1
Click Create and select Draft a contract from my Template
Click the Create button in the top-left corner, then choose "Draft a contract from my Template" from the menu.
Create a Contract
Pactly gives you three ways to bring contracts into the system, depending on where the document comes from and what needs to happen next.
When is this useful?
Legal Counsel You are drafting an NDA for a new vendor engagement. You select your organization's NDA template, fill in the party details, and Pactly generates the document with your standard terms.
Legal Ops A vendor sends their standard service agreement. You upload it for playbook review so the AI can flag non-compliant clauses before your team starts redlining.
Contract Admin Both parties have already agreed on terms offline. You upload the final document and send it directly for e-signature.
Before You Begin
Section titled “Before You Begin”- You need the Create Contract permission (most roles have this by default)
- For template contracts: at least one template must be configured by your admin
- For playbook review: at least one playbook must be available
- For signature: your organization’s e-signature provider must be connected (or use Pactly e-Sign)
The Three Creation Paths
Section titled “The Three Creation Paths”Click Create in the top-left corner to see your options: draft from a template (your paper), review a third-party contract (their paper), or request an e-signature (ready to sign).
Option 1: Draft from a Template
Section titled “Option 1: Draft from a Template”Your paper. Use this when you are initiating the contract using your organization’s standard language.
Templates contain pre-approved language with variables (party names, dates, deal terms) that get filled in through an intake form. Your admin configures which templates and forms are available.
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Select the intake form for your template
Choose the intake form linked to the template you need. Each form shows a title and description to help you pick the right one. Use the search bar to filter by name if your organization has many templates.
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Confirm your selection and click Next
The selected form is highlighted. Click Next to open the intake form. The Back button returns to the Create menu if you need to change your selection.
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Answer the intake questions
The intake form opens with sections listed in the left sidebar. Start with the first section and answer each question. In this example, the General section asks what type of NDA you need. Select the appropriate option and click Next Section to continue.
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Enter party details
The Party Information section collects counterparty details: party type (Individual or Legal entity), the contracting entity from your side, and the authorized signatory. Fields marked with a red asterisk are required.
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Complete remaining sections and submit
Continue through any remaining sections (here, NDA-specific questions about the purpose of the agreement). The sidebar shows completion status for each section. When all required fields are filled, click Submit form to generate the contract.
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After submitting the form, Pactly generates the contract document with your standard language and the values you entered. The contract enters your repository in Draft status. From here, you can send it to the counterparty, route it for internal approval, or continue editing.
Option 2: Upload for Review
Section titled “Option 2: Upload for Review”Third-party paper. Use this when you have received a contract from a counterparty and want to review it against your organization’s standards using a playbook.
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Click Create and select Review a Third-party Contract
Click the Create button, then choose "Review a Third-party Contract" from the menu.
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Choose your method
Select how you want to create the contract. Use Intake Form if your admin has configured a structured intake process. Upload Document lets you upload the file directly and fill in details manually.
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Upload the counterparty's document
Drag and drop the contract file or click Browse to select it. Accepted format: .docx. The maximum file size depends on your organization's configuration.
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Fill in contract details
After the file uploads, the wizard advances to Fill in details. Pactly uses AI to detect the contract category (shown with a "Contract category was detected" badge). Enter a contract name, verify or change the category, and select the playbook to review against. The playbook list is filtered to show playbooks matching the selected category.
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Review and confirm
The confirmation screen summarizes everything: uploaded file, record name, contract type, and selected playbook. Verify the details are correct and click Confirm to create the contract.
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The contract enters your repository in In Negotiation status. Pactly runs an automated playbook review against the document, flagging positions that deviate from your organization’s standards. The results appear on the contract timeline.
Open the contract in Microsoft Word with Pactly Assist to review the flagged positions and begin negotiation. See Running a Playbook Review for the next steps.
Option 3: Upload for Signature
Section titled “Option 3: Upload for Signature”Ready to sign. Use this when you have a finalized document that needs signatures. No further review or negotiation is needed.
The e-signature wizard guides you through four steps: upload the document, fill in details, configure signing settings, and confirm.
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Click Create and select Request E-Signature
Click the Create button, then choose "Request E-Signature" from the menu.
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Upload the finalized document
Drag and drop the document or click Browse to select it. Accepted formats: .docx, .doc, .odt, and .pdf. The wizard shows a four-step progress bar at the top: Upload document, Fill in details, Set e-signature, and Confirm.
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Fill in contract details
Enter the contract record name and select the contract category. If the AI detects the category from the document content, it is pre-selected automatically (shown with a "Contract category was detected" badge). Click Confirm to proceed to signature settings.
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Configure e-signature settings
Choose your e-signature provider (Pactly e-Sign, SignWell, or DocuSign), select the signing order (Parallel for all signers at once, or Sequential for one after another), and review the uploaded files. You can add additional files to be combined into the signing package.
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Add signers
Scroll down to the Recipients section and click Add Signer. Search for contacts from your contact book or click New Signer to enter details manually. Each signer shows their name, email, and a message field for personalized instructions. You can also add Viewers (who see but do not sign) and CC Recipients (who receive a copy after signing completes). Choose whether the document should be marked as Fully Signed or Partially Signed upon completion.
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Review and confirm
The confirmation screen summarizes the file, e-signature provider, record name, contract type, and all recipients. Verify everything is correct and click Confirm to send the signature request.
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If using Pactly e-Sign, a signature editor opens after confirmation where you place signature fields, date fields, and initials on the document. Click Send Document when the fields are positioned.
The contract enters your repository in Pending Signature status. Signature progress is tracked automatically on the contract timeline.
What Happens Next
Section titled “What Happens Next”After creation, every contract gets:
- A unique contract reference number (format configured by your admin)
- A timeline that records all subsequent events
- Default contract properties based on your organization’s configuration
- Routing through any applicable approval workflows
The contract appears in your repository and is visible to anyone with the appropriate group permissions.