Why do you need a test framework?

A test framework simplifies the test creation process, produces tests that deliver greater application coverage, reduces test script maintenance, and accelerates test cycles while reducing resource requirements. Unfortunately, most automation customers have been unable to leverage these benefits because implementing a framework has always required highly technical testers with experience in advanced test automation methodologies. Until now.

In partnership with TurnKey Solutions™, Hewlett Packard Enterprise is proud to offer and support the proven, best-in-class automation framework for enterprise application testing. A premier third-generation framework that supports cross-platform, end-to-end business process validation of major ERP/CRM systems such as SAP and Oracle, as well as most major development platforms. The HPE Testing Framework is a comprehensive, easily adopted platform, which reduces the time, cost, and complexity of testing by leveraging the power of advanced automation practices without the technical overhead.

HPE Testing Framework Solutions

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The HPE Testing Framework simplifies testing

The HPE Testing Framework abstracts away the low-level complexity. This means a business analyst or subject matter expert can easily create comprehensive tests without the need for programming. A business process based methodology with easily understood keywords and building-block like test components makes automation simple.

The HPE Testing Framework reduces test script maintenance

One of the advantages of a testing framework is that of “a single point of failure.” For example, your test team has created a large library of automated tests when a major change is made to a screen touched by nearly every one of those tests. Rather than edit every test, a framework allows you to update one “component” and all the tests inherit the change. And updating the component is done with a few clicks of a mouse.

The HPE Testing Framework increases test coverage

Another key feature of the HPE Testing Framework is that of a data driven architecture. This means the test data, not the test script, determines how a test will be executed. Based on the test data you provide, the test will automatically navigate the correct path through the application. The advantage is that, rather than having to create a separate test for each possible data scenario, you can now validate your application’s metadata with one or two tests. The Testing Framework allows you to test the metadata (business logic) in your applications without the need for huge test libraries, or having to create and maintain complex programming based scripts.

The HPE Testing Framework tests your entire end-to-end business process

Unlike many testing accelerators on the market, the HPE Testing Framework is not a “one trick” point solution. Leveraging the unrivaled application support of the HPE Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Foundation, the HPE Testing Framework supports SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Siebel, Lawson, Web, .NET, JAVA, Terminal Emulation, custom software, and much more. The HPE Testing Framework allows you to validate your entire end-to-end, cross application, business process with a single testing solution.

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HPE Testing Framework advantages

•Makes testing easier—Testing complex application processes no longer requires writing “logic.”

•Tests everything—it’s an application-agnostic solution that supports an unmatched list of application platforms.

•Increases your resource pool—Test automation is no longer limited to those with programming skills.

•Improves your efficiency—Reduced maintenance means testers spend their time testing—not editing scripts.

•Allows a single test to validate more of your application due to its data driven architecture—greater coverage with fewer tests.

•Reduces the time, cost, and complexity of your test automation projects.

Accelerators

Pre-built automated testing for SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, and PeopleSoftHPE is proud to provide and support the BPT Accelerator testing frameworks for major ERP and CRM systems, built by TurnKey Solutions. Constructed on the market-leading cFactory™ Platform, Accelerators provide comprehensive pre-built, pre-automated testing assets for major ERP/CRM systems. This includes SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, Siebel, selected vertical applications for industries such as Utilities, Energy, Healthcare, and more. By providing a thorough, pre-built environment, the Accelerators significantly reduce the time needed to implement automated testing, shorten testing cycles and increase application quality, all while offering compelling return-on-investment. The Accelerators can also be quickly and easily implemented by non-technical, functional personnel to match a company’s unique and customized application environment. And because the Accelerators are built upon the industry’s leading test generation and maintenance platform cFactory, testing can be readily extended to include non-ERP/CRM bolt-on or in-house applications with ease. The result is a comprehensive, end-to-end automated testing solution that can be utilized and maintained by existing in-house personnel, eliminating the need to hire or contract for specialized and expensive resources.

The Accelerators also incorporate the industry’s first data-driven, test data management engine, dataDriver. With dataDriver and its built-in analysis engine, the testing data itself (not a script) actually determines the flow of the test at runtime. This allows a single test case to handle all of the variations possible for a given business operation, significantly reducing the number of tests needed. This helps to shrink both implementation and ongoing maintenance costs. And, by allowing users to work with the Accelerators in the same way that they are used to with manual testing, ease-of-use is greatly simplified, leading to better adoption and return-on-investment.

SAP Accelerator: The SAP Accelerator offers comprehensive testing coverage for SAPGUI and NetWeaver/Portal application environments.

Oracle E-Business Suite Accelerator: The Oracle E-Business Suite Accelerator includes coverage across nearly 50 application modules for 11i, Release 12, and the latest Fusion applications.

And, because this solution is 100 percent compatible with HPE ALM, you continue to leverage the value and power of your existing HPE investment.

Application-aware test case creation

Test frameworkGUI and API test automation

Application Lifecycle Management Quality Management

Packaged application test library

Acceleration

Automation

Management

cFactory

HPE BPTHPE UFT

HPE ALM HPE QC

PeopleSoft Accelerator

Oracle Accelerator

SAP Accelerator

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PeopleSoft Accelerator: The PeopleSoft Accelerator includes coverage for FSCM and HCM for PeopleSoft 9.x and PeopleTools 8.5x.

Siebel Accelerator: The Siebel CRM Accelerator includes coverage for both standard and on demand implemented systems.

cFactory Platform

Creates keyword-based, data-driven automated tests without recording or scriptingHPE offers the premier third-generation framework for automated test case creation and maintenance, cFactory by TurnKey Solutions. cFactory works in conjunction with the HPE ALM platform to create and maintain automated tests by capturing and then analyzing entire application screens with a single mouse click. This creates sharable, reusable business components that users can easily drag-and-drop together to create fully automated end-to-end tests. The process is completely non-technical and creates tests that are keyword-based, fully eliminating the technical scripting languages of prior test automation solutions. This enables non-technical, functional users to quickly and easily create or maintain their own test automation, significantly reducing the time and effort normally required and delivering sizeable return-on-investment.

cFactory utilizes pluggable rules-based technology, allowing it to support not only most major packaged applications such as ERP and CRM systems, but in-house developed and third-party-sourced applications as well. Rules files can be readily customized to match specific application UI layouts and technologies, allowing cFactory to support all application environments supported by the HPE Unified Functional Testing toolset. In addition, cFactory also includes UFT extensibility add-ins for many major application environments such as Web, .NET, Oracle, SAP, and more. This extends standard UFT support to a broader range of application technologies, allowing cFactory to create comprehensive, end-to-end corporate test scenarios.

Figure 1. Acceleration solutions extend HPE Functional Test Automation.

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The cFactory platform also includes automated testing’s first data-driven, test data management engine, dataDriver. dataDriver is based upon the power and simplicity of Microsoft® Excel, allowing users to simply enter the testing data they want used into familiar spreadsheets created for them by the system. When tests run, dataDriver’s integrated analysis module automatically analyzes the testing data, and will change the course and flow of the test to properly match the data automatically. Not only does this greatly simply ease-of-use, but also allows a single cFactory test to cover all variations on a given business process. This significantly reduces the number of tests needed overall, lowering both implementation and ongoing maintenance costs.

cFactory for HPE Business Process Testing

Application-aware automated test case creation platform helps you to improve business returns from your application investments by shortening time to market and eliminating complexity.

Faster and easier test automation accelerates high-quality application delivery

In today’s constantly changing business environment where modern enterprise depends on software, the ability to release applications faster with world-class quality has direct impact on business performance. Without automation, speed and quality often become conflicting priorities that are subject to trade-off decisions, eventually leading to failures by poorly tested applications making it into production or releases taking a longer time than anticipated. HPE Test Automation solutions extended with acceleration capabilities aim at the critical challenge of faster delivery of high-quality applications.

HPE Functional Test Automation acceleration solutions address the time-to-market challenges by providing out-of-the-box test libraries and tools for faster and easier creation of tests. Built on the power of HPE Unified Functional Testing (UFT) and HPE Business Process Testing (BPT) software, the acceleration tools from Turnkey Solutions, include the following components:

•Accelerators: HPE BPT libraries for packaged applications like PeopleSoft, Oracle, and SAP are out of box test cases that significantly reduce the test automation development and maintenance costs.

•cFactory: Application-aware test creation solution for any application. cFactory analyzes application screens, forms, and objects; automatically identifies items to be tested; displays icons for drag and drop test creation. cFactory also detects changes in the software and automatically updates HPE Quality Center.

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Automate test creation and update with cFactory for HPE BPT

Businesses, in order to deliver better services and products to stay competitive, are demanding faster delivery of quality-assured applications. However, application delivery is becoming more complex with emerging trends and disruptions around mobile, cloud, composite applications. Evolving development processes (waterfall, agile, hybrid, etc.) and distributed software development, integration teams with mix of in/out sourced models are also adding to the complexity. As a result, automated software testing becomes crucial for delivering quality-assured software at speeds that business demands while addressing the challenges introduced with emerging trends.

Reliance on recording and scripting processes may result in automation may not always be readily available and scripting may not always be effective. Maintenance on these automated test scripts is just as difficult, requiring a technical engineer to sift through volumes of undocumented code in order to find the few commands that need updating. Even keyword-based test automation approaches, while better than record-and-playback, still require the tester to record the testing process or lay out each step by hand, lengthening the time needed to create test cases or to maintain them later. All of this adds up to significant time and cost, preventing many teams from fully utilizing the advantages that automated software testing can provide.

cFactory eliminates these problems by automating the process of creating or updating automated tests. cFactory is an application-aware automated test case creation platform that enables quick and easy creation of test automation even by non-technical business users or business analysts. By simply clicking on application screens, cFactory analyzes them and automatically builds keyword-driven automated testing components. These components can then be easily drag and dropped together to create end-to-end flows, which fully automate a business process. Should an application change later, cFactory can be quickly re-run to capture the new changes and apply them to the existing testing flows. The old process of recording and scripting is eliminated, enabling non-technical subject matter experts and business analysts to create their own automation, and to maintain it throughout the application’s lifecycle.

cFactory eliminates the scripting or manual step-by-step construction of test cases by enabling them with true data-driven technology. Using its integrated dataDriver test data management engine, cFactory creates tests that analyze their testing data and automatically change the flow of the test to properly use that data. This way of test creation operates very similar to how business analysts perform manual testing today and delivers test automation readiness, speeding adoption, and simplifying ease of use.

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How cFactory works

cFactory uses rules-based plug-ins that contain information on how forms or screens for a given application are laid out and organized. Plug-in rules basis are available for most major application technologies, such as HTML, Web 2.0, ASP, .NET, Terminal Emulation, Java, and much more. Rules basis are also available for many of the major packaged applications in use today, such as SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, and many others. In addition, because cFactory’s rules-based technology is quickly customizable, unique in-house or third-party applications can also be easily automated. With cFactory, you can automate entire end-to-end business processes for composite application environments that span multiple different application systems and technologies.

Figure 2. Test case generation with cFactory.

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Build test automation components quickly and easilyThe first step in test automation of an application using cFactory is to learn the screens of the application. This is done by leveraging HPE Unified Functional Testing (UFT) toolset. The user launches UFT’s “Add Objects” wizard, and then simply clicks on the application screens to be tested. Next, the user clicks a button in cFactory to analyze the captured screens and a list of test automation components, or building blocks that can be created for the screens, is listed. The user then selects the screens for test automation creation and where the tests should be stored in the HPE Quality Center or HPE Application Lifecycle Management repository. A single mouse click then creates the automated test components without scripting or coding required.

Create test cases by drag and dropOnce test automation components are ready, users can then combine these together to create test cases using a simple drag-and-drop process. Automation components are sharable and reusable, so they can be included in multiple test cases, allowing users to create many different types of tests. This means that each application screen needs to be automated once and only once, significantly speeding implementation time while reducing associated costs. Best of all, when changes occur to an application screen, a single update is needed regardless of how many different tests use the same screen. Users simply click to re-learn the new screen, click again to regenerate the automation components, and all test cases that touch that screen are updated, automatically.

Create test sets for end-to-end business process testingUsers can also combine individual test cases into larger end-to-end business processes using simple visual-layout technology. To do this, test cases are dragged and dropped into a testing flow, also called a test set, which can incorporate multiple workstations or virtual machines. This allows for the precise simulation of large conference room pilot-style tests, which previously required multiple people days or even weeks to complete.

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Figure 3. cFactory dataDriver technology enables test flow to be determined by an easy-to-manage Excel-based test data repository.

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Create test data repository and manage test data easilyOnce an end-to-end test flow is laid out, cFactory dataDriver test data management engine analyzes the flow and creates a repository in Microsoft Excel, which will store, manage, and maintain the flow’s testing data. The testing data itself can be populated into the Microsoft Excel workbook in one of several ways. Data can be pasted or typed into the repository, test data can be automatically generated using dataDriver’s embedded modules, and data can also be pulled directly from an application’s metadata through direct database links made by specialized dataDriver modules. By combining all three of these capabilities, users can readily create comprehensive data scenarios, which exercise all application functionality without the menial and time-consuming practice of manual data gathering.

Schedule, run, and report automated tests as plannedAfter the test data is generated, the end-to-end test is ready to be run immediately, or scheduled for later execution. cFactory includes an enhanced scheduler that allows test teams to schedule multiple different test flows to run either one time, multiple times, or on a regularly recurring basis. Test flows can also be set to run in a given order, with later test flows starting as soon as earlier ones complete, in order to make maximum use of testing resources.

For the test execution, cFactory analyzes the testing data, which is coming from the Microsoft Excel repository and changes how each test in the flow is executed in order to properly utilize its specific data. This is done for each execution of a test case, allowing for a single cFactory test to cover all of the different ways that a given business process can be performed. This significantly reduces the number of test cases needed to provide comprehensive testing coverage for an application, reducing both implementation time and maintenance costs. Data-driving the tests also reduces complexity and strongly increases ease of use by allowing end users to work with automated testing in the same way that they perform manual testing today, but one step easier: Select the data that matches the system requirements you are looking to test for, then let the system figure out how to run the tests from there.

Whenever selected test flows are executed, through tight integration with HPE ALM and HPE QC, fully custom reports can be generated automatically and delivered to specifically designated end users.

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Key features and benefits

Achieve automation fast and with minimal effortcFactory helps you create new test cases quickly, and without the recording and scripting process. This significantly reduces the time and cost to create automated tests, resulting in substantial business benefits.

Leverage existing talent base to deliver automationEasy test creation technology allows creation, customization, and maintenance of automated tests without the need for any scripting. Therefore, automation of tests can be achieved with the existing functional staff.

Data-driven test flowThrough its integrated test data management system, dataDriver, the cFactory lets testing data automatically determine the actual flow of each test case, as opposed to a complicated program or script. This allows tests to be created and maintained in a fraction of the time of prior test automation solutions, increasing test coverage and driving business value.

Reduced maintenance costscFactory’s application-aware intuitive, visual process allows easy maintenance of tests, reducing maintenance costs, increasing test coverage, and driving ROI.

Supports major application technologies and packaged applicationscFactory generates tests for most major application technologies and ERP/CRM platforms on the market today such as: HTML, Web 2.0, ASP, .NET, Terminal Emulation, Adobe® PDF and Flex/IDocs, SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, and more.

IT Experts CommunityConnect with peers and HPE Software experts at: hpe.com/go/swcommunity

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HPE Services

HPE provides high-quality software services that address all aspects of your software application lifecycle management needs. With HPE, you have access to standards-based, modular, multi-platform software coupled with global consulting, education, SaaS, and support services.

The wide range of HPE professional service offerings helps you achieve business outcomes with the right combination of people, process, and technology. These include ALM consulting, test center of excellence services, HPE Software implementation, and education services.

Our HPE SaaS can help speed your time to value and significantly lower your up-front costs based on our 10 years of experience assisting hundreds of customers with SaaS. Our support services range from online self-solve support to proactive mission-critical services—enabling you to choose the services that best match your business needs.

For an overview of HPE Software Professional Services: hpe.com/go/almprofessionalservices

For an overview of HPE Software as a Service: hpe.com/go/SaaS

Learn more athpe.com/go/functionaltesting

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© Copyright 2013, 2015 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HPE products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HPE shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. cFactory and TurnKey Solutions are registered trademarks of TurnKey Solutions Corporation and/or its affiliates. Java and Oracle are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Microsoft is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

4AA4-5193ENN, November 2015, Rev. 2