How to Use the Ideas Feature
What you need to know about Docusign Community IdeasThis guide will walk you through the process of sharing your ideas, voting on existing ideas, and...
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What it is: ask about contracts and act on them in plain language, from Teams, Copilot, Claude or another assistant.How it worksThe user asks a question in their assistant. The assistant reads agreements and accelerator data through the Docusign MCP server. It answers with links to the contracts. On request it starts follow-up actions through Maestro. Users only see what their Docusign permissions allow.Example questions: "Which Strategic contracts have an overdue review?", "Which obligations are due this month?", "Show suppliers scoring below 3.", "Which contracts can I terminate in the next 90 days?"What's prebuilt: MCP connection; prompts per accelerator; workflow actions; terminology following the CMS™ or a local standard.Customer configures: assistant, connected accelerators, user access, terminology.Standard: CMS™ 1.7 Communication and documentation, all phases.Value: contract data is used in daily work instead of being scattered across systems.
What it is: ask about contracts and act on them in plain language, from Teams, Copilot, Claude or another assistant.How it worksThe user asks a question in their assistant. The assistant reads agreements and accelerator data through the Docusign MCP server. It answers with links to the contracts. On request it starts follow-up actions through Maestro. Users only see what their Docusign permissions allow.Example questions: "Which Strategic contracts have an overdue review?", "Which obligations are due this month?", "Show suppliers scoring below 3.", "Which contracts can I terminate in the next 90 days?"What's prebuilt: MCP connection; prompts per accelerator; workflow actions; terminology following the CMS™ or a local standard.Customer configures: assistant, connected accelerators, user access, terminology.Standard: CMS™ 1.7 Communication and documentation, all phases.Value: contract data is used in daily work instead of being scattered across systems.
What it is: a controlled close-out of every contract, including final evaluation and lessons learned.How it worksStarts at the end date or after termination in Accelerator 12. A Maestro checklist assigns tasks with sign-off: verify completion, resolve disagreements, finalise transition, close buyer inputs, settle subcontracts, reconcile and audit, return guarantees, final payment, close pending remedies. A final performance evaluation uses Accelerator 8 forms. Surviving obligations (Accelerator 6) and transferring rights (Accelerator 3) are handed over. Lessons learned are captured in a central register, reused by Accelerator 1. A close-out certificate is generated and signed by both parties. The agreement is set to Closed in Navigator, with a retention date.What's prebuilt: close-out checklist with sign-off; final evaluation; transition hand-over; lessons-learned form and register; certificate template; archiving step.Customer configures: checklist tasks, sign-off roles, certificate template, retention periods.Standard: CMS™ 4.2.2 Close out contract, 4.2.1 (settle termination, lessons learned). Supports a local standard's conclude phase.Value: nothing is left open, liabilities are discharged, and knowledge is reused.
What it is: a controlled close-out of every contract, including final evaluation and lessons learned.How it worksStarts at the end date or after termination in Accelerator 12. A Maestro checklist assigns tasks with sign-off: verify completion, resolve disagreements, finalise transition, close buyer inputs, settle subcontracts, reconcile and audit, return guarantees, final payment, close pending remedies. A final performance evaluation uses Accelerator 8 forms. Surviving obligations (Accelerator 6) and transferring rights (Accelerator 3) are handed over. Lessons learned are captured in a central register, reused by Accelerator 1. A close-out certificate is generated and signed by both parties. The agreement is set to Closed in Navigator, with a retention date.What's prebuilt: close-out checklist with sign-off; final evaluation; transition hand-over; lessons-learned form and register; certificate template; archiving step.Customer configures: checklist tasks, sign-off roles, certificate template, retention periods.Standard: CMS™ 4.2.2 Close out contract, 4.2.1 (settle termination, lessons learned). Supports a local standard's conclude phase.Value: nothing is left open, liabilities are discharged, and knowledge is reused.
We would like to suggest an enhancement to the DocuSign CLM API to allow users with the CLM Admin role to retrieve and manage orphaned tasks programmatically.Our use case involves tasks that become unassigned when the original assignee is deactivated or leaves the organization. Currently, even when authenticating as a CLM Admin and querying the document associated with the task, the API response does not return the orphaned work item. Additionally, the available work item endpoints appear to require a document context, with no API option to list orphaned or unassigned tasks across the CLM environment.This creates an operational dependency on the CLM portal, where an administrator must manually identify and reassign these tasks.We suggest providing an API capability for CLM Admins to:List orphaned, unassigned, or inactive-user-assigned tasks across the CLM account; Search/filter tasks by assignment status, former assignee, workflow, document, date, or task status; Retrieve the related document and workflow context for each task; Reassign orphaned tasks to an active user through the API.This capability would enable organizations to automate offboarding processes, prevent workflow interruptions, improve operational resilience, and reduce the need for manual intervention in the CLM portal.
What it is: a complete, well-structured contract file with a controlled creation process.How it worksA creation checklist runs per contract type; skipped required items need a reason. A creation log records who did what and when. A file structure template is applied per contract type, with standard folders and a retention policy. A file index tracks each document's status, version, owner and quality. Each document or obligation is classified as "agreed in the contract" or "to be determined later"; open items get an owner and deadline. Navigator AI classifies documents and flags missing or outdated ones. A contract file status report is generated with Doc Gen. Each contract is classified by contract type and scenario, for example input, activity, output or effect contracts.What's prebuilt: creation checklist per contract type; creation log; file structure templates; file index; "agreed" vs. "to be determined" classification; completeness check; status report.Customer configures: checklists, file structure, contract types, retention.Standard: CMS™ 1.7.2 Documentation and 4.1.1 (maintain record management). Also supports local standards with their own contract type models and file requirements.Value: every contract file is complete and audit-ready, and open items are visible.
What it is: structured, linked registers for everything that has to be recorded during a contract's life.How it works Register Contents Links to Stakeholders Internal and counterparty stakeholders, interest, influence, approach Communication (Accelerator 10) Objectives Own and counterparty objectives, importance, start and end date Obligations (Accelerator 6), rating (Accelerator 8) Assumptions Assumption, owner, validation status Risks (Accelerator 7) Ambiguities Unclear clauses, interpretation, resolution Issues (Accelerator 11) Risks and control measures Cause, event and impact format, with measures Risk profile (Accelerator 7) Improvements Improvement item, source, owner, status PDCA Act phase (Accelerator 15) Remaining items Open obligations and risks at contract end Close-out (Accelerator 14) Each register uses its own Web Form; entries are stored as Navigator fields linked to the agreement. Registers are linked to each other, for example an assumption to a risk, or an objective to an obligation. Maestro reminds owners to review their entries. Doc Gen generates a register report per contract.What's prebuilt: seven register templates with links; entry forms; review reminders; register report.Customer configures: which registers are used, fields, classifications.Standard: CMS™ 2.1.1 (risk register), 4.1.1 (stakeholder communication) and 4.2.2 (remaining items). Also supports local standards that define registers per management area.Value: contract knowledge is captured in a structured, connected way instead of in spreadsheets.
What it is: a personal and contract-level work schedule that brings together all planned activities and actions from the other accelerators.How it worksActivities come in automatically from the Management Plan (Accelerator 16), PDCA cycles (Accelerator 15), meetings (Accelerator 10), obligations (Accelerator 6) and changes (Accelerator 11). Each item has an owner, due date, status (open / in progress / complete), priority and PDCA phase. Owners mark items complete through a Web Form or from the assistant (Accelerator 13). Maestro sends reminders before the due date and escalates overdue items. Navigator shows the schedule per person, contract and team.What's prebuilt: central action fields; feeds from all accelerators; status workflow; reminders and escalation; views per person, contract and team.Customer configures: action fields, reminder rules, escalation path.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (maintain trackers and registers) and 4.1.2 (allocate resources, execute schedule). Also supports local standards that use a contract manager's own work schedule.Value: one place for everything a contract manager has to do, so nothing gets lost.
What it is: a clear role model per contract, with backups and separation between who needs the service, who delivers it and who manages the contract.How it worksA role set is assigned per contract. Default roles: Demand Owner, Delivery Owner, Contract Owner, Contract Manager, Authorised Signatory, Verification Manager, Service Manager, Project Manager, Contract Administrator, Procurement Specialist. Each role can have more than one person, plus a backup. Maestro checks separation rules, for example that the Contract Owner is not also the Delivery Owner. A handover date can be set per role; on that date responsibility moves to the new person, who gets a handover pack. A RACI matrix per contract is generated with Doc Gen. The other accelerators use these roles to route tasks, approvals and meetings.What's prebuilt: role fields with backup; separation-of-duties rules; handover workflow; RACI template; role-based routing for all accelerators.Customer configures: roles, separation rules, RACI template.Standard: CMS™ 1.1.3 Roles and 2.1.1 (identify RACI stakeholders). Also supports local standards with their own named contract management roles.Value: clear ownership, continuity when people change roles, and no conflicts of interest.
What it is: structured, approved and versioned plans for managing, implementing and concluding the contract.How it worksThree plan types: Management Plan (activities and frequencies per management area), Implementation Plan (start-up checklist), Conclusion Plan (closing checklist). The Management Plan is pre-filled from the management level and contract type (Accelerator 2). Each plan template comes with standard values per contract type. The contract manager adjusts the plan in a Web Form. Doc Gen generates the plan document. The contract owner approves it through Maestro, recorded with name and timestamp. Every new version is stored, so earlier versions stay visible. On approval, the planned activities are created in Accelerator 15 and Accelerator 18.What's prebuilt: three plan templates with standard values; pre-fill logic from the management level; approval workflow; version history; hand-over to the work schedule.Customer configures: plan structure, standard values per contract type, approvers.Standard: CMS™ 2.1.1 (finalise plan, obtain approvals) and 4.1.2 (plan contract performance). Also matches local standards that prescribe separate management, implementation and conclusion plans.Value: everyone works from one approved plan, and every change can be traced.
What it is: runs contract management as a repeating Plan–Do–Check–Act cycle, phase by phase, for every contract.How it worksEach contract moves through configurable phases. By default: Plan → Initiate → Execute → Check → Act/Adjust → Conclude. Each management area runs its own PDCA cycle: objectives, stakeholders, risks, obligations, finances, governance, satisfaction, calendar and contract file. How often each cycle runs depends on the management level, set in Accelerator 2. In the Check phase, Maestro sends a checklist Web Form per management area: is it managed, up to date and on track? Findings go to the improvement list (Accelerator 19) or the action list (Accelerator 18). At an extension point, an extension evaluation is triggered; its outcome feeds Accelerator 12. Navigator shows the current phase and cycle status per contract and for the portfolio.What's prebuilt: phase model and status field; PDCA frequency matrix per management area and level; Check-phase checklist forms; extension evaluation form; phase transitions in Maestro; portfolio view.Customer configures: phases, management areas, frequencies, checklist questions.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 (plan and monitor contract performance). Also supports local standards that work with PDCA cycles per management area.Value: contract management becomes a repeatable cycle, not a one-off activity.
What it is: makes sure the owner always decides in time whether to renew, renegotiate or terminate.How it worksNavigator AI extracts end date, notice period, auto-renewal, price indexation and options, including from older contracts. Lead times are set per management level and contract type. Maestro sends a decision Web Form with contract summary, supplier score (Accelerator 8), open actions (Accelerator 10), budget (Accelerator 9) and related contracts (Accelerator 3). Renew: a pre-filled amendment is generated and signed. Renegotiate: Accelerator 11 and a strategic Accelerator 10 meeting start. Terminate: a notice is generated, signed with timestamp, and Accelerator 14 starts. No answer: escalation. High-value contracts need extra approval.What's prebuilt: AI extraction of renewal terms; lead-time logic; decision form; renewal and termination templates; escalation workflow.Customer configures: lead times, escalation path, approval thresholds, letter templates.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (monitor expiration date), 4.1.4 (renew or extend), 4.2.1 Terminate contract. Supports a local standard's extension evaluation.Value: no unwanted auto-renewals. Fastest ROI and the recommended first accelerator.
What it is: a formal process for contract changes and disputes, from request to signed amendment or resolution.How it worksChange: a request comes in via Web Form or Accelerator 10; impact on scope, price, schedule, risk and related contracts (Accelerator 3) is analysed; Maestro routes approval by value and level; the amendment is generated with Doc Gen and signed; change log, budget (Accelerator 9) and obligations (Accelerator 6) are updated. Dispute: an unresolved issue escalates to a dispute; it is tracked with status, owner, deadlines and documents; it escalates from contract managers to steering committee to legal; the outcome is recorded, with an amendment if needed.What's prebuilt: change-request form; impact-analysis template; approval routing; amendment template with signing; change log; dispute status trail and escalation workflow.Customer configures: change categories, approval thresholds, escalation levels, templates.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.4 Govern contract (change contract, manage disputes).Value: controlled changes, fewer scope disputes, and the contract's integrity is protected.
What it is: one flow for all contract meetings, with decisions and actions recorded with the contract.How it worksThe user picks a meeting type: kick-off, operational, strategic, internal, steering committee or custom. Participants are selected by role (Accelerator 17). Doc Gen generates the agenda with open actions, issues, scores and budget status. Minutes are captured in a Web Form whose fields depend on the meeting type. Each action becomes a task with owner, due date and reminders (Accelerator 18). Optionally, both parties sign off the minutes with eSignature. Minutes are stored as PDF and decisions go into the decision register. A change or dispute can be started directly in Accelerator 11. Changes to the meeting structure are versioned.What's prebuilt: one parameterised workflow for all meeting types; agenda and minutes templates; adaptive minutes form; action creation; decision register; link to Accelerator 11.Customer configures: meeting types, roles, fields per type, templates, sign-off rules.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (post-award briefing, communications with stakeholders), 4.1.4 Govern contract (interpretation, raise and resolve issues). Supports a local standard's meeting structure.Value: decisions and actions stay with the contract, with a full audit trail.
What it is: a structured record of budget against actuals per contract year. Not a full financial module.How it worksAt contract start, a Web Form captures budget per year: contract and internal costs (buy side) or revenue and costs (sell side). Amounts are stored as Navigator fields. Each quarter, Maestro asks the owner for actuals, or they come from an ERP via an App Center extension. Budget changes need approval; each version is saved as a Doc Gen snapshot. Overruns above the threshold trigger an alert and an Accelerator 10 agenda item. Navigator shows planned vs. actual per contract and portfolio. At close-out, figures are handed over to Accelerator 14.What's prebuilt: budget and actuals forms; budget fields per year; change approval with snapshots; overrun alert; planned vs. actual view; optional ERP extension.Customer configures: cost categories, contract years, reporting frequency, overrun threshold.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (track funding and contract value, manage payments, assess cost information), 2.1.1 (verify funds).Value: cost overruns are visible early, even without an ERP integration.
What it is: structured two-way performance ratings, measured against the contract's objectives and rolled up for the portfolio.How it worksRatings are sent on a schedule based on management level, or triggered by an event. The internal owner rates the supplier. The counterparty rates the relationship through an external Web Form link, no login needed. Rating areas are the contract's objectives (Accelerator 2) plus quality, delivery, communication and compliance. Each area gets a 1–5 score with rationale and optional weighting. Workflow(Maestro) calculates and writes back the score. A score below threshold triggers an Accelerator 10 meeting and an improvement plan. Navigator shows the trend per supplier.What's prebuilt: internal and external rating forms; scheduled and event send-out; score write-back; escalation and improvement-plan template; supplier portfolio view.Customer configures: rating areas, scale, weighting, threshold, frequency.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 Evaluate seller performance, 4.1.2 (performance reviews, inspect and accept), 4.2.2 (validate final performance).Value: problems surface early, measured against what the contract was meant to achieve. Note: each form sent counts as an automation send.
What it is: makes sure every contract is reviewed as often as its management level requires, and shows how healthy each contract is.How it worksThe management level comes from Accelerator 2. A frequency matrix sets how often each review type is due: performance, risk, obligations and custom types. Maestro calculates due dates and sends the owner a review form. The owner records outcome, notes and evidence. The risk profile is updated, combining AI extraction of risk clauses with the review outcome. Overdue reviews escalate to the contract manager. Every change to the management level is logged. A completeness check flags missing or outdated documents. Each contract gets a health status (green / amber / red) based on reviews, obligations (Accelerator 6), rating (Accelerator 8) and budget (Accelerator 9).What's prebuilt: management-level fields and frequency matrix; review workflow and form; risk profile and register; level-change log; completeness check; health score and portfolio dashboard.Customer configures: levels, review types, frequencies, risk categories and scoring, health-score weighting, escalation path.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (record management, track risk and contract value), 4.1.2 Ensure quality (manage risk, plan performance monitoring, conduct reviews).Value: reviews don't quietly stop, risks stay current, and portfolio health is visible at a glance.
What it is: tracks every contractual obligation with an owner, a due date and evidence it was met.How it worksNavigator AI extracts obligations: deliverables, SLAs, reporting, GDPR, insurance, audit rights. The contract manager reviews them and assigns owner and due date. Obligations are classified by type, criticality, and buyer or seller. Before the due date, Workflow sends a reminder and asks for evidence via Web Form. Evidence is stored with the agreement. An unmet obligation becomes an issue in Accelerator 11 and lowers the health score in Accelerator 7. Obligations that survive the contract are handed over to Accelerator 14.What's prebuilt: AI obligation extraction; obligation fields and classification; reminder and evidence workflow; escalation; overview per contract and owner.Customer configures: obligation types, classification, reminder lead times, evidence requirements, escalation rules.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (monitor performance obligations, manage buyer's inputs and obligations, maintain record management).Value: no missed obligations, and proof of compliance ready for audits.
What it is: a structured start for every signed contract, so everyone knows what was agreed and the counterparty is onboarded properly.How it worksStarts automatically after signature. Doc Gen generates a kick-off pack: contract summary, roles, key obligations, meeting structure, contacts. A kick-off meeting is scheduled through Accelerator 10. The counterparty receives onboarding Web Forms for contacts, key personnel, insurance certificates and bank details, with ID verification where needed. Internal hand-over from negotiation to delivery team is confirmed. Key-personnel changes during the contract go through a Web Form and approval. Accelerators 6, 7 and 10 are started.What's prebuilt: kick-off pack template; onboarding forms; ID verification step; hand-over confirmation; key-personnel change workflow; triggers to follow-up accelerators.Customer configures: pack content, onboarding questions, required documents, approvers.Standard: CMS™ 4.1.1 (initiate contract, post-award briefing and onboarding, manage key personnel changes).Value: a clean start for every contract, with no lost knowledge between teams.
What it is: an AI check of the counterparty's draft or offer against the organization’s standard positions, with approval of deviations.How it worksThe counterparty's draft or offer is uploaded. Navigator AI compares clauses with the playbook: standard position, acceptable fallbacks and red lines. Each deviation is listed with a risk score. Deviations above the threshold go to the right approver through Maestro. The negotiation outcome is recorded per clause. Maestro routes the contract for award approval, then it is sent for signature with eSignature. Accepted deviations are written to the risk profile in Accelerator 7.What's prebuilt: playbook structure; AI comparison and deviation report; risk scoring; approval workflow for deviations and award; sending for signature; hand-over to the risk profile.Customer configures: playbook clauses and positions, risk thresholds, approvers, signing order.Standard: CMS™ 3.1 Form contract (3.1.1–3.1.4).Value: faster, more consistent negotiations, with every deviation recorded and approved.
What it is: models how contracts depend on each other, so changes in one contract are never missed in the others.How it worksWhen a contract is created or added, its relationships are recorded. Relationship types: legal, vertical chain (prime / subcontract), horizontal chain, DPA, NDA, framework / call-off. Minimum chain data is recorded: dates, type of dependency, counterparty, flow-down clauses. Maestro checks that required related agreements exist, for example a DPA when personal data is involved. When one contract changes, is renewed or terminated, owners of related contracts are alerted. Navigator shows a relationship view per contract and for the portfolio.What's prebuilt: relationship-type picklist and link fields; rules for required agreements; impact-alert workflow; relationship and portfolio views; flow-down checklist.Customer configures: relationship types, required-agreement rules, alert recipients, flow-down clauses.Standard: CMS™ 2.1.1 (pre-contractual documents), 4.1.3 Manage subcontracts, 4.2.2 (rights and obligations transitioning to other contracts).Value: no missing DPAs or NDAs, and full visibility of how contracts in a chain affect each other.
What it is: one front door for every new contract. It classifies the contract and creates it with all attributes and a management plan.How it worksThe requester fills in an intake Web Form, from the intranet, Teams or after Accelerator 1. Questions cover value, strategic importance, risk, duration, parties, related agreements and the contract's objectives, with conditional follow-ups. Maestro scores the answers against the customer's matrix and proposes a management level (Low / Standard / Elevated / Strategic). The contract manager approves or overrides; overrides are logged with the previous value and a reason. The agreement is created in Navigator with all fields filled in. Doc Gen generates a management plan pre-filled from the level (Accelerator 16). Depending on the level, Accelerators 3, 6, 7 and 10 are started.What's prebuilt: intake Web Form with conditional logic; scoring matrix and management-level logic; approval workflow with override log; automatic agreement creation; plan template; triggers to the other accelerators.Customer configures: questions, scoring matrix, management levels, approvers, contract types, plan template.Standard: CMS™ 2.1.1 (shape requirements, RACI, risk register, finalize plan, obtain approvals), 2.2.1, 4.1.1 Initiate contract. Supports a local standard's own scenario model.Value: consistent governance from day one, clear ownership, and no contract left unclassified.
What it is: a structured way to prepare the buying or selling strategy before a contract is drafted, so requirements, risks and approvals are clear from the start.How it worksThe requester picks buy side or sell side and the contract type. A Web Form walks through the strategy steps. Buy side: needs assessment, outcomes, make-or-buy, market research, RACI stakeholders, availability of funds, evaluation criteria. Sell side: bid/no-bid, buyer needs, governance model (prime, consortium, joint venture), assumptions and dependencies. Lessons learned from comparable closed contracts (Accelerator 14) are shown as input. An initial risk register is built. A strategy document is generated with Doc Gen. Maestro routes the strategy for internal approval. Once approved, the data is handed over to Accelerator 2 (Intake) or Accelerator 4 (Negotiation).What's prebuilt: buy-side and sell-side Web Forms with conditional sections; make-or-buy and bid/no-bid logic; starter risk register and evaluation-criteria template; strategy document template; approval workflow; hand-over to Accelerators 2 and 4.Customer configures: sections and questions, approval thresholds, evaluation criteria, document template and branding.Standard: CMS™ 2.1 Develop buying strategy (2.1.1, 2.1.2), 2.2 Develop selling strategy (2.2.1, 2.2.2).Value: better-prepared contracts with fewer surprises later, and earlier lessons are reused.





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