Deliverable acceptance
Acceptance is the formal moment when a customer agrees that a deliverable meets the SOW. For fixed-fee projects it often triggers a milestone invoice, so we handle it carefully.
The principle
A deliverable is submitted to the customer with a written request for acceptance. The customer then has a fixed review period, set in the SOW, to accept or reject it with reasons. Review periods vary by customer and are stated in each SOW; do not assume.
Known review period
| SOW | Customer | Review period |
|---|---|---|
| SOW-ACME-01 (Customer Portal Redesign) | Acme Corp | 10 business days to accept or reject each deliverable |
For other customers, read the SOW and record the period in the project plan.
Procedure
- Confirm the deliverable meets the definition of done.
- Prepare the acceptance pack: the deliverable, release notes, test evidence and the acceptance criteria from the SOW.
- Send the pack to the customer sponsor with a dated acceptance request. State the deadline.
- Diarise a reminder for 3 business days before the deadline.
- Record the outcome:
- Accepted: file the signed or emailed acceptance in the project folder and notify Finance so the milestone can be invoiced.
- Rejected: the customer must give reasons. Agree a fix plan and resubmit.
- No response: follow the SOW. Do not treat silence as acceptance unless the SOW says so; ask Legal.
- Mention the status in the next status report.
Invoicing after acceptance
Finance (Dan Whitfield) issues invoices numbered INV-2026-NNNN once acceptance is on file. Payment terms depend on the customer's MSA, for example 30 days for Acme Corp and 45 days for Globex Logistics. See the customer pages.
Handling disputes
If a customer rejects a deliverable and you disagree:
- Ask for specifics against the acceptance criteria.
- Check whether the objection is really a new requirement; if so, use Handling change requests.
- Involve the delivery manager (Maya Torres) early.
- If unresolved, follow Customer escalation.
Partial acceptance
If only part of a deliverable is acceptable, you may agree partial acceptance in writing, naming exactly what is accepted. Check the SOW first, and ask Alice Moreno (Senior Counsel) if the wording is unclear.
Records
Keep all acceptance correspondence in the project's folder; auditors and lawyers rely on it. See How we run projects for the project folder layout.
Owner: Maya Torres - Last updated: 2026-05-27