Unsurprisingly, every business is looking to reinvent its digital strategy and rapid ERP implementation approach, fueled by agile implementation methodologies like SAP Activate. SAP project Implementations or the implementation of an Enterprise application has historically been considered a complex and time-consuming process. To accelerate the implementation process, SAP Activate Methodology provides handy tools and guidelines at every step of your implementation journey.

In my opinion, Agile practitioners and project managers can agree that successful implementations are often achieved by adopting the “Test Driven Implementation” philosophy. You may find various definitions of test-driven implementation and how to achieve it. Yet, you can explain it in just one line ‘The desire to drive Quality Assurance as early as possible in your implementation journey.’

As I mentioned earlier, SAP Activate does provide guidelines and tools to support our customers and partners in the successful implementation journey; one of them is the guidelines to define the Test Strategy for your project.

In this blog, we will try to cover some basic FAQ’s that you may have.

What is the Test Strategy document, and why do we need it?

The Test Strategy document aims to agree on the key elements and document them effectively. Typically, one signed and approved test strategy will cover the entire project duration and is often owned jointly by the customer and the implementation partner.

Defining a mutually agreed Test Strategy is very important as it determines how testing will be performed and completed in the project. Before testing starts, all project members and stakeholders must agree and align to the coordinated approach.

What key elements need to be defined in the Test Strategy document?

We have seen SAP systems getting used as a daily business driver in businesses of all sizes, including hyperscalers with complex IT ecosystems to MSMEs who use applications like SAP ByD.

Based on your project needs, the landscape of implementation and the elements of the test strategy vary.

We have outlined a few of the most common elements the Test Strategy Document should contain:

• Project Testing Objectives and Assumptions.
• High-level Test Plan(s).
• Test Scope.
• High-Level Processes.
• Test Cycle (different phases of testing within the test execution).
• Testing Approach (Test Planning, role assignment, defining Q Gates and deliverables)
• Testing Deliverables.
• Test Automation (Recommended).
• Defect Management and reporting.

Does SAP provide any standard template for the Test Strategy document?

As part of SAP Activate Methodology roadmap accelerators, SAP provides standard guidelines and the Test Strategy Template that can be used as a reference.

You can find more details below:

SAP Activate for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition (2-system landscape) – Create Test Strategy

SAP Activate Methodology for RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition – Create Test Strategy

SAP Activate for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition (3-system landscape) – Create Test Strategy

The following Figure shows the sample test strategy for the S4Hana Cloud Implementation Project.

Test Strategy: Overview

In summary, the Test Strategy Template provides the procedural guidance and the detail necessary to test SAP project implementations for large and small customers. These are some basic questions I covered here in this blog, and I will cover a few more in my subsequent blogs.

Meanwhile, I would love to hear your questions and feedback regarding the test strategy template. Also, please comment below with your thoughts and takeaways regarding testing strategy from your project experience.

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