Running effective UAT requires planning, environment setup, participant management, and disciplined execution. The workflow below covers the standard sequence for a Salesforce project's UAT phase from preparation through sign-off.
- Prepare the UAT environment
Refresh a Full Copy sandbox from production with the planned go-live metadata deployed. Configure integrations to point at appropriate test endpoints. Load representative sample data covering all key scenarios. Provision UAT participant users with realistic profiles and permission sets. Verify the environment behaves as production would, with all standard automation, reports, and dashboards functional. Document the environment state so participants know what they are testing against.
- Author test scripts and brief participants
Develop UAT test scripts covering each major business scenario. Each script should have clear steps, expected outcomes, and acceptance criteria. Review the scripts with business stakeholders for completeness and accuracy. Select UAT participants representing each user persona. Run a brief training session covering the new UI, key workflows, and how to log findings. Schedule the UAT window with clear start and end dates plus daily check-in meetings during the window.
- Execute UAT with daily triage
Run the UAT window with participants executing test scripts and logging findings in the project's issue tracking system. Hold daily triage meetings to review new findings, categorize them by severity, and assign owners for remediation. Address blocker and high-priority issues quickly so participants can continue testing. Communicate progress to project sponsors through a daily status update. Iterate the test scripts if specific scenarios surface as problematic.
- Resolve issues and obtain sign-off
After the UAT window closes, work through the remaining issues with the dev team. Categorize each finding as fix-before-go-live or defer-to-post-launch. Re-test the fixed issues with the relevant UAT participants. Once all blockers are resolved, schedule the sign-off meeting with business stakeholders. Walk through the UAT results, any outstanding issues, and the readiness assessment. Obtain documented sign-off before scheduling production go-live.
- Skipping UAT or shortening it under schedule pressure produces production incidents that cost more than the UAT investment would have.
- Wrong participants (project team members instead of end users) produce UAT findings that do not reflect real business usage.
- Insufficient training means findings reflect confusion rather than real issues; brief UAT training is non-negotiable.
- Ambiguous test scripts produce inconsistent findings across participants and weak overall coverage.
- Skipping integration testing in UAT means production integration issues surface after launch, in front of users.