Editing Contracts with Microsoft Word for Desktop in SpotDraft

Want to edit your contracts in Microsoft Word for improved performance or to work offline? SpotDraft now lets you seamlessly edit and save your contracts directly in Word!

This guide will walk you through the process of using the "Edit in Microsoft Word for Desktop" feature, which enables you to work on Word with your contracts. You can also navigate through the entire flow yourself here.

Who is this guide for?
This guide is for SpotDraft users who edit contracts, specifically editors and legal users.

Pre-requisites:

  1. Users should have Microsoft Word installed on their devices.
  2. Users should have an active license for Microsoft Word.

How to edit a contract using Microsoft Word on your device:

  1. Navigate to the Contract Record:
    • Go to the Contract Record for the contract you want to edit.
  2. Click the "Edit" button:
    • You'll see the "Edit" button.

  1. Select "Edit with Microsoft Word":
    • From the menu that appears, choose "Edit with Microsoft Word".
    • This will open a pop-up window. 

  1. Click "Proceed":
    • Click "Proceed" to open the document on MS Word.
    • The contract will open on Microsoft Word on your device.
    • The Summary Page will show that a user is actively editing the document with a yellow banner.

 

  1. Edit the Contract in Word:
    • Make your edits to the contract in Word.

  • Important: As a best practice, remember to save your changes frequently, by pressing Command + S on Mac and Ctrl + S on Windows, in Word to avoid losing your work. This will save a Draft version of your document in SpotDraft.

 

 

  1. Save Your Changes and Close Word:
    • Once you've finished editing, close the Word document.

  • If Word asks you for a confirmation to save the file while closing, hit on the “Save” button to proceed.

  1. Your Changes will be Saved:
    • Any changes you made in Word will be automatically saved as a new version of the contract in SpotDraft. The information will be shown with a green banner

Why use desktop editing in Microsoft Word?

  • Improved Performance: This can be especially helpful for very large contracts that might load slowly in the online editor.
  • Better document rendering: The document formatting remains intact which could change on the online editor.
  • Familiar Environment: Some users prefer the functionality and features of Microsoft Word.

Tips for Editing in MS Word:

  • Saving: Make sure to save your changes in Word frequently, as this ensures your edits are kept safe as a draft in SpotDraft.
  • Copy/Paste: When copy and pasting text, be sure to check for any unintended formatting changes that might have been copied from a different source.

Important Notes:

  • No Collaboration: The offline Word editing feature is not designed for collaboration. Only one user can edit the contract in Word at a time. To learn more about collaboration on the online editor, read here.
  • Security: SpotDraft automatically saves your contract versions as Draft when you press Command + S on Mac and Ctrl + S on Windows. This helps ensure your work is secure and protected.

Decoding Word Integration Warnings:

1. Upload Failed:

The above error only shows up when the connection between SpotDraft and Microsoft Word has terminated. This can happen because of a bad internet connection or no save activity. To resolve this, click Edit with Microsoft Word on SpotDraft again to open Word document in another window and copy changes done from here.

2. Protected Views:

The above error can be removed by following the steps here.

FAQs:

1. Is collaboration and DraftMate supported with this integration?

No, collaboration and DraftMate is not supported with this integration. You can use the online editors – Microsoft Office for Web and OnlyOffice – to collaborate with your team members.

2. Is DraftMate available for this integration for commenting and clause library?

No, this integration supports the native word comment functionality. You can still add team comments by adding a prefix Team: before the comment. Any comment not added with this prefix will be considered as an External Comment.

3. What happens if I do not save the changes and my session expires?

When the session expires, none of the changes will be saved on SpotDraft. It is important for users to ensure that they keep saving draft versions. Alternatively, users can re- start the session and copy - paste their changes in the new window.

Need More Help?

For further assistance or questions, please contact our support team at support@spotdraft.com

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