Transitioning to Automated Testing with Usetrace
QFloors, an ERP software provider specializing in the flooring and home improvement industries, recently celebrated 25 years of innovation and service. With their legacy product, QFloors, tailored to on-premise operations, and a newer, web-based solution, QPro, the company has been expanding its reach to a broader home improvement market. Faced with increasing competition and evolving customer expectations, QFloors embarked on a transformative journey to improve their software development and testing processes, leveraging Usetrace as a strategic partner.
Challenges

The transition from QFloors to QPro involved a significant shift in technology and methodology. Key challenges included:

Legacy Constraints

The original software was built using C++ and lacked modern web application capabilities, making it difficult to innovate quickly.

Testing Bottlenecks

Early development efforts relied heavily on manual testing and beta customers, which proved inefficient and frustrating for users.

Resource Limitations

Operating with a small team and a constrained budget, QFloors had to balance the demands of innovation with limited resources.

Customer Expectations

Unlike legacy clients, QPro’s web application users required seamless experiences with minimal tolerance for errors or downtime.

Development Process Gaps

Without automated testing and robust quality assurance processes, the development cycle was slower, and the software was prone to bugs.

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Solutions

QFloors adopted Usetrace to address these challenges, which transformed their approach to software development and testing:

  • 1 Introduction of Automated Testing: Usetrace provided an intuitive, click-and-record interface that allowed QFloors to automate their UI and API tests seamlessly. This reduced reliance on manual testing and accelerated the identification of bugs.
  • 2 Improved Requirements Communication: Leveraging videos to document requirements and testing processes, QFloors ensured clarity across teams. Developers recorded functional tests, enabling self-identification of issues before formal reviews.
  • 3 Enhanced Parallel Testing: While initially constrained by data dependencies, QFloors began refining their tests to enable parallel execution, significantly improving efficiency.
  • 4 Integration of Data-Driven Testing: Usetrace’s ability to upload and utilize Excel files for testing proved invaluable for verifying key workflows, such as data imports.
  • 5 Regressions and Version Control: Comprehensive video documentation ensures accountability and facilitates better version control, reducing regressions and streamlining debugging processes.
Outcomes

The adoption of Usetrace delivered measurable benefits:

Increased Testing Efficiency

Initial test setups now take 5-10 minutes, with subsequent adjustments requiring minimal time. Test steps typically range from 50-100, demonstrating a balance of thoroughness and efficiency.

Higher Product Stability

Automated tests identified bugs earlier, ensuring smoother rollouts and reducing customer frustration.

Improved Development Speed

Developers’ ability to self-check regressions and enhanced collaboration through video documentation accelerated the development timeline.

Customer Satisfaction

By addressing customer pain points proactively, QFloors improved client retention and trust, particularly for resource-constrained users who depend on the software for critical business operations.

Scalable Testing Coverage

QFloors achieved approximately 70% testing coverage, with plans to expand this further by optimizing data independence and parallel testing.

Looking Ahead

QFloors’ partnership with Usetrace exemplifies how businesses can overcome resource limitations and technical challenges to achieve operational excellence. By embracing automation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, QFloors has positioned itself as a leader in ERP solutions for the home improvement industry. QFloors is now focused on enhancing their accounting features and advancing their automated testing capabilities. The integration of DevOps practices and developer-centric regression testing marks the next step in their journey. With a solid foundation in place, QFloors aims to continue leveraging Usetrace to deliver software faster to exceed their customer’s expectations.