If you’ve ever tried to wrangle a deal with outside partners or vendors, you know it’s rarely as simple as “looping them in.” More often, it’s endless email threads, missed messages, and a vague sense that someone, somewhere, has dropped the ball. If that sounds familiar, and you’re using (or considering) Prelay, this guide is for you.
I’ll walk through how to actually use Prelay to pull in external folks without slowing things down—or making your life harder. This is for anyone in sales, partnerships, or deal support who’s sick of chaos and wants a more grown-up way to work with outsiders.
Why Collaboration with External Partners Gets Messy
Before we talk tools, let’s be honest about why this is hard:
- Everyone’s got their own system: Your partners and vendors might use spreadsheets, Slack, or just their inbox.
- You can’t see what they’re working on: Unless you ask. Repeatedly.
- Security is a headache: Giving access to your internal notes or customer data is risky.
- Too many cooks: It’s easy to lose track of who’s responsible for what.
Prelay claims to solve these problems, but like any tool, it only works if you set it up smartly and keep things simple.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Actually Need from External Partners
Don’t invite everyone into your Prelay workspace just because you can. More people means more noise.
- Map out the deal process. Where do you need outside input? Is it pricing, technical integration, legal review?
- Decide who's essential. Only invite partners/vendors who add real value to the deal cycle.
- Set boundaries. What should externals see? What’s off-limits?
Pro tip: Write this out, even if it’s just a few lines. You’ll avoid headaches later.
Step 2: Use Prelay’s External Collaboration Features (But Don’t Overcomplicate)
Prelay lets you pull in external folks to specific deal rooms or projects. Here’s how to do it without creating chaos:
How to Add External Partners in Prelay
- Create or open your deal room.
- Add external users by email. Prelay will flag them as “external” so you keep internal/private stuff walled off.
- Set permissions carefully.
- Only give access to what’s necessary.
- Keep sensitive notes and documents restricted.
What works:
- Prelay makes it easy to see exactly who’s on the deal and what they can access.
- Document sharing is straightforward—no more hunting for attachments in email.
What to watch out for:
- Avoid using Prelay as a dumping ground for every doc and message. Keep your workspace tidy.
- Review permissions regularly. It’s easy to forget who has access when the deal drags on.
Ignore:
- Any temptation to build a super-complicated folder or channel structure. You’ll just create confusion.
Step 3: Set Ground Rules Up Front
Just inviting someone in doesn’t mean they’ll know how to work with you. A quick kickoff message goes a long way:
- Explain how you’ll use Prelay: For updates, Q&A, sharing docs, etc.
- Clarify response times: “We check Prelay daily, but urgent stuff should still go to email.”
- Lay out who’s responsible for what: Don’t assume—it’ll bite you later.
Pro tip: Pin a short “How We Work” note to the top of your deal room. Saves you from repeating yourself every time someone new joins.
Step 4: Use Prelay for What It’s Good At—Not Everything
Prelay is great for structured collaboration, but it won’t magically make your partners responsive or organized. Focus on:
- Action items: Assign tasks with clear deadlines.
- Single source of truth: Store key docs and decisions in one place.
- Deal progress: Use Prelay’s stages or milestones to track what’s done and what’s next.
What works:
- You can see at a glance where things stand, even if people are slow to update.
- No more “Did you see my email?”—everyone can check the latest in Prelay.
What doesn’t:
- Prelay isn’t a chat app. If you need fast, back-and-forth conversation, use Slack or email for those quick hits.
- Trying to force every tiny detail into Prelay just leads to noise.
Step 5: Keep Communication Simple and Transparent
Don’t make people guess what’s happening. Use Prelay to keep updates brief and focused.
- Regular check-ins: A weekly update post or summary goes a long way.
- Tag people directly: Don’t assume someone’s seen a comment—@ them.
- Close the loop: When something’s done, mark it as complete. When you’re waiting, say so.
Pro tip: If a partner goes quiet, a direct nudge in Prelay is fine. But if it drags, pick up the phone. Tools can’t fix people problems.
Step 6: Tighten Up Security and Compliance
Letting outsiders into your deal room is always a risk. Don’t be lazy about it.
- Double-check permissions: Especially if you’re sharing anything sensitive.
- Use Prelay’s audit trail: If there’s ever a question about “who saw what,” you’ll have a record.
- Remove access promptly: As soon as the deal wraps or someone leaves, revoke their access.
Ignore:
- Any urge to give blanket access because “it’s easier.” Cleaning up a security mess later is way harder.
Step 7: Review and Improve After Each Deal
This doesn’t have to be a formal post-mortem. Just ask: Did Prelay actually help us close faster? Where did things get bogged down?
- What worked? Note which parts of the process were smoother with external partners.
- What flopped? Did people ignore Prelay? Did things get cluttered?
- Tweak your approach: Update your “How We Work” note or deal room templates for next time.
Pro tip: Ask your external partners what worked for them, too. Sometimes what annoys you drives them nuts as well.
Real Talk: Prelay Isn’t Magic, but It Can Make a Big Difference
Here’s the bottom line: Prelay is a solid way to wrangle external partners and vendors—if you keep things clear, simple, and intentional. Don’t let the promise of “seamless collaboration” lull you into thinking the tool does the work for you. Most friction comes from unclear roles and scattershot communication, not the software.
Start with a clear process. Use Prelay for what it’s good at—shared docs, milestones, and accountability. Skip the bells and whistles you don’t need. And when in doubt, ask yourself: “Is this making it easier to close the deal, or just adding another step?”
Keep it simple, learn as you go, and don’t be afraid to tweak things after each deal. That’s how you actually close faster—with less headache.