Acceptance Testing ensures that any new or upgraded system meets the business requirements of the end-users and suits their operational and business procedures. The business benefits of carefully and comprehensively undertaking Acceptance Testing can include:

• Delivery of a system that has the desired functionality, supporting existing, changed, and new business processes;
• Clearly defined limitations on scope and consequently, budget and development timeframe;
• Enhanced credibility of the system;
• Greater end-user confidence in the system and a greater sense of ownership through their involvement in testing it; and
• A well-defined conclusion to system development when all stakeholders can review the project, celebrate it’s success, and reflect on the valuable experience gained from the development process.

In addition, there are a number of potential operational benefits:

• Less risk of disruption to normal work activities through system failure;
• Validation of all manual and clerical procedures;
• Verification of control procedures and constraints to prevent improper use and enforce security standards;
• Checking of error-processing and exception procedures;
• Complete integration with existing systems, without negatively impacting those systems;
• Confirmation of the data-handling capacities and off-line processing and operating performance of the system; and
• Verification of accurate, complete, and understandable user, operation, and maintenance documentation.

Acceptance Testing allows sign-off and formal, official, acceptance of the system, dependant upon the system satisfying all contractual requirements and meeting all established Acceptance Criteria.