JMeter & PeopleSoft: pioneering performance testing

Performance testing is crucial for delivering reliable IT services. But what if there is hardly any documentation on how to properly test your specific systems? MCX took on exactly that challenge by combining JMeter and PeopleSoft - a journey that started with frustration but ended in innovation.

‘It was a struggle, but that's exactly what makes the end result so satisfying.’ says Anu Khurana, Subject Matter Expert at MCX. Read Anu's full blog post below:

Why this project is special

In November 2024, MCX colleague Anu, embarked on an ambitious project: PeopleSoft load testing with JMeter. What quickly became clear is that there is little to no information available on the internet on how to properly integrate JMeter with PeopleSoft. No tutorials, no forums, no reference projects - it was pioneering from scratch.

Yet we succeeded: we can now run full-fledged load tests on PeopleSoft environments,  with scripts that accurately mimic what users do in everyday use. From successful login and navigation to updating pages and executing processes: it has all been tested in an automated and scalable way.

What customers can now do with it

The biggest benefit? Scalable testing before the system goes live.

Thanks to automated JMeter scripts, we can simulate realistic user scenarios and pinpoint bottlenecks. This gives customers control over the performance of their PeopleSoft environment before end users even start using it. This is crucial for major releases, updates, or migrations.

This image shows that we can validate the domain status of a PeopleSoft environment via JMeter without having to log into the PeopleSoft frontend.

From challenge to breakthrough

The biggest technical bump? Properly recording and executing actions within PeopleSoft. Many components, such as popup screens and process triggers, proved difficult to capture in a script. The solution did not come from the internet - but from persevering, testing, failing and trying again.

'We got stuck time and again, but with small steps, we got further each time,’ 

Anu says. A major breakthrough came when the first successful updates succeeded on pages via JMeter. The last major obstacle - updating popup pages - was not solved until early 2025. This brought the project to where we are today: a working, robust solution ready for use. 

Collaboration and learning moments

Although no direct customer projects have yet been carried out with this load testing solution, the interest is there: Skema and CY2, among others, have already expressed interest. Internally, collaboration was a driving force. 

What we do differently next time

Documentation. The key lesson is that it pays to carefully document all obstacles and solutions along the way. Not only for your own reuse, but also to make knowledge transferable for colleagues and the wider tech community.

Why this project should be shared

There is virtually no content online about the PeopleSoft + JMeter combination. By sharing our experiences and methodology, others in the tech community can benefit. Whether you work at another PeopleSoft customer, or face this challenge yourself as a consultant: this breakthrough makes load testing more accessible and efficient.

Want to know more about performance testing at MCX, or are you curious what we can do for your environment? Feel free to contact us at info@mcx.nl.

Anu Khurana

Subject Matter Expert, MCX