Retail businesses must constantly deliver and implement new services and features to meet the changing needs of their customers. And even a minor application glitch can adversely affect the business if it impacts the user or customer experience. Therefore, simply relying on software testing alone wouldn’t be enough to cover a large area quickly and efficiently. And this is precisely where automation testing comes in. A streamlined test automation process can prevent risks related to data and security standards violations and handle large volumes and various test scenarios. As a result, retail companies can catalyze growth and sustainability while managing risks.

Intrinsic Value of Quality Assurance

The retail management system is a highly dynamic platform that encompasses various applications to manage front-end tasks such as websites, mobile devices, POS, and social media, as well as back-end tasks, including inventory, product management, finance & accounts, sales, deliveries cycles, workforce, customer relationships, and more.

Statistically speaking, e-commerce now accounts for 75% of total sales. This means that retail management systems need to be top-notch in terms of quality, functionality, and performance. To ensure that these systems work seamlessly in physical and online stores, testing them for quality assurance is important. By scrutinizing the interconnected functionalities and customer-facing applications, testing can help identify complexities and ensure interoperability. Furthermore, automating quality assurance procedures, such as functional, integration, performance, and security testing, can help ease the workload of manual testers who deal with increasing test volumes. Ultimately, ensuring quality can lead to a better customer experience and speed up the deployment pipeline to deliver a fault-free system.

Test Automation Solutions for Retail Management Systems

Omni-Channel Deployment

With the advent of digital transformation in the retail sector, products, and services are now being delivered through various channels and touchpoints, utilizing technological advancements such as IoT, chatbots, and voice bots. As a result, it is crucial to meet customer expectations seamlessly across all channels and platforms. However, testing on multiple devices with different operating systems and bandwidth simulations can be challenging. This is where test automation for retail comes in, ensuring unified performance across all platforms. Using emulator combinations, automation testing can quickly mitigate quality risks and validate application behavior on various platforms.

Cutting-edge UI/UX Design

Today’s customers have zero tolerance for brands with poor app/website user experience, unreliable payment gateways, and outdated technology. This highlights the need for continuous testing of digital offerings at regular intervals to stay relevant. Automated testing offers benefits such as UI and visual component validation, ensuring data integrity, and providing a smooth customer experience across various devices and channels.

Quick Feedback

You can receive instant feedback on your code by using an automation testing service to create a regression suite and execute it on the test environment. This reduces the turnaround time significantly and allows for more informed decisions on deploying production code. Additionally, analyzing customer feedback is crucial for understanding customer satisfaction and recommendations from peers. Retail brands can use this information to improve product quality and enhance the customer experience.

Low-Cost Speed Enhancement

Retail brands strive to offer a distinctive customer experience by frequently updating and launching applications on digital platforms. Test automation for retail enables repeated testing across multiple devices throughout the entire software development cycle. These reiterated automated tests increase speed and ensure steep savings in testing activities. This, in turn, can help retailers accelerate their market releases and stay ahead of the competition while retaining market share and customer loyalty.

Integration with Third-Party Applications

In order to scale up operations, retail brands support integration across many systems and sub-systems, including user interfaces, payment gateways, third-party APIs, data warehouses, social media integration, and more. To ensure seamless integration of these technologies, developers conduct testing using existing components, allowing for faster coverage of end-to-end use scenarios. This helps prevent any interruptions in the process.

Security Enhancement

Retail businesses are at risk of security threats due to their use of mobile payment gateway solutions, POS applications, and credit card mobile apps. Such threats can shake customers’ trust in the brand and result in negative experiences. To prevent personal information breaches, it is important for retail brands to adhere to ethical practices and align with their customers’ values and beliefs. One solution to prevent breaches is through test automation for retail. This involves profiling, authentication, and encryption of applications to increase security checks and mitigate sensitive data breach issues. By implementing automation testing, businesses can ensure the safety of their customers’ information.

Error Detection Accuracy in Retail

Test automation is a powerful tool in retail for detecting bugs with great accuracy. This method supports the agile and iterative quality assurance model, allowing for earlier recording and detection of errors in the development cycle – a process known as “shifting left.” This approach enables retail businesses to accelerate their go-to-market strategies while meeting customer quality expectations and improving their overall experience.

Precision is Key

In order to become a top retail brand, accuracy is crucial. Machines are able to follow each step with precision, resulting in quick and precise outcomes regardless of how many times the process is repeated. In contrast to human workers, machines do not get tired or commit mistakes. This results in minimizing errors or ensuring error-free applications, which ultimately leads to an improved customer experience. An enhanced user experience can, therefore, make a significant difference to your brand’s reputation.

Conclusion

Test automation is essential in the fast-paced retail industry to keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape. As digital technologies continue to evolve, the retail sector requires constant innovation, meaning new features must be tested, implemented, and deployed as quickly as possible. This allows for faster and more seamless rollouts of updates and improvements.

If you seek to reach new heights in the retail industry, it’s important to partner with an experienced test automation service provider who can understand the importance of conducting tests consistently and efficiently across diverse technological platforms and devices. Leading service providers can help develop a comprehensive Test Automation strategy and test automation solutions that help deliver accurate and reliable results while saving time and costs. That will further accelerate your time to market and ensure profitability in the competitive retail market.

The post How Automation Testing Empowers Retail Success? appeared first on ImpactQA.

Numerous day-to-day reports and data accumulation in the form of repositories need to be managed. Therefore, the aim is to have a smooth system that delivers an easy and uniform flow of information under clearly defined codes and procedures.

Testing plays a vital role in ensuring a successful ERP system implementation, with continuous system testing helping spot loopholes and providing quality delivery throughout the business processes.

This article will highlight the importance of resolving loopholes in manufacturing ERP software and ways to maintain error-free operations.

Why do you need ERP Manufacturing Software?

Many small businesses may not require a robust ERP system at the beginning of their operations, but as the size of the organization grows, and more stakeholders come into the picture, implementing an ERP system becomes inevitable.

The global market for ERP software has bolstered with both SMEs and established organizations valuing its true potential. By 2025, the size of the global ERP software market is projected to reach $70.3 billion, growing at a market growth rate of 10.5% CAGR. In addition, the report highlights the rising demand for ERP software in the manufacturing industry, claiming a prominent share.

Here are six reasons you should consider using a new ERP manufacturing software:

1. Centralize Data

The ability to manage all your business processes from a single centralized digital platform is one of the significant benefits of an ERP for a manufacturing enterprise. Looking at the size of an enterprise, most manufacturers have subdivided processes that include manufacturing, accounting, shipping, financials, human resources and more.

Businesses manage many functions separately, which are likely exposed to many challenges that include data errors, duplication of functions, miscommunication etc. All these issues can be curbed with an efficient ERP solution in place.

2. Real-time Project Tracking

Real-time inventory tracking is one issue that most manufacturers need help with. A few major consequences of this can be higher expenses, insufficient storage space due to excess inventory, and low productivity due to inadequate inventory.

A solid and well-established ERP system allows managers to have a grip over these functions and monitor the progress of any project in hand, all in one place. Issues like delays in deliveries and urgent product requirements can be addressed immediately, along with reliable analytical reports from real-time data management.

3. Better Budgeting

Cost reduction is one of the most significant critical drivers for adopting a new ERP solution. After successfully implementing an ERP system within your organization, you get updated and real-time records of your operational systems’ functioning, reducing your administrative cost significantly.

4. Improved Productivity

A well-established and integrated ERP system helps your enterprise to eliminate redundant processes that can be easily handled by automated software. Strategies that can take forever to be accomplished otherwise. It covers regular tasks like generating reports, maintaining inventory, employee timesheet tracking, etc., that are simplified daily, ultimately resulting in improved productivity.

5. Better Client Handling

ERP systems allow your sales teams to analyze the shifting interests of your clients more holistically which can help you build better sales strategies for improved lead generation. Furthermore, it allows your teams to keep your clients in the loop with the progress of your project in hand with updated real-time data shared at equal intervals.

6. Better Features

With the ever-changing digital transformations in place, ERP solutions come with the latest technologies and updated software systems customized for the individual needs of your customers – another strong reason for you to opt for and implement an ERP system. Examples include Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analytics (DA), and the Internet of Things (IoT), all integrated to deliver the necessary ease of business required in your organization.

Typical Errors in Manufacturing ERP Software

Now that you know a few of the numerous reasons you require implementing a new ERP system in your business operations, let’s look at some of the most typical ERP implementation pitfalls that every manufacturing company must avoid.

1. Inaccurate Planning

As mentioned a couple of times in the above sections, inaccurate requirements gathering, and no proper planning can result in a total failure of your ERP implementation. Noting that one of the essential ingredients of a successful ERP implementation is automation, the fact that its effectiveness depends majorly on the processes it automates cannot be overlooked. Automation in itself comes with many challenges that need to be addressed. Therefore, automating an outdated and inefficient process makes it run faster and improves your overall efficiency.

2. Ignoring the End-Users from the Decision-Making Process

It is important to note that the significant end-users of your ERP system are not just the C-level executives but the rest of the organization as well. Ignoring taking appropriate input from all these executives can lead to misunderstanding and operational complications. Departments like finance, operations, manufacturing and warehouses need to be looped into an organizational-level change like this to ensure an easy and smooth transition.

A smooth and effective change management system is the key here. Making a list of all employees affected by this change and ensuring proper hands-on training are all essential parts of this system. The change must be managed in three vital organizational areas: people, process and technology. The people factor here requires intensive planning, strategizing and execution to avoid last-minute failures.

3. Inadequate Budgeting

Enterprises often need to pay more attention to the overall cost of planning, strategizing and executing a big move as ERP implementation into their organization. It’s not just the cost of implementation but the after-training and maintenance costs that can take a toll on your overall project budgeting if not calculated comprehensively. The major blunder organizations make by trying to achieve more with fewer or inadequate resources end in total project failures.

4. Go Live in One Go

Many technical experts still believe implementing an ERP system is more like a traditional waterfall model. On the contrary, the need to incorporate a more agile implementation system with modern technological solutions must be understood here. An ERP system is complex, and it may be challenging to determine all the implementation requirements in one go. Moreover, customizing, integrating, and training also takes time and close monitoring. Taking baby steps along with a reliable ERP implementation service provider is the key to this journey.

5. No Maintenance Plan

Implementing an ERP solution is part of the system, and responding to user-escalated issues and fixes is another. A proper maintenance plan that includes a customer success team that occasionally addresses your employees’ problems is necessary to help improve the system to a level that suits every element of your business processes.

Solve ERP Implementation Challenges

Here are a few ways to dodge ERP implementation errors without dropping into the pit of failure.

Properly Define ERP Implementation Objectives

To analyze the before and after effects of implementing ERP, an organization must specify why it wants to do so. Typical ERP implementation goals include things like:

• Streamlining procedures
• Faster cycle times
• Lessening manual labor
• Lowering costs
• Boosting effectiveness

Precise User Participation & Training

Management and staff must participate actively in the training sessions devoted to the ERP manufacturing software. So that they can use ERP software without difficulty after Go Live, a thorough understanding is required.

Post-Implementation Support

Inadequate post-implementation support is one of the biggest bottlenecks. Selecting an ERP vendor willing to offer post-implementation support and necessary service add-ons is the better course of action. In addition, such metrics should be considered to increase the ROI of your ERP manufacturing software.

Ensure Hassle-free ERP Implementation

Many believe implementing ERP software is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any enterprise. But on the other hand, it’s more of a continuous journey towards an updated, integrated, and collaborative functioning of any system. Because change is the only constant, businesses must devote time to strategizing, planning, and executing their move to benefit everyone in the organization.

ImpactQA’s ERP testing solutions provide unique methodologies and a comprehensive approach to enterprise software testing for all business types. We offer tailored solutions for your end-to-end ERP testing projects, from test planning, strategies, and preparation to test management, coordination, and implementation, through our cutting-edge QA services.

The post Common Loopholes in ERP Manufacturing Software appeared first on ImpactQA.

Although people may focus on comfort and luxury, since the Covid pandemic, home wellness and mental health have become increasingly important. You have access to everything, from voice-activated music systems to smart mood lighting and air purifiers.

Recently, Mr Jyoti Prasad Bhatt, CEO at ImpactQA, expressed his outlook on the rise of home wellness technology through a recent Forbes Technology Council post.

He highlighted how a network of small but powerful devices now permeates our homes and workspaces. In the current times, we live around many sensors, actuators, and processing software. The wide range of technology we are familiar with lets us call this an ‘intelligent era’.

JP was precise in mentioning that-

“Integrating IoT’s technical potential with wellness expertise, some companies have provided solutions that have fully span visibility of every home aspect, even those that are not visible to the human eye. To achieve this, IoT uses a suite of different sensors and actuators such as cameras, microphones and lights. These are capable of monitoring nearly every element of a home, including the current temperature, pressure, pollution levels, density, type of microparticles in the air, lighting and sound levels.”

Smart City IoT – Safeguarding Home Wellness for You

Several leading American real estate conglomerates have recently reworked their plans to prioritize total community welfare by delivering ground-breaking solutions centred on home wellness technology. Some companies, such as Delos, a leader in wellness real estate, are already making headlines. Delos technology has proven effective in providing dawn simulation for improved sleep and illumination programming to assist occupants/residents with increased focus and productivity.

In fact, other interesting smart city implementations have worked out wonderfully for the masses.

The Nobi Lamp

The purpose of this device is to detect falls and quickly raise an emergency alarm if the occupants are unable to vocally check in.

Olly

Olly works uniquely to mimic sunlight during the day to help you wake up. In addition, it produces a darker evening light which signals your brain to go to bed.

The use of IoT for home wellness technology has the potential to help individuals take more control over their health and well-being, leading to improved quality of life and potentially lower healthcare costs. However, it is important to ensure that these technologies are designed with user privacy and security in mind, and that individuals have access to the necessary support and education to use and interpret the data generated by these devices effectively.

Why is this Imperative to Test Home Wellness Software?

Testing this software is crucial to ensure it functions correctly and provides accurate data to the end-users. Here are some reasons why testing home wellness IoT software is necessary:

Accuracy: Home wellness IoT software must provide accurate data to the end-users. Testing helps to ensure that the software measures data accurately and consistently. This is particularly important for users who rely on this data to manage their health conditions.

Reliability: Home wellness IoT software must be reliable and function correctly. Testing helps to identify and address issues such as software bugs, hardware malfunctions, or network connectivity problems, which could impact the reliability of the software.

Security: Home wellness IoT software often collects sensitive personal health data. Testing helps identify and address security vulnerabilities, ensuring the software protects user data from cyber-attacks.

Usability: Home wellness IoT software must be easy to use and navigate. Testing helps to identify and address user experience issues, such as confusing interfaces, difficult-to-read text, or unresponsive controls.

Compliance: Home wellness IoT software must comply with regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA or GDPR, which govern the collection and use of personal health data. Testing helps to ensure that the software complies with these regulations.

Customer Satisfaction: Testing helps to identify and address issues that could impact customer satisfaction, such as slow performance or inaccurate data. Home wellness IoT software can improve customer satisfaction and retention by addressing these issues.

How is the world Responding to Smart Cities IoT?

Singapore making a go-ahead with digital twins

Urban planners all over Singapore have been helped using 3D semantic modelling to successfully build a virtual replica of the actual city, create prototypes, and deftly test solutions. With real-time data available, the urban system is quickly improvised. For instance, in the virtual city planner, the height of the rooftops can be calculated to analyze the amount of sunlight that can be produced. As a result, solar panel placement can be easily determined by urban planners.

Barcelona and its smart energy consumption

Thanks to Sentilo, an IoT sensor network with real-time capabilities, Barcelona residents can now keep an eye on and manage the city’s diverse community. The city has installed thousands of sensors at various locations to track energy use in public spaces, including street lighting. The city was able to cut its energy consumption by 30% thanks to these data collection efforts.

To embrace technology in the form of smart devices, the thumb rule is to incorporate testing for thorough quality checks. Looking at the global expanse of home wellness tech as part of smart cities, there are definitely some interesting breakthroughs we should be excited about. In terms of existing innovations, it’s always better to collaborate with a trusted IoT testing partner to speed up release time without compromising quality.

The post Smart Cities IoT: The Age of Home Wellness Technology appeared first on ImpactQA.

Managed testing services are typically used by companies that do not have the internal expertise or resources to conduct testing in-house. They can also be used by companies that want to reduce the time and cost of testing by outsourcing it to a specialized provider.

The market size for managed testing services is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, driven by the increasing demand for quality assurance and testing services in various industries. According to a well-analyzed report, over the forecast period (2021 – 2026), the market for managed testing services was valued at USD 35.8 billion, growing at a CAGR of 10.5%.

The growth of the managed testing services market is attributed to the increasing need for software testing and quality assurance services, which are becoming more complex and specialized due to the emergence of new technologies like IoT (Internet of Things), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML). Additionally, the growing adoption of cloud-based solutions and digital transformation initiatives in various industries is expected to drive the demand for managed testing services further.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the demand for managed QA services and managed testing services, as companies have increasingly relied on remote work and digital solutions. This has resulted in a greater need for testing and quality assurance services to ensure the reliability and security of digital solutions.

Why are Businesses Shifting to Managed Testing Services?

Businesses rely on managed testing services for several reasons, including:

Expertise and specialized skills: Managed testing service providers offer a team of experienced testing professionals with specialized skills in different areas such as functional testing, performance testing, and security testing. This provides companies with the necessary expertise they might be unable to carry in-house.

Cost-effectiveness: Outsourcing testing to a managed service provider can be cost-effective because it eliminates the need to invest in expensive testing tools, infrastructure, and internal resources. Additionally, providers can leverage economies of scale to offer testing services at a lower cost.

Scalability: Managed testing services offer the flexibility to scale testing up or down depending on business needs. Providers can quickly adapt to project requirements changes and provide testing services for short-term or long-term projects.

Reduced time to market: Managed testing services can help businesses accelerate time to market by providing efficient and effective testing services. It helps to identify and resolve issues quickly, allowing businesses to release high-quality products or software faster.

Improved quality: Managed testing services help improve product or software quality by providing comprehensive and rigorous testing. It reduces the risk of errors, defects, or security vulnerabilities, which could otherwise impact the product’s reputation and credibility.

How to Select the Right Managed Testing Service Provider?

Choosing the right managed testing service provider is crucial for ensuring your products’ or software’s quality and reliability. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a managed testing service provider:

Expertise: Look for a provider with a team of experienced testing professionals with specialized skills in different testing areas, such as functional, performance, and security testing. Ask for references and case studies to ensure the provider has the expertise to meet your testing needs.

Testing methodology: Ask the provider about their testing methodology and ensure it aligns with your business needs and goals. A good provider should be able to provide a comprehensive testing plan that covers all aspects of your product or software.

Technology and infrastructure: Check if the provider can access the latest testing tools and infrastructure, including cloud-based testing environments. Ensure they can provide the testing environments for your specific needs, such as mobile or web applications.

Quality assurance: Ensure that the provider has a robust quality assurance process to ensure testing results’ accuracy and completeness. Ask about their quality assurance policies and procedures, including documentation and reporting.

Communication and collaboration: Look for a provider who communicates effectively and collaborates with your team throughout the testing process. Ensure they have a clear communication plan and can provide regular updates and progress reports.

Compliance and security: Ensure the provider complies with industry standards and regulations, such as ISO and GDPR. Check their security policies and procedures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of your data.

Pricing and flexibility: Look for a provider who offers flexible pricing models and can adapt to changes in project requirements. Ensure their pricing is transparent and includes all necessary testing services and deliverables.

Overall, managed testing services offer a cost-effective, efficient, and scalable solution for businesses to ensure their products’ or software’s quality and reliability. It allows companies to focus on their core competencies while leaving the testing and quality assurance to the experts. Contact ImpactQA, a leading quality assurance and testing services provider, to simplify all your managed QA and testing needs hassle-free.

The post Benefits of Managed Testing Services for Global Organizations appeared first on ImpactQA.

The storm of generative AI systems such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Google’s Bard is transforming entire industries. According to the MarketAndMarket report, the generative AI market is expected to grow from $11.3 billion in 2023 to $51.8 billion in 2028. 

This type of AI has the potential to revolutionize how we create and consume content. In this article, we’ll explore what generative AI is, how it works, the types of generative AI models, and its impact in the real world. 

What is Generative AI? 

Generative AI refers to a type of machine learning model that creates new data from scratch. Unlike traditional AI models that use existing data to make predictions, generative models can create entirely new content that has never existed before. Generative models work by learning the underlying patterns and structures within a dataset. Once it learns these patterns, it can then use them to create new data that is similar in style and content to the original dataset. 

How Generative AI Works 

Generative AI models work by utilizing a training dataset to create a model. The model then generates new data that is similar to the original dataset. The key to generative AI is the ability to generate new data that hasn’t been seen before, while also maintaining the structure and patterns of the original dataset. 

To create these new data, generative models use a range of techniques. One popular technique is Variational Autoencoders (VAEs). VAEs work by encoding the input data into a lower-dimensional space, where it’s easier to model the underlying patterns. The model can then generate new data by sampling from the distribution learned by the model. 

Another popular technique is Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). GANs are made up of two neural networks that collaborate in order to generate fresh data. The first network generates samples, while the second network evaluates those samples and provides feedback to the generator. The feedback helps the generator to improve and generate more realistic data. 

Autoregressive models are another type of generative model. These models generate new data one element at a time, using a probability distribution to determine the most likely value for each element given the values of the preceding elements. 

Types of Generative AI Models 

Now that you know how generative AI works, let’s dive into the several types of generative AI models. These include: 

Variational Autoencoders (VAEs): VAEs are a type of generative model that works by encoding the input data into a lower-dimensional space. The model can then generate new data by sampling from the distribution learned by the model. 

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs): GANs are a type of generative model that consists of two neural networks. One network generates samples, while the other network evaluates those samples and provides feedback to the generator. 

Autoregressive Models: Autoregressive models generate new data one element at a time, using a probability distribution to determine the most likely value for each element given the values of the preceding elements. 

Flow-Based Models: Flow-based models are a type of generative model that uses invertible functions to transform a simple distribution into a complex distribution that can generate new data. 

Impact of Generative AI in the Real World 

Generative AI has shown the capability to transform the face of various industries. One of the most significant areas where generative AI is making an impact is in art and music. Generative models can create unique pieces of art and music that have never existed before. For example, AIVA, an AI-based composer, creates unique pieces of music using a deep neural network. 

Generative models are also making an impact in the advertising and marketing industry. Businesses can use generative models to create unique content for their websites, social media accounts, and other marketing materials. This allows businesses to automate their content creation process, saving time and effort. 

Conclusion 

Business leaders must develop a clear and compelling generative AI strategy now in order to acquire a competitive advantage. Generative AI will reduce time to market while improving digital product quality, efficiency, and accessibility. It is a good moment for software engineering executives to make rapid changes in order to adopt generative AI and realize its competitive benefits. 

The post Generative AI: The Next Big Thing appeared first on ImpactQA.

A market report from Markets&Markets has estimated that the global supply chain management (SCM) market will be worth around USD 28.9 billion in 2022. The report highlights the increasing demand for visibility and transparency in supply chain processes. In addition, incorporating AI and Cloud in the SCM product has opened new possibilities for SCM vendors.

The supply chain industry has benefited from technological advancement and market evolution, but so has its alarming risk. This article will discuss five common supply chain cybersecurity risks and how businesses can mitigate them.

What is Supply Chain Security?

Defining supply chain security is complex, as it’s a broad area involving physical and software aspects. Although, we will focus more on the software aspects.

There is no specific single, functional definition as it could be needed to protect transactions or mitigate threats that might arise with immediate business networks or involvement of “n” party relationships.

The end goal of supply chain security is to identify and validate risks associated with third parties in the supply chain and mitigate them. Following the best practices and guidelines for supply chain security could be the ideal way to tackle such tangled challenges. However, the techniques and approaches may differ from company to company.

Why is Supply Chain Security Important?

“98% APAC leaders negatively impacted by a cyber security breach in their supply” was a headline of a recently published article at ET (CIO South-East Asia). The report also states that despite the severe negative impact of cyber security breaches in their supply chain, 62% of APAC respondents said third-party cyber risk management is either not a priority or somewhat of an importance.

Supply chains are all about delivering the right things to customers at a given time and at a reasonable price. However, considering the market expectation and technologies, the modern supply chain has become more complex and evolved. This results in increased potential for security vulnerabilities and a large surface area for attackers.

Breaches and cyberattacks can happen at any supply chain tier, causing operational, financial, and brand damage. Therefore, businesses must strengthen security management and implement cyber-defense-in-depth principles to prevent catastrophic consequences.

5 Common Supply Chain Cybersecurity Risks

Analyzing the global logistics market and the industry leaders’ concerns, these are the top five common cybersecurity challenges faced by today’s supply chain:

Transparency and Data Governance

When working on a multi-enterprise network, the purpose is not only enabling the exchange of data between businesses but also granting access to data to allow for viewing, sharing, and collaboration by multiple enterprises.

Data Protection

Business transactions revolve around data, which must be secured and controlled at rest and in motion to avoid any unauthorized access or tampering.

In addition, ensuring secure data exchange also involves placing trust in the other source, which can either be a third party or an e-commerce website.

Data Points

Data critical to business operations can be found at all levels of the supply chain, and it is essential to identify, categorize, and safeguard it, regardless of its location.

Apart from logistics, there are many other regulated industries where data must comply with industry standards and government mandates.

Third-party Involvement

It’s inevitable to remove other parties from different supply chain tiers, and each third party brings new risks with them based on their approach to manage own vulnerability.

Fraud Prevention

Whenever data is transferred between different parties or moved within various systems, each such point allows it to be tampered with, intentionally or accidentally.

Best Practices to Mitigate Supply Chain Security Risks

Putting the best supply chain security practice is combining a layer of defences. Here are some best approaches that organizations can imply to strengthen their SCM security:

Digital Transformation & Data Modernization

Technology is revolutionizing every industry, transforming essential manual processes and data storage with digitization, bringing reliability and business security.

You can utilize techniques such as encryption, tokenization, data loss prevention, and file access monitoring and alerting by updating business processes and software to enhance security. Additionally, ensuring that teams and partners are educated on security awareness and receive relevant training is vital.

Identifying Data and Encrypting It

Data breaches are inevitable; organizations must take every possible step to identify and encrypt data crucial for business operations.

Using a data discovery tool can aid in the identification and classification of files that contain confidential financial information, proprietary knowledge, and user data. In addition, by thoroughly understanding all the data within the organization, it is feasible to safeguard crucial resources using advanced encryption techniques.

Handling Third-Party Risk

Modern supply chain industry has multiple connections and interdependencies from third parties, requiring businesses to redefine vendor risk management for end-to-end protection.

Being cognizant of third-party risks helps businesses assess the potential impact on their operations stemming from insufficient monitoring, non-compliance with data security regulations, or public exposure to data breaches.

Setting Up Controls and Visibility

A multi-enterprise business network enables dependable and secure data exchange between different parties, utilizing tools to manage access based on roles and users.

Implementing identity and access management security practices is essential for the safe sharing of confidential and proprietary information across an extensive and potentially diverse business ecosystem. In addition, such measures help minimize the risk of unauthorized access or breaches by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability Mitigation with Penetration Testing

Conducting a vulnerability scan early helps identify low-level security risks. The early results made possible by vulnerability mitigation minimize risk without increasing downtime or reducing efficiency.

Once the team has detected the basic concerns, engage penetration testing experts like ImpactQA to locate vulnerabilities across all new and legacy applications and the IT infrastructure that supports the entire supply chain.

The post How to Mitigate 5 Common Supply Chain Cybersecurity Risks? appeared first on ImpactQA.

According to a Dell study, telecom enterprises spend 60% of 80% of their IT budget on maintaining mainframe applications and systems. Legacy system modernization provides a holistic approach to digitization by changing how a company operates and accesses resources.

Companies such as Verizon and Maxis adopted modern Microsoft work solutions to improve connectivity and bundled mobility services. Likewise, Telia moved to the cloud-based Microsoft architecture to leverage BI tools to deliver faster and more personalized customer experience.

What Is Legacy System Modernization?

Legacy systems are older applications and architecture that use archaic methods. These applications need to align with modern business objectives. They will not help in a fast-paced, dynamic business environment. These systems add significant technology debt to organizations, eroding their profits. They may continue to work well, but there will be limitations.

Legacy system modernization involves three stages:

1. Evaluation of legacy systems – The modernization partner will evaluate the outdated system and create a development roadmap at this stage.
2. Re-engineering architecture – Deep analysis of legacy software will help understand business requirements. These requirements are then converted into achievable tasks for forward engineering.
3. Migration and modernization – It involves developing internal architecture, platform infrastructure, and modern applications that align with the business requirements.

Suggested Read

Checklist For Modernizing Your Legacy Application

Benefits Of Legacy Migration for Telecom Industries

From an IT perspective, companies using applications developed in the last ten years should consider legacy migration. As technologies update, organizations will find it challenging to locate mainframe experts who can continue supporting legacy systems. To create a scalable digital infrastructure, an agile modernized approach is necessary.

The following are the benefits of telecom modernization:

• Reduced maintenance costs – Modern applications and infrastructure operate with better efficiency. Organizations can immediately reduce maintenance overhead by adopting cloud-based solutions. There is no need to correct errors manually.
• Improved speed and accuracy – The latest technology stacks enable digital applications to operate at high speed with greater accuracy. Mobile apps, AI, ML, Managed Code, and the Internet of Things help manage enterprise resources effectively.
• Enhanced functionality – The current generation of internet users is highly sophisticated and demanding. Telecom companies must find new ways to provide value-added services to retain their existing customer base and gain new customers. Legacy system modernization helps streamline operations and build innovative services.
• Improved security – Modernization’s greatest value to the telecom industry is improved security. Advanced technology stack doesn’t have as many security vulnerabilities as outdated systems. Organizations can significantly reduce occurrences of data theft, data breaches, and digital fraud.

Suggested Read

Why Telecom Industry needs Software Quality Assurance?

How To Approach Legacy Migration?

Many companies use a ‘rip and replace’ modernization strategy to replace their legacy systems. It requires a considerable capital investment. Also, the existing staff must undergo rigorous training to use modern architecture. However, this approach is only sometimes necessary. Modernization can be carried out in small iterations without disrupting business operations. In that case, the legacy migration partner should ensure that the outdated architecture can communicate with the modern infrastructure.

Depending on the business requirements, legacy migration can be done in different ways:

• Encapsulation – Instead of completely replacing existing applications, the data and functions of existing applications can be encapsulated for modern architecture. The services can be made available as APIs.
• Rehosting – The existing application components can be lifted and shifted to another infrastructure. It can be virtual, physical, or cloud. The code, functions, and features of legacy applications will remain the same.
• Re-platform – The application code structure, functions, and features will remain the same but run on a re-engineered modern platform. Appropriate integration and migration modules will be used to ensure smoother functioning.
• Refactor – In this approach, the existing code will be modified to eliminate technical debt. The optimized code will run on a new platform.
• Rearchitect – The application architecture will undergo a complete overhaul to include new capabilities. The application code will also drastically change to run on the new infrastructure.
• Rebuild – Rewrite and redesign from scratch to create application components using the latest technology stack. The new applications will flawlessly run on modern platforms while continuing to deliver the scope and applications of legacy applications.

Legacy system modernization doesn’t just help with improved business services or reduced operational costs. It allows businesses to scale up with simplified product offers. Many operators that adopted digitization now generate 15% of their revenues outside the core connectivity. Telecom operators can expand their managed services using edge computing. Cloud-based modernization can help these companies to reduce their capital expenditure by as much as 80%.

In light of the increasing number of legacy applications converting to the web or other modern user interfaces, testing must be included for validating that conversion. ImpactQA can be trusted as a reliable partner for leveraging testing solutions to maintain the quality of your modernized systems. We have a skilled team of onshore, offshore, and nearshore experts available to meet all of your testing needs. Get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

The post Scope of Legacy Modernization In the Telco Industry appeared first on ImpactQA.

The SAP implementation service was launched in 2010 as a modern solution for traditional queries. It helps companies scale multiple activities in a single system. It processes bulk data with zero latency. It manages data in column and tabular form, which connects online analytic processing with online transactional processing.

The multi-purpose software manages, retrieves, and stores massive data. SAP HANA is meant to manage structured and unstructured data. Real-time data management, machine learning tech, and in-memory computation are advanced attributes of SAP implementation services.

SAP HANA supports the digital transformation of multi-million dollar companies.

History of SAP implementation services

The SAP implementation services application was introduced in the 1970s and re-launched in 2010. The SAP portfolio journey included various implementations. The whole history is divided into six major parts.

From 1970-1973 [R1]

The first system was called RF as real-time financials. Later on, it was called R1. There were three main purposes of R1:

• It provided standardized shelf solutions to many companies. It saved time for companies and sorted activities.
• Real-time information in the application.
• Integration meant processing the same data in all systems through the server.

From 1973-1979 [R2]

The technological advancements transformed R1 into R2. The subtle change helped to clean the data. The data collection and management in R1 took a lot of work to understand, but in R2, it had new features.

From 1979-1992 [R3]

R1 and R2 were mainframes and company-based software testing services. R3 was a client/server driver system. It helped companies in the 1990s to go from a hundred to a million. Here are the best attributes of R3:

• The graphic-driven interface on desktops and laptops.
• Cheaper, easy to use, and scales.

From 1999-2004 [mySAP.com and ERP]

mySAP was referred to as the new R3. It focused on major points for better improvements in companies. It focused on points such as:

• Connecting B2B to B2C via the internet.
• Increasing new add-on features in data analytics.
• Integrating niche software into the SAP landscape.

From 2009 [Business suite 7]

The advanced applications came one after another for certain areas. Each transformation added ease to operate massive data. SAP introduced the business suite for ease of business activities. It has several creative tech-savvy features. The main components are:

• ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning is an evolution from R3. It helps core business management, such as finance, capital, and management.
• CRM: The Customer Management Relationship system includes sales and marketing services.
• SCM: Supply Chain Management includes networking for production, marketing, and sales.
• PLM: Product Lifecycle Management includes ideation and production to after-delivery services.
• SRM: Supplier Relationship Management means raw material procurement and whole manufacturing.

From 2015-Present [SAP S/4 HANA]

SAP S/4 HANA stands for various business suite database applications. HANA is a combination of functional and technical advancement. The main purpose of SAP S/4 HANA is to solve the issues from R1, R2, R3, and ERP.

• HANA is the new database system to improvise business.
• S/4 HANA is the updated system for high-speed functioning.
• The Fiori is the new UI approach to increase the application’s flexibility and creativity.

SAP S/4 HANA Implementation

The multi-purpose database system is the best opportunity for innovative business in the long run. SAP S/4 HANA inculcates the capability to scale and bring sustainability.

Here is the complete roadmap for SAP S/4 HANA implementation for businesses. It will help companies step in the right direction.

• Step 1: Business readiness check

The first step reports technical and business analysis. It helps check the current status and operations of the business. With SAP S/4, HANA uses the report to forecast future strategies.

• Step 2: Business requirements

The second step is to prepare the list of required items for future operations. It includes understanding the current environment on the path of the SAP S/4 HANA application. The team examines every step to solve issues in real-time.

• Step 3: Verification of ABVP code

This step checks the compatibility of ABVP and SAP S/4 HANA plan standards. It helps incorporate the principles and measures of SAP S/4 HANA. It includes figuring out arrangements for the optimum use of SAP S/4 HANA in creating business.

• Step 4: Environment architecture

This step includes making a perfect environment for a set of activities to improvise business. The architecture is done with the help of reports and current status. IT department, with clients, designs the architecture for best results using SAP S/4 HANA application. The environment architecture helps choose the right hardware, OS and Lane.

Best Conversion Path

Analyzing and calculating the capabilities of a business can help choose the right path for conversion. SAP S/4 HANA aids in choosing real-life paths such as Greenfield and Brownfield.

Choose the path but check budget limits, monetary abilities, and strategies for the long-term with the SAP implementation services and ECC framework. Let’s read about Brownfield and Greenfield with benefits.

• Greenfield

Greenfield in SAP S/4 HANA implementation focuses on a long-term approach to choosing new offerings and strategies from SAP implementation services. It helps in achieving the best results in business.

Benefits of Greenfield implementation

• Redesigns the business plan
• Upgrades the capabilities
• Plus on the advantages
• Digital transformation for attraction of clients

• Brownfield

Brownfield in SAP S/4 HANA implementation focuses on collecting small redesigns of business activities. It is a minimalistic approach that concentrates on small-step improvisation.

Benefits of Brownfield implementation

• It takes less time to implement activities
• Cost intensive
• Keeps business process unchanged
• Helps access new features of SAP like Fiori, database, and embedded analytics

Why do companies need SAP S/4 HANA?

• SAP S/4 HANA gives companies various options to test and choose. It helps forecast strategies regarding revenue and overall improvisation.
• SAP S/4 HANA implementation is already tech-savvy, ready, and hassle-free. It creates the perfect path to boost business growth.

What are Real-time Integration and In-memory Database?

Real-time integration means updating real-time activities in the system. The movement reflects on the system in real-time from raw material to delivery. It keeps everyone in-loop.

The in-memory database system saves massive and advanced data directly in the system’s memory. It has eliminated traditional storage techniques. It is built to manage standardized data and balance other mechanical performances and costs.

SAP implementation services with an in-memory database respond in seconds instead of days. The services help in the overall advancement of companies.

Final Say…

SAP S/4 HANA implementation is an essential multi-purpose database application for the business industry. The application has introduced many features and management of massive data. However, SAP HANA has evolved from the 1970s to 2022. It helps in advanced analytics and links high-speed transactions.

The four simple steps of SAP implementation services can help create the best plan for a business.

ImpactQA is a reliable and trustworthy technology partner with professionals and experts who provide quality work. We provide SAP S/4 HANA implementation and testing solutions that is overseen by a group of competent experts who are familiar with the needs of businesses across a variety of industries. Get in touch with us to learn more about our service model.

The post SAP S/4 HANA Implementation – A Complete Guide appeared first on ImpactQA.

The cloud offers developers and testers the requisite tools and empowers them to test their solutions and launch error-free solutions. Performance testing is key to a quality software solution, and the cloud has allowed greater flexibility and scalability for these tests.

This guide will take you through what is performance testing and the ideal strategy for the best outcomes.

What is Cloud Performance Testing?

It is important to answer what is performance testing before moving forward. Cloud performance testing is an integral part of the quality assurance assessment. It helps assess if the application will function as expected in the cloud environment. The tests determine the bottlenecks within the system that hamper the performance. It will check how the application will perform during peak loads versus when the loads are lowered significantly.

In the cloud performance evaluation, all parameters are tested in the cloud environment using different workloads. The cloud allows the software testing team to increase or reduce the workloads and scale the resources to meet the different live environment scenarios.

Top Benefits Of Cloud Performance Testing

Let’s look at the top benefits of testing the cloud application’s performance in different environments using various workloads.

• It is an easy-to-configure and hassle-free form of cloud testing. It is not too complex, either
• Testing the performance under different workloads in different scenarios can cost a lot. However, with cloud app testing, companies can release a high-performance application within the budget
• It is easy to scale up or down the total users and workload for the application in the cloud environment.
• Given the increasing number of remote working companies, cloud performance testing allows companies to test their performance from anywhere
• The cloud solutions are integrated with standardizations, which results in high-quality results
• The cloud-based performance testing allows the software development company to handle multiple clients and requests without compromising quality.
• You can easily add or delete the infrastructure to match your outcomes. You can employ the hardware needed to assess your application without implementing them.

Suggested Read

Cloud Test Automation: How Does it Benefit Business Processes?

Types of Cloud Performance Tests

Here are all the cloud performance tests you should conduct while assessing your app before release. Make sure you understand what is performance testing in each case.

• The Load Test: It is important to check the application’s performance under various load conditions. You should test the application for normal versus peak performance by adding or deleting the users.
• Stress Test: If the application has been designed to handle multiple requests simultaneously, it is important to check if it can handle the demand. The stress testing will check the impact of the increased requests on the application’s performance. If it crashes, the reports will determine the causes and identify the solutions.
• Latency Test: It is important to check how long the app takes to move data from one point within the app to the other. This will determine the seconds or minutes the user has to wait and whether it will impact the experience.
• Browser Test: This test checks if the system is compatible with the different browsers
• Failover Test: The test determines if the system has initiated the call for additional resources in case the load goes above the pre-determined number
• Capacity Test: This test will help determine the maximum amount of traffic a system can handle at any given time.
• Soak Test: This test helps determine if the application can handle heavy loads for more time.
• Infrastructure Test: In this test, each part of the system is segregated and tested individually. This helps determine if the isolated segment can deliver the requisite performance.

Cloud Performance Testing Strategy

It is important to create a proper strategy to help with the ideal outcome of cloud performance testing.

Determine the Work Scope

Before you begin the actual testing process, it is important to know the scope of work. What are you planning to cover during the test? Do you aim to increase the load to a specific amount to check the application’s performance?

Check the requirements of the testing, the business goals, and the ultimate performance objectives of the development team. What are some of the desired responses for the application?

During this point, you need to check the software and hardware configurations to ensure you have the perfect production environment for testing.

Create the Test Plans

Create the test cases based on your understanding of the performance testing goals and objectives. You will need to design the tests for a wide range of scenarios. You will need to determine the expected results for each scenario. At the same time, you need to define the metric and reporting foundations for each test scenario.

Design the Environment

The next part of your strategy involves creating a production-like environment for the application. You must implement the same hardware and software configurations as the software application. It is desired to identify the hardware devices and test environments for all use cases that you have designed. Make sure you have the apt monitoring tools to study your software application. This will help capture the bugs and report them in the later stage.

Execute the Tests

This is the most important part of your cloud performance test strategy. You should individually test each of the test cases that you have written. Analyze each data that you have received as part of the outcome.

Monitor and Fix Bugs

You should analyse the results, monitor the application, and fix the bugs at this stage. This is a continuous testing process. You might want to check what causes the performance errors. It is also a good idea to check if the application returns the same error or if it was a one-time issue before reporting them.

Suggested Read

Top 5 Cloud-Based Software Testing Tools

Cloud Vs Inhouse Performance Testing

As a software testing team, you should know whether to go with cloud testing or on-premise.

Conclusion

We saw what is performance testing and the different types of tests that you should conduct. Cloud performance testing can enhance the user’s experience, ensure the app functions properly under heavy load, and can endure duress. The cloud offers a range of tools and promises an exquisite environment that enables proper performance testing.

ImpactQA is a leading software testing company with expertise in cloud performance testing. We have curated a usable methodology and process that helps us meet the timeline, cost, and quality goals. If you want to release a high-quality software solution, connect with our team for development-to-testing or only testing services.

The post Strategy for Performance Testing in the Cloud appeared first on ImpactQA.

Whether your organization develops a mobile app, web app, or any IoT system, the software must adhere to HIPAA requirements if patient data is handled. That is why health care application testing is essential. Failure to meet HIPAA compliance can lead to huge penalties and theft of patient data.

Why Is The HIPAA Compliance Test Important?

The Yuma Regional Medical Center ransomware attack in 2022 is a wake-up call for every software company dealing with sensitive patient data. The attack exposed the details of more than 700,000 patients’ details, proving why HIPAA compliance is necessary. In the US, 1 in 4 customers suffers from stolen healthcare records.

By ensuring HIPAA compliance, software companies dealing with healthcare data can ensure the privacy and security of patient data. It will also help you avoid huge penalties imposed by the Health and Human Services (HHS) of the US government. In severe cases of HIPAA violations, your company may face up to $1.5 million as fines or even 10 years of imprisonment.

The best way to ensure HIPAA compliance is through HIPAA tests for healthcare providers. The compliance testing ensures that the software application meets all standards of HIPAA. By partnering with testing services providers such as ImpactQA, you can rest assured knowing that HIPAA compliance requirements are met.

HIPAA Requirements For Healthcare Software

HIPAA requirements are categorized based on the following five rules:

• HIPAA privacy rule – It guarantees an individual’s right to medical information. No covered entities or business associates are allowed to share information that could breach privacy requirements.
• HIPAA security rule – All software applications must apply safeguards that protect electronic patient records.
• HIPAA enforcement rule – It outlines directives associated with compliance. Failure to enforce HIPAA can result in civil penalties.
• HIPAA breach notification rule – Business associates must notify of any breach of patient health data within 60 days of knowing about the breach.
• HIPAA omnibus rule – Business associates must adhere to the changing HIPAA requirements while ensuring that old HIPAA requirements are also met.

Suggested Read

How is Security Testing Important in Healthcare Applications?

Challenges In Ensuring HIPAA Compliance

The best way to ensure HIPAA compliance is to include compliance requirements from the development stage. During the testing phase, the HIPAA test must be conducted exclusively to ensure that HIPAA guidelines are met. Some of the challenges in ensuring HIPAA compliance are:

• A large volume of data is distributed across electronic health record (EHR) systems.
• Inadequate knowledge and resources to create HIPAA-compliant software solutions.
• Multiple development platforms that don’t have in-built HIPAA compliance systems.
• Stringent cybersecurity requirements.
• Scalability and flexibility requirements of software for data sharing.
• Ongoing security reassessment and implementation.

Understanding HIPAA Test For Healthcare Providers

As part of HIPAA security requirements, a few safeguards are outlined to be followed by business associates dealing with sensitive and private patient data.

• Administrative safeguards – Companies must have clear documents on the security management process. They must analyze ePHI risks and ensure that security mechanisms are in place to mitigate them.
• Physical safeguards – Companies are responsible for physically restricting access to data centers that store ePHI.
• Technical safeguards – Companies must ensure the security of software, hardware, and other technologies that access ePHI.

Suggested Read

How does Test Automation Improve Healthcare Applications?

Testing Strategies For Healthcare Application Testing

To ensure HIPAA compliance, rigorous testing is mandatory. Healthcare application testing ensures that all the guidelines to protect patient health data are followed. It also tests the limits of software safeguards in place that are aimed at protecting against data breaches. The risk management process should also automate breach reporting when a data breach occurs.

Sanity testing and full-feature testing must be conducted at the early stages of the development cycle. The testing strategies chosen for any application depend on the scope and limitations of the application. Testing strategies essential for HIPAA tests are:

1. Access Control

Users with access to patient data should have the minimum access required to complete their tasks. You should test for user-based, role-based, and context-based access to get ePHI. While developing test cases, ensure that the access control list is foolproof. Every user must be uniquely identified throughout the system. Test the security of two-factor authentication for data access.

2. Encrypted Data Transfers

Data about patient health information should always be stored in an encrypted form. The data shared should be decrypted only by authorized users at the time of access. Data should be tested to ensure that secure encryption keys are used. The encryption algorithm should be tested to ensure security. After testing for encryption, risk analysis is also necessary to mitigate data loss risks.

3. Data Sanitization

Testing for data leakage is also essential to ensure HIPAA compliance. The test data used here should act similarly to real data. Automated testing tools and data generation techniques are useful in testing large data sets to ensure high performance. Different test cases must be drafted to look for data leakage and data breach possibilities.

4. Testing Data Structures

Each patient health record holds different types of data structured in standard formats. The data structure must be tested at various levels using multiple parameters to ensure that the data adheres to the required structure. At any point, the data should be stored in a preformatted structure.

5. Audit Trail

The most important requirement for HIPAA compliance is to ensure that data is auditable. Test for audit trail implementation so that any changes to the data are auditable. The trail log should contain all details about the last change made to the data. This will help identify and report data breaches accurately.

6. Load Balancing

HIPAA compliance is critical because mishandled or corrupt data can result in a threat to the life of the patient. Load balancing testing and failover testing must be conducted to ensure that healthcare operations remain undisrupted even when backups are performed. Testing is required to ensure data protection, reduce data loss, and take recovery steps in case of data errors.

Healthcare application testing is inherently complex as it requires domain expertise. The testing team must be aware of how data will be accessed. HIPAA violations can lead to serious repercussions, and thus, companies must ensure compliance with rigorous testing. The best way to HIPAA test is to hire a testing partner with experience and expertise in the healthcare domain. The QA team must work with the development team to implement testing and assurance practices throughout the product lifecycle.

ImpactQA provides a wide range of healthcare application testing services. Our experience in the healthcare domain helps design exhaustive HIPAA compliance tests that ensure complete compliance at all times.

The post HIPAA Compliance Testing In Software Applications appeared first on ImpactQA.

Legacy Application Modernization is the practice of upgrading, updating, or improving the existing legacy application. Those legacy applications that cannot meet the current business needs become obsolete. It is a crucial part of an organization’s overall digital transformation strategy.

Why should you modernize your legacy application?

As everyone knows, the environment in the IT landscape is super dynamic; every new year brings in a more recent version of the existing applications. New technologies keep rolling every time, making the existing ones obsolete. Some of the common challenges faced by legacy applications are that these applications receive no support from the developers. Obsoleteness of the existing legacy applications leads to incompatibility with the new technologies. Legacy applications are generally built as indivisible units, making upgrading them challenging. It becomes difficult to find specialists to operate them. These applications eventually start incurring high maintenance costs. There may be security vulnerabilities arising frequently.

These challenges become a massive roadblock in the path of progress of the business. It is essential to modernize your legacy applications to overcome these obstacles and keep pace with the competitors.

What can be the Different Approaches to Modernize your Legacy Application?

There are several approaches to modernizing your legacy applications with new technologies. Some of them are as follows:

• Rebuilding – According to this approach, the codes of the existing application should be rewritten from scratch without changing its scope. Using this approach, the companies can identify the current application’s components that need modernization and rewrite only those codes. This eliminates the need of rewriting the entire application from scratch.
• Rearchitecting – This approach focuses on updating the existing application instead of making a new one. It involves optimizing or altering the current codes to improve performance and meet business needs.
• Rehosting – This approach is known as “lift and shift” or “re-platforming.” It involves shifting the components of the existing application to a new cloud or hardware. Substantial code changes are subject to compatibility between the details of the current application and the host platform.
• Replacing – This approach is about relinquishing the existing application and replacing it with a newer solution. It can be costly compared to the other three methods. However, this can be used if the rest of the approaches cannot satisfy the business needs.

What Benefits do you Harvest by Modernizing your Legacy Application?

Modernizing your legacy application can help you overcome hurdles like incompatibility with new technologies, high maintenance costs, and many more. Some of the benefits of the Legacy Modernization Services are as follows:

• Improved security – The legacy application may contain security issues because it was developed using older security practices. Hackers could access a company’s network or confidential data by exploiting security issues. Data leakage may be prevented to a greater extent with the modern security system. The recent applications keep getting security updates and bug fixes. This helps avoid threats and guards the company’s confidentiality. Therefore, modernizing your legacy application is essential to maintain and enhance data security.
• Cost reduction – Maintaining the existing legacy application can be way costlier than getting a modernized version. According to the U.S. Government’s Accountability report, the legacy system of the federal government runs on obsolete programming languages like COBOL. This costs the legacy system about $337 million annually. Besides, legacy applications are generally hosted in in-house data centres, making them costly to maintain. On the contrary, leveraging cloud services helps a business to cut down the total costs by up to 50%. Hiring specialists to operate the existing legacy application becomes very costly because the new developers do not learn ancient programming languages, and the older personnel become rare.
• Increased productivity – The older legacy applications have compatibility issues with the latest hardware or modern solutions. As a result, the employees face errors, lags, and bugs which cause unnecessary delays in their work because they do not get reliable support from the developer. Modernizing your legacy application can help a business achieve smooth workflow and escape the delays caused by the older version of the application.

What are the New Trends in Legacy Application Modernization?

The primary objective of application modernization is to enhance and overhaul business operations. This helps make them smoother, faster, and more manageable. Some of the key recent trends in legacy application modernization include:

• Containers – New business needs demand working in multiple environments. Hence, they need an application that is not limited to a fixed environment. Containerization helps the business operate in different domains. It also allows businesses to explore things like cloud infrastructures and in-house platforms. Overall, it leads to smooth, consistent, and efficient business operations across multiple platforms.
• Cloud Migration – This modern practice is among the most sought-after methods in contemporary business. There are three cloud service categories: hybrid, private, or public. A company can use any of the three categories to upgrade its applications at a lower cost than in-house infrastructures.
• Microservices – This type of architecture includes leniently coupled services instead of a monolithic structure. It helps companies deploy different application components without depending on each other. Therefore, business operations are simpler to maintain and upgrade.

Conclusion

Digital transformation is the future of business operations. It will reshape the global economy and make business operations easier and smoother. Modernization of legacy applications is indeed a labor-intensive, complex, and risky process. Yet, the results of modernization are well worth the risk.

Businesses need to continually evolve to keep up with competitors and meet the demands of the ever-changing market. Organizations need to cease relying on obsolete software and start modernizing their core technologies. Companies that embrace modernization are the ones most likely to flourish.

ImpactQA is among the leading legacy modernization companies and has QA consulting, software testing, and product development expertise. They have a dedicated team of highly skilled experts who work to manage your requirements. ImpactQA has a global presence and caters to multiple industries. They have helped companies adjust smoothly in their digital transformation journey.

The post Checklist For Modernizing Your Legacy Application appeared first on ImpactQA.

Businesses won’t even be able to identify the change that decreased their conversion rate if they don’t make changes in a controlled manner. Wouldn’t it have been great if there were a testing approach for improving conversion rates? Thankfully, there is- Functional testing!

Functional Testing for E-commerce Website

Each e-commerce website is distinct and created to support a variety of functions. To prevent problems after launch, it is essential to evaluate these websites’ core functions independently.

The parameters that an e-commerce website functional testing evaluates includes:

• User Experience (Home Page, Product Page, Shopping cart)
• Basic website functionality (such as creating a login, product search, filters, payment gateways, deals, promo codes, order confirmation page, order tracking & more)
• APIs, client-server software, customer relationship management, payment processing, and inventory management.

All of these essential aspects must be functional & that is the role of functional testing. Sanity testing, integration testing, smoke testing, regression testing, and beta/usability testing are its five subtypes. Based on the need, businesses can utilize any functional testing.

Suggested Read

How to Use Visual Testing as an Aid to Functional Testing?

How Does Functional Testing Help Boost eCommerce Sales?

The users will feel at ease when an e-commerce website radiates excellence. They can be impressed by high-quality images without waiting long for the page to load. Businesses will see an increase in conversions will boost their website profitability. But how does it happen?

Here are some ways functional testing ensures e-commerce customers get a smooth user experience.

1. Availability of the online store

It is a very typical problem, especially during the peak seasons. If there is a problem with the server, hosting, or provider end might occur. It can also be because of the heavy workload during the busy holiday and sales seasons. Users either see the error page or receive the message “site is offline,” which results in negative interactions.

But with functional testing, a company can ensure that its site is functional. It imitates consumer use of the system to find issues like missing functionality, UI flaws, or integration problems that might impair the user experience.

2. Ability to Find Products

Many customers visit online retailers to look for particular brands or products. When a specific product is not available, they may feel disappointed. Often they remove items from the cart that already include other products if they can’t locate a specific one.

Functional test automation assures accessibility to customers in finding their choice of products, maximizing e-commerce conversions of online retailers.

Suggested Read

How to Improve Performance Testing of E-Commerce Applications?

3. Avoiding Shopping Cart Issues

Imagine discovering the item but being unable to order it. That doesn’t seem any worse than not being able to locate the item, does it? These problems, however, arise if a website has not been properly tested.

Customers may even stop using the website & they will switch to another marketplace that offers the same goods. The user’s inability to add the coupon code falls under this category’s other problem.

Failure to test this area of the website can result in serious security problems while processing transactions. Functional test automation is a helpful tool for finding such potential flaws and minimizing them once found.

Additionally, it offers more coverage for quicker issue discovery and guarantees that the e-commerce application is tested at all times without cutting corners.

4. Ensuring a competent UX

Online retailers can turn visitors into buyers by using the design, the text, the movement, and the setting. However, businesses will notice a decline in conversions if one of the website’s numerous components is broken.

For instance, consumers will leave a website if their experience when browsing or at the checkout is subpar. Making the testing procedure error-free will help businesses lower this risk.

Functional test automation can be done more quickly and often as needed as the application gets more complicated. It implies that updates to the application can happen more quickly. A regularly updated application will have a better reputation in the market, which will translate into more revenue and better conversions.

Suggested Read

How to Effectively Improve E-Commerce Testing?

Key Takeaway

To summarize, every e-commerce website must undergo functional testing because issues like poor usability, sluggish response times, and downtime can quickly ruin any online business.

The development of e-commerce applications must include e-commerce testing. It benefits e-commerce websites in many beneficial ways, including improved user experience, user data security, mobile responsiveness, security, rapid load times & many more.

So, to reduce errors and enhance performance, it is necessary to carry out thorough e-commerce functional automation testing. The better the shape of the e-commerce app, the more conversions a business will have.

There are several testing services available on the market, so pick the one that best meets your requirements. Nevertheless, ImpactQA will be the best option for you if you don’t have the right team and are seeking a functional testing service partner who can offer the best e-commerce testing services. Get in touch with Impact QA today!

The post How Functional Testing Increases Your E-commerce Conversions? appeared first on ImpactQA.