The global test automation market is projected to reach $52.7 billion by 2027, up from $28.8 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 13.5%.That’s a huge jump. And it clearly shows how critical automation has become, especially for complex platforms like Salesforce.
But here's the catch: Salesforce test automation isn’t just about writing scripts and running tests. There are layers of complexity that most teams don’t anticipate until they’re knee deep in failed test cases.
In this blog, we’ll walk through what makes Salesforce automation tricky, common challenges you’ll face and smart ways to fix them.
Test automation refers to the use of tools and scripts to automatically run software tests, compare actual results with expected ones and identify bugs or issues. Instead of manually checking every feature or function, automation allows repetitive tasks to be done faster, more reliably and with minimal human effort.
Sounds like a dream, right? It definitely has its perks.
Salesforce is an enterprise grade platform that powers everything from sales pipelines to customer support. It updates frequently, supports tons of integrations and gets customized heavily.
Because of that, testing becomes more than just a checkbox task. Every change (big or small) could break something. That’s why businesses rely on automation to maintain quality at scale.
But automation in Salesforce doesn’t come easy.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Salesforce is a beast to automate. It’s powerful but deeply layered. Here’s why test automation isn’t always smooth sailing.
Salesforce constantly generates dynamic IDs and components. Your automation tool may locate a button today, but tomorrow it’s invisible or worse, has a different ID. This makes element identification unstable.
No two Salesforce orgs are the same. Every business has different fields, objects and workflows. Test scripts built for one org often fail in another unless tailored, which requires time and effort.
Salesforce rolls out three major updates every year. With each release, your automated tests may break. Staying current means regular maintenance of your scripts which defeats the purpose of “set it and forget it.”
You’re not just dealing with HTML and CSS. Salesforce uses Visualforce, Lightning Web Components (LWC) and Aura components. Some tools struggle to interact with these elements properly.
Salesforce usually talks to other systems like ERPs, marketing tools or databases. Automating end to end testing in this web of connections is a whole new level of tricky.
Salesforce’s UI is built using Aura and Lightning Web Components (LWC). These generate dynamic IDs and nested DOM structures. What does that mean? Your test scripts often break because the element locators change frequently, especially after updates.
Even worse, identifying reusable components becomes tricky due to Salesforce’s custom styling and hidden elements.
Pro Tip: Avoid hard coded waits. Use conditional waits like “wait for element to be visible” to avoid flaky tests.
Salesforce pushes three major updates a year. With every release, there can be changes in layout, element positioning or component behavior. This means your perfectly working automation tests today might break tomorrow.
Automated smoke testing post release is your best friend. It catches major issues fast.
Let’s be real — no Salesforce org is “out of the box.” Businesses heavily customize it with Apex triggers, custom objects, validation rules and third party integrations. These introduce edge cases that generic test tools may miss.
Don’t ignore negative testing and see how the system behaves when things go wrong.
Salesforce operates in a multi tenant architecture, which means you can’t just spin up a new database for testing. Data privacy, field level security and sharing rules often block or alter test data.
Always tear down test data after use to prevent pollution of your test environments.
Many teams focus only on UI testing. But in Salesforce, backend logic, APIs and data flows are just as important. Ignoring non UI testing means you're missing out on critical coverage.
A good balance: 30% UI, 40% API and 30% logic based test coverage.
Ever had a test pass one day and fail the next without any code change? That’s flakiness. And in Salesforce, slow page loads, pop ups and browser compatibility issues can make it worse.
Set a benchmark for acceptable test execution time and optimize scripts that cross it.
Many legacy test tools simply don’t “speak Salesforce.” They struggle with its DOM structure or can’t test Lightning components properly. Others don’t integrate well with CI/CD pipelines or ALM tools.
Not all tools are created equal. Always evaluate test tools based on your Salesforce tech stack.
Salesforce test automation is just a bit high maintenance. With the right strategy, tools and mindset, you can keep your test environment stable, even as your org evolves.
Need help simplifying your Salesforce test automation setup? At PixelConsulting, we help businesses navigate complex Salesforce challenges including automation but without losing speed or sanity.
Let’s fix what’s slowing you down.
Salesforce test automation involves using tools and scripts to automatically test workflows, UI elements, data processes and custom code within Salesforce to ensure everything works as expected after changes.
Yes, but it requires customization. Salesforce’s dynamic elements and complex DOM make it hard for Selenium to locate elements consistently. Tools like Provar or Testim offer better Salesforce specific support.
Dynamic elements, frequent UI updates and poor test data are top reasons. Also, relying too heavily on UI testing without validating backend logic often leads to missed bugs.
At a minimum, review and update scripts before and after each major Salesforce release (three times a year). Also, update them anytime a new feature or customization is introduced.
Write and run unit tests directly within Salesforce using its Apex testing framework. Ensure you meet the minimum 75% code coverage and cover both positive and negative scenarios.
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