Client approval process for agencies: brief, feedback rounds, final sign-off

The short answer: a good client approval process settles four things before the first draft: a written brief, a set number of feedback rounds, one person who gives final sign-off and one place where feedback is left. Versions get numbers, not names like “final”, and the approved version moves to a delivery folder with the written approval next to it.

This guide is for marketing, PR and video agencies working with clients, but the same creative approval process works for an in-house marketing team signing off work from suppliers.

The five stages

Stage	What happens	Who decides
1. Brief	the client states what they need, for whom, in which formats, by when	the client, with the agency
2. First draft	the agency delivers a proposal	the agency
3. Feedback rounds	the client comments, the agency revises	the review group
4. Final approval	one person confirms a specific version in writing	one person, named at the start
5. Delivery and archive	the approved version goes out in every format requested	the agency

Adobe Express describes a longer flow with quality checks, legal review and a check before going live. For everyday work the five stages above are enough; add legal review only where the industry requires it.

1. The brief

A short written brief saves whole rounds of feedback. At minimum:

• the goal (launch, hiring, announcement);
• the audience and channels (Instagram, website, print, in-store screens);
• exact formats and sizes (see social media image sizes);
• the client’s materials (logo, photos, copy) and where to find them;
• the deadline and who signs off.

Client materials shouldn’t arrive by email in pieces. Collect them with a file request link into the project folder, and take the logo and colours from the brand guidelines.

2–3. Feedback rounds

Agree the number of rounds in the proposal, for example two included rounds. The number matters less than having it in writing and being clear about what happens after the last one.

A deadline for each round. Asana starts from two to three business days per review cycle, adjusted for complexity and the number of reviewers.

A small review group. Asana suggests three to five people, each with a defined area: creative, brand, legal where needed. Ten people commenting on the same thing produce contradicting feedback.

Consolidated feedback. Ask the client to send each round’s feedback once, not in five emails over three days.

Specific feedback. “I don’t like it” can’t be fixed. “Bigger logo, white text on a dark background” can. For video, each comment should point to the exact second.

4. Final approval

• One person, named at the start. If the marketing director turns up in round three with new ideas, the process starts over.
• In writing, next to the file. An “approved” text message is gone in three months. An “Approved for publishing” comment on the exact file stays.
• On a specific version. The approval covers v3, not “the last file I sent”.

5. Delivery and archive

The approved version goes to a delivery folder, separate from work in progress, in every format the brief asked for. The working folder keeps the history of versions and comments. A year later, when the client asks for “last year’s banner with a new date”, you find both the file and the conversation.

A simple project structure:

2026-11_Acme_winter-campaign/
  01_brief/
  02_from-client/
  03_work/
  04_delivery/

For consistent file names, see file naming conventions.

How to do it in Nivlo

• Sections per client (from the Professional plan): each client gets their own area with its own access.
• Upload links for client materials, straight into 02_from-client.
• Comments on any file, on images, video, documents and PDFs, with @mentions that notify a colleague. On video, each comment is tied to the exact timecode.
• Versions: upload a new version over the file and keep the full history. The file keeps its place, links and history.
• Share links to the delivery folder: view only, web-version download or original download, with an expiry date if you want one. Password-protected links come with Professional, restricting a link to the client’s email domain with Business.
• Folder following: click Follow on the client’s folder and get notified when new files arrive.

Comments and video feedback are included from the Starter plan.

See also how marketing agencies and PR agencies work with their files.

Common mistakes

• No written brief. Every feedback round ends up fixing the brief, not the work.
• Unlimited rounds. The project never ends and stops being profitable.
• Feedback on four channels. Email, chat, phone and PDF annotations: nobody knows what was asked.
• “final_v2_FINAL.pdf”. Number your versions or upload them over the same file.
• Verbal approval. Without written sign-off on a specific version, any later dispute is your word against the client’s.