Microsoft Dynamics 365 is one of the most popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) tools used by organizations seeking to optimize their operations. The tradeoff of its powerful functionality and continuous updates is the need for regular testing. Given the complexity of this software and the frequency of its updates, managing testing manually is hardly possible.
To support its users, Microsoft has developed RSAT, a test automation solution provided free of charge. However, due to its limitations, testing tools developed by other teams, including Executive Automats, are also quite popular.
Microsoft RSAT
RSAT stands for Regression Suite Automated Testing and, as the name suggests, this solution focuses on regression testing.
Microsoft designed its RSAT solution to simplify test creation by easily converting business tasks, first recorded through the Task Recorder used in Microsoft Dynamics 365, into testing scripts. For convenience and easy management, RSAT stores test parameters separately from test steps in Microsoft Excel. Teams can easily integrate RSAT with Microsoft Azure DevOps for test execution, reporting, and monitoring.
RSAT is provided free of charge to users of Microsoft Dynamics 365. However, it is crucial to note that this test automation solution can only be used for testing the financial and supply chain applications within the ERP system. Meanwhile, many other solutions included in Microsoft Dynamics 365 would also benefit from regression testing.
Additionally, the functionality of RSAT is limited to regression testing based on unit testing, data integration testing, and user acceptance testing.
Besides its limited scope, RSAT is not particularly user-friendly. While it simplifies test script creation, its setup, configuration, and maintenance are often found quite challenging by many users.
Selenium
The narrow functionality of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the effort and knowledge required for its operation make many teams look for other solutions. Selenium is a natural choice for many, as it offers much broader functionality.
First, Selenium can be used to automate testing of any module of Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM. Additionally, Selenium is highly versatile and can automate various types of testing, including performance testing. It can also handle related tasks such as report generation, which is crucial for monitoring applications that may be impacted by changes in the ERP and CRM suite.
Like RSAT, Selenium is provided completely free of charge, making it particularly appealing to companies relying on Microsoft Dynamics 365. However, like RSAT, this tool is also not very user-friendly. It requires advanced technical skills to build the test infrastructure. Among the knowledge you may need to successfully utilize Selenium are:
- Proficiency in one of the programming languages supported by Selenium, such as Python, Java, or C#, including a good understanding of advanced concepts like data structures and exception handling.
- Knowledge of Selenium, including both fundamental and advanced concepts such as the WebDriver API, locators, browser interactions, and synchronization;
- A good understanding of testing frameworks that are commonly used with Selenium. The choice of framework will depend on the programming language you use with Selenium. For example, TestNG and JUnit are popular Java frameworks.
The high level of professional programming knowledge required for using Selenium is one of the major downsides of this test automation solution. On one hand, experienced programmers can build a powerful testing infrastructure based on Selenium tailored to unique testing needs, covering not only Microsoft Dynamics 365 but also other applications. On the other hand, this comes with a significant cost of development services, which either have to be outsourced or managed in-house. As a result, despite its initially free distribution, using Selenium for automated testing of Microsoft Dynamics 365 may require a substantial investment.
Executive Automats
Executive Automats is an example of a leading proprietary test automation tool developed specifically for testing Microsoft Dynamics 365. While this software is available for a fee, it is the primary investment required for its usage. Executive Automats is designed to be particularly user-friendly, which means it can be easily used for testing after a short installation process without the need to establish and maintain an advanced infrastructure.
Furthermore, Executive Automats allows users to create test scripts without advanced programming knowledge, as it is designed as a no-code solution. As a result, Executive Automats can be used by employees with varying levels of technical knowledge, helping companies save significant amounts on professional developer services.
Additionally, Executive Automats offers broader functionality, covering not only regression testing but also performance testing. The tool is compatible with all applications within the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM suite.
Bottom Line
The ERP applications within the Microsoft Dynamics 365 suite can be tested automatically using Microsoft’s official solution, RSAT. However, its limited functionality often leads many teams to seek other solutions. One popular alternative is Selenium, which can be used for various testing tasks for free and allows developers to build a robust and multifunctional test infrastructure. However, the complexity of this solution can lead to reliance on costly professional developer services. Thus, despite Selenium’s open-source nature, its use can still be associated with high costs.
In contrast, products like Executive Automats, although fee-based, are optimized for the diverse testing needs of the entire Microsoft Dynamics 365 suite and offer a seamless, user-friendly experience.