Testing

Grantor Testing

Resources

  • See Agency Getting Started section for more information on using the Web Service Library to interface with Grants.gov.

  • For more information on the specific web services, please refer to the Agency Web Services section.

  • See the Agency Certificates section for more information on obtaining and installing a certificate.

Objectives

The main objective of this section is to provide sample Test Cases that can be used to test your Agency interface to the Grants.gov Training Environment (https://training.grants.gov) using the Web Service Library. Below is a list of web services that will be tested:

  • CreateAdobeOpportunity

  • ManagePackage

  • GetApplicationList

  • GetApplicationZip

  • ConfirmApplicationDelivery

  • AssignAgencyTrackingNumber

  • UpdateApplicationInfo

  • DeleteAdobeOpportunity

Test Cases

2.1 Check Connectivity

Any web service method can be used to perform a connectivity test with Grants.gov.

Web Service(s) Included in Test
CreateAdobeOpportunity

Prerequisite(s):

  • Agency client system is created to invoke the Grants.gov CreateAdobeOpportunity web service and is ready to be tested using the Grants.gov Training Environment.

  • Agency/Sub-Agency exists in the Grants.gov Training Environment.

  • Agency/Sub-Agency certificate is installed in the Grants.gov Training Environment and has the necessary roles to create a new opportunity.

  • Tester has an Agency/Sub-Agency account setup with the proper roles in the Grants.gov Training Environment.

Objective:
Verify that the connection with Grants.gov is working properly by conducting a simple test. In our example, we will create an opportunity using the web service and validate it by manually logging into Grants.gov. Please note that Create Adobe Opportunity web service was used as an example for this connectivity test.

Test Procedures:
Step 1: Publish an opportunity with a synopsis by invoking the portion of your system which calls the CreateAdobeOpportunity web service. Please make a note of your Opportunity Number for future verification.
Step 2: Check your return values to validate the web service ran correctly. Generally, these are found in your application logs or displayed on the screen in your system user interface.
Step 3: Verify if opportunity has been published by navigating to Grants.gov Training environment at https://training.grants.gov. This can be done in 2 ways.

  • Login from the grantor login page and click on Manage Opportunities on the left navigation panel. Search for the funding opportunity number created earlier to make sure it was created successfully. If you are able to login but not see this menu option, please contact your Agency Administrator to obtain the correct roles.

  • Navigate to search screens in the Grants.gov Training Environment and search for this funding opportunity number. Opportunity is successfully created if it is part of search results. This method does not require the user to login; however, the opportunity must be Open (the current date must be in the open/close date range).

Expected Results:
The system successfully invoked the Grants.gov web service to create a funding opportunity in the Grants.gov Training Environment with a synopsis as verified in the last step.

2.2 Create Package

Web Service(s) Included in Test
ManagePackage

Prerequisites:

  • Agency client system is created to invoke the Grants.gov ManagePackage web service and is ready to be tested using the Grants.gov Training Environment.

  • Successful connectivity with Grants.gov (See Test Case 2.1)

Objective:
The objective of this test case is to create a package under the previously created opportunity so that applications can be submitted.

Test Procedures:
Step 1: Login to the Grants.gov Training Environment to view and select an existing template to use for the package. We are suggesting an existing template be used to simplify the test. However, you may create a new template if you prefer.
Step 2: Create a package for the Opportunity created in Test Case 2.1 by invoking the portion of your system which calls the ManagePackage web service. We suggest you specify the package is for both individuals and organization applicants for ease of testing. Please make note of the Funding Opportunity Number for later verification.
Step 3: Check your return values to validate the web services for Step 2 ran correctly. Generally, these are found in your application logs or displayed on the screen in your systems user interface.
Step 4: Verify if package has been published by navigating to Grants.gov Training environment at https://training.grants.gov. This can be done in 3 ways.

  • Login from the grantor login page and click on Manage Opportunities on the left navigation panel. Search for the funding opportunity number created earlier to make sure your package was created successfully.

  • Navigate to search screens in the Grants.gov Training Environment and search for this funding opportunity number. The package is successfully created if it is part of the opportunity returned in the search results. This method does not require the user to login; however, the opportunity must be Open (the current date must be in the open/close date range).

  • Navigate to Apply for Grants link on the left navigation the Grants.gov Training Environment. Select Download a Grant Application Package and enter the opportunity number or the competition ID along with CFDA Number to search for the package. This method does not require the user to login and can be used for closed or archived opportunities and for opportunities without a synopsis.

Expected Results:
The system successfully invoked the Grants.gov web service to create a funding opportunity package in the Grants.gov Training Environment as verified in the last step.

2.3 Retrieve Applications

Web Service(s) Included in Test:
GetApplicationList
GetApplicationZip
ConfirmApplicationDelivery
AssignAgencyTrackingNumber (optional)

Prerequisites:

  • Agency client system is created to invoke the Grants.gov web services needed for retrieving applications and is ready to be tested using the Grants.gov Training Environment.

  • Test submission exist for the funding opportunity,

Note: In order to submit applications to your opportunity, you will need applicant test account(s). The easiest way to create an applicant test account is to register as an individual applicant in the Grants.gov Training Environment by specifying a funding opportunity number.

  • Funding Opportunity was successfully created in Test Case 2.1 or using the UI

  • Create Funding Opportunity Test Case 2.2 specified above was successful.

Objective:
The objective of this test case is to download all submissions for an opportunity and store them in the agency system including setting the proper status in Grants.gov. This test case assumes the agency system was developed to implement all the associated retrieve application web services in a single process. If not, the web services and be tested separately.

Test Procedures:
Step 1: Search and download the package created in Test Case 2.2, complete the PDF form, and submit one or more applications using your test applicant account(s).
Step 2: Download the submissions made in Step 1 by invoking the portion of your system which retrieves applications and stores them in your agency data store. This should first invoke the GetApplicantList web service to determine if there are applications needing to be downloaded. If applications are available, the GetApplicationZip web service is invoked to download the application and its attachments. To notify Grants.gov and applicants that the application was successfully downloaded, the ConfirmApplicationDelivery web service is invoked. The AssignAgencyTrackingNumber web service is only needed if your agency would like to store your internal tracking number on Grants.gov.
Step 3: Check your return values to validate the web services from Step 2 ran correctly. Generally, these are found in your application logs.
Step 4: Verify the application status and your agency tracking number, if applicable, in the Grants.gov Training environment at https://training.grants.gov. This can be done in 3 ways.

  • Navigate to "Track My Application" link of the home page and specify the tracking number used to get the current status of these submissions.

  • Login as your agency account and click on "Retrieve Submitted Applications" on the left navigation panel.

  • Login as using the test applicant account and click on "Check My Application Status" on the left navigation panel.

Step 5: Verify receipt of Grants.gov email notifications.

  • The test applicant account should receive notification emails showing the progress of their submitted application.

  • The agency administrator should receive an email notification. Notification may vary based on the E-mail Notification to Role Manager option set in Agency Profile.

Expected Results:
The system successfully invoked the Grants.gov web services to retrieve the applications as verified in the last two steps.

2.4 Modify Opportunity

Web Service(s) Included in Test
UpdateAdobeOpportunity

Prerequisites:

  • Check Connectivity Test Case 2.1 specified above was successful and an opportunity is created as a result of that test case.

Objective:
The objective of this test case is to modify the previously created opportunity synopsis.

Test Procedures:
Step 1: Modify the opportunity created in Test Case 2.1 by invoking the portion of your system which calls the web service UpdateAdobeOpportunity.
Step 2: Check your return values to validate the web service from Step 1. Generally, these are found in your program logs or displayed on the screen in your system user interface.
Step 3: Verify if opportunity has been updated using the same mechanism as you used to check the created opportunity in Test Case 2.1.

Expected Results:
The system successfully updated the opportunity as verified in the last step.

2.5 Delete Opportunity

Web Service(s) Included in Test
DeleteAdobeOpportunity

Prerequisites:

  • Check Connectivity Test Case 2.1 specified above was successful.

  • An opportunity exists for you to delete. You may use the opportunity created in Test Case 2.1 or an existing opportunity created using the Grants.gov web interface.

Objective:
The objective of this test case is to delete the previously created opportunity synopsis.

Test Procedures:
Step 1: Delete the opportunity created in Test Case 2.1 by invoking the portion of your system which calls the web service DeleteAdobeOpportunity.
Step 2: Check your return values to validate the web service from step 1. Generally, these are found in your program logs or displayed on the screen in your system user interface.
Step 3: Verify if opportunity has been deleted using the same mechanism as you used to check the created opportunity in Test Case 2.1. The opportunity should no longer be found.

Expected Results:
The system successfully deleted the opportunity as verified in the last step.