Human Resource Management Systems Testing Explained

Are you implementing a human resource management system (HRMS) in your organization? That’s an essential project since it determines how you will motivate and engage your employees. In today’s competitive business environment, your employees drive your success. An important part of this project is the testing of the HRMS solution, and this article will shed some light on this process.

Why HRMS is important for your organization

An HRMS is a software system that automates human resource-related processes in an organization. It typically includes features like performance management, recruitment, compensation & benefits (C&B), onboarding, training, vacation management, etc.

An effective HRMS integrates an organization’s HR policies, processes, and practices. Apart from automating some of the HR tasks, it brings in transparency and consistency in HR management. A robust HRMS positively impacts employee skill development, performance appraisal, rewards & recognition, payroll processing, occupational safety practices, hiring, and regulatory compliance. The result is an engaged workforce, which improves the organization’s performance.

How do you go about HRMS testing?

The testing of your HRMS solution requires the following foundations:

Step #1: Create a test strategy

Your HRMS testing work stream can’t be isolated from your overall HRMS implementation. Start early with a test strategy. Following are key considerations:

The project manager (PM) and the business analyst (BA) should prepare it.
Your business requirements drive your test strategy. Involve the HR representatives in this process.
A test strategy document should include the testing approach and the standards to follow.

Step #2: Onboard a testing team

As web apps dominate the software landscape including that of HRMS solutions, you will need to induct a web testing team for your HRMS testing. Build a team with the following roles:

A quality assurance (QA) lead, also called a test lead or a test manager, who will manage the overall HRMS testing. The QA lead plans the testing activities, ensures availability of resources, keeps the testing on track with the overall project schedule, and manages the communication including status reporting.
Testers, also called test engineers, who follow the test strategy and take directions from the test lead. They prepare the test plan, create test cases, set up test beds with test data, execute the test plan, verify the test results, and report status to the test lead.

The testing of an HRMS system requires sufficient time. Therefore, the test lead should manage conflicting priorities. This will allow the testers to focus on the task in hand.

Step #3: Develop a test plan

It’s time you go a step further and create a test plan for your HRMS testing. This document takes its inputs from the test strategy and the technical requirements. A test plan should include the following:

The testing scope, which should list the HRMS features that your team will test
Exclusion, i.e., the HRMS features you will not test. This could be due to the phased implementation of the system, or other relevant reasons
Detailing the testing approach that you had mentioned in the test strategy
Testing entry and exit criteria
Test cases, and their respective success criteria
Mapping of the test cases with the software requirements traceability matrix
Testing schedule
Task assignments
A testing risk mitigation plan

Step #4: Create HRMS functional test cases

A subset of your test plan, test cases are what you will finally deal with. You need inputs from the HR representatives here. Test cases need to have the following:

Input data
Expected result
Any relevant instructions, for example, test scripts

HRMS solutions typically provide key reports and analytic insights to stakeholders. You will need test cases specific to these reports and analytics. For these test cases, you should gather test data and output reports from your earlier HR system. Negative test cases are important too.

Step #5: Create non-functional test cases

HRMS solutions require a fair amount of non-functional testing, which includes the following:

Security testing: An HR system contains sensitive personal information of employees, which makes it important.
Performance testing: HR systems have cycles of heavy load. Consider the annual performance appraisal cycle. Line managers, employees, and HR representatives will use the system to a far greater extent during this time. Your test cases should include performance testing.
Compliance testing: HR systems must comply with stringent regulations; therefore, compliance testing becomes important.
Localization testing. This is needed only in case you are an international organization with more than one language officially used.

Step #6: Consider test automation for HRMS testing

We are now in the test-execution stage. You can run manual tests. However, whether you will use a test automation tool for your HRMS testing is a testing strategy question. If you want to use one, then there are two approaches, as follows:

If you are developing a web HRMS solution, you can use market-leading test automation tools like Selenium.
For SaaS products, you need to look for human capital management (HCM) vendor-supported test automation tools.

Step #7: Review test results

Your team has recorded test results during the test execution; therefore, it’s time to review that. Factor the following considerations during this process:

Reviewers should verify the test results against the test cases.
It’s important to validate whether the test execution met the entry and exit criteria.
Real users, i.e., HR representatives should be part of this review.
A formal sign-off is important.

Transforming your organization’s HR processes and tools

Your HRMS implementation is likely part of your larger HR transformation. You might have taken up this ambitious project to align your HR processes and tools to your strategic business objectives. Testing of the HRMS is a crucial piece in this puzzle. It requires a skilled workforce and mature methodologies. Consider engaging a top-rated testing services provider that demonstrate a drive for continuous improvement, to make your project a success.