Well, you’ve made it to user acceptance testing (UAT)! It’s time to put on your new UAT Tester shoes and explore your new HCM system. Let’s explore the road to great User Acceptance Testing.
Review: How we got to this point.
Let’s talk briefly about how you got here:
- We started our implementation, and both your organization’s project team and your consulting partner’s project team all got to meet each other. It probably feels like both an eternity and a minute ago.
- Then we learned what makes your organization unique and your different rules around punching, breaks, accruals, and other requirements. If you are still struggling with multiple jurisdiction employees, see our article on employee record accuracy. Or, if you’re wondering when is the best time to update your accrual policies, read this article.
- Then our fantastic implementation consultants (maybe even me, specifically) have been busy building your new solution environment. We’re giddy to show you what we have ready for you -we really enjoy what we do!
What should you do next?
Every company’s testing process is somewhat different, but we have noticed behaviors that lead to successful testing, which translates to a smoother go-live.
The first behavior to call out is training. I realize you are already busy with your other implementation tasks and daily work, but taking the training courses available helps so much with navigation and initial troubleshooting. The HRchitect team is still ready to help you regardless of your training progress, but we can’t stress enough how much of a difference it can make. See “Never Underestimate the Importance of HCM Training” for further insight.
Start with the Basics.
The second piece of advice is to start with the basics. It’s been my experience that as soon as we start having testing discussions, I get asked, “Well, what do we test?” The quick answer is everything. Now that doesn’t really help, does it? So, let’s refocus. The best thing you can do is to put yourself in the employee’s shoes. What is an employee doing in the new HCM system? If it’s logging on, punching in, and reviewing their timecard, there are 3 tests to add to your list for you to execute during UAT.
Some other questions to ask yourself as you move through UAT include:
- Can the employee log on?
- Can the employee punch in?
- Can the employee review their timecard?
- Same thing with your managers. Is the manager able to edit their employee’s timecard?
- Is the manager able to approve time?
Start with the basics and build test cases from there. Your list should include all simple steps, but the test cases must include the more complex and less frequent cases, too. There will always be lots of test cases! If you get stuck creating your list of test cases, your implementation team is ready to answer any questions and help walk through how you create test cases. Remember that issue you spent so much time on before the new system? Prior pain points always make an excellent test case. Does it work as expected in the new HCM system? Taking time punches and accruals from your legacy system can go a long way since we can compare the values from old to new.
Keep it simple.
My last piece of advice is to keep your tests separate. Maybe you go on an employee’s timecard and notice that a break rule isn’t working as expected, and it looks like the employee was able to take too much time off on Monday. Your gut feeling may be to email your consultant with a list of everything you found wrong. However, splitting up the issues you noticed into multiple communications, whether via email or the testing website, is often more beneficial. Clear communication helps ensure that your implementation consultants fix each issue. A laundry list in a single email results in focusing on one issue, and the others are often left to the side, causing miscommunication. Instead, when we have multiple threads or test cases, we can ensure that each issue is being tracked and given the appropriate amount of attention.
Integration data can support UAT.
User Acceptance Testing focuses on how the employee will use the new system. Integration files can support UAT by porting data from the old system to the new one. To ensure this data moves seamlessly into the new system, check out “The Best Tips for Working with HCM/WFM Integration files.”
Manage the issues.
As we continue to test, communication is critical. Getting issues added to the issue list helps the whole team. The more information you can provide, the better testing proceeds. Be sure to include screenshots plus the expected results, the steps you followed, and the employee information you used in your test cases. These are all key to ensuring your Implementation consultants can efficiently work through the issue list. For more information on managing issues, check out these insights on Issue List review meetings.
User Acceptance Testing is critical to the success of your implementation. We have the following articles to help you explore this topic further in-depth:
It’s an exciting time when you finally get your hands on the system, and we’re excited to help you through this stage!
HRchitect is the only consulting firm specializing in Human Capital Management but is also vendor neutral. Click here to learn more about HRchitect’s consulting services, from Selection through Implementation and Concierge Managed Support. We’re here to help you.
About the Author
Diego has several years of experience developing solutions for the configuration of complex timekeeping requirements. Diego has worked with various clients from different industries. He leverages his technical expertise to assist clients in achieving their management goals, emphasizing the post go-live experience for end users and practitioners. Diego provides keen attention to all project phases, from scope definition and requirements documentation to configuration, testing, implementation, and support.
To learn more about Diego, check out his LinkedIn profile.