At one of my previous blogs I have provided tips for creating work instructions during the implementation of an ERP package. Creating good work instructions is not easy, but very important to work successfully with the new system. In addition, as a key user, you must of course also test whether everything works as desired. After all, the software will have to support the process within your department without errors. And no matter how competent and reliable the software supplier and the consultants are, as a key user you must always test whether it works as expected. Error-free.
Since key users are not certified test consultants, these tips will hopefully help in properly testing the processes you are responsible for as a key user. After all, you are not only responsible for work instructions but also for proper testing of the ERP software.
Describe in advance what you want to test
Make a list in advance of the different scenarios you want to test. Do so in a structured way. All possible variations must be covered. Then describe the different steps for each scenario. Keep the desired process in mind each time. And not the process in the current package, which is going to be replaced after all. However, do not test all exceptions. There will always be exceptions, not all of them can be automated.
Describe in advance the expected outcome
Describing the expected result in advance forces you to think about it. If you do not do this and only look at the result in the software, you will quickly tend to reason toward this result and accept the result.
Start with clean data
Start each test scenario again from scratch. And test with newly entered data. During an implementation a lot of test data is generated. And because the knowledge level, especially in the beginning, is not yet high and over time the setup changes here and there, there will be a lot of contaminated data.
Also test on the edges
When testing, make sure you test a number of exceptions. The price of an item can be €1, but it can also be €1,000. And can the system handle this. And what if you order 1,000 of these items? Then how does it appear on the purchase order? Do these amounts fit on it?
But real
Do test realistically. If you never order 1 billion items with a combined value of 1,000 billion you don't need to test for this. Also, don't deliberately look for errors or imperfections. You may have a chance of finding something, but also consider whether the this situation ever occurs.
Check the mutual processes
It is precisely the integral aspect of an ERP package that requires you to also look beyond the processes and test whether the next step in the process still works well. Every adjustment (setup or software) in one step can affect the next step. So test this in consultation with your fellow key users.
Keep the above tips in mind when testing, it will help you.
Peter Gerhardt is Senior Lead Consultant Logistics at Dysel and helps customers achieve maximum results with its business software.
