Business Components Overview

The Business Components module enables you to create, define, modify, and manage business components in Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). These components provide the basis for Business Process Testing and are incorporated into business process tests and flows.

A business component is a reusable unit that:

• Performs a specific task in a business process

• Describes the condition or state of the application before and after that task

Business components are comprised of: 

• A Shell (general information such as component name, status). For task details on creating components and providing the shell, see Create business components in ALM.

• Content (steps or scripts). Low-level, detailed information, such as the component's manual steps and/or automation. The contents provide detailed instructions for performing business process tasks in the application. Component content can be manual, automated, or both—depending on whether you create a manual implementation and/or automation for the component.

  • For task details on creating manual components, see Work with manual implementation.

  • For task details on creating automated components, see Work with keyword GUI automation and How to Work with Scripted GUI and API Automation.

    Example: Content

    Step	Description	Expected Result
    1	Open the application.	The application is launched and the login page is displayed.
    2	Enter a user name.	The cursor advances to the password field.
    3	Enter a password.	The password is displayed as asterisks.
    4	Click Submit on the Web page.	The application's main page is displayed.

You can use a component in multiple business process tests and flows. When you modify a component or its content, all business process tests or flows containing that component reflect that modification.

You can use run conditions to enable components to run selectively, based on earlier stages within the test or flow. For task details, see How to Set Run Conditions.

When BPT Packaged Apps Kit learns a flow or test, it creates a new business component for each screen or tab through which you navigate in your applications. BPT Packaged Apps Kit also enables you to identify and reuse learned components instead of creating new components in your flow/test. For task details on learning, see How to Learn Flows and Business Process Tests.