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In engineering, an acceptance test is jointly performed by users or sponsors with manufacturers or producers through black-box testing (i.e., the testers need not know anything about the internal workings of the system). The results will determine acceptance of the system.
It may also be referred to as a functional test, beta test, QA test, application test, confidence test, end user test, final test, validation test, factory acceptance test or site or field acceptance test. The 'factory acceptance test' is run within the manufacturer's facilities whereas the 'site or field test' is run within the user's environment.
Overview
Acceptance tests generally take the form of a suite of tests designed to be run on the completed system. Each individual test, known as a case, exercises a particular operating condition of the user's environment or feature of the system, and will result in a pass or fail boolean outcome. There is generally no degree of success or failure. The test environment is usually designed to be identical, or as close as possible, to the anticipated user's environment, including extremes of such. These case tests must each be accompanied by test case input data or a formal description of the operational activities (or both) to be performed—intended to thoroughly exercise the specific case—and a formal description of the expected results.
Process
The acceptance test (suite) is run against the supplied input data or using an acceptance test script to direct the testers. Then the results obtained are compared with the expected results. If there is a correct match for every case, the test is said to pass. If not, the system may either be rejected or accepted on conditions previously agreed between the sponsor and the manufacturer.
The objective is to provide confidence that the delivered system meets the business requirements of both sponsors and users. The acceptance phase may also act as the final quality gateway, where any quality defects not previously detected may be uncovered.
A principal purpose of the acceptance test is that, once completed successfully, and provided certain additional (contractually agreed) acceptance criteria are met, the sponsors will then sign off on the system as satisfying the contract (previously agreed between sponsor and manufacturer), and deliver final payment.
See also
"Acceptance test"