We use it for recording our requirements. We use it for recording our test cases and the data is done within the ALM itself. And, during execution, we use it to update services and to log defects.
IT Quality and Architecture Senior Manager at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
We can look at the status and map it to the requirements to see which of them have been completed end-to-end
Pros and Cons
- "The best thing is that you can see your current status in real time... To see real-time updates, you just log in to ALM and you can see exactly what the progress is. You can also see if the plan for the day is being executed properly, and it's all tracked. From the management side, I find those features very valuable."
- "ALM only works on Internet Explorer. It doesn't work on any other browser. In my opinion, Internet Explorer is generally a bit slower. I would like to see it work on Chrome or on other browsers."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
The solution reduces testing time, although not in all cases. But it is capable and in some cases, like for web testing, where we are easily able to capture screenshots and videos within the ALM workflow itself, or the test execution steps, it really saves us time. Otherwise, the guys have to keep on capturing screenshots into a file. Here, they can upload everything in one shot. In that aspect, we have seen some savings in execution and, while they are not that drastic, it does help.
When it comes to the test planning cycle, if I have my regression cases, they could be almost 40 percent of the cases and they are repeated. So instead of uploading them again, I can easily replicate them in ALM. That is one way I am able to save and I would estimate that saves around 25 to 30 percent. The other part is when it comes to the execution steps. The savings are not so drastic but they could be between 5 and 10 percent.
What is most valuable?
The best thing is that you can see your current status in real time. Our people are deployed mainly offshore, and we have some guys working onsite as well. We have close coordination of the teams using calls. To see real-time updates, you just log in to ALM and you can see exactly what the progress is. You can also see if the plan for the day is being executed properly, and it's all tracked. From the management side, I find those features very valuable.
The ability to connect all related entities and to reflect project status and progress is the main thing that, as a manager, you are able to see: progress in real time. If the guys are updating the status in real time, meaning that as soon as they finish execution they update the status, it is really helpful.
If you ask the testing guys what is most valuable, for them it's like a one-stop, central location for every project, where every artifact and everything else is recorded. It is a single point where you can store everything. It's very easy to track and escalate. The solution does a lot of things which will support you in your project delivery phase.
When it comes to managing multiple projects, as long as everybody is actually recording all the requirements in the Requirements module of the tool, and from there the test cases and test plans — if everybody is doing that — it is really helpful. When we look at the status, we can actually map it to the requirements and we can see which of the requirements have been completed end-to-end, what we're spending, and so on. However, one thing we see is that not everybody uses the Requirements module to log the requirements. For certain projects, people just start using ALM from the time they upload the test cases, during test planning. In such cases, I am not able to see all the information. But for the projects where ALM is being used end-to-end, it is really helpful. The tool itself is really good. It all depends on how you are using it.
In terms of the solution’s ability to handle a large number of projects and users in an enterprise environment, I am sure the solution is capable. Our current usage here is not so large. But I previously worked in companies where around 300 users were using ALM for everything. In that setting, it was a central location where we could see all the results in real time. Here, I handle around six or seven projects simultaneously. But I have seen people who are handling up to 30 or 35 projects simultaneously, all using ALM. I've seen other organizations where people use it completely, for all their projects. There may be different managers, but it is a single location where everything can be tracked. It is scalable and it is pretty user-friendly as well.
In ALM, when you start to execute something, you can record and capture screenshots and videos. Once the team was trained in those features, I could see that they started recording and that they were doing the execution. When they close the last test, the recording is attached automatically. The tool is capable and, again, it comes down to how people are using it. If they are using it in the right way, we are able to capture everything.
What needs improvement?
ALM only works on Internet Explorer. It doesn't work on any other browser. In my opinion, Internet Explorer is generally a bit slower. I would like to see it work on Chrome or on other browsers. We have other applications that work perfectly fine with Chrome. It is not a major problem, but browser compatibility is an issue. And if you're using a Mac, it doesn't work.
We have a digital platform and we have done a lot of automation using Selenium there. Those tools have the ability to work in Chrome. But I am not able to integrate ALM completely, end-to-end. For example, using the automation tools we have to initiate test execution from ALM and then take all the results and upload them back. So I'm not able to work end-to-end because of the browser compatibility issues.
The majority of our guys are working on Windows and they have IE. For manual execution, I've never seen a problem. But when it comes to automation, I have an issue.
Buyer's Guide
OpenText Application Quality Management
August 2025

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For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using Micro Focus ALM Quality Center for about eight years. Our company has been around for almost 11 years. Out of that, for about eight years we've been using HP QC, now known as ALM. We've been using it continuously throughout that time.
I just recently returned to this team. When we started the testing phases here, I was leading the team. I moved out and I just joined it again three months ago. When I left, we were on version 11 so we must be on 12.55 now.
The solution is on the cloud, it is not on our premises.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is pretty stable. I don't think we have seen any issue. The availability is always 99.999 and it has never been down unless there is a planned outage.
In the last two years, we have seen issues for two or three hours, but that is the maximum we have seen.
When there is a planned outage they always notify us in advance. Otherwise, the application is always available. Our guys work in multiple shifts. They work throughout the day and they work at night as well and it's always available.
How are customer service and support?
If we request any kind of support, they are always there to help. They are very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before ALM, we were only using Excel. But along with ALM right now, we also have some projects that are using JIRA, and there are some people who are using Confluence. The digital teams here are using JIRA.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was pretty straightforward. We had engineers come in and they gave us training and showed us what we would be doing. They were very supportive, from the customer onboarding perspective. They did a very good job. Initially, there was all this complexity. We didn't know how to manage it because it was very new to the team. They came and trained us very well. To put it simply, the onboarding process was amazing. We have monthly sessions with their team and we have continuous contact. It's pretty organized.
They started the planning two months ahead. Everything happened in a proper, planned way. That is something I really like about Micro Focus. The initial installation took almost two months. In part, that was because of internal problems. We were using Excel and some other tools. To migrate from there to ALM took some time. That included moving the data. We had to make sure that whatever data we had was not lost and that even the number of test cases was the same as what we had before.
Upgrades happen in a single day, or sometimes two to three days.
In terms of the implementation, it happened a long time ago. They first asked us for a timeline and they then held multiple sessions on the features and the abilities of the tool, with multiple teams over the course of two to three weeks. After that they came and deployed ALM itself and tested the compatibility with our machines, because we had some desktops and laptops. That took some time. Micro Focus gave us an installer that we had to push to all our machines. Once all the machines were updated with the installer, we started using it.
What was our ROI?
We have definitely seen return on our investment in Micro Focus. Imagine the amount of hours that our guys would be spending tracking stuff in Excel. If you look at the number of man-days that my team would have to spend on that and at the licensing costs, of course it is worth it. I'm very happy with it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing has been the same for the past few years. It is reasonable. It is not very high. Of course, the cheaper the better, from our point of view. But the tool and its quality are amazing, really good. And including the support their team is giving us, I think the price is justified. It's a fair price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other tools at that time. My manager and I — we came from different organizations — had both been using HP. I was using HP QC 9.0 when I moved here. When we started off our testing stream, the only tool that came to mind was HP. In addition, HP was one of the vendors that was being used for testing other stuff in our company.
Even now, we are not looking at other tools.
What other advice do I have?
It's all about the mindset. ALM has a lot of features. We, ourselves, are only using about 30 percent of the features. If you are expecting that when you start deploying ALM you'll be using everything it has, that's not the case. Of course the tool has all the features, but there are some customizations that can be done based on your needs, and the Micro Focus team will be able to help you with that. It's all about setting expectations and telling them exactly what you want.
Initially, we were not sure what we wanted to see. But after some time we understood that there are so many features. For example, the reporting part: ALM has automated reports but they require some things to be entered at first. If your team has the skill to set up your own stuff, that's good. If not, the Micro Focus team can support you. ALM can automate reports so that, at the end of the day, it sends out an email so your team doesn't actually have to prepare all that information and send it.
To make full use of ALM you have to invest some of your time. It has a lot of features. Most people will just use the basic stuff and they will be happy with it. But if you start exploring it, you will find it has a lot of capabilities. And they are all included in the licensing cost. Don't just go with the flow and keep doing what you're doing. Spend some time and ask ALM the right questions and they'll be able to help you. You will get more benefit out of the tool. That is one thing I have learned in using the solution.
Micro Focus is still investing in the product and releasing valuable features. We have been asked to upgrade our version so that means they are working on upgrading features and are fixing bugs. In previous versions, I was seeing that things were a bit slower. It took time to actually load. But now, my team is saying that it is fine.
In terms of security, ALM has controlled access. Every user has his own login and password. We restrict access. There is one admin on our team and he's the guy who controls who accesses our systems. Before we create a user ID for someone, they have to go through a review process. We need to understand which team he is working for and for how long he will need access. In that way, we keep things in control. As for uploading our data, I don't think anybody will be able to access it. It's pretty secure.
Right now we have 35 licenses for 35 concurrent users. But the number of actual users is around 400. It's being used by our testing guys as well as business people and even our senior management. If they want to see reports in real time, they log in and see them. From that perspective, it is really helping us.
We don't have many people involved in maintaining it. I don't have a dedicated person on our side to manage it. Micro Focus manages everything. I have one point of contact and she takes care of everything.
For me and for our organization, it's a really good product. I'm really happy with it. It's a 10 out of 10. It meets my needs completely.
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
Helps with our delivery, testing, and quality processing
Pros and Cons
- "We can get an entire project into a single repository where we can view all the data in detail. This is where we keep all our test cases where everyone can reference them. This provides everyone access to the test cases and artifacts via the cloud. There is no need to contact anyone."
- "The version of Micro Focus ALM that we use only works through Internet Explorer (IE). We have to communicate to everyone that they can only use IE with the solution. This is a big limitation. We should be free to use any type of browser or operating system. We have customers and partners who are unable to log into the system and enter their defects because they work on a different operating system."
What is our primary use case?
We are from a Vodafone department that manages testing and quality. We brought this tool in to assist us. We are constantly using it. 95 percent of projects are running on it.
We mostly use this solution on our laptop devices.
How has it helped my organization?
It is helping with our delivery, testing, and quality processing. It links all our test cases with defects. Users from across the globe can comment on a defect or add attach artifacts to the defect cycle. ALM adds control with its integration.
We use it for visibility on multiple projects. We categorize all our deliveries into different domains and projects. Recently, we had a call with the technical team and they suggested to split our project into multiple domains and projects since this account is not that big. We hardly have six to seven projects running in parallel so we manage with one domain and one project, and all other projects are archived. We decided the way forward would be to split one project into multiple domains. This way, if in future something goes wrong, other projects will not get impacted if there is a problem with a project.
The solution’s ability to connect all related entities to reflect project status and progress is good. Right now, individual users are logging in with Single Sign-On and uploading their test cases. Performance usability is fine.
We have never experienced any security issues.
What is most valuable?
We can get an entire project into a single repository where we can view all the data in detail. This is where we keep all our test cases where everyone can reference them. This provides everyone access to the test cases and artifacts via the cloud. There is no need to contact anyone. It is the same with defects. It uses a common forum for tracking the defects and centralizing discussions.
Test Lab: This is where we keep all the test cases and mapping of all the defects. It's also for storing of all the artifacts.
Defect management: This is a good feature and fulfills all our requirements. We use it for user and role management. Only the admins can see all the users' details.
We use the application's Single Sign-On feature. The usability is good. There are no access performance issues. It is easily understood, even for new users.
What needs improvement?
It takes time because it has a 360 view of all the processes when talking about test case, design, and defects. There are so many things to track. Therefore, if I try to inject Micro Focus ALM into a small agile, delivery project, there is resistance. If there is resistance, is there flexibility for customization based on project scale? I don't know if this is possible.
Also, it adds time when I upload and execute all my test cases to Micro Focus ALM. For example, when I prepare test cases, I need to run them individually, then upload them to my sheet. After 10 days, I might have finished all my testing after tracking everything in Excel. Moving to ALM at this point adds time and overhead. It increases my testing timeline, e.g., if my testing takes eight days, when I add on time for ALM, the testing time is now 10 days.
The version of Micro Focus ALM that we use only works through Internet Explorer (IE). We have to communicate to everyone that they can only use IE with the solution. This is a big limitation. We should be free to use any type of browser or operating system. We have customers and partners who are unable to log into the system and enter their defects because they work on a different operating system.
For how long have I used the solution?
From 2011, we have been using Test Director, which became HP ALM, and finally Micro Focus ALM Quality Center.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't seen any issues when working with multiple projects. Maybe once a year, we have an issue with stability.
When this solution was upgraded to version 12.55, we saw some performance issues. We raised this as an incident. The team has worked on this and provided us with results. We have seen performance issues which may not be related to ALM, such as latency in the data or remote working conditions. These are issues that we are raising to the Micro Focus team though.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have experienced some scalability issues. I would rate the scalability as an eight to nine out of 10.
We have about 50 to 60 users logging into the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
I would rate our Qatar technical support as 10 out of 10. Our technical support person is always available to help us. We are very thankful for the service and support. The communication is excellent. However, when we have an issue, e.g., an application is not working, having error, or we are raising a ticket, it takes time to resolve. This should be improved.
How was the initial setup?
When we were installing for the first time, it was not simple. We could not just go to the URL and install. There were some initial installations problems with IE where we have to add the URL and make it a trust site. This had to be done by an admin, which takes times. I would like to see this improved.
After the installation, we didn't have any problems with deployment or integration into our environment.
We can open this solution by URL and access the application where it runs to the server. We do have a restriction when installing infrastructure applications. We have to ask our IT to have our admin install it.
Admins should not need to directly install objects into the application. This should be done directly into the server or cloud.
What about the implementation team?
We don't do any maintenance. The solution is SaaS and managed by the Micro Focus team.
What was our ROI?
The solution has saved time with background activities and helped my delivery to move forward. However, this application is a support function into our delivery.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Compared to the market, the price is high.
We just renewed our licenses, which took time to do. I think we have 30 concurrent licenses.
The world is changing to open source code and free applications. This may be an issue in the future.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
In one of our agile projects that was going into a sprint, we recently started using Jira (about a year ago). This was for a small delivery project whose team felt more comfortable using it. For example, if a tester raises a defect in ALM, there are many fields, including those that we have customized. It takes time to raise a defect, then close it. Since it takes time, the project team decided Jira is quicker and also open source. On the other hand, they agree that Micro Focus ALM is better overall, e.g., in the way, it keeps information and provides reports. Because the team didn't need a lot of information as part of their delivery, they went with Jira.
What other advice do I have?
We are happy. It is a good product. We have benefited from the tool and recommend it. We have received very good feedback regarding its use. From a user perspective, the ability to create test cases and manage defects is excellent.
We are planning to integrate automation with Micro Focus ALM. This is in development.
We are doing risk-based testing using manual generation of the script, then uploading it.
To use the flexibility feature from a requirement to my test cases and get the benefit of traceability per the SDLC process, I would need to keep and map all my requirements. It is on the user whether they are using this feature or not. While I know this feature is there, we are currently not using it. We are manually managing traceability. We are preparing and keeping all our test cases in Excel. When the test cases have built up, we are manually mapping them based on our requirements.
We are not currently using mapping test cases. This is a feature of ALM that would allow us to map our requirements, solutions, and everything the test misses. We had a call with the Micro Focus technical team regarding this and about how we can use other features.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
Thanks Manoj for this valuable review, it really helps people who are looking for a solution of this category.
I want to let you know that ALM/Quality Center client no long has dependency on IE browser. ALM Client Launcher is the new solution for users and site admins to do everything without the need of IE.
You can download it for free from Micro Focus AppDelivery Marketplace at
marketplace.microfocus.com
And here’s a short video showing how to use it:
www.youtube.com
For details, please refer to the ALM Client Launcher User Guide:
admhelp.microfocus.com
Buyer's Guide
OpenText Application Quality Management
August 2025

Learn what your peers think about OpenText Application Quality Management. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
865,164 professionals have used our research since 2012.
System Engineer at Tata Consultancy
Helpful for data management but outdated and lacking in Agile features
Pros and Cons
- "ALM Quality Center's best features are the test lab, requirement tab, and report dashboard."
- "ALM Quality Center could be improved with more techniques to manage Agile processes."
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use ALM Quality Center as a conversion tool.
How has it helped my organization?
Previously, we stored our test cases and results in Excel sheets, which was difficult to manage. Implementing ALM Quality Center has allowed us to map our requirements with test cases and use cases properly.
What is most valuable?
ALM Quality Center's best features are the test lab, requirement tab, and report dashboard.
What needs improvement?
ALM Quality Center could be improved with more techniques to manage Agile processes. In the next release, I would like a time management feature to be included.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using ALM Quality Center for two-and-a-half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
ALM Quality Center is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
ALM Quality Center is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Micro Focus's technical support is functional and responsive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Microsoft Azure.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was a little complex in terms of setting up the database. Deployment took between forty-five minutes and an hour.
What about the implementation team?
We used a third-party team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
ALM Quality Center is a little bit costly.
What other advice do I have?
Compared to JIRA and other solutions, ALM Quality Center is better for large-scale projects. I would rate ALM Quality Center four out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
National Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Lots of features for testing, scalable, and good linkage and traceability between the test cases and the defects
Pros and Cons
- "It is a tool, and it works. It has got good linkage and good traceability between the test cases and the defects. It has got lots of features for testing."
- "It can be quite clunky, and it can easily be configured badly, which I've seen in a couple of places. If it is configured badly, it can be very hard to use. It is not so easy to integrate with other products. I've not used Micro Focus in a proper CI/CD pipeline, and I haven't managed to get that working because that has not been my focus. So, I find it hard. I've often lost the information because it had committed badly. It doesn't commit very well sometimes, but that might have to do with the sites that I was working at and the way they had configured it."
What is our primary use case?
When I use it, it is mostly for test management. The instances I've used are mostly on-prem.
What is most valuable?
It is a tool, and it works. It has got good linkage and good traceability between the test cases and the defects. It has got lots of features for testing.
What needs improvement?
It can be quite clunky, and it can easily be configured badly, which I've seen in a couple of places. If it is configured badly, it can be very hard to use. It is not so easy to integrate with other products. I've not used Micro Focus in a proper CI/CD pipeline, and I haven't managed to get that working because that has not been my focus. So, I find it hard. I've often lost the information because it had committed badly. It doesn't commit very well sometimes, but that might have to do with the sites that I was working at and the way they had configured it.
The feature that I would have liked to see is more integration into CI/CD pipeline and agile pipeline. It should have integration with third-party tools such as Jira, DevOps, and the cross-platform type of thing. The versions I've used are older, so these features may have already been included in the new versions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for 10 to 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've had many cases where I've lost data. I had bugs where I couldn't record, and the records got lost or locked, but rather than the actual product, it had more to do with the way it was set up at the sites I was working at.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I've seen big organizations using it.
How are customer service and technical support?
I've not had to deal with technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also use Microsoft Azure DevOps. I don't really have a preference. It is horses for courses, and it depends on the type of application you're running. For older style waterfall projects, you can probably go with Micro Focus, barring pricing and others things. For agile or particularly a Microsoft Azure-based product, I would go with DevOps because of the better pipeline and the whole end-to-end integration.
How was the initial setup?
I never had to set it up from scratch.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I've never been in the procurement process for it. I don't think it is cheap. Some of the features can be quite expensive.
What other advice do I have?
Generally, it is pretty good for what it does. As a standalone tool for managing testing, it is good.
I would give Micro Focus ALM Quality Center an eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementor
Thanks for writing this review and giving our product a high rating. Regarding ALM/Quality Center's integrations with 3rd-party tools, yes, we do support them very well in new versions. Our integration solution is called Micro Focus Connect (Micro Focus Connect Core | AppDelivery Marketplace), and it has connectors (Micro Focus Connect Connectors | AppDelivery Marketplace) to integrate a variety of popular tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow and others.
ALM/Quality Center also supports 3rd-party testing and code analysis tools through its "Application Automation Tools" Jenkins plugin (Micro Focus Application Automation Tools | Jenkins plugin).
Micro Focus' ALM Octane (Agile Testing, Release Management & Value Stream Insights | Micro Focus) has even stronger CI/CD and DevOps capabilities.
Please check out this ebook the-truth-is-in-here-busting-alm-quality-center-myths-ebook.pdf (microfocus.com) to learn the truth about current status of ALM/Quality Center. And bookmark the product homepage (ALM: Application Lifecycle Management & Quality Center | Micro Focus) to keep abreast of the latest news.
Sr. QA Automation Engineer at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees
We can have multiple users execute tests independently on their own computers because the UFT scripts are stored online.
Pros and Cons
- "Ability to customize modules, particularly Defect Tracking module on company specific needs"
- "The BPT also known as Business Process Testing can sometimes be very time intensive and sometimes might not be very intuitive to someone who is not familiar with BPT."
What is our primary use case?
To store all tests including manual and automated tests along with the results of tests after they were executed. Tracking defects, scheduling test sets for automated UFT tests to run unattended from the Test Lab, storing the test cases, and also storing the test requirements in the Requirements Module.
The Application Lifecycle Management Process with ALM includes the following phases
- Release Specifications: Develop a release-cycle management plan to help you manage application releases and cycles efficiently.
- Requirement Specifications: Define requirements to meet your business and testing needs.
- Test Planning: Based on the project requirements, you can build test plans and design tests.
- Test Execution: Create a subset of the tests in your project designed to achieve specific test goals. Execute scheduled tests to diagnose and resolve problems.
- Defect Tracking: Submit defects and track their progress and status.
How has it helped my organization?
Multiple users can execute tests independently on their own computer because the UFT scripts are stored in ALM/Quality Center which is web based. All test cases are stored in one location (ALM) which makes it easier for users to access and maintain.
New users can quickly be added and set-up to have access to given projects in Quality Center in less than an hour.
The Defect Module can be customized to your department's needs. At a former company, we held regular meetings and used the Defect Module with a projector to go over the defects found during the previous week.
What is most valuable?
- Ability to execute automated UFT scripts from Quality Center and store the results
- Ability to customize modules, particularly Defect Tracking module on company specific needs
- The user can export a lengthy test case with a lot of steps from Excel directly into Quality Center, which saves a lot of time. Conversely, a user can export a test case with all steps from Quality Center to Excel.
- Users can save screen shots of defects and also perform manual testing by using Manual Runner that verifies whether each step passed or failed and save the results along with information such as the date/time executed and who the tester was that performed the manual test.
What needs improvement?
When a particular version of Quality Center has reached end of life, the customer is forced to upgrade to the newer version to be eligible to get technical support. The upgrade process can be time intensive and requires a lot of planning. Quality Center seems to originally designed for a Waterfall process. However, the newer versions of ALM are more adaptable to Agile testing methodology.
The BPT also known as Business Process Testing can sometimes be very time intensive and sometimes might not be very intuitive to someone who is not familiar with BPT. ALM/QC supports IE but does not support Chrome which a lot of users like/want to use.
History of Quality Center including other names and versions:
On September 1, 2017 the HPE testing tools officially became Micro Focus. It is too early to see how the transition to Micro Focus will change things. I am keeping an optimistic view that Micro Focus will continue to invest in R&D and place a priority on customer support. I believe a lot of long-time customers would like to see things run like they were back in the Mercury Interactive days, which was one of the most innovative software companies of its time. If Micro Focus develops the right strategy, they could become a dominant player in the software testing market.
It is beneficial for the reader to understand the history of Quality Center since it has gone through several name changes and versions, so I have listed the chronological events below:
Mercury Interactive originally came out with TestDirector that included versions 1.52 to 8.0.
Mercury renamed the product TestDirector to Quality Center in version 8.0.
HP acquired Mercury and rebranded all Mercury products to HP. Therefore, Mercury Quality Center became HP Quality Center.
HP released version 11.00 and renamed it to HP ALM (Application Lifecycle Management).
In June 2016, HP released ALM Octane.
So essentially, the tool at one time or another has had the names TestDirector, Quality Center, ALM, and ALM Octane. Essentially, with each version and name change there has been added functionality.
For how long have I used the solution?
10 plus years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes when ALM is open and there is another browser open, Quality Center will crash.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No issues encountered, in fact, it's very straightforward to add users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Customer Service:
9/10.
Technical Support:
9/10.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have worked at companies that used open source tools and ALM/Quality Center. I have also worked at a company that simultaneously used both Quality Center and Rally. Rally is also a good tool and seems to be developed more for the Agile methodology. However, when using UFT we always used it with ALM/Quality Center because we could store all of the run results from automated tests.
How was the initial setup?
The initial set-up required a lot of resources, such as the Oracle DBA, because Quality Center stores its information in tables in a database. You also have to plan and coordinate with System Analysts what servers will be used along with the architecture.
What about the implementation team?
N/A
What was our ROI?
Giving an ROI on a software product is a complicated task. I like to use the Space Shuttle as an analogy. From an economist's point of view, he or she might say the Space Shuttle program cost billions of dollars and did not see nearly that amount in hard dollars generated from resources/time saved in return. I believe NASA did get paid to put satellites into orbit via the Shuttle for private companies but it was less than the whole costs. On the other hand, a scientist could say the Space Shuttle program made many significant discoveries and also put into orbit the Hubble Telescope which discovered and took pictures of the Universe that was not possible from Earth. The Economist would just use a formula to calculate a number stating it is a bad ROI. The Scientist would say the Shuttle definitely added value by making new discoveries that advanced science so far that it cannot be measured in dollars and say it is a good ROI. My point here is that "what is the ROI" is a common question at companies and it can vary greatly on how a person approaches and perceives it.
With all this in mind, my answer is that Quality Center definitely adds value to an organization and over the long run has a positive ROI that will keep increasing over time primarily by saving time for users the more they use the functionality of all the modules. For example, using Quality Center to schedule automated test suites to run unattended increases ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For licensing, find out the number of users who will be using it concurrently, and use that number as a starting point for the number of licenses to purchase. Quality Center is pricey, but cheaper is not always less expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
No other options were evaluated.
What other advice do I have?
Write out and document all the steps and resources beforehand, and make sure everything is in place before implementing. Make sure you read the minimum requirements listed in installation instructions needed for all hardware (i.e. servers, etc.) and double-check it to ensure it is met.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Don IngersonSr. QA Automation Engineer at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees
ExpertTop 10Real User
Krishna, yes and the official date was September 1, 2017.
Principal Consultant at Inspired Testing
Needs better pricing and technical support and requires Agile support capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is straightforward. It's not too hard to deploy."
- "The solution needs to offer support for Agile. Currently, ALM only supports Waterfall."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for test management.
What is most valuable?
The solution has dozens of excellent features. It's hard to pinpoint just one.
The initial setup is straightforward. It's not too hard to deploy.
What needs improvement?
The pricing of the product could be improved.
The solution needs to offer support for Agile. Currently, ALM only supports Waterfall. Whereas ALM Octane is a product that Micro Focus has full for Agile projects. It's not really and apples to apples comparison between those two products, however, it shows that the company has an understanding of Agile and it would be nice if they could support it on both products.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for over ten years. It's been quite a while since we actually started using it - about a decade. Therefore, I have quite a bit of experience with it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have multiple clients using the solution. The number of users for each entity varies.
I can't speak to if any have plans to scale or increase usage in the future.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support aspect of the solution isn't the best. That said, I haven't met a vendor that has very good technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not overly complex. It's pretty straightforward in general. A company shouldn't have any issues implementing it.
I can't speak to how long the deployment actually took. It varies from client to client. We've had clients that deployed in two to three weeks, and others that took months. It depends on many factors.
What about the implementation team?
We are implementors. We help clients set up and deploy the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing costs vary from client to client. There are different prices for SaaS versus on-premises deployments, for example.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There are only Micro Focus and Tricentis that are playing in this space properly. Anything else really isn't competing.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise maybe to look more at ALM Octane if a company is in an Agile and DevOps transformation program. This product wouldn't really be suitable if that was the case.
Overall, I would rate the solution at a three out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Hi Mihai, thanks for your review which positively highlighted that ALM/Quality Center has excellent features, and Micro Focus understands Agile. Also thank you for recommending ALM Octane to companies in Agile and DevOps transformation.
You are welcome to contact us with the details of your improvement suggestions, for example why you think "it would be nice if they could support it(Agile) on both products." Or you can share your ideas of improvement at ALM/Quality Center Idea Exchange site.
Test Solution Architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Could be used effectively but it is difficult to use
Pros and Cons
- "The tools could be useful if we were utilizing them more effectively"
- "If they could improve their BPT business components that would be good"
What is our primary use case?
We planned on using the solution for defect testing but it was a low priority for us, we never got around to it.
How has it helped my organization?
So far in the way we use the product, it has slowed down our process.
What is most valuable?
I have not thought about it. Though, I think the tools might be effective if we could utilize them better.
What needs improvement?
The tools could be useful if we were utilizing them more effectively. There is not a standard way of using the tools and I think that if there was, we would benefit. The tools are also too complex.
If they could improve their BPT business components that would be good to include in the next release. The current one does not seem complete. It is not really user friendly and it is difficult to handle test speeds. Even though the product supports a range of configurations they are difficult to set up and we preferred a different configuration.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using ALM Quality Center for 1 year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I think the only issue we were getting was with the memory. Our database was getting bigger and bigger so we need to increase the memory for the database to alleviate the issue.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In regard to scalability, I think it is scalable. In our team, we have more than 100, as for the other teams, I am not sure.
What was our ROI?
The tools might be good but the way we were utilized them was not effective. People have different ways to use the tools and we did not have a standard or conventional way. It would have been more beneficial if everybody followed a set of standards. Making the tools less complex would be better.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Micro Focus ALM Quality Center a five out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Thank you for your review, and I'm sorry to hear that ALM/Quality Center has not been utilized well in your organization.
You mentioned "People have different ways to use the tools and we did not have a standard or conventional way", then I think our Best Practices Guides may help. Among them, "ALM Entities Sharing Best Practices Guide" and "ALM Workflow Best Practices Guide" are relevant to standardizing work across an organization.
Several recommendations are:
- Contact customer support on the specific help you need, or raise your enhancement request
- Take Micro Focus trainings
- Understand how it works from the online help
- Join our community and discuss with your peers: community
At last, please bookmark ALM/Quality Center web page where you can find the latest information about the product.
Head of SAP/ SAP Solution Architect at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Scalable with a straightforward setup but lacks good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The setup is pretty straightforward."
- "The support is not good and the documentation is not consistent."
What is our primary use case?
We provide support for customers, which require this kind of solution.
What is most valuable?
The setup is pretty straightforward.
The solution can scale.
What needs improvement?
I frankly don't recommend Micro Focus solutions.
The support is not good and the documentation is not consistent. I even opened the issue to the partner. With the support not being great, we faced some stressful situations with the customer. That's why I'm looking for another partner.
I'd like to see more artificial intelligence and machine learning features implemented in future releases.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for almost a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I realized there are some bugs in the solution that were not occurring on the last solution.
Micro Focus bought another company. Since then, my experience hasn't been that great. The quality has dropped. It's not as stable as it used to be. I was expecting it to be more stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For the Quality Center, the scalability is quite good. On Load Runner, as a comparison, I faced one issue related to scalability. We face quite a few problems in that area.
The companies that are using Quality Center are quite sizeable. We have around 20 users on that particular solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is not helpful. They aren't responsive or knowledgable and they don't take initiative to solve issues for clients. It can hurt the relationship we have with our clients. We're not satisfied with their level of service.
How was the initial setup?
While the setup is straightforward in general, the configuration is not quite as user-friendly. To configure the solution, you need to have many years of experience with the solution. Those that are new to it may face issues.
In terms of deployment, it takes about three days for the Quality Center installation as a whole. In contrast, Load Runner takes about two days in our case.
What other advice do I have?
We're a Micro Focus partner.
I'm not sure of which version of the solution we're using. We are configuring the company and we tend to use the latest version of labels.
We work with both cloud and on-premises deployment models.
I don't recommend Micro Focus tools. It's a very strong company nowadays, however, I'm trying to find another partner. For instance, I've researched solutions that are much better than Micro-Focus in SAP scenarios.
I'd advise users looking for a solution to pay attention to their requirements and make sure whichever solution they choose meets them. You'll need to do a lot of research and balance the pros and cons of each option before choosing anything.
Overall, I would rate the solution six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner

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Thanks Shinu for your valuable review. Your title highlights the end-to-end traceability for requirements, and what you wrote in the "other advice" part is especially helpful - ALM/Quality Center does have rich features. By making full use of these features, customers will achieve higher ROI.
I understand that you need a web-based client that is independent of browser type and operating system. We now have a pure web-based client for testers, and plan to let it support other roles in future releases. It surly works with Chrome. Check out what's in the current version from here: admhelp.microfocus.com
I also want to let you know that ALM/Quality Center has a "Client Launcher" which is the new solution for users and site admins to do everything without the need of IE.
You can download it for free from Micro Focus AppDelivery Marketplace at
marketplace.microfocus.com
And here’s a short video showing how to use it:
www.youtube.com
For details, please refer to the ALM Client Launcher User Guide:
admhelp.microfocus.com