Let us look at how Level 3 terminal integration testing was happening. Acquirers, processors, and merchants would register with the payment scheme. They buy a test tool qualified by the respective payment schemes to perform their testing.
These test tools developed by vendors were qualified separately by payment schemes. These tools were used by acquirers, processors, and merchants (we will call all of them acquirers, hereafter in this article) for their certification needs.
This was getting cumbersome. There was a need for standardization.
To simplify, EMVCo, the industry body, established a task force to standardize the existing Level 3 testing process, which would help streamline testing and certification for acquirers.
They formed a group called L3TG that standardized the Level 3 testing and certification process across payment schemes. EMVCo started to qualify the tools developed by vendors based on L3TG standards.
Tool vendors don’t have to go to multiple schemes to qualify their tools. Tool vendors will have to get their tools qualified for TSE (Test Selection Engine), TT (Test Tool), and Card Simulator (CS), as defined by EMVCo.
Acquirers can use the same tool across all payment schemes that follow EMVCo standards and specifications for their testing and certification needs.
The payment schemes will generate the TSEC (Test Set File), a combination of ICS, Test Cases, Suggestions, and Errors. This TSEC file is used by the test tool for testing and certification.
Generating this TSEC file manually is a complex process. 8 CSV files have to be considered – questions, errors, suggestions, test cases, cards, pass criteria, test case selection, and information. Besides, you have the additional test reference file and manifest files.
The payment systems provide these test set files as a TSEC package. TSEC-package is a zip file that contains instructions on collecting terminal configuration information, test cases, test case applicability conditions, and pass criteria definitions.
Questions are chosen based on the context provided by the payment schemes. The number of combinations is enormous in creating the TSEC file, which, when done manually, would result in errors.
The TSEC file also contains pass/fail criteria syntax to streamline test plan processing and validation activities.
Besides the TSEC file, a test card image syntax file is also used to simulate the expected behaviour of the test card. EMVCo defines the format of the test card image file and TSEC file, and these formats are eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and Comma Separated Value (CSV).
The TSEC files are in a machine-readable format, and it is compatible with any EMVCo-qualified L3 test tool.
The role of card images is to simulate the appropriate responses to the terminal based on the request commands from the terminal. The card images change based on the test cases. The response of the terminal, the card, and the host messages are recorded and exported in EMVCo L3 format to process the pass criteria to be submitted to the payment schemes for L3 certification.
One critical criterion is the card id in the TSEC file; the card image should match to run the test cases.
We understood the pain and complications in building the 8-part inter-related TSEC files manually. We decided to automate it. With our TSEC editor, these complexities are nulled as you can just sit and relax while our tool updates all the files.
The tool is built-in with details like errors, suggestions, test cards, and pass criteria automatically after you add the test cases and questions. Also, when you build a pass criteria, you can just focus on the business criteria rather than syntax.
In our TSEC editor tool, the context dependencies can be managed for every edit in easy steps without manually going through each file.
And finally, our tool can compare the current version with the previous TSEC and Card Image versions. Doing it manually is like finding a needle in the hay.
We will now understand the other complexities in the TSEC file editing and why an analyser is needed to simplify the TSEC file creation.
As a payments scheme, you must ensure accurate testing of business requirements and identify potential errors in the TSEC file; developers utilize the L3 test tool by creating a TSE file that includes all possible user inputs. However, relying solely on manual error finding can be time-consuming and prone to missing critical scenarios.
We understood the pain of the developers and came up with a solution with analyser modules.
When you modify a question/ applicability condition/ error/ suggestion/ test case etc., you may use the TSEC Analyser to know how an EMVCo qualified L3 tool will reflect your changes, thus giving confidence in the rollout.
It compares all applicable conditions for questions, errors, and more between the base version and the updated version of the TSEC and gives the result.
It examines the TSEC file. It detects potential errors within the TSEC file.
Get started with our TSEC Editor and analyser module today and simplify your certification journey.
