To automate tests, many tools exist. More and more SaaS (software as a service) tools are proposed and are becoming popular with companies. It must be said that SaaS solutions have many advantages compared to other tools available on the market. Here is an overview.
What is a SaaS tool?
SaaS is the acronym for Software As a Service. It is a software hosted and managed by a service provider, which is made available to users directly on the Internet. In other words, it is a software that does not need to be installed on its servers, nor integrated.
Today, we find a lot of SaaS on the side of collaborative tools (messaging, video), customer relationship management tools (CRM) or accounting or HR tools. And more and more, we also find them in the automated testing sector, with more or less complete solutions, which can include only the management of scenarios, or the entire service, as proposed for example Mr Suricate Test management: creation of test cases, drafting of recipe specifications, creation of scenarios, execution, analysis and reporting of anomalies, maintenance, etc .
What are the advantages of using SaaS software for test automation?
>> Availability:
A SaaS automated testing tool has the advantage of being accessible and available everywhere, all the time, on your computer, but also on your smartphone and tablet. All it requires is an internet connection and a web browser. No need for infrastructure, no need to create a server, configure it, etc. Practical, isn't it?
>> Time saving:
As we said above, SaaS software is usually ready to use. This saves time on installation and configuration. But above all, you also save time on updates, patches, backups, because it is the company that publishes the SaaS software that takes care of it. You also don't have to worry about security issues or bugs in the software. And this time saving allows your technical teams to focus on more interesting missions for them and for your company. It's a win-win situation!
>> Price:
A SaaS automated testing tool can offer interesting cost reductions because the user fees are often much lower than the price of a traditional software license. In particular, installation and infrastructure costs can be reduced, but also in some cases training costs, as SaaS software is generally easy to use, with no-code or codeless technology for example, and therefore suitable for non-technical profiles. Finally, there is no need to take into account the maintenance costs of the hardware or software, which can lead to considerable savings.
>> Simplification of the work process:
More accessible, faster to use, less expensive and above all: easier! A SaaS testing tool has the incredible advantage of simplifying everyone's work. And this is even more the case when it is no-code/codeless, because it requires little or no technical skills: you no longer need to reserve test automation for your technical teams only, other professions can also get involved thanks to the presence of integrated templates or blocks that can be simply dragged and dropped. This allows for better collaboration and communication on the project.
Finally, it also simplifies the work process because you can manage all your tasks and data from a single interface. This is called centralization of testing information and tools. From creating your automated test scenarios to analyzing your results to viewing your KPIS: you go through the same place!
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What limits?
Despite all these advantages, there are also some limitations to using a SaaS tool to perform automated tests and this must be taken into account.
The fact that these tools are published and hosted by a service provider already implies a dependence on them. You have less leeway on the functionalities, the updates, or the bugs you may encounter, since you are not the one managing and maintaining this tool and that is an element to take into account.
Another point that should be checked is everything that concerns data security. By opting for a SaaS tool, your data will be transmitted online. It is therefore advisable to find out about the backup and data transmission policy. However, it should be noted that the SaaS mode remains a better option than the on-premise mode concerning the security of data because their access is more often controlled.
Conclusion
As we have seen, using a SaaS tool to automate your tests has many advantages, but it is important to study your needs carefully, to take into account your development project, the skills of your team, the level of complexity of the tests you want to automate as well as your financial and material resources, in order to be able to choose the solution that is the best for your company, whether it is a SaaS tool or not (but still, the SaaS solution is the future of automated testing, so it would be a shame to deprive yourself of it, wouldn't it?).
