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- Introduction to Ironclad Data: Key Concepts and Terms: This article will provide you with definitions of some key Ironclad data concepts and terms related to Data Manager.
- Plan Your Data in Ironclad: This article will walk you through how to create a data schema plan before you begin using Data Manager. This will help you create a solid foundation for you to build your future workflow configurations around.
- Clean Up Data Schema Models in Ironclad: This article will walk you through how to clean up your data schema models in Ironclad. This includes how to merge new and existing data, remove invalid data, and manage default data.
- Improve Data Discoverability: This article will walk you through how to improve your data’s discoverability.
- Manage and Optimize Data Schemas: This article will provide an overview of data schema management and provide a list of relevant resources for further data management.
- Use Metadata Import to Clean Up Stored Contract Data in the Repository: This article will provide you with best practices on how to use metadata import to clean up your stored contract data in the Repository.
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We highly recommend taking our Manage Data in Ironclad course in Ironclad Academy. After you complete this course, you will be able to:
- Explain Ironclad’s data structure and its relationships to your contracts.
- Identify system-generated properties within the Lifecycle Preset.
- Define and manage the data you track in Ironclad with Data Manager and Workflow Designer.
- Add and configure the Lifecycle Preset in your workflows.
- Align your data structure to Ironclad’s standard, system-generated properties.
This article will walk you through how to create a data schema plan before you begin using Data Manager. This will help you create a solid foundation for you to build your future workflow configurations around.
To use Ironclad effectively, you need to identify the data and properties you want to track. Designing a solid, scalable data schema plan can simplify your analysis, avoid data gaps, and prevent future data issues. For most companies, the data lifecycle begins with the start of a workflow or contract.
Example Scenario: Imagine your legal team has created a new contract process and wants to measure its performance. The first step is to determine what to track in this contract launch and negotiation process. Consider the following questions:
- What metrics will be affected by your contract?
- What does success look like?
Once you have identified the contract events and properties to track and analyze, you can create and optimize them in Data Manager.
USER PERMISSIONS
Only administrators have access to Data Manager. Data Manager permissions are automatically enabled for users in the administrator group.
Create a Data Plan
A data schema plan identifies, categorizes, and names your data so that Ironclad can generate relevant and valuable insights and reports. The data schema plan varies from company to company, but the goal is to clearly define the data events and properties you want to track, name them, and select which default data properties are relevant to your needs.
Step 1: Define Your Business Objectives
Start by identifying your goals and metrics to ensure you prioritize the most important ones for your Ironclad implementation. Consider the following questions:
- What are you and your team working towards?
- Which metrics do you want to optimize?
- What questions do you want to answer with the data in Ironclad?
Common goals for Ironclad customers include:
- Optimizing the speed of contract negotiations
- Understanding the most frequently negotiated clauses
- Scaling and improving the legal team's ROI on contract negotiations
- Reducing redlines and document versions
Once you've identified your organization's goals for digital contracts, it's easier to identify individual metrics and tracking needs when using Ironclad.
Step 2: Identify Key Metrics
Identify the essential actions and critical interactions necessary for your contracting and business processes. Determine the key metrics and inputs needed to measure your business objectives and goals. Consider the following common questions:
- What data is required for business users to launch a new contract?
- What actions are critical during the contract negotiation or review stages?
- What approvals are required for compliance or standardization?
- Which cross-functional teams need access to this data?
Ironclad provides common data events and metrics to help you get started.
Consider the external systems or current data schema you want to integrate with Ironclad data. You can add these attributes to each workflow or contract record, enhancing insights or analysis across your organization. For example, if you're using Salesforce CRM, including the Salesforce Account ID or Opportunity ID properties in workflow configurations can simplify the creation of insights and analysis with related sales data.
Step 3: Implement Data Plan
Review the default and custom data in your Ironclad account using Data Manager, based on your data schema plan. Consider the following:
- Do you find value in the default data properties provided by Ironclad? If not, consider hiding them to reduce user interface clutter and keep end users focused on important data.
- Need to tidy up your data schema? If you find multiple properties with similar purposes and functions, consider merging, hiding, or deleting any unused or outdated data events or properties. Ensure it's clear for end users which field to utilize when setting up workflow templates, or how to accurately search and filter on the correct data property.
- Does your data have the correct definition or initiative name? To improve your data discoverability, refer to Improve Data Discoverability.
- If you want to connect Ironclad data with external data systems and external data schemas, do the workflow and contract data have the necessary properties and attributes to help with that process?
Step 4: Configure Ironclad and Clean Up Data
Once your Ironclad data schema plan is implemented, you can:
- Set up your workflow configuration templates using the data properties (for new customers)
- Create dashboard views and insights for new contracts (for new customers)
- Perform further data cleanup activities to align all your existing data in the Repository to the new data plan and catalog (for existing Ironclad customers)
Ironclad offers tools to assist in the data cleanup process: