Discover all the tips and tricks to ensure your software's quality with this guide to testing SaaS applications.
Software as a Service (SaaS) applications are a dime a dozen these days, but that means that advice and methods for their testing processes are just as varied. How do you know which angle is best for you? Do you just need one tool or a whole suite? Are you switching from manual testing or looking to upgrade your traditional testing? Look no further for your ultimate dos-and-don'ts guide to testing SaaS applications!
We'll start with the basics, just in case this is your first foray into quality assurance (QA). SaaS testing focuses on ensuring your application functions as expected and meets user expectations by testing functionality, visual appearance, and speed. All three are critically important in a digital era where users have a plethora of options for whatever need they're trying to meet, whether they're a single customer looking for a to-do application or an enormous company with thousands of employees seeking out bug management software. With the high expectations of software, robust testing methodologies will keep users, old and new, coming back for more.
There's a wide range of testing types that exist, and some are better suited to testing SaaS applications than others, so we'll cover which ones are the most relevant. Unit testing and visual regression testing are also types of testing processes that shouldn't be left out, but this is just going to turn into a list of testing types if we're not careful!
Functional testing is a rather large bucket that covers whether or not a software works as intended. It should, well, function correctly on the front-end, replicating the experience of an actual end-user. Both properly-written test cases and robust test data are needed to accurately test for function, as well as Continuous Testing to ensure that users never encounter a software-breaking bug.
The longer a software is around, the more complex it can get, meaning that a lot of moving parts can start causing friction with one another. Integration testing ensures that all modules work together cohesively, either by testing incrementally how each piece works with each other or throwing them all in a mixing bowl and seeing how well they work as a whole.
In an age where anything we want is instantly at our fingertips, fast, responsive software is critical. Performance testing stays on top of a software's speed, responsiveness, and stability, and it's also a natural complement to stress testing, which we'll cover farther down.
Everyone prefers to use a certain device for purchases, research, or communication, and let's not even get in the middle of the Android vs iPhone war. Compatibility testing checks whether a software is usable across a wide range of real devices, browsers, and OSs. Because while the average Joe books their flights on a computer like a sane person, there's always an outlier flying by the seat of their pants and buying flights on the mobile application (or even a website not optimized for mobile!)
While a front-end that's pretty and functioning is all well and good, that user interface isn't much use if it can't connect properly to the back-end for data retrieval, executing commands, or the wide range of other tasks the back-end is used for. API testing ensures that the front of the software is properly communicating with the back-end via API calls. This also covers security concerns (like making sure a client account can't hack its way into admin access).
While unfortunately not a top priority for many software companies, making your application accessible is essential and should be a major concern. According to We Are Purple, "73% of disabled customers experience barriers on more than a quarter of websites they visited". This can not only prevent people with severe visual impairments from using your app, but it can also make the experience harrowing enough for those with mild disabilities that they choose not to. Accessibility testing tests whether or not your app is usable by people with visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities.
SaaS testing comes with its own potential issues, but knowing how to get around them will ensure that you have exceptional test coverage to provide a seamless user experience and that you're spending your energy on the right areas.
Software releases are only gaining momentum, and oftentimes, a faster software development lifecycle (SDLC) results in less time to properly test a new feature or update before launch. Testing your releases is absolutely crucial and cannot be skipped or compromised with shortcuts. So, the only solution? Your testing process needs to be able to handle the requirements of frequent updates.
New browser versions are released constantly, and at least two new OSs are launched every year, so ensuring that your software works on every instance can be time-consuming if you have to manually launch every test via a traditional testing tool or *shudder* even execute your tests manually on a range of devices.
Legacy software will always come with its set of challenges, and user satisfaction can be hard to get as some will complain that a fresh look is too much change, while others protest that even "old" apps need to keep up with the times. Testing software that's been around for a while can come with a handful of common challenges, like a lack of comprehensive documentation, interdependency of components, and huge updates that require increased testing efforts.
Luckily, there's plenty that you can do to combat the above, and we've compiled some more tips and tricks to streamline your testing efforts and round out a comprehensive testing strategy.
Continuous Testing is an essential testing strategy for any development team making agile adjustments to their platform. This involves having tests running near-constantly to catch any breakages to reduce the impact on the user experience as much as possible. The only way to conduct this is through automated testing, as the strain on manual testing teams would be too great for the return.
This may not seem like a major concern, but sometimes product owners may not even realize that a website or application is only accessible to certain locations. Some platforms, like Zoom, even come with default settings that auto-lock users from countries like India out. This can unintentionally lock out a large user base, so it's best to check periodically that your software is accessible and functioning from all locations.
As mentioned above as pairing well with performance testing, stress testing tests how well a software can perform under high demand, either from sudden user loads or high-draw requirements (like multiple automations firing at once). It also should be executed alongside load testing, which will check how well the software performs under expected usage.
A manual testing approach can no longer fulfill the needs of modern software — or modern users. Automated testing, especially paired with an agile methodology, is the best strategy to ensure that your software stays high quality while ensuring that your testing team is testing your application as efficiently as possible. A good testing platform will include data-driven testing, advanced features, cross-browser testing, and more, as well as fit neatly into your development cycle.
Directionless testing will exhaust your testing team without much to show for it. Before you can start a comprehensive testing strategy, you need to nail down your business goals. Then, you can use those to set your requirements and define exactly what your testing process should look like and any KPIs that go along with it.
The right test automation tool will solve many of the challenges laid out above. A tool that keeps up with new browser versions and can self-heal inevitable legacy software breakage is scalable and saves lots of headaches in the long run. You'll want to choose a testing platform that can scale to test frequent updates, ensure a seamless user experience, emulate tests on real devices, self-heal to reduce maintenance loads, support low-code/no-code test authoring, and even more. Check out our guide to choosing a test automation tool to get the ultimate list of all the variables to consider. And if you're looking to meet all your SaaS testing requirements, then go ahead and book a demo with our expert team to discover custom solutions for your testing pain points.
