Before you approve, check five things: it answers the brief, it fits the reader, the facts are right, nothing risky slipped in, and it is in the right format. If all five pass, approve it, even if you would have done it differently.
Why approval needs a list
Approving means "I am OK with this going out under our name." Once you approve, problems become your problems. A short list makes approval fast and safe.
The five checks
1. It answers the brief. Read the brief. Does the work deliver that result, for that reader, with every must-have? If not, nothing else matters yet.
2. It fits the reader. Would the person receiving it understand it quickly? Is the main point near the top? Is the tone right for them?
3. The facts are right. Check every number, date, name, price and link. Spot-check two or three against the source if there are many.
4. Nothing risky slipped in. Promises you cannot keep. Discounts nobody agreed. Private data. Claims about competitors. Anything legal or medical.
5. The format is right. File type, size, length, brand rules, naming. The boring checks that cause embarrassing resends.
What not to check
Your personal taste. If the work passes all five checks and you would just have written it differently, approve it. Rewriting good work teaches people that the real brief is "guess what the boss likes."
A checklist to copy
APPROVAL CHECK · [deliverable] · [date][ ] Answers the brief: result, reader, must-haves[ ] Clear for the reader: main point first, right tone[ ] Facts checked: numbers, dates, names, prices, links[ ] No risks: promises, discounts, private data, claims[ ] Format right: file, size, length, brandApproved by: ______
When to say "approved with changes"
If the problems are small and clear, like a typo or a date, say "approved once you fix these two." It saves a round and shows trust.
Approve faster with a first review
M-Tracker gives finished work a first review against its brief and standards before it reaches you, so checks one and five are usually done. Clients can approve or request changes from a link, with no account. No screenshots and no activity tracking.
Where M-Tracker fits
M-Tracker gives every task a clear brief and every finished piece of work a first review, in plain words, before it reaches the manager. No screenshots, no scores.
Try M-Tracker free14-day trial. No credit card. No employee surveillance.
Questions people ask
What if there is no brief?
Ask for one before reviewing. Approving work with no brief means approving against your memory.
Should two people approve?
Only for high-risk work. Two approvers often means each assumes the other checked.
Work you can trust, without redoing it.
Your team gets feedback before work reaches you, or your client.
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