Lesson 1 of 6
What the tool is
10 min
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SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition is upgraded by SAP on SAP's schedule, twice a year, for every customer. That makes regression testing a recurring, non-negotiable event, and SAP ships a tool for it inside the product: the Test Automation Tool. It is embedded in the Public Edition, it comes with preconfigured automated tests for standard processes, and it runs them through the real user interface with virtual test users. This course explains how to use it well and how it fits with SAP Cloud ALM. Contoso's examples here are a what-if, explained below: its real program runs on Private Edition. (SAP now also markets Public Edition as SAP Cloud ERP; the product and the tool are the same.)
What it is, in SAP's words
SAP Learning describes the Test Automation Tool as embedded in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition and supporting automated business process testing. It performs test steps through a simulated user interface, logged on as authenticated virtual test users, so an automated test exercises the same apps, roles and business logic a person would. Behind it, SAP describes a test execution service that runs the automates; you do not install or host anything.
The building blocks
- Test processes and automates: preconfigured automated tests for standard business processes. SAP aligns them with the manual test scripts in SAP Signavio Process Navigator, so the automate and the manual script describe the same process.
- Custom automates: copies of standard automates adapted to your configuration and extensions, or new ones for your own flows.
- Virtual test users: the identities automates log on as, with business roles that match your design.
- Test plans: an ordered selection of test processes, with data variants, that you execute.
- Results: dashboards with step-level details and screenshots, analyzed in a dedicated app.
The apps you will use
| App | What you do there |
|---|---|
| Test Your Processes | Create virtual test users, build and execute test plans, and give SAP consent to run post-upgrade tests. |
| Manage Your Test Processes | Work with the test process automates themselves: view standard ones, copy and adapt them for your processes. |
| Analyze Automated Test Results | Dashboards of results from post-upgrade and customer tests; drill into failed steps and screenshots. |
Core apps of the Test Automation Tool. App names and layouts can change between releases; check the current help for your release.
What it is not
It is not a general-purpose browser automation framework, and it is not the tool for SAP S/4HANA Private Edition or on-premise systems. It does not replace test management: plans, manual tests, defects and sign-off evidence across the whole project belong in SAP Cloud ALM, which can show the tool's results next to manual test plans. And it does not remove the need to think: an automate only checks what it was built to check, in the data and roles you give it.
| Question | Test Automation Tool | SAP Cloud ALM |
|---|---|---|
| Where does it run? | Embedded in Public Edition; execution service run by SAP | SaaS ALM platform for the whole project |
| What does it hold? | Automates, test users, test plans, run results | Requirements, processes, manual and automated test cases, plans, defects |
| Who uses it daily? | Configuration experts and automation owners | Test lead, testers, process owners, PMO |
| Sign-off role | Produces automated evidence | Consolidates evidence and readiness |
What would you do?
In the what-if evaluation, Grace reads that the Test Automation Tool "comes with preconfigured automated tests" and asks Priya whether Contoso could skip building any regression suite of its own if it chose Public Edition. What should Priya answer?
- The Test Automation Tool is embedded in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition; SAP runs the execution service.
- Automates run through a simulated UI as authenticated virtual test users.
- Standard automates align with Signavio Process Navigator test scripts.
- Key apps: Test Your Processes, Manage Your Test Processes, Analyze Automated Test Results.
- Cloud ALM remains the place for overall test management and shows automated results alongside manual plans.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Where does the Test Automation Tool run?
2. How do automates execute test steps?
3. Which app is used to create virtual test users and test plans?
4. Standard automates are aligned with which SAP content?