There are multiple aspects to an ERP system. Therefore, testing ERP software requires you to take different stances and approach it in many ways. Naturally, there are different ERP Testing Types you can use to test an ERP system.
Some small systems might not require comprehensive testing while some other ERPs may need multiple rounds of testing to ensure they meet their requirements.
In any case, it becomes crucial to understand the different types of testing we can perform while testing an ERP system. And in this blog, we are going to cover a few of them.
So, let’s get started!
What is ERP Testing?
An ERP system consists of a complex integration of various business functions and processes. Therefore, ERP Testing covers all the scenarios that can exist in an ERP environment.
Check out our ultimate guide to ERP testing if you want to know more.
Different ERP Testing Types
1. Functional Testing
Functional testing ensures all the ERP modules work as required. The different models can include inventory, finance, CRM, etc.
For instance, testing the “Create Purchase Order” function in the procurement module. This involves verifying if entering item details, selecting suppliers, and generating purchase orders work correctly.
2. Performance Testing
Performance testing assesses how an ERP system handles different scenarios regarding workload and data volume.
One example would be to simulate a high number of users creating sales orders simultaneously to see if the system responds within acceptable timeframes.
3. Security Testing
Security testing safeguards data, transactions, and user access within the ERP system. Since an ERP system can contain data related to different stakeholders and people, it is crucial to safeguard their data through implementing tougher security protocols.
For example, testing user authentication processes (logins with strong passwords) and data encryption to prevent unauthorized access.
4. Regression Testing
Regression testing is important for testing ERP systems and other systems. It ensures existing functionalities continue to work after system updates or modifications.
After adding a new feature to the customer management module, regression testing verifies if existing functionalities like searching for customer information still work correctly.
5. Acceptance Testing (UAT)
User Acceptance Testing involves end-users verifying if the ERP system meets their needs and is user-friendly.
Let us suppose the sales team is creating sales quotes, managing customer accounts, and generating reports within the ERP system to ensure it fulfills their daily tasks.
After the system is ready for the team to use, they’ll go over the system and use it in the real world to know whether it functions well or not, which is an example of UAT.
6. Usability Testing
Usability testing evaluates whether the UI is usable or not. It also covers aspects of User Experience such as readability, colors, learnability. This evaluates the user interface’s ease of use and learnability.
Testing if the navigation menus are clear, data entry screens are intuitive, and users can easily find the functionalities they need.
7. Smoke Testing
Smoke Testing is a quick initial test to ensure critical functions work before starting a more in-depth testing.
For example, one example of smoke testing is to verify whether users can log in successfully, access the main dashboard, and launch core modules.
8. Scalability Testing
Scalability Testing evaluates to see if the ERP system can accommodate future growth in data or user base.
To test for scalability, we can simulate a scenario where user data increases significantly to see if the system maintains performance and stability.
Final Words on ERP Testing Tyepes
ERP systems act as the backbone for almost all organizations that implement them. Thorough testing of an ERP testing, therefore, becomes critical before you deploy the system.
We looked at 8 of the most prominent types of ERP testing in this blog and while all these testing might not be required for all the systems; you can still implement them to ensure a smooth functioning of your ERP systems.
One thing to remember is that the type of testing you prioritize largely depends on the specific ERP system that you need and what your business requirements are.
Having said that, a comprehensive testing does incorporate all types of ERP testing to ensure a successful ERP implementation.
If you want to QA your ERP systems, contact us today.
