Is A Test Automation Tool For Salesforce Really Necessary?

Upon its release, Salesforce was a highly disruptive technology. The software’s fully cloud-based environment shook up the market in 1999 and its advancements continue to make waves today. Salesforce began as a CRM but soon transformed into a highly customizable tool integral to many business processes. Because smooth Salesforce integration is instrumental to business operations, organizations need a reliable and flexible test automation tool for Salesforce. 

Salesforce Customizability is a Double Edged-Sword 

By nature, Salesforce is exceptionally dynamic. It has no standard setup; nearly everything is customized. Salesforce features:

• Low-code development that empowers even non-technical users to build on top of Salesforce
• Workflow automation
• The ability to build a CRM from scratch, complete with objects

Unfortunately, this level of customization poses as much of a problem as it does a solution. First and foremost, you must ensure that your tailored build will work. Testing becomes increasingly challenging because test cases must accommodate Salesforce’s malleable nature.

End-to-End Testing Requirements

Over time, Salesforce has evolved to support app integrations. In typical SaaS fashion, the integrated applications run on their own release cycles. Within these complex application architectures, Salesforce is often involved in mission-critical processes.

Given the interconnected system architecture, each of these unsynced releases could cause a ripple effect of defects. Although individual apps run tests before releasing updates, those tests don’t take all possible dependencies into account. Continuous changes make end-to-end testing crucial.  

Why Aren’t Traditional Test Automation Tools Successful?

It’s not that traditional testing tools don’t work. It’s that they don’t work well with the volatile Salesforce setup. For example, the release of Salesforce Lightning threw a wrench into many automated Salesforce tests. In addition, Salesforce applications have variable elements that can be difficult to test with Selenium. Shadow DOM, IDs, and CSS attributes can change significantly between environments, so testing all of them is exhausting.

Example #1

You’re testing a button. You use the button ID, but it is a dynamic property with self-updating capabilities. Your test case is unable to find the button for testing because the ID has changed on its own. 

Example #2

You’re testing sections of your website with embedded elements from an external source, like videos. These elements are often not visible when testing in Selenium. Testing is doable, but you will likely need to jump through a few hoops. For example, you may need to use multiple attributes or identify by index. 

While traditional testing methods can be effective, the maintenance load is quite heavy. For example, Selenium tests break easily and require manual intervention to keep them up-to-date. A test automation tool for Salesforce must be able to function under fluctuating conditions. Tackling the problems above may involve a combination of property ID, computer vision, or screen coordinates.

However, this only solves test automation within the Salesforce environment. Other issues can be more difficult to pinpoint, especially when the root cause is unclear. Since Salesforce is one part of a larger system of business applications, testing it requires a nonlinear approach.

Signs Your Company Needs a Test Automation Tool for Salesforce

Every company is different, and so is the way it uses Salesforce. The criteria below can help you determine whether a test automation tool for Salesforce is right for your organization.

Is Salesforce a standalone solution in your company?

The first sign that your business needs a test automation tool for Salesforce lies within your application portfolio. Is it diverse? Or is Salesforce a standalone solution for your company? If your business processes involve a system of applications, a test automation tool for Salesforce is key to integration management. 

How do you use Salesforce?

If your company uses Salesforce solely as a CRM with the standard Salesforce package, interdependencies may not pose an issue for you. However, once you build processes and features, you’ll need to ramp up your testing. Customizations typically happen at a fast pace. Testing must be able to keep up with them to ensure optimal performance.  

What applications do you integrate with Salesforce?

In addition to customizations within Salesforce, you need to consider your integrations. The more your Salesforce business processes integrate with other applications, the more important test automation becomes. It also shows the importance of finding a solution that can test both within and outside of Salesforce.

Do different departments work in the same Salesforce environment?

Collaboration and communication are vital to any business process. Often, system integrators will be working in one part of Salesforce while another team works in development. In these conditions, both teams need rapid feedback loops. No matter how streamlined your business processes are, they cannot reach peak efficiency without a test automation tool for Salesforce.

Close the Test Automation Loop with Deployment Automation

When it comes to automation, the possibilities are seemingly endless. However, with traditional test tools, you may need another solution entirely to close the loop on deployment automation. But think back to the reason you chose Salesforce in the first place. It was likely to streamline business processes with an easily-customizable solution.

Fast-forward to the present day, and Salesforce has done its job to the best of its abilities. Now it’s time for you to apply those same principles to the rest of your infrastructure. Choosing the right tools to support your processes is just as important as choosing the right processes. A comprehensive test automation tool, like Copado Robotic Testing, can help you make the most of Salesforce in your company. 

What is Copado Robotic Testing?

Copado Robotic Testing is a scalable testing platform that lives in the cloud, making it an ideal testing solution to integrate with Salesforce. With natural language keywords and click recording, testers of all skill sets can build, run, and maintain tests for desktop, mobile, and web apps. An ever-changing solution like Salesforce calls for an automated testing tool that can match its flexibility. CRT’s self-healing AI and machine learning capabilities make it a natural companion for Salesforce: a test automation solution that lets you test Salesforce end-to-end.