How to Handle Data in Business Process Testing

This task provides general information for how to work with parameters, iterations, and configurations in Business Process Testing.

This task is part of a higher-level task. For details, see Working with Business Process Testing.

1. Design data

   Consider the following before working with parameters:

   • Determine which parameters are dependent on other parameters so that you can link them. For conceptual details, see Parameter Linkage Overview .
   • Determine which parameters should be available at the component, flow, and test levels. For conceptual details, see Parameter Promotion Overview.
   • Business process tests can be iterated for different use-case scenarios by setting up iterations and test configurations with different values. Design how many times each component, flow, and business process test configuration should run, and with what values. For conceptual details, see Iterations Overview and Business Process Test Configurations Overview.

2. Create parameters and set default values

   Define input and output parameters. For task details, see How to Create Parameters.

   Set default values for input parameters. For task details, see How to Set Parameter Values.

   You can use the default value for providing a default value in case a value is not supplied for the run, or you can use the default value as an example for the type of value that can be provided (for example, a phone number example could be ###-###-####).

3. Link parameters

   Link output and input parameters between components. For task details, see How to Link Data.

4. Promote parameters

   Parameter promotion enables you to create new parameters based on parameters defined on the component or flow level. The new parameters are then accessible to other components and flows in the test.

   As you promote parameters, new parameters with the same name are created at the higher level.

   You promote parameters to the next level when adding components or flows to a test, or when adding components to a flow.

   For task details, see How to Promote Parameters.

5. Set data values for each iteration

   Define how many times each business component or flow should be iterated when the business process test runs.

   When working with dynamic configurations, business components within the same business process test or flow can be iterated a different number of times. To do this, set up component iterations using multiple sheets in the data table from within Microsoft Excel.

   For task details on iterating components, see How to Set Data for Iterations.

6. Set data values for each test configuration

   Define configurations which determine how many times each business component or flow, or test should be iterated for each use-case. Set values for each test configuration's parameters. For task details on iterating business process test configurations, see the Micro Focus Application Lifecycle Management User Guide: How to Work with Test Configurations.

7. Set data values for test instances

   Define how many times each business component or flow should be iterated for a test instance, and set values for parameters. For task details, see How to Set Data for Iterations.

8. Import and save parameters - optional

   The task of defining lists of component or flow parameter values for iterations can be facilitated by importing the values from an external file. You can also save a set of defined parameter values as a file, for example, to use with other business components or flows. For task details, see How to Import and Export (Save) Parameter Values.