Case Studies
Test Automation Basics
Types of Tests
Industries
IT companies often support several products, technologies, and customer environments at the same time. QF-Test tests Java, web, Windows, and mobile applications in one unified environment – reducing the number of tools and the onboarding effort. Robust component recognition keeps tests stable across many releases. Customers such as ABS, Planon, and Experian have been using QF-Test in production for many years.
Your software is your product – and your quality is your reputation. Whether you are a software vendor, IT service provider, system integrator, or testing service provider: If you develop, operate, or extend software for customers, you have to deliver with every release. QF-Test helps IT companies test their applications in an automated, robust, and low-maintenance way – from Java desktop clients and web applications to mobile apps.
QF-Test customers in the IT industry
Test automation in the IT industry: What makes it challenging for IT service providers
For IT service providers and software vendors, testing is not a by-product – it is part of the value they deliver. Customers expect new features at short intervals and, at the same time, that everything that already exists keeps working. Manual regression testing quickly reaches its limits.
Evolved technology landscapes
Java Swing, SWT, JavaFX, web front ends, Windows applications, and mobile apps – often within the same product or customer project. Multiple testing tools mean multiple knowledge silos.
Test maintenance effort
UI changes, new Java versions, and framework updates constantly break fragile tests. Low-maintenance tests are key to long-term ROI.
Many customers, many variants
Multiple tenants, country versions, customer-specific extensions, and different platforms must be tested consistently – ideally with a shared test base.
Verifiable quality for customers
Customers and clients expect traceable acceptance tests and proof of quality. Meaningful test reports build trust and speed up acceptance.
How QF-Test supports IT service providers and software companies
One UI testing tool for all technologies and projects
QF-Test is a professional tool for UI test automation of Java, web, Windows, and mobile applications. IT companies use it to safeguard their own software products and customer projects with a single tool – with robust component recognition, comprehensive test reports, and seamless integration into CI/CD pipelines.
Robust, low-maintenance tests
Intelligent component recognition identifies UI elements based on multiple attributes. Tests remain stable even when the UI changes or new Java versions are released.
AI-assisted testing: Create new test cases faster – while staying in control
Many IT companies already use AI assistants and agentic workflows in development. With QF-Test 11, you can also integrate AI into your test automation in a targeted way – without giving up the traceability your customers expect:
- Test cases at the push of a button: Describe in natural language what you want to test – the integrated AI agent explores the application live and delivers an executable draft test case.
- MCP server for agentic development: Control QF-Test directly from your IDE or terminal, for example with Claude Code or GitHub Copilot, and integrate robust UI tests into existing AI workflows.
- Your model, your choice: Following the “bring your own model” approach, you connect the AI provider that meets your requirements and those of your customers.
- Checks in natural language: With “Check text with AI” and the
aiscript module, you can validate “fuzzy” criteria such as language or content and generate test data.
All AI decisions are transparently documented in the run log – your QA experts stay in control.
Real-world experience: QF-Test at IT companies
Experian: More than 10,000 tests carried over from Java Swing to the web
The global information services company Experian converted a Java Swing desktop application into a web application using WebSwing. The challenge: making the new web solution testable. In close cooperation with QFS, a solution was developed that made it possible to reuse 95% of the existing test suite – more than 10,000 tests – for the web version with minimal rework.
Atruvia: Switching tools without touching the test cases
Atruvia, the IT service provider of the German cooperative financial group, uses QF-Test together with its own test framework. The switch from another tool was achieved with very little effort and without changes to the abstracted test cases – one of the deciding factors was test execution on Linux. The migration of the main application from Java Swing to a web application with embedded JxBrowser components is also safeguarded with QF-Test.
BITMARCK: 4,500 regression tests across all client types
BITMARCK, the digitalization partner of German statutory health insurance funds, uses QF-Test to test its complex software solution. A multi-client recorder developed together with QFS enables efficient recording and maintenance of around 4,500 regression tests across all relevant client types – now also for mobile applications on iOS and Android.
Systema: Testing SAP extensions in an Azure pipeline
The system integrator Systema develops plugins for the SAP Manufacturing system and tests them directly in the target environment with QF-Test. Generated component IDs are reliably recognized thanks to a resolver developed together with QFS support. The tests run automatically in a Microsoft Azure pipeline – continuous testing for customer projects.
HTEC (previously CertiCon): Test execution time reduced by almost 50%
With more than 2,000 manual test cases, the testing and development service provider CertiCon faced the challenge of reducing testing effort while increasing coverage. With QF-Test, test execution time was reduced by almost 50% within just a few months – even though hundreds of new test cases were added.
Case studies from software vendors and IT service providers
Who is QF-Test suitable for in the IT industry?
QF-Test supports IT companies of all sizes
Software vendors & ISVs
Automated regression tests for standard software, ERP, CRM, and industry solutions – with every nightly build and before every delivery.
IT service providers & data centers
Stable tests for extensive business applications that are operated and further developed for many customers or tenants.
System integrators & IT solution providers
Test customer-specific extensions and plugins directly in the target environment – for example in SAP systems – and integrate them into customer pipelines.
Testing & QA service providers
One tool for many customer projects and technologies: Automate manual test cases efficiently and scale your testing services.
Modernization projects
Migrate legacy applications to the web step by step while safeguarding quality with existing test suites.
Benefits at a glance
Reliable object identification
QF-Test stands for robust component recognition & infrequent maintenance.
Daily regression tests
Monitoring of the test results for documented good software quality & a good feeling..
Flexible integrations
Common tools like Jira, Jenkins, databases, Git can be linked with QF-Test.
Customizable report
Individualizable tests
Do you want to automate testing of your software?
Then use QF-Test for the quality assurance of your products and customer projects!
Simply try QF-Test, or contact us to schedule a demo webinar with one of our experienced experts.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions: Test automation for IT service providers
Why is QF-Test particularly well suited for IT service providers and software vendors?
One tool for many technologies, robust tests across many releases, and long-standing customers from the IT industry.
Why is QF-Test particularly well suited for IT service providers and software vendors?
One tool for many technologies, robust tests across many releases, and long-standing customers from the IT industry.
Can existing tests be reused when migrating from Java Swing to the web?
Often, yes – for example with migrations via WebSwing.
Can existing tests be reused when migrating from Java Swing to the web?
Often, yes – for example with migrations via WebSwing.
With migrations using WebSwing, the underlying Swing application is preserved. As a result, QF-Test can still recognize the components, so existing test suites can often be largely reused. Experian carried over 95% of more than 10,000 tests to the web version this way, and B+S Banksysteme also continued using its tests across the technology change.
How can QF-Test be integrated into CI/CD pipelines?
QF-Test runs in batch mode in Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, and other CI systems.
How can QF-Test be integrated into CI/CD pipelines?
QF-Test runs in batch mode in Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, and other CI systems.
QF-Test can be run without a user interface in batch mode, which makes it easy to integrate into common CI/CD pipelines. Customers such as ABS, eMundo, and CSS AG use Jenkins for nightly test runs, while Systema uses a Microsoft Azure pipeline. Tests can run on master and feature branches, and the results are available as HTML and XML reports.
Can QF-Test be combined with other testing tools such as Robot Framework?
Yes – for example, QF-Test procedures can be called from Robot Framework via keywords.
Can QF-Test be combined with other testing tools such as Robot Framework?
Yes – for example, QF-Test procedures can be called from Robot Framework via keywords.
Scheidt & Bachmann calls QF-Test procedures from Robot Framework to implement end-to-end tests between field devices and a Java back-office application. In addition, QF-Test can be integrated into existing frameworks and test management tools via scripting (Jython, Groovy, JavaScript) and interfaces.
Is QF-Test also suitable for testing service providers with changing customer projects?
Yes – broad technology support and reusable procedures make QF-Test usable across projects.
Is QF-Test also suitable for testing service providers with changing customer projects?
Yes – broad technology support and reusable procedures make QF-Test usable across projects.
Testing service providers benefit from being able to test different technologies with one tool and one methodology. Reusable procedures and libraries speed up the creation of new test suites. This is how CertiCon reduced test execution time in a customer project by almost 50%.
Do you need programming skills to work with QF-Test?
No – you can get started with capture and replay, and scripting is available for advanced requirements.
Do you need programming skills to work with QF-Test?
No – you can get started with capture and replay, and scripting is available for advanced requirements.
Tests can be created by recording and structured using keyword-driven or data-driven testing. This allows business testers to maintain test cases without programming skills, while developers can add extensions in Jython, Groovy, or JavaScript when needed. ABS explicitly points out that end-to-end tests could be created quickly without in-depth programming knowledge.
How much effort does it take to introduce QF-Test?
QF-Test can be introduced step by step – starting with a pilot project.
How much effort does it take to introduce QF-Test?
QF-Test can be introduced step by step – starting with a pilot project.
Can QF-Test be run on premises in our own infrastructure?
Yes – QF-Test is installed on premises, no cloud required, and comes from a German vendor.
Can QF-Test be run on premises in our own infrastructure?
Yes – QF-Test is installed on premises, no cloud required, and comes from a German vendor.
QF-Test runs entirely within your own infrastructure or that of your customers, on Windows, Linux, and macOS, including in Docker containers. Test data, test suites, and reports never leave your environment, and no data is transferred to Quality First Software. This means you keep full control over personal and confidential data and can integrate QF-Test into your existing data protection processes in compliance with the GDPR. This is especially important for IT service providers working with sensitive data in customer environments, for example in banking, insurance, or healthcare.
Your contact for IT service providers and software vendors
Do you have specific requirements or would you like to know how QF-Test fits into your projects and pipelines? We will be happy to advise you – individually and without obligation.
Use our contact form or call us directly at +49 8171 38648-10.
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