Template · Client sign-off
Client sign-off template: get approval without the email chase
A client sign-off template gives the client a structured choice, a deadline and a clear way to respond. List two or three options instead of asking what they think, name the approvers, state what is and isn't being approved, and say what happens if the deadline passes. Copy the request below, or run it in Settle for Teams.
Last updated: 3 November 2026
What is a client sign-off?
A client sign-off is the point where the client confirms a deliverable or phase is accepted and the project can move on. It usually stalls the same way: the deliverable goes out with “let us know what you think”, the client says they’ll review it this week, and twelve days later the next milestone is still waiting and nobody knows whether the work is approved.
When you need a client sign-off template
- A milestone payment depends on approval. If the next invoice only goes out once the client approves, you need a dated record of that approval, not a reply buried in a thread.
- Several client stakeholders need to agree. When the marketing lead, legal and the CMO all have to approve, a structured request lets each person respond on their own and shows you who still hasn’t.
- The deliverable has a launch date. Put the deadline on the sign-off itself. Without one, the approval sits in an inbox until the launch date passes.
- You’ve been burned before. If a client has ever said “I never approved that”, a dated sign-off record protects both sides. It isn’t about distrust. It’s about clarity.
Copy-paste client sign-off request
Send it by email or from your project tool. Replace the bracketed text.
Subject: Sign-off needed: [deliverable] for [project]
Request: [Deliverable] is ready for your review: [link]. Please confirm one of the options below by [deadline].
Options: Approve: proceed as presented / Revise: send back with the specific changes needed
Who signs off: [names]
This covers: [what is being approved, e.g. the final logo suite and brand guidelines]
Not included: [what is not, e.g. print materials, which get a separate sign-off]
If there's no answer: I'll follow up on [deadline] to agree next steps. [Optional: if there's no response by [extended date], we'll proceed as presented, per our agreement.]
Campaign approval request
Use this when a campaign, ad set or content batch needs a go-ahead before launch.
Subject: Approval needed: [campaign] launches [date]
Request: [Campaign] is ready for final approval. Brief and creative: [link]. Launch is [date].
Options: Approve: launch as planned / Hold: needs changes before launch (say what)
Who approves: [names]
Approval closes: [day, time], at least 48 hours before launch. If not everyone has responded, I'll contact you directly.
How to structure the ask
These requests work because they follow four rules most approval emails break.
- Give options, not an open question. “What do you think?” invites a long reply. “Approve or revise?” gets a decision. Two options are often enough; add a third when there’s a real middle ground, such as approving with listed changes.
- Name a deadline. State the date and what happens if it passes. That isn’t aggressive, it’s professional.
- Name the approvers. “Please review” sent to the whole client team means nobody feels responsible. Name the people whose approval you need.
- Define the scope. Say exactly what is being approved and what isn’t. “Approve the website copy” is clear. “Approve the website” is not: does it include the design, the functionality, the hosting?
Where Settle for Teams fits
The request above works in any channel. The gap is tracking: following up, recording who approved, chasing the people who haven't. Settle for Teams runs that part.
Related agency template. The Campaign approval template asks “Which campaign do we launch?” with Campaign A, Campaign B and Campaign C, under Majority with a 1-week deadline. Use it when the client is choosing between campaigns rather than accepting one.
Settle for Teams costs $199 a month per workspace, with no per-seat fees, 25 managed decisions a month and a 7-day free trial. Your clients never pay and never create an account.
Client sign-off questions
What's the difference between a sign-off and an approval?
In practice they mean the same thing: the client confirms the work is accepted and the project moves forward. Some industries use sign-off for milestones and approval for individual assets. Use the term your client expects.
Should a client sign-off be legally binding?
A sign-off template is a project management tool, not a contract. It creates a clear record of what was approved and when, which helps if there's a dispute later. For contracts, NDAs and licensing agreements, use an e-signature tool alongside the sign-off.
What if the client doesn't respond by the deadline?
State the consequence in the request: follow up on the deadline day, raise it with the client sponsor, or proceed as presented under a clause agreed in your contract. In Settle, a decision that doesn't meet its rule by the deadline is marked Escalated and comes back to you with the reason. Settle doesn't contact anyone else and doesn't apply a default.
How many approvers should a sign-off have?
As few as possible. Every extra approver adds a potential delay. Include the people with real decision authority, not everyone who should be in the loop. Others can see the shared record after it closes.
Can I use this template for internal approvals?
Yes. The same structure works for sign-off from your own leadership, legal or finance team. Settle stakeholders can be inside or outside your company.
Run your next client sign-off on a deadline
Every client contact gets a private link, Settle reminds the quiet ones and closes it at your deadline. 7-day free trial, then $199/month with no per-seat fees.
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