Reviewing & annotations
How reviewers interact with requests and how you see their feedback.
On this page
The reviewer experience
When you send a request, each recipient receives a notification (email, SMS, or WhatsApp) containing a unique review link. The link is personal — it only works for that specific recipient.
Clicking the link opens the review page in any modern browser. The reviewer sees:
- Your message and the request title
- All uploaded files rendered in the browser
- Annotation tools in the toolbar
- A decision panel to submit their verdict
No account required. Reviewers can annotate and respond without creating a CleverApprove account. The link itself serves as their authentication.
Annotation tools
Reviewers have the following tools available on the file viewer:
- Rectangle — Draw a rectangular selection to highlight a specific area.
- Arrow — Draw an arrow pointing to a detail that needs attention.
- Freehand — Draw freely, like using a pen to circle or underline.
- Text — Add a text comment anchored to a specific position on the file.
Each annotation can have a colour chosen from a palette, making it easy to distinguish between types of feedback (e.g. red for critical issues, yellow for suggestions).
Annotations are saved automatically as they are drawn. The reviewer can delete any annotation before submitting their decision.
Submitting a decision
After reviewing the files the reviewer clicks one of the decision buttons (by default: Approve, Request changes, or Reject). They can also leave a written comment explaining their decision.
Once submitted, the decision is final — the reviewer can no longer edit their annotations or change their decision. You are notified by email as soon as a response is submitted.
Reviewers uploading files
If your approval flow requires the reviewer to submit a revised file (e.g. a signed document), they can upload files directly on the response page. These uploaded files are visible in the request detail view on your dashboard alongside their decision.
Viewing responses on your end
Open any request from your dashboard to see a full breakdown of responses:
- Each recipient's decision (approved / changes requested / rejected / pending)
- Their written comment (if any)
- All annotations they placed on the files
- Any files they uploaded
- The timestamp of their response
You can view annotations in an overlay on top of the original file to quickly see exactly what they marked up.
Do reviewers need an account?
No. Reviewers never need to create a CleverApprove account. Their unique link is all they need. This is intentional — reducing friction for reviewers leads to faster response times.
The link is single-use per decision: once a reviewer submits their response, they can still view it, but cannot change it. If they click the link again they see a confirmation of their submitted decision.