Reconciliation Testing

What is a Reconciliation Test?

• Is defined as a process of verification of data during data migration. In this process target data is compared with source data to ensure that the migration architecture is transferring data. [1]
• In the Data migration process, it is possible for mistakes to be made in the mapping and transformation logic. Issues like run time failures, network dropouts or broken transactions can corrupt data. These kind of errors can lead to data being left in an invalid state. [1]
• Tests for data replication, reconiciliation and recovery to ensure successful data replication and database connectivity post failover.

Function of Reconciliation Tests:

• To help prevent:
  • Missing records
  • Missing values
  • Incorrect values
  • Duplicated records
  • Badly formatted values
  • Broken relationships across tables or systems
• Check how the replication is validated between Datacenters for incoming transactions

Steps for Testing (may vary from client to client--this is just one example):

1. Production stays as is, it only feeds data into the Pre-production/staging environment.
2. Once data is fed into Pre-production/staging perform testing and validation
3. Batches/Transactions will be processed in both Production and Pre-production/staging. Testing in the Pre-production/staging environment dvoering all possible production scenarios.
   • Automated tests may be helpful due to the expensive nature of the operational aspects of the test.
   • During this month long period defects should be documented and addressed.

Test Results:

• Ensure data is 100% error free. Check data like:
  • Total number of rows
  • Total Customer in source and target
  • Total number of Items in source and target
  • Total count of rows based on given condition
  • Number of active users
  • Number of inactive users etc.
• Need to prove confidence in data and the process

Reference(s):

• [1] https://www.guru99.com/what-is-data-reconciliation.html
• TestingAcronyms
• CommonTestingTerms