Overcoming challenges and selecting the best tools for POS Test Automation.
IntelliQA meets many potential customers keen to address test automation for Point of Sale. The IT leadership and test experts realise the benefit of test automation and are frustrated that they do not achieve the same for Point of Sale. The challenges faced are the inability to install on the register, the capability to use different payment cards between tests, and the ability to interact with the pin pad. We have helped many retailers to overcome these challenges. This blog contains advice based on our real-world experience.
Focus on the Objective (not the robot)
Robots look cool; there is no doubt about that. Initial conversations tend to focus on the size, power requirements and such. We advise taking a step back and, instead of focusing on this, look at what you are trying to achieve. Do you have documented tests that take too long to perform, or do you lack documented tests? Are you beginning your automation journey, or do you have a gap, such as automating payment aspects? How frequently do you need to execute tests? How many configurations do you need to test? For example, do you have multiple brands that need to be covered? How do you decide on the payment test that you perform? Are they set internally or by an acquirer? Get in touch with us if you need help with any of this. We have experts in senior leadership positions in retail and testing who are more than willing to help.
Choosing the right test automation tooling
There are many ways to achieve test automation, with commercial vendors, Open-source solutions or in-house built capabilities. We are fans of the test gurus Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory, who advocate selecting the best solution for the job (Agile Testing - A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams - Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory). It is important to recognise that different categories of commercially available tools are available. Some provide model-based low-code solutions with a technology-agnostic capability to interact with the platform under test, for example, Keysight Test Automation. Register vendors provide test automation solutions that work natively with the equipment they sell, such as NCR SATE. Mobile testing software or web drivers such as Selenium can address tablet and web-based platforms. The driver layer of such solutions can be integrated into Continuous Integration frameworks and utilise methodologies such as Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) with capabilities such as Gherkin and tooling such as Cucumber, JUnit and NUnit.
IntelliQA is a strategic partner of Keysight. We appreciate the advantages that model-based testing and technology-agnostic automation provide. We have the expertise to help you get up and running quickly. We are also test practitioners open to discussing any approach with you.
Choosing the right robot and payment equipment
Interacting with the pin-pad is a challenge for many retailers. The pin-pad is a physical device that requires manual interaction by a person or a robot. For payment robotics, we utilise Abrantix robots.
Our close working partnership enables us to work together to provide highly reliable cartesian robots that perform many transactions correctly. Their strength is their simple design that allows keys to be tapped, screens to be touched, and probes to be inserted and removed. It is all that is needed to emulate a customer. We have two robots available, the T1 and the newly available T4. The T4 best suits large US pin-pads such as the M440, MX925, and Ingenico Lane/8000. The T4 is also capable of handling up to four pin-pads. Talk to us about which robot is right for you.
Combining the robot with Chip and PIN and Contactless Multiplexers and Magstripe Simulators enables Dip, Tap and Swipe transactions to be performed accurately and reliably. IntelliQA ensures that the technology is straightforward to use. Contact us for a demonstration.
Some customers also wish to use Payment Certification tools with their payment scheme tests and card simulation capabilities within their arsenal. IntelliQA has worked with the payment certification experts at ICC Solutions to achieve exactly this. We are more than happy to discuss this with you.
Putting it all together
Our ethos is one of innovation. We integrate and resell selected components from our leading partners to provide complete solutions or to help you address gaps. Many clients value this single point of ownership and the simplicity of onboarding one vendor. As practitioners and industry experts, we aim to help you advance with our consultative approach rather than pressured sales.
We look forward to hearing from you and helping you along your POS Test Automation journey.
Contact us
Please get in touch if you need support with automated payment testing solutions, and our sales team would be happy to discuss this with you. Contact us at:
+44 1707 906177 or sales@intelliqa.com
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