Migrating from Nintex on-premises and Nintex for Office 365 to Nintex Automation Cloud (formerly known as Nintex Workflow Cloud) can be a transformative process for businesses. However, it is not without risks. A structured approach using test environments is essential for a successful and seamless migration. This article explores the critical reasons for leveraging a development testing site in SharePoint and offers key insights into ensuring a smooth transition.
The Risks of Making Changes Directly in Production
One of the most significant risks during migration is making changes directly in the production environment. Production systems are the lifeblood of daily operations, and any disruption can have wide-reaching consequences, including:
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System Downtime: Errors introduced during migration can render workflows or forms inoperable, causing delays in business processes.
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Data Loss or Corruption: Without proper testing, workflows may behave unpredictably, risking the integrity of business-critical data.
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End-User Frustration: Issues in production can lead to interruptions for end users, impacting overall productivity and trust in the migration process.
By testing changes in a dedicated environment, organizations can identify and resolve issues before they impact the live system.
Preventing Unwanted Emails to Business Users
During migration testing, workflows may inadvertently send emails to business users, causing confusion or unnecessary distractions. A test environment ensures that any email notifications are contained and can be routed to designated testers rather than actual end users. This prevents unintentional disruptions and protects the organization’s professional image.
The Importance of End-to-End Testing
End-to-end testing is crucial for verifying that migrated workflows and forms operate correctly within the new environment. This includes:
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Validating Workflow Functionality: Ensuring all actions and forms work as intended.
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Testing Data Flows: Verifying that data inputs and outputs remain consistent and accurate.
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Checking System Integrations: Confirming that APIs, custom scripts, and external systems seamlessly integrate or have workarounds post-migration.
Without comprehensive testing, organizations risk overlooking critical issues that may only become apparent after go-live.
Ensuring Parity Between Test and Production Environments
For a SharePoint test environment to be effective, it must closely replicate the production SharePoint environment. This includes:
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Matching Lists and Libraries: Ensuring all SharePoint lists and libraries in the test environment mirror the production setup, including names, structures (such as content types, columns, views and SharePoint Groups), and permissions.
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Simulating Realistic Data: Populating the test site with sample data that closely resembles actual business data to better emulate real-world scenarios.
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Replicating User Roles: Configuring user permissions and roles to match those in production for accurate testing of workflows and forms.
A parity-focused approach simplifies the transition between environments, reducing the likelihood of surprises during the final migration.
Additional Benefits of Using Test Environments
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Data Integrity and Validation: Testing ensures that workflows, forms, and data remain consistent and functional post-migration.
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Minimizing Downtime: Identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks in the test environment helps reduce or eliminate downtime during the production rollout.
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Compliance and Security Testing: Test environments provide a safe space to verify compliance with data protection regulations and ensure security protocols remain intact.
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User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Involving end users in the testing phase allows for valuable feedback and ensures the migrated system meets business requirements.
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Rollback and Recovery Testing: Testing environments enable organizations to simulate failures, ensuring rollback and recovery plans are robust and effective.
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Training and Documentation: A test site can serve as a training ground for users and a basis for updating documentation before migrating the live system.
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Scaling Considerations: Evaluating the scalability of workflows in the test environment ensures the new system can handle future growth.
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Data Migration Tools: Tools like SharePoint Migration Tool or third-party solutions may introduce unique migration behaviors or limitations. Testing these tools in the dev environment ensures smoother operations.
Conclusion
A well-structured test environment is an indispensable part of the migration process to Nintex Automation Cloud. By addressing potential risks, ensuring system parity, and conducting thorough testing, organizations can achieve a smooth transition while safeguarding business operations. Embracing a test-first approach minimizes disruption, builds confidence in the migration process, and sets the stage for long-term success in the cloud.