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Continental AG

ContiTech streamlines global SAP testing with Tricentis qTest in major business transformation program

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in-scope test runs executed successfully

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test runs per SAP rollout location

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qTest users following standard testing methodology

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Contitech group logo

Company overview

ContiTech is one of the world’s leading industry specialists. The ContiTech group sector offers its customers connected, environment-friendly, safe and convenient industry and service solutions using a range of materials for off-highway applications, on rails and roads, in the air, under and above the ground, in industrial environments, for the food sector and the furniture industry. With about 42,000 employees in more than 40 countries and sales of some 6.8 billion euros (2023), the global industrial partner is active with core branches in Asia, Europe and North and South America.

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    Industry: Manufacturing
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    Organization size: 42,000
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    Location: Global
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Harmonizing SAP instances and moving to S/4HANA

SAP is the digital backbone for core business operations at ContiTech. The company has multiple SAP application suites and other non-SAP platforms that resulted from acquisitions and various legacy approaches. As SAP ECC approaches end of life, ContiTech chose to embark on an SAP system landscape harmonization to one upgraded instance of SAP S/4HANA.

In 2020, ContiTech began a global S/4HANA deployment project, a cross-functional program to manage the massive integration and migration of its 12+ global SAP ECC instances plus other non-SAP platforms began.

Standardized and optimized processes and state of the art interfaces are being put into place with SAP S/4HANA at 140 locations worldwide. When the global S/4HANA project concludes, the ContiTech business will be transformed by processes that yield a connected, faster, and leaner future with the power of its people unleashed.

Challenges

  • Large-scale integration of multiple SAP instances to S/4HANA
  • Lack of standard protocols across SAP application suites
  • Complex, high risk program which requires extensive testing
  • Manual testing and screen captures would be almost impossible in this use case

The ContiTech global S/4HANA deployment consists of a series of rollouts standardizing and exploiting best practices as the upgraded S/4 HANA platform is implemented in140 locations worldwide.

For each of these rollout phases, ContiTech uses a standard methodology that includes a fit to template phase followed by customization and three rounds of testing. To manage testing on a massive global scale, ContiTech turned to Tricentis qTest for test management. According to ContiTech, qTest plays an integral part in the success of the global S/4HANA deployment program.

The scope of this project is huge, as is the number of test cases. At any given time, more than 500 people (a mix of technical, business analysts, and local testers) are actively using Jira and qTest with an average of 1,500 and 2,000 test runs per rollout location.

Big teams working on a huge scope

The S/4HANA deployment project is structured with a Hub and Spoke model.

  • The Core Team (central technical, data management, and business analyst resources) partners with Central Business Functions and together operate as the custodians of the SAP S/4HANA template. They oversee the overall harmonization of processes and ensure standardization and best practices are exploited to all locations worldwide.
  • The Rollout Teams include subject matter experts for each SAP module and partners with Local Key Users. These teams implement the optimized platform throughout ContiTech worldwide with the support of the Core Team, as well as Business Integration, Change, and Project Management resources.

Each test cycle consists of a series of functional tests, followed by integration, and end-to-end user acceptance tests. Tests are designed to cover complex, multi-application processes that interfaces with SAP. Formal regression testing using automation may be incorporated as a next phase as the program continues to rollout in more locations worldwide.

The ability to track test progress and results against requirements in real time eliminates the need for manual documentation and ensures the global project and its business stakeholders have continuous clear and transparent status.

Two-way communication between Jira and qTest

The global S/4HANA project uses qTest to store all SAP test cases and test scenarios. Test progress against requirements is managed with qTest’s real-time Jira integration.

ContiTech sees several key benefits to the interaction between qTest and Jira. The tools ensure multiple QA teams follow a standard set of testing methodologies. The two-way integration between Jira and qTest helps report on defects faster and more efficiently than manual tracking. ContiTech technical and business experts receive detailed test data sooner and more frequently. Quality Gates are only passed after successful testing in qTest.

Real time testing statistics from qTest is integrated into status reporting ensures everyone involved in the program is providing clear and transparent pictures to stakeholders with the same data from the same sources.

When starting the integration of a new location, qTest is used to define, document, and manage the test cases in scope for each location. In every phase, qTest is also where testing documentation is stored. This provides traceability, proving everything has been tested and validated and there is further reference once handover to operations is complete.

One lesson ContiTech learned quickly is the necessity to stick to a standardized methodology. All processes stored in qTest are adhered to by all teams globally.

“As implementations are achieved around the world, there is a constant flow of local experts rolling on and off,” said Cindy Belohlavy, Senior Project Manager responsible for project tools used by the global ContiTech S/4HANA deployment program. “ The robust and intuitive features of qTest are relied upon every day by the program to ensure quality, maintain transparency, and meet timelines.”

With the huge scope of the program, spread over different applications and SAP modules, test management is crucial. Efficiency gains close to double in speed compared to manual testing effort along with the standardized test process are crucial in the quality and timely delivery of the massive global scope for ContiTech.

Results

  • Centralized and standardized test strategy to support the eventual rollout to 12,000+ SAP users at 140 locations in 40 countries.
  • qTest-Jira integration enables real-time traceability to keep the program on track.
  • 100% faster testing compared to manual-testing.

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