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Client approval
by link.

How approval by link works, what to look for in a solution and which mistakes slow approvals down. With a checklist for agencies and freelancers.

Published on October 5, 2026 · 5 min read

With client approval by link, your client receives an email with a personal link, opens the draft in the browser, comments directly on the artwork and makes a decision. No account, no password, no attachment that gets lost in an email thread. This guide walks through the workflow, a checklist for choosing a solution and the mistakes that cost the most time in practice.

What client approval by link means

You upload the draft to an approval portal and enter your client's email address. The portal sends a personal link. With one click, the client sees the current version, writes comments in exactly the right place and approves, requests a revision or rejects.

How it differs from two common alternatives: sending files by email quickly produces several file versions, and feedback ends up spread across email, phone and chat. Solutions that require a client account make every approver register first and remember yet another password. That is exactly the hurdle where approvals tend to stall.

The workflow in five steps

  1. Review the draft internally. It only goes to the client once your team is happy with it.
  2. Create a project, upload the file and set a deadline.
  3. Invite the approver by email address. They receive their personal link.
  4. The client reviews in the browser, marks up spots and comments.
  5. The client decides per file: approve, request a revision or reject. You see the decision with date and time.

Checklist: what to look for in a solution

  • The client needs no account and no password.
  • The link is personal and only valid for the invited person.
  • Comments can be placed directly on the artwork, including in PDFs and videos.
  • The decision applies per file and is recorded with name, date and version.
  • Several approvers per project are possible, and you see the status for each person.
  • Your team's internal comments stay invisible to the client.
  • There are automatic reminders before the deadline.
  • The provider openly states where data is stored and which service providers are involved. When client data is involved, that is a selection criterion; see the CLAPPO security page as an example.

Common mistakes that delay approvals

  • Sending unfinished drafts. Every typo correction costs you credibility and a round.
  • Not setting a deadline. Without a date, the approval slips.
  • Too many approvers and no decision-maker. When three people leave contradictory comments, the next round creates itself. Name one person who makes the final call.
  • Posting the link in public channels. A personal link belongs in an email to the invited person, not in a group chat.
  • Allowing feedback across several channels. Kindly ask the client to leave remarks in the portal so nothing gets lost.

What this looks like in CLAPPO

CLAPPO implements this workflow: personal link by email, comments and markups on the artwork, version comparison, decision per file and automatic reminders. Read more on the page client approval without an account. The result can be filed as a PDF project summary, as described in the guide Approval record.

Try approval by link in your own project.

See client approval without an account

More guides

Common questions

Asked briefly.
Answered clearly.

Does my client need an account for approval by link?

No. The client receives a personal link by email and opens the project directly in the browser, without registration and without a password.

What happens if the client loses the link?

In CLAPPO they simply request a new link, and a new email is sent to the invited address.

Can several people on the client side approve?

Yes. You can invite several approvers per project and see for each person whether and when they approved or requested a revision.

How do I keep approvals from sitting idle?

Set a deadline per project and have reminders sent for open approvals. Also name one person who makes the final decision.

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