Unfortunately, I don't think that there is an easy answer for you. Consider it from another angle, how would you compare them if you were only using paper copies? It basically all comes down to trust and reviewing everything before you actually sign.

Once a document is uploaded into DocuSign it becomes locked and can't be edited for legal and audit reasons, essentially so that once someone actually signs the document no one else can change the underlying form that their signature was applied to and basically have them signing a completely different document.

So there isn't a way for recipients to compare their documents once they've been placed into a DocuSign envelope. Any recipient could download the "In-Process" documents from the envelope and possibly run a comparison with some other software but they'll definitely be different because the DocuSign copy would have DocuSign attached watermarks and a slightly different setting structure due to the DocuSign signature validation check. So then it depends on how sensitive the comparison software is and if it can correct parse the exact differences.

If you want to completely cover yourself and your recipients, you can also upload your verison of documents into the envelope and add attachment tags for them to upload their versions as well. You'd end up with two copies of everything but each party would know that the correct version on their eyes would definitely be available. Of course then you'd have to go and make sure that both versions are correctly signed off on depending on your legal requirements.

Like I said, not an easy answer. But back to the original question, how would you do it with paper versions? You'd review and read everything before you sign. That's what you're supposed to do whenever you sign an important legal document so that you're not going to give away the house.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, appreciate you taking the time to reply. Of course one thing that I hope will address my question is the SpringCM contract drafting and agreement functionality that I expect DocuSign will be integrating soon. I expect that this will allow me to draft a contract doc in DocuSign itself, with all parties having visibility, and then when we have agreed we can transparently move that final agreed version into the signature phase, without anyone having any doubts that we are signing what we agreed.