If you don’t get excited at what workflow approval software has to offer, then you either haven’t discovered what it can offer, or you’re training for the next Olympics in the sport of email ping pong. 🏓
Because without workflow approval software, once you hit ‘Send’ to inform a client or other stakeholders that the changes are made, and that they need to approve them before they go live, you’re often in for a lo-o-o-ng wait.
We’ve all been there…
You’ll spend ages waiting for a reply only to realize – when (or if) it eventually does arrive – that it’s relatively meaningless, with vague references to changes that make you wonder whether they’re even looking at the same webpage or design you are.
Sound familiar? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at how workflow approval software can help you slash approval times by up to 80%.
What’s with workflow approval software & do you really need it?
For those of us who’ve worked in web design and development, feedback loops and approvals that take weeks (if not months) are nothing out of the ordinary.
As an industry, we’ve somehow started to accept them as a reality we can’t change.
Yet, imagine this in any other context.
For example, imagine taking your car to a garage to have a heap of work done, only to turn up four full weeks after it was ready just to kick the tires and drive off.
Or, perhaps even worse, having a meal at a gourmet restaurant only to have it sit in front of you for an entire month before commenting that it was cold, and not what you ordered.
None of these scenarios would make any sense in the real world.
Meanwhile, as designers, developers, and project managers, we’re living the real-world equivalent of these fictitious examples, which – if we’re being honest – really do sound like a complete joke.
Of course, these delays, in addition to being frustrating (as if that weren’t enough), eat into your budget, profit, and capacity to deliver more—and better—work as a team.
That’s why having the right workflow approval software to keep things moving and in check isn’t a luxury – it’s vital.
Atraim is the solution trusted by client-facing solopreneurs through to the largest Fortune 500 brands to power visual collaboration and the creative workflows that enable them to cut turnaround times for creative projects from weeks to days.
Related: Hear how Seahawk Media’s Team of 70+ Relies on Atarim
Our integrations and built-in if this, then that automations are one of the ways larger teams take advantage of Atarim. Since many already use Jira, Asana, ClickUp, etc., – they use Atarim to power their design feedback workflow and can still send this straight to the platform they use for project management.
Atarim is the only platform that delivers fast feedback & a better workflow quite like this, which comes with a range of benefits, including:
- Reduces Delays: Automated workflows ensure that approvals happen swiftly, keeping your projects on track.
- Increases Accountability: With clear approval steps, everyone knows their responsibilities and deadlines.
- Enhances Collaboration: Streamlined workflows foster better communication among team members and stakeholders.
Over (admittedly, quite a few) years, I’ve learned that the right tools can make or break a project.
I’ve witnessed projects crumble due to bottlenecks in the approval process, and I’ve seen them soar when everything flows seamlessly.
How To Develop a Smooth Workflow Approval Process (Examples)
You now know why you and your team deserve a smooth workflow for approvals – one will help you ship your best work faster and with less guesswork.
So, let’s dive into some guidance and practical examples:
Take Advantage of Automation
Atarim’s built-in if this, then that automation is designed to help you build out exactly what your team’s workflow looks like with triggers, actions, and conditions.
Here are just a few examples of how teams are using automation:
- Automated Task Assignments: When a new task is created, it can be automatically assigned to the appropriate team member based on their role or availability. This ensures that tasks are promptly picked up and prevents delays.
- Approval Reminders: Configure automated reminders to notify stakeholders when approvals are pending. This helps keep the approval process moving smoothly and prevents bottlenecks.
- Status Updates: Implement automated status updates to inform team members and clients as tasks progress through different stages of the workflow. This reduces the need for manual follow-ups and keeps everyone informed.
- Conditional Logic: Use conditional logic to create dynamic workflows that adapt based on specific criteria. For example, if a task is marked as high priority, it can automatically be escalated to a senior team member for approval.
Design Custom Approval Processes
Not every team works the same way.
Not every team has the same approval process.
With Atarim, you can build out an approval process that makes sense for how you want to work with multiple project milestones”
- Client Feedback Loops: Set up a workflow that includes multiple rounds of client feedback and approvals. Each milestone can have specific instructions and deadlines, ensuring that feedback is received and incorporated in a timely manner.
- Internal Review Processes: Create processes that require multiple internal approvals before a task is marked as complete. This is particularly useful for quality control and ensuring that all deliverables meet your standards.
Integrate With Your Tech Stack
We have native integrations with all of your favorite tools, such as Slack, Trello, Asana, Jira, and Monday.com – you name it, we either have it or will very soon.
This allows you to keep using the tools you love while taking advantage of Atarim’s powerful workflow features.
- Slack Notifications: Receive real-time notifications in Slack when a task requires your attention or when approval is needed. This ensures that you never miss an important update.
- Trello Integration: Automatically create Trello cards for new tasks and update them as tasks move through the workflow in Atarim. This keeps your project boards in sync and up-to-date.
Let’s Take a Look at Some Real-World Examples
Let’s take a quick look at some practical ways design teams are using Atarim’s workflow approval and automation tools to improve the efficiency of the entire approval process.
Page Approval
Page approval is the perfect way to mark an entire page as 100% complete and fully aligning with all collaborators on your project that this has been done.
To mark a page as approved, simply head to the project in question.
And then, navigate to the specific page on the website in question. Once there, look for the Approve Page button on the collaboration toolbar, as shown below:
Once clicked, you’ll be presented with the following confirmation including the choice to mark all of the remaining unresolved tasks on this page as complete.
To confirm that you’d like to mark this page as approved, click Approve Page again.
Design Approval Workflow
- Step 1: Task Created – A new design task is created and assigned to a designer.
- Step 2: Initial Review – The designer completes the task and submits it for an initial review.
- Step 3: Client Approval – The task is sent to the client for approval. If approved, it moves to the next stage; if not, it is sent back to the designer with feedback.
- Step 4: Final Approval – Once the client approves, the task is sent to the project manager for final approval before being marked as complete.
Content Publishing Workflow
- Step 1: Content Draft – A content writer drafts an article and submits it for editorial review.
- Step 2: Editorial Review – The editor reviews the draft, provides feedback, and requests revisions if needed.
- Step 3: Client Review – The revised draft is sent to the client for approval.
- Step 4: Publishing – Once the client approves, the content is scheduled for publishing on the website.
Bug Fix Workflow
- Step 1: Bug Reported – A bug is reported and a task is created in Atarim.
- Step 2: Developer Assignment – The task is automatically assigned to a developer based on their expertise.
- Step 3: Fix and Test – The developer fixes the bug and submits the task for testing.
- Step 4: Quality Assurance – The QA team tests the fix and either approves it or sends it back to the developer for further work.
- Step 5: Deployment – Once the fix passes QA, it is deployed to the live environment.
Other Workflow Approval Solutions
When it comes to workflow approval software, the market is filled with robust tools designed to streamline project management and enhance team collaboration.
While we’re big fans of Atarim for the obvious reasons – 1) we’re the makers and 2) that it is the only platform that combines visual collaboration with automation and integrations with the other tools we use, we do want to recognize that there are other solutions out there that are also great options to use either independently or in combination with Atarim.
Markup.io
Strengths:
- User-Friendly Interface: Markup.io offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to annotate and provide feedback on web pages.
- Real-Time Collaboration: The tool allows multiple stakeholders to collaborate in real time, making it ideal for iterative design processes.
Atarim’s Edge:
- Greater Customization: While Markup.io excels in real-time collaboration, Atarim offers more customization options for workflow automation. Users can tailor workflows to fit their specific project needs, from task assignments to automated reminders and status updates.
- Advanced Automation: Atarim’s automation capabilities surpass Markup.io by allowing more complex, conditional logic to handle various project scenarios efficiently.
Marker.io
Strengths:
- Seamless Integration: Marker.io integrates well with popular project management tools like Trello, Asana, and Jira, facilitating easy bug tracking and feedback collection.
- Ease of Use: The simplicity of capturing and reporting issues directly on live websites makes it a favorite among developers.
Atarim’s Edge:
- Comprehensive Workflow Management: Atarim not only handles bug tracking and feedback but also offers a holistic approach to project management with its workflow automation. This means you can manage everything from design approvals to content publishing within a single platform.
- Enhanced Reporting and Analytics: Atarim provides detailed reporting and analytics to help teams track performance and identify bottlenecks, offering deeper insights compared to Marker.io’s more basic reporting features.
ClickUp
Strengths:
- All-in-One Platform: ClickUp is known for its versatility, offering a wide range of features from task management to time tracking and goal setting.
- Custom Views: Users can switch between different views (list, board, calendar) to manage tasks according to their preference.
Atarim’s Edge:
- Specialization in Web Projects: While ClickUp is a powerful generalist tool, Atarim is specifically designed for web development and design projects, making it more specialized for teams in this industry.
- Workflow Templates: Atarim’s pre-built workflow templates are tailored for web design and development, providing a quicker setup compared to the more generic templates available in ClickUp.
In short: we think you’ll really like ClickUp as a general, all-purpose project management platform, but it’s even better when paired with Atarim. 😉
After Action Report – How Could Better Workflow Approval Software Help Your Business?
Having effective workflow approval software is crucial for maintaining project momentum and ensuring quality outcomes. The benefits of streamlined approval processes are manifold, impacting not only the efficiency and productivity of your team but also the satisfaction of your stakeholders and the overall success of your business.
The Benefits of Effective Workflow Approval Software
- Reduce Delays: By automating and streamlining the approval process, you can significantly reduce the time it takes to get approvals, thereby keeping projects on track and avoiding costly delays.
- Encourage Collaboration: Efficient workflow approval software fosters better communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aligned and informed throughout the project lifecycle.
- Improves Accountability: Clearly defined roles and responsibilities within the workflow ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them and when, which increases accountability and reduces the risk of errors.
- Boosts Efficiency: Automation reduces the need for manual interventions, freeing up valuable time for team members to focus on more strategic tasks and increasing overall productivity.
- Ensures Consistency: Standardized approval processes lead to more consistent outcomes, maintaining high standards of quality across all deliverables.
What Should You Look for When Choosing Workflow Approval Software?
When selecting the right workflow approval software for your business, consider the following factors:
- Customization Options: The software should offer the flexibility to customize workflows to fit your unique business needs.
- Automation Capabilities: Look for tools that provide advanced automation features to handle repetitive tasks and reduce manual effort.
- Integration with Other Tools: Ensure that the software integrates seamlessly with your existing project management and communication tools.
- User-Friendly Interface: The tool should be easy to use and intuitive, reducing the learning curve for your team.
- Reporting and Analytics: Detailed reporting and analytics capabilities are essential for tracking workflow performance and making data-driven decisions.
- Scalability: Choose software that can grow with your business and handle increased workloads efficiently.
Questions to Ask When Deciding on a Solution
- What are our specific workflow needs and challenges?
- How customizable is the software to fit our unique processes?
- Does it offer robust automation features to reduce manual tasks?
- Can it integrate with our current tools and systems?
- Is the interface user-friendly for all team members?
- What kind of reporting and analytics does it provide?
- Is the software scalable to accommodate our future growth?
- What is the level of support and training provided by the vendor?
By carefully considering these factors and asking the right questions, you can choose a workflow approval software that not only meets your current needs but also supports your long-term business objectives.
Ready to take your workflow approval processes to the next level?
Atarim offers advanced automation, unparalleled customization, and seamless integration to help you streamline your workflows and boost your project efficiency.
