Where to Start with Test Automation in Microsoft D365

Apr 2, 2025 | Blog

Smart Test Automation Strategies for Microsoft D365

Imagine your company has just invested in a test automation platform for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365). You’re eager to leverage automation to enhance your testing efforts and ensure high-quality results. With a vast array of modules and processes within D365, however, it can be overwhelming to determine where automation should be applied for testing purposes.

This blog will help you identify the best areas within D365 to prioritize for automated testing, ensuring a smooth setup and maximizing the efficiency of your test automation strategy.

What Makes a Good Candidate for Automated Testing in Microsoft D365?

Before diving into automation, it’s crucial to identify which areas of testing within D365 offer the most value when automated. Certain types of tests, processes, and workflows are more suited for automation, enabling you to maximize testing efficiency and accuracy while reducing manual effort.

Repetitive and Time-Consuming Tests

Automated testing is ideal for processes that are run repeatedly, such as regression tests, smoke tests, and data-driven tests. These tests are frequently executed after each new D365 release, making them the perfect candidates for automation.

By automating these tests, you reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks, minimize human error, and ensure consistency across test cycles.

High-Risk and Critical Business Functions

Testing the core business functions that are critical to your organization is essential. This includes areas such as financial transactions, order processing, and inventory management.

Automated testing in these areas ensures that any issues are identified quickly, reducing the risk of operational disruptions and ensuring a stable environment for your business processes.

Stable and Predictable Functionalities

It’s beneficial to automate testing for functions within D365 that are unlikely to change frequently. For instance, testing for financial compliance or accounting processes can be automated because they are stable over time.

Automating these tests reduces maintenance efforts and keeps your test suite effective longer without requiring frequent updates.

Data-Intensive Workflows

D365 handles large volumes of data, making it important to test data consistency, integrity, and accuracy across various modules.

Automated testing can be applied to data validation, integration testing, and data migration tests, ensuring that data flows properly between modules and that critical data points remain accurate.

D365 Areas to Prioritize for Automated Testing

To maximize the benefits of your test automation tool, it’s crucial to focus on testing the areas of D365 that have the greatest business impact and are most conducive to automation. Below are the core areas of D365 to prioritize for automated testing:

1. D365 Finance

  • Financial Transaction Testing – Automate the testing of transactions like invoicing, payment processing, and general ledger entries to ensure accuracy and compliance.
  • Accounts Payable & Receivable Testing – Automate the verification of transactions, including invoice matching and payment schedules, to reduce errors and improve efficiency.
  • Tax Compliance Testing – Automate tax calculations and reporting processes to ensure compliance with regional and international tax regulations.

2. D365 Supply Chain Management

  • Inventory Management Testing – Automate tests to verify stock levels, order fulfillment, and inventory tracking to ensure smooth supply chain operations and prevent discrepancies.
  • Procurement Testing – Automate the testing of purchasing workflows, including vendor selection, order creation, and supplier communications, to improve the efficiency of procurement processes.
  • Logistics & Delivery Testing – Ensure automated testing of logistics processes, such as order tracking and shipping updates, to improve delivery reliability and customer satisfaction.

3. D365 Sales & Customer Service

  • Order Management Testing – Automate the verification of order entry, invoicing, and fulfillment notifications to reduce errors and speed up order processing.
  • Customer Interaction Testing – Automate the testing of case management, service requests, and customer communication workflows to improve responsiveness and support quality.
  • Sales Process Testing – Automate tests for lead management, opportunity tracking, and sales forecasts to improve sales pipeline accuracy and team productivity.

4. D365 Integration & API Testing

  • Third-Party Integrations – Automate testing for integrations between D365 and other enterprise systems, such as CRM tools or external databases, to ensure seamless communication and prevent data discrepancies.
  • API Testing – Automate the testing of APIs to ensure the proper flow of data between D365 and external systems, minimizing the risk of integration failures.

Developing a Sustainable Test Automation Strategy for D365

Once you have selected your test automation candidates, it’s essential to develop a sustainable strategy for long-term success. A well-planned strategy ensures your automation efforts remain effective and scalable as your D365 environment evolves.

Test Prioritization

When developing your automation strategy, prioritize the tests based on their business impact. High-risk tests, such as those in Finance and Supply Chain Management, should be automated first. By focusing on critical workflows and frequent tests, you ensure the most valuable processes are covered while minimizing potential errors that could disrupt business operations.

Ongoing Maintenance and Governance

Automation isn’t a one-time project—it requires ongoing maintenance. D365 regularly updates its features, which may result in changes to workflows and processes. Ensure you have a governance strategy in place to update and adapt your automated tests as D365 evolves, minimizing the need for constant manual intervention.

Collaboration Between IT & Business Teams

Test automation in D365 should be a collaborative effort between IT teams and business units. Business users understand the core workflows that are crucial to the organization, while IT can ensure the technical side of test automation is implemented efficiently. This collaboration ensures that automation is aligned with the actual business needs and objectives.

Manual vs. Automated Testing – Where to Draw the Line

While automation brings numerous benefits, it’s important to understand that not all testing should be automated. Certain types of tests require human insight and judgment and are better left for manual testing.

Tests Best Left for Manual Execution

  • Exploratory Testing – These tests are conducted without pre-defined scripts and require creativity and human judgment. Automated tests cannot mimic this approach, so it’s important to perform this type of testing manually.
  • Usability Testing – Evaluating the user experience and interface requires subjective human feedback and is best performed manually.
  • Ad-Hoc Testing – These are one-off tests that do not occur regularly, making them less suited for automation.
  • Localization Testing – Verifying translations and regional settings often involves cultural nuances and is better handled manually.

Why Identifying Test Automation Candidates is Important

Prioritizing which tests to automate is essential to maximizing the return on investment (ROI) from your test automation tool. By focusing on high-impact, repetitive, and stable tests, you ensure that your efforts are directed toward the areas that will provide the greatest benefit. This also helps prevent unnecessary maintenance costs associated with automating tests that are infrequently used or subject to constant change.

Conclusion

Automating tests within Microsoft D365 helps improve the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of your ERP testing efforts. By focusing on high-impact modules such as Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Sales & Customer Service, you can ensure that your automated testing efforts are aligned with your organization’s most critical workflows.

Remember, automation is a powerful tool, but manual testing still plays an important role in areas where human creativity and judgment are required. By identifying the right candidates for automation and continuously maintaining your automation suite, you can build a robust and efficient testing process that scales with your organization.

Ready to streamline your D365 testing? With TheTestMart, you can automate high-impact areas quickly and effectively, ensuring smoother releases and better quality assurance. Get in touch today and see how our platform can simplify your test automation strategy!

3 Common Pitfalls in Dynamics 365 Testing and How to Avoid Them

Mar 5, 2025 | Blog

Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) is a powerful enterprise solution. However, with each update that gets introduced, organizations face potential risks that can disrupt business operations and compromise system stability if not tested properly.

Without a structured testing strategy, critical workflows, integrations, and user experiences can be impacted. Learn more about creating a robust testing framework in our guide here on Test Automation Best Practices.

In this blog post, we will explore three common pitfalls in D365 testing and how to effectively avoid them.

Common Pitfall #1: Not Testing After Updates

Every new D365 update brings enhancements, bug fixes, and security improvements. However, these updates can also introduce unforeseen issues that may break workflows, disrupt customizations, or affect integrations.

Many organizations assume that Microsoft’s testing covers all scenarios. However, Microsoft’s built-in testing may not account for unique customizations, integrations, or workflows that are critical to a business’s daily operations.

How to Avoid It:

  • Establish a structured update testing process before deployment.
  • Conduct functional and regression testing to ensure core processes and customizations remain intact.
  • Leverage automated testing solutions to streamline and accelerate update validation. Automated regression testing for D365 ensures that every update is thoroughly vetted with less manual effort required.

Common Pitfall #2: Relying on Manual Testing

Many organizations still depend on manual testing for D365, which is time-consuming, repetitive, and prone to human error. For example, JMP initially relied on manual testing, leading to delays and overlooked issues. After implementing test automation, they reduced testing time by 90% and cut their testing effort by 98%.

Manual testing struggles to keep up with frequent updates, often resulting in delayed deployments, increased costs, and a higher risk of undetected issues making their way into production.

How to Avoid It:

  • Implement automated testing tools to efficiently test large volumes of scenarios. The best D365 testing tools help identify issues faster and reduce deployment risks. See the full list of Microsoft’s recommended options for regression testing here.
  • Leverage automated test data management to automatically create and manage test data within your test scripts.
  • Increase test coverage and consistency, ensuring all critical workflows function properly.

Common Pitfall #3: Skipping End-to-End Testing

A common mistake in D365 testing is focusing solely on isolated functionalities instead of evaluating complete end-to-end business processes, which include cross-module interactions and third-party integrations.

Because D365 is often integrated with third-party applications, skipping end-to-end testing can lead to unexpected failures in interconnected systems, disrupting data flow and user experience.

How to Avoid It:

  • Conduct end-to-end testing that includes all integrated applications and external systems.
  • Validate workflows across different modules, ensuring smooth data transfer and communication.
  • Use test automation to simulate real-world scenarios and identify issues before they reach production. Automated testing for D365 ensures system reliability and performance under various conditions.

Using Automation to Strengthen D365 Testing

Test automation plays a key role in reducing the risks associated with D365 updates and system changes. While it doesn’t replace a well-thought-out testing strategy, it helps streamline the process, making it faster, more efficient, and more reliable.

With automated testing, organizations can:

  • Quickly validate updates without relying solely on manual efforts.
  • Identify issues early, preventing disruptions before they reach production.
  • Improve test coverage by ensuring critical workflows and integrations function properly.

By integrating automation into your testing approach, you can minimize downtime, enhance efficiency, and maintain a stable D365 environment with greater confidence.

Final Thoughts

Testing is essential for maintaining a stable D365 environment. By avoiding common pitfalls and using automation, organizations can ensure smooth updates, improved efficiency, and better performance.

Streamline your D365 testing with automation to minimize disruptions and enhance reliability. Reach out to TheTestMart to see how we can help keep your business running smoothly!

 

Discover the Key Features and Enhancements in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Version 10.0.43

Feb 5, 2025 | Blog

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance version 10.0.43 brings significant updates across various modules, enhancing functionality and user experience. This release includes improvements in Accounts Receivable, Subscription Billing, Electronic Reporting, Regulatory Reporting, and General Ledger. Scheduled for general availability in March 2025, this update aims to streamline processes, improve performance, and provide more robust tools for businesses.

This blog post highlights the key features and enhancements in the upcoming release, focusing on how they impact testing and deployment. As you prepare for the D365 10.0.43 upgrade, understanding these changes will help you optimize your testing strategies and ensure a smooth transition. Here are the key modules and their notable features:

Accounts Receivable

  • Return order invoice support through dual-write: New entities and mappings to sync return orders invoice from Finance to the customer’s environment.
  • Financial dimension posting error on sales orders: Ensures financial dimensions for automatic transactions inherit from the sales order.
  • Improve the performance of settlement and selection of invoices for matching: Addresses delays in enabling Post during settlement and selection of invoices.

Subscription Billing

  • Performance improvement for consumption quantity update: Enhances performance of recurring contract billing when updating consumption quantity.
  • Mass stubbing: Updated with an Add renewal term button for usage billing schedule lines set for automatic renewal.
  • Generate invoice: Improved performance during the creation of an invoice proposal for deferred billing schedule lines.

Electronic Reporting

  • In-app PDF conversion for configurable business documents: Facilitates seamless conversion of business documents from Word or Excel to PDF directly in the app.

Regulatory Reporting

  • Security enhancements in UK MTD VAT integration: Enhances security for direct VAT return submissions for UK VAT registration.
  • SAF Accounting Books Income Tax – JPK_KR_PD: New reporting standard in Poland requiring detailed accounting books in a structured electronic format.

General Ledger

  • Enable financial tags for Accounting source explorer: Extends the financial tags feature to enable tags in Accounting source explorer.
  • Navigate to the original document from Documents pending accounting: Allows navigation back to the original document found on the Documents pending accounting page.
  • Default dimension sharing enabled for master company sharing: Includes default dimension data in the master company sharing functionality.

Preparing for the Upcoming Release

To ensure a smooth transition to version 10.0.43, consider the following preparation steps:

Develop a Comprehensive Test Strategy: Align your test strategy with business goals, focusing on critical functionalities. Define testing objectives, select appropriate tools, and plan comprehensive test scenarios. The new features in Version 10.0.43, particularly around Accounts Receivable, Subscription Billing, and both Electronic and Regulatory Reporting, should be at the top of your testing priority list.

Establish a Dedicated Testing Environment: Replicate your production environment to catch issues early. Manage test data effectively and regularly review the testing environment to reflect production changes.

Prioritize Test Automation Areas: Focus on high-risk areas and balance cost and benefits. Continuously evaluate the impact of automation to meet evolving needs.

Update Your Test Scripts: Ensure that your existing test scripts are updated to reflect the new features and enhancements in Version 10.0.43. This will help you capture any potential issues that could arise from the update. 

Implement Continuous Integration and Deployment: Integrate automated testing into your CI/CD pipeline. Automate early in the development cycle, ensure robust configuration management, and monitor and report test outcomes.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 version 10.0.43 brings key enhancements to improve functionality, security, and performance. Updates in Accounts Receivable, Subscription Billing, and Electronic Reporting help streamline financial processes and increase efficiency. To take full advantage, businesses should have a solid testing strategy in place before deployment.

A smooth D365 upgrade requires test automation, updated scripts, and a reliable testing environment. By planning ahead, you can reduce risks and ensure a seamless transition. Staying proactive with testing and validation will help businesses fully benefit from the new features and maintain system stability.

Ensure your business is ready for Dynamics 365 Version 10.0.43 with TheTestMart’s expert guidance. Schedule a consultation today to optimize your automated testing strategy and seamlessly integrate the latest updates. Let’s collaborate to enhance your processes and maintain smooth operations.

Stay Ahead with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Updates: Your 2025 Guide 

Jan 15, 2025 | Blog

As we step into 2025, staying updated with the latest advancements in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and leveraging new features. At TheTestMart, we understand the importance of keeping your systems current, which is why we’ve created a downloadable calendar highlighting all the key targeted dates for Microsoft Dynamics 365 updates throughout the year. 

Predictable and Flexible Updates

In April 2024, Microsoft introduced more flexibility in scheduling updates for Dynamics 365, changing the cadence at which updates become available. Dynamics 365 updates now follow a predictable schedule, with four updates released annually in February, April, July, and October. This regular cadence ensures that your systems are always equipped with the latest features and improvements. 

Customers can take up to four service updates per year and are required to take a minimum of two. Additionally, customers have the option to pause one update at a time, providing further flexibility in managing their update schedules. 

Key Dates for 2025

Below are the key dates for Microsoft Dynamics 365 updates in 2025, organized by release. There are two major releases scheduled for 2025: versions 10.0.43 and 10.0.45. Note: These dates follow Microsoft’s Targeted Release Schedule and are subject to change.

10.0.42 Release

  • February 1st: The first auto-update window opens for the 10.0.42 release. If you haven’t updated manually, Microsoft will automatically update your environment. 
  • March 7th: The second auto-update window for the 10.0.42 release opens. 
  • August 22nd: Microsoft stops providing updates and service for the 10.0.42 release version.

10.0.43 Major Release

  • January 27th: The 10.0.43 update becomes available for preview. This is the first major release of the year, introducing significant new features and enhancements. 
  • February 7th: Last date to apply the 10.0.43 major release preview update. 
  • March 14th: The 10.0.43 major release update becomes available for manual application. 
  • April 4th: The first auto-update window opens for the 10.0.43 major release. 
  • May 2nd: The second auto-update window for the 10.0.43 major release opens. 
  • November 21st: Microsoft stops providing updates and service for the 10.0.43 major release version.

10.0.44 Release

  • April 25th: The 10.0.44 update becomes available for preview. 
  • May 2nd: Last date to apply the 10.0.44 release preview update. 
  • June 6th: The 10.0.44 update becomes available for manual application. 
  • July 4th: The first auto-update window opens for the 10.0.44 release. 
  • August 1st: The second auto-update window for the 10.0.44 release opens.

10.0.45 Major Release

  • July 28th: The 10.0.45 update is available for preview. This is the second major release of the year. 
  • August 8th: Last date to apply the 10.0.45 major release preview update. 
  • September 12th: The 10.0.45 major release update becomes available for manual application. 
  • October 3rd: The first auto-update window opens for the 10.0.45 major release. 
  • October 31st: The second auto-update window for the 10.0.45 major release opens. 

Other Important Dates

  • February 18th: Microsoft stops providing updates and service for the 10.0.40 release version. Users must update to a newer version to continue receiving support and updates. 
  • May 23rd: Microsoft stops providing updates and service for the 10.0.41 release version. Users must update to a newer version to continue receiving support and updates. 

Flexibility in Updates

Organizations must take at least two updates per year, with a maximum of four. You can choose from two auto-update windows, four weeks apart, for each update. Additionally, you can pause one update at a time for the UAT sandbox or production environment. If not self-updated within the pause window, Microsoft will apply the latest update automatically. 

For more information, refer to the list of Microsoft’s D365 update resources below: 

Plan Ahead with Confidence

This calendar is designed to help you stay informed and plan your updates efficiently. By keeping track of these key dates, you can plan out your organization’s testing strategy for the year and remain up-to-date with the latest features and improvements in Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Download your 2025 Microsoft D365 update calendar from TheTestMart today and stay ahead of the curve!

Learn More About TheTestMart

At TheTestMart, we enhance your Microsoft Dynamics 365 update experience with increased accuracy and efficiency, significantly reducing testing time. Our Customer Success team ensures your success with expert onboarding, training, and test script building for Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management.

Ready to optimize your testing process? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how TheTestMart can help you stay ahead with the latest Microsoft D365 updates.

Announcing a New Strategic Partnership: TheTestMart and Mismo Dynamics 

Oct 18, 2024 | Blog

We are excited to announce the partnership between TheTestMart, a leader in automated testing solutions for Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Mismo Dynamics, a trusted Microsoft D365 partner known for their innovative development, implementation, and support services. Together, we are creating a powerful synergy that will elevate Dynamics 365 experience for businesses across the globe. 

Unlocking New Possibilities with Automation and Expertise 

This partnership combines TheTestMart’s cutting-edge automated testing platform with Mismo Dynamics’ deep expertise in delivering comprehensive Dynamics 365 solutions. By joining forces, we aim to help businesses streamline their operations, improve system reliability, and enhance their ability to scale efficiently. 

Almas Sehic of Mismo Dynamics, shares in this enthusiasm: “Partnering with TheTestMart enables us to offer an even more robust solution to our clients. Automated testing has become essential in today’s fast-paced cloud environment, and TheTestMart’s tools are second to none when it comes to reducing the complexity and time involved in D365 updates and customizations.” 

“Our collaboration with Mismo Dynamics represents a pivotal moment for our clients. With their extensive knowledge of Dynamics 365 implementation and support, combined with our AI-powered automated testing tools, we can provide businesses with a comprehensive solution that covers every stage of their D365 journey—from implementation to ongoing updates and beyond.” 

Nick Vaccaro

VP of Sales, TheTestMart

What This Partnership Means for Businesses: 

  1. Streamlined Testing and Upgrades: With TheTestMart’s automated testing, businesses can drastically reduce the time and effort required to test updates and customizations. Mismo Dynamics will integrate these tools into their implementation and upgrade services, ensuring smooth transitions between versions and minimizing downtime. 
  2. Improved System Reliability: By leveraging TheTestMart’s prebuilt test libraries and AI-powered test script management, businesses can ensure their D365 environments remain robust, secure, and reliable—without the hassle of manual testing. 
  3. Comprehensive Support at Every Step: Mismo Dynamics’ global support team, combined with TheTestMart’s automated solutions, offers businesses peace of mind. Whether you’re upgrading, implementing new features, or maintaining your existing environment, this partnership ensures you have a trusted team to back you up. 
  4. Accelerated Growth: The combined power of automated testing and expert D365 consulting will empower businesses to accelerate their digital transformation, optimize operations, and focus on growth. 

    About TheTestMart 

    TheTestMart is a Microsoft-recommended automated testing solution for Dynamics 365, powered by AI. Our platform simplifies testing at every step—from test creation to execution and remediation—helping businesses keep pace with frequent cloud updates while drastically reducing the effort and duration required for testing. 

    About Mismo Dynamics 

    Mismo Dynamics is a trusted Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner offering expert development, design, and support services across the globe. With a team of seasoned professionals, Mismo Dynamics is committed to helping businesses harness the power of Microsoft technologies to achieve seamless operations and drive business success. 

    Looking Ahead 

    This partnership represents our shared commitment to helping businesses achieve greater efficiency, reliability, and scalability in their Dynamics 365 operations. Stay tuned for more updates on how TheTestMart and Mismo Dynamics are transforming the landscape of automated testing and cloud ERP solutions. 

    To learn more about how our partnership can benefit your business, contact us today or schedule a demo to experience our solutions firsthand. 

    How TheTestMart Revolutionized JMP’s Testing Process 

    Oct 2, 2024 | Blog

    When it comes to managing the complexities of testing within Microsoft Dynamics 365, finding the right solution can be challenging. For JMP Equipment Company, a leader in commercial HVAC and plumbing equipment, their journey from manual testing to automated efficiency was transformative, thanks to TheTestMart. 

    The Challenge: Time-Consuming Manual Testing 

    JMP had relied on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for several years before migrating to Dynamics 365 Finance. While the upgrade promised innovation, it also came with a surprising frequency of updates. With each update, JMP was forced to manually test their system to ensure stability—a process that required significant coordination, effort, and time. This manual approach left the team concerned that they might miss critical issues that could impact usability. 

    Exploring Automated Solutions 

    For a year, JMP tried Microsoft’s RSAT testing tool. However, the results were disappointing. While RSAT was intended to streamline testing, it often required just as much effort as their manual methods. Unpredictable costs and time-consuming tests continued to plague the team, leading them to search for a better, more efficient solution. 

    Enter TheTestMart 

    JMP evaluated various automated testing tools and ultimately chose TheTestMart due to its ability to dramatically reduce the effort required for testing while providing predictable annual costs. 

    “We evaluated TheTestMart in a detailed comparison and felt it was a better solution,” said Martin Messick, VP of Information Technology at JMP. “With TheTestMart, we know what we will be paying every year. With RSAT, we never knew how long it would take to complete the tests, and there were variable costs every month to keep it operating effectively. With TheTestMart performing all the tests for us, we instantly have higher confidence in our testing processes.” 

    The Results: Efficiency, Confidence, and Cost Control 

    The impact of TheTestMart on JMP’s testing process was profound: 

    • 89% reduction in testing duration: What once took weeks to complete now takes just two days. 
    • 98% reduction in effort: The number of internal resources required for testing dropped significantly, from four people to just one. 
    • Predictable annual costs: Unlike RSAT, TheTestMart provided a clear, fixed cost structure, ensuring no surprises at the end of the month. 
    • Streamlined testing system: TheTestMart created a library of test scripts, customized to JMP’s processes and easily adaptable to changing features or upgrades. 

    Beyond these measurable outcomes, TheTestMart has brought JMP increased confidence. They no longer worry about whether they have tested every feature properly. If something fails, TheTestMart quickly alerts them and coordinates remediation, ensuring minimal disruption. 

    “The transition to TheTestMart has saved time for the JMP team and increased their confidence in their testing process. They no longer have to search for problems or anticipate failures, as TheTestMart keeps them informed and resolves issues promptly,” Messick added. 

    A Future of Growth with TheTestMart 

    By simplifying and automating their testing process, JMP’s team can now focus on what matters most: growing their business and embracing the full potential of their Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution. The partnership with TheTestMart has allowed them to work more efficiently with system upgrades, knowing their testing is in expert hands. 

    This case study is a testament to the power of finding the right solution for your unique challenges. For JMP, TheTestMart wasn’t just a new tool; it was a game-changer that revolutionized their entire approach to testing. 

    For a deeper dive into how TheTestMart transformed JMP’s testing process, read the full case study. 

    Learn More About TheTestMart

    Are you ready to streamline your testing processes like JMP? Contact TheTestMart today and see how we can help your business achieve efficiency and confidence in your Microsoft Dynamics 365 environment. 

    Learn more about how TheTestMart can help your business achieve faster, more efficient, and cost-effective testing processes.