--- title: How to Build a Sales Contracting Process description: As you establish your contract process, it’s crucial that you document your strategy, standard terms, and fallbacks in your playbook. image: https://blog.linksquares.com/hubfs/BLOG%20Building%20Out%20a%20Sales%20Contracting%20Process%20and%20Playbook%20-%20Copy%20of%20Legal%20Best%20Practices_Thumbnail.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-build-a-sales-contracting-process#main-content) [LinkSquares](https://blog.linksquares.com/) Open Mobile Menu [LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/) Close Mobile Menu [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) [Products](https://linksquares.com/products/) --- [The LinkSquares Cloud One platform for all your in-house legal needs](https://linksquares.com/products/linksquares-cloud/) --- Contract Lifecycle Management Create, review, manage and sign contracts Legal Project Management Centralize your work and keep projects moving Cross-product capabilities Get scalability, efficiency and connectivity LinkSquares Onboarding Experience A step by step guide to get started today --- [Solutions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/) [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) Resources Content [LinkSquares+ Content curated for in-house leaders](https://linksquares.com/plus/) [The Library](https://linksquares.com/library/) In the studio [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library/) Community & Events [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events/) Learning [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) [Events](https://linksquares.com/events/) [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us/) [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers/) [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-press) [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Contract Lifecycle Management](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Finalize Streamline your contract creation process](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize/) [Sign Get your contracts executed faster](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) [Analyze Your post-signature analytics & repository](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/) [CLM Suite One platform to rule them all](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Legal Project Management](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Prioritize Manage, track, and report on legal work in one place](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Cross-product capabilities](https://linksquares.com/products/) [LinkAI Predictive and generative AI](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/ai/) [Integrations Connect the tools you love](https://linksquares.com/integrations/) [Reporting Improve your teams efficiency with KPIs](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) [API Integrate with any third-party app](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) Back Close Mobile Menu [Cross-product capabilities](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Onboarding We're here for you from day one](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) [Services Short on time? We can help!](https://linksquares.com/services/) [Support Get answers to all of your technical questions](https://linksquares.com/contact-us/) [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) [LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/) - [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) - Products ![](https://images.ctfassets.net/a3hff24q6nt8/104udRs2GzBis3lVOIsQfq/24c371c6c0463777709a98a8bd89cc8c/Image.png) Introducing: Agentic AI for Contract Management Search, edit, and create contracts like never before. [Learn more](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) Contract Lifecycle Management Create, review, manage and sign contracts Legal Project Management Centralize your work and keep projects moving Unified Capabilities Get scalability, efficiency and connectivity LinkSquares Onboarding Experience A step by step guide to get started quickly [Finalize Streamline your contract creation process](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize/) [Sign Get your contracts executed faster](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) [Analyze Your post-signature analytics & repository](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/) [CLM Suite One platform to rule them all](https://linksquares.com/products/) [Prioritize Manage, track, and report on legal work in one place](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) [LinkAI Predictive and generative AI](https://linksquares.com/ai/) [Agentic AI Smarter contracting with a multi-agent approach](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) [Integrations Connect the tools you love](https://linksquares.com/integrations/) [Reporting Improve your teams efficiency with KPIs](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) [API Integrate with any third-party app](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) [Onboarding We're here for you from day one](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) [Services Short on time? We can help!](https://linksquares.com/services/) [Support Get answers to all of your technical questions](https://linksquares.com/contact-us/) - Solutions Use Cases [Crisis Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/crisis-management/) [Contract Review](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-review/) [Contract Storage](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-storage/) [Data Privacy & Compliance](https://linksquares.com/solutions/data-privacy-compliance/) [Deal Acceleration](https://linksquares.com/solutions/deal-acceleration/) [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/fundraising-and-ma/) [Vendor Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/vendor-management/) --- DEPARTMENTS [Legal](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-legal/) [Procurement](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-procurement/) [Sales](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-sales/) - Resources Content [LinkSquares+ Content curated for in-house leaders](https://linksquares.com/plus/) [The Library](https://linksquares.com/library/) Community & Events [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers/) [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events/) In the studio [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library/) Learning [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) [![](https://blog.linksquares.com/hubfs/Navigation/website-menu-navigation-hs-risk-scoring.png)](https://linksquares.com/events/product-spotlight-webinar-risk-revolution/) - Company [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us/) [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers/) [Events](https://linksquares.com/events/) [Partner Program](https://linksquares.com/partners/) [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-press) - [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) - [Login](https://app.linksquares.com/) - [Request a demo](https://linksquares.com/demo-request/) ![BLOG Building Out a Sales Contracting Process and Playbook - Copy of Legal Best Practices\_Header](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLOG%20Building%20Out%20a%20Sales%20Contracting%20Process%20and%20Playbook%20-%20Copy%20of%20Legal%20Best%20Practices_Header.png?width=575&name=BLOG%20Building%20Out%20a%20Sales%20Contracting%20Process%20and%20Playbook%20-%20Copy%20of%20Legal%20Best%20Practices_Header.png) [Christina Sullivan](https://blog.linksquares.com/author/christina-sullivan) Mar 21, 2023 5 min read # How to Build a Sales Contracting Process On the day of the big game, you don’t send a quarterback into the field unless they know the team playbook backwards and forwards. Otherwise, they won’t know which plays to call, and you end up with a team running aimlessly around the gridiron and hoping for the best. Similarly, your sales team needs a contract playbook to know what plays to call during the sales cycle. For example, do your reps know what to do when the signer proposes new terms for your standard MSA? Do they punt it back to legal, or is there legal-approved replacement language they can use? As you establish your contract process, it’s crucial that you document your strategy, standard terms, and fallbacks in your playbook. This blog outlines how to plan for your sales contract process, what stages to consider, and how to reflect these key needs in your playbook. ## 3 Stages to Plan for in Your Sales Contract Process To effectively plan your sales contract process, map out your activity in three essential stages: Preparation, signature, and execution. ### Preparation This stage of the contract lifecycle includes creation, negotiation, [review](https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-redline), and approval and can take the longest out of all the steps without an established process. To streamline this stage, [establish templates](https://blog.linksquares.com/10-types-of-contracts-businesses-need) for common contracts and set up systems that automatically alert necessary stakeholders when it’s time to complete another step in the process. ### Signature To execute the contract in a timely manner, all parties need to sign the contract as quickly and seamlessly as possible. As a result, paper and pen signing is not ideal. Use [eSignature](https://linksquares.com/products/sign/) to collect signatures faster, and when it's built into your CLM, you can easily check when the agreements have been fully signed and are ready for the next stage. ### Execution After you’ve collected the necessary signatures, it’s time to collect payment and make good on your promises. The execution process ensures a smooth handoff to other teams, [proper storage](https://blog.linksquares.com/contract-repository), and obligation fulfillment. This is also the stage in which you prepare for upsell and cross-sell opportunities and get a head start on renewals. [![legal and procurement](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6934676/6263dbc1-b2d3-470d-901b-723034c33dd0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6934676/6263dbc1-b2d3-470d-901b-723034c33dd0) ## Creating a Playbook for Your Sales Contract Process A playbook essentially provides your team with a rundown of how to manage your contracts during the sales process. As a result, it mostly concerns the preparation phase. Your playbook should be a living document that gets updated as your internal processes and business needs change. Here are some tips for creating your sales contract playbook: - Outline what contract terms are non-negotiable - Provide fallback language for terms that your signers may want to change - Determine what autonomy your reps have to alter terms - Indicate standard protocol for negotiating a contract — i.e., what the process looks like and who is involved - Specify reviewers and approvers for contract types (e.g., M&A contracts vs NDAs).   ## Takeaways A playbook ensures consistency in your sales contract process. Legal and sales can collaborate to ensure that the playbook reflects the established process so that everyone is on the same page. See how LinkSquares can help you streamline all of these and build your playbook into your tool. [Request a demo](https://go.linksquares.com/demo-request) today. ![avatar](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202023-05-09%20at%2012.05.18%20PM.png?width=290&name=Screenshot%202023-05-09%20at%2012.05.18%20PM.png) #### [Christina Sullivan](https://blog.linksquares.com/author/christina-sullivan) Christina Sullivan is a Content Marketing Manager at LinkSquares. ## Subscribe to the LinkSquares Blog Stay up to date on best practices for GCs and legal teams, current events, legal tech, and more. ## Related Articles ### [Christina Sullivan Aug 04, 2023 4 min read How to Build a Better Deal Desk Every successful enterprise understands the importance of closing deals fast, ensuring profitability, meeting compliance ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-build-a-better-deal-desk) ### [Christina Sullivan Jul 17, 2023 6 min read How to Streamline Tasks, Reduce Stress, and Prioritize Yourself Lawyers are the protectors of the business. They ensure that the company and each function within it have what they need to ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-streamline-tasks-reduce-stress-and-prioritize-yourself) ### [Christina Sullivan Jan 17, 2023 4 min read 3 Tips for In-House Legal Job Hunting in 2023 As the new year approaches, now is the perfect time to start thinking about if you’re happy in your current role. Maybe you’ve ... Start Reading](https://blog.linksquares.com/3-tips-for-in-house-legal-job-hunting-in-2023) - [Products](https://linksquares.com/products) - [LinkSquares Cloud](https://linksquares.com/products/linksquares-cloud/) - [Prioritize](https://linksquares.com/products/prioritize/) - [Finalize](https://linksquares.com/products/finalize) - [Sign](https://linksquares.com/products/sign) - [Analyze](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze) - [Full Suite](https://linksquares.com/products) - [Integrations](https://linksquares.com/integrations) - [Reporting](https://linksquares.com/products/analyze/features/dashboard/) - [API](https://linksquares.com/integrations/linksquares-api/) - [LinkAI](https://linksquares.com/ai/) - [Agentic AI](https://linksquares.com/agentic-ai/) - [Services](https://linksquares.com/services/) - [Solutions](https://linksquares.com/solutions) - [Crisis Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/crisis-management/) - [Contract Review](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-review/) - [Contract Storage](https://linksquares.com/solutions/contract-storage/) - [Data Privacy & Compliance](https://linksquares.com/solutions/data-privacy-compliance/) - [Deal Acceleration](https://linksquares.com/solutions/deal-acceleration/) - [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://linksquares.com/solutions/fundraising-and-ma/) - [Vendor Management](https://linksquares.com/solutions/vendor-management/) - Departments - [Legal](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-legal/) - [Procurement](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-procurement/) - [Sales](https://linksquares.com/solutions/linksquares-for-sales/) - [Resources](https://linksquares.com/library) - [LinkSquares+](https://linksquares.com/plus) - [Blog](https://blog.linksquares.com/) - [Cockpit Counsel](https://linksquares.com/cockpit-counsel-series) - [Customer Stories](https://linksquares.com/customers) - [Demo Library](https://linksquares.com/demo-library) - [Events & Webinars](https://linksquares.com/events) - [In-House Insights](https://linksquares.com/inhouse-insights/) - [Knowledge Base](https://help.linksquares.com/) - [The Library](https://linksquares.com/resources) - Company - [About Us](https://linksquares.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://linksquares.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://linksquares.com/contact-us/) - [Onboarding](https://linksquares.com/onboarding-services/) - [Partner Program](https://linksquares.com/partners) - [Pricing](https://linksquares.com/pricing/) - [Press](https://blog.linksquares.com/tag/linksquares-news-events) - [Recognition](https://linksquares.com/recognition/) - [Support](mailto:support@linksquares.com) - [Why LinkSquares](https://linksquares.com/why-linksquares/) #### LINKSQUARES, INC. 60 State St. Suite 1200 Boston, MA 02109 [617-681-8552](tel:617-681-8552) [salesinfo@linksquares.com](mailto:salesinfo@linksquares.com) © 2026 LinkSquares, Inc. - [SaaS Terms of Service](https://linksquares.com/saas-terms-of-service/) - [Privacy](https://linksquares.com/privacy-policy/) - [Security](https://linksquares.com/security/) - [Status](https://linksquares.statuspage.io/) - [Your Privacy Choices](https://go.linksquares.com/linksquares-do-not-sell-or-share-personal-data) - ![aicpa soc 2](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/soc2_66933e61%20copy.png?width=100&height=100&name=soc2_66933e61%20copy.png) - ![barr certification](https://blog.linksquares.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Frame%201921.png?width=129&height=57&name=Frame%201921.png) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "United States", "addressLocality" : "Boston", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "02109", "streetAddress" : "60 State Street" }, "knowsLanguage" : "en", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/Navigation/logo_643dd1b1.svg" }, "name" : "LinkSquares", "url" : "https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-build-a-sales-contracting-process" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "abstract" : "As you establish your contract process, it’s crucial that you document your strategy, standard terms, and fallbacks in your playbook.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Christina Sullivan" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-22T18:01:35Z", "datePublished" : "2023-03-21T13:01:00Z", "headline" : "How to Build a Sales Contracting Process", "image" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/BLOG%20Building%20Out%20a%20Sales%20Contracting%20Process%20and%20Playbook%20-%20Copy%20of%20Legal%20Best%20Practices_Thumbnail.png", "inLanguage" : "en", "keywords" : "[Sales Acceleration, In-house Best Practices]", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "How to Build a Sales Contracting Process", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://6934676.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6934676/Navigation/logo_643dd1b1.svg" }, "name" : "LinkSquares" }, "text" : "On the day of the big game, you don’t send a quarterback into the field unless they know the team playbook backwards and forwards. Otherwise, they won’t know which plays to call, and you end up with a team running aimlessly around the gridiron and hoping for the best. Similarly, your sales team needs a contract playbook to know what plays to call during the sales cycle. For example, do your reps know what to do when the signer proposes new terms for your standard MSA? Do they punt it back to legal, or is there legal-approved replacement language they can use? As you establish your contract process, it’s crucial that you document your strategy, standard terms, and fallbacks in your playbook. This blog outlines how to plan for your sales contract process, what stages to consider, and how to reflect these key needs in your playbook. 3 Stages to Plan for in Your Sales Contract Process To effectively plan your sales contract process, map out your activity in three essential stages: Preparation, signature, and execution. Preparation This stage of the contract lifecycle includes creation, negotiation, review, and approval and can take the longest out of all the steps without an established process. To streamline this stage, establish templates for common contracts and set up systems that automatically alert necessary stakeholders when it’s time to complete another step in the process. Signature To execute the contract in a timely manner, all parties need to sign the contract as quickly and seamlessly as possible. As a result, paper and pen signing is not ideal. Use eSignature to collect signatures faster, and when it's built into your CLM, you can easily check when the agreements have been fully signed and are ready for the next stage. Execution After you’ve collected the necessary signatures, it’s time to collect payment and make good on your promises. The execution process ensures a smooth handoff to other teams, proper storage, and obligation fulfillment. This is also the stage in which you prepare for upsell and cross-sell opportunities and get a head start on renewals. Creating a Playbook for Your Sales Contract Process A playbook essentially provides your team with a rundown of how to manage your contracts during the sales process. As a result, it mostly concerns the preparation phase. Your playbook should be a living document that gets updated as your internal processes and business needs change. Here are some tips for creating your sales contract playbook: Outline what contract terms are non-negotiable Provide fallback language for terms that your signers may want to change Determine what autonomy your reps have to alter terms Indicate standard protocol for negotiating a contract — i.e., what the process looks like and who is involved Specify reviewers and approvers for contract types (e.g., M&A contracts vs NDAs). Takeaways A playbook ensures consistency in your sales contract process. Legal and sales can collaborate to ensure that the playbook reflects the established process so that everyone is on the same page. See how LinkSquares can help you streamline all of these and build your playbook into your tool. Request a demo today.", "url" : "https://blog.linksquares.com/how-to-build-a-sales-contracting-process", "wordCount" : "738" } ```