With StreamWork, you can route single assets or entire batches through automated, multi-stage approval workflows—ensuring every stakeholder weighs in at the right time.
Approval routing in StreamWork makes stakeholder sign-offs seamless. With just a few clicks, you can send a specific version of a creative asset through one or more approval stages. Choose who should review the asset and assign permissions—whether they can comment, leave a decision, or simply view the file—set a deadline, and let StreamWork automate the rest.
To get started with approval routing:
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To route an asset for approval, go to your Project and check the box in the top-left corner of the asset version you want to route. Then, click the three-dot menu below the thumbnail and select ‘Create Approval Routing.’
To start a batch approval, simply select multiple assets and choose ‘Create Approval Routing’ to send them through the workflow all at once.
Tip: To route all assets in a project or folder for approval, simply click ‘Route Project for Approval’ or ‘Route Folder for Approval’ on the right side of your screen while inside the project.
2. Next, the approval routing workflow builder will appear. You can either create a new approval routing or use a saved template. If it’s your first time routing an asset, simply set up your workflow and save it as a template for future use.
3. After selecting 'New approval routing,' you’ll be taken to the workflow builder. Here, you’ll see the creative assets you’ve selected for approval and the stage-by-stage structure of the routing. Depending on your StreamWork plan, you can add multiple stages and assign reviewers to each one.
4. Start by naming your first stage. Enter a name that identifies the department, team, or client this stage is for—for example, 'Legal Team.' This helps clarify who needs to review the creative assets in that step of the approval process.
5. Next, set a due date and time for the stage—for example, 'Legal team to review by Friday at 12 PM PST.' This ensures reviewers know exactly when their feedback is due.
6. Next, add the reviewers for this stage by typing their name or email address. Reviewers can be internal or external—no StreamWork account required. You can also share unlimited approval links at no cost.
7. Once reviewers are added, choose their permissions—such as whether they can comment, leave a decision, or simply view the asset.
To learn more about approval routing permissions, check out this Help Center article.
8. After adding reviewers, choose when the stage should be marked complete. Should all reviewers weigh in, or just one? You can also specify if only one decision is needed to move the asset to the next stage.
10. Once you're happy with the first stage, click 'Add New Stage' in the top right to build the next step in your workflow. Then, follow the same steps to set it up.
Tip: Need inspiration for your approval routing templates? Many teams start with a simple two-step workflow like 'Internal Review' → 'Client Review', which is perfect for sharing creative assets with external stakeholders.
Marketing teams often use a three-stage flow: 'Copy Review' → 'Design Review' → 'Marketing/Brand Review'—with an optional 'Legal Review' stage if needed. Looking for more ideas? Reach out to us anytime at support@streamwork.com.
11. When you're finished setting up all stages, click 'Route.' You’ll have the option to save your workflow as a reusable template, and StreamWork will automatically notify all reviewers in the first stage via email that their feedback is needed.
You can track the status of each stakeholder’s review at any time from the Projects → Approvals tab. You’ll see when a link was sent, when it was opened, whether comments were left, and if a decision was made. StreamWork automatically calculates the outcome for each stage. If a reviewer marks ‘Changes Required,’ your team will be notified to make updates and upload a new version. Once uploaded, routing will continue based on your designated settings. Learn more in this Help Center article on Approval settings.
Advanced approval routing
Depending on your StreamWork plan, the number of stages and reviewers you can add to an approval workflow may be limited. To unlock advanced routing features—including multi-stage workflows with more reviewers—explore our Team and Enterprise plans here.
Watch approval routing in action