Without documentation, only the original developer understands your website. Good handover documents make you independent.
What to ask for
- Access list: domain, hosting, CMS admin, email, analytics, Search Console, CDN, third-party tools.
- Technical overview: platform, theme, plugins and their purposes, custom code.
- Integrations: what connects to what (forms, CRM, payments, WhatsApp).
- Licences: paid themes and plugins with renewal dates.
- Backups: where and how often, and how to restore.
- Editing guide: how to update pages, products and blog posts.
- Site map: list of pages; generate an XML sitemap with our sitemap generator.
- Known issues and future recommendations.
Store it safely
Keep documents and passwords in a secure shared place your business controls.
Update it
Update documentation when plugins, integrations or providers change.
Read what you must own. Estimate support costs with our website cost calculator.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Business websites: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
