How to Set Up Automated Triage for NDAs

If you are tired of manually reviewing every request to decide which ones are "safe" and which ones are "high risk" despite syncing your NDA versions, you are not alone.

Here are 7 steps to set up "Automated Triage" for NDAs when you have zero additional headcount:

1. Define Your NDA "Risk Tiers"

• Categorize every incoming NDA into three buckets:
  • Tier 1 (Standard/Low Risk)
  • Tier 2 (Negotiated NDA/Standard Fallbacks)
  • Tier 3 (High Risk/Third-Party NDA Paper)
• Create a simple "NDA Risk Matrix" that defines exactly what moves a deal from Tier 1 to Tier 3 (e.g., any NDA with a non-disclosure period over 5 years or unusual IP ownership language).
• This provides the logic the automation will use to "sort" the NDA traffic before it ever hits your desk.

2. Add NDA "Gatekeeper" Questions to Your Intake Form

• Update your self-service NDA portal intake form to include specific "Triage" questions.
• Ask Sales: "Is the counterparty insisting on their own NDA form?" and "Does the NDA include a non-compete clause?"
• These binary (Yes/No) answers provide the specific data points needed for the system to route the NDA automatically.

3. Build an "NDA Priority Score" in Your Tracker

• In your Master NDA Tracker, create a hidden column that calculates a "Risk Score" based on the intake answers.
• Assign points to NDA risk factors: +10 for "Counterparty Paper," +5 for "Indemnity Included," 0 for "Standard Company NDA."
• This allows you to sort your daily NDA queue by "Risk Score" rather than just "Most Recent," ensuring you see the dangerous ones first.

4. Use Zapier "Paths" for Automatic NDA Routing

• Set up a Zap that triggers when an NDA intake form is submitted.
• Use Path A for Tier 1: Automatically send the Standard NDA for signature via DocuSign.
• Use Path B for Tier 2: Notify Sales to choose a Standardized NDA Fallback.
• Use Path C for Tier 3: Send an instant Slack or email alert directly to you for manual NDA review.

5. Automate the "Low-Risk NDA" Fast Track

• Configure your automation so that any Tier 1 "Standard" NDA request never even enters your inbox.
• Set the system to auto-generate and send the NDA for signature immediately upon form submission.
• This ensures that 60–70% of your total NDA volume is handled by the system while you are focusing on high-value, complex contracts.

6. Create "Automated Rejections" for Non-Standard NDA Terms

• For NDA requests that are clearly outside of company policy (e.g., an NDA that never expires), set up an automated email response triggered by the intake form.
• The email should say: "This NDA request exceeds our standard risk parameters (Term) and requires a manual legal review, which typically takes [X] days."
• This manages Sales expectations for the NDA negotiation instantly without you having to type a single word.

7. Monitor the "NDA Triage Drift"

• Once a month, review the deals that were "Fast-Tracked" to ensure the NDA triage logic is still sound.
• If you find a "High Risk" NDA that accidentally slipped through as "Low Risk," adjust your intake questions and Zapier filters accordingly.
• This turns your NDA triage system into a self-correcting machine that protects your time and the company's liability.

Conclusion

And there you have it… 

We hope this article helps you reclaim your bandwidth by setting up "Automated Triage" for NDAs when you have zero additional headcount.

If you would like to see a professional version of an NDA triage system with built-in risk scoring, check out our contract negotiation software.