How to get client sign-off on requirements
Short answer: write the requirements as a numbered list with acceptance criteria, send them to the client, ask them to approve or comment on each item, record the answer, and treat any later change as a new version that needs approval again. You can run this by email and a spreadsheet, or use AI Office Pro to send requirements through a secure link and log every approval.
Five steps to a clean approval
Number every requirement
Give each requirement an ID, so the client can say yes or no to a specific item.
Add acceptance criteria
State how the client will know each item is done, in plain language.
List your assumptions
Write down what you assumed where the brief was silent, and ask the client to confirm it.
Ask for a response on each item
Request approve or change on every requirement, so silence is not mistaken for agreement.
Version every change
When something changes, create a new version, note what moved and get it approved again.
Why sign-off often goes wrong
Approval often happens in a chat message that nobody can find later, or covers a whole document instead of its parts. Then a requirement changes quietly, and the team and the client remember different versions.
How AI Office Pro helps
Clients approve or request changes on the generated requirements through a secure link, and every approval is logged. When requirements change, the client sees a plain-English summary of what changed between versions. Each task links back to the requirement it came from, so work stays tied to what was approved. A person on your team still reviews the requirements before they go to the client.
When email is enough
For a small, fixed-scope job, a numbered list sent by email with a written reply can be enough. A tool helps once several clients, several versions and several approvers are involved. See also how to turn a client brief into requirements and tasks, how to track deadlines and flag risks and the AI office manager for contractors and agencies.
Frequently Asked
Why get client sign-off on requirements?
It gives both sides one written version of what will be built. When scope changes later, the change is visible and can be priced, instead of becoming an argument about what was agreed.
What should a client sign off on?
The list of requirements, the acceptance criteria for each one, and the main assumptions. Ask the client to confirm or comment on each item, not on the document as a whole.
How should changes after sign-off be handled?
Treat them as a new version. Record what changed, why, and what it does to cost and time, then get the client to approve the new version. AI Office Pro gives clients a plain-English summary of what changed between versions.
How does AI Office Pro handle client sign-off?
Clients approve or request changes on the requirements through a secure link, and every approval is logged. Each task links back to the requirement it came from, so nothing is built that was not asked for.
Is a logged approval the same as a legal contract?
No. A logged approval is a clear record of what the client agreed to, but it is not legal advice and does not replace a contract. For legal questions, speak to a lawyer.