How Automated Test Framework reduces bottlenecks related to upgrades

Automated Test Framework reduces bottlenecks related to upgrades by reducing manual testing significantly, with minimal business impact and hastens development efficiency.

Any change to ServiceNow applications or functionality which may be caused by internal development or external upgrades needs thorough testing. It is not just new functionality that needs to be tested, it’s regression testing that’s causing the biggest pain in quality delivery. Ignoring such tests may result in a bug that is pushed into production and could have incremental consequences for ServiceNow users.

ServiceNow produces a major upgrade that improves the application and adds new functionality. Although these upgrades offer great benefits, they also come with a drawback and require thorough testing. It takes about two to four weeks to verify a major upgrade. Almost half of the time is spent on manual testing.

Automated Test Framework (ATF) is an in-built application of ServiceNow which helps to overcome the challenges of testing in time for release, ensuring quality delivery at speed.

Automated Test Framework (ATF)

ATF is a ServiceNow application to automate tests performed to verify applications, customization or configurations. ATF enables users to use ServiceNow platform for creating and running automated tests. It is extremely helpful running big scenarios which takes lots of time while executing them manually. ATF can provide functional testing and regression testing across the Now platform.

ATF is used for verification or validation of application’s functionality, testing end to end scenarios, server-side scripting test and many more. It is a tool which helps to create and run the tests to confirm that the functionality works as designed.

ATF provides modules to create and run automated tests and modules to schedule tests, create suites and many more.

ATF can be used to test:

• Application Navigator
• Custom UI
• Forms
• Forms in Service Portal
• Service Catalog
• Service Catalog in Service Portal
• Server
• Rest

Benefits of ATF

• Enables to reuse same tests for any upgrade or modification in instance.
• ATF replaces manual testing with automated testing.
• Guarantees a stable and quality product.
• Keeps the instances clean by rolling back test data and changes made after each test run.
• Enables to create test templates with a predefined list of steps and use it for required scenarios which reduces the development time.
• Doesn’t depend on the user interface changes.
• Creates custom test steps to expand test coverage.

We at Coforge are utilizing these Automated Test Framework features for ServiceNow testing to validate all configurations and customizations with every change/update/upgrade to reduce manual errors resulting in better quality output and business satisfaction.

This has improved our quality of delivery and improved CSAT from customers as they are more confident around the changes happening in and around ServiceNow platform.