Web site managers should be checking that enquiries, feedback and other user input sent from the web site by email is working. But lesser used functions such as error reporting may also send messages by email - these should be tested regularly as well.

Many transactional web sites (also called "web applications") will use email alert messages for internal processes such as:

• System errors
• Unusual or inconsistent transactions
• Missing content (not found) requests
• Accounts locked out

They should be tested in the same way as normal business processes:

• Is the alert raised when the appropriate event occurs?
• Does the message get sent to the mail server?
• Does the intended recipient receive the message?
• Was the message recorded, analysed and resolved/escalated in a timely manner?

Remember to ensure the messages are not subject to filtering, modification or delay.

A humourous example appeared in last week's Deep Trouble, a comedy from BBC Radio 4 set in the future on board a Royal Navy nuclear stealth submarine - the crew were surprised that an incoming message had been received since it looked like spam. It turned out that the junk mail filter was turned off, the message was from the Admiral and it contained a secret NATO code phrase "PRIZE HAMPER" to authenticate the sender.

Let's hope "PRIZE HAMPER" doesn't get this blog post blacklisted.