Map what the team must take over
Separate the domain name, DNS, hosting, code, database, media, email, forms, analytics and third-party services. For each item record its contractual owner, administrator, provider, renewal date and dependencies. Domain management and website hosting can belong to different organisations.
Add important URLs, redirects, languages, media licences and scheduled jobs. Ask for a live demonstration of editing a page and processing an enquiry. The migration guide covers changes to URLs or platforms.
- Inventory of components and providers.
- Named owner for every item.
- Content, URL and external-dependency list.
Verify ownership and responsibilities
Confirm with the people concerned who holds the domain and subscriptions and who can request a change. Procedures depend on the registry, registrar and contract. ICANN guidance for registrants helps distinguish the holder from a service provider for relevant domains.
Record who decides, who acts and whom to contact during an incident. Avoid reliance on one person or a personal mailbox. Handle access methods through authorised internal procedures; the handover record can name their owners without exposing secrets.
Test exports and recovery
Obtain the files and data specified by the agreement and verify that they are readable. A content export is not necessarily a restorable copy of the application: WordPress export documentation illustrates the scope of one such tool. Check themes, plugins, media, configuration and database separately as appropriate.
Have a capable person run a restoration or staging setup and document the steps. Check key pages, images, links, forms and automated jobs. The restoration guide explains this test.
- Verified export and documented format.
- Recovery trial completed.
- Gaps and non-transferable elements listed.
Close with an observable acceptance test
Ask the receiving team to publish a draft, correct an error, locate a backup, read a test enquiry and name the owner of a renewal. Record results, limitations and remaining actions with dates and owners.
Monitor essential journeys and deadlines for an agreed period after handover. Keep concise documentation current; a delivery-day screenshot is not a procedure that survives a change of staff.