How much HRMS testing is too much testing?

Testing is an essential part of implementing a new HRMS. Can you ever do enough testing? Is there a point of diminishing returns for HRMS testing? How do you know it’s time to sign off on the test phase and go live? Here are three key principles to guide your HRMS testing strategy and optimize your testing efforts.

Base your testing on the employee lifecycle

Any HRMS testing should look at the full employee lifecycle as a starting point for test scripts. As you go through test cycles, processes may fail and require another round of testing. Don’t fall into a testing trap of running the whole process repeatedly in areas where it was mostly successful. Retest the broken aspect until it passes and then run through your end-to-end test process to be sure of complete success.

Organization is key for successful HRMS testing

There are many layers of testing in an implementation. Developers perform system testing to make sure that an interface runs. Functional analysts review file results and format. Downstream systems will need to test load an integration file to make sure that it’s in the right format.

Use this nine-step guide to HRMS implementation to test and install your software as efficiently as possible

All of these moving pieces need to be kept aligned and in the right order. A test lead should be appointed to monitor progress and follow up on retesting efforts. Are you able to say at any moment how many items have passed testing? Do you know where in the process failed test cases have stalled? A test lead can take care of the administrative aspects so that your analysts, developers and testers can focus their skills on testing rather than logistics. They can keep things moving so that your team does not get bogged down in needless testing or over the top test efforts.  

Categorize your HRMS test risks and thresholds

Each test script should carry its own risk weighting. A failure in a paycheck generation amount is different from a more minor issue like incorrect formatting when printing a performance review. Decide upfront which test issues will hold up a go-live decision and which can be solved after go-live.

Many perfectionists will strive for 100% results but testing does not need to be like that. Crucial testing that involves compensation is a high priority. Other testing might not need to be at the same level. The important part is that everyone is clear with what testing is essential for sign-off and which testing is a nice to have.