Collaboration sounds great in theory—until you’re stuck with messy versions, lost comments, or teammates editing over each other. If you’re using Pandadoc with your team, you’ve got some solid tools for working together on contracts, proposals, or any doc that needs more than one set of eyes. But having the tools doesn’t mean everyone’s on the same page (literally or figuratively).
This guide is for anyone who’s tired of chaotic document edits and wants real, practical ways to work together smarter—not harder—in Pandadoc.
1. Set the Ground Rules Before You Start
Pandadoc makes it easy to invite teammates, but too many cooks can spoil the soup—especially if everyone dives in without a plan. Before you even create your first shared doc:
- Decide who does what. Assign roles up front: Who’s writing? Who’s just reviewing? Who’s in charge of sending the final version?
- Agree on the process. Will you draft first, then review? Or is it a rolling edit? Spell it out so nobody’s surprised.
- Limit editors. The more editors, the more chaos. Give editing access only to people who really need it. Everyone else? Stick them as viewers or commenters.
- Pick your communication channel. Inline comments in Pandadoc are fine, but for bigger questions, use Slack, Teams, or just call each other. Don’t let important stuff get buried in comment threads.
Pro tip: Write these rules somewhere everyone sees them—like in your team’s shared doc template or a pinned message.
2. Use Templates (and Actually Maintain Them)
If you’re making the same types of documents over and over, templates save you from reinventing the wheel. Pandadoc lets you set up templates for everything from sales proposals to HR agreements.
- Create a master template. Build (and lock down) a clean, up-to-date version everyone can use.
- Update regularly. Outdated templates cause errors and wasted time. Set a recurring reminder to review them every quarter.
- Restrict editing. Only let a couple of trusted people change templates. Otherwise, you’ll end up with “template drift”—where every doc looks slightly different.
- Standardize naming. Call your templates something obvious, like “2024 Sales Proposal Template v2.” Skip the cryptic names.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with a template for every minor variation. Keep it simple—one solid template beats five mediocre ones.
3. Get Smart with Roles and Permissions
A little upfront work on permissions saves a ton of headaches later. Pandadoc lets you set roles like Admin, Manager, Member, or just assign document-level permissions.
- Only give full access to people who need it. If someone just needs to review or sign, don’t make them an editor.
- Double-check before sharing externally. It’s easy to accidentally let the wrong person edit or see sensitive info.
- Use groups for bigger teams. If your company has lots of departments, organize users into groups for easier management.
What doesn’t work: Letting everyone be an admin “just in case.” That’s a recipe for mistakes.
4. Draft Together—But Don’t Step on Each Other’s Toes
Multiple people editing a doc at once? That’s where things get hairy. Here’s how to keep it under control:
- Announce when you’re working. Use Pandadoc’s presence indicator or just drop a quick note in your chat tool: “I’m in the contract from 1-2pm.”
- Use sections. Assign specific sections to specific teammates. If your doc is big, break it up so people aren’t tripping over each other’s changes.
- Track changes and comments. Pandadoc doesn’t have “track changes” like Word, but you can leave comments, mention teammates, and use version history to see what’s changed.
- Save versions manually. Major edit? Make a duplicate first. If something goes sideways, you’ll have a backup.
Pro tip: If you notice people are still overwriting each other, your doc is probably too open. Lock down access until the draft is stable.
5. Communicate in Context—But Don’t Let Comments Pile Up
Inline comments are great for fast feedback, but they can get out of control.
- Be specific. Tag the right person (@mention) and say what you need: “@Alex, can you double-check this pricing?”
- Resolve comments as you go. Don’t let threads linger forever. If something’s done, mark it resolved.
- Move big debates out of the doc. If you’re arguing about strategy or pricing, take it to Slack or a meeting. Pandadoc comments should be for quick, actionable feedback.
What to ignore: Don’t use document comments for major project discussions. They’ll get lost and slow everyone down.
6. Watch Out for Version Confusion
One of the biggest headaches with collaborative docs is knowing which version is the “real” one.
- Agree on version naming. If you duplicate a doc, call it something clear: “Client Proposal DRAFT 2024-06-14.”
- Archive or delete old drafts. Don’t let the workspace fill up with half-finished versions. Keep it tidy.
- Lock the final version. Once a document is approved, restrict editing access or move it to a “Final” folder.
- Use Pandadoc’s version history. You can see what changed and when, but it’s not a magic undo button—be careful.
Pro tip: If you’re sending a doc out for signature, always double-check that it’s actually the latest version.
7. Automate Repetitive Tasks (But Only When It Actually Helps)
Pandadoc can automate things like reminders, approval workflows, and even some document creation steps. But don’t automate for the sake of it.
- Automate approvals if you have lots of sign-offs. Set up an approval workflow so docs don’t stall out waiting for someone’s OK.
- Use reminders for signatures. No need to nag people manually—let Pandadoc handle the follow-up emails.
- Integrate with your CRM—carefully. Pulling contact data from Salesforce, HubSpot, or another system can save time, but double-check what’s coming in. CRMs are only as clean as the data you feed them.
What to skip: Overcomplicated automations that nobody understands or maintains. If it breaks, you’ll spend more time fixing it than you save.
8. Keep Security and Compliance in Mind
Sensitive docs need extra care. Pandadoc offers built-in security features, but only if you use them right.
- Set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for all users. This is basic, but a lot of teams skip it.
- Control who can download or forward docs. Use permissions to limit what people can do with your files.
- Audit regularly. Check who has access to what, especially if teammates leave or change roles.
- Know your compliance needs. If you’re handling legal, financial, or healthcare docs, make sure Pandadoc meets your requirements (think SOC 2, HIPAA, etc.).
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, ask your IT or legal folks to review your setup once a year.
9. Train Your Team (and Refresh When Needed)
Don’t assume everyone knows how to use Pandadoc—or remembers all the tricks after onboarding.
- Do a quick walk-through for new teammates. Show them your templates, how to comment, and your ground rules.
- Share a cheat sheet. One page with “how we use Pandadoc” is better than a 20-minute video nobody watches.
- Review after mistakes. If something went wrong (wrong doc sent, missed approval), debrief and update your process.
What to ignore: Big, formal training sessions. Most people just want the highlights and will figure out the rest themselves.
Keep It Simple (and Actually Use What Works)
The less friction your team has, the better your documents will turn out—and the less time you’ll waste fixing mistakes. You don’t need every Pandadoc feature or a dozen templates. Start with clear ground rules, keep your workspace tidy, and only automate what actually saves you time.
Most importantly: Don’t be afraid to tweak your process if something isn’t working. Collaboration is messy by nature, but with the right basics in place, it doesn’t have to be a headache.