Acceptance report: contents, reservations and electronic signature
The acceptance report (« procès-verbal de recette » or PV in French) is the document signed by the client and the provider that records the outcome of the acceptance testing of a piece of software. It states whether the delivery is accepted, accepted with reservations or rejected, and lists the defects that remain to be fixed.
What is the acceptance report for?
The acceptance report is the contractual record of acceptance. Depending on the contract, signing it can trigger the invoicing of a milestone, start a warranty period or launch the next phase (for example the verification of regular service). That is why it must faithfully reflect the results of the acceptance test book and not a general opinion.
What must an acceptance report contain?
- Identification: project, client, provider, delivered version and version of the specification verified.
- Scope and period of the acceptance testing, with the environments used.
- Summary of results: number of cases per status (OK, KO, blocked, not applicable) and coverage rate.
- List of remaining defects, with their severity, and any reservations.
- The verdict: acceptance without reservation, with reservations, or rejection.
- Date and signatures of the client's and the provider's representatives.
Accepted without reservation, with reservations or rejected
| Verdict | When | Usual consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Without reservation | All critical cases are OK and no blocking defect remains. | The delivery is accepted as is. |
| With reservations | Some defects judged non-blocking remain, listed one by one. | The delivery is accepted; the provider fixes the reservations within the agreed time, then they are lifted. |
| Rejected or postponed | Blocking defects prevent the intended use. | The provider fixes them, then a new acceptance round is organised. |
A reservation is a defect or gap that the client agrees to see fixed after acceptance. It must be described precisely (what is observed, its severity, the fix deadline) so that it can be lifted without dispute.
The exact thresholds (which defects are blocking, which fix deadlines) are a matter for the contract. Set them before the acceptance testing, not during it.
Electronic signature of the report: what value?
The European eIDAS regulation distinguishes three levels of electronic signature: simple, advanced and qualified. An electronic signature cannot be refused as evidence in court solely because it is electronic. Its probative force then depends on the level of signature, on the elements that identify the signatory and guarantee the integrity of the document, and on the judge's assessment.
Spec2Sign implements a simple electronic signature: drawn signature, one-time code sent by email to the signatory, timestamp, IP address, and the SHA-256 fingerprint of the document fixed in the PDF. This is enough for many acceptance reports between parties that accept this way of signing; if your contract requires an advanced or qualified signature, check this point before using it.
Checklist before signing an acceptance report
- Have all planned test cases been run, or are the unrun cases justified (N/A)?
- Have blocking defects been fixed and retested?
- Is each reservation described, with a fix deadline accepted by both parties?
- Are the delivered version and the verified specification version stated?
- Do the signatories have the authority to bind their organisation?
Produce and sign the report with Spec2Sign
- the verdict is calculated from the execution results and open defects;
- the reservations are listed in the document;
- the provider and the client sign online, on computer or phone;
- the final PDF is timestamped and carries the SHA-256 fingerprint of the document;
- the Free plan produces a report with a watermark; paid plans produce the report without watermark.
Frequently asked questions
Is an acceptance report mandatory?
No general rule requires it, but software development contracts almost always provide for it, because it fixes the date and conditions of acceptance. Without a signed report, client and provider can later disagree on when the delivery was accepted.
Who signs the acceptance report?
A client representative authorised to accept the delivery (often the head of the project owner side) and a provider representative (often the project manager). The contract may specify the signatories.
What is the difference between an acceptance report and a delivery report?
The delivery report records that the deliverable was handed over. The acceptance report records that it was verified and says whether it is accepted. Both can be combined in a single document depending on the contract.
Does the electronic signature of a report have evidential value?
Yes, within the limits of the level of signature used and of what your contract provides. Spec2Sign's simple electronic signature (drawn signature, one-time code by email, timestamp, IP address and SHA-256 fingerprint) identifies the signatories and guarantees that the document has not been modified.