Are you interested in streamlining your daily tasks and various testing approaches through browser automation software? While there are many software versions available to the general public, some are better suited for specific uses than others. Because of this, it’s imperative that you understand the purpose of this software and the tasks you’ll expect it to perform. However, there are several universal features you should look for when deciding which browser automation tool is best for you.

Multiple Browser Support

In order to run functional tests or perform various tasks on multiple platforms, it’s imperative your browser automation program is compatible with the most popular browsers, such as Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox. This is especially imperative if you plan on using automation software to run functional tests based upon the user’s browser and operating system.

Automated Task Scheduling

While the actual tasks are automated, the ability for tests schedules to be automatically activated will save you even more time. When searching for browser automation software, look for one that supports automatic task scheduling and the ability to run multiple tasks at the same time. This automated workflow will do wonders for the productivity of your staff – regardless of its purpose.

Automatic Task Creation

Traditionally, to run automated tasks, one must program specific scripts to be executed. Not only does this require a knowledgeable programmer, but since each task requires its own script, the script library can soon become dauntingly large and overwhelming. To remedy this situation, many of the latest browser automation software tools offer automation task creation. This feature typically involves activating a “record” function, which then records and stores all on-screen actions. At the completion of manually “walking through” the task, the recording is turned off and a task is created. Now, all system administrators have to do is activate this task and it can be ran according to the parameters you established. This is far easier than hard-programming scripts, and allows tasks to be easily manipulated as websites or applications change.

Diagnostic Reports

 Although browser automation software is not traditionally used as a means of testing the performance and functionality of a site – as there are many other tools available for such a job – it is an excellent way to test the user interface of a website. Because of this, it’s imperative that your software features diagnostic reports after each, or selected, tasks. Such reports allow administrators and QA testers to effectively identify issues within the functionality or the flow of a page. This increase in efficiency leads to faster bug-reports, and subsequent fixes.