At first glance, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Salesforce appear to operate in very different ecosystems. In practice, teams responsible for Salesforce testing, Dynamics 365 testing, or Power Platform testing encounter the same recurring challenges: brittle UI test automation, frequent breakages after updates, and constant pressure to keep pace with platform change. 

The reason is structural. Beneath branding and interface differences, these enterprise platforms share a remarkably similar architectural model. Understanding that model is the key to building resilient, scalable enterprise test automation. 

Shared Characteristics of Salesforce and Dynamics UI Architecture

Metadata-driven user interfaces

Salesforce and Dynamics 365 model-driven apps generate user interfaces from metadata and configuration rather than static pages. Forms, fields, validation rules, layouts, and visibility settings are defined declaratively and can change frequently, often without traditional code deployments.

In both ecosystems, the UI is a dynamic representation of underlying configuration. It is not the system of record.

For test automation, this distinction matters. Page-level scripts that assume static structure are inherently fragile when the structure is configuration-driven.

Component-based construction

Both Salesforce Lightning pages and Dynamics 365 applications are assembled from reusable components:

  • Fields, forms, grids, and dialogs
  • Business rules and flows
  • Role-based security and conditional visibility

At runtime, the UI is constructed dynamically based on metadata, permissions, and context. The page is not a fixed artifact. It is an orchestration of components.

Testing strategies that align to this component-based architecture are significantly more resilient than page-centric approaches.

Asynchronous, event-driven behavior

Modern Salesforce and Power Platform interfaces rely heavily on client-side frameworks and background processing. Data loads dynamically. Validations execute asynchronously. UI states shift in response to events and role changes.

This introduces non-deterministic timing — one of the primary causes of unstable UI test automation. Traditional wait-based scripting often struggles to accommodate this behavior reliably at scale.

Continuous vendor-driven change

Automatic upgrades, UI refreshes, framework updates, and seasonal releases are constants in both Salesforce and Dynamics 365 environments.

Enterprise testing strategies must absorb change rather than assume stability. Automation that is tightly coupled to layout or DOM structure will repeatedly break. Automation that aligns to platform behavior is far more durable.

Best Practice: Rethinking UI Testing

Move away from page-based scripts

End-to-end journeys executed purely through the UI are inherently fragile when they are tightly bound to layout and timing assumptions. Minor configuration adjustments can trigger cascading failures across test suites.

Page-based automation does not reflect how these platforms are built.

Test at the component level

Component-based testing offers a more resilient approach. Validate fields, forms, rules, and flows once, then reuse them across business scenarios.

Component-level UI testing:

  • Reduces maintenance overhead
  • Improves reuse and coverage
  • Survives layout and cosmetic UI changes
  • Aligns tests to business intent

This mirrors the architectural reality of Salesforce and Dynamics applications.

Best Practice: Combining UI and API Testing

UI test automation alone is insufficient for today’s enterprise platforms.

Use API testing for:

  • Test data setup and teardown
  • Validating business logic and integrations
  • Fast, deterministic regression coverage

Use UI testing for:

  • End-user experience validation
  • Security, permissions, and visibility checks
  • Workflow orchestration and critical business paths

The most effective Salesforce and Dynamics testing strategies blend API and UI testing with clear responsibilities for each layer. This layered approach improves both stability and execution speed.

Where Component Testing Changes the Game

Provar’s Component Testing technology establishes a new standard for enterprise platform testing.

Rather than treating Salesforce, Dynamics 365, or Power Platform as generic web applications, Provar recognizes them for what they are: metadata-driven, component-based systems. Test automation is built around the same structural components that define the platform itself.

UI and API tests share reusable components aligned to fields, forms, rules, and processes. This alignment eliminates unnecessary coupling to page layout or DOM structure and dramatically reduces maintenance overhead.

With this approach, teams can:

  • Reuse validated components across UI and API layers
  • Absorb UI changes without rewriting large portions of the test suite
  • Align automation directly to business logic and platform behavior
  • Confidently scale Salesforce and Dynamics 365 testing across complex enterprise implementations

By anchoring automation to components rather than pages, Provar enables a unified, cross-platform testing strategy that is resilient to change and designed for long-term scalability.

The Takeaway

Salesforce, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform may differ in branding and ecosystem, but they demand the same testing mindset. High-performing teams stop chasing UI changes and instead validate the components, rules, and processes that drive the system.

Component-based UI and API testing transforms test automation from reactive and brittle to stable and scalable. When aligned with platform-aware technology, testing becomes more resilient, more maintainable, and better suited to the pace of modern enterprise change.

Discover how Provar enables resilient, platform-aware testing across Salesforce and Microsoft ecosystems. Connect with our team to learn more.