Generating an HAR File to Measure Veracross Performance

This article is written for very specific Veracross performance testing and should only be used in consultation with your account manager.

Overview

This article outlines the steps to take to track Veracross performance issues and should be used in consultation with your account manager. These tests require the Google Chrome browser. The basic steps are:

1. Turn on a special performance tracking feature in Google Chrome.
2. Access a certain series of pages.
3. Save and rename the HAR log file produced by Google Chrome.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each type of application (e.g., VCX, VCA, several portals).
5. Create a client portal request (CPR) ticket and attach the log files, screenshots, and other information.

This 1-minute screencast briefly illustrates the basic process (but note that steps are different in each test outlined below):

Before You Start

If possible, perform all the tests outlined here on a wired connection, but if setup does not permit that, wifi suffices. Please close all other open programs running on your computer before beginning.

To establish a baseline connection speed, please navigate to fast.com and speedtest.net to test your connection speed. Takea  screenshot of each result to include in the client portal ticket when you are all done.

1. Perform Five Performance Tests

The following five tests will help diagnose potential performance issues.

First Test: Axiom (VCX)

1. In Google Chrome, log into axiom.veracross.com/school_short_name. (Replace "school_short_name" with your school's short name, e.g. axiom.veracross.com/vcdemo_client)
2. On the Main homepage, log out and log back in. (This ensures that the cache is cleared out for the test.)
3. Right-click anywhere on the screen and select Inspect. (Mac: Can also select View > Developer > Developer Tools from the menu bar).
   • In the developer tools pane, select the Network tab.
   • Look for a round Record button (  ) in the upper left corner of the Network tab, and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording.
   • Click the Clear button (  ) to clear out any existing logs from the Network tab.
4. Refresh the page.
5. Beginning at the Main homepage, perform the following tasks:
   • Click Find Students.
   • Filter to a grade level.
   • Click Run Query.
   • Click a student's name.
   • Click the General tab (even though you are already on it) twice.
   • Click the "URL History" button (between the Organize and Workspaces menu) and take a screenshot of it.
   • Hover over each of the URL history load icons on the far right to see hwo long each page took to load. Write down the load times for each page.
6. Right click anywhere on the grid of network requests:
   • Select Save as HAR with Content.
   • Name the file Test-AxiomVCX.har
   • Save the file to your computer.

Second Test: Axiom (VCA)

1. In Google Chrome, log into accounting.veracross.com/school_short_name. (Replace "school_short_name" with your school's short name, e.g. accounting.veracross.com/vcdemo_client)
2. On the Main homepage, log out and log back in. (This ensures that the cache is cleared out for the test.)
3. Right-click anywhere on the screen and select Inspect. (Mac: Can also select View > Developer > Developer Tools from the menu bar).
   • In the developer tools pane, select the Network tab.
   • Look for a round Record button (  ) in the upper left corner of the Network tab, and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording.
   • Click the Clear button (  ) to clear out any existing logs from the Network tab.
4. Refresh the page.
5. Beginning at the Main homepage, perform the following tasks:
   • Click Find Students.
   • Filter to a grade level.
   • Click Run Query.
   • Click a student's name.
   • Click the General tab (even though you are already on it) twice.
   • Click the "URL History" button (between the Organize and Workspaces menu) and take a screenshot of it.
   • Hover over each of the URL history load icons on the far right to see hwo long each page took to load. Write down the load times for each page.
6. Right click anywhere on the grid of network requests:
   • Select Save as HAR with Content.
   • Name the file Test-AxiomVCA.har
   • Save the file to your computer.

Third Test: Parent Portal

1. In Google Chrome, log into portals.veracross.com/school_short_name (replace "school_short_name" with your school's short name, e.g. portals.veracross.com/vcdemo_client) as a parent.
2. Right-click anywhere on the screen and select Inspect. (Mac: Can also select View > Developer > Developer Tools from the menu bar).
   • In the developer tools pane, select the Network tab.
   • Look for a round Record button (  ) in the upper left corner of the Network tab, and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording.
   • Click Preserve Log. (this step was not in the Axiom directions)
   • Click the Clear button (  ) to clear out any existing logs from the Network tab.
3. Refresh the page three times.
4. Right click anywhere on the grid of network requests:
   • Select Save as HAR with Content.
   • Name the file Test-ParentPortal.har
   • Save the file to your computer.

Fourth Test: Teacher Portal

1. In Google Chrome, log into portals.veracross.com/school_short_name (replace "school_short_name" with your school's short name, e.g. portals.veracross.com/vcdemo_client) as a teacher.
2. Right-click anywhere on the screen and select Inspect. (Mac: Can also select View > Developer > Developer Tools from the menu bar).
   • In the developer tools pane, select the Network tab.
   • Look for a round Record button (  ) in the upper left corner of the Network tab, and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording.
   • Click Preserve Log. (this step was not in the Axiom directions)
   • Click the Clear button (  ) to clear out any existing logs from the Network tab.
3. Refresh the page three times.
4. Right click anywhere on the grid of network requests:
   • Select Save as HAR with Content.
   • Name the file Test-TeacherPortal.har
   • Save the file to your computer.

Fifth Test: Public Website (as a control)

1. In Google Chrome, navigate to your own school's website.
2. Right-click anywhere on the screen and select Inspect. (Mac: Can also select View > Developer > Developer Tools from the menu bar).
   • In the developer tools pane, select the Network tab.
   • Look for a round Record button (  ) in the upper left corner of the Network tab, and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording.
   • Click Preserve Log. (this step was not in the Axiom directions)
   • Click the Clear button (  ) to clear out any existing logs from the Network tab.
3. Refresh the page twice.
4. Right click anywhere on the grid of network requests:
   • Select Save as HAR with Content.
   • Name the file Test-Website.har
   • Save the file to your computer.

2. Create a CPR and Attach the HAR Files, Screenshots, and Any Notes

Once you have five HAR files and two screenshots of URL history on your computer, create a CPR, and attach the following to it:

• Date and time of day the tests were run.
• Are you on wifi or a wired connection?
• Tell us about the computer being used for the test: processor, RAM, operating system.
• Screenshots of the browser speed tests (fast.com and speedtest.net).
• What Chrome extensions do you have installed? Include a screenshot of your Chrome extensions.
• What user did you use to log into each test? If impersonating, indicate whom.
• What website did you use for your control test?
• The five HAR files.
• Two screenshots of the URL history bar from the Axiom tests.
• The lists of connection times from the URL history bar in the two Axiom tests.