How It Works
From first draft to final obligation, without the spreadsheets
Five connected stages. One platform. Data from drafting carries through to redline. Approval outcomes feed directly to e-signature. Executed contract metadata populates obligation tracking without a re-entry step. No context switching between tools, no obligations tracked in a calendar with no owner.
The Five Stages
A contract workflow that stays together
Each stage feeds into the next. Data created in drafting informs redlining. Approval outcomes feed signature routing. Executed contract metadata populates obligation tracking automatically.
Template Setup
Import your existing Word templates or paste clause text directly. Define three to five clause alternatives per key position, mapped to counterparty risk profile and deal type. Set approval rule logic once per contract category. Done once, the system drafts from your playbook every time, not a generic baseline.
Draft Generation
Initiate a contract from a deal record or intake form. Pactthread pulls the right template, applies your clause library, and generates a first draft tailored to the deal type and counterparty profile.
Review and Redline
Counsel reviews AI-suggested edits, each with a plain-English rationale. Accept, modify, or escalate. Push clean tracked changes to counterparty. Every version is stored with full diff history.
Route and Sign
Approval chains execute automatically from your rule configuration. Once approved, send to e-signature via native signing or DocuSign and Adobe Sign integrations. Signature status syncs back to the contract record.
Track Obligations
Executed contract metadata populates the obligation calendar automatically. Payment milestones, auto-renewal opt-out windows, SLA deliverables, and performance requirements are extracted from the signed document, assigned to owners, and tracked with reminder cadences your team configures. No manual entry. No obligation lives only in the PDF.
Stage by Stage
What actually happens in each stage
Stage 1 + 2
Setup and Drafting
Template setup is a one-time investment, not a recurring overhead. Import your Word documents or paste clause text. Define three to five alternatives per key clause position. The drafting engine uses deal metadata from your intake form to pick the right starting point.
Most teams complete initial setup in one working day. The clause library improves over time as you approve, modify, and reject suggested alternatives during live contract cycles.
Stage 3 + 4
Redline, Route, and Sign
Redlining in Pactthread is not just a track-changes viewer. Each suggested edit carries a plain-English rationale: the risk being flagged, how the clause deviates from your standard position, and what the suggested change addresses. Counsel accepts, modifies, or escalates. Clean tracked changes go to counterparty. Every round is version-stored with full diff and author attribution.
Once the final version is agreed, approval routing executes from your pre-set rule configuration. The designated approver gets notified and can review in-app or via email link. Comments route back to the contract record. Signature follows immediately once the last approval is captured in the chain.
Legal Review
Approved by Dana Park
Finance Sign-off
Awaiting CFO
Execution
Pending approval above
Onboarding
Most teams are running live contracts within two weeks
Import templates
Upload your existing Word or PDF templates for NDAs, MSAs, vendor agreements, and SOWs. Our team reviews the clause structure with you and configures the initial playbook, clause alternatives, and risk-profile mapping in a single working session.
Configure approval chains
Set routing rules for each contract type and value threshold. Define who approves what, in what sequence, and what happens when an approver is unavailable. Test with sample contracts from your existing backlog before going live.
First live contract
Run your first real contract through the full workflow: draft, redline, route, sign, and obligation extraction. Our onboarding team is present for the first cycle. Most teams are comfortable running subsequent contracts independently by end of week two.
Walk through a live contract with us
We will run a real contract type from your stack through all five stages. 30 minutes, no slides.
Schedule a Walkthrough