Short answer
In an unfinished software project, first make the deliverable state visible: an installable version, the source repository, who owns the accesses and the real user flows. Then group what is missing by working process rather than by feature and compare continuing, partial renewal and rebuilding on the same criteria.
Establish what can actually be delivered
Ask for a reproducible release, source repository and working user journeys rather than screenshots or a presentation. Recent code changes, outstanding issues and data locations matter during a handover.
Initial checklist
List the owners of the repository, domain, hosting, database, file storage and third-party accounts. Follow the setup documentation in a clean environment. Test sign-in, permissions and the core workflow with sample data.
Choosing a recovery approach
Group remaining work by complete business process rather than individual features. A proposal that can be created but not approved or sent is not a complete workflow. Compare recovery, partial replacement and a rebuild against the same acceptance criteria.
What to do in the first steps
In the first step, document the situation without changing anything: the access inventory, an installation trial in a clean environment, open bugs and whether the main flow works with sample data. This document is the basis of the decision to continue and of the conversation with a new team; a decision to rewrite everything should not be taken without it.
When to seek support
Request a technical assessment if setup cannot be reproduced, access ownership is unclear or every fix breaks another workflow. The output should be a prioritised completion plan, not just a general opinion about code quality.
Frequently asked questions
Two questions we are often asked on this topic.
If the previous team did not finish the contract, is the software mine?
Who owns the source code and accounts depends on the contract; that is a legal question and a lawyer should be consulted. On the technical side, first verify which accesses your company holds.
What should I give a new team?
The source repository, installation notes, an account inventory, open work and, if possible, examples of user flows. Writing down what is missing also helps the team estimate correctly.
