Here’s how Koncision Contract Automation’s document-assembly system works:
Selecting the Type of Contract
After you go through the process of subscribing to Koncision, or after logging in from our home page, your next step would be to select what version of our template you wish to use—one with basic Word formatting or one formatted using The Numbering Assistant, a numbering software that works with Word. (For more about The Numbering Assistant, go here.)
The difference between the two versions of the template is that the one with Numbering Assistant formatting uses “style separators.” For more about the practical implications of this choice, go here. If you’re unfamiliar with style separators or The Numbering Assistant, we recommend that you chose the template with basic Word formatting.
Selecting which version you wish to use would take you to ContractExpress.com, where you would select a template from the “Templates” tab on the ContractExpress toolbar. Hover over the “Templates” tab on the toolbar to see a list of templates available to you. Clicking on a template in the list will start the questionnaire associated with the template. At launch, your choice will be easy—initially we will offer one product, a confidentiality-agreement template for use in the U.S. market.
Completing the Questionnaire
In addition to being asked to supply party names and other factual information, when you complete a Koncision questionnaire on ContractExpress.com you will be asked to determine the deal terms—both business and legal—by selecting among the alternative options presented in each question.
Many questions will be accompanied by guidance regarding issues to consider when making your choices. Some guidance cites hyperlinked authorities. Unless otherwise indicated, the hyperlinks are to Westlaw; you’ll have to enter a Westlaw password to access the cited work. So as not to clog up the questionnaire, lengthier guidance has been placed on Koncision’s website; you’ll be invited to click on a link to access that guidance in a new window.
ContractExpress doesn’t offer simple cut-and-paste document assembly. Instead, it’s logic-driven—answering one question can cause the remainder of the questionnaire to be reconfigured.
Revising the Output Document
Completing a questionnaire will result in creation of a Word document that will be stored on your ContractExpress “Workspace.” Some users will need to revise the output document to reflect unique deal terms that weren’t reflected in the Koncision questionnaire. That’s to be expected—the potential variety in deal terms is such that we can’t expect our questionnaires to cover every single permutation. But for most users, using Koncision will create a draft that addresses at least a majority of the issues using language that is exceptionally clear. And you’ll save time in the process.
For guidance on formatting issues to bear in mind when revising a Koncision output document, go here.
Creating Additional Output Documents
If some time after completing a ContractExpress questionnaire you return to create another contract that shares many of the same terms as the contract you created previously, you don’t need to start with a new questionnaire. Instead, simply click on the appropriate Word document in your Workspace and select “Relaunch questionnaire.” That will call up your completed questionnaire; to complete the new draft, all you have to do is make the required changes.
If another registered Koncision user in your organization needs to create for a new transaction a confidentiality agreement similar to one your created, you can download the answer file for your questionnaire and email it to the other Koncision users, who can then upload it and make the necessary changes. Go here for a PDF with detailed instructions (in a new window).
