Email Distribution

Email distribution lets you send statements of work to clients, stakeholders, and team members for review and approval—without requiring them to have an account. Recipients receive professional emails with secure links to view, comment on, and approve your work.

What is Email Distribution?

Email distribution helps you:

Share Work Externally: Send SOWs to clients and partners
No Account Required: Recipients can view without signing up
Secure Access: Unique, time-limited links for each recipient
Track Engagement: See who viewed and when
Get Approvals: Collect feedback and sign-offs
Maintain Professionalism: Branded, well-formatted emails
Preserve Privacy: Control who sees what

How Email Distribution Works

The Process

Prepare your SOW: Ensure it's ready for external review
Choose recipients: Select who should receive it
Customize the email: Add subject, message, and context
Select version: Choose which version to share
Send: Distribution goes out immediately
Track: Monitor who viewed and responded
Collect feedback: Receive comments and approvals

What Recipients Receive

Professional email with:

Your custom subject line
Personal message from you
Link to view the SOW
Instructions for reviewing and approving
Company branding (if configured)
Secure access token

Secure access including:

No login required
Unique link per recipient
Time-limited access (configurable)
View SOW content
Add comments
Approve or request changes
Download PDF

Sending Distributions

Basic Distribution

Open your SOW
Click "Distribute" or "Send for Review"
Add recipients:
- Enter email addresses
- Or select from client contacts
- Or choose team members
- Add multiple recipients at once
Customize the email:

Subject line:

Website Redesign - Statement of Work for Review

Message:

Hi John,

I've prepared the Statement of Work for the website redesign
project we discussed. Please review the requirements and let
me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Key highlights:
• Mobile-first responsive design
• Timeline: 8 weeks
• Budget: Within approved range

Please review by Friday, December 22nd.

Thanks!
Jane

Select options:
- Which version to send (default: current)
- Access expiration (default: 30 days)
- Allow comments (yes/no)
- Request approval (yes/no)
Click "Send Distribution"

Send to Client Contacts

For existing client contacts:

Click "Send to Client"
Select contacts from dropdown:
- Primary contact (checked by default)
- Additional stakeholders
- Decision makers
- Technical contacts
Customize message for this audience
Send

Benefits:

Pre-filled contact information
Grouped by organization
Track by client
Maintain relationship history

Send for Approval

Specifically requesting approval:

Click "Submit for Approval"
Select approvers:
- Mark who must approve
- Mark who should be informed
- Set approval order (if sequential)
Set deadline: "Please approve by [date]"

Add approval instructions:

Please review the following areas carefully:
• Section 3: Mobile requirements (new)
• Section 5: Timeline and milestones
• Section 7: Acceptance criteria

Click "Approve" if everything looks good, or "Request Changes"
with specific feedback if modifications are needed.

Send approval request

Approval tracking:

See who approved
See who's pending
Send reminders
Track comments
Generate approval report

Distribution Options

Recipient Permissions

Control what recipients can do:

View Only:

See SOW content
Download PDF
Cannot comment
Cannot approve

View and Comment:

See SOW content
Add comments
Ask questions
Cannot approve

View, Comment, and Approve:

See SOW content
Add comments
Approve or reject
Request changes

Access Expiration

Set how long access lasts:

Options:

7 days (for quick reviews)
14 days (standard)
30 days (extended reviews)
60 days (long-term projects)
90 days (maximum)
Custom date

After expiration:

Link stops working
Recipient sees expiration message
Can request extension
Data remains secure

Extension process:

Recipient clicks expired link
Requests extension
You receive notification
Grant or deny extension
New link generated if granted

Version Selection

Choose which version to send:

Current version (default):

Most recent content
Work in progress
For ongoing collaboration

Specific version:

Locked snapshot
Approved version
Historical reference
Comparison baseline

Example scenarios:

Scenario 1: Initial Review
Send: Current version (v5)
Reason: Want feedback on latest changes

Scenario 2: Formal Approval
Send: Specific version (v4)
Reason: Locking content for approval

Scenario 3: Reference
Send: Specific version (v3)
Reason: Show what was originally approved

Managing Distributions

Distribution History

Track all distributions:

Open SOW
Click "Distribution History"
See all past distributions:

Distribution History for Website Redesign SOW

Dec 15, 2024 - v5 sent to 3 recipients
  • john@client.com (Viewed, Approved)
  • sarah@client.com (Viewed, Pending)
  • mike@client.com (Not viewed)
  Sent by: Jane Smith
  Message: "Updated mobile requirements"

Dec 10, 2024 - v4 sent to 2 recipients
  • john@client.com (Viewed, Approved)
  • sarah@client.com (Viewed, Requested Changes)
  Sent by: Jane Smith
  Message: "Initial draft for review"

Tracking Engagement

Monitor recipient activity:

For each distribution, see:

Who viewed the SOW
When they viewed it
How long they spent
What sections they read
What they downloaded
Comments they added
Approval status

Engagement indicators:

John Smith (john@client.com)
├─ ✓ Email opened: Dec 15 at 2:30 PM
├─ ✓ SOW viewed: Dec 15 at 2:31 PM
├─ ✓ Viewed sections: All sections
├─ ✓ Time spent: 23 minutes
├─ ✓ Downloaded PDF: Dec 15 at 2:45 PM
├─ ✓ Added 2 comments
└─ ✓ Approved: Dec 15 at 3:00 PM

Sarah Johnson (sarah@client.com)
├─ ✓ Email opened: Dec 15 at 4:15 PM
├─ ✓ SOW viewed: Dec 16 at 9:00 AM
├─ ✓ Viewed sections: Sections 1-3 only
├─ ✓ Time spent: 8 minutes
├─ ✗ Not downloaded
├─ ✗ No comments
└─ ⏳ Status: Pending

Mike Davis (mike@client.com)
├─ ✗ Email not opened
└─ ⏳ Status: Not viewed

Use engagement data to:

Follow up with non-responders
Identify areas of concern (long viewing times)
Prioritize feedback from engaged reviewers
Send targeted reminders

Sending Reminders

For pending recipients:

Open distribution
See pending recipients
Click "Send Reminder"

Customize reminder:

Hi Mike,

Just following up on the SOW I sent last week.
We need your approval by Friday to stay on schedule.

Link: [SOW Review]

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

Send reminder

Automatic reminders (optional):

After 3 days if not viewed
After 7 days if not responded
24 hours before deadline
Day after deadline

Recipient Experience

What Recipients See

Email they receive:

From: Jane Smith via [Your Company]
Subject: Website Redesign - Statement of Work for Review

Hi John,

I've prepared the Statement of Work for the website redesign
project we discussed. Please review the requirements and let
me know if you have any questions or concerns.

[Review Statement of Work]

Key highlights:
• Mobile-first responsive design
• Timeline: 8 weeks
• Budget: Within approved range

Please review by Friday, December 22nd.

Thanks!
Jane

---
This is a secure, time-limited link. It expires on January 15, 2025.

Clicking the link:

Opens secure page (no login)
Shows SOW content formatted professionally
Navigation to browse sections
Comment box to add feedback
Approve/Reject buttons
Download PDF button

Mobile-friendly:

Works on all devices
Responsive design
Touch-friendly navigation
Easy to read and review

Responding to Distribution

Recipients can:

View content:

Browse all sections
Expand/collapse items
Read acceptance criteria
Review test procedures
See version history (if enabled)

Add comments:

General SOW comments
Item-specific feedback
Ask questions
Suggest changes

Take action:

Approve the SOW
Request specific changes
Reject with explanation
Defer decision (comment only)

Download:

PDF version for offline review
Includes all content
Professional formatting
Suitable for printing

Distribution Templates

Approval Request Template

Subject: [Project Name] - SOW Approval Needed by [Date]

Hi [Recipient Name],

I need your approval on the Statement of Work for [Project Name].

Please review by [Date] so we can proceed with implementation.

Key areas to review:
• [Section/Topic 1]
• [Section/Topic 2]
• [Section/Topic 3]

If everything looks good, click "Approve" at the bottom of the page.
If you have concerns, please add comments or click "Request Changes."

[Review and Approve]

Thanks!
[Your Name]

Progress Update Template

Subject: [Project Name] - Updated SOW (v[X])

Hi [Recipient Name],

I've updated the Statement of Work based on our recent discussion.

What's new in v[X]:
• [Change 1]
• [Change 2]
• [Change 3]

No action needed, just keeping you informed.

[View Updated SOW]

Thanks!
[Your Name]

Client Review Template

Subject: [Project Name] - Statement of Work for Your Review

Dear [Client Name],

Thank you for choosing us for [Project Name]. Attached is the
Statement of Work outlining what we'll deliver.

Project Overview:
• Scope: [Brief description]
• Timeline: [Duration]
• Next Steps: [What happens after approval]

Please review and let us know if you have any questions. We're
happy to schedule a call to discuss any aspect of the project.

[Review Statement of Work]

We look forward to working with you!

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Contact Information]

Best Practices

Preparing to Distribute

Before sending:

Create a clean version
Review for typos and errors
Ensure consistent formatting
Check that all sections are complete
Verify links and references work
Test PDF export quality

Consider your audience:

Client executives: High-level summary upfront
Technical stakeholders: Detailed requirements
Project managers: Timeline and milestones
Legal/Procurement: Terms and deliverables

Writing Effective Messages

Do:

Personalize the greeting
Explain why you're sending it
Highlight what's important
Set clear expectations
Provide deadline if applicable
Offer to answer questions
Thank them for their time

Don't:

Use generic "Please review" only
Forget to mention deadline
Overwhelm with too much detail
Use internal jargon
Send without context
Forget contact information

Following Up

Timing:

Wait 2-3 business days before first follow-up
Send reminder at midpoint of review period
Final reminder 24 hours before deadline
Don't spam with daily reminders

Follow-up message:

Hi John,

Following up on the SOW I sent on [Date]. Just want to make
sure it didn't get buried in your inbox.

Do you have any questions or concerns I can address?

We need approval by [Date] to maintain our project timeline.

Thanks!
Jane

Security and Privacy

Secure Access

Security features:

Unique tokens per recipient
Cannot be forwarded (token-based)
Time-limited access
HTTPS encryption
Audit log of all access
No persistent cookies

What's logged:

Who accessed when
What they viewed
How long they spent
What they downloaded
Comments they added
Approval decisions

Privacy Controls

You control:

Who receives distributions
What they can see
How long they have access
Whether they can comment
Whether they can download
What tracking data you see

Recipients:

Only see what you send
Cannot see other recipients
Cannot forward with same access
Access expires automatically
Can request data deletion

Troubleshooting

Email Not Received

Common causes:

Spam/junk folder
Email address typo
Corporate email filter
Delay in delivery

Solutions:

Ask recipient to check spam
Verify email address
Resend distribution
Contact recipient directly
Use alternative email

Link Not Working

Possible reasons:

Access expired
Token invalid
Link incomplete (email client truncated)
System maintenance