Test Automation Framework

 Why Automation?
 In order to keep up with the pace of product development and delivery it is essential to implement an effective, reusable test automation framework.

 What is Test Automation Framework? The test automation framework is an execution environment for automated tests. It is the overall system in which our tests will be automated & executed. The development of this framework requires completely different technical skills than those needed for test design.

 The essential guiding principles we should follow when developing our overall test strategy (or evaluating the test strategy of a tool we wish to consider):
• The test design and the test framework are totally separate entities.
• The test framework should be application-independent.
• The test framework must be easy to expand, maintain, and perpetuate.
• The test strategy/design vocabulary should be framework independent.
• The test strategy/design should isolate testers from the complexities of the test framework.

 "We should focus our automation framework to deal with the common components that make up our unique applications." Keyword or Table Driven Test Automation:
 Once they learn or can reference this simple vocabulary, testers can start designing tests without knowing anything about the automation tool used to execute them. Another advantage of the keyword driven approach is that testers can develop tests without a functioning application as long as preliminary requirements or designs can be determined. All the tester needs is a fairly reliable definition of what the interface and functional flow is expected to be like. From this they can write most, if not all, of the data table test records. We do not need the application to construct any login tests. All we have to know is that we will have a login form of some kind that will accept a user ID, a password, and contain a button or two to submit or cancel the request. A quick discussion with development can confirm or modify our determinations. We can then complete the test table and move on to another.

 To accomplish this, we are essentially writing enhancements to many of the component functions already provided by the automation tool:
 such as error correction, prevention, and enhanced synchronization. Fortunately, this heavy, initial investment is mostly a one-shot deal. Once in place, keyword driven automation is arguably the easiest of the data driven frameworks to maintain and perpetuate providing the greatest potential for long-term success.
 Keyword-Driven framework was implemented using the QTP, VB6, MS-Excel and OLE Automation Techniques. Automation Framework Highlights:
 Key-word Driven Framework approach, independent of Test Case & Test data resulting in higher scalability and lower maintenance i.e. execution of the script is controlled by the key-word & respective data configured in the data table
 No data hard coded in the script
 No piece of code replicated in the framework thus giving high reusability and reduced maintenance time & effort
 Usage of Shared object repository reduces the script maintenance whenever the UI changes. Each script has its own shared object repository.
 Use of Descriptive Programming techniques to mitigate the issue of changing object properties & object type thus optimizing the usage of object repository and reducing the chance of script failures during execution.
 Add\update test cases with zero scripting efforts. Hence automated test coverage can be increased with minimal efforts
  Reporting of Automated results in a customized excel file, with screenshots for the failed test cases
  QTP application set up & machine set up by executing only one vbs file (EnvironmentSetup.vbs). Hence different scripts can be executed simultaneously on different machines reducing the execution time & effort ITP_Counsellink Script
  This script performs the integration of all the previously mentioned scripts.
  It has no piece of code of its own
  This script creates a master data table based on the integration of all the above mentioned scripts.
  Multiple copies of master data table can be created, each having its own set of data configured in their respective tabs
  The integration of scripts enables automation of end-to-end scenario as given below Start à Create Fee Structure (Any Fee Structure) à Offer fees (Law Firm\Corporate User) à Create Matter à Assign Matter à Budgeting (Any user) à Staffing (Any user) à Sub-K Assignment à Create invoice (Sub-k\ Portfolio firm) à Verify numbers showing up on the invoice (Any user) à Report Results in Excel file à Stop
 End-to-end automation of the above mentioned scenario is already accomplished and executed in QAO environment

 Any valid combination of above features can be automated using the ITP script