The proposal includes two revision rounds. The client sends twelve separate messages and assumes they are all part of the first. Define a revision round as an agreed feedback and resubmission cycle, including how comments are consolidated and what happens when the brief changes.
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The right arrangement depends on the service and agreement. Two rounds is an example, not a universal rule. Operational clarity should support your commercial terms rather than quietly rewriting them after work begins.
Explain what the round includes
Describe the deliverable under review, the type of feedback expected and who consolidates it. State whether the next submission closes that round or whether another check is included. Avoid relying on a number without a shared explanation.
Distinguish corrections to your own work from a changed client requirement. A missing agreed element and a newly requested concept need different discussions, even if both arrive as comments on a file.
A revision-boundary worksheet
Deliverable and approved brief reference.
Included review cycles and their purpose.
Named feedback coordinator and approver.
Feedback channel and consolidation point.
Treatment of conflicting or late comments.
Difference between correction, refinement and changed scope.
Process for agreeing additional work or a revised commitment.
Evidence that a round has closed.
Check the wording with the appropriate commercial or legal owner where necessary. This is an operating template, not a substitute for professional contract advice.
An illustrative second round
A client asks for a headline refinement that fits the approved direction, plus an entirely new audience version. The account owner separates the requests. The refinement proceeds through the agreed round; the additional version receives an impact assessment and approval before production starts.
That conversation is easier when the team can point to a clear brief and revision record rather than arguing about whether the request feels small.
Learn from repeated exceptions
Review why rounds expand. An unclear brief, fragmented client feedback or an inadequate first submission may each need a different fix. Do not treat every additional comment as a client behaviour problem.
Related guidance: guide to working with an external operations partner.
