Can a client approve a variation from site?

Yes. They open the link on their phone, choose approve or reject and sign.

Can I compare a revised variation with the first one?

Yes. Version compare shows what changed between two drafts.

Does the client need an account to acknowledge a claim?

No. They confirm receipt from the link in the email.

Guides · By document

Variations and progress claims: getting sign-off quickly.

A variation the client has not approved is work you might not be paid for, and a progress claim with no acknowledgement is a gap in your cash flow forecast. Both need a quick yes or no and a record of when it came. This guide shows how to get that from SignAndGo.

A variation order the client can answer in a minute

Keep variations short. One page describing the change, its effect on the programme and the agreed amount, with a Yes/No choice for approve or reject and a signature underneath. A text field lets the client add a condition, such as wanting a different tile. Save it as a template so site managers fill in the description and send it from the job.

If the client rejects it, they can decline with a reason. You know where you stand before the materials are ordered.

Who approves, and in what order

On a residential job the owner is usually the only signer. On commercial work a variation may need the client's project manager first and then their finance lead. Put them in order. If your own quantity surveyor checks the numbers before anything leaves the office, add them as an approver at the start.

Your QS approves the variation internally.
The client's project manager signs.
The client's finance contact signs last.
Your accounts team is copied in on the result.

Progress claims that get acknowledged

Send each progress claim with its supporting schedule. If you only need the client to confirm they received it, send it review-only and they acknowledge receipt, giving you a dated record. Where you want them to sign off the amount, add a signature and date at the foot of the claim.

Automatic reminders keep the claim in front of the client until they act, and the audit trail shows when they first opened it.

Seeing the whole job at once

Name each envelope after the job and the envelope list shows every open variation and claim side by side. A project manager can tell in seconds which changes are approved and which are still waiting. Approved variations can be filed into Xero automatically, alongside the invoice that follows.

At the end of the job, that list is also your record for the final account. Each approved variation has its completion certificate and its audit trail, so a dispute over whether a change was agreed is answered by opening one envelope.

Common questions

Can a client approve a variation from site?: Yes. They open the link on their phone, choose approve or reject and sign.
Can I compare a revised variation with the first one?: Yes. Version compare shows what changed between two drafts.
Does the client need an account to acknowledge a claim?: No. They confirm receipt from the link in the email.