Testing is the process of validating the system and processes to meet the business requirements. It includes testing the custom as well as the standard features, along with the migrated data, integrations, reports, and security aspects of the solution. It is an area that is most often underestimated and, as a result, hampers the success of your project.
A very common misconception is that testing starts after the development phase is over. The primary goal of testing is to provide feedback on the product as soon as possible. Identifying any issues in the requirements phase prevents them from becoming a part of the design. Similarly, identifying any issues in the design phase prevents them from being coded. The cost of fixing a defect depends on the phase where it has been detected; the cost of fixing a defect in the early phases of SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) is much lower than in the later phases. The farther you go with the backlog of testing/validation, the more debt...