Regression testing, along with functional testing, are the two most commonly automated types of software testing. Reportedly, only 27% of testers use automation for other tests.
Unsurprisingly, with its high demand for executing repetitive, rule-based tasks, regression testing can be effectively automated. What benefits can an organization gain with the automation of regression testing? This article will reveal these possibilities to you.
Significant time, resource, and cost savings
First and foremost, regression testing is critical for ensuring high software quality, while omitting regression testing can result in unexpected issues, known as regression defects, which appear after changes are introduced to the software.
At the same time, the amount of manual work required for regression testing, particularly in the case of large and complex software, such as the enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) suite Microsoft Dynamics 365, is excessively high. In this scenario, conducting thorough regression testing by switching to automation is possible, while manual testing costs can be rather difficult to cover.
Automation facilitates regression testing through efficient resource optimization and increased scalability and reusability. While this expands the test coverage, it also shortens the time required for testing, leading to cost savings.
State-of-the-art testing tools like Executive Automats for Microsoft Dynamics 365, although provided for a license fee, can help companies achieve a fast return on investment due to a particularly advanced level of automation covering other functionality such as reporting, as well as a no-code user-friendly interface, further minimizing the need for human supervision.
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Improved test coverage and faster execution
As mentioned above, automation can considerably increase coverage for regression tests. Below are the numerous capabilities of automated regression testing tools that can improve test coverage:
Testing without human supervision
Test automation tools help companies significantly limit human presence during testing, as it is possible to schedule test execution when human testers are unavailable. In the case of specific tools, it is also possible to run automatically triggered regression tests, for example, whenever the software changes.
Parallel execution
To accelerate testing and expand test coverage, organizations can carry out parallel test execution, which enables running multiple simultaneous tests across different configurations and environments.
Repetitive execution
Repetitive test execution is an essential feature of automated testing. Still, it can simplify the work of manual testers who do not have to intervene in repeatedly executed testing tasks.
Data-driven testing
The data-driven testing technique allows organizations to supply test scripts with parameterized data dynamically, which can significantly increase their reusability.
Faster software releases
Whether your organization specializes in software development and offers its products to customers or relies on frequently updated applications for in-house use, the faster regression testing is completed, the sooner end-users can access the software.
Naturally, the ability to conduct many more regression tests in a shorter time with test automation than in the scenario of manual test execution contributes to faster software releases. Additionally, regression test automation helps in early defect detection, minimizing the risk of introducing regression defects in later steps of the cycle and reducing the chances of delays.
Unrealistic expectations about automated regression testing
Automation is a powerful way to improve the efficiency of the testing routine in your company. However, despite its great potential, it is necessary to maintain realistic expectations, which can threaten the regression testing automation effort. In addition to general disappointment, an overestimation of automated regression testing capabilities can hinder ROI.
Complete test coverage and replacement for human testers
As mentioned earlier, automated regression testing can considerably expand test coverage but cannot guarantee organizations’ full test coverage. In most cases, companies will still have to prioritize certain test cases over others, even after automating regression testing.
Tools for automating regression testing can also partially replace human testers, even though the more advanced product you use, the less human intervention will be required.
Open-source tools will automate testing for free.
Although open-source tools are provided without charge, the automation testing effort comes at a cost. Typically, in such cases, companies have to pay for the work of developers who take care of tool implementation, setting up testing infrastructure, monitoring, and optimization. Meanwhile, products without low-code or no-code functionality require more attention from developers who must write code for all test scripts.
Immediate ROI
Depending on the particular needs of your organization and the functionality provided by your testing tool, achieving ROI quite fast is possible. Yet, immediate ROI is not realistic as the initial investment often requires time and effort to achieve productivity gains. To speed up ROI, companies can opt for products with minimal requirements for implementation and no-code interfaces for script creation, but they still should be prepared for financial savings to be generated gradually.
Bottom line
Automated regression testing can optimize the testing routine by reducing required resources, expanding the test scope, and accelerating test execution, contributing to cost savings and shortening time-to-market. While automated regression testing can benefit organizations greatly, it is necessary to avoid widespread unrealistic expectations.
