Abstract: Functional testing of application software through exercising graphical user interface functions of the application software is automated and enhanced by providing one or more test data sets, one or more classes of panels in which each panel is described according to a set of graphical user interface objects and a set of corresponding methods, and one or more engines which encapsulate one or more test method calls or invocations. During testing and in cooperation with a functional test system, the test data sets are parsed to obtain individual test operations, which are then acting upon by invoking one or more of the engines in order to subject the application program to one or more test conditions. Results are logged, summarized, and optionally emailed to test personnel.