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Getting Started with SAP S/4HANA Test Automation Tool (TAT)

Written by Jamal Mehdikhani | 14 July 2025

Introduction

Manual testing of SAP processes can be time-consuming, repetitive and resource-intensive. That’s why SAP’s built-in Test Automation Tool (TAT) for S/4HANA Cloud is a game changer. Designed for consultants, testers and business users, TAT enables seamless automation of key business scenarios without needing external tools or deep technical expertise. In this blog, we’ll explore SAP’s built-in Test Automation Tool (TAT) and how it enables S/4HANA Cloud users to automate key business scenarios quickly and easily. This is not a deep technical tutorial. Instead, it is a guided overview that explains why automation matters, what SAP TAT can do and how to get started. 

Automated Testing Tools for SAP S/4HANA Cloud

SAP provides two primary tools for automating testing within the S/4HANA Cloud environment. Each tool is designed to suit different levels of complexity and user needs, offering options that range from built-in simplicity to enterprise-scale flexibility.

When it comes to automating testing in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, you likely encounter two main tools: 

SAP Test Automation Tool (TAT)

Built directly into the S/4HANA Cloud environment, TAT is designed for quick, reliable automation of SAP Best Practice processes. It’s beneficial for business users and testers who want a fast setup without the overhead of external installations.

  • Embedded in SAP S/4HANA Cloud
  • No extra installation or licensing is required
  • Best for testing SAP Best Practice processes
  • Easy to use with a low learning curve 

Tricentis Tosca Automation (TTA)

TTA is a powerful third-party solution that supports complex, cross-application testing. It’s more flexible but requires additional setup, licensing and more profound technical knowledge.

  • Suitable for advanced, enterprise-wide test scenarios
  • Supports both SAP and non-SAP applications
  • Requires external setup and licenses
  • Best for large-scale or highly customised environments

Quick Tip: If you’re focused primarily on SAP Best Practices in S/4HANA Cloud, start with TAT. If you need end-to-end test coverage across multiple systems, TTA might be a better fit. 

Why Automate SAP Testing?

Manual testing may seem manageable at first, but as your SAP landscape expands, so do the risks, delays and the effort required. Automation addresses these challenges directly, offering a faster, more reliable and scalable way to validate your critical business processes. 

Top Benefits of SAP Test Automation

  • Speed – Cut test cycles from days or weeks to hours.
  • Accuracy – Reduce the human error factor in repetitive testing.
  • Efficiency – Save costs by reducing manual work.
  • Coverage – Test critical business scenarios more thoroughly.
  • Continuity – Support continuous testing and DevOps workflows. 

Real-World Use Cases

  • After SAP upgrades: Automated regression tests can quickly confirm that key business processes run smoothly.
  • During UAT (User Acceptance Testing): Automation helps streamline sign-off by ensuring consistent results across iterations.

Bottom line: Automation doesn’t just make testing easier — it also makes your business more resilient. 

Getting Started – Access & User Setup

 

Assigning Automation Access

Assign the catalogue role SAP_BR_ADMIN_TEST_AUTOMATION to your test user to enable test automation. This role grants the required permissions to create and execute automated tests using SAP TAT.

An admin typically does this. It’s a one-time setup step that unlocks all test automation features for the user.

Important: If access is missing or roles are misconfigured, test plans may fail, not because of a process issue but because of a lack of authorisation. 

The SAP TAT Test Workflow – A High-Level Overview

SAP TAT follows a simple three-step structure that is easy to repeat and scale as your testing needs grow. 

Step 1: Create Test Processes

Decide what scenario you want to test — whether it’s a standard, custom, or scratch-built process. 

Step 2: Create Test Plans

Group one or more test processes into a test plan. Assign test data variants (or use TDCs) to simulate real-world inputs. 

Step 3: Execute and Review

Run the test plan, track real-time progress and review each step’s outputs, screenshots and logs.
Think of it like this: define your path, add test data and then hit play. 

Creating Test Processes – Your Three Options

SAP TAT offers flexible ways to automate a variety of business scenarios. Whether you are reusing SAP Best Practices or building a custom flow from scratch, there is an approach to suit your project needs. 

Option 1: Use Standard SAP Processes

This is the quickest way to get started. SAP provides pre-built testable processes like Sell from Stock (BD9).

Steps:

  1. Open the Manage Your Test Processes app.
  2. Search for a standard process (e.g. BD9).
  3. Select a step (e.g. Create Sales Order).
  4. Add it to a new test plan and assign a DEFAULT_VARIANT or a Test Data Container (TDC).

Note: Standard processes are great for consistency, but remember that their steps are fixed. You cannot edit the sequence or content.

Using a Standard Process (Sell from Stock – BD9)


Option 2: Create Custom Processes

Need to tweak a process? Copy a standard one and make it your own.

  • Remove unnecessary steps
  • Reorder actions
  • Fine-tune the process for your business needs

Reminder: Whenever you modify the flow, recheck data bindings.

Pro Tip: After copying, use “Change Visibility” to make your custom process visible in test plans.

Creating a Custom Process – The steps can be edited/removed

Option 3: Record a Process from Scratch

Record your steps directly from the SAP UI for unique or highly customised processes.

 
How it works:
  1. Click + Create Test Process in the Manage app.
  2. Launch the recording session and perform actions in the target app.
  3. SAP captures each interaction as an action.
  4. Review, delete, or edit any unwanted steps.
  5. Replace hardcoded values with (.*) to enable dynamic input.

You now have complete control, ideal for non-standard workflows or edge-case testing.


Creating a Custom Process – The steps can be edited/removed

 Creating & Executing Test Plans in SAP TAT

SAP TAT offers flexible ways to automate a variety of business scenarios. Whether you are reusing SAP Best Practices or building a custom flow from scratch, there is an approach to suit your project needs.

 Create a Test Plan

Think of a Test Plan as the container that holds your test processes, input data and execution logic.

Steps:

  1. Open the Test Your Processes app.
  2. Click the “+” button to create a new plan.
  3. Add one or more test processes.
  4. Name your plan and save it.

Add Variants or Use TDCs

  • Variants: Customise input fields (e.g., plant, material) for each test run.
  • TDCs: Reusable datasets you can assign across multiple test plans.

Example: Instead of typing test data every time, define a TDC like SALES_ORDER_TDC and reuse it wherever needed.

 

Execute Your Test Plan

  1. Open your saved Test Plan
  2. Confirm or assign variant data
  3. Click Execute
  4. Monitor the test in real-time

You can also:

  • View screenshots
  • Check inputs/outputs
  • Review logs across variant runs

Bonus: Schedule or re-run tests to support ongoing regression or post-deployment validation. 

Creating/Editing a TDC

Handling Bindings & Data Synchronisation

What is Data Binding?

Some actions in your test (like Create Sales Order) generate values, such as a Sales Document Number, that are needed in later steps (like Create Delivery).

Binding connects these steps so that the output from one becomes the input for another.

How to Handle It
  1. Open the Variant tab in your Test Plan.
  2. Navigate to the step needing data.
  3. Edit the target field and select Data Binding.
  4. Choose the correct step and parameter.

Always double-check bindings after editing or reordering steps to ensure your process flows correctly. 

Conclusion: Let SAP TAT Do the Heavy Lifting

The SAP Test Automation Tool (TAT) provides a faster and simpler way to test functional and technical processes, with less reliance on external applications and no added cost. By embedding test automation into routine SAP workflows, developing and testing teams can validate business processes more efficiently and accurately. These benefits make SAP TAT a smart strategic choice for any organisation using S/4HANA Cloud.

Test automation in SAP no longer needs to be complex or outsourced. With TAT built directly into S/4HANA Cloud, you can:

  • Reduce test cycles from days to hours
  • Increase accuracy across regression testing
  • Empower testers and business users to own the process

Whether validating standard flows, customising your own, or recording unique processes from scratch, TAT puts scalable, low-maintenance automation at your fingertips.

With each step, you move closer to testing that is faster, smarter and ready for the future.
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