mission
- Guaranteeing the quality of the entire ecosystem after the S/4 HANA technical and FIORI functional migrations
- Defining the test strategy to minimise the risks identified before and during the migration
- Managing the test case repository for all the applications involved
- Implementing a test repository enabling the selection of scopes adapted to the changes announced (impact analysis)
- Facilitating project decision-making by defining optimal traceability
- Guaranteeing the availability of test environments (SAP Dual Track configuration)
- Support the KUs during the various acceptance test phases (> 100 KUs).
challenges
- Monitoring and control of test environments to ensure smooth UAT phases
- New management of SAP roles in the S/4 HANA system
- Change management for KUs (new test tool and new work interface)
- Management of the different players and different maturities in the field of testing
- Strategic decisions for test automation (e.g. SAP GUI out of scope)
- Considering the many specific developments in non-regression testing
- Technical difficulties in assessing system performance after migration.
success catalysts
- Scope of Itecor's testing expertise (test lifecycle management, automation, performance, etc.)
- Numerous Itecor missions in the context of ERP testing, particularly SAP
- Know-how in the choice of test tools in line with the client context (no tools imposed by default)
- A culture of technology watch in order to advise on the most appropriate solutions
- Itecor's level of independence from the SAP integration teams and quality vision of the system after migration.
context
Our client, a major player in the Canton of Vaud, introduced the SAP solution in the early 2010s to centralise the management of accounting movements carried out by information systems (IS) that interact closely with the financial system. This ecosystem represents annual transaction amounts of > CHF 1 billion and a number of users exceeding 2,000.
In 2023, a wide-ranging SAP Brownfield transformation programme began, with the overall objective of migrating from the SAP GUI fat client with ECC system to a FIORI web interface based on the S/4 HANA system. This programme was broken down into two distinct phases:
- Conversion: moving from the ECC system to S/4 HANA using the SAP conversion engine
- Innovation: replacing the SAP GUI fat client with the FIORI web interface
Our customer’s main objective is to guarantee the operation and quality of the system after conversion. With this in mind, non-regression must be ensured not only for the applications based on the new S/4 HANA – FIORI core, but also for the interactions between the latter and the other SAP systems (CRM and BW), as well as the numerous business applications (web portals, etc.) connected to the SAP platform.
Like an architect in real estate construction, Itecor represents an independent entity in this type of project, constantly questioning the quality of the system by raising the necessary alarms as soon as it deviates from the trajectory desired by the various stakeholders.
approach
Test strategy
- Understanding the Brownfield context and the SAP platform involved (SAP CRM – S/4 HANA – BW).
- Implementation of a strategy based on the core concepts of analysis and risk management and inspired by the SAP Activate methodology.
- Definition of the different test levels required and the Key Users (KUs) involved in each test phase.
- Functional automation strategy
- Performance strategy
- Implementation of the anomaly management workflow
- Key concepts of the strategy that can be reused in other contexts (Support Packs, Hotfixes, etc.)
Test tools
- Selection of suitable tools (according to customer context and Itecor best practice) as early as possible
- Implementation of standards (nomenclature, prerequisites, data management)
- Training of the various stakeholders (workshops, support, etc.)
- Interfacing with the SAP ecosystem (Business Blueprint, SAP Enable Now, etc.)
Test environments
- Close collaboration with the SAP Basis team to guarantee the availability of test environments on the project line (Dual Track system)
- Implementation of automated interface tests and Sanity Checks to identify any unavailability prior to UAT tests by the KUs
- Working closely with the SAP Authorisations team to guarantee appropriate access (roles) to the KUs on the various test environments.
Training & Change management
- Support in training KUs in the new FIORI processes throughout the various test phases
- Support for KUs during each UAT phase
- Planning and identification of resources
- Briefing/debriefing before and after the UAT phases
- Creating and distributing executions to the KUs
- Support in execution, in particular E2E processes involving several KUs, modules/scope items.
Analysis of the test repository and processes to be tested
- Setting up test cases (business scenarios) in close collaboration (analysis, review, validation) with the KUs
- Low level of detail for the test steps so that they can be executed by the majority of players and facilitate the transition to automation
- Particular focus on the management of specific developments in non-regression tests
- Facilitating the industrialisation of test cases using the documentation generated by SAP Enable Now (SEN)
Reporting & Traceability
- Test repository implemented with the aim of enabling impact analysis
- SAP GUI: reference to transactions
- FIORI: reference to apps/scope items
- Implementation of cockpits to enable reporting at different levels
- Anomaly tracking
- Status of execution
- Aggregation of test results across all the applications tested.
benefits & results
- High level of stakeholder confidence before going live
- S/4 HANA migration successfully completed
- No major incidents detected after going live
- Initial project objectives achieved
- Improved decision-making with the implementation of cockpits, reports and confidence indicators
- Test repositories covering the entire ecosystem (SAP + non-SAP applications) reusable for future system upgrades (Support Package Stacks, application deployments, Hotfixes, etc.)
- Implementation of an impact analysis-oriented repository to improve efficiency in the choice of test scope during technical roadmaps (e.g. SPS), bug correction tests or regular roll-outs.
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