Using Aligno

Feedback & Approvals

Collect precise feedback from clients and get clear approval decisions. No more guessing what "looks good" means.

Commenting

When you share an asset link, clients can leave two types of comments:

  • Pinned comments. Click anywhere on the design to pin feedback to a specific spot. No more "that thing on the left."
  • Markup shapes. Instead of a single point, a reviewer can draw a box around an area, an arrow pointing at something, or a freehand mark. The comment stays attached to whatever they drew.
  • General comments. Overall feedback that isn't tied to a specific location.

Pins and markup work the same way across all four asset types, and markup is available on every plan, including the free tier.

On PDFs, pinned comments attach to a specific page. Use the page controls to move between pages and see page-specific pins.

On videos, pinned comments are anchored to a precise timestamp. When a reviewer pauses to leave feedback, the current frame is captured with the pin. Clicking the comment later seeks the player back to exactly that moment.

Each comment is attributed to the name the client enters, with a timestamp. You can see exactly who said what and when.

Pin a comment or draw a box, arrow, or freehand mark. Every note stays anchored, with an explicit approval on each version.

Managing Comments

As feedback comes in, you'll want to track what you've addressed and what's still outstanding.

Resolving Comments

When you've addressed a piece of feedback, mark the comment as resolved. This keeps your feedback list clean and shows progress. The typical workflow:

  1. Client leaves a comment: "The logo should be bigger"
  2. You make the change in your design tool
  3. Mark the comment as resolved in Aligno
  4. Upload a new version when all feedback is addressed

Filtering Comments

Use the filter buttons to switch between views:

  • All. Every comment, resolved or not
  • Open. Only unresolved comments (what still needs work)
  • Resolved. Comments you've addressed, kept for reference
Comments are permanent
Clients cannot edit or delete their comments once submitted. This maintains an honest record of the feedback process. You can mark comments as resolved, but they remain visible.

Approvals

The ultimate goal is a clear decision. Clients can set the status of an asset to one of two states:

Approved — Ready to proceed
The client is satisfied with the design. This is the green light to move forward, with no more revisions needed for this version.
Changes Requested — Revisions needed
The client wants changes before approving. Review their comments, make the revisions, and upload a new version.

What happens after approval?

When an asset is approved:

  • The approval is recorded with the approver's name, email (if provided), and timestamp
  • The asset becomes read-only, so no new comments can be added
  • You have a clear record for your files that the client signed off

If you need to make changes after approval, upload a new version. This resets the approval status so the updated design can be reviewed.

On a paid plan you can also export an asset's comments and decision history as a CSV or a client-ready PDF sign-off. See exporting feedback.

Want to see what your client sees?
Understand the client's view of the feedback and approval process.