Client Proofing and Approval: Keeping Revisions in Check

To keep revisions in check, decide before the job how many rounds of changes are included, collect all feedback in one place, keep versions clearly labelled and end every round with a written approval. Clients are not trying to be difficult. Without a clear process, feedback is scattered, the target keeps moving and the edit never ends.

Define rounds

Set expectations in the proposal, repeat them in the contract and mention them again in the message that delivers the first proofs. Three mentions feels repetitive to you and reasonable to the client.

A round is one complete cycle: you send images, the client sends all their feedback together, and you apply it. Clients tend to think a revision is any message. Teach them otherwise at the start.

In your contract and welcome message say:

• How many rounds are included (for example, two).
• That feedback should arrive in one batch per round.
• How long you take to return each round.
• What an extra round costs.

For a deeper look at the wording, see our post on revision policy.

Versions and comments

When there are several rounds and several people, naming becomes the problem. Keep it plain:

• Label every version. V1, V2, Final. Never overwrite.
• Keep comments next to the image, not in email, so nobody guesses which picture is meant.
• Number the changes in each round and check them off when done.
• Note who requested what, especially for couples or committees. Decide who has the final word.
• Keep the last version of the previous round for comparison.

Example of useful feedback: "Image 14: lighten the shadow on the left. Image 22: crop out the exit sign." Example of unhelpful feedback: "It's too dark." Ask for the first kind by giving clients a short form or instructions: mark the image, say what you want changed.

Approval step

Every round should finish with a clear yes. The approval step does three jobs: it tells you the work is done, it protects you if memories fade, and it triggers the next stage such as final payment and delivery.

A simple approval message:

Please reply or tick "Approved" once you are happy with this version. After approval, we move to final delivery. Further changes would be a new request and may carry a fee.

Collect the approval in writing, with a date. If you use an online tool, a button is best. If not, an email reply is enough, filed with the job. A delay in approval should not stall your calendar. Add: "If we do not hear by [date], we will deliver the current version."

Keep the tone of these messages the same as the rest of your service. A client who feels respected will usually accept a fee or a limit. A client who feels lectured will remember that instead of the photographs.

Handling late requests

Late requests will happen. A good policy keeps goodwill while holding the line.

1. Check the contract. What was agreed?
2. Decide if it is small. A tiny fix may be worth doing for free once.
3. Be friendly and specific. "That falls outside the two included rounds. A further round is 50, and it takes about two days."
4. Give a choice. Pay and proceed, or keep the approved version.
5. Record the decision with the job.

Never agree to unlimited edits in a rush. Nothing is gained by giving in to the third round of revisions, and the next client will hear about it.

Example policy

A policy is only useful if you can say it out loud without feeling awkward. If a sentence sounds harsh, rewrite it until you would be happy to say it to a friend.

These are examples, so adapt the numbers and tone.

• Two rounds of edits are included per gallery or album.
• All feedback for a round is sent in one message within 7 days.
• We return each round within 5 working days.
• Additional rounds are 50 each.
• Changes after approval are quoted separately.

If you offer a quick sneak peek, explain that it is not part of the formal revision rounds. And remember the client portal is the right home for review links.

How ClickBook helps

ClickBook has an edit queue with editing, studio review, client review and delivered stages, plus versions, comments and approvals. That keeps feedback and sign-offs on the job. Galleries stay in your own gallery tool. See it in the demo.

Example: a wedding album proof

These numbers and dates are examples. A couple has two included rounds on their album layout.

• Day 0: you send the first layout as V1 with a note: "Please send all changes in one message by Friday."
• Day 4: they send nine changes. You number them, apply them and return V2 in three working days.
• Day 8: they ask for two small swaps. This is round two, and you return V3.
• Day 10: they ask to move a page again. That is a third round, so you quote a fee, as agreed in the contract.

Because the rounds were counted and labelled, nobody argues about whether a request was "just a small tweak". Our post on the album design workflow goes through the layout stage.

Checklist before you send a proof

• The file or link is labelled with a version.
• The message says how many rounds are used and how many remain.
• There is a date for feedback and a date for your reply.
• You have said where comments should go.
• The approval wording is ready for the end of the round.

Frequently asked questions

How many rounds of revisions should I include?

One or two rounds is common for photo edits, and more for design-heavy work like albums. Choose a number, put it in your contract and say what extra rounds cost.

What is the difference between proofing and delivery?

Proofing is when the client reviews selected or edited images and requests changes. Delivery is the final handover once they approve.

How do I stop feedback arriving in five different places?

Pick one place for comments and tell the client in advance. Redirect messages sent elsewhere by pasting them into the main thread.

What if a client approves and then asks for changes?

Treat it as a new request under your policy. Say kindly that the job was signed off and quote a fee for further work.