems like Jira, Sauce Labs, ALM, TFS, Jenkins, and QTest is possible.
• Analyze reports more effectively with step-by-step screenshots and videos of each execution step.

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Here’s a snapshot of how an ERP-enabled business functions:

The Importance of ERP Testing

The majority of ERP implementation projects are unsuccessful due to inadequate test planning and testing. To comprehend the importance of ERP testing, testing professionals must understand ERP systems’ differences.

ERP systems are available in multiple versions aimed at various sectors and customers. For instance, leading ERP vendors offer different versions and varieties of their ERP software:

• Microsoft Dynamics NAV: Intended for small and medium businesses
• Microsoft Dynamics AX: Crafted for large corporations
  • Besides functional testing, system testing, performance testing, and load testing are crucial.
• SAP Insurance: Intended for insurance firms
• SAP Banking: Crafted for banking sectors
• SAP Chemical: Designed for chemical businesses
  • Domain knowledge and industry experience are important, along with functional testing.

In a similar vein, Oracle has products such as E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, Siebel, and JD Edwards, each with various features, intended customers, and sectors. The testing teams ought to comprehend these systems’ purpose and functionalities.

There are two types of testing teams in ERP companies:

• A “Core testing team” accountable for testing the base ERP software with static functionalities.
• An “Implementation testing team” responsible for testing the implementation project with dynamic and customized functionalities.

When a feature or functionality gets customized according to client requirements, the modification impacts several modules and systems. The testing team must identify every change and its corresponding impact to guarantee complete traceability.

Automated ERP testing

Dedicated testing forces exist within ERP companies to test their ERP systems. Testing such a large system necessitates automated test execution. Depending upon requirements, ERP companies devise their automated testing frameworks and establish testing infrastructures.

Automated testing is suggested for ERP testing since manual testing is time-consuming. Testing every component of a system and ensuring 100% quality is critical for successful ERP implementation.

Also See: Leading MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) Tools

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Here is a list of different types of ERP testing, as most ERP systems are developed using Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA):

• Functional testing
• Data handling testing
• Integrity testing
• System testing
• Security testing
• Reliability testing
• Adaptability testing
• Scalability testing
• Usability testing
• Performance testing
• Load testing
• Interface testing
• Interoperability testing
• Regression testing
• Infrastructure testing
• Image testing
• Installation testing
• Parallel testing

ERP Vendors

Numerous ERP vendors function in the global market.

Here’s a quick list of ERP software and vendors determined by factors like market share, cost, implementation model, deployment duration, platform, technology, features, and functionalities. Each vendor provides different product versions aimed at customers from diverse sectors and industry verticals.

• SAP (#1) – A market frontrunner since 1972, serving millions of users internationally.
• Microsoft Dynamics (#2) – A product by Microsoft Corporation, with millions of users.
• Oracle E-Business Suite (#3) – A product by Oracle Corporation, serving millions of users globally.
• Epicor ERP
• Sage ERP
• NetSuite
• Infor ERP
• Ramco ERP
• Focus ERP
• Tally ERP

ERP Modules

ERP modules