Working with Contract Versions and Comparing Changes

Negotiation means change. A draft goes out, redlines come back, terms get adjusted. StretchContracts keeps a version history for an agreement and can compare two versions so you can see precisely what moved between drafts — invaluable when you're reconciling a counterparty's edits.

How versioning works

An agreement can have multiple stored versions, each with:

• a version number (1, 2, 3, …),
• a version status (for example, the state that version represented),
• the body of the contract at that point, and
• an optional change summary describing what changed.

Because each version preserves the body as it stood, you always have a defensible record of what a given draft actually said — not just the latest text.

Comparing two versions

Version comparison takes two versions of the same agreement — a from version and a to version — and reports the differences between them. You reference each side by its version number (or version identifier). The comparison is a read-only analysis: it never changes either version.

Step-by-step

1. Open the agreement you're negotiating.
2. Go to its version history.
3. Choose the from version (the earlier draft, e.g. version 2) and the to version (the later draft, e.g. version 3).
4. Run Compare. StretchContracts returns the differences between the two versions so you can review exactly what changed — added, removed, or reworded content.
5. Use the result to confirm the counterparty only changed what was agreed, and to brief approvers on the delta before sign-off.

Note: contract-intelligence features, including version comparison over stored contracts, are part of the advanced intelligence engine. If comparison isn't available in your workspace, it hasn't been enabled yet — ask your administrator. See Contract Intelligence, Renewals, and Risk for the full picture.

Comparing ad-hoc text

You don't always have two saved versions. StretchContracts can also compare two blocks of contract text directly — paste the old wording as the left side and the new wording as the right side to see the differences. This is handy when a counterparty sends a revised clause by email and you want to see how it differs from your standard language before pasting it into the agreement.

A realistic example

Luis is negotiating an MSA. Version 2 went to the client; they returned edits, which he saved as version 3 with the change summary "Client added a liability cap and shortened the payment window." Before taking it to his VP, Luis compares version 2 to version 3. The comparison confirms exactly two substantive changes — a new liability-cap clause and payment terms moved from 45 to 30 days — with no other wording touched. Luis screenshots the delta into his approval note, the VP signs off in minutes, and the agreement advances to approved.

Tips

• Write a change summary for each version. A one-line note ("added liability cap") turns your history into a readable negotiation timeline.
• Compare before every approval. Confirming the delta protects you from silent edits slipped into a returned draft.
• Use text comparison for one-off clause reviews. You don't need to save a full version to check how a single revised paragraph differs.
• Keep versions rather than overwriting. Preserving each draft is what makes the history defensible.

FAQ

Does comparing change my contract? No. Comparison is strictly read-only analysis of the two versions.

Which version should be "from" and which "to"? Put the earlier draft as from and the later draft as to, so additions and removals read in the direction of the negotiation.

Why do I get a "versions not found" message? Both version references must exist for that agreement. Double-check the version numbers, and confirm the agreement isn't archived.

Is comparison the same as legal review? No — it shows what text changed. A human still needs to judge whether the changes are acceptable.