When a web design company prepares a handover, which accounts and files need individual checks?

A web design company's handover should verify account holders, usable permissions, file versions, and checks by the receiving team. Receiving a ZIP file alone does not establish completion. This applies when a company changes maintainers or finishes a website project. Ownership and licenses for each asset still depend on the project agreement; prepare an inventory before arranging transfer and testing.

Confirm account control and recovery routes first

Start with the domain, hosting environment, content administration, and notification mailbox. Record who holds each account, whether the company can log in independently, whom recovery procedures contact, and whether a supplier's personal account is managing anything. Do not put passwords in ordinary meeting notes; use a secure handover method agreed by both parties.

Some assets may be supplied by a platform, so the company cannot obtain all underlying files. Document what can be obtained or exported and the conditions for continued use. Mixing platform service accounts and self-owned servers in a single ‘source-code delivery’ checklist hides real boundaries and may incorrectly suggest to the receiving team that migration is unrestricted. See Corporate Website Deliverables: Designs, Assets, and Code for related checks.

Authorized personnel should make permission changes during handover. Verify that company accounts work before deciding how to revoke unneeded external access, so closing an old entry does not leave the site without a maintainer. Continued supplier access should correspond to future maintenance tasks, rather than permanently retaining the broad permissions used during the project.

State which version each file belongs to

Record design source files, images, copy, and program files separately. For each category, identify the version date, purpose, format, and corresponding pages, especially distinguishing the adopted final proposal from early explorations. The receiving team needs to know which logo, homepage, and image set are in use, instead of guessing from names such as ‘final version two.’

Include permitted uses or licensing information for third-party assets, including fonts, images, and icons. Receiving source files does not automatically give the company every license. If the company supplied an asset, also confirm who handles subsequent changes and reuse, so maintainers do not replace it casually because information is missing.

Development files need environment and deployment instructions. These should not disclose secrets publicly, but should identify who holds necessary configuration and how to obtain it securely. If source-code delivery was not agreed, confirm continued service and exit arrangements instead of treating previously unagreed work as a handover defect near the end. See Website Project Handoff Checklist for related checks.

Validate the inventory with a handover task

If the company plans to change its website maintainer, ask the new team to edit test content, preview the page, and check the display after publication. Where backup and recovery are agreed, demonstrate the process or confirm the recovery materials as specified.

Do not modify live official information without prior arrangement during testing. Use a test environment or approved content and record the operator, time, object, and result. Success means that the receiving person can independently find the required entry and complete the agreed task, and knows which responsible person to contact when problems occur.

When confirming website design and development delivery with JVDS Design Studio, separate accounts, assets, software, and training into explicit items early, and agree on the handover format for each. Confirm maintenance scope separately: delivering files and providing ongoing assistance are different matters.

Retain maintenance routes after handover

Finish the inventory by recording who tracks domain and service renewals, who receives content issues, and how technical faults are handed over. A universal response time is not necessary here, but a usable route to the responsible party is. Unassigned renewals or mailbox settings often cause problems only some time after a project ends.

Keep accepted items and outstanding items in separate records. Identify the specific missing files, insufficient permissions, or unclear licenses instead of saying ‘mostly handed over.’ If the receiving work depends on another party supplying configuration, state the completion condition so that progress can be tracked.

Frequently asked questions

Does having the administrator password mean the company owns the website?

Not necessarily. Administrator access may control only content, while the domain, hosting environment, and asset licenses are held elsewhere. Check control boundaries, holders, and contractual terms separately; one login permission does not establish ownership of every asset.

Must all supplier accounts be deleted during handover?

If no future maintenance task exists, revoke unnecessary permissions as agreed. If maintenance continues, retain access appropriate to those tasks. First make sure the company or receiving team has a usable administration entry, then arrange permission changes.