ERPs are often called the “central nervous system” of an enterprise. And rightfully so. Because with a single, tiny issue within this network, you can lose vital functions and whole modules. Given that keeping your ERP healthy is just as hard as keeping your body healthy, having professional guidance and info on the subject can be the difference between life and death for your business.
That’s why, in this article, we’ve answered the most frequently asked questions about:
We’re sure you know that ERP application testing isn’t just “finding issues.” But let’s recap the true value of QA to be on the same page. ERP software testing supports your project even before development and long into its maintenance stage. It aims to:
So, while the most common answer to “what is ERP software testing” is “making sure the software functions as expected”, you can see that this explanation doesn’t do justice to the true impact of QA.
Building on the above section, we’ll review the core reasons for testing your ERP.
And after that we had to stop because we realized the full list would be too long. Given the complexity and critical nature of ERP systems, testing ensures their reliability, efficiency, and security. It makes sure that your product is an indispensable part of a business. And without ERP testing, the alternative is grim. For instance, in 2022, Mission Produce lost over $22 million because of an ERP failure.
The earlier you begin testing your ERP system, the better. By starting early, you can catch problems before they become major issues. This saves time, money, and headaches down the line.
Even if you’ve missed this “ideal time”, it’s never too late to begin. Testing at any stage of the project can uncover problems (most likely lots of them). It’s better to fix issues now than face thousands of complaints from users who found your bugs.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to test your ERP system throughout the implementation process, you should do it before the system goes live. Even late-stage testing can identify critical issues that could impact your business. By testing as close to the go-live date as possible, you can mitigate risks and increase your chances for success.
QA has come a long way from being a sort of “bug-hunting” mission. Today, it’s a combination of full-scale, holistic procedures that, well, assure the quality of your product. You can choose to include QA services even before development. In that case, you can rely on user and quality-oriented expertise to build the backbone of your project. Or you can “plug-in” QA at the very end. Even here, it’d still help you refine your ERP by swiftly eliminating missed issues.
For example, QA Madness offers a range of services:
It all comes down to how much you need or want to get from quality assurance. You can indeed downgrade its effectiveness to simply bug-hunting. Perhaps that’s just what you require right now. Or you can make QA, the process literally hell-bent on making your app thrive, an all-encompassing part of development.
There isn’t a perfect, universal formula for the ERP software testing process. Its variations and approaches can change how everything goes down. But overall, it always follows a similar structure. Here’s a more digestible overview.
Types of testing your ERP needs will vary based on your project and industry. For example, you might include exploratory, accessibility, or localization testing (or skip them). Yet, there are testing types that you can’t afford to miss. They’re literally vital for your app’s functioning.
You can consider this an ERP testing checklist of sorts.
In short, automated software testing services aren’t obligatory for ERPs. But they are often unavoidable. Based on your software, you might be just fine with only manual QA. Yet, as your product grows, so does the workload. More often than not, ERPs simply need automation to avoid delays, burnouts, and revenue dips.
Manual software testing is indispensable for exploratory, usability, user acceptance checks, and more. But automation offers many benefits, especially for large projects. Precisely, AT:
Overall, don’t replace manual testing with automated. They best work in tandem with one another, providing distinct advantages to your product and team.
User acceptance testing (UAT) determines whether the product works correctly from a user’s perspective. During UAT, actual consumers interact with the ERP system. Their feedback is collected through tickets that highlight any issues or areas for improvement. And you can use these insights to refine the app before it goes live.
Having users evaluate your product isn’t a requirement for UAT. Most often, it’s done by your team or a testing provider, like a QA company. In these cases, QA specialists act as alpha or beta testers, simulating user behavior. This approach is equally effective in identifying hurdles and ensuring ERP readiness.
ERP testing varies significantly depending on its industry or domain. For example, in healthcare, an ERP would need to adhere to HIPAA, heavily focusing on compliance testing. And an app in manufacturing would center on integrating complex supply chain processes.
Still, there are some aspects that are universal to most ERPs. Thus, irrespective of project particularities, you ought to test your app’s:
Theoretically, no tools are “necessary” when testing ERP applications. But will you be able to handle all of the development chaos with no helpers? ERP testing tools can aid you in anything, from streamlining testing itself to providing a safe space for the team.
Here’s a brief list of QA allies our experts consider extremely beneficial.
There are three main traits of ERPs that make testing exceptionally complex.
ERPs are remarkably varied in their purpose, functionality, and logic. So, your project specifics can significantly impact how you carry out testing. Here are some challenges that may arise:
ERP apps are insanely complicated projects. They have wide-ranging functionality, integration with various business processes, and diverse user roles. The biggest challenge here is to assemble a team or hire QA engineers who can handle all the ERP intricacies, particularly:
Every project wants to stand out among competitors and thrive in the market. That means making your ERP a miracle in terms of functionality and user satisfaction. And it can be quite difficult to achieve as you’d need to secure the following:
Overall, these challenges can be united into one big “problem” – finding experts who can productively handle all your ERP’s needs.
Software testing is an exact science. If you don’t test your app, you lose (a lot). If you test your app with inexperienced or unskilled QA engineers, you lose (also a lot). And if you test your ERP with industry specialists, you gain user trust and happiness, status as a leader in the market, and remarkable quality that drives profit. Given this straightforward relationship between QA and business success, it’s surprising that some still don’t pay due attention to it.
For example, a few years back, Revlon got into a partnership with an ERP. Later, that same ERP caused millions of dollars in losses due to service-level disruptions. And after such a fiasco, Revlon’s own investors sued the company.
So, here are some (!) of the things that may go wrong without QA expertise:
At a minimum, you’ll need a QA engineer to handle the basic testing tasks. But, realistically, for ERPs, you’re likely to hire multiple QA experts to cover various testing aspects.
For automation, you’ll want an Automation QA (AQA) engineer or a general QA engineer with automation expertise. As the team grows, introducing a QA Manager or Lead becomes essential to coordinate efforts and maintain quality standards.
Security is another critical aspect, so a security specialist should be brought in for at least a one-time comprehensive security audit. Additionally, involving a Business Analyst and a System Analyst at different stages can be beneficial to ensure that the testing aligns with business processes and system requirements.
It’s important to understand that “best practices” are often subjective. After all, there’s no one perfect blueprint for every project. As such, best practices aim to boost the median development of most ERPs. In other words, such tips may or may not be helpful for your particular case.
But they can still be beneficial for many.
Briefly, do pay attention to best practices and use them for your benefit. Yet, try to develop or customize them to turn them into targeted practices for your ERP.
Choosing an ERP testing services provider isn’t as simple as we’d like it to be. So, one piece of advice we’d like to offer is not to get discouraged by the amount of research needed to pick a QA partner. We understand that this process might be overwhelming. But don’t just select a company with the most starts or reviews on a feedback platform – you might end up with glorified mediocrity.
Take your time and approach your search as the defining moment for your app’s quality.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could build your entire ERP testing based on these 15 answers alone? Alas, such software is too complex. It needs a lot more questions and answers. So, if you want more info, feel free to visit our blog. And if you’re ready to get to testing, our team of specialists is ready to help.
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