How long does a review link last?

Seven days from the moment it is created. After that the page says the link has expired and you create a new one from the post.

Is the passcode sent in the email?

Never. The review email only says a passcode is required and to ask you for it. Send it by another route, such as a message or a phone call.

What happens if I edit a post that is already approved?

The approval is cleared, the post returns to draft, and any outstanding review link for it stops working. Ask for a new review so the published version is always the version that was signed off.

Can a reviewer approve only some of the week?

Yes. A weekly review link lists every reviewable post for that week and each one is approved or sent back on its own.

Approvals and client reviews

Approvals and private review links

Approvals are the reason PlanSend exists. A client opens a private link, reads the post exactly as it will be published, and approves it or asks for changes. No account, no screenshots, no chasing.

The states a post moves through

Draft — being written. Nothing is checked yet.
In review — a review link exists and a decision is expected.
Changes requested — the reviewer asked for something different.
Approved — this exact revision is signed off and can be scheduled.
Scheduled — waiting for its time.
Publishing, then Published or Failed.

Requiring approval

Every new brand starts with Require approval before scheduling switched on, in Settings. While it is on, a post can only be scheduled when the current revision is approved; the publisher checks again at publishing time. Turn it off for a brand you write for yourself, and drafts can be scheduled straight away.

Sending one post for review

Open the post and select Request review. This is available while the post is a draft or has changes requested.
Optionally add the reviewer's email address, so PlanSend sends the link for you, and a passcode.
Copy the link that appears. It is shown once: PlanSend stores only a hash of it and cannot show it again.

Creating a new link for a post revokes the previous one and moves the post to In review.

What your reviewer sees

A page headed Private review with your brand name and avatar, the post body, the images or video, and each channel's own version if you wrote one. They type their name, then choose Approve revision or Request changes, with an optional note. They can also leave comments without making a decision.

Review pages carry no analytics and tell search engines not to index them. The name a reviewer types is recorded with the decision and appears in the post's timeline, so you can prove who approved what.

Passcodes

A passcode is optional. Set one when you create the link, and the reviewer has to enter it before the post is visible. It is stored only as a hash, and it is never included in the review email — the email tells the reviewer to ask you for it. Any text is accepted, so pick something that is not easy to guess.

Reviewing a whole week

On the Week view of the calendar, select Share week and, optionally, a passcode, then Create private link. The link covers every post that week which is a draft, in review, changes requested or approved, and moves the drafts into review.

Your reviewer gets one page with a card per post and approves or sends back each one on its own. If you edit a post afterwards, that card is marked changed since shared and its buttons disappear, so nobody approves an out-of-date version; share a fresh week link when you are ready.

Revision safety

Approval belongs to a numbered revision, not to a post. Any edit bumps the revision, clears the approval, revokes the post's review links and cancels a pending schedule. If two people work at once, the second decision is refused with a message asking the reviewer to refresh, rather than being applied to text they never read.

Approving inside PlanSend

Owners, editors and reviewers who are members of the brand can approve from the post page without a link. Reviewers can do exactly that and comment, and nothing else. Whoever decides, the decision is recorded in the timeline and the people who need to know are notified.

Common questions

How long does a review link last?: Seven days from the moment it is created. After that the page says the link has expired and you create a new one from the post.
Is the passcode sent in the email?: Never. The review email only says a passcode is required and to ask you for it. Send it by another route, such as a message or a phone call.
What happens if I edit a post that is already approved?: The approval is cleared, the post returns to draft, and any outstanding review link for it stops working. Ask for a new review so the published version is always the version that was signed off.
Can a reviewer approve only some of the week?: Yes. A weekly review link lists every reviewable post for that week and each one is approved or sent back on its own.

Still stuck? Email [email protected].