Best Practices and Testing Strategies for Your SAP Projects Webcast Questions and Answers

Below you will find the questions that were received during the SAP Webcast Best Practices and Testing Strategies for Your SAP Projects and their respective answers. For additional questions, or to find out how the testing offerings provided by the SAP Services organization can help your company adapt to change quickly and safely, please visit us online at www.sap.com/usa/services/consulting, call us at +1 866-609-1124, or contact your SAP customer engagement manager. Q: Does the SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization application replace the Environmental Compliance Assessment, Training, and Tracking System (ECATTs), or will ECATTs still be available? A: Yes ECATT will continue to be available to you, and SAP will continue to support it. SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is a product from SAP that delivers significant value on top of the HP Quality Center product suite. Q: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization can be used in conjunction with all versions of SAP? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization supports SAP_BASIS: 46C/D, 610, 620, 640, 700 or 710 Q: Ram just referenced a SAP best practices upgrading and testing document Is this available? A: Ram referred to the best-practice document on integrating test data management tools into your testing environment. This is available as a part of the SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization license. Q: Does it support the SAP Apparel and Footwear application transaction codes? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is a horizontal application that supports all transaction codes that interface through the SAPGUI. Q: How did you determine a positive ROI? It seems like the start-up costs for the tool(s) and learning would not lead to a positive ROI on the initial rollout of this paradigm. A: We have built demonstrable ROI for accelerated test automation. Please contact our SAP Sales and Services team at +1 866-609-1124 to build a ROI model that is specific to your environment. Q: On SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is the "automated test component creation" only possible for standard SAP objects, or for all SAP objects (including developments done on objects)? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization supports all objects as long as it is exposed as SAPGUI. Q: Does SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization deal with discovering changes of the components? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization does not currently directly discover changes to components, but this is something that is on our feature list for future releases of the product. In the interim, SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization has the functionality available to generate a report to identify transaction codes that were affected due to a change event (applied via a transport order). The customer would then narrow down the transaction codes and regenerate components on demand. Q: Once SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization creates the component in QC, does someone need to create a test lan and est script with ction teps? A: Yes. Business users will compose a test case by dragging and dropping relevant components in sequence to form a test case. They would add data by parameterizing components. There is no coding or scripting involved in this process. Q: Typically, how many SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization users do you have per project? A: It depends on the size of the project and the organizational structure of your QA department within the company. The SAP Testing Services organization can work with you to determine the best overall testing strategy for your specific deployment. Q: Is SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization available in the Asia-Pacific region?

A: The current version of SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is ramping up in the United States only. Your U.S. branch office should be able to procure SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization. Please contact your consulting engagement manager (CEM) to discuss your options further. Q: Is SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization front-end covered through the standard SAP license or is there an additional license? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is a separately licensed product from SAP. This will require a new appendix to your existing contract with SAP. Q: Is it possible to get an evaluation copy in India? A: Please contact sales at +1 866-609-1124 to discus your options further. Q: Sorry for my late arrival. Can you recap when SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization will be available? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization version 1.0 is ramping up in the United States now. Please contact your CEM to discuss this further. Q: As a consultant, how do I bring reusability above SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization, at an implementation level? A: (1) By focusing on creating and honing on a prioritized set of component drive test cases that are highly data driven (parameterized), (2) By formulating a comprehensive test data management strategy, or (3) By building best practice knowledge on testing and leveraging it across all lines of business within the company. Q: Are any users online today using the SAP Solution Manager application management solution version 4.0 for planning and tracking end-user testing for an upgrade? A: Yes, we have a number of customers who have used and are planning to take advantage of the functionality and features found in the test workbench within SAP Solution Manager. Q: Do we consider usability testing as an important criterion for ensuring success? A: Yes. Q: Where manual testing was eliminated, did HP Quality Center create a script upon import from SAP Solution Manager? A: Manual testing has not been eliminated nor do we wish to imply that manual testing will soon cease to exist. Q: Our business processes often are both within and outside of SAP R/3 software (functionality now found in SAP ERP). Does SAP Solution Manager work for non-SAP tools, and can we still link test cases and test proceedings back to blueprints for systems outside. A: The test workbench functionality within SAP Solution Manager is not an automated test tool, hence any test script can reference other SAP software (the SAP Customer Relationship Management and SAP Supply Chain Management applications, and so on) or a non-SAP system as it relates to the scenario or business process being tested. Q: Is HP Quality Center the same as Mercury Interactive? A: HP Quality Center is from the days of the former Mercury Interactive, yes. Q: Is the "Change Impact" module the correct adapter for linking SAP Solution Manager to the HP Quality Center? A: The adapter now available is from SAP. Hewlett-Packard offers a change impact module that is not the same as the HP adapter. Q: What recommendations do you have for companies that dont have all their business processes in SAP Solution Manager? A: SAP recommends that customers who dont have any implementation content inventoried in SAP Solution Manager consider looking at the SAP Solution Support Enablement package, which includes a reverse business engineering tool. For more information please contact your client partner, who will get in touch with a solution extensions engagement manager for more information.

Q: Is SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization Web-based or part of the SAPGUI? A: SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is a multicomponent software application. It consists of an agent on the SAP server, a user interface scanner functioning as a script within Mercury Quick Test Professional, the right-to-left (library or foundation), and the client or workstation GUI (not Web-based). Q: In which system were the desired results of the testing stored? HP Quality Center or SAP Solution Manager? A: The results are initially stored inside of the HP Quality Center. By using the SAP adapter to perform bidirectional synchronization between the HP Quality Center and SAP Solution Manager, the resulting test execution status can be sent to SAP Solution Manager. Q: Can requirements be exported from the HP Quality Center to SAP Solution Manager? A: Yes, the ramp-up program of a codeveloped adapter that provides bidirectional functionality between SAP Solution Manager and the HP Quality Center began on July 2, 2007. For more information please contact your client partner, who will get in touch with a solution extensions engagement manager for more information. Q: Does this approach provide improvements for all phases of testing: functional, unit, integration, and performance? Performance is typically driven from Mercury LoadRunner, which is different from Mercury Quick Test Professional. A: Performance is typically driven from Mercury LoadRunner which is different from Mercury Quick Test Professional. Q: Every transaction from SAP is run through a program that contains hundreds of screen objects and the logic that they are called in. Wouldnt it be tedious to assemble the Mercury Business Process Testing components linked to a screen object? A: The automation of components is time-consuming. By automating the automation, we accelerate the time required for component creation and object repository creation and maintenance. Additionally, we reduce the heavy dependence on the technical staff that creates components and scripts and thus enable the business to define many aspects of the scripting and component creation process. Q: Is there an issue-tracking component in the HP Quality Center? A: The defects module allows for tracking issues or defects, yes. Q: Where can we see a demo for building test cases from HP Quality Center components? Does this just use standard Mercury TestDirector functionality? A: If by HP Quality Center components you mean SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization components, you would leverage Mercury Business Process Testing functionality within HP Quality Center to assemble those test cases. A demo can be arranged by contacting your CEM or solutions extension representative. Q: Can you manage the performance testing test scripts (Mercury LoadRunner), test campaign directly in the HP Quality Center? A: The test management process includes the performance testing effort. Mercury LoadRunner test scripts can be stored in the HP Quality Center repository. Q: Can the issues be traced back to the test scripts and requirements? A: Full traceability is available within the HP Quality Center, which adds tremendous value. Q: How do you determine which processes to automate the test scripts? Is there a set of criteria? A: HP Quality Center version 9.2 and above includes risk-based testing, which allows you to define the criteria and formula that enable analysis of processes in order to allow for prioritization. Q: In which phase of the life cycle does the performance testing need to be carried out? A: Performance testing is done in HP Performance Center Q: Are there tools that can be used to build test systems from production? A: The SAP Test Data Migration Server is such a solution.

Q: If we change a user exit in SAP Solution Manager, will the SAP application automatically create testing for the related components? A: The user would need to create testing for the related component. Q: Is there an e-sig component that utilizes HP Quality Center version 9.0? I only found HP Quality Center version 8.2 on the Web site. A: An e-sig component is created by working through an HP certified partner who has developed a solution for eSig. Q: Does anyone have experience with reporting on test plans and packages in SAP Solution Manager? A: Yes, we have a number of SAP methods and tools consultants who have worked extensively with reporting on test plans and packages in SAP Solution Manger. Q: How does the automatic generation of components create Mercury Quick Test Professional scripts? Does each field in the user screen result in one entry parameter for the component? A: Each Mercury Quick Test Professional line of code represents a screen component. Q: Is there a process of identifying SAP components already in HP Quality Center that have been modified in SAP Solution Manager during the development phase? And how is the update made? A: The process known as change impact testing addresses these concerns, and is available through Hewlett-Packard. Q: Typically, whats the size of the automation team? A: This varies greatly among organizations and by size of testing effort as well as size of implementation. It also is highly dependent upon the nature of the testing provided by the automation team (services, training, support, and so on). Q: Is the HP Quality Center the same as the new Mercury TestDirector? A: Mercury Interactive was purchased by Hewlett-Packard and does not exist as an independent entity. It is the same product. Q: Are any prebuilt test scripts included with the accelerator tool? A: There are standard components that are predefined and included as part of the foundation/library. Q: Is there any plan we can follow while deciding what tests to automate? A: See the previous answer on risk-based testing above. Consulting services are also available via SAP testing services (contact Andrea Lim, andrea.lim@sap.com ) to assist with applying methodology to your specific needs. Q: How much of regression test suite is usually automated versus manual (as a best practice). A: This varies by organization, applications, business need, license, resources, and time. Q: Do you recommend creating and maintaining test plans in HP Quality Center or in SAP Solution Manager? A: SAP's strategic direction is not to improve or further develop the test workbench functionality found in SAP Solution Manager. SAP entered into a partnership with Mercury (now Hewlett-Packard) in December 2005 to resell HP LoadRunner and in September 2006 to resell HP Quality Center. The recommendation is to take advantage of the codeveloped SAP Quality Center Adapter for SAP Solution Manager and utilize the tools together. For more information please contact your client partner who will get in touch with a solution extensions engagement manager for more information. Q: Can we use SAP Solution Manager to create and store test scripts that can be reused in future? A: Yes. Q: How much effort do we need to use SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization for customized SAP programs?

A: The effort required to utilize SAP Test Acceleration and Optimization is significantly less than to use traditional automation or testing.