Introduction to SAP CBTA: 

SAP Component Based Test Automation (SAP CBTA) is new functionality of SAP Solution Manager and the usage right is available for all enterprise support customers.  CBTA helps in creation of test scripts which are modular in nature. The test script created by CBTA can be viewed and edited in SAP TCE (Test Composition Environment of SAP) Solution Manager. 

Overview of SAP CBTA:

A Gartner report states that the need to support faster time-to-market with higher quality will ensure the demand for effective functional test automation tools. For more, a leading research paper on software testing and automation cite that “Increased Automation levels are the major factors that can lead to higher cost efficiencies for any QA and Testing Team. As QA and Testing organizations become more structured in their approach to testing and their use of test automation and accelerators, the cost of quality tends to low.

We can use CBTA to test: ‒

• SAP Gui
• SAP Business Server Pages (BSP)
• SAP CRM web client
• SAP ABAP Webdynpro (native only)
• SAP java webdynpro
• SAP web GUI (for HTML)
• SAP Portal

What are the Advantages of SAP CBTA?

• The major advantage of CBTA is easy to edit of Test Scripts. The Test scripts are divided into Screen Components and Default Components.
• Multiple SUTs can be tested as the information present in the System Data Container
• We can re-used Test Scripts with different Test Data Container
• The checkpoint will be  added while the Test recording to include a validation step
• Test Report shows the results with screenshot

 

The CBTA Test Configuration has associated with the Transaction code in the Business Process Structure maintained in the Project. Thus there is a connection established between the Business Process and Test Scope. Once the Test Scripts are ready in CBTA, Test Plan will be created with the traditional approach of Test Management and we will be able to include the CBTA Test Configuration. Test script execution takes place from SolMan to Managed system and finally, the Test results can be evaluated in the Test Evaluation Phase.

 

CBTA offers the environment to take benefits of Test Automation for SAP GUI and CRM Web UI transactions. Both combination of Solution Manager and CBTA is the ultimate solution where SAP Solution Manager can be used for Test Planning, Test Evaluation and Reporting and CBTA is used to create Test Scripts to automate Testing. CBTA gives a value add to Test Management Methodology of SAP Solution Manager.

As CBTA is well incorporated with SAP Solution Manager, we can use the CBTA Test scripts to Create TBOMs (Technical Bill of Material) for the Transactions. These TBOMs can be used to carry out the Change Impact Analysis for the Business Process.

SAP CBTA Customer Benefits:

Ease of Use:

• With SAP CBAT business analysts can easily create draft test scripts
• Test Engineers can purify automated tests

Powerful:

• Very powerful to separate and central planning of test scripts, test data, systems under test
• Powerful Test automation for end-to-end business processes

Everything Included:

• with SAP Enterprise Support contract, usage rights included for customers
• It is fully integrated with SAP Solution Manager 7.2 via Test Automation Framework

Benefits of SAP Solution Manager:

Lowering Cost:

SAP Solution Manager helps you to make the most of SAP’s support services-significantly lowering total cost of ownership.

Automated Alerts: 

There is no require searching out system error manually; the team will be instantly notified of any issues or errors automatically.

Improved patch and upgrade management: 

Just one system can manage cross-system patch updates and synchronization.

Automated configuration tracking: 

A fully maintained knowledge repository enables users to keep an eye on the track of all configuration changes.

Centralized Management: 

It acts as a central point of control for the whole solution landscape and centralized management for the multi-component projects.

Reduces Administration Effort: 

It helps to real-time monitoring of systems, interfaces and business process which reduce administration effort.

Easy of Integration: 

It integrates with IT landscapes that include both SAP and non-SAP applications.

Faster Return on Investment (ROI):

It accelerates implementation and continuous improvement.  Availability of implementation roadmaps, best practice documents and SAP solution management services speed learning and accelerate project.

What are the CBTA’s Features?

• Extended Computer-Aided Test Tool(ECATT) tests are made of components but most of the time, no coding is required.
• The Script less automation came up to using which non-developers can become automation experts overnight
• Fast repair of damaged test scripts can be composed of reused SAP delivered default components and customer specific screen components
• A Test Composition Environment (TCE) that enables chaining of multiple CBTA scripts to create end-to-end business process test scripts
• CBTA tool script provides low automation mechanism and hence non-developers can be overnight automation specialists
• All available benchmark features (script parameters, repeating, conditionality’s, custom coding)
• Allows the fastest time to market
• Through the aforementioned observations, the CBTA tool can be used to create a Regression Automation Test Suite for any SAP GUI/SAP Web applications and can get maximum benefits in a short period of time.

Why SAP customers are moving to Solution Manager 7.2 Test Suite:

Recently, a lot of our customers are asking why they should move to SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Test Suite and also want to know what are the benefits of adopting Test Suite instead of their existing solutions. Here we will explain the whys and the benefits of using SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Test Suite for managing, testing SAP projects and how to build a Testing Center of Excellence (TCOE).

SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Test Suite covers the entire lifecycle and capabilities of Test Management for SAP and Non-SAP solutions. Below are some of the key areas that you can use SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Test Suite for:

• Manual and Automation Testing
• Test Plan, Test Execution and Analytics
• Test Defect Management
• Test Automation Framework using Component-Based Test Automation (CBTA)
• Test Data Management and SAP TDMS
• Business Process Change Analyzer (BPCA)
• Scope and Effort Analyzer (SEA)
• The SAP Solution Manager integration with HP Quality Center/Application Lifecycle

SAP CBTA Overview

Introduction:

SAP CBTA is Test Automation tool launched by SAP itself with the help of Solution Manager License .

• We use CBTA to record, edit, execute and maintain automated tests. 
• CBTA generates eCATT (extended Computer-Aided Test Tool) Tests. 
• These tests are made of components (most of the times, no coding is required) 
• Components and tests are modular: building blocks approach 
• Integration with Business Blueprint definition (SOLAR)  
• Attach Test Cases to Business process steps.
•  Integration within Test Workbench (TWB) 
• Support of Test Plans, Test packages, scheduling for automated execution. 

Few Salient Features of CBTA:

Below are the few salient features we understood from CBTA tool.

• CBTA tool provides script less automation approach and hence non-developers can become automation experts overnight
• Available all benchmark features (script parameterization, looping, conditions, custom coding,Capturing screenshots..etc)
• Supported UI technologies: 
• SAP GUI, 
• SAP CRM Web Client, 
• ABAP Web Dynpro (SP10), 
• Java Web Dynpro (SP10), 
• SAP NetWeaver Portal (SP10), 
• SAP GUI for HTML (SP10), 
• BSP (SP10) and HTMLB (SP10)

Worksoft Certify-Scriptless Automation by Nilanjan.B

Worksoft Certify from Worksoft is an “automated functional testing platform for SAP”.  What is unique about Worksoft Certify is that users can create automation without any script or code. Worksoft Certify is very tightly integrated with SAP. The alternative to using Worksoft is using tools like HP’s QTP or IBM’s Rational Functional Tester.

The only action that users take when creating automation in Worksoft is to identify the fields used to enter data or user actions, e.g., a checkbox. Note that this is not like the mainstream record and playback technology. The result of such ‘recording’ is a set of steps. Each step has a ‘narrative’. For example, “Input the value ‘OR’ into the order type CtextField”. Note that this is presented in language which can be understood by a non-technical business user.

Worksoft also provides some related products which are interesting.

• Worksoft Data allows users to use data which is very close to actual data. It allows you to copy data from one SAP system to another. They key here is the tight integration with SAP and shielding users from technical details.
•  Worksoft Impact is another key software. One of the challenges in automation is to make sure that the changes in the software don’t ‘break’ the scripts. Worksoft completely avoids this problem. It helps analyze the changes in the implementation and highlights which tests are impacted. It presents the changes in language which can be understood by the end user.

Here is some of the motivation for Worksoft’s approach:

• “You don’t write code to test code”
• Allows business analysts and users to ‘test’ the software
• Avoids the ‘tedium’ of manual testing

Worksoft claims that users can easily automate 80-85% of their manual tests. Software upgrades are completed rapidly, 1-2 days, compared to weeks.

Here are a few more features worth highlighting:

• Worksoft works with SAP on multiple platforms.
• Worksoft Certify can be used from SAP’s Solution manager
• Worksoft Certify can be used along with SAP’s Business Process Change analyzer
• Compared to BPCA Worksoft provides guidance on changes at a higher level.

In the last few years there has been a huge focus on agile development and a focus on automation. In software testing communities testers seem resigned to the fact that automation is an essential skill for testers. The automation I am referring to is using scripting languages like Ruby, Python and tools like Watir, Selenium. Note also that this is probably more prevalent in software product companies, rather than enterprise IT departments. Given this environment, Worksoft has created a unique product which is focused on solving an important business problem. I don’t think this will or can change any of the development and testing practices in other industries. However, testers should be aware of this unique solution.