TL;DR: An acceptance criteria generator turns a user story into the checks it must pass before the team calls it done. Paste the story, and Taskade AI writes testable criteria in Given/When/Then form for the happy path, error cases, and edge cases. You then track each criterion on the sprint board until it passes review.
What Are Acceptance Criteria?
Acceptance criteria are the conditions a user story must meet before the team calls it done. They turn "as a user, I want to reset my password" into checks a developer can build to and a tester can verify. Good criteria are specific, testable, and written before the work starts.
How to Write Acceptance Criteria With AI
Step 1: Paste the user story
Use the "As a, I want, so that" form if you have it. Add any rule you already know, such as "links expire after one hour."
Step 2: Pick the format
Choose Given/When/Then for behavior you will test, or a checklist for simple rules.
Step 3: Review the edge cases
The generator adds error paths and edge cases, such as an expired link or a wrong email. Keep the ones that matter and delete the rest.
Step 4: Track them on the sprint board
Add each criterion to the story in the sprint tracker below, so review checks every line.
Checklist vs Given/When/Then
Example story: "As a user, I want to reset my password so that I can sign in again."
| Format | Example | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Checklist | Reset link is sent to the account email. Link expires after one hour. | Simple rules |
| Given/When/Then | Given I requested a reset, when I open the link after one hour, then I see "link expired" and can request a new one. | Behavior you will test |
A full set for the same story covers three kinds of scenario: the happy path, a negative case, and an edge case.
Scenario: Reset link works
Given I requested a password reset
When I open the link within one hour
Then I can set a new password and sign in
Scenario: Unknown email
Given no account uses "[email protected]"
When I request a reset for that email
Then I see the same "check your inbox" message and no email is sent
Scenario: Link used twice
Given I already reset my password with a link
When I open the same link again
Then I see "link already used"
Acceptance Criteria vs Definition of Done
Acceptance criteria belong to one story and say what that feature must do. The definition of done belongs to the whole team and applies to every story, for example "code reviewed, tests pass, docs updated." A story ships only when it meets both.
| Acceptance criteria | Definition of done | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | One user story | Every story |
| Written by | Product owner with the team | The whole team, once |
| Example | "Link expires after one hour" | "Tests pass in CI" |
Use the Live Sprint App
The app on this page is a sprint tracker made with Taskade Genesis. Stories, criteria, owners, and status sit on one board. Clone the app to your workspace. Cloning an app that includes automations needs a paid plan. On Free, you earn free AI credits through referrals and invites, and you can upgrade any time. Pro is $10/mo billed annually.
Related Generators
- Agile user story generator to write the story first
- Project requirements generator for the full scope
- Software requirement specification for a formal spec
- Test case generator to turn criteria into test cases
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good acceptance criteria?
Each one is testable with a clear pass or fail, describes behavior rather than code, and covers the error cases as well as the happy path. If two people can read a criterion and disagree on whether it passed, rewrite it.
What is the Given/When/Then format?
It is a way to write a test as a short story. Given sets the starting state, When is the action, and Then is the result you expect. It comes from behavior-driven development and is often called Gherkin.
Who writes acceptance criteria?
The product owner usually drafts them, and the team refines them in backlog review before the sprint. The generator gives you a first draft to discuss, not a final answer.
How many acceptance criteria should a user story have?
Most teams aim for three to seven. Fewer can miss the error cases. More than about seven often means the story is too big, so split it into two stories.
Can AI write acceptance criteria for any user story?
It can draft them for most stories, as long as you give it the story and the rules you know. Review every line with the team. The AI does not know your system's limits unless you tell it.
Is the acceptance criteria generator free?
You can start on the Free plan, which includes 3 Taskade Genesis apps. On Free, you earn free AI credits through referrals and invites, and you can upgrade any time. Pro is $10/mo billed annually.