What is client proofing software?
Client proofing software gives an agency a controlled way to present campaign work to a client, collect feedback against the correct version and manage requested changes before approval. Client comments and revised versions stay attached to the campaign assets they belong to.
Feedback belongs to the version the client actually saw.
What problem does client proofing software solve for agencies?
Client proofing software gives agencies a controlled feedback cycle instead of letting client comments fragment across email, Slack, calls, documents and screenshots.
“Can you change the CTA?”
“Legal prefers the earlier wording.”
“Use the other hero image.”
The only question worth answering: which asset and which version does this feedback belong to?
What is a client proof?
A client proof is a specific version of a campaign asset presented to the client for feedback before approval.
What makes it a proof is the context it carries: the campaign it belongs to, the asset it is, the version the client is looking at, and the feedback recorded against that version.
Any of those can show the client the work. None of them records which version was reviewed, or keeps the client’s comments attached to it afterwards.
How is client proofing different from client approval?
Client proofing produces feedback and requested changes; client approval records an explicit decision on a specific version.
They run in sequence, they are owned by different steps, and they are not interchangeable.
| Client proofing | Client approval |
|---|---|
| Client reviews work | Client makes a decision |
| Produces comments | Produces an explicit decision |
| Produces requested changes | Applies to a specific version |
| Can require revised versions | Records what was approved |
| Ends at ready for approval | Begins after proofing |
| P4 | P1 |
A client with zero open comments has not approved anything.
Resolving every comment means the work is ready to be decided on. The decision itself belongs to client approval.
When does client proofing start?
Client proofing starts after the agency has completed campaign production and technical QA.
Rendering, links and implementation are checked before the client is invited in. Proofing is not where technical errors get caught.
Owners, production states, blockers and technical QA on the built asset.
campaign production management →One named asset, one known version, technically checked.
The client reads the proof and says what has to change.
How should a client proofing round work?
A proofing round starts with one known asset version and ends with either requested changes or a version that is ready for approval.
Seven steps, one asset: Email 02 — Reminder in the Summer Sale campaign.
Version 1
The client receives the proof.
Client feedback
Contextual comments on the parts that need work.
Changes requested
The agency knows exactly what must change.
Agency revises
A new version of the asset is created.
Version 2
The updated client proof.
Feedback resolved
No unresolved requested changes remain.
Ready for client approval
The round ends here.
Why does client feedback have to stay attached to a version?
Because feedback should not float independently from the version the client saw.
A comment written on Version 2 stays a comment on Version 2, even after Version 3 exists. That is what makes the history readable months later.
Version history is the record of how the work changed, and of who asked for each change.
That is proofing history, not an approval record. Which version was approved, by whom, is a separate record kept in client approval.
What should the client see when proofing campaign work?
The client should see enough campaign context to understand exactly what they are reviewing without needing access to the agency's internal production workflow.
Two views of the same asset, with two different jobs.
What the client is not responsible for
Technical QA belongs to the agency, before proofing. The client’s job is to say what should be different.
Does the client need a LaunchSign account?
No. Clients can proof campaign work without creating a LaunchSign account.
A proofing round should not start with an onboarding request. The agency should not have to ask a client’s brand manager, legal reviewer or regional marketing lead to:
The client stays on the proof instead of joining the agency’s internal workspace: read the asset version in front of them, leave feedback on it, done.
Which client proofing capabilities actually matter?
Useful client proofing software preserves the relationship between the asset, its version, the client's feedback and the next revision.
These are not eight separate features. They are one chain, and it breaks at the weakest link.
Asset context
Which campaign asset is being reviewed?
Version context
Which version did the client see?
Contextual comments
What exactly does the feedback refer to?
Requested changes
What needs to change?
Version history
How did the work progress across proofing rounds?
Revised versions
What is the updated work?
Resolved feedback
Which requests have been addressed?
Ready for client approval
Where does client proofing end?
How is client proofing different from generic online proofing?
Generic proofing tools are often file-centric; LaunchSign's proofing workflow is built around campaign assets, versions and the wider campaign context.
| Generic online proofing | Campaign client proofing |
|---|---|
| File-centric | Campaign-centric |
| Creative files | Email, SMS, WhatsApp and landing-page work |
| File annotations | Feedback tied to campaign assets and versions |
| Broad creative workflows | Campaign production → proofing → approval |
Generic proofing platforms may be a better fit for video, packaging or complex creative-file review. LaunchSign is built for campaign work that has to be produced, proofed and approved before it is built and sent elsewhere.
How does LaunchSign handle client proofing?
LaunchSign keeps campaign proofs, client feedback and revised versions connected to the campaign assets they belong to.
One asset, three moments: the proof goes out, the client comments on it, the revised version takes its place in the history.
When is work ready to leave proofing and enter approval?
Campaign work leaves proofing when requested changes have been resolved and the correct version is ready for an explicit client approval decision.
This is the last thing client proofing produces. No decision has been recorded yet.
A separate workflow stage with a different question: who approved what, and on which version. Not the next status in the same list.
client approval →Related client proofing reading
All articles →Common questions
What is client proofing software?
Client proofing software lets an agency present campaign work to a client, collect feedback against the correct version and manage requested changes before approval.
What is the difference between client proofing and client approval?
Client proofing produces feedback and requested changes; client approval records an explicit decision on a specific version.
Does a client need a LaunchSign account to proof campaign work?
No. LaunchSign supports client proofing without requiring the client to create an account.
When does client proofing start?
Client proofing starts after the agency has completed campaign production management and technical QA, and the asset is ready for the client to see.
When does client proofing end?
Client proofing ends when requested changes are resolved and the correct version is ready for explicit client approval.
See how LaunchSign keeps client feedback tied to the work
See how campaign proofs, client comments and revised versions stay connected before the work moves to approval.
Explore LaunchSign →