Testing

Testing

With the Build Phase complete we are confident that OrderFlow is functionally ready and configured to meet launch requirements. The purpose of the Testing phase is to get to the same level of confidence with the OrderFlow set up for the customer's warehouse.

The main deliverable is an Onsite Handover, with the plan to have a fully operational warehouse environment that uses the OrderFlow Build Instance. However, before we get to this, the Testing phase needs to incorporate some targeted live testing, and ensure that labelling requirements have been met.

Deliverables
Verification of behaviour in live environments using Targeted Live Testing
Verification of Printed Courier Labels with carrier
Instructions on how to complete Labelling of your warehouse
An Onsite Handover of the OrderFlow Build Instance to your environment
A Test Plan, provided by us, to aid you in further testing the work we have delivered
Sign-off on completion of testing using the Test Plan and against launch requirements

Targeted Live Testing

The Build Phase would have involved full verification in the Lab environemnt of all functionality against test environments.

It is not safe to assume that just because everything works in test, it will all work in live. In order to derisk the transitions to live, some Targeted Live Testing should take place.

Targeted Live testing involves the following:

1. all schedules are disabled, so that there are no unplanned notifications back to live system reporting false stock positions or order statuses.
2. a full catalogue pull of the products from the live eCommerce system, followed by a comparison of the products data with that retrieved from the test system.
3. a pull of specific orders from the live system. These should be orders that have been specifically created for testing, to 'friendly' addresses.
4. courier interaction on the live account, for every destination group (combination of countries) and service. Arrangements should be made beforehand with the carriers.
5. the parcels should be physically sent, to ensure that they pass through the courier system without any issue.
6. shipment notifications to the eCommerce system should occur for each of the sent orders.
7. targeted individual stock notifications should be sent to verify this interaction, with the stock position adjusted beforehand to coincide with the current actual live position.

Once the Targeted Targeted Live has been completed, the OrderFlow Build Instance should be switched back to use test credentials.

Labelling Instructions

During the Onsite Handover, we will want to ensure that all of the labelling requirements have been met. All of the location, workstation, product and user labels must be prepared prior to the Onsite Handover.

To get to this point, there will need to be a further interaction. At the end of the Build Phase we have verified the examples of each of the labels that need to produced.

We will also have confirmed that we have a common understanding on the location labelling scheme to be used, and how locations need to be inputted in the location spreadsheet.

The following then needs to happen:

1. You the customer will provide an updated list of the locations on the system, which we will double check
2. We will provide precise instructions for printing the location, product and user labels required
3. You the customer will print location labels, and label up all of the warehouse labels appropriately
4. You will print user labels as required

During the Onsite Handover, the labelling will be verified.

Why label beforehand?

You may be asking why we don't just defer the labelling to the Onsite Handover.

The labelling task is quite a relatively straightforward but time consuming exercise. If the warehouse is labelled in time for the Onsite Handover, many of the operations that we need to hand over on the day will not be possible.

If you would like us to schedule an extra site visit to support you through the labelling task, please let us know, although please bear in mind that this will entail an additional charge.

Otherwise, we will check with you to ensure that labelling has taken place before doing the Onsite Handover, and if necessary defer the site visit until this has taken place.

Test Plan

The Test Plan used for the Offsite Handover serves an additional function as a useful document for allowing the customer to perform further testing of their own, both prior to launch and afterwards. Before the Onsite Handover takes place, we will make this document available to customer to support your testing efforts.

Onsite Handover

Environment Verification

One of the first tasks as part of the environment handover is to verify that the physical environment is suitable. Some of the checks that we will apply include:

• check that locations have been labelled as agreed
• check that products are barcoded as expected
• check that the handheld terminals work within the warehouse (and that the Wi-Fi signal works in all parts of the warehouse)
• verify that there are no network connectivity issues between the warehouse and OrderFlow

Transferring the OrderFlow Build Instance

The idea is to arrive at the Onsite Handover not empty handed, but ready to put in place a system that works straight away.

Specifically, we arrive with the following:

Inputs	Source
OrderFlow Build Instance	This has already been signed off at the end of the Build Phase
Handheld Terminal	Borrowed from the customer for the Build phase
Thermal Printer	Borrowed from the customer for the Build phase
Workstation	Sourced by Realtime Despatch for the Build phase
Label Stock	Typically sourced from the customer prior to the build phase

All of the items listed above will have been configured and tested in the Lab environment, and verified during the Offsite Handover day. This means that as soon as everything has been plugged in, we will already have:

• a working handheld device, that has been tested against all of the processes
• an instance of the Print Server, installed on a workstation, pointing to OrderFlow instance
• a thermal printer configured and connected to the workstation

Replicating Configurations

Once we have OrderFlow running in the warehouse with one handheld terminal and packing station, the next step is to replicate these configurations so that they can be applied across multiple packing stations, handheld devices and printers.

We will provide your IT Support person with instructions on replicating these configurations. Crucially, they will have a working example of each item to consider as a reference point.

User Training

Unlike Offsite Handover, which we would have been leading, you will be very much in the driving seat during the Onsite Handover.

The aim is to help primary customer users to gain confidence in their use of the system. This as an opportunity to do further training, answer questions, explain concepts, and generally share knowledge on the use of the system.

During this period, we will be guide you through the Test Plan. After our departure, you will then be able to continue to test the processes, building your confidence in the system, and making sure that you are ready when the launch date arises.

We take a 'train the trainer' approach to user training, so the knowledge that you build during the Onsite Handover will be key in ensuring that all operators who need to use the system can be trained.

Courier Sign-off

The testing process should include courier sign-off where appropriate. The exact details of what this involves should be checked with the courier account managers. A reasonable requirement may be to print labels for shipments for each courier service and destination (country or country group) combination, and to send these to the carrier for verification.

Testing Sign-off

The final step in the Testing phase of the project is the Sign-off on testing. We will ask for formal sign-off that on the following:

• that Targeted Live Testing has been successfully completed
• that all testing has been completed according to the Test Plan and against Signed-off requirements
• that there are no further additional requirements that should still be considered in scope for launch

Congratulations for getting this far - we are now ready to prepare for the actual go live!

Customer Sign-off Notes

We will not be able to agree to an actual go live date until formal sign off of testing is complete. Up until then, may have a date in mind which we will have been working towards. However, commitment to supporting a specific go live date will not be possible until customer testing as been signed off.