SaaS Testing: Tips & Best Practice

What is SaaS Testing?

Various bugs during SaaS development can impact the solution’s performance and hinder it from meeting its objectives. Testing helps to verify software quality and ensure it can reach its full potential.

The process of running test cases on a web-based or on-demand software system is known as SaaS testing. Load testing SaaS is distinct from testing on-premise applications since SaaS-based application testing tools rely on web application testing approaches and necessitate browser access.

Here are some reasons why you ought to test SaaS products:

• First, to guarantee simple fault recovery.

• The enhancement of availability, scalability, and dependability.

• The lowering system depends on itself.

• Flexibility in both pricing and scale.

• Increased accessibility leads to quicker deployment.

• Customers can easily upgrade and update.

• Cost savings for software maintenance.

Businesses increasingly resort to cloud computing and software delivery via SaaS models in today's competitive market. The primary reasons for this are its advantages, such as "on-demand service" and "pay per usage."

It would help if you now had a fundamental understanding of load testing SaaS and what it offers. To put it into practice, you must be familiar with the many kinds of SaaS product testing. 

SaaS vs. Traditional testing:

Although the SaaS application testing approach is similar to traditional testing, SaaS is considered more complex. Consider the following factors to back up this assertion:

• Products are delivered at a much faster rate, so 'Quality Assurance' becomes an issue.

• Dealing with configurable and non-configurable components of SaaS applications necessitates extensive business and domain knowledge.

• SaaS application testers must undergo extensive testing for users to reap the full benefits of such applications.

• The test environment should support automatic application deployment, execution, and validation.

SaaS testing has several advantages over traditional testing, including:

• The cost of application maintenance and upgrade is lower.

• Because there is less risk involved, there is a greater emphasis on adopting new innovative ideas.

• Pay as you go.

• Direct internet access without the need for software installation.

1. Testing Environment

Fewer bugs will be missed because of this process. SaaS application testing should be done in staging before the official launch. The SaaS testing experts can assess the software's functionality, security, usability, and performance in the staging environment while the production environment is kept protected.

2. Check On the Security Concerns

Software-as-a-service applications, be they a video editor or influencer marketing tools, must undergo extensive security testing to determine if they are guarded against online attacks and vulnerabilities. A rigorous SaaS testing approach creates complex test cases, increases test coverage, and identifies all application defects.

SaaS providers legally and morally assume responsibility for storing essential client data. Any security lapse might lead to the company's demise. Any significant web exploits must be known about, tested for, and patched by the QA team.

3. Automation

A balanced mix of automated and manual SaaS testing is required to meet strict deadlines, quickly confirm product functionality, and achieve the required test coverage. The return on investment from load testing SaaS operations is maximized. For example, lengthy, repetitive, and data-intensive jobs should be tested automatically. On the other hand, the usability, backup, and penetration tests should also be manually tested.

SaaS QA teams need a lot of automation to work well. Performance, GUI automation, SOA interfaces, and key application interfaces' functional tests are covered. It is critical to have a solid practical base that can expand to accommodate expanding automation requirements.

4. Service virtualization

There are several external system components in the software as a service environment. It is essential to mimic dependencies and automate testing to keep the SaaS application running smoothly while the external system components are not accessible. SaaS testing tips performance, API, and functionality to confirm potential changes and configurations is crucial when using service virtualization.

There are essential requirements for data integration as SaaS software is installed behind the firewall for most enterprise applications. Most SaaS products contain a WS layer that enables other parties to be integrated. It is a blessing in disguise because it offers QA a simple interface for SaaS testing necessary business functionality through an automatable interface.

5. Prepare an Appropriate Test Plan

 The planning phase covers the formalization of all information gathered, such as a project plan, specifications, staff, and so on, into the technical specifications required by the developers.

Tips and Tricks for SaaS Testing

1. Business Workflows

Business workflow SaaS testing is essential and significant in any application. Every user will frequently encounter business workflow scenarios in which they must complete their job.

Every SaaS application is examined for its capacity to manage corporate operations and other essential features. Understanding the program's configurable and non-configurable components will help you make the most of them. The business workflows must be gathered, and test cases must be created. You must run these test cases for each release to ensure that the scenarios function correctly.

2. Performance

The most crucial aspect of SaaS applications is performance. First, the business workflows and each module should be performance tested together. Then, when the application is heavily used, it should be scalable. To do this, you must plan your capacity and develop a strategy. After that, you must conduct performance testing regularly. It will guarantee that new releases will keep the application's response time during periods of high usage.

Developing thorough performance testing skills is crucial to guarantee the desired results. The test must consider every factor influencing the application's agility, reactivity, and stability. Performance testing for upcoming apps and websites could be done more efficiently with tools like BrowserStack and Apache JMeter.

3. Availability

Because the SaaS application is deployed to the cloud, it is essential to ensure that it is always up and accessible to customers. Use Pingdom, Newrelic, and other application monitoring tools to keep a watch on this. These tools will frequently inform you of any bugs with accessing the application, depending on how the alerts are configured.

4. Interoperability

Every SaaS application ought to function flawlessly across various platforms and situations. Thus the on-premises applications will only be used by users in the exact location. We must test the program in often utilized settings to ensure clients have a better user experience.

SaaS Testing Tools

SaaS testing methods consider the application's security and fundamental testing elements such as functional, performance, and unit testing. Let's look at some SaaS testing tools quickly:

1) PractiTest

This testing tool provides end-to-end test solutions while giving users control over their development and testing processes. The following are the main features of this testing tool:

• Ensures communication at all levels of organizations

• Provides methods for managing projects, testing processes, and information. 

• Provides project status at all times.

• Manages communication with other stakeholders.

2) qTest

It is a cloud-based test management tool businesses use to improve communication and provide scalable test management solutions. This testing tool's main features are as follows:

• Simple to learn and use to help teams in different locations coordinate.

• Enables you to add notes and notations and create a detailed defect sheet.

• There is a free trial as well as an easy sharing option.

• You can use this tool to plan and manage a project schedule, test case documentation, defect sheets, test cases, and test results.

• A dashboard displays project progress, queries, and relevant reports.

3) QMetry

This tool acts as a bridge between project requirements and test cases, and defects. It ensures complete coverage of project progress and traceability. The following are some of its characteristics:

• Allows the reuse of older test cases if requirements change from time to time.

• The results and status of the test cases can be recorded during test case execution.

• The execution page can edit the test cases in real time if necessary.

• It also handles flaws through the use of a link. Every previously logged issue for a specific test case is easily accessible. It helps to avoid defect logging duplication.

Conclusion

The SaaS application trend has accelerated significant developments in the dynamic field of quality assurance. As it treats the platform experience and user base as a testing entity rather than merely the application's functionality, it has introduced an additional layer of attention to quality assurance. Only great SaaS quality assurance can serve as your secret weapon in this situation.

The quality and robustness of your SaaS goods or apps are determined by how rigorously your SaaS products are tested. High-quality testing will help you differentiate yourself from the competition and position your business as a market leader. As a result, testing your SaaS product on numerous aspects becomes crucial before launching it. We hope this will be useful to you when you plan to release your SaaS solution.