Surely tariffs can’t affect us in the software testing world, right? Right?
Sadly, yes they can. Because tariffs are forcing businesses to rethink how they do an awful lot of things—including the business processes your organisation relies on. Whether it’s changes to supply chains, new cost calculations, or a product strategy that’s been flipped on its head, the knock-on effects creep into your ERP, SCM, and production systems faster than you can say “landed cost.” And that means testing—lots of it—is needed to make sure everything still works (and nothing catches fire).
In this blog, we’re diving into how the new tariffs could crank up the demand for software testing in your organisation—and what you can do to keep up without losing your mind (or your weekends).
The apps remain the same
It might feel weird to some people that we’re talking about testing, but NOT talking about software updates. It’s partly the fault of the term “software testing” – it’s easy to think that software testing only happens when software changes. But it doesn’t.
There are two components to any business process that relies on software: the software, and the business process. A change in either one has the potential to cause issues with the other. Normally, a software update causes us to test that the business process still works. But if the business process changes, we still need to test that the software can handle it. So let’s saddle up and see exactly what kinds of testing we might need to do.
The impacts of tariffs on software testing
1. Changing import/export processes require testing
Tariffs are turning procurement and logistics into a bit of a strategic chess game. Companies are changing how they source, route, and track goods—adding new tariff codes, shifting suppliers, and generally reinventing their approach to importing and exporting. Sounds like a fun puzzle, until someone forgets to update the PO workflow and customs blocks a shipment.
Mistakes in landed cost calculations or compliance paperwork can get expensive fast, which is why these changes need to be tested thoroughly. Whether it’s integrating with customs software or validating that your ERP is pulling the right country-of-origin data, testing makes sure your new supply chain strategy doesn’t turn into a supply chain disaster.
2. Business process changes ripple across systems
Thanks to rising costs, many manufacturers are rethinking everything from product lines to packaging materials. Maybe the budget tin can is out and biodegradable paper is in. Maybe a product’s been quietly retired. Maybe AI’s taking over half your warehouse. Whatever the change, it’s not happening in isolation.
Each of these adjustments creates a ripple effect across your systems—ERP, MES, PLM, you name it. And that ripple needs testing. When recipes change or production plans get rearranged, someone needs to make sure the new plan actually works. Enter your testing team, ideally armed with something more effective than spreadsheets and crossed fingers.
3. Budgets are being squeezed
The kicker is that all this extra testing will probably have to be done with fewer resources. Because while your testing workload goes up, your budget… doesn’t. In fact, it might be shrinking. Lovely.
Manual testing can only take you so far when your test plan is growing but your team isn’t. Automation isn’t just helpful here—it’s your lifeline. Now’s the time to cut the busywork, streamline documentation, and get smart about where you focus your time. And no, “hope it works” is not a viable strategy.
How software testers can respond
You’re facing a barrage of change, some high-stakes consequences, and (let’s be honest) a slightly demoralised budget. Here’s how to roll with it:
- Use tools that enable you to test faster.
When suppliers change overnight or workflows need reconfiguring by Monday, you don’t have time for drawn-out test cycles. Testing speed isn’t a luxury—it’s the difference between smooth rollout and frantic rollback. One of our favourites? Valmet. They halved their testing time—saving 3,000 to 4,000 hours—during a massive M3 upgrade. That’s a lot of time back for other things… like sleeping. Read the Valmet case study.
- Use tools that help you test more cost-effectively.
When every penny counts, it helps to have a testing platform that doesn’t eat your entire budget just to get the basics done. Test automation saves time, reduces errors, and—let’s be honest—keeps finance off your back. Cargill used Original Software to take the pain out of their SAP testing. Faster, cheaper, and better quality? Yes please. Read the Cargill case study.
- Use tools that help you deliver better outcomes.
Change is the only constant right now. And when you’re pushing changes to live systems, you want to be absolutely sure they’re not going to blow something up. CertainTeed managed to keep every single bug out of production while using Original Software’s platform. That’s not just good testing—that’s stress-free deployment. Read the CertainTeed case study.
AprEven though it might feel like the tariffs story has changed three times since you started reading this article, one thing’s for sure: disruption is in the air. And if your business processes are shifting, your testing needs to shift with them.
Testing is often the unsung hero of operational resilience. But in times like these, it deserves a standing ovation (or at the very least, a decent budget). With tariffs reshuffling supply chains, pricing models, and production plans, you need to know your systems can handle the change—before your users do.
That’s where we come in. Original Software makes it gloriously easy to manage, capture, and automate your testing. Whether you’re updating workflows, integrating new suppliers, or trying to keep your head above water while the ERP team sprints in circles, we’ve got your back. Our platform helps you adapt test cases at lightning speed and keep quality high—even when everything else is on the move.
Let’s make chaos boring again. Learn more here.
