Keeping on top of contract versions can make or break your compliance game. If you’ve ever tried untangling who changed what in a Word doc chain, you know the pain. This guide is for anyone using Juro to manage contracts—legal, ops, or anyone who signs off on agreements. I’ll walk you through how to actually track changes and versions in Juro, what’s worth your time, and what to skip.
Why tracking contract versions matters (and why Juro helps, mostly)
If you need to answer questions like “who changed this clause?” or “which version did we sign?”, you need a reliable version history. Regulators, auditors, or just your boss might come knocking.
Juro promises to make this easier with built-in version control and change tracking. That’s a big step up from emailing redlines or wrangling PDFs. But don’t expect magic—there are still some manual steps and a few quirks to watch for.
Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Set up your contracts in Juro the right way
Before you worry about tracking changes, make sure you’re actually working inside Juro—not bouncing between Word, email, and the platform.
Best practices: - Always create and edit contracts in Juro, not offline. Importing Word docs is possible, but you lose some tracking finesse. - Use Juro’s template system for standard contracts. That way, you know what “version 1” actually means. - Invite collaborators to work directly in Juro—not by sending them exported drafts.
Pro tip: If you absolutely must upload a signed PDF or legacy Word doc, add a clear note in Juro describing its origin and version. It’s not perfect, but it helps future you.
Step 2: Understand how Juro's versioning actually works
Juro tracks every change made in the editor, but it’s not the same as Git for contracts. Here’s what’s actually happening:
- Each time you edit and save a contract draft, Juro creates a new version in the background.
- You can view the version history for each contract, see timestamps, and who made the change.
- Changes are tracked at the document level—not always at the clause or word level. If you’re expecting granular redlines like in Word’s Track Changes, temper your expectations.
How to view version history: 1. Open your contract in Juro. 2. Look for the “History” or “Versions” tab (location can shift with UI updates—Juro’s help docs sometimes lag). 3. Click to see previous versions, who made them, and when.
Limitations to note: - You can’t always “diff” two versions side by side in a super-detailed way. - Comments and negotiation chat are tracked separately from the main document version. - If someone edits outside Juro and uploads a new file, you lose the clean audit trail.
Step 3: Use Juro’s change tracking (what it does—and doesn’t—catch)
Juro’s change tracking helps you spot what changed, but it’s not as granular as some legal folks are used to.
What works: - Juro logs edits to the contract body. You’ll see who made the change and when. - You can restore previous versions, so if someone makes a mess, you can roll back. - Comments and negotiation threads are timestamped, so you can reconstruct who said what (though it’s a separate view).
What to ignore: - Don’t expect Juro to flag every tiny change or typo. Major edits are clear, but micro-level changes can get buried. - The “compare versions” feature is basic. It’ll show you the main differences, but it’s not a full redline.
Pro tip: For high-stakes contracts, you might want to export key versions as PDFs for your own archive, just in case.
Step 4: Keeping an audit trail that actually stands up to scrutiny
Compliance isn’t just about having a version history; it’s about being able to show it makes sense.
Make your audit trail stronger: - Keep all negotiation and signature activity inside Juro. This keeps the audit log clean and complete. - Avoid offline edits. If you must edit outside Juro, upload the new file and log a comment explaining why. - Lock contracts post-signature. Juro does this automatically, but double-check—no one should be able to change a signed contract. - Download and archive final, signed copies. Relying only on cloud platforms is risky if your company ever changes software.
Spot-check your process: - Every month or so, review a random contract’s version history. Can you follow the trail from draft to signature? - If it’s confusing, tweak your team’s process or add notes in Juro to clarify version jumps.
Step 5: Handling external edits and integrations (the reality check)
No system is perfect, and sometimes you’ll have to wrangle contracts that move in and out of Juro.
If someone edits outside Juro: - Upload the new version, but always add a comment noting what changed and why. - Don’t delete old versions. Even if they’re drafts, keep them for the record.
Integrations: - Juro connects to e-signature tools and some CRMs, but data syncing can get weird. - After integrations run, double-check that your version history in Juro matches what’s in your other systems. - Don’t assume everything is automatically in sync—sometimes you’ll need to manually reconcile.
Pro tip: Set a quarterly reminder to audit your integrations and exports. Data can drift over time.
Step 6: Training your team (and holding the line)
Even the best tool falls apart if people ignore the process.
Keep it simple for your team: - Make Juro the single source of truth. No parallel edits in Word or email. - Teach everyone where to find and read the version history. Screenshots help. - Set clear rules: Who’s allowed to edit, who reviews, and who approves. - Document exceptions. If someone bypasses the process, log it.
What to ignore: - Don’t get bogged down in tracking every draft email or Slack conversation. Focus on the official contract in Juro.
What Juro does well—and where it falls short
What works: - Easy-to-read version history for most contracts. - One-click restore if someone makes a mistake. - Decent audit trail for compliance needs.
What doesn’t: - No true granular redlining—if you need to see every comma swap, it’s not perfect. - Offline edits and uploads can muddy the audit trail. - Integrations aren’t always airtight—manual checks help.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, check your process, and don’t chase perfection
Tracking contract versions in Juro is a lot better than old-school folders and email chains, but it’s not magic. Stick to editing in Juro, review your audit trails now and then, and don’t trust that “the system” catches everything. If you keep your process simple and review it every so often, you’ll save yourself compliance headaches down the road.
And if you find a workflow quirk or something that just doesn’t add up—write it down. Future you will thank you.