Short answer: Before signing an acceptance form, spend 2–3 days testing features, mobile layouts, forms, speed and permissions against a checklist, and record the results in writing. Most contracts start a 3–6 month warranty at sign-off, and issues not listed at acceptance are often treated as new work.
Before an interior design firm's new website went live, the vendor sent an acceptance form. The owner clicked the homepage and portfolio on a desktop, liked what he saw and signed. A month later he found that contact-form emails all went to spam, the mobile booking button was hidden, and only the vendor had an admin account. The vendor replied that the warranty covered only issues listed at acceptance; fixing it would be another NT$18,000.
The conclusion first: three principles of system acceptance
Acceptance is not about whether it looks nice; it confirms that every contracted item works.
- Test against a list, not a feeling: each item should map to the contract and spec and be ticked off one by one.
- Test real situations: use a phone, real email addresses and an ordinary staff account, not just the vendor's demo.
- Keep written records: list issues with screenshots, retest after fixes, then sign. Under the Civil Code's warranty rules for work contracts, documented defects are far easier to claim.
Website and system acceptance checklist: 12 items and why each matters
These 12 items cover over 90% of post-launch problems; a brochure site takes about a day, a functional system 2–3 days.
| # | Item | How to test | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Every feature | Work through the spec line by line | Untested features are hard to call defects later |
| 2 | Mobile and tablet layout | Check on a real iPhone and Android | Most traffic is mobile; layout breaks are common |
| 3 | Forms and notifications | Submit using your Gmail and company inbox | Emails in spam mean customers never reached you |
| 4 | Payments and orders | Run payment, refund and cancel with test cards | Money issues are hardest to fix after launch |
| 5 | Accounts and permissions | Log in with different roles | Permission errors can leak personal data |
| 6 | Load speed | Run PageSpeed Insights on key pages | Core Web Vitals affect experience and search |
| 7 | SEO basics | Check titles, descriptions, URLs and sitemap | Redesigns often lose old rankings |
| 8 | Old URL redirects | Spot-check 10 old URLs for 301s | Avoid old links turning into 404s |
| 9 | Admin operations | Have the responsible staff member add and edit content | An admin only the vendor can use locks you in |
| 10 | Data import | Spot-check 20 migrated records | Migration errors surface after launch |
| 11 | Access handover | Confirm domain, hosting and top admin are in your name | Without access, switching vendors is hard |
| 12 | Backups and warranty | Put backup frequency, warranty and response time in writing | Otherwise you learn the scope only when something breaks |
Common traps: cheap packages skip acceptance and handover
These four usually appear only after you sign.
- A one-day acceptance window: the contract should allow at least 5–10 working days, with free fixes for issues found.
- "No reply means accepted": acceptable if the window starts when the test site is delivered.
- Vague warranty: "3 months' warranty" is not enough; state what errors are covered and response times.
- No code or access: require top admin, hosting and domain access at acceptance, or hold the final payment.
Self-check: can you trust this vendor's acceptance process?
If more than three answers are "no", settle them before signing.
- ☐ The vendor offers an acceptance checklist
- ☐ There is a separate test site
- ☐ The contract states the acceptance window
- ☐ The contract states warranty and response time
- ☐ Issue reporting has a fixed format and tracking
- ☐ Admin, hosting and domain access are handed over at acceptance
- ☐ Admin training or a manual is provided
- ☐ The final payment follows successful acceptance
Frequently asked questions
How long does website acceptance take?
About a day for a brochure site and 2–3 days for systems with members or payments. Allow 5–10 working days in the contract.
Can I request changes after signing?
Defects within warranty, yes; new requirements usually cost extra. List every issue at acceptance.
Can non-technical owners do acceptance?
Yes. Follow the checklist with a phone, real inboxes and staff accounts; no code reading needed.
Can a third party help with acceptance?
Yes, especially for complex payments, permissions or data migration, where missed items are common.
Working with us: who we are and are not a fit for
ScriptWalker (a Taiwan-based Laravel/Flutter custom development studio) provides an acceptance checklist, a separate test site and an acceptance window on every project; custom development starts at NT$80,000 and maintenance at NT$2,000/month. We suit owners willing to spend 2–3 days on acceptance who want to keep their domain and code; we are not a fit for lowest-price-only projects, next-day launches or projects with no one assigned to acceptance. You can also send us a site another vendor delivered for an independent acceptance review:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 0916-224-047
- LINE: @ufv9089p