Excel Macros: Automation for FREE!

Sindhuja Kumar & Senior Software Engineer

Capgemini Technologies India Ltd.

Abstract

An offer no Project Manager can neglect when accuracy, repeatability and speed can be delivered for almost... FREE! The testing industry is struggling to find innovative ways to optimize testing efforts and reduce costs. One of the best ways is usage of tools and accelerators. This typically involves investments in terms of infrastructure, licenses and expensive resources. A simple answer to most ever increasing automation need is Excel macros if one doesn’t want the maintenance hassle and costs involved Excel macros can be used to interact with applications, extract data from heterogeneous sources, generate reports which can be followed globally across testing landscape This white paper looks at applying Excel macros for automating critical, complex, repeatable process across the software testing life cycle and also attempts to explain why Testing industry needs Excel macro to attain accuracy, repeatability and speed at presumably no cost!

1. Introduction: Why you need to pay attention!

Problems with Manual process 1.1

In Software Testing life cycle, there are infinite manual efforts, for entering workflow

data, comparing data between files, retrieval of data, creation of test data, capturing

screenshots, pulling information from multiple locations into one file, generation of

reports, up- gradation of versions from multiple departments or cost centers and so on

Manual processes are slow and error prone. Carrying out the monotonous task

manually leads to error which reduces confidence in the outcomes

Few disadvantages of Manual processes:

1. Inconsistency in data entry, room for errors, mis-keying information

2. Training cost

3. People dependent

4. Time consuming

5. Duplication of data entry

Excel Macros: The way forward… 1.2

To a great extent variety of manual testing workflows can be automated. A terrific

innovative way is the usage of Excel Macros which is a programming language

embedded in Microsoft Excel that can be used for automating an Application under

test.

When speed is life, quality can’t be compromised and investment in

traditional test automation tools is a luxury

An Excel Macro is simply Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code saved inside a

document. Macros are incredibly powerful and can do pretty much anything beyond

ones imaginations

Here are a ‘few’ examples of what Excel Macros can do:

1. Formatting

2. Manipulate data

3. Communicate with data sources (database, text files, etc.)

4. Create automated jobs and custom logic within macros

5. Save time on predictable, repetitive tasks as well as standardize document

formats

6. The most unique being ability to interact with applications and portals directly

and automate like any industry leading tool

Below are some of the key benefits:

1. Faster execution

2. Ease of maintenance

3. Reusability

4. Enhanced coverage

5. Extended reporting capability

2. Delving deeper in the Excel world

For most of the solutions based on Excel Macros there is absolutely no need of manual

intervention and a few data sheets can handle large tasks like a batch output validation of 100,000

records in a few minutes which state of the art reporting dashboards

“Excel macro provides the space to be intuitive and allows focus on more rigorous assessments”

Areas where macros can be used 2.1

To automate the procedure, processes where continuous improvements and wider coverage

of features are essential.

Testing is an integral part of any successful software

project. Decision for automation depends on various

factors, including project requirements, budget,

timeline, expertise, and suitability, ROI and

maintainability

Excel Macros benefits over Manual Process

Limitations of Excel Macros: A word of caution 2.2

1. Objects:

a. No robust mechanism to handle dynamic objects

b. More and more objects in code may lead to memory leakage

c. References can’t be handled properly

2. OS Compatibility: Exclusively used in Windows environment

Feature Manual Process Excel Macro Automation

Reliability Less reliable Most reliable

Time More time consuming Time saver

Investment Utmost required A lesser amount required

Frequency One time or based on the plan Repeatable

Productivity Depends on complexities Increases productivity and Helps to do more work

Reusability One time or based on the plan One time effort and provides reusability where monotonous task is involved

Accuracy & Quality

Depends on experience Excel macro ensures that every action is accomplished identically - ensures high quality, reliable results

3. References: Arguments or parameters are passed using procedures or functions.

If not taken care properly, this can lead to undesirable output

4. Performance: Macros are very flexible and proved to be very powerful tools, but

sometimes the number of transaction volume, the programs start taking more time

to process and generate the desired results

5. Knowledge of VBA: One has to know how to use and write programs in VBA.

Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as presumed by many

6. Version Compatibility: Upgrading Excel, Compatibility between versions, may

cause VBA code won’t work precisely with older versions or with a future versions

3. How to use Excel Macros: The building blocks

Like any automation journey, the ground rules should be set, architecture should be defined,

optimizations and ease of usability should be at your heart.

Define a Framework, but keep it simple… very simple!

Framework is defined as a real or conceptual structure created to provide support or guidance to

an application that could expand in future. A few others define it as an organization’s way of doing

things. In simple terms, a framework can be defined as a set of processes, standards and

interactions between the components.

Define Objectives 3.1

It is very important to define the objectives of Excel Macro Automation before design

1. Framework

2. Scope of automation

3. Stability of application

4. User group

5. Skillset required/availability

Excel Macro Automation Approach 3.2

Typical automation process using Excel Macros illustrated below from Feasibility to maintenance

cycle

Excel Macro Framework 3.3

File/Folder structure:

Folders consists all the test scripts, generics, readers and utilities.

Data Tables:

Rich interactive table to customize data specific to applications

Scripts:

Scripts are a critical component and contain the actual code logic to perform and validate a

specific business or functional scenario.

Driver Script:

Driver Script organizes complete script execution and exports the results to the specified path.

Function Library:

Function Libraries form the basic building blocks and define the common set of reusable

functions. A Function Library must contain the generic set of reusable functions that are usable

across the applications as well as business functions specific to the application and a few

support functions which can be reused in Generic and Business functions as needed

Results and Reporting:

Reporting mechanism should be configured so that test results generated are easily accessible and

understood.

Typical Test Delivery Approach 3.4

Return on investment (ROI) 3.5

ROI measures the amount of return on an investment to the

investment’s cost. To calculate ROI, the benefit (or return) of an

investment is divided by the cost of the investment, and the result

is expressed as a percentage or a ratio

ROI = Benefit/Investment = (Gains-

Costs)/Investment

Feature Manual Process Excel Macro Automation

Tool Cost NA Nil

Cost of scripting/test design NA $A

Cost of executing/running test $X $B

Cost of maintenance $Y $C

Total $X+$Y $A+$B+$C

ROI NA (($X+$Y)-($A+$B+$C))/($X+$Y)

3.5.1 Case study I:

Know Your Customer (KYC) is a web-based application which keeps track of

information on Money laundering Risk Assessment (MLRA) ratings associated to the

customers.

KYC process involves answering the questionnaire (approx. 110 questions) and MLRA

rating is generated based on the business logic and questionnaire.

3.5.2 Case study II:

Customer On-boarding is a web-based application which keeps track of customer information,

entitlements and Geographic details etc.

Customer on boarding process involves answering the questionnaire (approx. 300

questions).Customer on boarding process is initiated by a user and is subsequently required

approvals from six different users (Maker-checker rule)

To ease the time consuming and monotonous work, excel based automation utility has been

created. This utility simplifies the process of filling responses to 300 questions (approx.) and

executes in a single click.

3.5.3 Case Study Comparison of Manual process and Excel Macro

automation:

Sample test case illustration

Manual

Process -

KYC

Excel Macro

Automation -

KYC

Manual Process –

Customer On-

boarding

Excel Macro Automation

- Customer On-boarding

Total number of test

cases/customer to create

86 86 126 126

Time taken for creation of Utility

(Hrs.)

NA 5 NA 9

Time taken to execute one test

case/ create one customer

(Hrs.)

1 0.04 1 0.15

Time taken to execute 86 test

cases/ create 126 customers

(Hrs.)

86 3.44 126 18.9

Net Savings (Manual Effort -

Automated Effort) (Hrs.)

86-(5+3.44)= 77.56 126-(9+18.9)= 98.1

Manual Process – Case Study I & II Excel Macro Automation

Excel Macro

Benefits KYC Customer On-boarding

1. Open the KYC application 2. Log in with user 3. Fill all the

106(mandatory) questions, based on the test case pre-conditions

4. Capture all the screenshots and MLRA rating

5. Monotonous and time consuming

1. Open the Customer on boarding application

2. Log in with user 3. Fill all the 300(mandatory)

questions, based on the pre-conditions and click on submit

4. Capture all the screenshots and customer ID

5. Login with other 6 different users and approve to complete the on boarding process of a customer

1. Open the utility 2. Fill the required

fields in data sheet 3. Run the utility

1. Avoids repetitive task and maintains accuracy

2. Built on excel based VBA Macro’s, which is less complex and maintenance cost is NIL.

3. Reduces the repetitive tasks and accuracy will be maintained.

4. Capture screenshots at run time. 5. KYC Utility takes 206Mins. 4

Sec only to execute 86 regression test cases.

6. CDL Utility takes 18.9Hrs. Against manual effort of 126Hrs. to create 126 customers.

7. Test execution Effort saved by 98.1%

4. Tools comparison

5. Excel Macros can be very useful in the upcoming complex

models and technologies

Agile Methodology: 5.1

Excel macro based tools can be easily used to speed up the delivery of sprints and simplify the reuse

with easy customizations. A good approach is to assess the requirements upfront and invest time in

creating a few tools in the beginning of a project which can be used across various sprints. There are

some specific files such as: product-backlog, sprint backlog, burndown chart, etc. where such

automation can help the team save up to 80% time in reporting.

Feature Excel Macros UFT Selenium

Functional Testing Yes Yes Yes

OS / Environment

support

Windows Windows Windows , Mac OS X Linux

Screenshot

capture at run

time

Yes Yes Yes

Language Support VBA VB Script Java, C#, Ruby, Python, Perl

PHP, JavaScript

Framework Non standard Standard Standard

Software Cost NIL License NIL

Coding Experience Minimal Moderate Moderate

Browser Support IE , Firefox IE, Firefox and

Chrome

Google Chrome, IE, Firefox,

Opera, HTML Unit

Artificial intelligence 5.2

AI is dealing with tasks that require the processing of great amounts of data that no human could

process, and executing ordinary and repetitive tasks that most of us do. While the usage of macros

looks far-fetched, it can easily help in performing some of the routine slicing and dicing of date as

well as automating test data.

Data Sciences 5.3

Advanced Machine Learning is made easy with Basic Excel. Implementations in Python and Perl are

provided in creating huge tools but it does not even require any Excel macros, coding, plug-ins, or

anything other than the most basic version of Excel, which is cost free compared to big- budget

licensed tools.

Data Analysis 5.4

The ability to analyse data is a powerful skill that helps you make better decisions. Excel offers

well-built features like sorting, finding, filters, conditional formatting, tables and pivots etc. Basics

of Excel, one of the most popular data analysis tools, to help visualize and gain insights from the

data. Excel automation scripts can be predominantly used in test data creation and test data

management.

DWH ETL 5.5

Traditional application like Informatica come with its own tool called DVO for automation but such

tools are fairly complex and while the need the user to replicate the business mappings it usually

ends up in creating parallel code. There are several ancillary tasks which can rather be performed

by Excel Macros like base SQL Generators, Test Case Generators, Validation tools, reporting tools

and so on requiring no expertise on tools like DVO at the same time helping Test design and

execution activities with simpler tools for some of the core testing activities. Similar approach can

be used for Big Data testing as well.

6. Conclusion

Excel Macro Automation is like a magic wand to address the day to day automation

needs and Project/Engagement managers should invest in training and educating the

testing team members to exploit the benefits and enhance productivity. Further these

tools can be independently reused across accounts and locations with a few customizations

without hurting IP sentiments.

Its powerful tool in organizations inventory to help deliver quality software faster and at

presumably no cost and pass on the benefits to the customers and win some accolades

too!

References

http://www.excel-easy.com/

http://www.seleniumguide.com/p/selenium-vs-qtp.html

http://www.guru99.com/alm-qtp-selenium-difference.html

http://www.excel-vba.com/excel-vba-solutions-beginners.htm

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-automate-firefox-or-chrome-with-vba-and-

selenium/

Author Biography

Sindhuja Kumar works as Senior Software Engineer at Capgemini

Technologies India ltd., She has worked on various excel based tools and

created knowledge management assets for Core Banking Applications.

She constantly looks into ways of enhancing Test Execution productivity

with simple and easy to maintain solutions.

THANK YOU!