Integration Testing Strategy in SAP Projects:

[Former Member]

Integration Testing Strategy in SAP Projects:

I have been working on Integration - Test management for past one year in one of the largest SAP Rollout project in Oil and Gas and I have outlined here the testing strategy, best practices and guide lines for choosing Testing Tool.

Objectives of Integration Testing:

• The overall Design/Solution built is accurate and correct from a technical perspective


• Integration of related SAP R/3 modules and business processes


• Integration of SAP configuration and custom developments, interfaces


• SAP R/3 integrates with the other SAP application (APO, BW, SEM, CRM )


• Integration with the legacy systems

Integration Testing - Preparation Phase:

1. Identify the scope of testing - Scope should include all relevant business scenarios, scenarios to test Interfaces with legacy if any, period-end scenarios.

2. Load the testing scripts in testing tools.

3. Identify Master Data and Organisation structure relevant for testing.

4. Identify testers and schedule testing

5. Testing Environment setup:

- Ensure all transports of configuration and programs are moved to intended Testing Environment

- Perform check on configuration.

- Perform manual configurations (like Variant setup or Number ranges etc)

- Setup user id required for testing.

- Check if any dependencies with other process teams.

6. Create Master Data used for Testing.

7. Define Defect Management procedure and identify focal points in each process areas for defects resolution.

8. Perform check on Master data's (Finance, Costing, Tax check etc) before testing is commenced.

Integration Testing - Execution Phase:

1. Testers will run the test cases and record the results in Testing tool and raise defects where ever applicable.

2. Setup daily testing status review meetings with SAP process team's focal points, defect focal points and legacy team focal points.

3. Run Daily status review meetings to review test execution progress with each process team and set targets for next working day. Also review defects which are blocking testing progress and raise escalation if required to expedite resolution.

4. Generate daily reports covering all topics to provide good visibility on the testing progress to all stakeholders.

5. Bridge the knowledge gaps if any between SAP process teams and Legacy teams before start of the testing cycle.

6. Facilitate communication between SAP process teams, legacy teams and Data load teams etc.

7. Defect Management Process:

All issues found during test execution should be logged in as a Defect.

- Provide defect definitions with respect to severity (Low, Medium, and High) and Priority (Low, Medium, and High)

- Setup defect Management rules on use of severity and priority to classify defects.

- Recommend resolution times for defects based on severity and priority.

- Setup/Mark fields in the defect management tool to capture all inputs required for defect resolution and also to perform defect analysis at end of testing cycle (like cause of defects analysis)

- Define escalation progress and identify escalation focal points.

Best Practices for scoping:

1. Based on Business Value (Which should be present in the design to support Business benefits) and Technical Risk (Complex logic, high volumes, use of new technology) classify each scenarios as low, medium and high. We can be used to reduce testing scope in case Draft scope is high and with current resources it is not achievable to complete testing within the time window

2. If Legacy systems are involved in testing then scoping is one of the most important exercises. Setup review meetings with SAP process teams, legacy team and Middleware teams to discuss and agree testing scope, list and raise exceptions/step outs (step outs are deviations from regular testing plan). Use simple excel checklist to record details of readiness against Data (in legacy), availability of legacy system, training needs to legacy team etc and Signoff.

3. If the solution is rolled out to multiple countries repeat the no of scenarios to cover data sets of all countries.

Guidelines to choose Testing Tool:

I have outlined here the points to be considered when a choice on testing tools is made.

- Testing Tool should have a Global capability with integrated planning and execution capability.

- Tool should be capable of supporting all phases of testing and enabling automation

- Multi user access and appropriate controls and security

- Full audit trail capability - enabling SOX compliance

- Integrated defect management and workflow capabilities

- Robust reporting for tracking and management

- Library based approach to test scripting - enabling reuse through all phases of testing