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Draftable Legal Frequently Asked Questions

  • Updated

This FAQ page is meant to be an all-in-one resource for all Draftable Legal users looking for quick answers to questions. We recommend that if you want a more in-depth view of some of these topics you look at the dedicated article, however, this FAQ is designed to assist you as quickly as possible.

 

Table of contents

Click on the section or question below from the table of contents, to go directly to the answers you need for Draftable Legal

 

Launching comparison & inputting files

Customizing and using comparisons

Comparison output - types & export options

Troubleshooting

 

Launching comparison & inputting files

What are the types of files I can compare with Draftable?

The following files are compatible for comparison with Draftable Legal:

  • Word files (like docx and doc);
  • Text files, rich text format (or rtf);
  • PDF files (Including scanned files);
  • Excel files; and
  • PowerPoint files.

 

How do I launch a comparison?

Launching a comparison is easy - there are a few options available to you so that you can choose the one that works best for your workflow:

 

Launch from your desktop:

Double-click the Draftable shortcut on the Desktop, or search for Draftable in your Windows search bar;

 

Launch from Word or Outlook:

Click the Draftable icon to start comparing from within Word or Outlook.

For Outlook, you can find this icon in the Draftable tab at the top of the Outlook menu ribbon.

For Word, you can find this icon in the Draftable tab at the top of the Word menu ribbon.

 

Launch from your Document Management System (DMS), e.g. iManage, NetDocuments:

For iManage:

  • Option 1: click the Draftable icon to start comparing from within iManage; or
  • Option 2: ‘right click’ the file you want to compare and select one of the available compare with Draftable options.

Option 1: click the Draftable icon

 

Option 2: 'Right click'

 

Launch from the local files directory

Select one or two files and ‘right click’ on them, then click on ‘Compare with Draftable’

 

Once you launch Draftable, you will see the New comparison window where you can select your documents and start comparing!

 

 

How do I add documents/text for comparison?

To run a comparison, you need to upload documents or enter text you want to compare to the Draftable New comparison window - there are a few options available:

Uploading files:

  • If the comparison is launched from within Word, Outlook or your DMS (e.g. iManage, NetDocuments), the selected file(s) will already be uploaded for comparison;
  • Browse for local or DMS files from within the New comparison window; or
  • 'Drag & drop' from your local files or DMS. 

Uploading text input:

  • Copy & paste existing text from a document or other location; 
  • From within Word or Outlook - highlight text & click the 'Compare text' button in the Draftable tab; or
  • Highlight the text you want to compare and 'drag & drop' the text into the New comparison window.

 

How do I compare iManage documents?

You can upload iManage files for comparison:

  • From within iManage (just select the relevant file and click the Draftable icon; or ‘right click’ the file you want to compare and select one of the available compare with Draftable options);
  • By ‘dragging & dropping’ iManage files into the Draftable launcher; or
  • By browsing iManage files from within the Draftable launcher. 

To browse for iManage files - in the New comparison window open click the iManage icon for either the older or newer document.

 

This will open the iManage menu, where you will be able to navigate to your desired document - then just select it, and it will load into Draftable.

 

How do I compare different iManage versions?

There are two ways you can select file versions to compare in Draftable: from within iManage or via the Draftable ‘version selector’.

 

Selecting a version when uploading files - browsing iManage files from the Draftable launcher

To select file versions when browsing files via Draftable’s 'iManage file selector:

  1. Navigate to the relevant file;
  2. Click the ‘i' button (pictured below) to 'show details’ related to the document (this button will be at top in the iManage menu, on the right-hand side);

  3. Go to the ‘Versions' tab (which will display all versions of the file) and select the relevant version;
  4. Then click ‘Select’ button at the bottom of the screen.

Selecting document versions when loading files from within iManage

Navigate to the relevant document and either:

  • 'Right-clicking' on the document and then selecting ‘Compare versions’, from where you will be able to select the version(s) you need (if you select ‘Compare with latest’ - the latest two versions of the document will be uploaded); or
  • Open the versions menu in iManage by clicking the ‘i' (show details) icon in the top right of the screen and then selecting the 'versions’ tab on the right-hand side of the screen. Then right-click on the version you want to load and select ‘compare’.



 

Changing the selected version when files are already uploaded

Once you have loaded a document from iManage, and if that document has different versions you can quickly change the version used for comparison.

In the new comparison window below click 'Select version' to change the version used. When clicked, in a new window, you will see all document versions displayed, from where you can change the version to be used for comparison.




 

How do I compare NetDocuments files?

You can upload NetDocuments files for comparison:

  • From within NetDocuments ('right click' on the relevant file, select 'Send to application' and select one of the available Draftable comparison options); or
  • By browsing NetDocuments files from within the Draftable launcher. 

To browse for NetDocuments files - in the New comparison window open click the NetDocuments icon for either the older or newer document.

This will open the NetDocuments menu where you will be able to navigate to your desired document - then just select it, click 'Open' and it will load into Draftable.

 

How do I compare different versions of NetDocuments files?

There are two ways you can select file versions to compare in Draftable: from within NetDocments or via the Draftable ‘version selector’.

 

Selecting a version when uploading files - browsing NetDocuments files from the Draftable launcher

To select file versions when browsing files via Draftable’s NetDocuments file selector:

  1. Click the NetDocuments icon in the New comparison window;
  2. Navigate to the relevant file and click on it;
  3. In the document menu window on the right (pictured below) select the relevant document version that you want to use for comparison and click 'Open';

  4. Then click ‘Open’ button at the bottom of the screen - the version of the document that you have selected will then be uploaded to the Draftable launcher in the New comparison window.

 

Selecting document versions when loading files from within NetDocuments

Navigate to the relevant document and:

  • 'Right-click' on the document, select 'Send to application', choose 'Draftable Compare Version' from where you will be able to select the version(s) you need (if you select ‘Draftable Compare Latest’ - the latest two versions of the document will be uploaded); or
  • Select the relevant document, click 'More', select 'Send to application', choose 'Draftable Compare Version' from where you will be able to select the version(s) you need (if you select ‘Draftable Compare Latest’ - the latest two versions of the document will be uploaded).







 

Changing the selected NetDocuments version when files are already uploaded

Once you have loaded a document from NetDocuments, and if that document has different versions you can quickly change the version used for comparison.

In the new comparison window below click 'Select version' to change the version used. When clicked, in a new window, you will see all document versions displayed, from where you can change the version to be used for comparison.




 

How do I compare SharePoint documents?

Go to your desired documents on SharePoint and select both documents you wish to compare. Once done select the Draftable logo that says 'compare' to automatically load your documents into the new comparison window.

You can also ‘drag & drop’ your SharePoint files into the Draftable new comparison window.

If your SharePoint files are synced with your local computer, you will also be able to upload SharePoint files via browsing from within the Draftable New comparison window.

 

How do I compare files on my computer using right-click?

Navigate to the location of your desired documents and select the documents you wish to compare. Then right-click on these documents.


Navigate to the Show More Options item.


Then select Compare in Draftable. This will automatically load the documents into the New Comparison Window.

 

Can I drag and drop for comparisons?

Yes! Ensuring you have the file explorer open with your desired files and the New comparison window open, simply click and drag your documents into the window to the respective Older or Newer document fields.


Additionally, you can drag and drop from both iManage and SharePoint as well.

 

How do I compare from Outlook?

Open up the email that contains the desired documents you wish to compare.

  1. In the email window, select the tab called Draftable; 
  2. Click Compare; 
  3. A prompt will open asking you to choose the documents you wish to compare, select the desired documents and click Select; and
  4. The selected documents will be loaded into the new comparison window.





 

Can I compare the documents I have already compared earlier?

Yes - you can access recently compared files from within the 'Recent' button in the Draftable launcher (New comparison window) and select relevant documents to perform a new comparison.

 

Can I compare multiple documents at once?

Draftable Legal allows you to load multiple documents for comparison and run them simultaneously. This 'Bulk Compare' feature is designed to save you time by removing the need to manually run every single comparison one by one. 

With Bulk Compare, you can load multiple (up to 100s*) of 'newer' documents to compare against a single original document. Each comparison is run independently and you can open or save them.

To learn more about how to use this feature, see our full step-by-step guide. 

 

Customizing and using comparisons


How do I customize my comparisons?

Depending on the administrative settings of your organization, as an individual user, you may or may not be permitted to adjust the rendering settings of your comparison output. In the case where comparison customization is available to you, follow the below steps to customize your comparisons. 

Open the settings menu in the Draftable launcher (top right corner).

Navigate to the Redline tab for Redline comparison settings. 

Some of these settings include the types of changes that are seen in your Redline comparisons (like content changes and style changes), the colours used in Redline comparisons, settings for comparing comments, conventions for comparison file names and more.


For Side by Side settings, navigate to the Side by Side tab and customize your comparisons there.

 

Can I create Redline profiles / rendering sets?

Depending on the administrative settings of your organization, as an individual user, you may or may not be permitted to create your own Redline profiles (rendering sets) in addition to the ones set by your organization.

Redline profiles allow you to load in a preset of Redline settings for your Draftable legal application to easily apply different setting profiles depending on the documents you are comparing at the time. Profiles and configuring profiles is an involved process and we recommend you read our dedicated knowledge base article if you wish to learn more.

 

How do I rename comparison outputs?

In addition to the standard way to rename files within the local files directory, Draftable Legal allows you to set up your own customized naming convention for comparison outputs. However, note that depending on your administrative settings this feature might be disabled. 

To customize your default comparison output naming convention, go to 'Settings' - Choose 'Redline' (vertical ribbon on the left-hand side) and scroll down to 'Filename output'. You would be able to set up your preferred filename convention by selecting one of the preset options from the drop-down menu or setting up your own convention. To do so, we recommend that you follow our dedicated knowledge base article. 

 

Comparison output - types & export options

How do I generate my desired comparison output? (PDF redline, tracked changes, side-by-side)

You will be able to select the relevant comparison output in the 'Comparison type' drop-down menu in the Draftable launcher. You need to select your preferred output type before you ‘click’ the ‘Compare’ button. 

Depending on the types of files compared, the following options are available for your comparison output:

  • PDF redline (for comparing Word; PDF files; or text input) format;
  • Tracked changes / native format: 
    • Word with tracked changes (for comparing Word; PDF files; or text input);
    • PowerPoint with tracked changes (for comparing PowerPoint files);
    • Spreadsheet compare (for comparing Excel files); and
  • Side-by-side format (for all types of files).

How do I export (save or send) comparisons from the Draftable viewer?

PDF Redline comparisons

Comparisons in PDF redline format (available for comparing Word; PDF files; or text input), will be opened in the Draftable viewer.

The next actions ribbon located on the top of the Draftable viewer will offer you several options for your comparison export, such that you would be able to save, send or print your comparison output directly from the Draftable viewer. You will be able to select the appropriate format (full PDF, PDF changed pages only or Word with tracked changes) for the comparison export.

 

Side-by-side comparisons

Side-by-side comparisons could be exported as PDF files in their side-by-side or single-page view. For this, navigate to the ribbon at the top of thew viewer and select the action you wish to use.

You are also able to export the changes list available within the side-by-side window. To do so, click the 'Save' button and choose export type (CSV or DOCX format) and the changes list will be exported into the selected format.

How do I generate Changed pages only output?

Changed pages output is available for Redline in Draftable comparison output - you can review the document in the mode where only changed pages are shown, as well as export this output as a PDF changed pages-only file. 

This feature can save you time while you are reviewing lengthy documents, as you will no longer need to scroll through the pages without any changes.

Review changed pages in the Draftable viewer:

  • In the 'Comparison type' in the Draftable launcher (New comparison window), select Redline in Draftable and click ‘click’ the ‘Compare’ button;
  • Once the comparison is ready, in the Draftable viewer, to enable the interactive changed pages view feature whilst viewing your comparison, click the icon shown below (at the top of the screen).

Export PDF Changed pages output:

  • In the 'Comparison type' in the Draftable launcher (New comparison window), select Redline in Draftable and click ‘click’ the ‘Compare’ button;
  • Once the comparison is ready, in the Draftable viewer, you will see the next actions menu in the ribbon at the top of the window; 
  • Select your desired export option (e.g. save, email, etc);
  • A drop-down list will appear showing available export options - select 'Changed Pages only'. 

What comparison output is available for Word/PDF file comparisons?

For your Word-Word, PDF-PDF or Word-PDF comparisons, you have the following comparison output options available: PDF redline, Word with tracked changes and Side-by-side.

Below you can see explanations of what each of these outputs is and why you might prefer one output versus the other for certain workflows.  

Redline in Draftable:

  • The comparison will be opened within the Draftable PDF viewer;
  • This option is great when you want to quickly review the comparison in a clean PDF-style format and proceed with your next actions from there;
  • From the next actions panel on the right-hand side in the viewer you will be able to select whether you want to export your comparison in any format (PDF, PDF changed pages only, Word with tracked changes);
  • You can email your comparison output directly from the viewer in a ‘single click’;
  • You can also switch to Word with tracked changes output directly from the viewer without having to re-run the comparison (just click ‘Open’ in the menu panel within the viewer, and select: ‘Word with Track Changes’).

Tracked Changes in Word:

  • The comparison will be saved directly in Word with changes shown in tracked changes;
  • This output format will allow you to continue working with the markup in the familiar Word environment, so you would be able to further modify the document, accept/reject tracked changes, etc.

Side-by-side:

  • The comparison will open in the Draftable side-by-side viewer, where both (original and modified) documents are displayed side-by-side, and the changes are shown in highlight in those documents;
  • Given that this output format shows you the changes in the context of both input files, it is useful for comparing documents with a large volume of changes, where a standard redline format could be hard to read and understand.

Can I compare scanned documents in PDF format?

Yes, you can! Just upload the PDF file for comparison (without needing to convert it into another format first). Draftable Legal has built-in OCR capabilities, which will allow your document to be compared straightaway.

To enable OCR, go to the 'Settings' menu and navigate to the 'General' tab. In the 'Scanned documents' section, enable OCR by selecting 'Automatic' or 'Always' in the drop-down menu.

Can I switch to Word with Tracked Changes without re-running the comparison?

Where you have performed your Word/PDF/text comparisons in Redline in Draftable format, the comparison will open in the Draftable viewer. 

However, if you wish to switch to Word with Tracked Changes, you can do so directly from the Draftable viewer without needing to re-run the comparison.

To do so: 

  • Navigate to 'Open' in the next actions ribbon on the top of the viewer.
  • Select 'Track Changes' and the comparison will open in MS Word as Track Changes document.

 

Why use the Draftable viewer?

The Draftable viewer offers a lot of functionality that does not exist in typical output formats (such as a PDF viewer), which enhances the comparison functionality and use.

Redline comparison features include:

Next actions panel for a streamlined workflow:

  • Allows you to easily save, share and print your comparison;
  • If you want to email your comparison - you can do so directly from the Draftable viewer, you would be able to generate a new email and include all relevant comparison outputs (as well as input files), or you can copy files to your clipboard and paste them to your existing email.

Use the Changed Pages Only view to save precious time in review:

  • Allows you to only view the pages that were changed ; 
  • This feature is available in its interactive format from the viewer or as an export (PDF Changed pages).

Customized comparison output - a tidy comparison that is easy to read:

  • View comparison in the way that makes it easy for you - through markup customization options, individual users or organizations at the administrative level can set up Profiles / rendering sets to personalize the comparison output to match individual/organizational preferences;
  • These settings are controlled via the Draftable settings.

Side-by-side comparison features include:

  • Change list: This allows you to easily see all the changes shown in a comparison. The change list can also be exported;
  • Synced scrolling: Retains both the 'base' and 'modified' documents in alignment, such that the changes are easy to understand in the context of each document as you scroll through the documents;
  • Ability to tag & annotate changes: you can tag changes to assign priority and indicate where further action is required, as well as annotate changes by including custom entry “notes”. 

 

How do I run PowerPoint and Excel comparisons?

With Draftable Legal, you can compare PowerPoint to PowerPoint files and Excel to Excel files.

This is done through the same launcher - just upload your files in the Draftable launcher (New comparison window). 

 

What comparison outputs are available for PowerPoint and Excel comparisons?

After adding files in the Draftable launcher, you will need to select the type of comparison you wish to receive from the 'Comparison type' drop-down menu.

For PowerPoint and Excel comparisons, output types are available in native (PowerPoint tracked changes / Spreadsheet compare) format or in a side-by-side view.  

PowerPoint files:

  • Redline Tracked Changes: The comparison will be opened as a PowerPoint file with all modifications to the document displayed as tracked changes, such that you would be able to navigate through the changes and 'accept' / 'reject' them; or
  • Side by side: This will open the comparison output in Draftable side-by-side view, where both documents are visible on the screen at the same time and all changes are highlighted. 

Excel files:

  • Redline Tracked Changes: This dedicated format visualizes changes directly within spreadsheet of the Excel file via Spreadsheet compare; or
  • Side-by-side: This will open the comparison output in a Draftable side-by-side view, where both documents are visible on the screen at the same time and all changes are highlighted. 

 

Troubleshooting


A comparison I tried failed to work, what do I do now?

If you attempt to run a comparison and it fails to work, we recommend the following steps to self-diagnose the issue to hopefully assist you in successfully completing that comparison:

  • If you were comparing one or two Word files, try re-saving the document into PDF format using Microsoft Word, and then attempt a comparison;
  • Restart Draftable and then retry running the comparison.

If these fail, get in touch with either your dedicated support team or our support team at support@draftable.com. 

 

How can I share my documents with Support without sharing confidential information?

Where your comparison failed or certain changes within the compared document were not displayed appropriately, in order to diagnose the issue, we often require the relevant input files. However, we are mindful that confidentiality concerns would typically prevent you from sharing the documents with us due to the sensitive information. 

The 'File Obfuscator' feature within Draftable Legal is there to address this matter. This function will allow you to completely anonymize the content of your files, such that we (or anyone) would be able to de-cypher it. The obfuscated files would still retain relevant elements of the documents, such that we would be able to analyze what is causing an issue without having access to the actual content of the original files.

To access this feature, go to 'Settings', under 'Troubleshooting' select 'File Obfuscator'. This will open a new window wherein you can choose relevant documents for anonymization. Once an obfuscated file is created, you will be able to send it on to the support team for further diagnosis.

To learn more about this feature in order to use it, go to this article in our knowledge base.

 

How do I export error logs?

Log files are used to help the Draftable support team diagnose the issues you are experiencing with Draftable. First, open the settings menu by selecting the settings icon in the New Comparison window.​


Once the settings menu is open, navigate to the Troubleshooting tab and select the Export Error Logs option.​


Once you have exported the logs, provide them to the support team for further diagnosis of your issue.

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