Client approval guide

Make approval a clear client decision.

Clients do not need a more complicated process. They need to know what they are looking at, how to respond, what counts as a revision, and what happens after they approve.

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Dealokr protects the deal journey and keeps its proof record connected. Payment processing and third-party file permissions remain with their respective providers.

The framework

A client-friendly approval flow has four simple jobs.

Approval should feel easy to complete and difficult to misunderstand. Separate the decision from discussion threads and from the final-file handoff.

01
Prepare
State the deliverable, the version, and the exact review points that matter.
02
Invite
Ask one named person or group to approve or send specific revision points.
03
Resolve
Confirm whether a request fits the agreed scope before producing the next version.
04
Validate
Record the approval decision so the project has a visible closing point.
05
Release
Make final files available according to the agreed delivery route.

Put it into practice

Make the next action unambiguous.

These prompts turn delivery from a moment of uncertainty into a client-ready route with a clear decision and a clear record.

Define the review target before the client opens the link.

A client cannot give useful feedback if they do not know what they are meant to validate. Introduce the version, the intended deliverable, and the decisions that are open. For a website that may be content, desktop layout, mobile behaviour, or a specific conversion path; for a brand, it may be the chosen route and agreed applications.

The goal is not to force a fast “yes.” It is to give the client enough context to make a real decision without reopening every previous exploration.

Ask for revisions that can become work.

A revision request is most helpful when it points to a version, a location or element, the desired change, and the reason it matters. “I do not like it” starts a conversation; “replace this headline because it no longer matches the agreed offer” gives you an action to assess.

If a request changes the outcome, audience, format, or amount of work, keep that distinction visible. A well-run approval workflow protects the relationship by making a new request discussable before it becomes unpaid delivery.

Make validation a separate event from final access.

Validation says the client accepts the agreed review version. Final handoff says which final, source, or reference files become available next. They may happen close together, but treating them as separate steps prevents unclear situations where a client has every asset before either side can tell what was accepted.

Dealokr stores the operational decision and proof trail. Any actual external file access still depends on the relevant provider permissions.

Working checklist

The approval brief to send with every review version.

Use these three blocks in the delivery message or in the deal record. They give the client a short path instead of a vague request for feedback.

What is being reviewed

Name the version and the agreed deliverable.
Point to the two or three decisions that need attention.
Say what is intentionally not part of this review.

How to respond

Offer approval or a specific revision request as the clear choices.
Name the person or group expected to decide.
Give a reasonable response date suited to the project.

What happens next

Explain how in-scope revisions will be handled.
State what happens after approval.
Keep final/source file access tied to the agreed release path.

Client-ready wording

Useful language for the moments that matter.

Use these as starting points, then replace the bracketed details with the real scope, timing, and decision for the project. They are practical prompts, not legal clauses.

Review invitation

Give the client a small, usable decision.

“This is version [number] of [deliverable]. Please either approve it or send the specific revision points for the agreed scope by [date]. The review focuses on [two or three points].”

The client immediately knows what a useful answer looks like.

When feedback is vague

Turn a feeling into a project decision.

“I want to make sure I solve the right issue. Could you point to the relevant screen, section, or version and describe what should change for the result to feel right?”

It keeps the conversation constructive without dismissing the client’s reaction.

When approval arrives

Close the review step in writing.

“Thank you, I have recorded approval for version [number]. I will now complete the final handoff listed in the deal: [files or access].”

The client knows approval was received and what delivery follows.

A practical boundary

Clear terms and a clear record work better together.

A good delivery workflow does not manufacture certainty. It makes the agreed scope, review version, client response, and final handoff easier for both sides to inspect. Keep your own commercial, legal, invoicing, and provider obligations separate and up to date.

Common questions

Clear answers before the project gets complicated.

What should a client approval workflow include?

It should identify the version being reviewed, review criteria, who can decide, a route for specific revision requests, the validation decision, and the next release action.

Can a client request changes after approval?

The parties can discuss any new request, but a recorded approval makes the accepted version clear. Whether later work is included depends on the deal terms and the new request.

Does approval automatically move money or grant external access?

No. Approval is a workflow event. Payment processing follows the configured provider, and external file access follows the relevant provider’s permissions and the agreed release path.

A protected next deal

Protect the payment journey and final handoff in one deal.

Start with clear terms, a protected payment journey through the configured provider, and protected delivery instead of trying to reconstruct the end of a project from scattered messages.

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