UAT in Jira: How to Run User Acceptance Testing the Right Way

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is the final phase of software testing where real users or business stakeholders verify that the software meets their needs before it goes live. Unlike unit tests or integration tests that focus on technical correctness, UAT answers a fundamentally different question:

"Does this software actually do what the business needs it to do?"

UAT in Jira means running that check with Jira as the hub: acceptance criteria live on Jira stories, business users run test cases written against them, and the defects they find become Jira issues. Jira itself has no test cases, test runs, or sign-off, so teams either build workarounds or add a test management app. This guide covers both.

UAT sits at the top of the testing pyramid - it's the last quality gate before production. When UAT fails or gets skipped, the consequences are real:

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  Features ship that don't match business requirements
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  Stakeholders lose confidence in the development process
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  Post-release defects spike, costing 5-10x more to fix according to NIST research
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  Compliance and audit requirements go unmet

UAT is not optional. For regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government), formal UAT with documented sign-off is a compliance requirement. For everyone else, it's the difference between shipping software that works and shipping software that matters.

Who runs UAT?

The challenge? These people are rarely testers. They don't live in Jira. They need clear, simple, non-technical test documentation - and that's where most teams struggle.

Jira is built for developers and project managers. It's great for tracking issues and sprints, but UAT exposes its limitations:

Challenge 1: No Built-in Test Management

Jira has no native concept of test cases, test cycles, or test execution. You can't write a test case, assign it to a business user, and track pass/fail - not without workarounds or plugins.

Challenge 2: Non-Technical Stakeholders

UAT testers are often business users who find Jira overwhelming. They don't know JQL. They don't want to navigate complex issue hierarchies. They need something straightforward.

Challenge 3: Tracking Sign-Off

UAT requires formal sign-off from multiple stakeholders. Jira has no built-in mechanism for collecting, recording, and reporting on approvals.

Challenge 4: Visibility Gap

Project managers need to answer: "Where are we with UAT?" In native Jira, this means manually counting issues, checking labels, or asking people - none of which scales.

Challenge 5: Scattered Documentation

Without a dedicated tool, UAT artifacts end up everywhere:

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  Test cases in Confluence or Google Docs
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  Results in spreadsheets
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  Defects in Jira
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  Sign-off in email threads
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  Screenshots on someone's desktop

The result? Teams spend more time managing the UAT process than actually testing. And when audit time comes, pulling together evidence is a scramble.

Let's compare the approaches, from basic to professional:

Approach 1: Native Jira Workaround

Create a custom issue type "UAT Test" with custom fields:

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  Steps to test (text field)
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  Expected outcome (text field)
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  UAT Result (dropdown: Pass / Fail / Blocked)
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  Tester (user picker)
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  Sign-off (checkbox)

Pros: Free, everything in Jira

Cons: No execution interface, no reports, clutters backlog, doesn't scale

Approach 2: Confluence + Jira

Write UAT plans in Confluence with tables of test cases. Link to Jira stories. Track results in the Confluence table.

Pros: Better documentation, familiar for business users

Cons: Two tools to maintain, no automation, manual reporting, no traceability

Approach 3: Dedicated Test Management Tool

Use a Jira-integrated test management app like BesTest that provides:

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  Structured test cases with steps and expected results
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  Dedicated test execution interface
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  UAT cycles and assignments
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  Real-time progress tracking
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  Requirements traceability
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  Dashboard gadgets and reporting

UAT is usually one part of a bigger decision about how your team manages testing in Jira overall. If you are choosing tooling for more than UAT, the test management in Jira guide walks through that broader decision.

Here's a practical walkthrough for setting up a proper UAT process in Jira using a test management tool:

Before you start, put a plan on paper: the free UAT Test Plan Generator assembles a complete plan (scope, entry/exit criteria, schedule, roles, sign-off) in your browser and exports Word, Markdown, or PDF.

Before writing any test case, document what "done" means for each feature. Work with stakeholders to define clear acceptance criteria on your Jira stories:

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  Use the format: "As a [user], I can [action], so that [outcome]"
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  Be specific: "Invoice total calculates correctly with tax" not "Invoice works"
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  Include edge cases: "System handles zero-quantity line items gracefully"

Write test cases in business language, not technical jargon. Each test case should map to one or more acceptance criteria.

Good UAT test case:

Title: Verify invoice total with multiple line items and tax
Precondition: User is logged in with billing permissions

Step 1: Navigate to Invoicing > Create Invoice
Expected: Invoice creation form displays

Step 2: Add 3 line items with quantities 2, 5, and 1
Expected: Line totals calculate automatically

Step 3: Select tax rate "VAT 20%"
Expected: Tax amount displays as 20% of subtotal

Step 4: Click "Generate Invoice"
Expected: Invoice total = subtotal + tax, PDF preview displays correctly

Bad UAT test case:

Title: Test invoice
Steps: Create an invoice and check it works
Expected: Should be correct

In BesTest, each step has its own action, test data, and expected result, and you can add the next step without leaving the keyboard. If you already have a list of scenarios, Create in bulk turns it into test cases in one go (one name per line), and you can create them from the BesTest panel on a Jira story so they are linked to it from the start.

Group your test cases into a dedicated UAT test cycle:

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  Name it clearly: "Release 3.2 UAT - Billing Module"
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  Set a target start and end date
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  Add the test cases one by one, a whole collection, or the requirements in scope (their linked test cases come along)
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  Assign test cases to specific business users
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  Set the cycle to Ready to Execute - in BesTest, this is when testers get notified that their runs are waiting

Connect every UAT test case to the Jira story or requirement it validates. This requirements traceability is critical for:

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  Proving coverage: "Every requirement has enough UAT tests for how much it matters"
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  Impact analysis: "If this story changes, these UAT tests need updating"
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  Audit compliance: "Here's the evidence that requirement X was tested and approved"

In BesTest, a requirement's Traceability card shows the Jira work items it comes from and the test cases that test it, and its Coverage card says how many tests it has against how many its significance needs ("3 linked of 5 needed"). The result is Covered, Partly covered or Not covered, so a critical requirement with one test does not pass as covered.

Business users need a clear kickoff:

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  What to test and why
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  How to access the test environment
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  How to execute tests (walkthrough of the tool)
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  How to log defects when something fails
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  Timeline and expectations

Once setup is complete, execution follows a structured workflow:

Phase 1: Environment Preparation

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  Deploy the release candidate to a UAT environment
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  Load realistic test data (anonymized production data is ideal)
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  Verify the environment is stable (run a quick smoke test first)
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  Confirm UAT testers have access and credentials

Phase 2: Execution

Each tester works through their assigned test cases:

1. 1
   Open the test case in the execution interface
2. 2
   Follow each step
3. 3
   Record the actual result
4. 4
   Mark the step as Pass, Fail, or Blocked
5. 5
   For failures: add notes and log a defect. Link a Jira issue to attach screenshots and evidence

In BesTest's Test Player, a tester presses My work to see only the test cases assigned to them, and Next to do (or the N key) jumps to the next one still open. Each step is marked one at a time, and a failed step can become a Jira bug right there, pre-filled with the test case, the step, and the expected vs. actual result. If a test case was edited after the cycle started, the Player says so and offers the latest steps.

Want to see what your business testers will see? The live demo runs the real app on sample data, with no signup and no Jira install - open a cycle and run a test case in the Test Player.

Key execution principles:

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  Test one scenario at a time - don't skip around
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  Document everything - "it worked" is not enough
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  Log defects immediately - don't batch them for later
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  If blocked, flag it right away so the team can unblock

Phase 3: Daily Triage

Hold a short daily stand-up during UAT:

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  Review new failures and defects
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  Prioritize: which defects block further testing?
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  Reassign or redistribute test cases if needed
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  Update stakeholders on progress

Phase 4: Defect Resolution

For each UAT defect:

1. 1
   Development fixes the issue
2. 2
   Fix is deployed to UAT environment
3. 3
   Original tester re-executes the failed test case (in BesTest, as a rerun in the same cycle - a cycle already marked Done reopens and closes again once every run has a result)
4. 4
   Test case is marked Pass or Fail again

Phase 5: Sign-Off

Once all test cases pass (or all failures are accepted/deferred):

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  Stakeholders formally approve the release
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  Sign-off is documented with timestamp and approver
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  UAT summary report is generated for the record

Need the sign-off document itself? The free UAT Sign-off Sheet Generator builds one with acceptance criteria, defect dispositions, and signature blocks - print it to PDF or export Word or Markdown. For what goes into it and who should sign, see the UAT sign-off guide.

Visibility is everything during UAT. Stakeholders want to know: "Are we on track? Can we release?"

The Metrics That Matter:

Dashboard Gadgets for UAT

Instead of pulling numbers manually, use dashboard gadgets that update in real time. BesTest provides Jira dashboard gadgets where you can track execution progress at a glance - directly in your existing Jira dashboard, alongside your sprint board and backlog.

This means project managers and stakeholders don't need to learn a new tool or ask for status updates. They open their Jira dashboard and see:

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  Execution progress (passed, failed, blocked, skipped, not executed)
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  Trend over time (are we making progress day by day?)
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  Linked defects, and how many are resolved
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  Requirement coverage by significance: Covered, Partly covered, Not covered

In-App Notifications

UAT involves people who don't live in Jira all day. BesTest's in-app notification system keeps everyone in the loop automatically:

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  Runs ready: when a tester has runs assigned in a cycle and the cycle is set to Ready to Execute
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  Cycle assigned / finished: the person a cycle is assigned to hears when they get it and when it finishes
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  Reviews: a reviewer hears when a test case or requirement waits on their approval, and the requester when the review is done
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  Mentions: anyone @mentioned in a comment on a requirement, test case, or cycle

This is especially valuable for business users who participate in UAT infrequently. They get notified when action is needed, without having to check dashboards or ask around. Admins choose which notifications are on for the project, and each user can fine-tune their own.

Reporting for Stakeholders

At the end of UAT, generate a summary report that includes:

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  Total test cases executed vs. planned
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  Final pass/fail/blocked counts
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  List of open defects with severity and decision (fix / defer / accept)
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  Requirements coverage: which requirements were fully validated
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  Sign-off status: who approved, when

In BesTest, the Test Execution Results report covers the first three (it exports to PDF), and the Requirements Traceability Matrix report flags requirements that are not properly tested or still have unresolved bugs. The approvals themselves go into your sign-off document.

Good UAT test cases are written for business users, not testers. The fastest way to see the difference is a before and after - both lines describe the same check:

The first version assumes the reader knows what an endpoint or a payload schema is. A finance manager does not - so they skip the step, test from memory, or quietly stop participating. The second version says where to click, what to enter, and exactly what should appear. Anyone who can use the product can run it, and a failure produces a precise bug report instead of "the invoice thing is broken".

These templates cover individual test cases - for the plan document around them (scope, entry and exit criteria, roles, schedule, and sign-off), start from our free UAT test plan template. Here are templates for common scenarios:

Template 1: Workflow Validation

Title: [Feature] - [Workflow Name] completes successfully
Precondition: User has [role/permission], [data state]

Step 1: Navigate to [location]
Expected: [Screen/page] displays with [specific elements]

Step 2: Enter [specific data] and submit
Expected: System [processes/validates] and shows [confirmation]

Step 3: Verify [outcome] in [location]
Expected: [Data/state] matches [expected value]

Template 2: Data Accuracy

Title: [Report/Calculation] shows correct [data type]
Precondition: [Known test data is loaded]

Step 1: Navigate to [report/screen]
Expected: Report loads with current data

Step 2: Verify [specific value] matches [expected calculation]
Expected: [Value] equals [expected] (tolerance: [if applicable])

Step 3: Export report and verify totals
Expected: Exported data matches on-screen values

Template 3: User Permission Check

Title: [Role] can/cannot [action]
Precondition: Logged in as [role]

Step 1: Navigate to [restricted area]
Expected: [Access granted/denied message]

Step 2: Attempt to [specific action]
Expected: [Action succeeds/is blocked appropriately]

Template 4: Integration Verification

Title: [System A] data syncs correctly to [System B]
Precondition: [Integration is active], [test record exists]

Step 1: Create/update [record] in [System A]
Expected: Confirmation of save

Step 2: Wait [sync interval] and check [System B]
Expected: [Record] appears in [System B] with matching data

Step 3: Verify [specific fields] match
Expected: [Field values] are identical in both systems

After watching hundreds of UAT cycles succeed and fail, these are the practices that make the difference:

Don't wait for the build to write UAT cases. Start during sprint planning:

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  Write test cases as soon as acceptance criteria are defined
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  Submit them for stakeholder review early
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  Get agreement on what "pass" looks like before code is written

Nothing kills UAT momentum faster than a broken environment:

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  Freeze deployments during active UAT (no dev pushes)
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  Use a dedicated UAT environment, not staging
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  Load production-like data so results are meaningful
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  Have a rollback plan if the environment breaks

Business users have day jobs. UAT won't happen if you just assign tests and hope:

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  Block calendar time for UAT (2-hour sessions work well)
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  Have a QA person available to answer questions during sessions
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  Provide a quiet space or virtual room for focused testing
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  Send reminders before and during the cycle

Before executing UAT tests, have stakeholders review the test cases themselves:

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  Do the test cases cover what the business actually needs?
• •
  Is the language clear to non-technical users?
• •
  Are edge cases and negative scenarios included?
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  This catches gaps before execution, not after

UAT defects represent real business needs that aren't being met:

• •
  Triage UAT defects daily
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  Critical UAT defects should block release
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  Don't defer UAT defects without stakeholder agreement
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  Track defect resolution and re-test systematically

"Everyone seemed happy with it" is not sign-off:

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  Record who approved, when, and what they approved
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  Note any conditions or deferred items
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  Keep sign-off evidence accessible for audits
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  Use traceability to prove every requirement was validated

After each UAT cycle, ask:

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  Did we test the right things?
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  Were test cases clear enough for business users?
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  Where did we waste time?
• •
  What should we change next cycle?

BesTest was built to solve the exact problems teams face with UAT in Jira. Here's how each feature maps to UAT needs:

Requirements Traceability

Link UAT test cases to requirements and to the Jira stories they come from. Each requirement shows whether it is Covered, Partly covered or Not covered for its significance. When a requirement changes, its Traceability card lists the UAT tests to revisit.

Business-Friendly Test Cases

Write test cases with clear steps and expected results - no Jira complexity. Create many at once with bulk create, from the catalog or from the Jira story itself. Business users see a clean execution interface where they follow steps, record results, and link Jira issues for evidence.

Review and Approval

Before UAT execution begins, send test cases - and the requirements behind them - to stakeholders for review. Reviewers approve or request changes, and every round is kept as a review audit trail.

UAT Test Cycles

Create dedicated UAT cycles, assign test cases to business users, and set start and end dates. A Smart Collection can fill the cycle for you from rules (for example a UAT folder) and from the requirements in scope.

Test Player Built for Big Cycles

Testers search by key, name, or execution note, filter to My work, and press Next to do (or N) to reach their next open test. Filters with counts show what failed, what has bugs, and what tends to fail.

Dashboard Gadgets

Track UAT progress directly in your Jira dashboard. Stakeholders see real-time execution status, pass rates, and defect counts without leaving their familiar Jira interface.

In-App Notifications

Testers hear when their runs are ready, reviewers when an approval waits on them, and anyone @mentioned in a comment. No one falls through the cracks.

Defect Logging from Failed Tests

When a UAT test fails, testers create a Jira bug from the Test Player. The Jira create form is pre-filled with the test case, the step, and the expected vs. actual result, and the bug is linked back to the run. Attach screenshots to the bug in Jira.

Reports for the Sign-Off Record

The Test Execution Results report shows pass rates and linked defects per cycle, the Requirements Traceability Matrix shows coverage and risky requirements, and both export to PDF for your sign-off document and audit trail.

And It's Built on Forge

BesTest is built on Atlassian Forge, Atlassian's app framework designed with enterprise security in mind.

• •
  NIST, "The Economic Impacts of Inadequate Infrastructure for Software Testing," Planning Report 02-3, May 2002 - documents the cost multiplier of post-release defects versus those caught during testing phases.
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  ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, 2023 - Section 2.4 on acceptance testing, defining UAT as a distinct test level with specific objectives.
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  IEEE 829-2008, "Standard for Software and System Test Documentation" - provides standard templates for test plans, test case specifications, and test completion reports applicable to UAT documentation.
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  ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-3:2021, "Software and Systems Engineering - Software Testing - Part 3: Test Documentation" - updated international standard for test documentation including acceptance test plans.