If you’re tired of chasing signatures, hunting through email threads, or manually updating spreadsheets every time you close a deal, this one’s for you. Automating contract workflows saves time, cuts down on errors, and lets you focus on the real work—if you set it up smartly. Whether you’re new to Getaccept or you’ve been using it but feel like you’re missing something, here are the no-nonsense best practices that actually make a difference.
1. Map Your Actual Process (Not the “Ideal” One)
Before you start clicking around in Getaccept, make sure you know what you’re automating. Too many teams try to automate a process they wish they had, not the one that actually happens. That’s how you end up with fancy workflows nobody uses.
What to do: - Sketch out (on paper or a whiteboard) the real steps your contracts go through—from draft to signature to storage. - Note the pain points: Where do things slow down? Who holds things up? Where do mistakes happen? - Don’t forget exceptions. What happens when something needs legal review, or a client wants changes late in the game?
Pro tip: Talk to the people who actually send and sign contracts, not just the folks in charge. They’ll tell you what’s really broken.
2. Start Simple: Automate the Basics First
Getaccept is loaded with features, but don’t try to use them all at once. The goal isn’t to automate everything—it’s to remove the biggest headaches first.
Essential automations: - Template creation: Set up contract templates for your most common agreements. This alone can save hours. - Pre-set recipient roles: Define who needs to sign, review, or get CC’d, so you’re not typing emails every time. - Automatic reminders: Let Getaccept chase signatures for you with scheduled email or SMS nudges. - Document tracking: Enable notifications for when someone views, signs, or forwards a contract.
What to skip (for now): - Complex approval chains with conditional logic—unless you really need them. - API integrations or webhooks, unless you have dev resources and a clear reason.
3. Use Templates, But Don’t Overcomplicate Them
Templates are the backbone of automation in Getaccept. They keep things consistent and fast—if you actually use them.
Best practices: - Build templates for 80% of your contracts. Don’t try to template every edge case. - Use merge fields (like client name, price, dates) to auto-fill details, but keep it manageable. Too many fields and people start making mistakes. - Avoid embedding complicated logic or heavy formatting in templates. If a contract needs that much customization, it’s probably not a good fit for automation.
Watch out for: - Template sprawl. If you end up with 20 nearly identical templates, it’s time to consolidate.
4. Set Up Clear, Sensible Approval Workflows
Approval flows in Getaccept can help you avoid “oops” moments, but overdoing it just gums up the works.
Tips: - Only require approvals where they’re truly needed—like discounts above a certain amount or contracts with non-standard terms. - Keep the approver list short. More people = more delays. - Use conditional logic sparingly. If you need a flowchart to explain your approvals, it’s too complicated.
Things that don’t work: - Requiring legal or finance to approve every contract, even for tiny deals. Trust your team for low-risk stuff.
5. Integrate With Other Tools—If It’s Worth It
Getaccept offers integrations with CRMs (like Salesforce, HubSpot), Slack, and more. These can be a game-changer, but only if you actually need them.
Good integrations: - CRM integration: Pull client info and deal data straight into contracts to cut down on double entry. - Cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive): Automatically save signed contracts without manual uploads.
But watch out: - Integrations can break, especially if your CRM changes or someone updates permissions. Always test before rolling out to everyone. - Don’t integrate just because you can. If your team isn’t using the CRM properly, syncing it with Getaccept just spreads the mess around.
6. Automate Reminders, But Don’t Annoy People
One of Getaccept’s best features is automated reminders. These help keep deals moving, but if you overdo it, you’ll end up in spam folders—or just ignored.
How to get it right: - Space reminders out (e.g., 2 days after sending, then 5 days, then a final nudge). - Customize your reminder messages. “Just checking in” isn’t helpful—remind them why signing matters. - Don’t CC the whole team on every reminder. People tune out.
7. Keep Your Audit Trail Clean and Simple
You’re automating to make life easier—not to create a mess when someone asks for “the latest version” or how a deal was signed.
Best practices: - Use version control in Getaccept to track changes, but don’t upload a new version for every tiny tweak. - Set naming conventions for contracts (e.g., “ClientName_Agreement_YYYYMMDD”) and stick to them. - Make sure everyone knows where final, signed contracts are stored—and restrict editing access.
What to ignore: - Overly complex folder structures. If it takes more than 10 seconds to find a contract, it’s too complicated.
8. Train Your Team (and Actually Listen to Their Feedback)
Even the slickest automation falls flat if your team doesn’t know how (or why) to use it.
What works: - Quick, hands-on demos—show, don’t just tell. - Cheat sheets or short videos for common tasks (sending, tracking, updating templates). - Regular check-ins after rollout to catch confusion or bugs early.
What doesn’t: - Long, one-off training sessions that everyone forgets. - Ignoring complaints or workarounds—if people are bypassing the workflow, something’s broken.
9. Review and Adjust—Don’t “Set and Forget”
Automating contracts isn’t a “fire and forget” project. Business needs change, clients get pickier, and what worked last year might not cut it now.
How to stay sharp: - Every quarter, review what’s working and what’s not. Where are contracts still getting stuck? - Ask your team: What’s painful? What’s saving time? - Kill off workflows or templates nobody uses. Streamlining is progress.
A Few Things to Ignore (Seriously)
- Automating rare edge cases. If it happens twice a year, just handle it manually.
- Using every Getaccept feature. Some tools are there for specific industries or huge companies. If you don’t need them, skip ‘em.
- Chasing “zero-click” nirvana. Some human checks are a good thing, especially for contracts.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Automation should make your life easier, not more complicated. The best contract workflows in Getaccept are clear, flexible, and designed for real humans—not robots. Start with what matters, listen to your team, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. Simple beats perfect, every time.