A majority of the population use Microsoft Word for Redlining and it may seem like a good idea at first. There’s the track changes option which makes it easy to track alterations and visualize alterations from the original document. However, it is really easy to lose track of your edits combined with the hassle of saving numerous versions. Besides, there is the gaping hole of hidden metadata and an overwhelming number of Redlines. This normally alters the composition of the entire document in question.

Keeping in mind the limitations of Redlining using Word, DocuCollab has come up with an effective Contract Management Software. It automates and accelerates your contracts, proposals, quotes and other document transactions by up to 70%. We have compiled a list of six problems with Redlining contracts in Word for your awareness.

  1. Word and its Security Limitations

    Security is a paramount problem which arises when we use Word to Redline. The fact of the matter is that it is really easy to bypass document protection in Word. Any user can easily bypass the protection of a Word document by simply copying and pasting a protected document into another Word document. When dealing with negotiations compromising of multiple-levels, it is really easy to lose track of draft numbers and versions while saving multiple Word drafts making it an ineffective tool for Redlining. One must always remember to not trust Word blindly as anything can be altered at will. DocuCollab offers Paragraph Level Security to ensure maximum security for your contracts. Any user can lock or hide the contents of documents at the paragraph level by controlling digital rights to protect confidential data.

  2. The unsure functionality of Track Changes

    Word provides its users with a feature to track changes. It is a great and valuable tool for several reasons like providing feedback to a colleague and for jotting down notes. However, in Word, turning track changes off and making edits that aren’t obvious is as easy as turning track changes on. Because of this, there is an illusion of a complete Redlining, whereas, in reality, hidden changes do exist.

    Click here to read: Key Benefits of Document Management Software

    Besides, when you don’t accept all of the changes, it stays. If we mask the metadata, then the user might end up sending a “clean” copy when in reality it’s full of comments and changes. Then there is the added step of converting the Word document into a PDF file before sending. This makes sure that the metadata stays deleted and it is indeed a “clean” copy. This lapse creates an overwhelming need for firms and in-house teams to utilize contract management software for seamless Redlining.

    DocuCollab offers seamless contract review and negotiation with industry first online real-time document Redlining, review and collaboration platforms making sure that every document is indeed a “clean” copy.

  3. The confusion of numerous Redlines

    When a lot of people view and edit a Word document, the numerous redlines are extremely confusing.

    The colour may not even be red anymore owing to the continuous edits. This results in a classic hotchpotch of edits. They are carried out in different colours that have no specific meaning and reason and are complicated to inspect and scrutinize. The standardized colour schemes in Word are rendered useless for Redlining when being passed around to multiple people. DocuCollab gives its users the functionality of Real Time Change Tracking in which edits appear in real time to each reviewer with multiple colour options to reduce confusion and increase productivity.

  4. The tricky world of formatting in Word

    Every contract is different and so is their formatting. If the formatting doesn’t match then copying and pasting standard clauses from one contract to another is a headache. Besides, indulging in track changes often results in altered formatting. This leads to irrelevant comments in the margin and other inconvenient aspects in the document. The inclusion of lists in contracts further amplifies this problem. During the process of Redlining, the newly created list will alter the formatting majorly. This causes the whole document to lose its formatting integrity. With DocuCollab all your formatting hassles are taken care of and it just takes 30 seconds to generate and send legal pre-formatted contracts.

  5. The disparity in different platforms

    One of the major disappointments of Redlining using Word is that it rarely works in Office 365 and numerous other web-based formats.

    In most of the web-based previews like Gmail and Slack, the redline markings are masked when a user tries opening a redlined document. The only solution to this problem and to see the Redlines correctly is to open them on a user’s desktop which is inconvenient. DocuCollab offers real time collaborative document authoring on any device speeding up the e-signature of critical business documents and ensuring integration across all platforms.

  6. The added disarray of versioning

    Numerous changes in any contract in Word evokes the need to save numerous versions which can get messy and aid in unending confusion invoking unauthorized changes to critical clauses.

    DocuCollab Contract Management Software helps with auto sequencing and managing all these saved versions effectively. The user will control the access to the documents and share only those portions of the document that need editing resulting in a reduced number of versions and improved productivity. Besides, any user can track and prevent unauthorized changes to critical clauses using paragraph level workflow and edit permissions.

Click here to discover how your business can gain tremendously with DocuCollab and how to accelerate contracts closing by up-to 70%.