# Website handoff checklist

Prepared with Plainview Web's website handoff guide.
Guide: https://plainviewweb.com/guides/website-handoff-checklist

Use this blank record to compare the agreed deliverables with what you have received and checked. It is not evidence that a website has passed a review. Adapt it to your platform and project agreement; it does not add deliverables, rights or support terms.

Keep passwords, API keys, recovery codes, payment details and private customer information outside this file. Record account names, authorized roles and references to securely held instructions instead. Review the filled document before sharing it.

## Project and scope

- Project / business:
- Public website:
- Handoff date:
- Recipient and decision owner:
- Builder / outgoing maintainer:
- Incoming maintainer, if different:
- Agreement or scope reference:
- Version / release being handed over:
- Review participants:
- Status: Not checked

Allowed status values: Not checked / Confirmed / Needs action / Not applicable.
For every Confirmed row, record who checked what, when, and an evidence reference. An invitation sent is not access confirmed. A file received is not a successful restoration test.

## 1. Accounts and responsibilities

Use the separate account-inventory CSV to record each provider, account or asset owner, required role, access check, renewal and ongoing responsibility.

| Check | Status | Checked by / date | Evidence or exception | Next action / owner / due |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Domain account and registrant details reviewed by the authorized owner | Not checked | | | |
| DNS provider and business email dependency recorded | Not checked | | | |
| Hosting / deployment project and publishing access confirmed | Not checked | | | |
| CMS or content-editing access accepted and checked | Not checked | | | |
| Source repository or agreed export accessible to recipient | Not checked | | | |
| Forms, booking, payment and other connected services inventoried | Not checked | | | |
| Existing analytics and search-property access checked, where applicable | Not checked | | | |
| Renewal dates, billing owner and renewal checks assigned | Not checked | | | |
| Ongoing and departing access reviewed without disrupting dependencies | Not checked | | | |

## 2. Files, assets and rights

| Item | Agreed scope / location | Status | Checked by / date | Evidence, limit or next action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Working source and matching live version | | Not checked | | |
| Build / deployment instructions and supported runtime | | Not checked | | |
| Required configuration names and separate secret-access process | | Not checked | | |
| Original written content and approved media | | Not checked | | |
| Editable design / brand files included in the agreement | | Not checked | | |
| License records, reuse limits and renewal responsibility | | Not checked | | |
| CMS / database / uploaded-file exports where applicable | | Not checked | | |
| Known export exclusions or services needing reconnection | | Not checked | | |

## 3. Important visitor paths

Coordinate tests, use clearly labeled test data and the provider's supported test mode where needed. Confirm whether previews share live services before testing.

| Path and agreed test scope | Visible outcome | Destination / follow-up outcome | Status | Reviewer / date / evidence | Open action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Main navigation and call to action | | | Not checked | | |
| Form validation / success / failure behavior | | | Not checked | | |
| Actual inquiry receipt and follow-up access | | | Not checked | | |
| Downloads, booking or other relevant connections | | | Not checked | | |

- Submission storage location and authorized access:
- Follow-up owner:
- Retention / deletion responsibility:
- Test data cleanup needed:
- Checks deliberately not performed and why:

## 4. Recovery

- What is copied: application / database / uploads / external records / other:
- Method and storage location reference:
- Frequency and retention:
- Last copy confirmed by / date / evidence:
- What the copy excludes:
- Authorized restoration role and instruction location:
- What a restore would replace or affect:
- Safe restoration test location and controls:
- Last restoration exercise: Not checked
- Exercise date / reviewer / what was restored / what was verified:
- Connected services not covered by the test:
- Next exercise or unresolved action / owner / due:

## 5. Editing instructions and ongoing work

| Responsibility | Named owner | Instructions / request channel | Frequency or agreed terms | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accurate content and approvals | | | | Not checked |
| Drafting, reviewing and publishing edits | | | | Not checked |
| Technical updates and provider notices | | | | Not checked |
| Form delivery and follow-up checks | | | | Not checked |
| Renewals and billing completion | | | | Not checked |
| Recovery copies and restoration exercises | | | | Not checked |
| Routine support requests | | | | Not checked |

- Routine edit practised by / task / date / evidence:
- Preview and undo procedure:
- Initial correction period and agreement reference:
- Support contact, hours and response expectations:
- Work excluded or requiring a separate quote:
- Emergency arrangements, if separately agreed:

## 6. Open actions and acceptance

| ID | Issue or unverified item | Action owner | Due | Evidence needed to close | Blocks acceptance or agreed follow-up? | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |

- Launch approval: Not recorded
- Launch approver / date / exact scope:
- Handoff acceptance: Not recorded
- Handoff approver / date / accepted materials:
- Exceptions expressly accepted, with owner and due date:
- Next review date:
- Record location and authorized recipients:

Keep unresolved work visible. Close the record only when the agreed materials are usable, responsibilities are understood and remaining exceptions are expressly agreed.