Microsoft Outlook for Legal Professionals for Contract Teams

A contract can go through dozens of email exchanges before it is signed. The redlines are shared back and forth, and the clauses are changed multiple times. The approvals need to happen quickly. Email is not just used for communication in this scenario. Email is part of the contract process.

But are most professionals using email in this manner? No. They are using email as just another mailbox. They get email, they answer it, and they file it away. This is an ineffective manner in which to manage contracts.

Can Outlook be used as more than just a reactive email system?

Yes, it can. With the correct configuration, Outlook can be used as more of a project board for the contract lifecycle. Instead of just storing email, it can be used to manage the movement of contracts.

Most productivity guides for Outlook are geared toward litigators and litigation support professionals. Their workflow is based on discovery, evidence, and document chains. The workflow for contract professionals is different, and the pace, speed, and time are important factors.

How Can Outlook Mirror the Contract Lifecycle?

Most professionals use a naming convention for folders within Outlook based on client names or companies. This is a good approach, but it does not mirror the actual contract lifecycle.

Understanding the lifecycle of a contract is important, and this helps professionals track the progress of contracts. The best approach is to use folders that mirror the lifecycle of a contract.

It is possible to use folders that are based on the contract lifecycle, such as Initial Request, Active Negotiation, Pending Signature, and Fully Executed.

As emails pass through these folders, the inbox begins to reflect actual contract activity. An email entering the “Initial Request” folder means a new process has begun. As negotiations continue, the email thread continues through the negotiation phase, then the signature phase, and finally archives after execution.

How Can Emails Move from Inbox to Workflow?

The first step in using Microsoft Outlook to manage contracts begins with email intake. Contract requests often come in with newsletters, meeting notices, and internal emails. Without a system, these critical emails can easily get lost in a crowded inbox.

Microsoft Outlook Rules can help organize this early-stage email management process. Rules enable Microsoft Outlook to automatically move emails based on keywords, senders, and even email subject lines.

For instance, emails containing words such as “Agreement,” “Master Service Agreement,” or “Redlines” can be automatically moved to an “Initial Request” folder.

This small automation helps prevent contract emails from becoming buried among other, less relevant emails. It can greatly reduce manual labor over time.

Another feature for this stage would be Conditional Formatting. Conditional Formatting allows Outlook to color-code emails based on who they came from. For example, emails from senior leadership, general counsel, or external partners can be colored differently.

This helps identify priority emails at a glance. In an inbox filled with copious amounts of copy emails and internal communications, this helps professionals identify contract communications immediately.

How Can Outlook Speed Up the Negotiation Loop?

Negotiation can be one of the longest steps in a contract process. It involves going back and forth between parties until all terms and conditions have been approved. Many professionals waste too much time searching for standard language within older documents.

This process can be greatly reduced with a feature within Outlook called Quick Parts. Quick Parts allows you to save frequently used text and directly insert it into an email. For example, standard contract language such as an indemnification paragraph or a paragraph regarding limitations of liability can be saved and directly inserted.

Rather than having to open previous contracts to find approved language, professionals can directly insert this language within an email.

Another useful tool in negotiations is called Quick Steps. Quick Steps allow you to perform multiple actions at once with just one click. For example, if an email comes in with contract attachments marked up, a Quick Step can be set up to automatically mark this email, forward it to a contract administrator, and remind you to follow up.

How Can Professionals Respond Quickly Without Creating Constant Pressure?

Many professionals in the legal sector are required to respond to emails immediately, especially when dealing with clients or CEOs. However, being responsive can sometimes get out of hand.

Outlook provides a tool called Delayed Delivery, which can help professionals respond to emails later without being constantly available.

For instance, a professional can write an email late at night and set the delay to the next day at a certain time. This ensures the email is received during the day while the professional remains flexible with regards to their schedule.

How Can Outlook Help Close the Deal During Execution?

After the negotiation process, the contract enters the last step of the process: execution. Execution entails the signing of the contract and the exchange of the contract among the parties involved.

Many organizations are now including electronic signature systems into Microsoft Outlook. This enables professionals to create and send signature requests directly from the Outlook email system. This eliminates the need to change between multiple systems during the contract execution process.

However, one important step is often overlooked during the execution of a contract. Prior to sending the contract out in its final version, professionals should consider the importance of removing the hidden document metadata.

Why Is Metadata Removal an Important Final Step?

Word documents can include hidden information called metadata. This can include the name of the person who created the document, the various changes made to the document, and the different versions of the document created during the process.

If this information is included in the contract, the opposing party could gain access to sensitive information regarding the strategy and negotiation process of the contract.

Microsoft Word has features that allow users to check and delete metadata before sending out documents. This will help ensure that internal communications remain private, and confidentiality is maintained.

How Can Outlook Support Contracts After They Are Signed?

The process does not end after the contracts have been signed. Many contracts have renewal dates, expiration dates, or performance milestones that will be required in the future.

Outlook has a feature that will allow users to keep future events in mind. When a contract has been executed, the final email will be dragged onto the calendar icon. The email will be converted into a reminder.

The reminder will be set months, or even a year, into the future. This will ensure that the contract is reviewed before deadlines arrive.

What Is the Three Minute Rule for Contract Email Archiving?

Contract email communications will be useful in understanding what has happened in the past. These emails will be useful references when contracts are reviewed.

If it will take less than three minutes to file a completed contract thread, it should be done immediately. Outlook Quick Steps can be utilized to help automate this process, moving the conversation to the correct project or contract folder.

By archiving threads immediately, all communication history can be accessed at a later date. If executives, auditors, or others wish to view the history of a contract, it can be accessed immediately.

How Will the New Outlook Shape Contract Workflows?

Microsoft is slowly changing Outlook to be more collaborative. The transition to New Outlook brings new tools to help facilitate teamwork within an email conversation.

One new feature of Outlook will be Microsoft Loop, where content can be edited within an email. In the future, contract language can be edited within an email.

These changes demonstrate that email is no longer just used for communication. Instead, it is becoming part of a larger productivity stack at Microsoft 365.

 Legal teams that rely on Outlook for contract communication may also explore how collaboration tools support structured workflows, such as using Microsoft Teams for law firms to organize contract discussions and related work in one place. 

Outlook is capable of supporting several steps in the contract management process. However, it is impossible to fully automate the entire process.

In some cases, organizations need more comprehensive tools to manage contracts.

Dock 365 is a contract lifecycle management solution that is fully native to Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. With Dock 365, organizations are able to manage contracts using the Microsoft tools they already use every day.

In fact, the entire contract lifecycle is able to be managed using Microsoft tools.

If your organization is looking to better manage contracts using Microsoft 365, schedule a demo to see how Dock 365 is able to assist with the contract management process.

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