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Contracts are supposed to move business forward, yet inefficient reviews often create real losses. Research from World Commerce & Contracting shows that poor contract management can cut 9.2% off anticipated contract value. That’s a big hit for something that should be routine.
The cause is familiar: endless email chains, scattered edits, and approval bottlenecks that drag deals out longer than necessary.
So, this guide looks at practical fixes first, such as AI for repetitive checks, electronic signatures for faster turnaround, playbooks for consistency, and tracking to spot bottlenecks. Let's take a deeper look at each tip.
The contract review process can feel endless when you’re stuck doing every check by hand. Reading page after page, searching for small edits, and comparing drafts line by line isn’t just slow; it drains focus from bigger priorities like negotiation or risk assessment.
That’s why many teams are weaving AI contract review tools into their contract workflows. They take over the line-by-line edits, giving people space to focus on strategy, risks, and the terms that really shape a deal.
Some practical ways artificial intelligence and large language models support the review process include:
With the right AI contract review software, your team can spend less time buried in small details and more time moving the entire process toward approval and signature.
Aline AI makes this possible by combining advanced review tools with an easy workflow, so every contract gets the attention it needs without slowing down your business. Try it today!
If your contract review process still depends on printing or mailing paperwork, you’re dealing with a manual process that’s both slow and error-prone. It’s often time-consuming for the parties involved and adds extra steps that don’t need to be there.
On the flip side, going digital creates a faster, more organized system that brings multiple benefits across the board.
Take contract redlines, for example. With contract redlining software, edits are tracked in real time. Everyone sees the same version, which makes legal review easier and avoids confusion about which draft is current.
Electronic signatures are another must-have. You can sign contracts from anywhere, which cuts out days of waiting for mailed or scanned copies. This not only saves time but also speeds up revenue by getting agreements finalized sooner.
Then there are contract templates. Having pre-approved templates ready to go means less rework and fewer mistakes. Teams don’t need to draft from scratch, which saves effort while keeping language consistent.
Finally, contract repository and storage systems keep every document in one secure place. Contracts can be searched and retrieved instantly, making long-term contract management smoother and reducing the need to chase down files.
When you review contracts by hand, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of doing the same things over and over. Extra edits, duplicate checks, and long email threads often slow down the process without making the agreements any better.
But with modern contract lifecycle management tools, you can cut out those wasted steps and keep everyone on the same page. That way, the time spent goes toward work that truly needs real legal expertise.
Don't know where to start? Here are a few areas where things can get simplified:
When done right, these steps make the entire process smoother. And in the end, you get accurate contracts without dragging everyone through unnecessary back-and-forth.
A contract can stall for days if it ends up with the wrong person. That’s why it’s important to have a clear, structured approval process. With the help of contract management software and automated workflows, you can guide contracts through the right hands without confusion.
An ideal contract approval process might look like this:
This setup creates fewer errors and reduces wasted time. Everyone knows their role, and the contract only moves forward when the right person has signed off.
Plus, automated workflows can make sure nothing gets stuck, while pre-approved clauses avoid arguments over standard language.
For contracts, a playbook is a guide that lays out how to handle certain key terms and contract language. Think of it as a reference for what’s acceptable, what needs changes, and what should raise red flags.
For example, a playbook might explain how to deal with new clauses, what to check in old contracts, and how to reduce both legal risk and financial risk during reviews.
Playbooks often include clause libraries with pre-approved language. When reviewing legal documents, this makes it easier to swap in the right text without reinventing the wheel each time. They also help teams stay consistent.
If everyone follows the same playbook, contracts don’t get bogged down in unnecessary edits or disagreements.
Modern contract management tools now include digital playbooks that connect directly to the review process. They allow teams to apply standard rules automatically while still leaving room for negotiation when needed.
Aline takes this further with AI-powered playbooks that adapt to your company’s policies, helping you spot risks, speed up reviews, and keep contracts accurate from the start. See how it works today!
Many problems in contracts come down to simple timing. Miss a contract renewal or forget an approval, and suddenly you’re dealing with avoidable contract risks.
The good news is that modern tools can handle this for you. When dates are automatically added, reminders pop up before deadlines hit, and you stay on top of everything.
Plus, these reminders give everyone breathing room. Rather than scrambling at the last minute, teams can plan ahead, renegotiate if needed, or just get the task done on time.
To achieve this, here are some common reminders worth setting up:
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. This guide covers plenty of ways to make the contract review process smoother, but none of it sticks without knowing how well your system is working.
Meanwhile, tracking performance helps you see where the contract process slows down and which steps need attention.
With modern CLM software, you can monitor how long it takes to move through each stage, how many revisions pile up, and where contracts tend to stall. These tools also let you track changes across drafts, which can give you a clear picture of the effort that goes into each agreement.
Some useful KPIs to follow include:
By keeping an eye on these numbers, you’ll spot patterns, fix weak points, and keep improvements moving in the right direction.
Too often, contracts are treated like roadblocks that slow down deals, frustrate people, and pile up work that nobody wants to touch. But that doesn’t have to be the norm. A well-designed contract review workflow can turn contracts from a headache into a business advantage.
And the shift happens when you stop drowning in manual edits and start building a system that actually supports the people working within it. Playbooks, automated reviews, digital signatures, and performance tracking are the difference between contracts that stall and contracts that move.
This is exactly why Aline was built. Its AI-powered playbooks, smart review tools, and connected contract management features are designed to cut through the noise and keep agreements in motion.
If you’re tired of contracts holding you back, it’s time to try something different. Start your trial with Aline today.
It’s the step-by-step method of reading, analyzing, and approving agreements before signing. The process checks for accuracy, compliance, and fairness so both sides are protected.
The 5 C’s refer to: Competence, Consent, Consideration, Clarity, and Compliance. Together, they form the foundation of a valid and enforceable contract.
A checklist is a guide used by legal or business teams to confirm that all important details are covered. It may include reviewing key clauses, double-checking deadlines, and making sure standard company policies are followed.
A contract workflow is the sequence of steps an agreement goes through from drafting to signing. It typically includes drafting, review, approval, and storage, with each stage involving different stakeholders.
Improvement often comes from making contracts clearer and easier to manage. Tools that simplify complex legal language, let teams edit contracts in real time, and guide the contract negotiation process can speed things up. Features like risk scoring help flag risks early, while digital systems provide easy access to agreements for the other party. Beyond saving time, these changes deliver real cost savings by reducing errors and preventing delays.
Brent is an attorney, a full-stack JavaScript engineer and the CEO of Aline.
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