**Recorded approvals:** define the stages, choose an approver for each one and record the decision with the date, time and version of the creative work. Preserve the approved version. WhatsApp can remain a channel for talking with clients, with a clear agreement on where they should confirm each approval.

Imagine this situation: the client sends a 40-second voice note on Tuesday night: "go ahead, just fix that one detail". The team goes ahead. Three weeks later, when the invoice arrives, the client asks who authorized that version. The voice note is still available, but the team and the client understood it differently.

When a change request and an authorization appear in the same message, the team needs to clarify what was approved. Finding information and revisiting agreements takes time. In State of AI at Work 2025, Asana reports that knowledge workers spend 55% of their time on coordination and administrative tasks, which it calls busywork. That figure covers work in general and does not measure chat approvals separately.

## How to keep WhatsApp and retain an approval record

My recommendation is to agree with the client on how approvals will be confirmed. They can keep sending messages on WhatsApp. On receiving a "Go ahead", the team sends a link to the version under review and asks the approver to record their decision in the workflow.

Make that agreement clear before the first submission: the client needs to know where to approve and how to request a change.

## The workflow in 4 steps

### 1. Name the stages
Define the status of the creative work: in production, in internal review, with the client and approved. This lets the team identify where the work stands and who needs to act. A description such as "someone has it" leaves that responsibility unclear.

### 2. Define one approver per stage
Agree with the client on who makes the decision at each stage and record that person's name. If two levels of approval are required, set up two consecutive stages, each with its own owner.

### 3. Record every decision with date and time
Keep the decision with the exact version the client reviewed, including the author, date and time. If feedback arrives in chat, add it to the workflow and ask the approver to confirm according to the agreed procedure.

### 4. Preserve the approved version
Keep the approved version unchanged. An adjustment after approval should create a new version and go through the approval stage again. That lets the team check which file the decision concerned if someone later says "I approved something else".

When the work is ready, send the approval link through WhatsApp. The client opens the version under review and approves it or marks requested changes on the work itself. The decision remains attached to the file, with the author and date, so the team can refer to it later.

## How to start the transition

Choose one client and one type of creative work for the pilot. Agree on how reviews will work and follow the first submissions. When introducing the change, explain that the record lets both sides check the approved version and the requested changes without relying on their memory of a conversation.

Our articles on the five classic operational problems of an agency and the real cost of delivery delays can help identify what needs to change. The [Academee Approval and Feedback journey](https://academee.ai/jornadas/aprovacao-feedback/), in Portuguese, covers how to organize comments, versions and decisions, including situations where feedback arrives through WhatsApp.

## Handling approval records and client data

A screenshot or voice note may require other messages for context to establish what was authorized and which version it concerned. Shared personal data also needs care: using a personal account for work can make it harder for the company to manage access. Law 13.709/2018, Brazil's LGPD, requires technical and administrative measures to protect personal data, including against unauthorized access.

A workflow with named owners, permissions and a history helps organize those controls. The validity of an approval and compliance with the LGPD depend on the circumstances and the practices adopted; switching tools alone does not guarantee either.

## A plan for the first week

1. Monday: choose the pilot client and the type of creative work.
2. Tuesday: agree with the client on where to approve and how to request changes.
3. Wednesday: send the first piece through the new workflow.
4. Thursday and Friday: follow up on decisions and use chat for updates and reminders.
5. End of the week: count review rounds and time to decision.

Use the first week's records to review the pilot. Compare turnaround times and review rounds with similar work across the client roster, accounting for differences between the work and the clients.

## Three situations to test the workflow

**The 11pm voice note.** On the eve of the launch, the client sends "totally approved" by voice note. The team adds the message to the workflow, identifies version 4 and asks the approver to confirm their decision on that file. After confirmation, the team replies in chat that approval is recorded and confirms the launch as agreed.

**The partial approval.** "Go ahead, just swap the photo." Before publishing, the team needs to clarify whether the client wants to review the new image. In the proposed workflow, the change creates another version, which goes back for approval. The record should show which file was reviewed after the adjustment.

**The client who disappears.** The work has been sent, the deadline is approaching and the client has not replied. The team tracks the pending decision and sends a reminder, which can be automated if the tool supports it. The response deadline and the procedure for proceeding or postponing delivery should be agreed with the client. The team should not treat silence as approval without checking that agreement.

## Frequently asked questions

**How can we help the client change the way they approve?**
Send a direct link to the work and explain how to approve or request changes. Guide the client through their first use to identify difficulties and provide help where needed.

**What if the client approves by voice note anyway?**
Add the message to the history and ask the approver to confirm the decision on the specified version. Only after that confirmation should you send a reply such as "recorded, version 3 approved". The record should distinguish the person who approved from the person who entered the information in the system.

**Does this add red tape to the relationship?**
The workflow can be simple: defined stages, one person responsible for each decision and a record tied to the version. During the pilot, check whether the client can complete the approval without unnecessary steps.

**What about approval given live, in a meeting?**
Record the decision and the version discussed, then ask the client to confirm in the workflow. If meeting minutes are kept, identify the file reviewed so the team can connect the conversation to the approved work.

**The client has three people with opinions. Who approves?**
Agree with the client on one person responsible for the decision at each stage. Others can contribute comments. If another person also needs to approve, create a stage for that decision.

With the workflow defined, [see how Wikimee structures approvals](https://www.wikimee.com/pt_br/produtos/) and bring an example of your current process to the conversation with the team.

### Sources and references

- Asana, State of AI at Work 2025, source of the 55% figure; Anatomy of Work Index, further reading on coordination tasks: [asana.com/resources/anatomy-of-work-index](https://asana.com/resources/anatomy-of-work-index)
- Law 13.709/2018 (LGPD), full text at Planalto, in Portuguese: [planalto.gov.br](https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2015-2018/2018/lei/l13709.htm)