Why approvals cause delays
You’ve drafted the assets, written the copy, and assembled everything… but now you’re stuck waiting on feedback.
Sound familiar?
Approval delays are one of the biggest reasons campaigns slip; especially when feedback happens across emails, chat threads, and scattered docs.
The fix isn’t more reminders. It’s a consistent, centralized process, and Confluence gives you a simple, effective space to manage it all.
In this post, we’ll walk through how to manage creative reviews and stakeholder sign-offs inside Confluence, using simple tables, mentions, and comments. We’ll also show optional enhancements if your process needs more structure.
Step 1: Create a Central Review Table
Rather than asking “what’s the status on that asset?”, build a basic approvals tracker using a native Confluence table.
Tips:
- Use consistent status labels like Draft, In Review, Needs Edits, Approved
- Include due dates to reduce bottlenecks
- Keep this table on the main campaign or asset page
Step 2: Use Inline Comments and @Mentions
Rather than collecting feedback in external tools or messages, encourage stakeholders to comment directly on Confluence pages:
- Use inline comments for specific suggestions (e.g. “Can we soften this CTA?”)
- Use @mention to tag reviewers and notify them of needed input
- Add page-level comments for general feedback or decisions
💡 Tip: For collaborative copy review, paste draft content into a Confluence page instead of linking to external docs—this keeps discussion and content in one place.
Step 3: Make Approvals Explicit (and Visible)
Once feedback is resolved, record sign-offs clearly. This helps the team avoid “Was this approved or not?” confusion.
Simple ways to confirm approval:
- Add a ✅ in the table status
- Update the status column to “Approved”
- Leave a visible comment like: “✅ Approved by @Anna on July 12”
✏️ Optional: Create a checkbox section if you want reviewers to self-check
Optional Enhancement: Pages Manager for Cleanup & Versioning
If you have multiple reviewers or frequent revisions:
- Use Pages Manager for Confluence to keep versions clean
- Archive earlier versions or drafts to reduce clutter
- Set page ownership to ensure someone maintains the latest version
This is especially useful for campaigns with recurring formats, like monthly newsletters or webinars.
🛠️ Optional Add-on: Pages Manager for Confluence
Example: Confluence-Based Approval Flow
- Upload or paste asset draft into the campaign page
- Tag relevant reviewers using @mentions
- Track approval status in a simple table
- Record approvals visibly
- Clean up or archive once finalized
Final Takeaways
- Approvals don’t have to be a bottleneck when you build clarity into your process
- Confluence gives you everything you need for smooth reviews—comments, mentions, and tables
- For recurring or version-heavy workflows, tools like Pages Manager can help maintain structure
📍 Next in the series:
👉 Part 4: Report Campaign Results with Embedded Dashboards and Trackers →
