# Acceptance test

Source: https://contracko.com/glossary/acceptance-test

# Acceptance test

A predefined test that delivered goods or software must pass before the client formally accepts them.

## Definition

An acceptance test sets out objective criteria that a deliverable must meet for the client to accept it. In IT and engineering contracts the parties agree the test scenarios, success thresholds and a window for re-testing after defects are fixed. Passing the test typically triggers acceptance, payment milestones and the start of warranty periods, so the criteria are negotiated with care.

## Example

> The software is deemed accepted once it runs the agreed test scenarios for ten consecutive business days without critical errors.

## Why this is a business risk

Vague or absent acceptance-test criteria are a leading cause of IT project disputes. Without agreed pass/fail thresholds, a supplier can claim the deliverable is "good enough" while the client insists it is not, and neither side has an objective anchor. This delays both payment and the start of warranty protection.

## How to manage it

- Define test scenarios, input data and expected outcomes in an annex to the contract before work begins, so there is no room for later disagreement on what "passing" means.
- Set a clear re-test window with a maximum number of attempts so the acceptance process does not drag indefinitely.
- Specify what happens if the client fails to test within the agreed window -- most contracts deem non-response as acceptance after a set period.
- Track the test schedule as a milestone and send reminders when the test window opens and closes.
- Record test results formally in writing, dated and signed by both parties, to close out the acceptance step.

### How Contracko helps

Contracko tracks acceptance-test milestones extracted from contracts and sends reminders before test windows open or expire. All related documents, including test specifications and results, can be stored alongside the contract so the full acceptance history is searchable in one repository.

## Relevant for

[IT Services](https://contracko.com/industries/it-services)[Software & SaaS](https://contracko.com/industries/software-saas)[Engineering & Architecture](https://contracko.com/industries/engineering)

## Related clauses

- [Warranties Clause](https://contracko.com/clause-library/warranties)
- [Service Level Agreement (SLA)](https://contracko.com/clause-library/service-level-agreement)

## Related terms

- [Acceptance protocol](https://contracko.com/glossary/acceptance-protocol)
- [Obligation of result](https://contracko.com/glossary/obligation-of-result)
- [Service level agreement (SLA)](https://contracko.com/glossary/sla)
- [Service credits](https://contracko.com/glossary/service-credits)

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## Frequently asked questions

Common questions about this term.

- **Q:** What is the difference between an acceptance test and a pilot or UAT?
  **A:** User acceptance testing (UAT) is a type of acceptance test performed by end-users against real-world scenarios. A pilot is a limited live deployment to validate performance; it may or may not constitute formal acceptance depending on the contract.

- **Q:** Can the client reject deliverables indefinitely if they keep finding defects?
  **A:** No. Contracts typically limit re-testing rounds and require the client to raise all defects found during a test cycle together. Raising new defects after the agreed cycle to avoid acceptance can itself constitute a breach.

- **Q:** What triggers deemed acceptance if the client is silent?
  **A:** Most IT contracts set a fixed window -- often ten to twenty business days -- within which the client must accept or list specific objections. Failure to respond within that window results in automatic deemed acceptance.

- **Q:** Does passing the acceptance test mean all hidden defects are waived?
  **A:** No. Acceptance closes out defects that were discoverable during the test, but hidden or latent defects that could not reasonably have been found remain claimable under the warranty.

- **Q:** Who prepares the test scenarios -- supplier or client?
  **A:** In practice this varies. Clients often write acceptance criteria based on their functional requirements, while suppliers propose test scripts against those criteria. The contract should specify who drafts, reviews and approves the test plan.

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