Having invested in Oracle Applications, a non-banking finance giant faced challenges in regression testing due to the constant stream of Oracle upgrades. Zensoft Services partnered with this client and enabled them to reduce regression testing efforts and costs by 50%, and also minimized business interruptions through test automation.
This is how it happened.
Our client is engaged primarily in the following markets: consumer lending, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) lending, commercial lending, rural lending, fixed deposits, and fee-based product distribution.
The client owns a configured Windows-based LMS application with features like additional disbursement, fixed deposit, PDC addition, part payments, etc. The app is an advanced, comprehensive bank loan management system that aims to improve turnaround time, and the quality of service for end users. It enables companies to improve the agility, transparency, and efficiency of their lending solutions. As a loan management solution, it enables the automation of the processes needed to achieve cost savings and to enhance customer experience.
The client’s loan processing mechanism consists of three layers from a software development and testing perspective:
1. SFDC Layer
Loan processing starts with a customer’s demographic information being filled in the SFDC database. This is counted as a Case Booking, after which a Field Service Officer (FSO) processes the customer data on a self-services portal and generates a Deal Id which is unique for every case booking.
2. ODM and FinnOne CAS processes
The Case Booking information recorded is transferred to an Order Delivery Management (ODM) system wherein product-related information is processed, and to the FinnOne Customer Acquisition System (CAS) wherein customer details and loan formalities are processed. At the end, an Application ID and Customer ID are generated, both of which are unique for each customer. These IDs help track customers and their loan details.
3. Loan Management System (LMS)
The LMS uses Application ID or Customer ID to maintain and identify loan related information like loan amount, loan EMIs, loan tenure, mode of payment, transaction information, etc., based on the loan taken by the customer.
In automating the testing process for this AUT, we chose to start with regression tests. We identified the following test cases to be automated on high priority as regression tests
- Test cases for stories which have frequently had defects
- Test cases for functionalities which have undergone more and/or recent changes
- All complex but stable test cases
Zensoft Services structured a solution that resulted in a 50% reduction in the effort and costs of running regression tests each successive sprint, about 50% reduction in the effort and costs of developing automation regression suite using Qualitia, reduction in the complexity of automation scripts, and minimized business interruptions.
The Zensoft Solution:
- Use a keyword/data/hybrid test automation framework to finalize the right applications for virtualization that would give maximum ROI.
- Provide a data-driven virtualization framework to help build virtual services by using the interface specifications and actual services provided.
- Build custom solutions to handle tool limitations like unsupported message formats and transactions. Implement a support process for virtual service and test data generation to support post deployment processes.
The automation phase included the gathering of data regarding, and understanding the flow of, existing manual test cases, analyzing them from an automation perspective, and developing scripts to automate the required test cases. We also developed integration and system test cases. Throughout the process, the Zensoft team followed best practices like parameterization, creating a common library of utilities, etc.
Zensoft’s automated scripts had the following characteristics:
- Ready for execution across multiple instances and releases
- No manual intervention
- Use of multiple data sets
- Fine-tuned
The Zensoft team provided the client with scripts, of which 90% continue to be used “as is” during multiple releases. Approaching the client’s requirements through a product development driven approach helped the team identify core pain points in the development process. Combining test automation expertise with domain knowledge and business needs, the team was able to truly partner with the client in achieving set goals.
