Suitable Automated Testing tools for POS Systems

Question

This is not duplicate of following question since it was accepted by the asked person with a different answer

Automating tests in EPOS systems

We are developing a Big POS System with several Desktop, Web and Distributed features. This system is designed to run in all of these environments in different forms. As I am the team lead of my team I would like to introduce some best tool for automated testing. I am still researching for good tools, but I couldn't find a solution. Basically I am a developer with less knowledge in testing :( . Maybe people from this site can be able help me since all are specialized in Software Quality assurance & Testing. Sorry I couldn't able to explain in a tester manner but I can explain what the key points are which we are thinking to achieve using the automated tool.

Desktop

• Check Touch optimization in Server Hardware feature (we can't use real tills since we are geographically distributed team from our mother company) I would like to reduce memory, Processor etc. and check the Performance (Tried some Virtual machines but it is not really reducing the processor speed).

• Functionality testing based on retail and Hospitality (Recode Test cases and result etc.)

• Databases consistency, Database speed for huge amount of requests. I would like to emulate number of users and test system in functionality and performance perspective.

• Error providing mechanism (we are using custom Exception handling mechanism) but we would like to create more custom messages by creating more run time exceptions.
• Test our code with most type of POS peripherals(Scanners, Receipt printers, Cash drawers, Line Display, text inserter, Caller ID, Credit card Machines, Access control systems etc.) emulate these type of devices virtually and test.
• OS compatibilities (we are targeting windows based Embedded OSes) I like to install several OS like virtual machines and test the compatibilities issues. As I said above virtual machine is good for these kind of things but can't reduce hardware specs.

Web and Distributed System

• Test functionality as i mentioned above in Desktop environment.

• Test Cross browser compatibilities

• Test User request load

• Test site loading in different Stress(Low bandwidth,Many user request,good UI controls etc)

• Test Databases Consistency

• Test Security attacks

Sorry for big description since I am not familiar with Testing perspective terms. There must be easy definitions for these kind of Testing. Definitely single automating tool can't achieve these goals. I would like to introduce set of tools to my team. I hope professional people here can give a good solution and guide to me.

• So can any one please suggest some best Automated tools (Single tool or Set of tools, whatever) to achieve above goals I have listed in bullet points?
• If anyone suggests a tool please explain, what are the key points which I have listed above can be done by that tool?

Answer 1

IMHO, a team lead who is a developer with less knowledge in testing, is the wrong kind of person to be selecting a test tool.

Do you have any QA Professionals on your team - perhaps someone with test tool experience? Or, lacking that do you have anyone on the team who will actually be tasked with using a test tool? I would suggest you turn to them.

If neither of those options is viable, have you considered hiring a knowledgeable consultant to help with your tool choice and get you started on a testing process?

Anyway, in case it will help, here are some things I look for in my test suite. It might spur some thoughts that will help you narrow your selections a bit- Check here.

And here are some places you can get trial versions of test automation tools- check here.

Answer 2

I realize this question was asked a year ago, so maybe you are not looking anymore. But if you or someone else who finds this question is, I recommend you look at Worksoft Certify. I spent many months analyzing test automation tools - there are a lot out there, and our decision boiled down to either HP UFT or Worksoft Certify. After months of evaluating these 2, I concluded Worksoft Certify was the better choice for several reasons, but a few major ones that I'll summarize:

• initial test script creation from scratch tends to be quicker with HP, but that is where the benefit ends. Certify's tests run as business processes instead of technical scripts. For someone who is unfamiliar with scripting or test automation, it is much easier to learn and much easier to change or maintain tests, so you can even have non-developers using it. Tests are also shareable.
• again, initial test data entry may be quicker with HP, but that's because you hard-type data into a data spreadsheet that is specific to the script. In Certify test data is again more maintainable, and the same test data set can be used in multiple tests. Data is also shareable.
• In my experience, Certify was more stable, and the company more responsive and helpful.

The nature of how Worksoft Certify works helps avoid some pitfalls of test automation that companies fall into...especially if you want people without scripting experience to be creating the tests.

https://www.worksoft.com/

Answer 3

Have a look at TestComplete, I used it in the past to successfully automate testing of a POS system (running on Windows) as well as develop some web automation tests.

One of the things that is great about it if you are a developer is that you can approach your testing completely from a coded perspective which is I found top be very powerful.

Like Joe said, it is very hard to give any concrete information based on what you say, too much is unknown. I would urge you to try and get more resources in order to get an experienced automator.

Answer 4

We used AscentialTest from Zeenyx Software to test an SAP windows based POS system. It is also used by other groups to test Fujitsu's Global POS and IBM's new Chrome based POS system.

Answer 5

With all that extensive list of tests requirements related to functionality, security, performance, and usability, I would definitely recommend you taking assistance from some QA consultancy services provider. Especially, when you are not so informed of the terms, taking on the process could bring you unwanted loss of time and resources.

Still, if you have a team in place to take on the challenge, a few good tools that you can use include:

• Selenium – for functionality testing
• Test Complete - for checking cross-browser compatibility
• Web Load – for load testing
• ZED Attack Proxy (ZAP) - for security testing
• Data factory – for database testing

Answer 6

If you have the data sheets(xcel) outside the tests and into a share directory you can import any datasheet into any test then utilize the datatable methods, so you actually can use that same data in multiple tests.