Deliverable Approval Gate (QA)

Deliverable Approval Gate (QA)

1. 01

   Freeze the deliverable version before it enters the portal

   Lock the file in the source system and push a single canonical version into the client workspace. Parallel copies in email threads are the most common cause of an agency approving one draft while the client reviews another.

2. 02

   Name the approver by role, not by name, in the portal record

   Client-side staff turn over faster than retainer cycles. Assigning approval rights to 'Head of Brand' rather than an individual keeps the gate valid when the contact changes.

3. 03

   Set an explicit approval window and state what happens at expiry

   A 3-business-day window with a written default (proceed as submitted, or hold) removes the ambiguity that turns a stalled review into a scope dispute.

4. 04

   Require a written reason on every rejection

   Portals that accept a bare 'rejected' click generate rework loops. Force a comment field so the revision brief is captured at the point of decision rather than reconstructed later.

5. 05

   Route approvals through one portal surface, never a mix of portal and email

   If a client replies 'looks good' in email while the portal record stays open, the audit trail breaks. Reply to email approvals with a portal link and close the loop there.

6. 06

   Log the approval timestamp and approver identity against the deliverable

   This record is what protects the agency in a billing dispute. Platforms such as Clinked and Assembly retain per-user action logs that can be exported if a client questions what was signed off.

7. 07

   Trigger the next phase only after the gate closes

   Downstream production, invoicing, or publishing steps should be blocked until the approval state flips. Manual overrides are allowed but must be recorded with a reason.