Quality and Testing in the SAP environment

SAP, the somewhat different IT system

SAP differs fundamentally from other IT systems in terms of its complexity, degree of integration and importance for business processes. It is regarded as one of the leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. And anyone who has ever been involved in SAP projects knows that things work differently than in “normal” software projects. Be it the deployment, the development cycle, the integration - yes, and also the testing. I know many testers and test managers who like to give SAP projects a wide berth. However, when asked, it soon becomes clear that the reservations are more likely to be caused by a lack of clarity. They don’t know exactly how to test what and when, which test strategies make sense and where best to start. Added to this is the overwhelming complexity of SAP and the huge impact it has on the company: SAP gets down to the nitty-gritty: it implements the most fundamental business processes and processes the company’s core data. This poses risks and challenges in many areas.

I have experienced this first-hand in 2 SAP projects that I have supported. A lot of energy and work goes into it. But it is all the more important that testers and test managers get to grips with SAP. A big challenge for me was how to transfer my test knowledge about test strategies, test objectives and test methodologies to the SAP world. I find the TMAP for SAP scheme, which deals with this topic, very exciting.

Transfer of the test methodology to the SAP environment

The transfer of test methodologies to the SAP environment requires a specific adaptation to the complexity and integrated nature of the system. It requires a structured testing approach that takes into account the unique challenges of SAP, such as the integration of different modules, the handling of transactions and the need to test both standard functionalities and customer-specific developments.

PRACTICES UP - the SAP test strategy

I am a big fan of easy-to-understand checklists. SAP PRACTICES UP is such a checklist - namely for a robust test strategy. PRACTICES UP is an acronym for those aspects of SAP that should be given special attention in a test strategy: Processes, Reports, Authorizations, Configuration, Transports, Interfaces, Conversions, Enhancements, Screens, User Experience and Platform.

Test data management

A major challenge in SAP is the management of test data. Given the central role that data plays in SAP systems, the provision of relevant, realistic and data protection-compliant test data is essential for carrying out meaningful tests. This requires a well thought-out procedure for generating, managing and maintaining test data. The SAP data classes (Configuration Data, Master Data, Conditional Master Data, Transactional Data, Reporting) are considered and topics such as data security, synthetic data and data selection are addressed.

And the rest

SAP and test automation? SAP and performance testing? SAP and test management tools? Taking a holistic approach to quality in SAP projects is essential for software development and integration projects today. Especially in SAP projects that are so business-critical and risky that good quality is a must.