Learn guide
How to create a review
A review gives the client a clear approval step before the approved work becomes an invoice.
Steps
Build a review from eligible work.
Reviews
Create client review drafts by period and prepare them for approval.
Client | Period | Total | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Northstar Studio | June 2026 | $2,420.00 | Sent for review | |
Brightline Labs | May 2026 | $1,680.00 | Approved | |
Aster Creative | May 2026 | $960.00 | Draft |
Step 1 of 6
Open Reviews
Open Reviews when you need to collect billable work into a client-facing review draft.
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Detailed guide
Create a review in Otterflow, step by step
This text version explains how a review turns eligible work into a client approval step before invoicing.
Step 1
Open the Reviews area
Open Reviews from the dashboard sidebar. Reviews are the approval layer between the Work Log and invoicing, so this is where you collect eligible billable work into a client-facing draft.
Step 2
Start a review draft
Choose Create review to open the review builder. The builder shows work that is eligible to be reviewed, such as billable work entries, fixed-fee items, and expenses that have not already moved into another active review or invoice workflow.
Step 3
Filter to one client
Choose one client for the review. A review should represent one client's approval decision, so the draft can only be generated cleanly when the included work belongs to the same client.
Step 4
Choose the review period
Choose the review period. The period decides which dated work entries and expenses are considered for the review. Use a monthly, quarterly, or custom period that matches the way you communicate work to the client.
Step 5
Choose the billing scope
Use the billing type filter when you want the review to include only hourly work, fixed-fee items, expenses, or a combination. This helps you keep the review focused when the client needs to approve only part of the available work.
Step 6
Check the included work
Check the eligible entries and totals before generating the draft. The review builder is the place to confirm that the right work is included, the dates make sense, and the total reflects the work you want the client to approve.
Step 7
Generate the review draft
Generate the draft when the builder contains eligible work for one client and a valid period. The draft can be reviewed internally before sending, so you can still adjust the review content before the client receives it.
Step 8
Send the review to the client
Send the review when the client review contact is ready. The client needs a review recipient name and email on the client record before the review can be sent. The client can then approve the review or request changes from the shared review page.
Step 9
Use the approval result
When the client approves the review, the approved work becomes ready for invoicing. If the client requests changes, update the review in Otterflow so the shared review page reflects the latest work.