Settle for consultants
Phase sign-off that doesn't stall the invoice
Ask the client one question with fixed options, such as approve as presented, approve with changes, or revise, and give it a deadline. With Settle for Teams each client stakeholder responds from their own private link with no account, Settle reminds the quiet ones, and the decision closes Settled or Escalated with a record you can attach to the invoice.
$199/month · no per-seat fees · Up to 30 stakeholders per decision
Last updated: 3 November 2026
Why consulting sign-off stalls
You finished the phase three weeks ago. The deliverables are in a shared folder, and the client said they’d review them this week. That was two weeks ago. Your invoice is tied to sign-off, and you can’t send it until someone on the client side says yes. For many consultants this, more than scope creep or under-pricing, is what hurts cash flow: approval delay.
What consultants actually need
Most consultants chase sign-off over email. What closes it is a request with a fixed shape:
- A clear choice: approve, approve with changes, or revise
- A deadline, so the sign-off doesn't drift
- A response from client stakeholders who won't create an account
- A record that the client signed off, and when
E-signature signs a contract. Settle closes a choice.
E-signature signs a contract
Both parties agree to terms already negotiated, and you keep the signed document. Use it for the statement of work, the contract and the change order.
Settle closes a choice
“Do we proceed to phase 2?” or “Which scope do we commit to?” is a choice between options, made by one or more client stakeholders, by a deadline. Settle runs that step and records the outcome.
Most engagements need both. The statement of work is signed once; the phase gates, scope changes and final acceptance along the way are choices, and that is where sign-off stalls.
Three sign-off moments every consultant faces
Phase gates, scope changes and final acceptance, and the template and rule for each.
1. Phase gate: “Do we proceed to the next phase?”
The most common. You’ve completed discovery, strategy, design or implementation and need the client to approve before you move on and invoice. The Client sign-off template covers it, under Majority, so a client committee doesn’t need every member to respond.
2. Scope change: “Which scope do we commit to?”
Mid-engagement the client wants to add a workstream, cut a deliverable or change direction. The Scope trade-off template uses Creator decides: the client weighs in, you make the call. That fits when you’re the expert and the client’s input is advisory. Once it settles, you can add up to 3 follow-up actions, such as sending the revised statement of work, for stakeholders to claim and complete.
3. Final acceptance: “Do you sign off on the final deliverable?”
The last gate before the final invoice. Use the Client sign-off template with the rule set to Unanimity when every decision-maker has to be on the record. If they don’t all approve the same option by the deadline, it escalates to you instead of settling.
Where Settle for Teams fits
Settle for Teams runs the sign-off step. The deliverables stay where you keep them, and contracts stay in your e-signature tool.
The record: proof the client signed off
Every closed decision has a record you can share with a link: the question, the outcome, the decision rule, how many stakeholders approved each option and when it closed. It shows counts, never names or emails. Your dashboard shows exactly who responded and who didn’t.
- Invoicing. Attach the record link to the invoice as evidence the phase was signed off.
- Disputes. If a client later says nobody approved something, you have a record with the question, the options, the outcome and the date, not a buried email thread.
- Engagement history. Label each decision with the client or project, search by question or client, and filter by Settled or Escalated to see what was approved and where the client didn’t respond in time.
Pricing
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 whole team uses the same plan, and the client stakeholders you invite are never charged or counted as seats.
Consultant sign-off questions
Do my clients need to create an account?
No. Each stakeholder gets their own private link by email and responds in their browser. No account, no app. Your clients are busy, and asking them to sign up for another tool is a delay of its own.
Can I use Settle for client contracts or NDAs?
No. Settle closes a choice between options; it is not an e-signature tool. Use an e-signature tool for contracts, NDAs and statements of work, and Settle for questions like “Do you sign off on phase 2?”
What happens if the client doesn't respond by the deadline?
Settle closes the decision as Escalated and tells you the reason, for example no responses or no majority. Settle doesn't apply a default or escalate to anyone else. You get a record showing the deadline passed without the rule being met.
Can I set different decision rules for different sign-offs?
Yes. Each decision has its own rule. Majority for phase gates where more than half of the stakeholders need to approve, Unanimity for final acceptance where every decision-maker must approve the same option, Creator decides when you want the client's input but keep the final call.
Can I organise decisions by client?
Yes. Each decision can carry a client or project label. Search your decisions by question or client, and filter by status, such as Settled or Escalated, to see the history of an engagement.
Put your next phase gate on a deadline
Every client stakeholder 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.
25 managed decisions a month · Unlimited team members · Cancel anytime