Test automation during payment terminal certification
What are the benefits of test automation during payment terminal certification ?
Test automation consists in implementing an automatic communication interface between a payment device and a test tool, to check the behavior of a software with minimal human intervention. Major payment schemes such as Visa and Mastercard have released guidelines allowing payment terminal providers to build a communication interface compliant with the requirements for test automation.
During functional certification, terminal vendors can submit their products to automation test sessions. For that they need to configure the communication protocol properly to connect to the test tool and perform the testing campaign in automation mode.
Focus on Visa rules for automation testing
Visa has defined a set of requirements allowing payment terminal providers to submit their products to type approval and benefit automation testing whether implementing VCPS for payment terminals, VCTKS for public transport systems, or VRTPKS for SoftPOS solutions.
How does it work ?
Terminal vendors must provide the “reader controller” to the laboratory during the official type approval sessions. This interface ensures the communication between the test tool and the reader during the full test suite.
It receives the test configuration from the test tool and pass it to the device under test. Then it receives test outcome from the terminal and pass It to the test tool.
The benefits of test automation
Even though the automation testing of functional payment libraries remains implementation-optional, it offers many advantages for POS providers. The automation of the testing process shortens the duration of the test sessions at accredited laboratories, hence reducing type approval fees. It also has a significant impact on software quality, enhancing the results reliability (pass criteria are checked automatically).
Alcineo helps terminal vendors to configure their device and provides the communication interface necessary to perform functional tests in compliance with the requirements set by international payment standards and certification bodies, either executing manual or automated test suites.
To go further
Have a look at our previous article about software quality testing : How automation testing enhances payment software quality ?
Refer to Visa documentation to find more information about Visa automation requirements : Visa technology partners
Refer to Mastercard documentation to find more information bout Mastercard automation requirements : Mastercard Connect