Understanding Functional System Testing | What Is Functional System Testing ?

Introduction:

Functional system testing is a kind of comprehensive testing that evaluates the entire system's functionality in order to ensure that it works as intended and meets specified requirements. The approach involves a set of methods and practices that look at the performance of the integrated system, including its behavior and functionality from end to end, so that it meets the target outcomes. Hence, functional system testing usually follows integration testing and comes before acceptance testing in the software testing lifecycle.

Functional system testing can be defined as a form of testing that seeks to determine if the software system, or a part thereof, fulfills the stipulated requirements in its entirety. It is a methodology that deals with testing the system from an integrated perspective hence ensuring overall determinant functionality of components that make the system.

Here are some key aspects of Functional System Testing:

End-to-End Testing: FST assesses the different functionality of the software system beginning from the receipt of the problem to the production of a solution. This entails that each sub-module or component of the design is exercised with the end purpose of verifying the mode of connectivity between this sub-module or component and other like sub-modules or components of the design.
Requirement-Based Testing: These tests are to be made according to the functional specifications as well as requirement's on the total system. It is vital to guarantee that a Software alters within its functionalities as per the established needs.
User Scenarios: Of the verification methods, FST requires the definition of concrete user cases, as well as the demonstration that the system reaches the correct state in one or another scenario that a user can come across.
Black Box Testing: Functional System Testing may be classified as a black box testing technique and that is why, the functional system testers may not necessarily have to understand how the ware system works from inside. They are thus used on input and output which is purely based on the functional requirements.
Validation of Features: This kind of testing evaluates all possible characteristics and operation modes of the system; interfaces, APIs, databases, security, etc.
Integration Testing: It also covers integration testing, which focuses on the system’s interfaces and various interactions between the different modules and components.
Regression Testing: Like many other software testing techniques, FST also encompasses regression testing in an endeavor to confirm that new changes or insertions have not negatively impacted other features.
Test Automation: One of the beneficial uses of Automation tools can be utilized to execute Functional tests easier, save time and effort for the repetitive tests or regression tests.

In general, functional system testing helps organizations validate that the software system meets user requirements, functions correctly, and contributes to stakeholder value. Comprehensively, the software product will be regarded as reliable and of high quality.

Key parts of functional system testing comprise:

Scope: Functional system testing evaluates the entire system, with a focus on its interfaces, interactions, and general behavior.
Test Coverage: It seeks to cover all functional areas of the system, ensuring that all features, functions, and requirements are well-tested.
Test Cases: The test cases are derived from functional requirements and use cases to support both positive and negative scenarios in testing system functionality under different scenarios.
Data Management: Functional system testing contains the generation of test data for simulating real-life scenarios and inputs, thus ensuring a comprehensive function of the system.
Execution: Test cases are run against the integrated system, and the observed behavior is compared against the expected results to identify any deviations or defects.
Defect Reporting: Any defects or variations discovered during testing are documented, tracked, and refined by the development team.
Regression Testing: Sometimes, regression testing might be conducted within the functional system test in order to make sure that the new changes or fixes don't influence existing system functionality.

Steps Involved in Functional System Testing:

The following are the checkpoints that one should follow in an effort to achieve functional system testing.

Requirement Analysis: To comprehend and evaluate the essential characteristics and features of the system identified during the prior phases.
Test Planning: Conducting a test plan that will include details such as the scope, goal, resource allocation, timeline, and test plan at large.
Test Case Design: This is because, when it comes to developing tests, it is less costly to focus on functional requirements, use cases and user scenarios,…
Test Environment Setup: Getting the requisite number of computers or servers to be used for the testing, organizing and configuring the environment including the network and installing or providing test data.
Test Execution: Executing the test cases with the intention of writing down the outcomes.
Defect Reporting: Inputting data on any defects or difficulties noticed during the process of testing.
Test Closure: This is a process of testing, evaluating the results, and documenting the outcomes to ensure all the required conditions have been tested.

Importance of Functional System Testing:

In Functional System Testing we look into the following aspects:

Ensures Quality: The other checks ascertain that the system operates correctly and results in quality software.
Detects Defects Early: Helps to detect functional defects during the early design phase thus sparing time and money in the later phases of a product.
Validates Requirements: Serves for confirmation that all the requirements that were indicated are implemented, offer assurance regarding the system capabilities.
Improves User Satisfaction: It makes the user feel that the system is capable of technically solving challenges a real user may encounter in actual use of the system.

Thus, Functional System Testing can be identified as one of the key stages in the software testing life cycle that is aimed at verifying that all necessary components are integrated and work as required to provide a customer with a fine and efficient software product.

Example of Functional Testing:

Other potential attributes of E-commerce Website Checkout Process include

Scenario: An example of UI testing is a functional test where one examines the checkout functionality of a website for an online store.

Test Case: The Process of Checking Out As a User

Objective: Ensure that you validate that a user can get through the checkout stages in the e-commerce site successfully.

Steps for Functional Testing:
Launch the E-commerce Website
Step: First, with the assistance of the Internet connection and a web browser, type the address of the chosen e-commerce website (e. g. www. shopexample. com).
Expected Outcome: Then the homepage URL should be accessible without any error message popping up when it is loaded.
Having gone through the catalogue one is supposed to make the right choice and purchase a product.
Step: If any of the products catches the visitors’ fancy, he or she should go to the products page and choose the products to buy.
Expected Outcome: Entering the product ID number should lead to the details page containing information regarding the product such as price, description and images.
Add Product to Cart
Step: On the top right part of the page, the button “Add to Cart” can be clicked.
Expected Outcome: The Add the product to the shopping cart button and getting a confirmation message should be added and which should be clicked.
View Shopping Cart
Step: To view the items in the context of the cart, the shopper is required to click on a shopping cart icon.
Expected Outcome: The last page of the whole purchasing process should show the selected product(s) with accurate description and price.
Proceed to Checkout
Step: To purchase the selected item, click the ‘Proceed to Checkout’ button.
Expected Outcome: The checkpoint was that the website should transfer to checkout page where the user inputs shipping and payment details.
Enter Shipping Information
Step: As for the information you have to enter is the name, address, city, state, and zip code regarding the shipping process.
Expected Outcome: In the case of the example, the form should accept the input without returning the following validation errors.
Enter Payment Information
Step: Fill in correct details such as credit card number, the credit card is set to expire, and the CVV code.
Expected Outcome: Ideally, the payment information should be processed with no incorporation of any errors.
Review Order
Step: Gently read the summary of the order to make sure that all details highlighted are correct.
Expected Outcome: Essentially, the order summary should show the right products, quantities ordered, price, shipping, and payment information.
Place Order
Step: Select ‘Place Order’ button.
Expected Outcome: The order should be placed successfully and the user should be moved to an order completed screen with confirmation message of the order and details of the order placed.
Verify Order Confirmation
Step: You are able to verify the order confirmation on the specific page of this site and in the received e–mail.
Expected Outcome: The user should see a message on the website that the order has been completed and should also get an order confirmation with all the details of the order in his/her inbox.

Here's the reference video for you to watch and better understand the topic:

Functional Testing:

System Testing:

Conclusion:

End-user Functionality Testing is an essential component of software testing; it confirms the application operates competently to meet the defined expectations. As long as the functional software meets the results a user expects after executing certain activity, the testers do not care about other performance factors. Looking at the examples of how functional testing is performed, for instance testing of account creation, further testing of the email in Gmail, it is very clear that functional testing follows a test process that checks, whether each functional part of an Application Under Test is functioning as expected.

Functional Testing usually follows the path of initial or preliminary testing by individuals or testers who physically run test cases and check the results. They somewhat incorporate this approach as it helps in determining deficiencies at the early stages of development and guarantee the application’s compliance with the user needs. After the functionalities are tested manually, higher level tools like Selenium can be used to execute the test cases and approach specific issues which require certain amount of automation.

In conclusion, it is or to state again, that Functional Testing cannot be considered as optional when the goal is to deliver stable and high-quality software. It also verify that all functional requirements are performant, which in turn lead to increase customer satisfaction and confidence in the application. Thus, functional testing is critical to understand and perform for any software tester, and it also forms a strong base for promotion to advanced levels like automated testing and non-functional testing.