Client approval workflow

A client approval workflow that keeps the evidence

Move a client-facing document from working draft to a clear decision. The version, review activity and next action stay visible together.

Start an approval workspace

What this workflow is for

Approval is a decision gate, not another round of comments.

Use client approval when the team has resolved the working discussion and needs a customer to make a clear decision: approve a proposal, confirm a scope, accept a proof, or authorize the next stage of work. The document should be stable enough that the requester can say exactly what is being approved.

That distinction matters. A client can still ask questions during approval, but the team should not confuse open-ended review with a decision that changes what happens next. Keeping the current version, response and later history together gives both sides a reference point when the work moves forward.

The workflow

One document, every next step.

01
Your team
Set the working version
Put the document in the relevant client project and make the current revision clear.
02
Client
Gather final feedback
Share a review link and collect client comments against the document itself.
03
Your team
Resolve changes
Update the file, resolve the feedback and preserve the earlier version automatically.
04
Your team
Record the outcome
Use the document workflow to assign, set due dates and move the document to its next state.

Choose the right next step

Use approval when someone needs to say yes, no, or not yet.

The work has reached a decision point

Approval is appropriate when a proposal, estimate, proof or final report needs an accountable answer before the team begins the next commitment.

The version is ready to stand behind

Send the version that represents the decision. If substantial changes are still expected, use a review cycle first so the approver is not deciding on a moving target.

The team needs a visible outcome

A clear response tells the owner whether to proceed, revise or pause. It is more useful than an ambiguous email reply that later has to be interpreted.

Why keep it together

The file is the shared context.

A request for approval does not mean losing the discussion that preceded it.
The reviewer sees the document in context, not an attachment chain.
The final state and its history live together for the team.

Keep the process clear

Give the approver a decision they can actually make.

Say what approval unlocks

Frame the request around the next commitment: beginning production, confirming scope, issuing the final document or preparing it for signature. The person approving should know what their answer authorizes.

Keep feedback separate from the final state

Comments can explain why a document is not ready. Once they are resolved, the accepted version should be visibly distinct from the discussion that came before it.

Do not use approval as a signature substitute

Approval confirms a decision. When an agreement needs a signature, send the final document through the signing step so the request and signing activity are recorded correctly.

Questions, answered

Client approval workflow questions

When should we ask for approval rather than review?

Ask for approval when the document is ready for an accountable decision. Use review while you still expect the client to suggest edits or discuss options.

What should be approved?

Share the exact version that represents the decision: for example a final proposal, proof, scope or report. Do not rely on a generic label such as “latest”.

Can an approval request include a due date or owner?

Yes. The document workflow can show who owns the next action and when a response is needed, keeping that operational context with the file.

What happens after approval?

The document can proceed to the next action, such as delivery, an internal handoff or a formal signature request, while its review and version history remain available.

Start the workflow

Give the next document a place to go.

Free to start with one project and no card needed.