Top 5 Automation tools to consider: SAP Applications testing

Now that digital transformation has become a do-or-die proposition for most organizations, SAP has become much more than an ERP system. Traditional testing methods (a combination of burdening key users to perform manual testing + post-release “hypercare” periods) are not comprehensive enough. Also, for massive projects like S/4HANA migration or adopting to a modern cloud-based offering like SAP SuccessFactors or SAP Ariba or integration of SAP S/4HANA and SAP Fiori application, they are just too slow for the pace of innovation. In the days of on-prem implementations, customers who could not test updates fast enough could always defer updates as needed (and fall further and further behind). That’s not an option now that updates are rolled out automatically. For S/4HANA Cloud, updates are issued on a quarterly basis with a narrow window for testing before the changes go live.

In the midst of this big shift in the system, customers want to be extremely sure and confident before adopting any tool out there, which could possibly accelerate their testing lifecycle, help them gain value from their SAP solutions, can really scale and help them cut costs for continuous testing of cloud and hybrid landscapes.

Now, to meet quality standards when implementing continuous change, enterprises need a single automation tool which cantake care of test execution, test trackingand collaboration along with key considerations like:

• Technology support beyond SAP: Ability to extend beyond SAP and cover every technology involved in your end-to-end transactions like all other packaged applications, 3rd party applications, cloud-based SAP applications 
• Impact analysis& Risk-based testing: Continuous testing is the need of the hour when it comes to SAP updates and its potential impacts. You not only need to know what changed; you also need to ensure that your test suite is efficient. Otherwise, you might waste time continuously updating tests that do not add value.
• Change Management: Creating automated tests is one thing but maintaining tests, monitoring it and sustaining and optimizing it with the use of algorithms and data analytics is what organisations are moving towards
• Skillset required to use
• Cost: License/Maintenance

Let’s look at key features of some of the top 5 test automation tools for SAP testing in the market:

Tricentis Tosca:

Tricentis Tosca is a testing tool for SAP solutions that helps you test SAP better. It has a quicker time-to-delivery than the legacy SAP testing tools. Tricentis is a scriptless, no-code Model-based Test Automation (MBTA) software, which can build resilient test cases

Key features of Tricentis Tosca include:

• Tricentis LiveCompare uses Artificial Intelligence to identify the exact objects that need to be tested to achieve 100% risk coverage. This reduces the actual time utilized in testing
• Tricentis Tosca is an automation platform that helps to accelerate testing by 90% or more. It can test any SAP application or end-to-end business process, including APIs and 160+ technologies
• Tricentis Analytics brings together the test results from across the continuous testing platform, including manual, automated, API, and performance testing.
• It offers a comprehensive test automation solution for multiple generations of SAP UIs, from SAP GUI to SAP Fiori 2.0. and SAP Solution Manager.
• The tool increases business risk coverage by 85% and reduces the number of test cases by 50%

OpKey Surge:

OpKey Surge: an enterprise testing platform is the ideal way to accelerate SAP applications testing with a fully automated, completely codeless, and predictive analytics which is driven by AI and ML at its core.As organizations make the move from legacy ERP systems such as SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA and beyond, OpKey enables them to update and reuse these test cases on the go.

OpKey Surge can reach across your entire landscape when testing end-to-end business transactions. By integrating with OpKey, testers can know which test cases are executed and what gaps (if any) need to be filled to cover the risks involved in your change process. Combining risk-based analysis with OpKey’s smart test automation platform, lets customers test less without compromising system quality that further translates reduction in SAP testing effort by 85%!

Being industry’s first Continuous Test Automation Platform with Predictive analytics for SAP, OpKey Surge is bringing a shift in automated testing world where developers along with testers are being Predictive rather than Reactive in their strategies with its business transformation offerings like:

• Compatibility and scalability with all generations of SAP applications like SAP ECC, S/4HANA, Fiori Apps, SAP Ariba and beyond

• Continuous Change Impact and Risk-analysis with an “Test Efficient” approach and unmatched focus for most-at-risk tests

• Assisted Unit Testing for Developers to understand risk of ABAP code on other objects       before its transport to different environments
• End-to-End Change management platform for visibility for all product owners and agile lifecycle members at one go on any change/SAP updates or process implementation 
• Accelerated Automation through Pre-Built Test Accelerator of all key SAP applications like SAP ECC/S/4HANA, SAP Fiori and SuccessFactors

WorkSoft:

WorkSoft is a test automation solution which ensures flawless execution of SAP platform. WorkSoft combines deep, unparalleled SAP testing expertise with industry-leading, code-free continuous automation platform to deliver unmatched agility and risk mitigation. WorkSoft supports 

WorkSoft delivers proven SAP test automation that spans all the applications. Whether the processes happen in mobile apps, on premises, in the cloud, or all of the above, WorkSoft’s continuous automation platform covers the end-to-end testing.

Some key features of WorkSoft include:

• Offers full test coverage of the complete set of SAP applications
• A code-free solution that can be leveraged across user types
• Supports agile-plus-DevOps testing cycles
• Automated discovery and documentation capabilities

HP MicroFocus QTP:

HP Microfocus Quick Test Professional (QTP), also known as UFT, is an SAP testing tool which accelerates end-to-end functional test automation with one intelligent solution for enterprise apps using embedded AI-based capabilities. 

MicroFocus simplifies multi-layer testing with a visual test-driven design that displays UI and API tests in an intuitive graphical canvas and easily manages API testing at the headless layer without extensive coding.

Some of the features of MicroFocus are:

• AI-powered intelligent test automation platform which reduces functional test creation time and maintenance effort
• Testing of both front-end functionality and back-end service parts of an application
• Achieves test execution at full velocity with parallel testing and cross-browser coverage
• Facilitate continuous quality across multiple teams and locations by breaking down silos

Ranorex:

Business processes that are administrated with an SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution consist of an intertwined web of platforms and technologies. Using Ranorex Studio, you can implement comprehensive end-to-end test solutions that span across a broad variety of desktop, web and mobile technologies.

Some of the salient features of Ranorex are:

• Easy-to-use tools and a built-in methodology enable testers to create modular automation scripts that are efficient and maintainable, regardless of programming expertise
• Capture and replay functionality to build reliable automated test cases without writing a single line of code
• Data-driven and keyword-driven testing for SAP applications
• A central command center to set-up and manage endpoints as well as configure their environments