ServiceNow Automated Test Framework

The ServiceNow Automated Test Framework (ATF) tool is a valuable asset from ServiceNow that tests workflows, integrations, and UI actions in ServiceNow. ATF is an automated testing tool that allows users to conduct both functional and regression testing for ServiceNow applications. In this blog we will define the value of ATF in ServiceNow testing, and how to use ATF to enhance the quality of the ServiceNow platform.

What is the ServiceNow Automated Test Framework?

The Automated Test Framework (ATF) is an advanced tool in ServiceNow which allows users to build and run tests automatically. The ATF was developed to help organizations cut down on the time and effort to test applications and workflows, and with ATF you can create automated tests for workflows, integrations, and UI actions and can run the tests automatically. The ATF is intended to help the user find and fix problems early in the development process, allowing for less time and cost when a fix is required in production.

Why is ServiceNow ATF important?

ServiceNow’s Automated Test Framework (ATF) is a valuable solution for organizations because it enables them to:

1. Enhance the quality of the platform – Automating testing allows organizations to identify problems and resolve them quickly, which helps to reduce the likelihood of errors and defects in the platform.
2. Decrease time and cost of testing – Performing tests manually can take a long time, and costs can easily add up. Automating testing with ATF means that time and costs will be shorter, and thus the organization can utilize those resources for other important things.
3. Increase productivity – ATF also allows the organization to run testing quickly and easily, which results in developers and other resources spending more time on other critical tasks.
4. Facilitate compliance – Automating testing informs the organization and can allow verification that the platform complies with industry standards and regulations.

How does ATF work?

ATF is a modular tool that allows the creation of test cases and test suites for various components of the ServiceNow platform. You can use ATF to test workflows, integrations, UI actions, and other platform components.

ATF is embedded within the ServiceNow platform, and you can access it from the navigation menu. To create a test case, you will specify the test steps, expected results, and any parameters needed for the test case. You can also create reusable components that can be copied across multiple test cases.

Once you have created your test cases, you can manually or automatically run them afterward. You can also schedule tests to run at a specified time, such as during off-peak times, to reduce the impact on your critical business processes.

Benefits of using ATF:

• Know the fundamentals: Before diving into ATF, make sure you understand the fundamentals of the tool, including how to create test steps, configure test suites, and run the tests. ServiceNow offers a great deal of documentation pertaining to how to use ATF; so it is o.k. to review the documentation in order to go through defeating the learning curve.
• Think through your testing strategy: Before creating test cases, spend a moment thinking through your testing strategy. What areas of your ServiceNow instance are critical to your business processes? Are there areas that you are implementing or revising which you should test first? Can you take a risk-based testing pass at the infrastructure?
• Make test steps reusable: When making test steps, you will design them for re-use. You will save time in creating test steps and running tests rather than creating new test steps for every test case. If a test step is updated, you only have to go to one place to update it, rather than looking for it in multiple test cases.
• Make use of variables: ATF allows for the use of variables in your test steps. Using variables allows you to customize your tests for various situations. For example, you will test out different user roles by putting them in a variable, or you can test out different data scenarios by using the variable.
• Utilize test suites: Test suites allow grouping together related test cases, to make running a series of tests in a particular order simple. This is helpful when you have a business process that is complex and needs to be tested over multiple steps.
• Combine with CI/CD: You can combine ATF with your CI/CD pipeline to automate testing as part of your deployment. This step will guarantee all changes made to your ServiceNow instance have been thoroughly tested before pushing to production.
• Review test results: After you have run your tests, take the time to review the results. Identify any failures/issues and rank them according to severity. This can help improve your testing strategy and when you return to the ServiceNow instance.

Following these best practices will help you leverage ATF to validate quality in your ServiceNow instance and make the overall testing process more efficient. Improved quality of the platform -Automating testing will help organizations find and repair issues sooner than later, and reduce the possibility of errors and defects on the platform.

Conclusion

ServiceNow ATF is a significant tool that allows you to automate the testing of your applications in ServiceNow. The Automated Test Framework is user-friendly and flexible in terms of a user’s needs. By leveraging Emergys with an Automated Test Framework to execute tests, organizations can enhance the quality of their ServiceNow applications, streamline use, ensure relative consistent, and reduce the chance of defects and errors.