User acceptance testing or UAT is one of the most critical activities in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software implementation. It is a type of testing by the end-user to test the functional features of the ERP software in accordance with their data configuration and software customization and this is the make or break stage.
Prior to the UAT proper, a series of meetings/sessions with the client and the ERP software vendor if there are identified software customizations on top of the stock version of the ERP. In an agile software development methodology, we call it sprints. Sprints are represented as release plans and/or iteration plans. It is basically an agreed release version, with the version number and the scope of features within a specific timeframe (normally 2-3 weeks).
Sample Sprint:
Release version – app-0.1 – Target Date -_________
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
Release version – app-0.2 – Target Date -_________
- Feature 3
- Feature 4
After the software vendor has performed its internal unit & integration tests and then the client or end-user has been satisfied on the presented release versions, then that’s when you define the UAT schedule.
What are the pre-requisites in executing a UAT?
- UAT Test Script – It a series of scripts that the testers will execute and will be the basis to accept or reject the current tested version. The granularity of the test script shall be case-to-case depending on the scope of work or how detailed users want it to be. But in general, below are the information needed in a script and the script should be signed-off by both parties before execution.
- Function/feature to be tested (e.g. sales invoice entry, or sales invoice approval feature)
- Input or test data (e.g. sample invoice data)
- Condition (e.g. input data is valid, input data is invalid)
- Expected Output (e.g. invoice printout, accounting entry, ERP reports affected, should prompt an error message).
- Result – Pass or Fail
- Testers – This can be the actual end-users or the internal implementation team. We always recommend assigning a dedicated person to do the testing who normally is part of the internal implementation team because end-users during this stage are busy with their day-to-day operations. Regardless of who will execute the UAT, users should have proper software training at this stage.
- Iteration process – this refers to the agreed process between the client and the ERP vendor on how the client reports the UAT findings and how the ERP vendor accepts and fixes the issue so the tester can test again for the next iteration. Iterations can run 2-3 times depending on the scope and test scenarios defined in the test script.
- Sign-off form – it is important that a sign-off form is ready anytime that signifies the success of the UAT and will serve as the signal to start the pre-production activities and go live.
Go-Live?
Go-live is a point which the UAT approved ERP version moves to the production environment for actual end-user use. But before the go-live, there are a series of activities that should be done and that’s what we call pre-production. So here’s a sample checklist of things needed prior to go-live.
- End-user training – if the end-users are not involved in the UAT stage, proper end-user training should be given to the actual ERP users.
- Final data master list (chart of accounts, inventory items, users)
- Final beginning balance. During UAT, testers use interim balances when executing tests. So before production, it is important to load the final version of beginning balances based on the agreed cut-off period.
- Support management – We all know a go-live will never be perfect hence a proper service-level agreement between the end-users, internal support team, and the ERP vendor support team should be defined. Ideally, there’s a help desk system implemented to properly course issues and organize them as tickets. Issue severity, response times, and escalation procedures should be properly defined in the ERP support process.
This wraps up my ERP implementation series to help you in your ERP implementation success. If you haven’t already, you may check out my previous posts about ERP implementation strategies, business process review and ERP data preparation. Please stay tuned as I am going to provide more posts this time in HR, timekeeping and payroll processes.
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