Create Ironclad AI Playbooks in Workflow Designer

This article will walk you through how to use Ironclad Playbooks. If you want to learn more about Ironclad Playbooks and the benefits they provide, refer to the Ironclad AI Playbooks Overview.

 

Create a Playbook

Playbooks are linked to specific workflow templates and can be customized to fit the type of contract or business process for each workflow. To create a playbook, you must be an administrator and have Workflow Designer access.

1. In Ironclad, click the Workflow Designer tab and select the workflow template you want to edit.

   BEST PRACTICE

   We suggest starting with a standard business agreement workflow template, such as a NDA or Vendor Agreement, when trying out Playbooks. This type of template is often negotiated with a counterparty.

2. On the Document step, locate the panel on the left and click the Playbooks tab.

3. Click the plus sign or Add Clause.

   

4. Select the AI Clause Type from the dropdown menu. This optional step can assist in detecting clauses. If your clause or term is not available in the list of AI-powered clauses, you can create AI Custom Clauses. Both Out of the Box AI Clauses and AI Custom Clauses will be displayed in this dropdown menu. For more information on AI Clause Types, refer to AI Clauses and AI Customer Clauses Overview.

   TIP

   Before creating a Playbook, you can train a new custom AI clause to use with it.

   

5. Edit the Name and Description. (Optional)

6. Set a trigger. (Optional)

7. Define Playbook positions.

8. Select an approver. (Optional)

9. Save and publish your playbook.

10. Configure your Playbook permissions.

 

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Set a Trigger (Optional)

By default, Ironclad Playbooks are available for every user and use case unless a trigger is set. You can use a condition in the Workflow Designer as a trigger for a specific clause or position in the Playbook. This way, end users can only view or use a Playbook based on the rules established by the Administrator.

Playbook Triggers can be set at two levels. This gives legal teams maximum control and flexibility. As a result, you can optimize the return on investment for any agreement, regardless of scale.

Triggers can be set up at the top-clause level. This is an effective way to manage contract negotiation options for workflows that involve multiple document types (e.g., display 'Governing Law' only on NDAs). It's also useful when you want to limit redlines based on specific contract values to lessen the burden of lower-valued agreements (e.g., display Playbook options when the total contract value is over $50K).

Triggers can also be set at a specific clause position. This is useful if specific terms should only appear based on the workflow's launch form values or when certain conditions are met. An example is the 'Governing Law' clause. Legal teams can configure a specific clause position to appear based on geographic relevance. This eliminates the need to show "England and Wales" fallback options to North American sales team members.

 

Set the Presence Rule

Set the Presence Rule. This setting enables Playbooks to serve as a compliance checklist for contact review and negotiation. By specifying whether a clause is required, Playbooks can determine if the clause should be present or absent in the contracts.

There are three options to choose from:

1. None: Use this option if you want to offer your end users pre-approved, preferred, or fallback templates for agreements. If this clause is absent from a document or is found in a contract, it won't necessitate an additional approver or obstruct a workflow from progressing.
2. Clause is required in documents and will need approval to be excluded:
   1. If the clause is not found in the document, Ironclad will ask the end user to confirm the clause is included in the document. The end user can then:

      1. Highlight and tag the relevant clause in the document text.

         

      2. Request an exception to notify and require additional approval to proceed with the omission of this clause in the document. Until the clause text is tagged in the document, the user will not be able to utilize the Insert Language button for straightforward redlining or edits.

3. Clause is not accepted in documents and will need approval to be included:

   1. For clauses that are not accepted in documents, you can use the "Clause is not accepted in documents and will need approval to be included" option under triggers.

      

   2. This option restricts the use of this clause or term to be used in documents. The end user will be encouraged to remove the restricted language in the document or request an exception. For example, you may not want to have a ‘Non-Solicitation’ clause in NDA agreements without requiring an additional approver from a relevant stakeholder. This setting allows contract reviewers to understand when terms are not permitted by default.

      

 

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Define Playbook Positions

In the Trigger section, you can specify preferred and fallback positions based on certain conditions (e.g., whether a clause is required in the document). These positions will be available to the user to insert as needed.

Add Positions

1. Add Positions to provide preferred clause terms and provisions to use during contract negotiations:

   1. Set a Title for the Clause Position that describes this position to your end users as well as to for tracking position usage in reporting and insights.

   2. [Optional] Set a Trigger using a Workflow Designer condition if required. For example, this position can be triggered only for specific use cases like when negotiating on Counterparty Paper or based on geographic needs.

      

 

Add Reviewer Notes

Add Reviewer Notes. There are two types of reviewer notes: For internal reviewers and To share with counterparty.

 

For internal reviewers: Notes that are internal-only, end user instructions for Administrators to help their end user to successfully identify or provide clarity when or how to use a specific Playbook position during negotiations. Internal comments are removed when the document is shared via Email Document button with counterparties. To share with a counterparty: External facing comment templates that can be shared with counterparties when a position is used. Counterparties can align faster when users provide context for edits. These comment templates make it easier to provide this context. The templates can also provide additional details for accepting a change or redline comment, which will appear as an external document comment. Users can then easily edit the template to suit their own needs and publish the comment for their counterparty to see.

 

The default language is the templated position text that users can insert in the document when making redlines. Limited text formatting options are available. Generally, we recommend that all end users format and polish the document in the main document editor (vs. Playbooks) for consistency and to reduce any potential formatting errors when copy/pasting text in documents.

Additional Settings

Mark as preferred position: This setting signals your preferred positions to your end users that have access to Playbooks. Playbooks has improved its features to allow marking multiple positions as 'preferred'. This enhancement provides flexibility and control, better supporting customers who have various preferred positions due to geographic needs or risk tolerance. It's also recommended to use standard terms or provisions for this clause.

 

Non-standard language: This position is automatically added for you. AI Playbooks will flag clauses as non-standard if the document text does not match any Playbook positions. Users are required to obtain approval to use any non-standard language positions. If you want to ensure users obtain approval, move the language to the “Needs Approval” section.

Require approval to use language: This feature provides enhanced control for conditional approvers when using specific Playbook positions. It gives you complete control and transparency regarding which positions require additional approvers.

 

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Select an Approver (Optional)

Determine if you want to select an approver. If you want Ironclad to notify a stakeholder when a non-standard term is identified, add an approver. Open or unapproved clause approvals prevent workflows from moving to the next stage. They function similar to other approval processes in Ironclad. Clause approvers can delegate approvals to another stakeholder, and administrators can override clause approvals to expedite the contract process.

We recommend only adding an approver if it’s a critical clause for negotiation due to extra approval time required. If a clause approver is not required, leave the Approver field empty. Due to compliance, Ironclad cannot permit exceptions for required or restricted clauses without an identified clause approver to inform. If you leave this field empty, you can not mark the clause as Required in step 9. We recommend only adding an approver if it’s a critical clause for negotiation.

 

 

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Save and Publish Your Playbook

1. Once your Playbook template is configured, click Save. You can modify or remove your Playbook at any time.

   TIP

   Want to manage what your end users see and their experience with Playbooks during contract negotiations? Adjust the display order preferences under the Playbook tab. You can set this by priority (which we recommend - it will sort plays in the following order: Needs Review, Not detected, Acceptable, and Detected clauses) or in any order you prefer.

   

2. To apply changes to Playbooks, you must publish the workflow configuration. These changes to Playbooks and workflow configurations will only affect workflows created after the changes have been published. As such, you can modify or test Playbook updates without disrupting business users or ongoing workflows.

   

 

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Configure Playbook Permissions

Edit your permissions to configure who can review, create, or modify Playbooks.

1. Click on your name located in the top right corner of Ironclad. Navigate to Company Settings > Users & Groups > Groups.
2. Click on the group you want to edit, and then click Edit Group.
3. Configure the Playbook permission. If you select Can negotiate with Playbooks, users will be able to utilize Playbooks. If you select Can configure and negotiate with Playbooks, users will have the ability to change Playbooks content in Workflow Designer.