Case study: BCT Software streamlined project and test case management

Before switching to Easy Redmine

Previously, Excel sheets were used as the test management application within BCT's project delivery process. These had to be filled out manually by both internal teams and customers. If an issue occurred during testing, a separate ticket also had to be created in Easy Redmine manually and assigned to the right person/department. The update of the ticket/issue then had to be manually synchronized back to the Excel files, followed by retesting.

This approach created excessive manual work and inefficiencies. During go-live periods, testing and issue resolution were often chaotic and required significant rework afterwards. The process needed to be much more structured and automated to minimize errors and shorten lead times around test management.

The existing approach showed results—the number of project issues decreased from approximately 4,000 in 2023 to 2,000 by November 2024—but there was clear room for improvement through better tooling and process integration.

BCT's solutions serve diverse client needs, making a standalone test suite impractical. Therefore, they looked for a solution within software already available, leading to Easy Redmine since it was already being used as their primary project management tool.

Expectations from project management software

The main points of the tender documentation, what was expected from the solution, and what challenges needed to be overcome:

1. Able to easily import existing testcases into Easy Redmine
2. Able to create modular test plans using templates and sub-templates
3. Support for multiple test rounds within projects
4. External users (customers) can execute test cases and document their findings
5. Issues found during testing can easily be transferred to the right person/department
6. Comprehensive dashboard(s) available to view test progress and issue resolution per project
7. Integration with the existing project structure
8. Automated reporting capabilities for progress monitoring

 Company's requirements for Easy Redmine

1. Existing test cases can be imported into Easy Redmine
2. External users (customers) can work with the test cases
3. Test plans are available as templates for new projects
4. Support for creating issues directly from test cases
5. Tool must be directly linked to projects
6. Existing configuration of Easy Redmine should not be altered by implementing the testcase solution
7. Scalable solution that can be applied to all types of projects (integrations, modules, upgrades, migrations)

Preparation

Before implementation, discussions were held with the Project Management Office team about improving BCT's project approach and better facilitating customers throughout projects. A demonstration was given by Easy Redmine showing the possible use-case for BCT B.V. that matched well with the requirements.

Based on this demonstration, a comprehensive business case was developed for the organization due to the additional cost of the Business package upgrade. This business case turned out positive and led to the decision to implement the Test Cases module.

Settings

The implementation scope includes (in collaboration):

• Module implementation via Easy Redmine
• Analysis of setup and reporting requirements (evaluating current Excel-based processes) via BCT
• Configuration of templates and reports via BCT with support of EasyRedmine
• Training (Teach-the-Teacher approach) via EasyRedmine
• Adoption and change management via BCT

Cloud solution

BCT upgraded their existing Easy Redmine cloud installation to the Business package to include test case functionality, maintaining their current cloud hosting approach.

Training

Training was provided using a Teach-the-Teacher approach to ensure knowledge transfer across the Project Management Office team and broader organization.

Testing

Testing is done internally at BCT with a small group of employees (existing of admin, projectmanager and teamlead). 3 pilot projects are in progress with customer projects.

Evaluation and results

The implementation of Easy Redmine Test cases will bring:

• Dedication to project issues: Issues during go-live decrease annually, demonstrating improvement in project quality
• Standardized testing approach: All projects involving upgrades or implementations now use this unified product, eliminating custom solutions and ensuring consistency
• Improved efficiency: Elimination of manual processes and faster response times through reduced manual work between Excel sheets and Easy Redmine
• Better integration: Seamless workflow from test planning to issue resolution within existing Easy Redmine (project management tool) projects
• Enhanced customer experience: 100% identical test process per test case provides recognizable and professional experience for end users
• Early issue identification: Proactive problem detection through systematic testing approach
• Real-time visibility: Test progress monitoring provides immediate insights into test- an acceptance status
• Streamlined acceptance: Test cases serve as acceptance criteria, enabling direct acceptance upon successful completion

The most used features

1. Test plan templates: Used to create standardized, modular test plans for different project types (integrations, upgrades, migrations)
2. Issue creation from test cases: Seamless workflow from identifying test failures to creating and assigning resolution tickets
3. Progress reporting and dashboards: Real-time visibility into test execution status and issue resolution across projects

Conclusion

By integrating Easy Redmine into their operations, BCT Software successfully addressed key challenges in project and test case management. 

The platform’s robust features facilitated streamlined workflows, improved collaboration, and enhanced efficiency across departments. As BCT Software continues to evolve, Easy Redmine stands as a pivotal tool in supporting their commitment to delivering high-quality enterprise information management solutions.