When you work with Salesforce, automated testing is essential for catching bugs early and keeping features working well. But sometimes these tests take far too long to run. This slows down delivery cycles and can frustrate your team. The good news is, you don’t have to choose between speed and quality. All it takes is a better approach to planning, organising and running your tests. Read through this blog, as we share simple steps that you can apply right away, like:
- Grouping tests smartly
- Running them in parallel
- Cleaning up after runs
And more to get faster results and smoother releases
1. Focus on Important Tests First
Not all tests have the same value. Some catch important bugs, while others cover areas that rarely change. If you try to run everything every time, you waste hours. Focus on the tests that give you the biggest benefit, especially in busy release cycles.
- Pick tests that check your most critical business functions.
- Run low-priority tests less often.
- Keep a small set of smoke tests to check basic stability.
- Mark risky areas and test them first.
- Update your priority list regularly as the product changes.
2. Organise Tests into Suites
When you group tests into suites, it gets easier to manage them and at the same time, faster to run. A suite refers to a collection of related test cases. You can run only the suite you need instead of running the whole test set. This saves time and work.
- Create separate suites for smoke, regression, and feature tests.
- Keep similar test cases together.
- Name the suites clearly so anyone can understand their purpose.
- Avoid putting too many unrelated tests in the same suite.
- Update suites after each release to keep them relevant.
3. Use Parallel Execution
Running a single test at a time can take a lot of hours. That is where parallel execution should be used. Parallel execution means running several tests simultaneously. This cuts down total execution, especially if you have many independent tests to run.
- Make sure tests don’t depend on each other.
- Use separate data for each test run.
- Check your system capacity before increasing the number of parallel runs.
- Run stable tests in parallel, run unstable ones separately.
- Start with small parallel batches and increase gradually.
4. Spread Tests Across Multiple Machines
If you have a lot of tests and more than one computer or server, split the load. This is called distributed execution, and it speeds things up by sharing the work in Salesforce automation testing.
- Assign different test suites to different machines.
- Keep test data local to avoid delays.
- Make sure all machines have the same setup.
- Monitor each machine to spot slowdowns.
- Use extra machines during peak testing periods.
5. Prepare the Environment Before Running Tests
A slow or messy test environment can cause failures and delays. That is why setting up the right environment before starting is necessary, as it makes tests run smoothly and reliably.
- Clear old or unwanted data before each run.
- Set correct user roles and permissions.
- Install all needed apps and extensions.
- Make sure test data is new and correct.
- Check that all integrations are working.
6. Clean Up After Each Run
When tests finish, they may leave behind test data or temporary settings. Cleaning these up ensures the next run starts fresh and without problems.
- Delete temporary test records.
- Reset changed configurations.
- Close any open sessions.
- Remove unused files or logs.
- Run cleanup scripts automatically after each job.
7. Use Test Parameters for Flexibility
In some scenarios, you need to run the same test in different ways. For example, testing with a different browser or release version. Parameters help you make quick changes without creating new test cases.
- Add parameters for browser type, release version, or environment.
- Keep parameter names simple and clear.
- Use parameters to filter tests in large runs.
- Test parameter changes before using them in big runs.
- Store parameters in one place for easy updates.
8. Get Quick Alerts When Something Fails
In Salesforce automation testing, fast feedback is key to fixing problems quickly. If a test fails, the right people should know immediately so they can take action before the issue spreads.
- Set up alerts for failures and errors.
- Send alerts to email or chat tools your team uses.
- Include clear details in each alert.
- Notify only the people who need to know.
- Review alert rules regularly to avoid spam.
Key Takeaways
So now you know that when Salesforce automation testing is fast and reliable, it boosts your entire release process. These steps will help you move from slow, heavy runs to quick, efficient ones.
- Prioritise important scenarios
- Split large tests into smaller ones
- Run tests side-by-side
- Prepare environments before runs
- Keep test data consistent
- Monitor performance regularly
Build speed without losing trust in your results!
