Driving a successful implementation using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations and RSAT

In the first part of a two-part article, we saw how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365FO) and Azure DevOps work together. But what about RSAT?

Remote Server Automation Tools (RSAT) is an automated testing tool that allows organizations and implementation partners to automate testing for their business processes in D365FO, whether custom or standard. RSAT is very useful for a number of use cases:

1. You have custom code, with multiple regions using the same code base and also following incremental development or CI/CD methodology. In this case you need to ensure none of your recent changes are affecting the existing or standard D365FO functionality. This can be done by having all your test plans, test suites, and test cases for the functionalities embedded in RSAT.
2. Since there are incremental product releases by Microsoft in the Dynamics 365 space, having all your test repository defined in RSAT also ensures that none of your custom code is broken when the incremental updates, such as platform updates are applied.

In the previous versions of Dynamics AX, automated testing was a challenge, as there were very few partners that could support automated testing for the Dynamics AX applications. With RSAT now a readily available to use tool with D365FO, customers can define and automate all the test cases.

Installing RSAT

There are certain prerequisites to be able to use RSAT.

1. Access to Azure Devops: This is the backbone of RSAT to be able to execute because the entire test suite is saved in Azure DevOps.
2. Microsoft Excel: All the parameters for the test cases should be saved in an Excel file and in case if you need to edit them.
3. D365FO test environment: Connecting RSAT to the test environment lets you run the test suite you build.
4. Selenium browser drivers: Selenium is an open source software that is used for automating tests that for web based applications. Since D365FO is a web based application, Selenium is required to be able to execute the tests.

Before installing RSAT, you need to define your test suite, test plan and test cases in DevOps. This assumes you are already using DevOps to maintain your backlog. At a high level, test plans can be something specific to a module, if you are working with cross teams. For example, you may choose to have a test plan for Procure to Pay or Order to Cash. With these test plans you can choose different business specific scenarios as test suites. For example, in the case of Procure to Pay, you can create the test suite by direct material procurement and indirect materials (routed via Purchase requisitions). Test cases within the test suite can determine each functionality, like Purchase order creation, Product receipt, Invoicing and so forth. Ultimately, it’s up to the customer and partner to decide how granular these should be.

Pictorially this is how the test plan – test suite – test cases relation will look:

Once you have your project, test plan, test suite, and test cases setup, the next step is to connect the RSAT tool to Azure DevOps and D365FO. In the settings of the RSAT tool you need to specify the DevOps URL, an access token and the project test plan.