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jg0888's avatar
jg0888
Contributor
7 years ago

Does anyone use automation to check emails sent by the application they are testing?

Part of the requirements for many of our processes include emails that get sent out to managers and/or employees. I was curious if anyone has used Smartbear to interact with their email system (ex. Microsoft Outlook) to verify links display and are able to be clicked. I could also try to login via Office365.com if anyone thinks that might be easier.

 

A few of the processes include receiving an email for a forgotten password where the end user has to click a link in order to get redirected to the page in order to complete some information and update to a new password.

 

Any information positive or negative would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! 

7 Replies

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  • baxatob's avatar
    baxatob
    Community Hero
    7 years ago

    Hi,

     

    We are using API of our own mail server to control incoming emails and its content.

     

    Any interaction with graphical interface of some email client (e.g. clicking on the link inside email) is a bad practice. Of course, if the mail client is not the product, that you are developing.

  • Marsha_R's avatar
    Marsha_R
    Champion Level 3
    7 years ago

    I'm going to agree with everyone above that it's not a good idea.  If you start trying to open things in the email client, then you're fighting with their software and not yours.  

     

    Use the API to confirm that the email was sent->received and then if you really need to keep checking the emails, do it manually.

     

    If you are using the same "Reset Password" links (or whatever) every time, what is the issue?  Are you concerned that the link is wrong or that the email won't open it?

    • tristaanogre's avatar
      tristaanogre
      Esteemed Contributor
      7 years ago

      The same question has come up in my work... and another thing to consider is a security concern... who's inbox are you checking when you check the results?  Is this something that can be a unique inbox just for your automation user?  Do you need to actually get access to a "real" inbox? All major concerns, especially if you are in a regulated industry where data access is closely monitored.

  • will_fetherolf's avatar
    will_fetherolf
    Contributor
    7 years ago

    I've done it before, but it's been a long time.  The only drawback I remember was you had to expend licenses for Office on your test machines, and that could potentially get expensive.  You may want to go with a different email client, as there are many free alternatives that will work with MSExchange, just not as fully featured.

  • jg0888's avatar
    jg0888
    Contributor
    7 years ago

    Thank you all for your input. I will take back these answers and questions to my team, and see where we go from here.

  • chicks's avatar
    chicks
    Regular Contributor
    7 years ago

    best if you use a standard email address that's only used for the automation,  with a web based interface like gmail for instance....

    • tristaanogre's avatar
      tristaanogre
      Esteemed Contributor
      7 years ago
      chicks wrote:

      best if you use a standard email address that's only used for the automation,  with a web based interface like gmail for instance....

      That works.  However, two things about that.

       

      1) As mentioned before, automating the web based interface is basically automating an application that you don't maintain or have control over so you are, effectively, testing something that doesn't need testing.  Basically, the same "problem" as automating the Outlook client.  

       

      2) In my regulated industry, we have certain things put in place to protect information... one of which is a firewalled prohibition to using web based e-mail clients.  So, if you have such a situation, this won't help.