Transforming testing at Benefact with automation over IBMi and web
Benefact Group, one of the UK’s most unique financial services organisations, exists to give all its available profits to charity. With specialist insurance brands such as Ecclesiastical and Ansvar, its operations rely heavily on complex systems to deliver services efficiently. But until recently, testing those systems was a challenge – manual, time-consuming, and costly.
To modernise their approach, Benefact partnered with Original Software, and the results have been transformational.
The challenge: Manual testing that drained resources
Testing at Benefact was largely manual, especially on their IBM i-Series green screen applications. This meant high volumes of repetitive work, slower release cycles, and greater risk of human error.
Before we were involved with Original Software, testing was very manual, done primarily by business testers and underwriters. No automation was in place.
This reliance on underwriters was particularly costly. Highly skilled professionals who should have been focusing on customers and underwriting policies were instead spending hours writing and executing test cases.
The Solution: Automation with Original Software
Benefact introduced Original Software’s Testing Platform to automate regression and system testing across their critical platforms.
The automation covered:
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Regression testing of policy and claims systems.
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Cross-platform integrations with Microsoft Dynamics and claims platforms.
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Green screen applications on IBM i-Series, the backbone of their insurance systems.
Automation also extended to Benefact’s third-party testing partners, trained and supported by Original Software’s team.
As Test Team Lead Dylan Williams explains, “Using the Original Software Platform, we can now run data-driven testing from spreadsheets and tables. That gives us far more accuracy and allows us to test beyond the normal working day.”
Where before we might be able to run 100 tests, using the Original Software platform, we can now run 1,000 tests
The results: Saving time, saving money, empowering people
Significant cost savings
By moving testing away from underwriters, Benefact achieved measurable financial results.
“By using Original Software’s Platform on the Ansvar project, we are saving approximately £100,000 per annum,” says Gibson. “We’re not utilising six underwriters for testing anymore – they can focus on their day jobs.
Faster delivery
Automation has halved testing time, reducing project cycles from months to weeks. Benefact now releases changes and upgrades faster, without compromising quality.
Increased accuracy and coverage
Williams notes:
“Whereas normally we might run 100 tests, we can now run 1,000 with variations of data. That’s edge cases covered, with far fewer errors.”
Empowered teams
Test analysts and even business users with no coding background became automation specialists.
“We’ve turned manual testers into automation experts,” says Gibson. “They’ve learned new skills and can deliver far more value.”
Partnership with Original Software
Both Williams and Gibson praise the collaborative relationship with Original Software’s team.
“The team at Original Software have been a joy to work with. Approachable, technically strong, and supportive at every step,” says Gibson.
Williams adds:
“We get quick, thorough support from the UK team and globally. They’re friendly, helpful, and always open to our feedback.”
Looking ahead
Benefact continues to expand its use of Original Software, from core IBM i-Series platforms into websites, desktop products, and new digital transformation projects. With automation embedded, Benefact is well placed to deliver future efficiency gains—while keeping its underwriters focused on customers and its profits flowing to good causes.
Key Takeaways
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£100,000 saved per year by freeing underwriters from testing.
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50% faster delivery with automated regression and system tests.
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1,000+ test scenarios covered with data-driven automation.
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Upskilled teams: manual testers now drive automation.
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Seamless partnership: strong support and collaboration from Original Software.
