Simulated Web Environments for RPA Regression Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The RPA industry lacks effective automated solutions for regression testing, particularly due to its process-oriented nature, limited software code base, and restricted access to integration environments, leading to challenges in catching errors and maintaining system stability.

Innovation Solution

The AutoWeb tool generates a simulated environment mirroring the web test environment, continuously monitors RPA bots, and propagates changes to verify routine integrity, reducing the need for unit testing and improving stability by catching UI element changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If unit testing is used for RPA bots, then logic errors in code modules can be caught, but regression testing effectiveness is limited due to process-oriented nature and lack of independent business logic chunks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebug detection capabilityVSAvoidapplicability of unit testing to RPA

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a simulated environment that copies the web test environment elements (UI elements, page structures, data) that the RPA bot interacts with. This allows regression testing to be performed on the bot's process flow without needing access to the actual production system, effectively adapting unit testing concepts to RPA's process-oriented architecture by creating a testable replica of the operational environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously running the RPA routine in the simulated environment before actual changes are deployed to production. When changes are detected in the web test environment, the system propagates them to the simulated environment and verifies whether the changes break the routine, preventing regression issues before they affect production systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If continuous monitoring and simulated environment generation is implemented, then regression testing effectiveness is improved, but system complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregression testing effectivenessVSAvoidtesting system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The computing device performs multiple functions: it monitors the RPA bot execution, generates the simulated environment, detects changes in the web test environment, propagates changes to the simulated environment, and verifies routine integrity. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single integrated solution, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive regression testing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically monitors itself and the RPA bot, detects changes, and performs verification without requiring manual intervention. The computing device self-manages the entire regression testing process including environment generation, change detection, and routine verification, reducing the need for external testing infrastructure and simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If changes in web test environment are propagated to simulated environment for verification, then system stability is improved by catching UI element changes, but testing time and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidtesting duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously runs the RPA routine in the simulated environment and continuously monitors for changes in the web test environment. This continuous operation allows for immediate detection and verification of changes as they occur, preventing regression issues from propagating to production while maintaining system stability. The continuous testing approach eliminates the need for separate, time-consuming testing cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system periodically verifies whether changes in the simulated environment break the RPA routine. Rather than continuously interrupting execution for verification, the system allows the routine to run continuously and performs verification at periodic intervals or when changes are detected, balancing the need for stability verification with efficient use of testing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12596639B2Self-generating robotic process environments

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

One embodiment provides a method of using a computing device to provide regression testing for RPA including monitoring, by the computing device, an RPA bot while the RPA bot is executing a routine in a web test environment. Based on the monitoring, the computing device generates a simulated environment including all elements of the web test environment that the RPA bot interacts with. The computing device further continuously runs the routine in the simulated environment. Upon detecting a change in the web test environment, the computing device propagates the change to the simulated environment and verifies whether the change breaks the routine.