A Client Approval Workflow for Agency Content

A simple approval workflow gives the agency and client a shared view of what is ready, who can approve it and what happens after feedback. It works for articles, campaigns, graphics and other deliverables.

Define approval before work starts

Agree on the deliverable, the person responsible for preparing it, the client approver and the channel for feedback. Set a realistic review window and clarify whether legal, brand or subject-matter review is needed. Record what counts as final approval and who can give it.

Send a review-ready version

Share the current version with the brief, the intended audience and any questions that need a decision. Label its status and version. Give reviewers one place to leave comments so that feedback is easier to consolidate.

Consolidate and resolve feedback

Ask the client to combine feedback from their stakeholders before returning it. The agency owner should identify conflicting requests, clarify ambiguous comments and record decisions. Changes outside the agreed scope can be discussed separately before work continues.

Confirm the final version

After revisions, send the updated version for explicit approval. Keep the approval, the approved file and the version identifier together. Do not publish or distribute a deliverable on the assumption that silence means approval unless that process has been agreed in advance.

Track the handoff

For each item, keep its title, owner, reviewer, status, due date, current version and approval record. Typical statuses are draft, ready for review, changes requested, approved and delivered. Restrict access to the people who need it and use an appropriate channel for sensitive material.

Review overdue items regularly and agree on the next action with the client. For a wider project start, use the client onboarding checklist.