When a feature is ready for client acceptance, the handover should make it easy to understand what has been delivered and what the client is being asked to confirm. Sending a message that simply says “ready to test” can create unnecessary back-and-forth when scope, environment or expected behaviour is unclear.
Identify the feature and agreed scope
Reference the relevant project item or agreed requirement using terminology the client recognises. Keep the acceptance request focused on what was actually included rather than blending it with related ideas that remain outside the delivered scope.
State where acceptance should take place
Tell the authorised client tester which project environment contains the feature. This reduces the chance of feedback being raised against an older staging build or the live service before the intended release.
Explain the intended behaviour
Summarise what the feature is expected to enable in user-facing terms. The client should not need to interpret development notes to understand the outcome they are being asked to assess.
Highlight relevant test conditions
Where the project has agreed prerequisites, sample data or particular user roles for acceptance, make them clear. Avoid introducing new acceptance conditions that were not part of the agreed delivery.
Keep known limitations visible
If an accepted scope limitation or outstanding related item affects testing, state it accurately. This helps prevent expected limitations from being reported as new defects while avoiding any suggestion that uncompleted work has been delivered.
Provide one route for feedback
Ask the client to return acceptance feedback through the project's established channel. A consistent route makes it easier to link comments to the feature and avoids decisions becoming scattered across meetings, email and chat.
Record the acceptance outcome
When the authorised client contact confirms acceptance or raises issues, capture the outcome in the project record. Do not rely on a vague verbal indication when the team later needs to establish whether the feature was approved.
Separate acceptance from deployment
Client acceptance does not necessarily mean the feature is already live. Keep the acceptance decision distinct from the software house's release and production-change process so both parties understand the current state.