MetaDesign Solutions
MetaDesign SolutionsDeveloping a Word Add-in to streamline contract negotiation and collaboration for a global leader in business spend management, empowering users with real-time legal clause reviews, seamless document uploads, and collaborative workflows
Overview
MetaDesign Solutions successfully developed a robust Word 365 Add-in for a global leader in business spend management (BSM). The solution integrates with the client’s Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform, offering users features like real-time contract clause review, SSO-based authentication, and streamlined document uploads across desktop and mobile devices. The add-in has significantly improved contract negotiation processes by providing seamless integration with Office 365 and real-time data updates, helping the client’s users boost operational efficiency and reduce contract risks.
about the client
Our client is a leading global provider of cloud-based business spend management (BSM) solutions, helping companies optimize procurement, supply chain, and financial operations. The company’s platform manages trillions of dollars in business spend across various industries, including technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. Their Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform enables organizations to manage contract negotiations and executions with precision, providing automation, risk reduction, and intelligent analytics.
To enhance their digital transformation efforts, the client sought to improve user experience within their contract negotiation platform by integrating with Word 365. The goal was to empower users with seamless access to contract data, clause review, and real-time collaboration while maintaining a secure and compliant environment. This project was critical in furthering the company’s mission to deliver AI-powered solutions that streamline business operations.
Industry Domain
Tech/Media
Service Category (Service-line)
Word Plug-in Development / Office Plug-in Development / Digital Product Development
Technologies Used
Angular
HTML5
CSS3
Office Add-in SDK
Challenges
Cross-platform integration: Ensuring compatibility across both desktop and online versions of Word 365 while maintaining performance consistency.
Real-time clause review: Implementing real-time legal clause suggestions through REST API integration with the CLM platform.
User authentication: Providing a seamless single sign-on (SSO) experience for users across multiple devices while managing session security and integrity.
Document versioning: Creating a solution that supports document uploads with conflict resolution features, preserving edit histories across internal and external parties.
Task pane flexibility: Building a task pane that can handle complex configurations, user roles, and document validation rules within Word.
Solution Scope and Services
MetaDesign Solutions was tasked with building a Word 365 Add-in that supported real-time contract collaboration and clause review through the client’s existing APIs. The add-in was developed using Angular for the frontend, ensuring a dynamic user experience, while the Office 365 Add-in SDK was used to integrate with Word’s API. The project involved SSO integration to ensure secure authentication across both Word Online and desktop versions. We also provided an intuitive task pane, enabling users to review, upload, and check-in contracts directly from Word.
The Add-in allows users to open documents from the CLM platform, make edits, and automatically update contract variables. It also provided conflict resolution features, ensuring that the uploaded document adheres to user permissions and retains an accurate version history. By hosting the solution on AWS via an S3 Bucket, we ensured the system’s scalability and reliability, supporting both mobile and desktop users.
Cross-platform Support for Word 365
The Add-in was developed to function seamlessly across both the desktop and online versions of Word 365. This ensured that users could access and collaborate on contract documents from anywhere, on any device, without facing compatibility issues. MetaDesign Solutions’ focus on building a flexible, responsive interface helped ensure consistency across platforms, providing users with a smooth, uninterrupted experience.
Real-time Contract Clause Review Using REST API
By integrating the client’s CLM platform with the Word Add-in, MetaDesign Solutions implemented a real-time clause review system powered by REST APIs. This feature provided immediate suggestions for legal clause changes, enabling faster and more informed contract negotiations. The integration of real-time data into the Word interface helped users enhance compliance and reduce risks.
Secure Authentication with SSO
To streamline user access and enhance security, the Add-in featured SSO integration. This allowed users to authenticate seamlessly across both desktop and web versions of Word, providing a smooth experience without compromising on security. The SSO feature ensured that users could switch between devices without needing to reauthenticate, improving overall productivity and user satisfaction.
Results
The Word Add-in developed by MetaDesign Solutions has enabled the client’s users to negotiate contracts more efficiently by providing an integrated platform for real-time clause review, secure document uploads, and seamless collaboration. The ability to edit, track, and resolve conflicts within the document directly from Word has streamlined the client’s contract management processes, significantly reducing negotiation time and improving user productivity. With seamless integration into the Office 365 environment, this solution has contributed to the client’s broader goals of digital transformation and operational excellence.