How can I use my test site for troubleshooting?

Environment:

Oracle B2C Service, All versions.

Resolution:

The best place to test end user page modifications, add-ins, and other customizations is on your same version test site.

A test site contains a complete copy of your site's data from the time the test site was created.  This allows you to test with the same data that exists on your production site. Note that new data is not moved or synced from your production site after the test site is created however a site can be refreshed with the production site's data as required.

Once created, the launch URL to the test site will be as follows:
https://<vhostname>/cgi-bin/<interfacename>.cfg/php/admin/launch.php

On a test site all contact and account records are made invalid during site creation by a "make safe" script.  The string ".invalid" is added to all email addresses in the contacts and accounts tables so that confusing emails are not sent to your customers during testing.  However, if you add contact records to a test site, such as with the Data Import Wizard, automatic notifications may be sent out as this data will not be automatically made safe.

Passwords are the same on a test site as on the production site when the site is created.  Note that if passwords expire they will need to be reset from within the CX application.  Since the email addresses have been made invalid, the reset password feature on the end user pages will not work.  If no one can log into a test site the Primary Support Contact can request that the administrator password is reset so that they can log in to manage accounts and reset passwords. 

Customizations do not always move to or work correctly when a test site is created from a production site.  For Oracle B2C Service created customizations, our Oracle Consulting team can move the customizations to your test site.  Please note that this service may be included in your customization project.  For customizations that you have created, you will need to move the customizations to your test site for them to work properly. 

If you require assistance moving your customizations to your test site, Oracle Consulting can help. To engage with this group, please contact your Sales Account Manager.   

Support for customizations that have been set up correctly on your test site are treated the same as those on your production site.  For more information please refer to the Technical Support Services document available from Answer ID 2543: Contacting Oracle B2C Service Technical Support Services.