Transition/Transaction driven Approach:

In Functional Decomposition Data Driven Approach, a system is broken down into its components in such a manner that
the components correspond directly to system functions and sub functions. The main and most important concept behind
functional decomposition is to separate the data from the functions. This is achieved by employing a hierarchical
architecture with a modular design.

The highest script (Master Driver Script) in the hierarchy is the controller / controlling script. This is the engine of the test
automation suite. The driver script is driven by ‘Driver Data Sheet’ where all Test Scripts, their Business Functions and
Data are being stored. All Business functions are supported by utility functions and other library functions.

Driver Data Sheet:

Driver Data sheet is user friendly XL sheet which tells QTP which script is to be executed, which all functions would need
to be called to complete the end to end flow of the test script and what data to be used for every script… (Something
similar to Key Driven)

The driver sheet has been divided into following main sections in Excel Columns,

• Execution Flag (Column A) – This column would indicate or would inform ‘Driver Script’ which test script to be
executed and which to be ignored. Test scripts marked with ‘Y or s’ will be executed and rest all will be ignored.

• Status (Column B) – This column would populate the status of execution (pass or fail) post to test run.

• Script Name (Column C) – All script names have been listed here. (Script names have been taken from Manual
Test Plan).

• Functions Count (Column E) – This column indicates the number of functions being called to completed the
end to end flow of the script

• F1-F25 (Column G to ED) – reusable business functions have been listed here in sequential manner to
complete the end to end functional flow of the test scripts.

• Test Data Input Parameters (Column AE to ...) – all test data inputs parameters are being captured in these
columns. All columns might not be relevant for every script, irrelevant data parameters have been kept blank.
The script flow is being driven by values of the parameters hence accuracy of data is very important. E.g.
‘account type dropdown’ – if the pre-requisite of the script is ‘Savings’ then value has to be set as ‘Savings’.

Advantages:

• User would have a complete control on execution without accessing the code and select the scripts directly from
Excel.

• User would need to open only Master Driver script and run it without even opening other scripts/functions.
Input Data can be updated more easily.

• A modular design and using files or records to both input and verify data, reduces redundancy and amount of
effort in creating automated test scripts.

• Scripts can be developed even when the application development is in progress. If the functionality changes, only
the specific verification scripts containing the business logic need to be updated.

• Script reusability is very high. As the scripts are written to test various business functions independently, they can
easily be combined in a controlling script in order to accommodate complex test scenarios.

• Maintaining the expected results for such scripts is very easy.

• Error handling is much more robust in these scripts. This allows unattended execution of the test scripts.

• Since such scripts have very little interdependency they can be used in a plug and play manner.