What is user acceptance testing (UAT)?

User acceptance testing is the final check before go-live, where the people who will use or own the system confirm that it works for their real tasks and processes. Its result is a business decision: accept, accept with conditions, or reject.

How is UAT different from QA testing?

QA testing checks that the software was built correctly against the specification. UAT checks that it actually works for the business. QA is done by testers; UAT is decided by business users and owners, even when testers help run it.

Who should take part in UAT?

The people who will use the system every day and the people who own the decision to accept it, such as process owners, team leads and sometimes customers. We help choose a small, representative group.

Do you run UAT for us, or support our users?

Both. We can prepare everything and support your business users while they test, or our testers can run the scenarios on their behalf and bring back only the decisions that need a business owner. The final sign-off always stays with you.

How long does UAT take?

It depends on the scope and how much time your users can give. Many UAT cycles take one to three weeks. Good preparation, with scenarios, data and environment ready, is what keeps it short.

What do you need from us?

Your requirements or process documents, the names of business testers and owners, access to a UAT environment and a little of your users’ time. We do the rest of the preparation.

What if our business users have no time for UAT?

We reduce the time they need by preparing scenarios, data and support in advance, or by running scenarios for them as proxy testers. They then spend their time reviewing results and making decisions.

How do you handle issues found in UAT?

Through short triage sessions with your business owners and developers. Each issue is confirmed as a bug, a change request or a training need, given a business severity and either fixed, deferred or accepted.

What is the difference between UAT and beta testing?

UAT is a structured check by selected business users against agreed criteria. Beta or pilot testing lets a small group of real users try the product in real conditions before full launch. Many launches use both.

What is operational acceptance testing (OAT)?

OAT checks that your operations and support teams can run the system: backups and restores, monitoring and alerts, user administration, runbooks and audit trails.

Can you check a delivery from another vendor?

Yes. We independently test what a vendor delivered against the contract and specification, and give you a clear recommendation to accept, accept with conditions or reject.

A UAT plan, business-language scenarios, a traceability matrix, a readiness checklist, daily progress updates, a triage log and a UAT report with a signed acceptance record.

Can UAT be automated?

Not the decision. UAT depends on business judgement. We can automate the set-up and repeat checks around it, but acceptance itself is made by people.

How do we get started?

Book a call or send the form on this page. We start with a free one-week proof of concept: we agree your acceptance criteria and write the first UAT scenarios for your most important process.

User Acceptance Testing Services

Your software can pass every test and still not work the way your business does. UAT is where the people who rely on it decide.

We plan and prepare UAT, write scenarios your business users can follow, support them while they test, and turn their feedback into clear decisions. Your owners stay in charge of sign-off; we make sure they have what they need to give it.

Get in touch Check your UAT readiness

Plan to sign-off
Business-language scenarios
Proxy testers available
Free one-week POC

What we do

UAT planningBefore UAT starts UAT scenariosWritten for real users UAT environmentReady on day one User coachingAlongside your users UAT on your behalfProxy testers Beta & pilotReal users, real conditions Defect triageDecide what matters UAT sign-offClear decisions OAT & complianceOAT and compliance Vendor acceptanceIndependent check

[ Why UAT matters ]

Built right is not the same as right for the business

QA checks the software against the specification. But specifications miss things: the exception the finance team handles every Friday, the report a manager actually needs, the shortcut a warehouse team relies on. UAT is where those gaps come out, as long as business users have the time, the scenarios and the support to look properly. Most UAT problems aren’t about the software at all. They’re about preparation, and that is the part we take care of.

Need testing before UAT? See manual testing and system integration testing →

Decisions, not debates

Clear criteria and triage, so business owners know exactly what they are accepting.

Less time from your business

Scenarios, data and support prepared for them, so their hours go on judgement.

Go-live with confidence

Evidence for every decision, and no surprises for the people who use it daily.

Audit-ready records

Scenarios, results, decisions and sign-off kept together and traceable.

[ What we test ]

Ten ways we make UAT easier for your business

From the first plan to the signed acceptance record. Each one lists what we do, when you need it and the problem it prevents.

UAT planning & strategy

Before UAT starts

A clear plan agreed with your business owners: what will be accepted, by whom, by when and on what evidence.

What we test

Scope, acceptance criteria and entry and exit rules
Who tests what, and how much of their time it takes
Schedule that fits around the business’s day job
Risks, dependencies and a plan for blocked days

When you need it

At the start of any project that ends in a business sign-off.

The problem it preventsUAT that starts late, runs long and ends without a clear decision

UAT scenarios in business language

Written for real users

Scenarios that read like a normal working day, not a technical script, so business users know exactly what to do and what “good” looks like.

What we test

Real tasks, roles and data from your business
Steps short enough to follow without training
Expected results in plain words
Linked back to requirements for traceability

When you need it

Before UAT, and whenever processes or roles change.

The problem it preventsBusiness testers unsure what to test, so they test nothing

UAT environment & test data

Ready on day one

Everything business users need, ready before they sit down: access, accounts, realistic data and a stable build.

What we test

Environment checked and smoke tested before UAT starts
User accounts for every role in scope
Realistic test data, masked where it came from production
Integrations and emails pointed safely at test systems

When you need it

In the week before UAT starts.

The problem it preventsBusiness users losing their first two days to access and data problems

Business user coaching & support

Alongside your users

We sit with your business testers, in person or on a call, so they can focus on their judgement rather than on the tool.

What we test

Short kick-off and walkthrough for every tester
Daily drop-in support while UAT runs
Help writing clear bug reports
Results recorded for them, so nothing gets lost

When you need it

For any UAT with business users who don’t test every day.

The problem it preventsFeedback lost in emails, chats and hallway conversations

UAT on your behalf

Proxy testers

When your business users can’t spare the time, our testers run the UAT scenarios for them and bring back only the decisions that need a business owner.

What we test

Scenarios run by our testers acting in each business role
Questions batched for your owners once a day
Evidence for every result
Final review and sign-off still made by your business

When you need it

When business users are too busy, or the project can’t wait.

The problem it preventsUAT dates slipping because the business has no time

Beta & pilot testing

Real users, real conditions

A small group of real customers or staff use the product before full launch, and we collect and organise what they find.

What we test

Pilot group, goals and timeline agreed
TestFlight, Play testing tracks or staged web roll-outs
Feedback and bugs collected in one place
Summary of what to fix before the wider launch

When you need it

Before a public launch or a company-wide roll-out.

The problem it preventsA launch that surprises the very users it was built for

Defect triage with business owners

Decide what matters

Short, regular sessions where your business owners and developers agree what each UAT issue really is, and what has to be fixed before go-live.

What we test

Each issue confirmed: bug, change request or training need
Severity agreed in business terms
Fix, defer or accept decisions recorded
Retesting of every fix before sign-off

When you need it

Daily or every few days during UAT.

The problem it preventsEndless debates about whether something is a bug, and no decision

UAT sign-off & acceptance reports

Clear decisions

A short, honest summary that gives your business owners what they need to accept, accept with conditions, or reject.

What we test

Scenarios passed, failed and not run
Open issues with business impact
Conditions and workarounds for go-live
Signed acceptance record for your files

When you need it

At the end of each UAT cycle.

The problem it preventsA go-live approved on a feeling, or delayed with no clear reason

Operational & regulatory acceptance

OAT and compliance

Checks that your operations and compliance teams can run, support and audit the system, not just use it.

What we test

Backups, restores and failover procedures
Monitoring, alerts and support runbooks
User admin, permissions and audit trails
Evidence for regulatory and internal audit requirements

When you need it

Before go-live of systems your teams must support and audit.

The problem it preventsA system users accept, but operations can’t support

Contract acceptance for vendor deliveries

Independent check

An independent check that what a vendor delivered matches what the contract and specification promised, before you accept and pay.

What we test

Delivery checked against the contract and specification
Acceptance criteria agreed with you before testing
Gaps and defects documented with evidence
Recommendation to accept, accept with conditions or reject

When you need it

When accepting software from an agency, vendor or outsourced team.

The problem it preventsPaying for a delivery that doesn’t do what was agreed

[ UAT vs QA vs OAT vs beta ]

Four kinds of acceptance, four different questions

They are often mixed up. Here is who answers each one, and what a UAT scenario written for business users looks like.

	Question it answers	Who decides	Tested against
QA / system testing	Was it built correctly?	QA engineers	Against the specification
UAT	Does it work for our business?	Business users, with our support	Against real tasks and processes
OAT	Can we run and support it?	Operations and support teams	Against runbooks and procedures
Beta / pilot	Do real users like it?	A small group of real users	Against real-world use

Sample UAT scenarioBusiness language

Role: Accounts payable clerk
Scenario: Pay a supplier invoice that is over budget
Steps: 1. Open the invoice from the inbox 2. Check it against the purchase order 3. Send it for manager approval 4. Pay once approved
Expected: Manager is notified, payment waits for approval, the supplier gets a remittance email
Data: Supplier “Northwind Ltd”, invoice 10% over the PO
Result: Pass / Fail, with a short comment

Example only. Real scenarios use your roles, data and processes.

[ How we work ]

Six steps from acceptance criteria to sign-off

Your business owners make the decisions. We make sure every decision is quick, clear and backed by evidence.

Step 1 of 6
Agree what “accepted” means

Scope, acceptance criteria and sign-off owners agreed with your business.

You getUAT plan
Step 2 of 6
Write the scenarios

Real tasks in business language, linked to requirements.

You getUAT scenariosTraceability matrix
Step 3 of 6
Prepare the ground

Environment, accounts, data and a smoke-tested build ready before day one.

You getReadiness checklist
Step 4 of 6
Run UAT with your users

Kick-off, daily support and results recorded in one place.

You getDaily progress updates
Step 5 of 6
Triage and retest

Issues agreed with business owners, fixed and retested.

You getTriage logRetest results
Step 6 of 6
Sign off

A clear acceptance report and signed record.

You getUAT reportAcceptance record

Free one-week POCWe agree your acceptance criteria and write the first scenarios for your most important process.
Sign-off stays with youWe prepare, support and record. Your business owners make every acceptance decision.
Safe test dataRealistic data, masked where it came from production, under your NDA.

[ Tools ]