Now a days, most of the organizations are adopting and implementing the ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning) software, to have better business process management, in order to carry out business operations, effectively. ERP testing is all about the testing of these ERPs, to ensure their proper functioning.
So, let's understand the ERP software first, before going through ERP testing.
The name ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning), itself defines its meaning i.e. planning or managing the resources, available to enterprise or organization. It is a centralized system or hub, which carries out and controls all sorts of business operation occurring in the organization in an efficient and effective manner.
Basically, ERP is a business process management software, which consists of integration of varieties of applications, used for the specific functional areas of the organization, such as product planning, inventory management, manufacturing, marketing and sales, etc.
It is used to carry out and process the multiple business operations, simultaneously, in real time, using common database, through shared database management system.
Below given are some of the basic features of the ERP:
Some of the well known ERP software are
There are wide varieties of ERP software along with their multiple versions are available in the market, for multiple functional area and domain. Each of these software requires customization and lots of complex changes, as per the organization's need. The implementation of the ERP software, requires huge investment, along with the large amount of time and efforts.
Further, all the integrated applications or modules, present in the ERP, are somehow connected with each other, in a specific way. For example, to put up a sales order, using sales module, ERP needs to access inventory management module, to assess the availability of the stocks. As such failure of a single module or whole ERP software, may produce a devastating effect on the organization’s working and may even to lead the complete blockage of the whole process. And all the cost, time and efforts borne on the ERP, by the organization will go into astray.
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Keeping in account, the complexities associated with ERP, due to involvement of a wide variety of application modules, along with the need of the customization and integration with the external application, during implementation, ERP software requires to be tested, to meet the needs of the organization, in the long run, without any performance issues.
Moreover, it is easy to remove defects, found before the implementation. Defects revealed, after the implementation, are hard to resolve, and requires lot of time and efforts.
It is a testing methodology, which ensures the proper functioning and configuration of each module, present in the ERP, as per the organization's needs. It is used to validate the business processes, and reduces the probability of operational risks.
In ERP testing, the focus is generally made on the functional and performance aspect of the ERP, under variant types of load and scenarios. Apart, from functional and performance, it also emphasizes on the integration quality of the ERP, to get easily integrated with the external system, which may be required frequently, during the customization process.
It may be carried out, either manually or automated.
The process of testing the ERP may be carried out in three different phases as shown below
It involves following activities.
Comprises of following task
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ERP testing activities may be performed, either manually or automated. Below mentioned are some of the testing techniques, which may be used to test an ERP.
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