# Configuring preferences for your organization
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean
Overview for system administrators centrally configuring Draftable Clean across their organization using Group Policy, registry settings, or Microsoft Intune.
Screenshots labelled **26.10 and later** show Draftable Clean 26.10.0. Use the earlier-version tab if your settings look different. Your desktop version appears at the bottom right of the main application window.
This article is for system administrators who want to centrally configure Draftable Clean settings across their organization.
## Choose your configuration method
For on-premises Active Directory environments. ADMX/ADML templates, admin profile editor, and full policy reference.
For cloud-managed devices. Import ADMX templates or configure registry settings via OMA-URI.
## How Draftable Clean settings work
Draftable Clean stores its configuration in the **Windows Registry**. When the application starts, it reads the current registry settings to determine its behavior — including cleaning profiles, DMS integrations, licensing, privacy preferences, and more.
Administrators can manage these settings using any tool that writes to the registry, including Group Policy, Microsoft Intune, registry scripts, or other endpoint management tools.
## Priority of settings
Unless otherwise noted, the order of precedence from highest to lowest priority is:
1. **User Policy** (set in User Configuration via Group Policy or Intune administrative templates)
2. **Computer Policy** (set in Computer Configuration via Group Policy or Intune administrative templates)
3. **User Setting** (set by the user through the application UI, or by manually editing the registry)
If no policy setting exists, the user's own setting is used.
## v26.6.0 administrator updates (June 2026)
Draftable Clean **v26.6.0** introduces several enterprise controls for administrators:
* **Enforce must-clean metadata types across all profiles** — require specific metadata types to always be removed, regardless of which cleaning profile is active
* **Outlook add-in lockdown** — lock the default profile, send-protection behaviours, and related add-in defaults so users cannot override organisation standards
* **Individual add-in policy fields** — Outlook add-in settings are exposed as separate Group Policy / Intune administrative template fields, replacing the previous single combined JSON value
* **Updated ADMX templates** — **DomainRules** and **AddInSettings** policies are surfaced explicitly
* **MSI prerequisite change** — the machine-wide MSI no longer requires .NET 10 Desktop Runtime as a separate prerequisite check
Organizations that scripted the previous single JSON blob for add-in settings must migrate to the new individual fields. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) for migration details, or [Configuring preferences with Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean) if you deploy via Intune.
See the [v26.6.0 release notes](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-0) for the full release summary.
## User-facing settings
In addition to administrator-managed settings, individual users can configure Draftable Clean through the **Settings** panel (gear icon, top-right corner):
| Section | What can be configured |
| - | - |
| **General** | Email subject/body templates, attachment summary format (desktop Email button), privacy (usage statistics, error reports) |
| **Profile** | Create, delete, rename cleaning profiles and set defaults. Built-in profiles and administrator-configured profiles cannot be edited by users. See [Metadata cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles) |
| **Integrations** | iManage (enable, Server URL, auto-connect), NetDocuments (auto-detected via ndOffice) |
| **Add-In** | Outlook add-in: profile selection, Skip Cleaning, domain rules, send protection, New Outlook on/off setting, attachment summary format |
| **License** | License status, edition, and expiry date |
| **Troubleshooting** | Email logs, export error logs, open log folder. See [Diagnostic logs and support](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support) |
### Add-In settings
The **Add-In** section controls how the Draftable Clean Outlook add-in behaves:
* **Profile Selection**: choose the profile used before recipients are entered, or choose **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** to leave attachments unchanged. **App default** follows the application's default profile. You can also allow users to override the cleaning profile per attachment.
* **Domain Rules**: map recipient domains to cleaning profiles or **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)**. Rules also match subdomains; a rule for `acme.com` matches `mail.acme.com`. The most specific match wins for each recipient. Skipping applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule; otherwise a cleaning rule or the default profile takes precedence. Keep **Default** (all other domains) assigned to a cleaning profile such as **Standard Clean**.
* **Send Protection** — Controls what happens when issues are detected on send. "Attachments not finished cleaning" defaults to **Block**; "Tracked changes or comments detected" defaults to **Prompt**; "Unsupported attachment types" defaults to **Allow**. Each scenario can be set to Allow, Prompt, or Block.
* **New Outlook (beta)**: **Clean attachments in New Outlook** controls cleaning and pre-send checks in New Outlook for Windows. Turning it off leaves attachments unchanged and the pane explains that Clean is off. It does not affect Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, or Outlook for Mac. A new email may be needed for the setting to take effect.
* **Attachment Summary**: controls the default format when inserting an attachment summary. Default: **Table**.
Use **Draftable Clean 26.10.0 or later** with **Outlook add-in 1.12.110.0 or later** for Skip Cleaning and the New Outlook setting. Administrators can lock these settings through [Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) or [Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean).
Where a Group Policy or Intune-managed setting exists, it takes priority over the user's own setting.
## Need help?
If you need assistance configuring Draftable Clean across your organization, contact the Draftable team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Configuring preferences with Group Policy (Draftable Clean)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean
Centrally configure Draftable Clean across your organization using Active Directory Group Policy and ADMX administrative templates — including admin cleaning profiles, iManage and NetDocuments integration, Outlook add-in lockdown, and must-clean metadata enforcement.
This guide is for administrators deploying Draftable Clean settings through **Active Directory Group Policy**. For cloud-managed devices, see [Configuring preferences with Microsoft Intune (Draftable Clean)](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean). For an overview of both methods, see [Configuring preferences for your organization](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean).
## Administrative templates
Draftable Clean provides **administrative templates** (ADMX/ADML files) that list all available settings, making it easy to discover and configure them directly from the Group Policy editor without needing to know individual registry paths.
The templates are found in the **GroupPolicy** folder under the Draftable Clean installation path. The `current` folder is a shortcut that always points to the latest installed version.
```
%LocalAppData%\DraftableClean\current\GroupPolicy
```
If the `current` shortcut is not available, look for the folder with the highest version number under `%LocalAppData%\DraftableClean\` — the latest templates will be inside its `GroupPolicy` subfolder.
If you do not have Draftable Clean installed on the machine you are configuring policy from, you can download the templates directly:
Draftable Clean 26.10.0: the shipped ADMX and ADML template files in a single ZIP archive
The ZIP contains `DraftableClean.admx` and an `en-US` folder holding `DraftableClean.adml`. Keep that structure when you copy the files in the next step.
**26.10.0 (October 2026)** ships updated ADMX/ADML templates containing **35 policies**. Refresh both files to configure the New Outlook setting and see the updated Skip Cleaning guidance. Both files carry revision **2610.0**; keep the matching pair together when updating a Central Store.
The New Outlook policy is labelled **Draftable Clean 26.9.2 (or later)** in the template. That version was not publicly released; use **26.10.0 or later**. The templates also retain the product-key and PDF-bundle settings from earlier releases.
Copy the Draftable Clean `.admx` file to:
```
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions
```
Then copy the `.adml` language file from:
```
%LocalAppData%\DraftableClean\current\GroupPolicy\en-US
```
to:
```
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US
```
Alternatively, copy the templates to your organization's **Central Store** network path.
Once installed, Draftable Clean policies appear in the Group Policy editor under:
* **Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable Clean**
* **User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable Clean**
Some settings may only appear under one scope if they are not supported in the other.
## Available policy settings
Draftable Clean policies are written under the following registry root, depending on the scope you select in the Group Policy editor:
```
Computer Configuration: HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable\Clean
User Configuration: HKCU\Software\Policies\Draftable\Clean
```
Every policy below can be set under **both** Computer Configuration and User Configuration, with one exception: **Configure HTTP listener port** is available under Computer Configuration only. When the same policy is set in more than one location, the order of precedence is described in [Priority of settings](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean#priority-of-settings).
The **Value name** column gives the exact registry value to target when configuring settings directly via Intune OMA-URI, the Settings Catalog, or a registry script. Each value sits under the registry root above, in the subkey shown in the section heading (for example, the add-in settings live under `...\Clean\AddIn`).
### Licensing
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure product key** | `ProductKey` | `REG_SZ` (maximum 29 characters) | Product key used for automatic license activation. Written directly under the registry root above, not in a subkey. | v26.9.0 onwards |
Configures the product key used for automatic license activation, so keys can be deployed centrally instead of being entered by each user.
When enabled with a valid product key, Draftable Clean attempts activation on launch. When disabled or not configured, users are prompted for a product key if no valid license is present.
Both scopes are read, so you can apply the policy machine-wide under Computer Configuration (`HKLM`) or per user under User Configuration (`HKCU`).
Before **v26.9.0** the product key was **not** included in the administrative templates and had to be written directly to the registry — by Intune OMA-URI or a registry script — at `HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable\Clean` or `HKCU\Software\Policies\Draftable\Clean`. That path is unchanged, so existing deployments keep working. The policy simply makes the same value configurable from the Group Policy editor.
### Activation (`...\Clean\Activation`)
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Accept terms and conditions on behalf of users** | `WereTermsAndConditionsAccepted` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Records acceptance of the terms and conditions so users are not prompted on first launch. | v26.6.100 onwards |
Records acceptance of the Draftable Clean terms and conditions so users are not prompted on first launch.
When enabled, the terms are treated as accepted and the prompt is skipped. When disabled or not configured, users are asked to accept the terms themselves.
### Outlook add-in (`...\Clean\AddIn`)
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Default cleaning profile (no recipients)** | `NoRecipientsProfileId` | `REG_SZ` (profile ID) | Profile used when an email has no recipients. Leave empty to use the global default profile. | v26.6.0 onwards |
Sets the profile to use when no email recipients have been entered. Leave empty to use the global default profile. In **26.10.0 or later**, set `NoRecipientsProfileId` to `built-in-skip` to leave attachments unchanged until recipients determine which rule applies. Use Outlook add-in **1.12.110.0 or later** for Skip Cleaning.
This setting is separate from [domain rules](#configuring-domain-rules). Domain rules apply once recipients are present; this policy controls the profile when an email has no recipients.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Clean attachments in New Outlook (beta)** | `CleanInNewOutlook` | `REG_DWORD` (`1` / `0`) | Controls cleaning and pre-send checks in New Outlook for Windows. | 26.10.0 onwards |
* **Enabled** writes `1`: Clean attempts to clean attachments in New Outlook.
* **Disabled** writes `0`: Clean does not clean attachments or check emails before sending in New Outlook. The add-in pane explains that your organisation has turned it off.
* **Not configured**: users choose in **Settings > Add-In > New Outlook (beta)**. The default is on.
Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac are unaffected by this switch. New Outlook support remains in beta.
Use **Draftable Clean 26.10.0 or later** with **Outlook add-in 1.12.110.0 or later**. Restart Draftable Clean after changing the policy; users may also need to open a new email. For installations running as a Windows service on a multi-user host, configure this policy under **Computer Configuration**.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Allow per-attachment profile override** | `AllowProfileOverride` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | When enabled, users can override the cleaning profile for individual attachments in the add-in panel. | v26.6.0 onwards |
When enabled, users can override the cleaning profile for individual attachments in the add-in panel. When disabled, the assigned profiles cannot be changed.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Default attachment list format** | `AttachmentSummaryFormat` | `REG_SZ` (`table` / `list`) | Default format for the attachment summary inserted into the email body. | v26.6.0 onwards |
The default format for the attachment summary inserted into the email body. Choose from `table` or `list`.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Send behaviour: attachments not finished cleaning** | `SendGateNotFinishedCleaning` | `REG_SZ` (`block` / `prompt` / `allow`) | What happens when the user tries to send while attachments are still being cleaned. | v26.6.0 onwards |
Controls what happens when the user tries to send an email while attachments are still being cleaned. Values: `block` (prevent sending), `prompt` (ask user), `allow` (send anyway).
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Send behaviour: tracked changes or comments detected** | `SendGateTrackedChangesDetected` | `REG_SZ` (`block` / `prompt` / `allow`) | What happens when attachments contain tracked changes or comments. | v26.6.0 onwards |
Controls what happens when the user tries to send an email with attachments that contain tracked changes or comments. Values: `block` (prevent sending), `prompt` (ask user), `allow` (send anyway).
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Send behaviour: unsupported file types** | `SendGateUnsupportedFile` | `REG_SZ` (`block` / `prompt` / `allow`) | What happens when unsupported file types are attached. | v26.6.0 onwards |
Controls what happens when the user tries to send an email with unsupported file types attached. Values: `block` (prevent sending), `prompt` (ask user), `allow` (send anyway).
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure Outlook add-in settings (JSON)** | `AddInSettingsJson` | `REG_SZ` (JSON) | Legacy single-JSON form of all add-in settings. Used only if the individual settings above are not configured. Prefer the individual fields. | v26.3.100 onwards |
**Legacy:** Specifies all add-in settings as a single JSON string. Prefer the individual settings, as this is only used if the individual settings are not configured. When enabled, the configured settings are applied. When disabled or not configured, application defaults are used.
**Breaking change in v26.6.0 — Outlook add-in policy format.** Outlook add-in settings are now exposed as **individual Group Policy fields** (default profile, each send-protection behaviour, attachment summary format, and profile-override). Previously these were configured through a single combined JSON value. A new ADMX template surfaces the **DomainRules** and **AddInSettings** policies explicitly.
If your organization scripted or deployed the previous single JSON value, you must migrate to the new individual fields. Reinstall the v26.6.0 administrative templates (see [Obtaining the templates](#obtaining-the-templates)) and reconfigure the add-in policies using the individual settings above.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure domain rules** | `DomainRulesJson` | `REG_SZ` (JSON) | Domain-based profile assignment rules that map email recipient domains to specific cleaning profiles. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Specifies domain-based profile assignment rules as a JSON string. Each rule maps email recipient domains to a specific cleaning profile. When enabled, the configured rules are applied. When disabled or not configured, no domain rules are applied.
Registry subkey: `...\Clean\DomainRules`.
**Domain rules** map recipient email domains to cleaning profiles, so the Outlook add-in automatically applies the right profile based on who an email is being sent to. When you configure rules through the app UI (**Settings > Add-In**), Draftable Clean writes them to the registry for you. When you deploy centrally through the **Configure domain rules** policy, you set the same value — `DomainRulesJson` — directly, so it helps to know the JSON format.
The profile used when an email has **no** recipients is a separate setting — the **Default cleaning profile (no recipients)** field (`NoRecipientsProfileId`), listed under Outlook add-in in [Available policy settings](#available-policy-settings). Domain rules only apply once recipients are present.
#### JSON format
The policy value is a single JSON object with a `rules` array. Each rule maps one or more domains to a profile:
```json theme={null}
{
"rules": [
{
"id": "2b6f0cc9-0b0a-4e5a-9b7e-1f2a3b4c5d6e",
"name": "Internal",
"domains": ["yourfirm.com"],
"profileId": "built-in-draft"
},
{
"id": "7d4e1a2b-3c4d-5e6f-7a8b-9c0d1e2f3a4b",
"name": "Default",
"domains": ["*"],
"profileId": "built-in-standard"
}
]
}
```
| Field | Description |
| - | - |
| `id` | A unique identifier for the rule. Any unique string works — a GUID is typical, but the value is arbitrary and is **not** tied to a machine, so you can reuse the same JSON across your whole deployment. |
| `name` | A label for the rule, shown in the Settings UI (for example, `Internal`). |
| `domains` | An array of recipient domains the rule matches. Subdomains match automatically — `acme.com` also matches `mail.acme.com`. Use `["*"]` for the catch-all default rule. |
| `profileId` | The ID of the cleaning profile to apply. See [Choosing the profile ID](#choosing-the-profile-id). |
To start from a rule you have already built in the app, copy the JSON from the user setting at `HKCU\Software\Draftable\Clean\DomainRules` (value `DomainRulesJson`) and paste it into the policy. Check the `profileId` values before deploying widely — see below.
#### Choosing the profile ID
The `profileId` in each rule identifies a cleaning profile or the special Skip Cleaning option. The three built-in profiles and Skip Cleaning have **fixed IDs that are identical on every machine**:
| Profile | `profileId` |
| - | - |
| Standard Clean | `built-in-standard` |
| Clean Share | `built-in-share` |
| Clean Draft | `built-in-draft` |
| Skip Cleaning (26.10.0 onwards) | `built-in-skip` |
A profile that a user creates in the app is assigned a **random, machine-specific ID**. If a domain rule references such an ID and you deploy it to other machines, that profile will not exist there and Draftable Clean falls back to the default profile — so the rule silently stops doing what you intended. To reference a custom profile reliably across machines, deploy it as an [admin cleaning profile](#configuring-admin-cleaning-profiles) so the same profile ID is present everywhere, then use that ID as the `profileId`.
#### How domain rules are matched
* **For a single recipient domain**, the most specific matching pattern wins. An exact match beats a parent-domain (subdomain) match, which beats the wildcard `*`.
* **When an email has recipients across multiple domains**, cleaning takes precedence over skipping. Skip Cleaning applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule. If any recipient matches a cleaning rule, or matches no rule, that cleaning profile or the default profile is applied. Among cleaning rules, the least specific match wins.
Keep a catch-all rule with `"domains": ["*"]` that points to a full cleaning profile, such as Standard Clean. This makes your intended handling of external and otherwise unmatched recipients explicit.
#### Disabling cleaning for specific domains
In **Draftable Clean 26.10.0 or later** with **Outlook add-in 1.12.110.0 or later**, set the domain rule's `profileId` to `built-in-skip`. You can also select **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** in **Settings > Add-In**.
In your domain rules, add a rule whose `domains` list contains your internal domains and whose `profileId` is `built-in-skip`.
Leave your `["*"]` rule pointing at a full cleaning profile so external mail is still cleaned.
**Skip Cleaning leaves files unchanged.** It does not run a cleaning profile. If metadata must be removed, assign a cleaning profile instead. A preserve-all profile is different: it still runs through cleaning and is subject to any [enforced cleaning rules](#enforcing-must-clean-metadata-types-across-all-profiles).
### Email export — desktop Email button (`...\Clean\Export`)
These settings apply to the desktop application's **Email** button, not the Outlook add-in.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure custom email subject** | `CustomEmailSubject` | `REG_SZ` | Default email subject line used when exporting via the Email option. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Sets a custom email subject line used when exporting via the Email option in the application. When enabled, the configured subject is used as the default. When disabled or not configured, the application default subject is used.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure custom email body** | `CustomEmailBody` | `REG_SZ` | Default email body used when exporting via the Email option. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Sets the default email body used when exporting via the Email option in the application. When enabled, the configured body text is used. When disabled or not configured, the application default body is used.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure email attachment summary format** | `EmailAttachmentSummary` | `REG_SZ` (`None` / `List` / `Table`) | How file attachment information is summarized in email exports. Default: `List`. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Controls how file attachment information is summarised in email exports from the application. When enabled, the selected format is used. When disabled or not configured, the default format (`List`) is used.
### PDF bundles (`...\Clean\Export`)
These settings control the defaults for the **PDF bundle** action, which combines several files into a single PDF. They share the `...\Clean\Export` subkey with the email export settings above. All five were added in **v26.9.0**.
Users can change these options themselves from the **Bundle** menu in the toolbar. Setting a policy fixes the value for the organization and prevents users from changing it.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure PDF bundle index page** | `IncludeIndex` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Adds a table-of-contents index page at the start of a PDF bundle. Default: enabled. | v26.9.0 onwards |
Adds a table-of-contents index page at the start of a PDF bundle, listing the combined files and their starting pages.
When enabled, an index page is generated. When disabled, no index page is added. When not configured, the application default applies — the index page is **on**.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure PDF bundle bookmarks** | `IncludeBookmarks` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Adds a PDF bookmark for each file combined into a bundle. Default: enabled. | v26.9.0 onwards |
Adds PDF bookmarks (outline entries) for each file combined into a PDF bundle, so readers can jump between the source documents.
When enabled, bookmarks are generated. When disabled, no bookmarks are added. When not configured, the application default applies — bookmarks are **on**.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure PDF bundle page numbers** | `IncludePageNumbers` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Stamps continuous page numbers onto a PDF bundle. Default: disabled. | v26.9.0 onwards |
Stamps page numbers onto the pages of a PDF bundle, using the configured format and position.
When enabled, page numbers are added. When disabled, no page numbers are added. When not configured, the application default applies — page numbers are **off**.
Page numbers are stamped alongside any numbering already present in the source documents. Draftable Clean does not remove or renumber existing page numbers.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure PDF bundle page number format** | `PageNumberFormat` | `REG_SZ` | Template used when stamping page numbers. Default: `Page {page} of {total}`. | v26.9.0 onwards |
Sets the template used when stamping page numbers onto a PDF bundle. Use `{page}` for the current page and `{total}` for the total page count.
Applies only when **Configure PDF bundle page numbers** is enabled. When not configured, the default format `Page {page} of {total}` is used.
In the application, the **Format** control is a dropdown offering four presets — `{page}`, `{page} / {total}`, `Page {page}`, and `Page {page} of {total}` — each shown with 1/1 substituted so users see how the numbering will look. If you set a template here that is not one of those four, it appears in that dropdown as a **Custom** entry, so users still see the value actually in use.
| Policy | Value name | Type / values | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure PDF bundle page number position** | `PageNumberPosition` | `REG_SZ` (`Left` / `Center` / `Right`) | Where page numbers are placed in the bundle footer. Default: `Right`. | v26.9.0 onwards |
Controls where page numbers are placed in the footer of a PDF bundle.
Applies only when **Configure PDF bundle page numbers** is enabled. When not configured, the default position `Right` is used.
### Cleaning profiles and enforcement (`...\Clean\Profiles`)
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure admin cleaning profiles** | `AdminProfileCollection` | `REG_SZ` (JSON) | Administrator-managed cleaning profiles that users cannot modify or delete. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Specifies admin-managed cleaning profiles. When enabled, the configured profiles are applied as policy-managed profiles that users cannot modify or delete. When disabled or not configured, no admin profiles are applied and users see built-in default profiles.
You can edit this field by starting Draftable Clean with the `--admin-profile-editor` flag. This opens an in-memory profile editor where you can create, modify, and export a profile collection as a policy value.
The **Configure admin cleaning profiles** setting is a User Configuration policy that allows administrators to define cleaning profiles centrally. These profiles are deployed to users and cannot be edited by them.
The policy value is a JSON string representing the profile collection. Draftable Clean includes a built-in **admin profile editor** to simplify creating and updating this JSON — this workflow is designed for Group Policy deployment.
The admin profile editor is intended for use with **Group Policy**. Launch Draftable Clean with the `--admin-profile-editor` flag, edit profiles visually, then copy the exported JSON into the Group Policy setting. If you deploy settings via Microsoft Intune, you can use the editor to generate the JSON value, but you must deploy it through your Intune configuration profile — see [Configuring preferences with Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean).
Launch Draftable Clean with the `--admin-profile-editor` flag:
```
DraftableClean.exe --admin-profile-editor
```
This opens an in-memory profile editor where you can create, modify, and export a profile collection as the policy value.
**Workflow for updating admin profiles:**
1. Copy the existing profile collection JSON string from Group Policy
2. Open Draftable Clean with the `--admin-profile-editor` flag
3. Import the JSON string into the admin profile editor
4. Make the required changes using the visual editor
5. Copy the updated JSON string back to the clipboard
6. Paste the updated JSON string into the Group Policy setting to apply the changes
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure enforced cleaning rules** | `EnforcedCleaningRules` | `REG_SZ` (JSON) | Metadata types that must always be removed across every profile (built-in, admin, and user-created). | v26.6.0 onwards |
Specifies metadata cleaning rules that are enforced across all profiles (built-in, admin-created, and user-created). When enabled, each enforced rule pins a specific metadata kind to a specific cleaning action (for example, remove, or replace with a fixed string). The enforced action overrides whatever action the active profile would otherwise apply for that kind. Users cannot change the action for enforced kinds in the profile editor. When disabled or not configured, no enforcement is applied and profiles fully control cleaning behaviour.
The value is a JSON string of the form:
```json theme={null}
{
"version": 1,
"rules": [
{
"kind": "author",
"action": { "action": "remove" }
},
{
"kind": "last-saved-by",
"action": { "action": "string-replace", "value": "Redacted" }
}
]
}
```
The **Enforced cleaning rules** policy lets administrators require that specific metadata types are **always** removed when files are cleaned — regardless of which cleaning profile is active. Enforcement is applied across **all** profiles: the built-in profiles, administrator-managed profiles, and any custom profiles users create later. Enforced rules are read-only at runtime and cannot be overridden by a profile's own settings.
This provides a baseline whenever cleaning runs, for example, removing author, comments, and tracked-change metadata regardless of profile configuration. **Skip Cleaning** and turning Clean off in New Outlook bypass cleaning; do not configure those options where removal is required.
Enforced cleaning rules are defined as a JSON value in Group Policy. The set of available metadata types matches the [Supported Metadata Types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types) reference.
### Document management: iManage (`...\Clean\iManage`)
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Enable iManage integration** | `Enabled` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Whether the iManage integration is available in Draftable Clean. | v26.6.100 onwards |
The registry value for this policy is `Enabled`, **not** `ImanageEnabled`. It sits under the `...\Clean\iManage` subkey.
Controls whether the iManage document management integration is available in Draftable Clean.
When enabled, users can sign in to iManage and clean documents stored there. When disabled or not configured, the application default is used.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure iManage server address** | `ServerUrl` | `REG_SZ` | iManage Work server address. Default: `https://cloudimanage.com` for iManage Cloud. | v26.6.100 onwards |
Sets the iManage server address that Draftable Clean connects to.
When enabled, the configured address is used. When disabled or not configured, the default address (`https://cloudimanage.com`) is used.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Sign in to iManage automatically** | `AutoLoginEnabled` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Whether Draftable Clean establishes an iManage session when the application starts. | v26.6.100 onwards |
Controls whether Draftable Clean signs in to iManage automatically on startup.
When enabled, users are signed in without prompting. When disabled or not configured, users sign in manually.
Depending on your iManage configuration, automatic connection may still show an iManage login prompt when the application starts.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Use system browser to sign in to iManage** | `UseSystemBrowserForSignin` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Routes iManage sign-in through the user's default web browser instead of the embedded browser. | v26.7.0 onwards |
Controls how users sign in to iManage from Draftable Clean. By default, sign-in happens in an embedded browser inside the application. Enabling this policy routes the iManage OAuth sign-in through the user's default web browser instead.
When enabled, the system browser is used. When disabled or not configured, the embedded browser is used.
Enable this where an identity provider or **Conditional Access** policy blocks sign-in from third-party browsers, including the embedded Chromium runtime that Draftable Clean uses by default.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Skip the iManage system-browser sign-in confirmation prompt** | `SystemBrowserSkipConfirm` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Suppresses the confirmation shown before the default web browser is opened for iManage sign-in. | v26.7.0 onwards |
When **Use system browser to sign in to iManage** is in effect, users are normally asked to confirm before their default web browser is opened. Enabling this policy suppresses that confirmation, so the default browser opens directly with no prompt.
When enabled, the confirmation prompt is skipped. When disabled or not configured, users see the confirmation prompt.
### Document management: NetDocuments (`...\Clean\NetDocuments`)
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Enable NetDocuments integration** | `Enabled` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Whether the NetDocuments integration is available. When not configured, Draftable Clean auto-detects whether NetDocuments is installed. | v26.6.100 onwards |
The registry value for this policy is `Enabled`, **not** `NetDocumentsEnabled`. It sits under the `...\Clean\NetDocuments` subkey.
Controls whether the NetDocuments document management integration is available in Draftable Clean.
When enabled, NetDocuments is used. When disabled, it is turned off. When not configured, Draftable Clean auto-detects whether NetDocuments is installed by looking for the **ndOffice** desktop application.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Allow check-in to NetDocuments** | `CheckInEnabled` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Whether cleaned documents can be checked back in to NetDocuments. When not configured, the application default (allowed) is used. | v26.6.100 onwards |
Controls whether cleaned documents can be checked back in to NetDocuments.
When enabled, users can check documents in. When disabled, check-in is not available. When not configured, the application default (allowed) is used.
**SharePoint has no Group Policy settings.** The SharePoint integration added in v26.7.0 is enabled by users in **Settings > Integrations** and cannot currently be enabled, disabled, or pre-configured centrally. See [Troubleshooting: DMS integrations](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations).
### Privacy and telemetry (`...\Clean\Reporting`)
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure submission of error reports** | `SendErrorReports` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Whether error reports are automatically submitted. When not configured, the application default (send) is used. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Controls whether error reports are automatically submitted to help identify and fix issues. When enabled, error reports are sent. When disabled, error reports are not sent. When not configured, the application default (send) is used.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure submission of usage statistics** | `SendStatistics` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Whether anonymous usage statistics are submitted. When not configured, the application default (send) is used. | v26.3.100 onwards |
Controls whether anonymous usage statistics are submitted to help improve the product. When enabled, statistics are sent. When disabled, statistics are not sent. When not configured, the application default (send) is used.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Acknowledge telemetry notice on behalf of users** | `TelemetryAcknowledge` | `REG_DWORD` (1/0) | Records acknowledgement of the telemetry notice so users are not prompted on first launch. | v26.6.100 onwards |
Records acknowledgement of the Draftable Clean telemetry notice so users are not prompted on first launch.
When enabled, the notice is treated as acknowledged and the prompt is skipped. When disabled or not configured, users see the notice themselves.
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure an organization identifier** | `OrganizationIdentifier` | `REG_SZ` (GUID) | Organization identifier included in all telemetry events, used to associate telemetry with your organization. | v26.6.100 onwards |
Specifies an organization identifier (GUID) that is included in all telemetry events. The identifier is used to associate telemetry with your organization for reporting and analysis.
No user-level personally identifiable information (PII) is collected or transmitted. This policy only tags telemetry at the organisation level.
### Local HTTP listener (`...\Clean\Listener`) — Computer Configuration only
| Policy | Value name | Type | Description | Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Configure HTTP listener port** | `HttpListenerPort` | `REG_DWORD` | Port number for the local HTTP listener used for communication between the Draftable Clean application and its browser-based UI. Default: `5044`. | v26.6.0 onwards |
Specifies the port number for the local HTTP listener used for communication between the Draftable Clean application and browser-based UI. When enabled, the configured port is used. When disabled or not configured, the default port (`5044`) is used.
For a complete and up-to-date list, refer to the administrative templates installed on your system — they are the definitive source of truth for all configurable settings.
### Locking Outlook add-in defaults
Each Outlook add-in policy field can be set as a fixed value that end users **cannot override** from the desktop application's **Settings > Add-In** panel. This lets administrators lock the default profile and send-protection behaviours to organisation standards while leaving other settings user-editable. Where a field is left unset by policy, the user's own setting applies. See [Priority of settings](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean#priority-of-settings) for the full precedence order.
## Need help?
If you need assistance configuring Draftable Clean with Group Policy, contact the Draftable team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Configuring preferences with Microsoft Intune (Draftable Clean)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean
Centrally configure Draftable Clean on cloud-managed Windows devices using Microsoft Intune — by importing ADMX administrative templates or deploying registry settings via OMA-URI configuration profiles.
This guide is for administrators managing Draftable Clean settings through **Microsoft Intune**. For on-premises Active Directory environments, see [Configuring preferences with Group Policy (Draftable Clean)](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean). For an overview of both methods, see [Configuring preferences for your organization](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean).
## How Intune configures Draftable Clean
Draftable Clean reads its configuration from the **Windows Registry**. Intune can write those registry values in two ways:
### Option 1: Import ADMX templates
Import the Draftable Clean ADMX templates into Intune to manage settings from the Microsoft Intune admin center — the same settings experience as Group Policy, managed from the cloud.
See the [Microsoft documentation for importing custom ADMX templates](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/configuration/administrative-templates-import-custom).
The templates are found on an installed Draftable Clean machine at:
```
%LocalAppData%\DraftableClean\current\GroupPolicy
```
If the `current` shortcut is not available, look for the folder with the highest version number under `%LocalAppData%\DraftableClean\` — the latest templates will be inside its `GroupPolicy` subfolder.
**26.10.0 (October 2026)** ships updated ADMX/ADML templates containing **35 policies**, including **Clean attachments in New Outlook (beta)** and updated Skip Cleaning guidance. Import the matching template pair from 26.10.0 or later. Ensure only one copy of each ADMX/ADML file is uploaded to Intune at a time; uploading duplicates with different names can cause configuration issues. The [Group Policy guide](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean#administrative-templates) includes a download.
Once imported, the same Computer Configuration and User Configuration settings available in Group Policy can be assigned to device or user groups in Intune. See [Available policy settings](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean#available-policy-settings) in the Group Policy guide for the full list.
**Breaking change in v26.6.0 — Outlook add-in policy format.** If you previously deployed Outlook add-in settings as a single combined JSON value, migrate to the new **individual administrative template fields** introduced in v26.6.0. Re-import the updated templates and reconfigure default profile, send-protection, attachment summary, and profile-override settings separately. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean#available-policy-settings) for the field list and [v26.6.0 release notes](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-0) for context.
### Option 2: Configure registry settings directly
Use Intune **Settings Catalog**, **OMA-URI**, or **Configuration Profiles** to write specific registry values. This does not require the ADMX templates and gives you direct control over individual registry keys.
Refer to the ADMX templates or registry on a configured machine for the correct key paths and value formats when building custom profiles.
## 26.10.0 administrator updates
Draftable Clean **26.10.0** adds these Outlook controls, used with **Outlook add-in 1.12.110.0 or later**:
* **Skip Cleaning**: use `built-in-skip` for the no-recipient default or in domain rules. Skipping applies only when every recipient resolves to a skip rule.
* **Clean attachments in New Outlook (beta)**: set `CleanInNewOutlook` under `Software\Policies\Draftable\Clean\AddIn` to `0` (`REG_DWORD`) to turn off cleaning and pre-send checks in New Outlook for Windows, or `1` to enable them. If no policy is set, users choose in Settings. Classic Outlook, web, and Mac are unaffected by this switch.
Refresh both ADMX and ADML files. Their revision is **2610.0**. The New Outlook policy's **26.9.2 (or later)** label refers to an unreleased version; deploy **26.10.0 or later**. Restart Draftable Clean after changing the policy. On multi-user hosts running Clean as a Windows service, use Computer Configuration. See the [Group Policy reference](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean#available-policy-settings) for full behaviour and scope.
## v26.6.0 administrator updates
Draftable Clean **v26.6.0 (June 2026)** adds enterprise controls that apply whether you use Intune or Group Policy:
* **Enforce must-clean metadata types across all profiles** — require specific metadata types to always be removed, regardless of which cleaning profile is active. Configure via the **Enforced cleaning rules** policy (Computer Configuration) when using imported ADMX templates, or the equivalent registry value when using OMA-URI.
* **Outlook add-in lockdown** — lock the default profile, send-protection behaviours, attachment summary format, and per-attachment profile override. v26.6.0 exposes these as **individual policy fields** rather than a single JSON blob.
* **Updated ADMX templates** — **DomainRules** and **AddInSettings** policies are surfaced explicitly for import into Intune.
* **MSI prerequisite change** — the machine-wide MSI no longer requires .NET 10 Desktop Runtime as a separate prerequisite check.
See the [v26.6.0 release notes](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-0) for the full list of changes.
### Locking Outlook add-in defaults via Intune
When you deploy add-in settings through imported administrative templates, each Outlook add-in field can be set as a fixed value that end users **cannot override** from **Settings > Add-In** in the desktop application. Where a field is left unset by policy, the user's own setting applies. See [Priority of settings](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean#priority-of-settings).
### Admin cleaning profiles via Intune
The **Configure admin cleaning profiles** policy deploys administrator-managed cleaning profiles that users cannot edit. The policy value is a JSON string representing the profile collection.
The visual **admin profile editor** (`DraftableClean.exe --admin-profile-editor`) is designed for the Group Policy copy-paste workflow. Intune administrators can still use the editor on a reference machine to build or update the JSON, then deploy that value through an imported administrative template or a custom registry/OMA-URI profile. See [Configuring admin cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean#configuring-admin-cleaning-profiles) for the editor workflow.
### Enforcing must-clean metadata types
The **Enforced cleaning rules** policy requires that specified metadata types are always removed — across built-in profiles, admin profiles, and any custom profiles users create later. The policy value is JSON; the available metadata types match the [Supported Metadata Types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types) reference.
## Deploying Draftable Clean with Intune
Intune can also deploy the Draftable Clean desktop application itself (required for the Outlook add-in). See [Deployment options](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options) for installer types, then add the MSI or EXE as a Windows app in Intune following [Microsoft's app deployment documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-windows-10-app-deploy).
Configure application settings in a separate configuration profile after the app is deployed.
## Need help?
If you need assistance configuring Draftable Clean with Microsoft Intune, contact the Draftable team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Enterprise Deployment
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options
Deploy Draftable Clean across your organization using the machine-wide MSI installer — for Citrix, RDS, and enterprise rollouts.
This article is for IT administrators deploying Draftable Clean using the machine-wide MSI installer. For individual per-user installation using the default `.exe` installer, see [Single-user Installation](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Single-user-Installation).
If you also need to deploy the **Outlook add-in**, see [Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in).
## Machine-Wide MSI
| Property | Value |
| - | - |
| **Also Known As** | Native MSI, Per-Machine MSI |
| **Installer Type** | MSI (Windows Installer) |
| **Installer Scope** | System (machine-wide) |
| **Requires Admin** | Yes |
| **Recommended scenarios** | Citrix and Remote Desktop Services (RDS) deployments, high-security environments, enterprise rollouts |
| **Download URL** | [DraftableCleanSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/clean/DraftableCleanSystem.msi) |
The MSI installer is recommended for enterprise deployment scenarios where a single, shared installation is required. The most common scenario is Microsoft RDS and Citrix deployments where a single shared installation is desired, typically for storage efficiency.
The MSI installer is a system-wide installer — the software is installed to a system-wide location and can be launched by all users of the system, including concurrently as in RDS and Citrix deployments.
### Benefits
* A single installation can be shared by all users on that machine
* Administrators have full control over update management
* Supports concurrent usage by multiple users on the same machine
* Compatible with enterprise deployment tools (SCCM, Intune, etc.)
### Notes
* Administrator rights are required for the initial installation and all updates
* All product updates must be manually downloaded and installed
As of **v26.6.0**, Draftable Clean has migrated to .NET 10 and the MSI installer **no longer requires the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime as a separate prerequisite**. This can simplify allowlisting for IT teams that previously managed that dependency separately.
### Installation
Download the MSI installer: [DraftableCleanSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/clean/DraftableCleanSystem.msi)
Run the installer **with administrator rights**.
On the installation menu, select the **Advanced** option and click **Next** to access the feature selection menu.
On the **Advanced** screen, you will see an expandable feature tree. As of **v26.7.0** the **HTTP service** is included by default — expand the **Draftable Clean** node and confirm it is set to install. This allows the application to run in the background and open without requiring users to open the application first.
Continue through the remaining prompts.
Draftable Clean is installed and ready to use for all users on the machine.
### Custom MSI deployment via scripted automated installs
The following steps are suitable for administrators deploying Draftable Clean via a command line interface, Intune, or similar. Below is a basic example of how to install Draftable Clean via the command line. This example shows installation including the HTTP Listener Service.
```powershell theme={null}
Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "DraftableCleanSystem.msi" ADDLOCAL=StartMenuShortcut,DesktopShortcut,HttpListener INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable"' -Wait
```
The **HTTP service** is installed by default as of **v26.7.0**. Specifying `ADDLOCAL` replaces the default feature selection, so continue to list `HttpListener` explicitly whenever you use it.
#### What a default install includes
Every feature in the Draftable Clean MSI is a default feature, so omitting `ADDLOCAL` installs all of them. This command:
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableCleanSystem.msi
```
installs the application, the HTTP service and both shortcuts. You only need `ADDLOCAL` when you want to leave something out, because it replaces the defaults with exactly the list you provide.
| Feature name ("Title") | Feature ID ("Feature") | Installed without `ADDLOCAL` |
| :- | :- | :- |
| Http service | HttpListener | Yes |
| Desktop | DesktopShortcut | Yes, unless suppressed by policy |
| Start Menu | StartMenuShortcut | Yes |
The Draftable Clean application itself is always installed and does not need to be named in `ADDLOCAL`.
**A desktop shortcut can be suppressed by policy even when you ask for it.** If `CreateDesktopShortcut` is set to `0` under `HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable\Installer`, no desktop shortcut is created, even when `DesktopShortcut` is named in `ADDLOCAL`. The installation still reports success, so this is worth checking first if a shortcut does not appear.
Running `msiexec` from a console does not make the install silent, and it does not change which features are selected. The example above still shows the installer UI. Add `/qn` (and usually `/norestart`) for an unattended deployment.
If you need further assistance deploying the Draftable Clean machine-wide MSI via the command line, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
For automated deployment, the MSI installer can be deployed silently using standard enterprise deployment tools such as Microsoft SCCM, Microsoft Intune, or Group Policy Software Installation.
### URL protocol registration
Draftable Clean registers the `draftableclean://` URL protocol when it is installed. This allows other applications, and the [Windows 11 right-click menu](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Enable-the-Windows-11-right-click-menu-for-Draftable-Clean), to hand a file to Draftable Clean for cleaning.
If your organization restricts custom URL protocol handlers, allow `draftableclean://` so that these entry points continue to work.
## Configuring Draftable Clean settings
Draftable Clean offers a range of settings for license deployment, application configuration, and update management — configurable via Group Policy, Windows Registry, or Microsoft Intune. See [Configuring preferences for your organization](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean), or go directly to [Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) or [Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean) configuration guides.
## Next steps
Deploy the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in for automatic metadata cleaning of email attachments.
Check the minimum and recommended specifications for running Draftable Clean.
Review the network endpoints required for licensing, updates, and integrations.
Centrally manage Draftable Clean settings using ADMX administrative templates.
Centrally manage Draftable Clean settings on cloud-managed devices.
# Draftable Clean Quick Start Guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Draftable-Clean-Quick-Start-Guide
Walk through using the Draftable Clean desktop application and Outlook add-in to scan, review, and clean documents before sharing.
This guide walks you through using Draftable Clean in the **desktop application** and the **Draftable Clean Outlook add-in** — from uploading and cleaning your first files to working with password-protected documents, PDF conversion, and send protection in Outlook. If you have not installed Draftable Clean yet, start with [Single-user Installation](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Single-user-Installation).
## Part 1: Desktop application
### Cleaning your first document (desktop)
Open Draftable Clean to see the main application window with the toolbar across the top.
The toolbar follows three key steps:
* **Upload** — **Browse**, **iManage**, **NetDocs**, **SharePoint**
* **Clean** — **Clean**, **Undo**
* **Export** — **Save**, **Email**
**UPLOAD:** Add files to Draftable Clean by clicking **Browse** to select documents from a local folder, **iManage**, **NetDocs**, or **SharePoint** to upload from your document management system, or by dragging and dropping files directly into the application window.
You can select multiple files at once. Draftable Clean handles all [supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types) simultaneously.
If an **iManage**, **NetDocs**, or **SharePoint** button is not visible, you may need to enable the integration in **Settings > Integrations**. See [Troubleshooting: DMS integrations](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations) for help.
**SharePoint** covers both **SharePoint Online** and **OneDrive for Business**. Sign in with a Microsoft work or school account under **Settings > Integrations** before using it for the first time.
**CLEAN:** Once uploaded, files are automatically scanned and assigned a risk rating. When you are ready, click **Clean** in the toolbar. All selected files are cleaned and their status changes to **CLEANED**.
**EXPORT:** Save or share your cleaned files from the toolbar.
* **Save** — Save cleaned files to disk (packaged into a compressed ZIP folder with a timestamped filename) or back to your document management system (iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint).
* **Email** — Opens a new Outlook message with your cleaned files pre-attached. Draftable Clean preserves file order and any filenames you have renamed. As of **v26.7.0**, the subject and body are left blank unless a default has been configured in **Settings > General**.
When saving to a **DMS (iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint)**, you can choose how your cleaned files are written back:
* **Save (one by one)** — Select where you would like each file to be saved individually.
* **Save all to folder** — Select a folder to save all cleaned files into as new files.
Both options are available for iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint. When saving to **iManage**, if the file was originally uploaded from iManage you also have the option to **save as a new version** of the original document.
**Saving as a new version to NetDocuments or SharePoint:**
* **NetDocuments** — Select **Save (one by one)** and tick the **Save as new version** box when each file's dialog box appears.
* **SharePoint** — Save the file into the destination folder using the same name as the existing file. For example, saving `document.docx` into a folder that already contains `document.docx` saves it as a new version; using a different name saves it as a new file.
### Configuring email defaults
In **Settings > General**, you can prepare defaults for emails sent from the desktop application:
* **Email subject** — The default subject line
* **Email body** — The default body text
* **Attachment summary** — Whether a **List** (bullet points) or **Table** (with columns) of attachments is inserted into the email body
### Password-protected files
If a file shows a **PASSWORD** status (highlighted in orange), it is password-protected and cannot be scanned until you provide the password. A **Password Required** prompt appears automatically below the file with a password field.
Enter the file's password — you can use the **eye icon** to toggle visibility — and click **Check Password**.
If the password is correct, the file is scanned and its status changes to **SCANNED** with a risk rating, just like your other files.
If the password is incorrect, a **Password Invalid** message is displayed. Re-enter the correct password and click **Check Password** again. See [Troubleshooting: Cleaning issues](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#password-protected-files) for further help.
Password-protected files don't block the rest of your workflow. You can continue scanning, renaming, reordering, and cleaning other files while a password-protected file awaits authentication.
### Reviewing metadata in files
Click the **expand arrow** (>) on any file to see a detailed breakdown of its metadata. Metadata is grouped into categories — such as **Document Properties**, **Personal Information**, **Tracked Changes & Comments**, and more — each with their own item count and risk level.
After cleaning, expand a file again to see exactly which metadata fields were removed. Each field displays a **REMOVED** badge, so you have full visibility into what was stripped from the document.
### Searching metadata in files
Use the search bar above the file list to find specific metadata across all loaded files. This helps you locate particular fields — such as author names or tracked changes — before you clean or export.
### Renaming and reordering files
Rename and reorder files directly in the file list before cleaning:
* **Rename** — Click the **pencil icon** next to a file name to edit it inline. Press **Enter** or click away to confirm.
* **Reorder** — Drag files up or down in the list to change the attachment order.
Renamed filenames and custom ordering are preserved when you save or email cleaned files from the desktop application.
### Converting to PDF
Before cleaning, you can optionally flag supported files for conversion to PDF. Click the **PDF icon** inline with a file to flag it — the icon turns **blue** when flagged. Alternatively, select one or more files and click **Convert** in the toolbar to flag them for conversion. Flagged files are converted when you click **Clean**. You can flag or unflag files for conversion before or after cleaning.
Supported files flagged for conversion are converted to PDF alongside metadata removal when you click **Clean**.
***
## Part 2: Draftable Clean Outlook add-in
The **Draftable Clean** add-in runs directly inside Microsoft Outlook and automatically cleans attachments as you compose emails.
Attach files and compose your email as you normally would, then click **Send**. Draftable Clean cleans your attachments in the background according to your organization's policies — you can send with confidence that your files have been cleaned.
The desktop application must be running for the add-in to function. If it is not already open, the add-in will attempt to launch it silently in the background.
In **Classic Outlook**, you must pin the Draftable Clean pane and keep it open for files to be cleaned. In **New Outlook**, the pane does not need to be open — you can attach files and send without opening the panel.
Open **Manage Attachments** in the Outlook ribbon at any time to view cleaning progress and access the options below.
### Changing the add-in language
Draftable Clean supports multiple languages including English, Deutsch, Español, Français, 日本語, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Svenska, and Tagalog. Open the add-in pane and click the **globe icon** at the bottom of the panel to select your preferred language.
### Automatic profile switching based on recipients
Draftable Clean intelligently adjusts the cleaning profile based on recipient email domains. Domain rules are configured in **Settings > Add-In** and determine which cleaning profile is applied. For example, a typical configuration might be:
* **No recipients entered** — A default profile such as **Standard Clean** is used
* **Internal recipients** (e.g. `colleague@yourfirm.com`) — A lighter profile such as **Clean Draft** that preserves tracked changes and comments
* **External recipients** (e.g. `contact@externalfirm.com`) — A stricter profile such as **Standard Clean**
These are examples — administrators and users can customize the default profile for when no recipients are entered, and configure domain rules to map specific email domains to any cleaning profile via **Settings > Add-In**. See [Metadata cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles) for details on managing profiles and domain rules.
When you add or change recipients, a banner appears: **"Recipients changed — re-cleaning attachments with updated profile."** You can click **Review Attachments** to check the changes.
As attachments are cleaned, the panel shows cleaning progress or identifies if tracked changes or comments are present.
### Updating the file profile
If enabled by your administrator in **Settings > Add-In**, you can override the cleaning profile for individual files using the per-file **Profile** dropdown in the add-in pane.
### Converting attachments to PDF
Supported **Word**, **Excel**, and **PowerPoint** attachments can be converted to PDF from the add-in panel. Click **Convert to PDF** on an attachment to flag it — the file is converted automatically when cleaning completes.
Once conversion is complete, the panel updates to reflect the cleaned and converted attachments. If tracked changes or comments were present on a file and removed in PDF conversion, the notification reverts to showing the total number of files cleaned.
### Renaming attachments
After cleaning, you can rename files directly in the Draftable Clean panel. Click the **pencil icon** next to a file name to edit it inline.
### Unsupported file types
If you attach a file in a format Draftable Clean does not support, the Draftable Clean panel displays an **"Unsupported format"** status with the message: "This file type cannot be cleaned. See Knowledge Base." Unsupported files do not block sending by default — this behavior is configurable in **Settings > Add-In > Send Protection**.
### Password-protected files
If you attach a password-protected file, it shows an orange **"Password protected"** status with the message: "Enter the document password to clean this file." Enter the password in the provided field and click **Unlock** to authenticate and clean the file.
If the password is incorrect, an **"Incorrect password. Please try again."** message is displayed. Re-enter the correct password and click **Unlock** again.
Once the correct password is provided, the file is cleaned automatically and shows the same "Cleaned" status as your other files.
### Inserting an attachment list or table
Click **Insert Attachment List** to add a formatted summary into the email body. The button includes a **dropdown arrow** with two format options:
* **List** — A bullet-point list of attachment names
* **Table** — A table with Attachment and Description columns
The default format is configurable in **Settings > Add-In > Attachment Summary**.
### Send protection
Draftable Clean controls what happens when issues are detected on send. By default:
The screenshots below are from **New Outlook**. Dialogs and prompts appear similarly in **Classic Outlook**.
* **Attachments not finished cleaning** — Sending is **blocked** with a dialog: "Attachments need review before sending." The user can click **Review** to return to the email or **Don't send** to cancel.
* **Tracked changes or comments detected** — The user is **prompted** with a dialog: "Tracked changes or comments detected." The user can click **Send anyway**, **Review**, or **Don't send**.
* **Unsupported attachment types** — Sending is **allowed**
Each scenario can be configured to **Allow**, **Prompt**, or **Block** in **Settings > Add-In > Send Protection**.
***
## Next steps
Install Draftable Clean on your Windows PC and activate your license or start a free trial.
Learn more about Draftable Clean's features and how metadata cleaning protects your documents.
See which file types Draftable Clean can scan and clean, and what metadata is detected.
Customize how metadata is removed with configurable cleaning profiles.
Full reference of every metadata type Draftable Clean can detect and clean.
# Enable the Windows 11 right-click menu for Draftable Clean
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Enable-the-Windows-11-right-click-menu-for-Draftable-Clean
Add the Clean in Draftable command to the main Windows 11 right-click menu so you can clean document metadata straight from File Explorer.
Draftable Clean can add a **Clean in Draftable** command to the main Windows 11 right-click menu, so you can clean a document's metadata straight from File Explorer without opening the app first. This is the short menu you see first, not the **Show more options** overflow menu.
## Prerequisites
* Windows 11
* Draftable Clean 26.7.0 or later (see the [Draftable Clean release log](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean))
## Enable the menu
Open Draftable Clean, click the settings gear, and select **Integrations**. Scroll to the **Windows integration** section.
Click **Install Windows 11 context menu**.
This change needs administrator approval, so approve the Windows prompt when it appears. Applying the change closes all open File Explorer windows.
Once installed, the button changes to **Remove Windows 11 context menu**. You can use that button at any time to take the command back out of the menu.
Right-click a supported file in File Explorer and select **Clean in Draftable**. Draftable Clean opens with the selected file ready to scan and clean.
## Remove the menu
To remove the command, return to **Settings > Integrations > Windows integration** and click **Remove Windows 11 context menu**.
## For IT administrators
The Windows 11 menu can also be enabled across managed machines as part of an enterprise deployment, without each user doing it themselves. Contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for the deployment package.
## Troubleshooting
Applying the change closes all File Explorer windows. Open a new File Explorer window and try again. If it still does not appear, sign out of Windows and back in. This feature requires Windows 11.
Your organization controls this setting, so you cannot change it yourself. Contact your IT administrator.
# Frequently Asked Questions
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Frequently-Asked-Questions
Quick answers to common Draftable Clean questions — file types, local processing, the Outlook add-in, deployment, DMS integrations, cleaning profiles, and licensing. For a more in-depth view, follow the link in each answer.
This FAQ covers the questions customers and sales teams ask most often about Draftable Clean. Each answer is short on purpose — follow the link when you need the full article.
Draftable Clean scans and cleans:
* **Word** — `.docx` and `.doc`
* **Excel** — `.xlsx`
* **PowerPoint** — `.pptx`
* **PDF** — `.pdf`
* **Images** — `.jpg`, `.jpeg`, `.png`, `.tiff`, `.gif`, `.bmp`
* **ZIP** archives — `.zip`
Legacy Excel (`.xls`) and PowerPoint (`.ppt`) files are not supported. Password-protected Word and PDF files can be unlocked in the application.
See [Supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types).
No. All scanning and cleaning happens **locally on your computer**. Files never leave your machine during cleaning.
License checks, updates, and optional telemetry use the network. Those connections do not upload the documents you are cleaning.
See [What is Draftable Clean?](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/What-is-Draftable-Clean) and [Network requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements).
| | Desktop application | Outlook add-in |
| - | - | - |
| **Where it runs** | Standalone Windows application | Panel inside Outlook |
| **Best for** | Bulk cleaning, reviewing metadata in detail, saving or emailing cleaned files | Cleaning attachments as you compose an email |
| **How cleaning starts** | You load files and click **Clean** | Attachments are cleaned automatically as you write |
You can use both. The add-in is deployed separately by a Microsoft 365 administrator.
See [What is Draftable Clean?](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/What-is-Draftable-Clean), [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application), and [Using the Outlook add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Outlook-Add-in).
Yes. The add-in talks to the Draftable Clean desktop application on your machine over `localhost`. The desktop application must be installed and licensed. If it is not already open, the add-in tries to launch it in the background.
Corporate security tools must allow `localhost` network calls, or the add-in cannot clean files.
See [Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in) and [Network requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements).
No. Draftable Clean is a **Windows** application. It requires Windows 10 or later. There is no Mac or Linux application.
It does run on Windows on ARM devices, including Snapdragon and Copilot+ PCs, under Windows' built-in x64 emulation.
See [System requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/System-Requirements).
You can start a **5-day trial** from the application on first launch, without contacting sales. You can also start a trial from the [Draftable Clean product page](https://www.draftable.com/draftable-clean).
On first launch you will be asked to acknowledge the terms and conditions and your telemetry preferences before the trial begins.
See [Single-user Installation](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Single-user-Installation).
There are two installers:
* **Default installer (`.exe`)** — per-user, no administrator rights, automatic background updates. Best for individual users and small teams. Download [DraftableCleanSetup.exe](https://dl.draftable.com/clean/DraftableCleanSetup.exe).
* **Machine-wide MSI** — system-wide, administrator rights required, no automatic updates. Use this for Citrix, RDS, and enterprise rollouts. Download [DraftableCleanSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/clean/DraftableCleanSystem.msi).
Administrators can also set preferences with [Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) or [Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean). The Outlook add-in is deployed separately from the [Microsoft 365 admin center](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in).
See [Enterprise deployment](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options).
Yes, from the desktop application toolbar:
* **iManage** — enable it in **Settings > Integrations** and set your server URL.
* **NetDocuments** — appears automatically when **ndOffice** is installed and running.
* **SharePoint** (including OneDrive for Business) — enable it in **Settings > Integrations** and sign in with a Microsoft work or school account.
You can also **save cleaned files back** to the same systems. iManage Work can include a **Clean with Draftable** right-click action once your iManage administrator deploys the Clean integration package.
See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application) and [Troubleshooting: DMS integrations](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations).
Draftable Clean ships with three built-in profiles:
* **Standard Clean** — for files going externally. Cleans all metadata except OLE objects, structured document tags, obfuscated text, and bookmarks.
* **Clean Share** — same as Standard Clean, and also preserves tracked changes.
* **Clean Draft** — for internal or trusted recipients. Same as Standard Clean, plus tracked changes and comments.
You can create custom profiles, override the profile for a single file, and — if you are an administrator — lock or enforce profiles with Group Policy.
See [Metadata cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles).
Yes. Select the files and use **Bundle** in the toolbar:
* **Create PDF bundle** — combines the files into one PDF, with an optional index page, per-file bookmarks, and continuous page numbers. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files are converted to PDF as part of the process.
* **Create ZIP bundle** — packs the selected files into one ZIP archive.
If any selected file cannot be added, no bundle is created and Draftable Clean names the files that caused the problem.
See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application#bundling-files-into-a-single-pdf-or-zip).
If the PDF has a **cryptographic digital signature**, Draftable Clean skips cleaning. Removing or changing metadata would invalidate the signature. To clean the file, the signature must be removed first, outside Draftable Clean.
This does **not** apply to visual signatures or annotations created with tools like Adobe Fill & Sign. Those are ordinary document content and do not block cleaning.
See [Supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types#cryptographically-signed-pdf-files) and [Troubleshooting: Cleaning issues](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#cryptographically-signed-pdf-files-cannot-be-cleaned).
Open **Settings > License** and click **Deactivate License**. That removes the product key from this machine.
Deactivating in the application does **not** by itself free up an activation on your license. To reuse the key on another machine, or if you need extra activations, contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
See [How to deactivate your Draftable Clean license](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/How-to-deactivate-your-Draftable-Clean-license).
After a Microsoft 365 administrator deploys the add-in, it can take **up to 72 hours** to appear for users. Restarting Outlook and signing in with an organisational account usually speeds this up.
Users cannot install the add-in themselves. It must be deployed from the Microsoft 365 admin center.
See [Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in) and [Troubleshooting: Outlook add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in).
If you cannot find what you need, start from [Troubleshooting](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting) or contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# How to deactivate your Draftable Clean license
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/How-to-deactivate-your-Draftable-Clean-license
If you need to deactivate a Draftable Clean license — for example, to move it to a different machine — this article walks you through the process.
## Deactivating your license
To deactivate a Draftable Clean license — for example, to move it to a different machine or reassign it to another team member — open **Settings > License** and click **Deactivate License**.
Each product key has a limited number of activations. Deactivating removes the product key from this machine, but it does not by itself free up an activation on your license.
**If you need to deactivate a license so that it can be used on another machine, contact the Draftable support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we will provide the right steps.** The same applies if you need additional activations.
## Checking your license status
You can verify your current license details by opening **Settings > License**. The License section displays:
* **Status** — Whether the license is active (Licensed) or expired
* **Edition** — Your Draftable Clean edition (e.g. draftable-clean)
* **Expires** — The license expiry date
* **Deactivate License** — Button to deactivate the license on this machine
# Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in
Step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in organization-wide, enabling automatic metadata cleaning of email attachments.
Screenshots labelled **26.10 and later** show Draftable Clean 26.10.0. Use the earlier-version tab if your settings look different. Your desktop version appears at the bottom right of the main application window.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in organization-wide.
For the current feature set, use Draftable Clean desktop **26.10.0** with Outlook add-in **1.12.110.0**.
## Overview
The Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in is a panel that runs directly inside Microsoft Outlook, automatically cleaning metadata from email attachments as users compose emails. Once deployed, the add-in appears in the Outlook ribbon and provides a seamless workflow for removing hidden metadata before sending.
**Key Features:**
* **Automatic cleaning**: attachments are cleaned according to your rules. Classic Outlook needs the pane open for cleaning; pin it to open automatically when composing
* **Domain-based profile selection** — Cleaning profiles are applied automatically based on recipient email domains, with configurable rules for internal and external recipients
* **Per-file profile override** — Users can override the cleaning profile for individual attachments (if enabled by the administrator)
* **Skip Cleaning** — Administrators can choose not to clean attachments when every recipient resolves to a skip rule
* **Rename** — Users can rename attachments directly in the add-in panel
* **Attachment summary** — Users can use **Insert Attachment Summary** to add a formatted list or table to the email body
* **Send protection** — Configurable controls to block, prompt, or allow sending when attachments are still cleaning, tracked changes are detected, or unsupported file types are attached
* **Multi-language support** — Available in English, Deutsch, Español, Français, 日本語, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Svenska, and Tagalog
The add-in runs automatically in the background once deployed — it monitors attachments as they are added to emails and can block or prompt on send based on your Send Protection settings. This means the add-in is active even if the user has not clicked **Manage Attachments** in the ribbon. Administrators should be aware of this when planning deployment and communicating changes to users.
The Draftable Clean desktop application must be installed on the user's machine for the add-in to function. The add-in communicates with the desktop application via `localhost`. If the desktop application is not already running, the add-in will attempt to launch it silently in the background. See [Deployment options](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options) for desktop application installation.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account**)
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center
* The Draftable Clean desktop application must be installed on end-user machines
* Corporate security tools must allow `localhost` network calls — the add-in communicates with the desktop application via `localhost`. See [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements) for details.
### Supported Outlook versions
Use an Outlook version that supports **Mailbox API 1.14**, as specified in the [system requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/System-Requirements):
| Outlook version | Supported |
| - | - |
| Outlook on the web | Yes |
| New Outlook for Windows | Beta; cleaning can be turned off in Settings or by policy |
| Classic Outlook on Windows | Yes (some limitations on older builds) |
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Choose a manifest and upload the add-in
Get the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in manifest from the [Draftable Office Deployment Guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html#addin-metadata). The page lists manifest URLs with a copy button for each release channel.
For a new deployment, use the [latest v1 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/latest/v1/manifest.xml) (recommended). If you need to hold the deployment to the current verified release, use the [pinned 1.12.110.0 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/1.12.110.0/manifest.xml). The latest URL is a channel URL, not a pinned product version.
**Choose a release channel before you deploy.**
* **Pinned release** — Use the [1.12.110.0 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/1.12.110.0/manifest.xml) to stay on a fixed add-in release. Users remain on that version until you upload an updated manifest in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* **Latest channel (recommended)** — Use the [latest v1 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/latest/v1/manifest.xml) to automatically receive the newest updates within the v1 release line. You do not need to re-upload the manifest for each patch release.
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the dropdown menu.
Copy the manifest URL for your chosen release channel. For the **latest** channel, supply the URL as a link in the admin center. For a pinned deployment, you can supply its versioned URL or download that version's manifest.
Paste the manifest URL, or upload the pinned manifest file, and click **Validate**. Use the **latest** URL as a link to retain the automatic-update deployment described in this guide.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
All add-ins deployed via the Microsoft 365 admin center are automatically installed for the assigned users — users do not need to install the add-in manually.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
The XML manifest linked above requests **ReadWriteItem** permission. This allows the add-in to read and update the message being composed, including replacing an attachment with a cleaned copy.
The manifest also registers background event handlers for message sending and attachment changes, so cleaning and Send Protection can run even when the task pane is not open.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in will be available within Outlook.
It can **take up to 72 hours** for the app to appear. Users may need to relaunch Microsoft 365 to view the add-in icon on the app ribbon. For more information, see the Microsoft documentation: [Deploy add-ins in the admin center](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide).
### 6. Verify Deployment
1. Open Outlook and compose a new email
2. Select **Manage Attachments** in the ribbon
3. Confirm that the Draftable Clean panel appears on the right-hand side of the compose window
4. In the panel, use **Insert Attachment Summary** to add an attachment list or table to the message body
The earlier ribbon capture above labels the action **Draftable Clean**. In the current release, look for **Manage Attachments**.
The current pane shows each attachment's cleaning status and provides the **Insert Attachment Summary** action:
## Updating the add-in
How updates reach users depends on the release channel you chose at deployment:
* **Pinned release** — Upload an updated manifest in the Microsoft 365 admin center when you want to move to a new version. See [Troubleshooting: Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) for step-by-step instructions.
* **Latest channel** — Users automatically receive the newest updates within that major version. You do not need to re-upload the manifest for each release in that channel.
Users may need to restart Outlook after an update. If an old version persists, see the troubleshooting guide for steps to [clear the add-in cache](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in).
## Configuring the Add-in
Once deployed, the add-in's behavior is controlled through the **Settings > Add-In** section of the Draftable Clean desktop application. Administrators can also manage these settings centrally using Group Policy or Microsoft Intune.
Key settings include:
* **Profile Selection** — Default cleaning profile and domain-based profile rules
* **Domain Rules** — Map recipient domains to cleaning profiles (e.g. internal domains use Clean Draft, external domains use Standard Clean)
* **Send Protection** — Control what happens when attachments are still cleaning, tracked changes are detected, or unsupported file types are attached
* **Attachment Summary** — Default format (List or Table) when inserting an attachment list
As of **v26.6.0**, each of these add-in settings is exposed as an **individual Group Policy field**, so administrators can configure — and optionally **lock** — the default profile and each send-protection behaviour so users cannot override organisation standards. A new ADMX template surfaces the **DomainRules** and **AddInSettings** policies explicitly.
**Breaking change for scripted deployments.** Outlook add-in settings previously deployed as a single combined JSON value must be migrated to the new individual Group Policy fields in v26.6.0. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) for the migration details, or [Configuring preferences with Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean) if you deploy via Intune.
See [Configuring preferences for your organization](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean) for an overview, or the [Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) or [Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean) guides for step-by-step configuration.
### Skip Cleaning and recipient rules
You can assign **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** as the no-recipient choice or to a domain rule. Skip Cleaning applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule. If any recipient resolves to a cleaning profile or does not match a skip rule, the applicable cleaning profile takes precedence. Skip Cleaning is an Outlook add-in outcome, not a desktop cleaning profile.
### New Outlook for Windows
The **Clean attachments in New Outlook** setting applies only to **New Outlook for Windows**. When you turn it off, Draftable Clean does not clean attachments and does not run pre-send checks in New Outlook for Windows. This setting does not turn off Draftable Clean in Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, or other Outlook hosts.
## Troubleshooting
If you experience issues with deployment, add-in visibility, cleaning behavior, or updating the manifest, see [Troubleshooting: Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in).
## Next steps
Learn how to use the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in to clean your first email attachments.
Centrally manage add-in settings and lock organisation defaults using Group Policy.
Install the Draftable Clean desktop application required for the add-in to function.
Resolve deployment, manifest, cleaning, update, and cache issues with the Outlook add-in.
# Draftable Clean Metadata cleaning profiles
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles
Learn how to create, configure, and manage cleaning profiles in Draftable Clean to control exactly which metadata is removed from your documents.
Screenshots labelled **26.10 and later** show Draftable Clean 26.10.0. Use the earlier-version tab if your settings look different. Your desktop version appears at the bottom right of the main application window.
Cleaning profiles give you control over which metadata types are removed, preserved, or replaced when you clean your documents. Different documents may need different levels of cleaning: a contract going to a client needs thorough cleaning, while an internal draft may only need light cleaning.
## Built-in profiles
Draftable Clean ships with three built-in profiles:
| Profile | Purpose |
| - | - |
| **Standard Clean** | Designed for files being sent externally — cleans all metadata except OLE objects, structured document tags, obfuscated text, and bookmarks |
| **Clean Share** | Preserves the same metadata as Standard Clean, and additionally preserves tracked changes |
| **Clean Draft** | Intended for internal or trusted recipients — preserves the same metadata as Standard Clean, plus tracked changes and comments |
## Using profiles in the main view
### Setting the global profile
The global **Profile** dropdown is located in the header bar at the top of the file list. Changing this applies the selected profile to all files.
Click the **Profile** dropdown in the header bar.
Select the profile you want to apply — for example, **Clean Draft**.
All files in the list are updated to use the selected profile.
### Overriding the profile for a single file
Each file row has its own **Profile** dropdown. You can set a different profile for individual files without affecting the rest.
Find the file you want to change in the file list.
Click the **Profile** dropdown on that file's row and select a different profile.
Per-file profile overrides are useful when preparing a batch of documents where some are going externally (use Standard Clean) and others are staying internal (use Clean Draft). You can clean them all in one pass.
When you click **Clean**, each file is cleaned according to its assigned profile.
## Managing profiles in Settings
Cleaning profiles may be managed centrally by your administrator — see [Configuring preferences for your organization](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean). If your organization has not deployed administrator-managed profiles, you can create, edit, or delete profiles by opening the **Settings** panel via the gear icon and navigating to the **Profile** section.
### Profile settings overview
The Profile settings page shows:
* **Profile dropdown** — Select the profile you want to view or edit
* **Actions** — Set as default, Delete, Rename
* **New** — Create a new profile from scratch
* **Search metadata** — Search for specific metadata types within the profile
* **File type categories** — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and Image files, each with their own metadata configuration
### Metadata categories per file type
Each file type (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and Image) can be expanded to show its metadata categories. For each category, you can choose to **Preserve all** or **Remove all**, or configure individual metadata types. The available metadata types differ by format — for example, Excel exposes formula and worksheet metadata, while image files expose EXIF, GPS location, and other embedded image metadata. See [Supported Metadata Types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types) for the full per-format reference.
For some images, metadata cannot be preserved selectively according to your profile settings. When this happens, Draftable Clean displays a warning that all metadata had to be removed.
The categories available for configuration are:
| Category | What it includes |
| - | - |
| **Personal Information** | Author, company, creator, extended property, last saved by, location, manager, producer, user address, user initials, user name |
| **Document Properties** | Category, content status, created date, description, document version, identifier, keywords, language, modified date, printed date, revision number, security, shared document, subject, title, total editing time, annotation, characters, characters with spaces, document variable, ink annotation, lines, pages, paragraphs, smart tag, structured document tag, thumbnail, words |
| **Tracked Changes & Comments** | Comments, comments author, comments date, tracked changes, tracked changes author, tracked changes date |
| **Document Content** | Attached files, bookmarks, form fields, hidden text, highlighted text, alternative text, animations, audio files, charts, EXIF, footer, formula, header, hidden column, hidden object, hidden rows, hidden sheet, hidden slide, hyperlinks, ICC profile, IPTC, links, maker note, notes, obfuscated text, off-slide content, OLE objects, picture, small text, video files, XML comments, XMP |
| **Other Metadata** | Custom property, custom UI, custom views, custom XML, data connections, defined name, defined name comment, digital signature, JavaScript, presentation tag, printer settings, scenario comment, scenarios, slide tag, unclassified, unused master, VBA code, worksheet property |
For a full list of every individual metadata type that Draftable Clean can detect and clean, see [Supported Metadata Types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types).
### Creating a new profile
In the Profile settings page, click **New** in the top-right corner.
Enter a name for the new profile.
Configure the metadata types you want to remove, preserve, or replace for each file type category.
The new profile will appear in the Profile dropdown in both the Settings page and the main application view.
### Setting a default profile
Click **Set as default** next to the profile name to make it the default profile for all new cleaning sessions. New files uploaded into Draftable Clean will automatically use the default profile.
### Enforced must-clean metadata (administrators)
Administrators can require specific metadata types to be removed whenever cleaning runs, regardless of which profile is applied, including new custom profiles. These enforced "must-clean" rules are set centrally via Group Policy and cannot be overridden by a profile's settings. **Skip Cleaning** leaves files unchanged, so do not assign it where metadata removal is required. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) for setup details.
## Profiles in the Outlook add-in
In the Outlook add-in, recipient email domains normally determine the cleaning profile. Configure this in **Settings > Add-In**, or use the rules supplied by your administrator. Per-attachment overrides may also be available if your administrator allows them.
### How domain-based profile selection works
When you compose an email with attachments, Draftable Clean evaluates recipient domains against your **Domain Rules**. Before recipients are entered, choose **App default**, a named cleaning profile, or **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** in **Settings > Add-In**.
**Skip Cleaning** is a special Outlook option, not a fourth built-in desktop cleaning profile. Attachments are labelled **Skipped** and remain unchanged. Use **Draftable Clean 26.10.0 or later** with **Outlook add-in 1.12.110.0 or later** for this feature.
If **"Allow users to override the cleaning profile per attachment"** is enabled, users can also change the profile for individual files using the per-file **Profile** dropdown in the add-in panel.
### Domain Rules
The Domain Rules table in **Settings > Add-In** controls the mapping between recipient domains and cleaning profiles:
| Name | Domains | Profile |
| - | - | - |
| **Internal** | `yourfirm.com` | Clean Draft |
| **Default** | All other domains | Standard Clean |
* Click **+ Add Rule** to create additional domain-to-profile mappings
* Domain rules also match subdomains — a rule for `acme.com` will match `mail.acme.com`
* The most specific domain match takes precedence for each recipient
* You can assign **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** to a rule. Skipping applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule. If any recipient matches a cleaning rule or no rule, a cleaning profile or the default profile takes precedence
* Keep the **Default** rule assigned to a cleaning profile such as **Standard Clean** for other recipients
All profile creation and editing is done in the desktop application — the add-in uses profiles but does not provide an interface to modify them.
# Draftable Clean Network Requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements
This article outlines the network connectivity requirements for Draftable Clean, including license verification, updates, DMS integrations, and telemetry.
Draftable Clean requires network connectivity for license verification and software updates. Additional connectivity is needed for DMS integrations, as well as error reporting and telemetry, which are optional and can be disabled in settings.
## License Verification
On launch, Draftable Clean verifies the product license by connecting to Draftable license servers.
| Setting | Value |
| - | - |
| Host | `draftable.com` |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | Yes |
As of **v26.7.0**, license activation follows the **Windows system proxy settings** and authenticates using the signed-in user's Windows credentials. This allows activation to succeed on networks that require an authenticated corporate proxy.
## Software Updates
On launch, Draftable Clean checks for available updates. If an update is available, it will be downloaded and installed automatically.
| Setting | Value |
| - | - |
| Host | `dl.draftable.com` |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | Yes |
## Outlook Add-in (localhost)
The Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in communicates with the desktop application via `localhost`. Some corporate security tools, firewalls, or endpoint protection software may flag or block localhost network calls — ensure these are permitted for the add-in to function correctly.
| Setting | Value |
| - | - |
| Host | `localhost` |
| Protocol | HTTP |
| Required | Yes (when using the Outlook add-in) |
As of **v26.6.0**, Draftable Clean serves this `localhost` communication through an **in-app REST API by default**, automatically falling back to the Draftable Clean Windows service where required. This makes new installations less dependent on a separately running Windows service for everyday use. The `localhost` connectivity requirement above is unchanged.
## DMS Integrations
If you use Draftable Clean's **iManage**, **NetDocuments**, or **SharePoint** integrations to open or save files, network connectivity to those services is required.
| Setting | Value |
| - | - |
| Hosts | Your organization's iManage or NetDocuments endpoints (e.g. `https://yourfirm.cloudimanage.com`). Draftable Clean supports both iManage Cloud and on-premises environments. |
| Required | Only if using DMS integrations |
### SharePoint Online
The **SharePoint** integration added in **v26.7.0** covers **SharePoint Online** and **OneDrive for Business**. It connects through the **Microsoft Graph** API and signs in with a Microsoft work or school account.
| Setting | Value |
| - | - |
| Hosts | `graph.microsoft.com`, plus your organization's own SharePoint and OneDrive hosts (e.g. `https://yourfirm.sharepoint.com`) |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | Only if using the SharePoint integration |
Sign-in uses your organization's Microsoft identity provider, so the Microsoft sign-in endpoints your tenant already relies on must also be reachable. Personal Microsoft accounts are not supported.
Users can sign in with more than one work or school account, and Graph requests are routed per tenant. If your organization operates in a sovereign cloud, Draftable Clean uses the corresponding regional Microsoft Graph endpoint in place of `graph.microsoft.com`.
## Error Reporting
If unexpected errors occur, Draftable Clean can send an error report to Draftable for diagnostics. This can be disabled via **Settings > General > Privacy**.
| Setting | Value |
| - | - |
| Host | `draftable.com` |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | No (can be disabled) |
## Telemetry / Usage Data
Draftable Clean uses Microsoft Azure for telemetry and usage data. For further information, refer to the [Microsoft documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/ip-addresses). This can be disabled via **Settings > General > Privacy**.
# Release Log: Draftable Clean
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean
This article provides a summary log of Draftable Clean releases.
Click the release notes link within each version to read the full details for that release.
[Read the October release notes](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-October-2026-v26-10-0)
**Features and improvements**
*Email and Outlook*
* Added **Skip Cleaning** to the no-recipient default and domain rules in **Settings > Add-In** and Group Policy. Attachments are left unchanged when skipping applies
* Added **Clean attachments in New Outlook (beta)**, allowing administrators to turn cleaning and pre-send checks off in New Outlook for Windows. Where no policy is set, users choose in Settings. This setting does not affect Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, or Outlook for Mac
* Added support for reading the organisation's actual Microsoft 365 mailbox size limit, used by the Outlook add-in
*Document management*
* Added source and version labels for documents imported from a document management system. Select **File history** beside a filename to see its source details and activity for the current session, including for local files
* \[NetDocuments] Source labels, imported-version details, and save confirmations now show the document's display version, such as **2.1**, instead of an internal version number
*Administrator configuration*
* Updated the Group Policy templates for Skip Cleaning and the New Outlook setting. Refresh both ADMX and ADML files before configuring these options
* Templates now carry a release-specific revision. The New Outlook policy is labelled **Draftable Clean 26.9.2 (or later)** in the template; it ships in the public **26.10.0** release
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for files with uppercase extensions remaining on **Uploading**
* Fix for attachment failures in New Outlook when a recipient change switches from Skip Cleaning to a cleaning profile
* Fix for toolbar grouping and inconsistent icon sizing at narrow window widths
* Fix for activity history being attributed incorrectly when files share the same name
Update the desktop application to **26.10.0** and the Outlook add-in to **1.12.110.0** to use these Outlook features together. The desktop application and add-in are updated separately. See [installing the Outlook add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in) and [Group Policy configuration](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean).
**Features and improvements**
* Added recipient-domain **Skip Cleaning** support. Skipped attachments are labelled **Skipped** and sent unchanged
* Added an explanatory pane when Clean is turned off in New Outlook for Windows
* Email size checks now use the organisation's actual Exchange limit where available. Attachments that exceed the limit show a failure message
* Clearer messages for digitally signed files that cannot be cleaned, and clearer attachment-reordering guidance
**Bug fixes**
*Send protection in Classic Outlook*
* Fix for **Allow**, **Prompt**, and **Block** settings not being applied when the pane had not been opened
* Fix for sending with an outdated cleaning profile immediately after changing recipients
* Fix for new attachments being missed while the pane was still processing a previous email
* Fix for attached emails bypassing the unsupported-file **Block** setting
* Fix for ZIP archives with unchecked contents appearing as cleaned and bypassing unsupported-file protection
* Fix for unsupported attachments being labelled **Failed** or **Cleaned** instead of **Unsupported**
*Attachment handling*
* Fixes for cleaned and uncleaned copies both being sent, including after recipient changes or when a batch contains a password-protected file
* Fixes for duplicate attachments leaving extra entries, blocking sending, or removing the cleaned copy when **Delete duplicate** was used
* Fix for removed files being reattached without cleaning while shown as **Cleaned**
* Fix for a same-named file attached to a different email being incorrectly treated as already cleaned after an export from the desktop app
* Fix for forwarded attachments being missed in Classic Outlook
* Fix for oversized attachments silently failing to reach recipients
* Fix for zero-byte attachments remaining **Pending**
* \[Service Mode] The add-in now starts the user's Draftable Clean application in the background
If Classic Outlook cannot read the send-protection settings yet, it asks you to open the Draftable Clean pane before sending. Tenants using the **latest** manifest receive this release automatically. Pinned deployments must be updated by an administrator.
[Read the full release notes for v26.9.0 →](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-September-2026-v26-9-0)
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Combine selected files into a single **PDF bundle**, with an optional front-of-bundle index page, per-file bookmarks, and continuous page numbers
* Combine selected files into a single **ZIP bundle** from the same toolbar menu
* If any file cannot be added to a bundle, the bundle is not created and the problem files are named, so a bundle is never produced with files silently missing
* PDFs are checked for **improper redaction** — content visually covered but not removed — and flagged with an advisory warning. Cleaning and saving are not blocked
*Integrations*
* \[iManage] **Clean with Draftable** action in the iManage Work right-click menu for documents and versions. Requires a new iManage integration package to be deployed
* \[NetDocuments] Image files and ZIP files can now be browsed and selected
* iManage and NetDocuments interface entries appear only where the connected system supports them
*Ease of use*
* The local file browser now opens with the **Compatible Files** filter selected instead of All Files
* Renaming a file now rejects characters Windows does not allow, instead of silently rewriting the name when the file is saved
*Admin configuration*
* New **Configure product key** Group Policy for centrally deployed activation
* Five new Group Policy settings for PDF bundle defaults: index page, bookmarks, page numbers, page number format, and page number position
* Updated ADMX/ADML templates — reinstall them to see the new policies
*Licensing*
* Licenses revalidate when the License tab is opened and refresh automatically on expiry, with no application restart needed
*Reliability*
* \[iManage] Documents in My Favourites can be selected in the picker
* \[iManage] The CONVERTING status label is no longer truncated
* The prompt no longer reappears repeatedly after using Reserve all or Replace all in a custom profile
* A SharePoint sign-in that never completes now recovers
* Start Menu shortcuts are correctly created after an install
**Features and improvements**
*Integrations*
* \[Add-in] Embedded email attachments (.msg and .eml) now appear in the pane as "cannot be cleaned" and follow your organisation's unsupported-file policy, instead of being hidden
* \[Add-in] Duplicate attachments are flagged in the pane with a one-click **Delete duplicate** action; sending is blocked until the duplicate is removed
*Reliability*
* \[Add-in] Stronger pre-send verification: the add-in validates cleaned attachment content directly and confirms the attachment list matches the pane, instead of relying on Outlook reporting alone
* \[Add-in] Numerous stability improvements for attachment handling across New Outlook and Outlook Classic
*Outlook Classic reliability*
* \[Add-in] Attaching many files at once is faster
*Admin configuration*
* \[Add-in] A **latest** release channel is now available in the [Draftable Office Deployment Guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html#addin-metadata). Pin your manifest to a specific release (for example, 1.11) to stay on a fixed version, or subscribe to the **latest** channel for a major version to automatically receive the newest updates within that release line
[Read the full release notes for v26.7.0 →](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-July-2026-v26-7-0)
**Features and improvements**
*Integrations*
* \[SharePoint] Open and clean documents directly from SharePoint Online in the desktop app
* Save cleaned documents back to your DMS (iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint) from the desktop app
* Clean files straight from the Windows 11 right-click menu in File Explorer with the "Clean in Draftable" command
* Clearer bulk-save feedback: progress, the destination system for each file, reasons for any files that could not be saved, and results when a save is cancelled part way through
*Ease of use*
* Files are automatically re-cleaned when you select a different profile after cleaning
* Prepared emails now start with a blank subject and body unless an administrator has configured defaults
* Removed the separate engine number from the status bar; a single application version is now shown
*Cleaning*
* Partially cleaned files now report which metadata could not be removed
* JPEG 2000 (JP2/JPX) images embedded in PDF files are no longer presented as safely cleanable
*Admin configuration*
* MSI installer now installs the HTTP listener by default
* Installed application version is now shown on the app screen and in app logs for MSI-installed deployments
* Installer registers the `draftableclean://` URL protocol
* License activation supports authenticated corporate proxies, using Windows system proxy settings and current-user credentials
*Reliability*
* More reliable automatic background updates, with corrected release-history handling
* Stale browser data is cleared on install and update to prevent cache-related startup problems; you may need to sign in to SharePoint or NetDocuments again
[Read the full release notes for v26.6.100 →](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-100)
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Hyperlink detection and cleaning for Word (.docx) documents
*Integrations*
* \[NetDocuments] Draftable Clean appears as its own application instead of Draftable Compare, with improved sign-in continuity
*Ease of use*
* \[App] Redesigned file list — Profile, Convert to PDF, and Search in the top bar; per-file drag handles and inline quick actions
*Admin configuration*
* Group Policy template expanded for iManage and NetDocuments (enable integration, server URL, automatic sign-in, automatic check-in), Terms & Conditions acceptance, and telemetry acknowledgement
* Organization identifier (GUID) via Group Policy for organisation-level telemetry tagging without personal information
[Read the full release notes for v26.6.0 →](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-0)
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Excel (.xlsx) and PowerPoint (.pptx) document support
* Image format support: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP
* PDF conversion in app and in add-in
* Anonymous telemetry and automatic error reporting
* Word (.docx) cleaning improvements, including comments author replacement and preservation of obfuscated text in default profiles
* Replaced metadata values surfaced after clean completes
* New licensing flow built from the ground up
* Self-serve free trial — no need to contact sales to start evaluating
* First-run terms and conditions and telemetry acknowledgement
* Desktop apps migrated to .NET 10
*Integrations*
* \[Add-in] Pop-up panel user experience in Outlook Classic
* \[Add-in] Clearer unsupported-file handling in the send flow
*Ease of use*
* Automatic background updates enabled by default
* System tray icon with minimise-to-tray
* Cleaning profile workflow improvements — create, edit, and set defaults
* \[App] Tooltip on document risk category
* \[App] Author and Creator metadata labelled as Author in the viewer
* \[App] Knowledge base links point to the Draftable Clean troubleshooting page
*Admin configuration*
* Admins can enforce must-clean metadata types across all profiles
* Group Policy: admins can lock the Outlook add-in default profile and behaviours
* Add-in settings exposed as individual Group Policy registry fields (replacing the previous JSON blob)
* New ADMX template surfaces DomainRules and AddInSettings policies
* MSI no longer requires .NET 10 Desktop Runtime as a prerequisite
[Read the full release notes for v26.3.100 →](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-March-2026-v26-3-100)
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Metadata scanning with risk-rated results across five categories: Personal Information, Document Properties, Tracked Changes & Comments, Document Content, and Other Metadata
* Configurable cleaning with three actions per metadata type: Preserve, Remove, or Replace
* Support for 58+ metadata types across Word (.doc, .docx) and PDF documents
* Password-protected Word and PDF file support with in-app authentication
* ZIP file metadata scanning and cleaning
* Cryptographically signed PDF detection — cleaning is skipped to preserve digital signature integrity
* Inline file rename and drag-and-drop reorder
* \[App] Undo Clean allows users to revert a clean before saving or closing
* \[App] Save cleaned files locally to a timestamped ZIP file
*Integrations*
* DMS: iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint (from local folder)
* \[Add-in] Outlook add-in for automatic attachment metadata cleaning on send, with domain-based profile selection and automatic re-cleaning when recipients change
*Ease of use*
* \[App] Drag-and-drop file loading from desktop and file explorer
* \[App] Four-step workflow: Scan, Review, Clean, Share
* \[App] Quick Clean option for one-click cleaning
* \[App] Runs quietly in the background via system tray
* \[Add-in] Insert Attachment List or Attachment Table into email body
* \[Add-in] Send protection controls: Block, Prompt, or Allow for uncleaned files, tracked changes/comments, and unsupported file types
* Per-file risk ratings (High, Medium, Low) with cross-file metadata search
* Expandable metadata detail view per file, grouped by category with item counts
* Progress indication during scanning and cleaning
* \[Add-in] Multi-language support: English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Japanese, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Svenska, Tagalog
*End-user configuration*
* Three built-in cleaning profiles: Standard Clean, Clean Share, and Clean Draft
* Per-file profile override to apply different profiles within a batch
* \[App] Create, rename, delete, and set default custom cleaning profiles
* \[App] Per-category Preserve All / Remove All toggles for quick profile setup
* \[App] Metadata type search within profile editor
*Admin configuration*
* Active Directory Group Policy support via ADMX/ADML administrative templates
* Microsoft Intune deployment support (ADMX import and OMA-URI)
* Computer Configuration policies: product key, automatic updates, usage statistics, exception reports, auto-accept T\&Cs, auto-launch on Windows start
* User Configuration policies: add-in settings, admin cleaning profiles (JSON), domain rules, attachment summary format, send protection settings
* Admin profile editor via command-line flag for visual JSON profile creation
* Custom error messages and custom support email body configuration
* Per-user default installer and machine-wide MSI deployment options
* MSI supports Citrix and Remote Desktop Services environments
* Silent deployment supported for enterprise rollout
*Reliability*
* All file processing is performed locally and documents never leave the user's machine
* \[App] Automatic error reporting (opt-in) for issue diagnostics
# Release Notes: Draftable Clean - July 2026 (v26.7.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-July-2026-v26-7-0
Draftable Clean v26.7.0 adds SharePoint Online integration and save-back to your DMS from the desktop app, plus workflow, enterprise install, and update improvements. For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean)
Draftable Clean v26.7.0 focuses on closing the loop with your document management system. You can now open documents directly from SharePoint Online and save cleaned files straight back to your DMS — without leaving the desktop app — alongside workflow, enterprise install, and update improvements.
Here are the five key features in this release:
* **SharePoint Online integration** — open and clean documents directly from SharePoint Online in the desktop app, matching the DMS experience already available for iManage and NetDocuments
* **Save cleaned documents back to your DMS** — write cleaned files straight back to iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint from within Draftable Clean, instead of saving locally and re-uploading
* **Clean from the Windows 11 right-click menu** — add a **Clean in Draftable** command to the main Windows 11 right-click menu to clean a file's metadata straight from File Explorer, without opening the app first
* **Automatic re-clean on profile change** — selecting a different cleaning profile after a file has been cleaned re-cleans it automatically, so the result always matches the chosen profile
* **Smoother enterprise installs** — the MSI installs the HTTP listener by default and surfaces the installed application version in the app and its logs
***A note from our product team***
Draftable Clean has been built from the ground up based on feedback from our customers. We would love to hear from you as we continue to develop this product.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Integrations
### SharePoint Online integration
Draftable Clean now connects directly to **SharePoint Online** and **OneDrive for Business**. You can browse and open documents into the desktop app for scanning and cleaning, just as you already can with **iManage** and **NetDocuments**. This removes the need to download a copy locally before you can clean it.
Enable it in **Settings > Integrations**, then sign in with a Microsoft **work or school account**. You can add more than one account, including accounts in different tenants, and Draftable Clean directs each request to the correct tenant. Personal Microsoft accounts are not supported.
SharePoint joins iManage and NetDocuments as a supported DMS integration for the desktop application. Supported file types, including images, can be selected through the SharePoint picker.
### Save cleaned documents back to your DMS
You can now **save cleaned documents back to your DMS** — iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint — directly from Draftable Clean. Once a file has been cleaned, use the **Save** action in the toolbar to write it back to its source system, rather than saving a local copy and manually re-uploading it.
### Clearer feedback when saving several files
Saving a group of files to a document management system now shows the progress of the save and which system each file is being written to.
If a file cannot be saved, it is listed with the reason once the save finishes rather than failing the whole batch — for example, a document that did not originate in iManage cannot be saved there as a new version. If you cancel part way through, the files already saved are kept and the summary reports how many completed.
### Clean from the Windows 11 right-click menu
You can now add a **Clean in Draftable** command to the main Windows 11 right-click menu, so you can clean a file's metadata straight from File Explorer without opening the app first. Enable it from **Settings > Integrations > Windows integration**. For step-by-step instructions, see [Enable the Windows 11 right-click menu for Draftable Clean](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Enable-the-Windows-11-right-click-menu-for-Draftable-Clean).
## Ease of Use
### Automatic re-clean when you change profile
If you change the cleaning profile after a document has already been cleaned, Draftable Clean now **re-cleans the file automatically** using the newly selected profile. This ensures the cleaned output always reflects the profile you have chosen, without needing to trigger the clean again manually.
### Cleaner email hand-off
When you prepare an email from the application, Draftable Clean no longer inserts a default **"Cleaned Document"** subject line. Prepared emails now start with a **blank subject and body**, unless your administrator has configured default text, so nothing unwanted is left in outgoing messages.
### Simplified status bar
The separate engine version number has been **removed from the status bar** for a cleaner, less cluttered interface. Draftable Clean now reports a single application version.
## Cleaning
### Clearer reporting of metadata that cannot be removed
Where a cleaning profile can only partially clean a file, Draftable Clean now tells you which metadata could **not** be removed, rather than reporting the file as fully cleaned.
As part of this, **JPEG 2000 images (JP2/JPX) embedded in PDF files are no longer presented as safely cleanable**. See [Supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types) for details.
## Admin Configuration
### HTTP listener installed by default
The **machine-wide MSI** now installs the **HTTP listener by default**. This simplifies enterprise deployment by ensuring the listener required for integrations is present without additional configuration steps.
### Installed version visible in the app and logs
For **MSI-installed deployments**, the installed application version is now shown on the app screen and included in the application logs. Previously the version had to be looked up in Windows **Settings > Apps > Installed apps**. See [Updating Draftable Clean](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Updating-Draftable-Clean).
### URL protocol registration
Draftable Clean now registers the `draftableclean://` URL protocol when it is installed, allowing other applications and the Windows 11 right-click menu to hand a file to Draftable Clean for cleaning. If your organization restricts custom protocol handlers, allow `draftableclean://`. See [Enterprise deployment](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options).
### License activation through authenticated proxies
License activation now follows the **Windows system proxy settings** and authenticates using the signed-in user's Windows credentials. This allows activation to succeed on networks that require an authenticated corporate proxy. See [Network requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements).
## Reliability
### More reliable background updates
This release refreshes the updater and improves the reliability of Draftable Clean's **automatic background updates**, including more accurate handling of release history.
**Stale browser data is also cleared on install and update**, preventing cache-related problems that could otherwise stop the application from starting correctly after an upgrade. Because this data includes saved sign-in sessions, you may need to sign in again to **SharePoint** or **NetDocuments** the first time you use them after updating.
If you ever need help troubleshooting issues with Draftable Clean, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Clean - June 2026 (v26.6.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-0
Draftable Clean v26.6.0 adds Excel, PowerPoint, and image file support, PDF conversion, and admin controls to enforce must-clean metadata across all profiles. For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean)
Draftable Clean v26.6.0 expands the range of file types you can scan and clean, introduces PDF conversion for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, and gives administrators stronger control over organisation-wide cleaning standards. This release also refreshes licensing, deployment, and the day-to-day desktop and Outlook experience.
Here are the five key features in this release:
* **Excel and PowerPoint support** — scan and clean metadata in `.xlsx` and `.pptx` files using the same review workflow as Word and PDF documents
* **Image file support** — detect and remove metadata from JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP images, with profile editor settings tailored to image metadata types
* **PDF conversion** — convert Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files to PDF in the desktop app and Outlook add-in
* **Enforce must-clean metadata types across all profiles** — administrators can require specific metadata types to always be removed, regardless of which cleaning profile is applied
* **Enterprise policy and deployment updates** — lock Outlook add-in defaults via Group Policy, configure add-in settings as individual registry fields, and deploy without a separate .NET 10 Desktop Runtime prerequisite on the MSI
***A note from our product team***
Draftable Clean has been built from the ground up based on feedback from our customers. We would love to hear from you as we continue to develop this product.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Excel and PowerPoint document support
Draftable Clean now supports **Excel** (`.xlsx`) and **PowerPoint** (`.pptx`) documents alongside Word and PDF. Files are scanned using the same risk-rated workflow, and cleaning behaviour is controlled through your existing profiles — Preserve, Remove, or Replace per metadata type.
Excel-specific metadata — such as formula cell references — can be reviewed in the viewer, where references are shown as a comma-separated list.
### Image file support
This release adds support for **JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP** image files. Image metadata is detected during scan, displayed in the review workflow, and removed according to the active cleaning profile. The profile editor exposes the metadata types relevant to images so administrators and users can configure image cleaning with the same granularity as document formats.
### PDF conversion for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Draftable Clean v26.6.0 introduces **PDF conversion** in the desktop application and Outlook add-in. **Word**, **Excel**, and **PowerPoint** files can be flagged for conversion to PDF via the inline PDF icon or the **Convert** toolbar button so metadata can be addressed in a consistent output format. Conversion is integrated into the existing Scan, Review, Clean, Share workflow.
### Expanded cleaning for Word, PDF, and mixed batches
Word (`.docx`) cleaning is improved in this release, including correct comments author replacement and preservation of obfuscated text where default profiles require it. PDF cleaning covers a broader set of embedded images, annotations, and document structures. After cleaning, **replaced metadata values** are surfaced in the UI so you can confirm what changed.
Replaced values and risk ratings continue to use the five metadata categories: Personal Information, Document Properties, Tracked Changes & Comments, Document Content, and Other Metadata.
### Licensing, trials, and first-run experience
v26.6.0 includes a new **licensing flow** and **self-serve free trial** so organisations can evaluate Draftable Clean without contacting sales first. On first run, users acknowledge terms and conditions and telemetry preferences. **Anonymous telemetry** and **automatic error reporting** help improve product quality while keeping document processing local.
The desktop application has been migrated to **.NET 10**, and the MSI installer no longer requires .NET 10 Desktop Runtime as a separate prerequisite.
## Integrations
### Outlook add-in improvements
The Outlook add-in receives a refreshed **pop-up panel** experience in Outlook Classic and **clearer handling of unsupported files** in the send flow.
These changes build on the add-in capabilities introduced in the first release — domain-based profile selection, send protection controls, and automatic attachment cleaning — with a focus on reliability across Outlook Classic and Outlook Modern.
## Ease of Use
### Settings, updates, and system tray
**Cleaning profile** workflows are improved for creating, editing, and setting defaults. The application **updates itself in the background** by default, and a **system tray icon** supports minimise-to-tray so Draftable Clean stays available without occupying the taskbar.
In-app **tooltips** on document risk categories and clearer **Author** labelling in the metadata viewer (formerly Author/Creator) make review faster. Knowledge base links now point to the Draftable Clean troubleshooting documentation.
## Admin Configuration
### Enforce must-clean metadata types across all profiles
Administrators can now **enforce must-clean metadata types across all profiles**. When configured, specified metadata types must be removed regardless of which cleaning profile is active — including new custom profiles created after the policy is applied. This gives legal and IT teams a consistent baseline for sensitive metadata that must never be shared externally.
### Group Policy and Outlook add-in lockdown
Group Policy templates are updated for v26.6.0:
* Admins can **lock the Outlook add-in default profile and behaviours** so end users cannot override organisation standards.
* **Add-in settings** are exposed as **individual Group Policy registry fields**, replacing the previous single JSON blob — simplifying scripting and template management for teams that deploy policies at scale.
* A new ADMX template surfaces **DomainRules** and **AddInSettings** policies explicitly.
Organisations that scripted the previous JSON blob should update their templates to use the new individual fields.
### Deployment and prerequisites
The **machine-wide MSI** no longer lists .NET 10 Desktop Runtime as a prerequisite check, which may simplify allowlisting for IT teams that previously managed that dependency separately. ADMX/ADML templates, Intune deployment, and silent MSI installation continue to be supported for enterprise rollout.
## Reliability
### Local processing and service architecture
All metadata scanning and cleaning remains **local** — documents never leave the user's machine during processing. v26.6.0 uses an **in-app REST API by default**, with automatic fallback to the Sweeper Windows Service where needed, so new installations are less dependent on a separate Windows service for everyday use.
If you ever need help troubleshooting issues with Draftable Clean, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Clean - June 2026 (v26.6.100)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-100
Draftable Clean v26.6.100 refreshes the desktop file list, expands Group Policy for enterprise admins, improves NetDocuments integration, and adds hyperlink cleaning for Word documents. For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean)
Draftable Clean v26.6.100 focuses on a clearer desktop experience, stronger enterprise configuration through Group Policy, and tighter DMS integration — plus hyperlink support for Word documents.
Here are the five key features in this release:
* **Redesigned file list** — Profile, **Convert**, and Search move to the top bar, with per-file drag handles and inline quick actions for faster batch workflows
* **Expanded Group Policy template** — admins can enable iManage and NetDocuments, set server URLs and automatic sign-in, pre-accept Terms & Conditions, and configure telemetry without hand-editing the registry
* **NetDocuments identity fix** — Draftable Clean now appears as itself in NetDocuments instead of Draftable Compare, reducing unexpected re-authentication when loading files
* **Organisation-level telemetry tagging** — administrators can supply an organization identifier (GUID) via Group Policy so usage data can be attributed at the organisation level without personal information
* **Hyperlinks in Word documents** — hyperlinks in `.docx` files are detected during scan and can be preserved or removed according to your cleaning profile
***A note from our product team***
Draftable Clean has been built from the ground up based on feedback from our customers. We would love to hear from you as we continue to develop this product.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Ease of Use
### Redesigned file list
The desktop application's file list has been refreshed for a cleaner, more efficient workflow. **Profile**, **Convert**, and **Search** now sit in the **top bar** alongside your DMS and Clean actions, making batch operations easier to find.
Each file row includes a **drag handle** for reordering, **inline profile selection**, a per-file **PDF icon** for flagging conversion (the icon turns blue when flagged), and updated remove controls. The active profile for your selection is also shown in the status area at the bottom of the window.
A few controls have moved compared to earlier versions — notably **Convert** and **Search** — so you may need a moment to reorient if you are used to the previous layout.
## Admin Configuration
### Expanded Group Policy template
Several settings that Draftable Clean already supported via registry are now exposed in the **Group Policy (ADMX/ADML) template**, matching the experience administrators expect from Draftable Desktop (Compare).
Newly surfaced policies include:
* **iManage** — enable integration, set the server URL, and configure automatic sign-in
* **NetDocuments** — enable integration and configure automatic check-in
* **Terms & Conditions** — pre-accept for silent or managed rollouts
* **Telemetry** — configure statistics acknowledgement centrally
IT teams can configure these options through Group Policy Editor using clear, documented policy names — without distributing raw registry keys to end users.
### Organisation-level telemetry tagging
Administrators can now configure an **organization identifier** (GUID) via Group Policy. When set, this value is included in Draftable Clean telemetry events, enabling **organisation-level attribution** with **no user-level personal information**.
The setting follows the same pattern as Draftable Desktop (Compare): it is policy-controlled only and is not exposed in the end-user Settings UI. When the policy is unset, telemetry behaviour is unchanged.
## Integrations
### NetDocuments application identity
Draftable Clean previously reused the NetDocuments application identity associated with Draftable Compare, which could cause the integration to appear as **Draftable Compare** and prompt users to sign in again when adding files.
v26.6.100 registers Draftable Clean with its **own NetDocuments application identity**, so the integration is correctly labelled throughout the NetDocuments flow and sign-in is more consistent when loading documents for cleaning.
## Core Functionality
### Hyperlinks in Word documents
Draftable Clean now detects **hyperlinks** in Word (`.docx`) documents during scan. Hyperlinks may point to internal or sensitive URLs, so they appear in the review workflow alongside other metadata types and can be **preserved** or **removed** according to your active cleaning profile.
If you ever need help troubleshooting issues with Draftable Clean, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Clean – March 2026 (v26.3.100)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-March-2026-v26-3-100
This is the first release of Draftable Clean, introducing metadata cleaning capabilities as a new product in the Draftable family. For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean)
We are excited to announce the first release of Draftable Clean — a new standalone metadata cleaning product from Draftable. Draftable Clean scans, identifies, and removes hidden metadata from your documents before they are shared, helping protect your organization from inadvertent data leaks.
Here are the five key features in this first release:
* **Risk-rated metadata scanning** across 58+ metadata types for Word and PDF documents, with per-file risk levels and an intuitive review workflow
* **Configurable cleaning profiles** with three actions per metadata type — Preserve, Remove, or Replace — and three ready-to-use built-in profiles
* **Outlook add-in for automatic cleaning** that scans and cleans email attachments on send, with domain-based profile rules and send protection controls
* **DMS integrations with iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint** for loading files directly from your document management system
* **Enterprise deployment with Group Policy and Intune** including ADMX/ADML templates, admin cleaning profiles, and both per-user and machine-wide MSI installers
***A note from our product team***
Draftable Clean has been built from the ground up based on feedback from our customers. We would love to hear from you as we continue to develop this product.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Checks each file for hidden metadata, flags the level of risk, and lets you decide what to remove
Draftable Clean introduces a four-step workflow — **Scan, Review, Clean, Share** — that gives users full visibility and control over hidden metadata in their documents. When files are loaded, Draftable Clean automatically scans them and assigns a risk rating (High, Medium, or Low) based on the types of metadata detected.
The scan results are displayed in an expandable detail view, organized across five metadata categories: **Personal Information**, **Document Properties**, **Tracked Changes & Comments**, **Document Content**, and **Other Metadata**. Each category shows the number of detected items, and users can drill into individual metadata fields to see exactly what will be cleaned.
This release supports **Word documents** (.doc, .docx) and **PDF documents** (.pdf), along with **ZIP archives** containing supported file types. Password-protected Word and PDF files are also supported — users are prompted to enter the password before scanning can proceed.
### Configurable cleaning with Preserve, Remove, and Replace actions
Rather than offering a simple "clean all" option, Draftable Clean provides granular control over how each of the 58+ supported metadata types is handled. For each metadata type, users can choose to:
* **Preserve** — leave the metadata untouched
* **Remove** — delete the metadata entirely
* **Replace** — substitute with a custom value (available for fields like Author, Creator, Manager, and Comments Author)
This ensures that cleaning can be tailored to the specific requirements of each document sharing scenario, from full scrubbing for external distribution to lighter cleaning that preserves tracked changes for internal review.
### Cryptographically signed PDF handling
When Draftable Clean detects a cryptographically signed PDF, it automatically skips cleaning for that file to preserve the integrity of the digital signature. Users are notified via the add-in with an "Unsupported format" status. Visual signatures (such as those applied through Adobe Fill & Sign) do not prevent cleaning.
### Undo Clean
After cleaning, users can undo the clean to restore the file to its original state, provided they have not yet saved or closed the application. This provides a safety net when reviewing cleaning results before sharing.
## Integrations
### iManage integration
Draftable Clean integrates directly with iManage, allowing users to load files from their iManage workspace. The integration is enabled in **Settings > Integrations** and requires the iManage Server URL to be configured. Both iManage Cloud and on-premises deployments are supported.
### NetDocuments integration
NetDocuments integration is automatically enabled when the **ndOffice** desktop application is detected on the user's machine. Users can load files from NetDocuments without additional configuration.
### SharePoint integration
Draftable Clean supports SharePoint documents accessed through local folders (synced via OneDrive or mapped drives). Files can be loaded from SharePoint-synced locations using the standard Browse workflow.
### Outlook add-in for automatic cleaning on send
The Draftable Clean Outlook add-in brings metadata cleaning directly into the email workflow. Once deployed by a Microsoft 365 administrator, the add-in runs in the background and automatically scans and cleans attachments as they are added to an email.
Key capabilities of the add-in include:
* **Domain-based automatic profile selection** — administrators can configure rules that map recipient email domains to specific cleaning profiles, so external emails are automatically cleaned more thoroughly than internal ones
* **Automatic re-cleaning when recipients change** — if a user changes the email recipients, the add-in detects this and re-applies the appropriate cleaning profile with a "Recipients changed" notification banner
* **Send protection controls** — configurable behavior (Block, Prompt, or Allow) for three scenarios: attachments still being cleaned, files containing tracked changes or comments, and unsupported file types
* **Insert Attachment List or Table** — users can insert a formatted list or table of all email attachments directly into the email body
* **Per-file profile override** — if enabled by an administrator, users can change the cleaning profile for individual attachments within the add-in
The add-in supports Outlook on the web, New Outlook for Windows, and Classic Outlook on Windows, and communicates with the desktop application via localhost.
## Ease of Use
### Drag-and-drop and desktop file loading
Files can be loaded into Draftable Clean via Browse dialog, drag-and-drop from the desktop or file explorer, or directly from iManage and NetDocuments using the toolbar buttons.
### Multi-language support in the Outlook add-in
The Draftable Clean Outlook add-in supports 10 languages: English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Japanese, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Svenska, and Tagalog. The language is automatically selected based on the user's Windows locale.
### Inline rename and file reorder
Files can be renamed inline using the pencil icon and reordered via drag-and-drop in both the desktop application and the Outlook add-in. Both the renamed filenames and the custom ordering are preserved when saving or emailing cleaned files.
### Save to ZIP and email export (desktop application)
In the desktop application, cleaned files can be saved locally, exported to a ZIP archive with a timestamped filename, or emailed directly via Outlook with a configurable subject, body, and attachment summary. The email workflow supports both List and Table formats for the attachment summary inserted into the email body.
### Runs quietly in the background
Draftable Clean minimizes to the system tray so it stays available without getting in your way.
## End-User Configuration
### Built-in and custom cleaning profiles
Draftable Clean ships with three built-in profiles designed for common scenarios:
* **Standard Clean** — removes all metadata categories, designed for external sharing
* **Clean Share** — preserves tracked changes while cleaning all other metadata
* **Clean Draft** — preserves both tracked changes and comments, for internal review
Users can create additional custom profiles. Within each profile, per-category toggles (Preserve All / Remove All) enable quick setup, while individual metadata type settings provide fine-grained control. A search function within the profile editor helps users locate specific metadata types quickly.
### Per-file profile overrides
When working with a batch of files, users can override the global profile for individual files using the per-file profile dropdown in both the desktop application and the Outlook add-in (if enabled by an administrator). This allows different files in the same batch to be cleaned with different profiles — for example, cleaning a cover letter with a Standard Clean profile while applying a Clean Draft profile to an accompanying contract.
## Admin Configuration
### Group Policy and Intune support
Draftable Clean ships with ADMX/ADML administrative templates that integrate with Active Directory Group Policy for centralized configuration. Templates are installed with the application in the `GroupPolicy` folder and can be deployed to the Central Store.
**Computer Configuration policies** include: product key, automatic updates, usage statistics, exception reports, auto-accept Terms & Conditions, auto-launch on Windows start, custom error messages, and custom support email.
**User Configuration policies** include: Outlook add-in settings, admin cleaning profiles (as JSON), domain rules for automatic profile selection, attachment summary format, and send protection behavior.
For organizations using Microsoft Intune, deployment is supported via ADMX import or OMA-URI direct registry writes.
### Admin profile editor
Administrators can create and edit cleaning profiles visually using the admin profile editor, launched via `DraftableClean.exe --admin-profile-editor`. The resulting JSON can be deployed through Group Policy to enforce organization-wide cleaning standards.
### Enterprise deployment options
Draftable Clean offers two installer options:
* **Default Installer (.exe)** — per-user installation with automatic updates, no admin rights required
* **Machine-Wide MSI** — system-wide installation for enterprise environments, including Citrix and Remote Desktop Services, with support for silent deployment and management via SCCM, Intune, or Group Policy Software Installation
## Reliability
### Local processing — documents never leave your machine
All metadata scanning and cleaning is performed locally on the user's machine. No document data is transmitted to external servers during the cleaning process. This is a fundamental design principle of Draftable Clean, ensuring that sensitive documents remain within your organization's control at all times.
## Bug Fixes
As this is the first release of Draftable Clean, there are no bug fixes to report against a prior version.
If you ever need help troubleshooting issues with Draftable, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Clean - October 2026 (26.10.0 and Outlook 1.12.110.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-October-2026-v26-10-0
Skip cleaning for trusted recipients, control Clean in New Outlook, and review file origins and activity. Includes Outlook attachment and send-protection fixes.
The 1 October releases bring **Draftable Clean 26.10.0** for Windows and **Draftable Clean for Outlook 1.12.110.0**. Together, they give you more control over when attachments are cleaned, clearer information about file sources, and more reliable attachment handling in Outlook.
* **Skip Cleaning for trusted recipients**, or before any recipients have been entered.
* **Control Clean in New Outlook**, with a user setting and an administrator policy.
* **Review a file's source and activity** from the desktop file list.
* **See real NetDocuments version labels**, such as 2.1.
* **Use more reliable Outlook send protection**, attachment tracking, and email size checks.
See the [release log](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean) for the full list of changes.
## Choose when to skip cleaning
In **Settings > Add-In**, you can now select **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** for the no-recipient default and for domain rules. The Outlook pane labels these files **Skipped**, and they remain unchanged.
Skipping applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule. If any recipient needs cleaning or matches no rule, a cleaning profile or the default profile takes precedence. Keep a cleaning profile assigned to **Default** (all other domains).
Skip Cleaning does not remove metadata. Use a cleaning profile where metadata removal is required. See [Metadata cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles).
## Control Clean in New Outlook
Under **Settings > Add-In > New Outlook (beta)**, **Clean attachments in New Outlook** lets you turn Clean on or off for New Outlook for Windows. Administrators can enforce the choice through Group Policy or Intune.
When turned off, Clean does not clean attachments or perform pre-send checks in New Outlook. Its pane explains that it is off. Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac are unaffected by this switch. New Outlook support remains in beta.
Use the **26.10.0 desktop app** and **1.12.110.0 add-in** together for the new settings. Updating the desktop application does not update an add-in deployment pinned to an earlier version.
## Review file origins and activity
Select the **File history** icon beside a filename to see its original filename, source, output filename, and the activity recorded for it during the current session.
Files imported from a document management system also show a source and version label beside the filename. NetDocuments versions now use their real display labels, such as **2.1**, in the file list, imported-version details, and save confirmations. This display change does not renumber the document in NetDocuments.
The timeline is for the current Clean session, not a permanent DMS audit log. See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application).
## More reliable Outlook attachments and send protection
Email size checks use the organisation's actual Microsoft 365 mailbox limit where available, with clearer errors when attachments would exceed it. This uses existing permissions and needs no new consent. On-premises Exchange retains its existing behaviour. Signed PDFs remain intentionally unsupported for cleaning, with a clearer explanation in the pane.
See [Using the Outlook add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Outlook-Add-in) and [Outlook troubleshooting](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in).
## Refresh administrator templates
Replace both ADMX and ADML files with the **26.10.0 templates** before configuring the new controls. The pair carries revision **2610.0**. The New Outlook policy's supported-version label says **26.9.2 (or later)**, but that version was not publicly released; use **26.10.0 or later**.
Download the shipped templates and review the settings in [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean), or follow the [Intune guide](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean).
For help with the update, contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Clean - September 2026 (v26.9.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-September-2026-v26-9-0
Draftable Clean v26.9.0 introduces PDF and ZIP bundling, improper PDF redaction warnings, and a Clean with Draftable action in iManage Work, alongside new Group Policy settings and licensing improvements. For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean)
Draftable Clean v26.9.0 is about what happens after the clean. You can now combine cleaned files into a single PDF or ZIP without leaving the application, and Draftable Clean will warn you when a PDF looks like it has been redacted improperly — content covered over rather than removed.
Here are the five key features in this release:
* **PDF bundling** — combine several cleaned files into one PDF, with an optional index page, per-file bookmarks, and continuous page numbers
* **ZIP bundling** — pack selected cleaned files into a single ZIP archive from the same toolbar menu
* **Improper PDF redaction warnings** — Draftable Clean flags PDFs where text has been visually covered but not actually removed
* **Clean with Draftable in iManage Work** — launch Draftable Clean straight from the iManage right-click menu for one or more documents
* **Centrally deployed product keys** — a new **Configure product key** Group Policy activates Draftable Clean at launch, so keys no longer have to be entered machine by machine
***A note from our product team***
Draftable Clean has been built from the ground up based on feedback from our customers. We would love to hear from you as we continue to develop this product.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Bundling
### Combine cleaned files into a single PDF
A new **Bundle** action in the toolbar combines your selected files into a single PDF. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files are converted to PDF as part of the process, so a mixed set of documents still produces one continuous PDF.
Select the files you want to combine, then choose **Bundle > Create PDF bundle**. The result appears in the file list as **PDF bundle.pdf**, which you can rename, clean, and save or email like any other file.
The same menu holds the PDF bundle options:
* **Include front-of-bundle index** — adds a table-of-contents page at the start of the bundle listing each combined file and the page it starts on. On by default.
* **Add file bookmarks** — adds a PDF bookmark for each file in the bundle, so you can jump between documents in your PDF reader. On by default.
* **Overlay page numbers** — stamps continuous page numbers across the bundle. Off by default. When enabled, you can choose the **Format** from four presets (`1`, `1 / 1`, `Page 1`, or `Page 1 of 1`) and the **Position** (Left, Center, or Right).
Page numbers are stamped **alongside** any numbering already present in the source documents. Draftable Clean does not remove or renumber the original page numbers.
Administrators can set these defaults for an organization, and lock them, using the new PDF bundle policies. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean).
### Combine cleaned files into a single ZIP
Choose **Bundle > Create ZIP bundle** to pack the selected files into one ZIP archive. Like the PDF bundle, the archive lands back in the file list — named `cleaned-files-` followed by today's date — and you can rename, save, or email it from there.
Both bundles are added with a **BUNDLED** status.
ZIP bundling works with Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, and image files.
If any selected file cannot be added — because it is locked behind a password, cannot be read, or fails to convert — **no bundle is created at all**, and Draftable Clean names the files that caused the problem. A bundle is never shipped with files quietly missing from it. Resolve the listed files, or deselect them, and create the bundle again.
## Cleaning
### Warnings for improperly redacted PDFs
Draftable Clean now inspects PDF files for content that has been **visually covered but not securely removed** — the classic mistake of drawing a black box over text that a reader can still select and copy.
Files where this is detected are flagged with **Potential improper redaction detected**, shown through the same issue indicator and navigator used for other file warnings.
Draftable Clean looks for:
* A black or dark box drawn over text in the page content
* Dark text painted onto a dark fill it cannot be distinguished from
* Pending redaction annotations that were marked up but never applied
* Opaque shape annotations and dark highlight annotations drawn over text
This warning is **advisory**. It does not block cleaning or saving, and Draftable Clean does **not** fix an improper redaction. If a file is flagged, review it with a dedicated redaction tool before sharing it.
Because the check works on colour and opacity, legitimate dark formatting — a dark table header cell behind dark text, for example — can occasionally be flagged. The wording deliberately says **potential**: treat a flag as a prompt to check the document, not as proof that content is exposed.
## Integrations
### Clean with Draftable from the iManage right-click menu
You can now start a clean straight from **iManage Work**. Right-click one or more documents or versions and choose **Clean with Draftable**, and the selected files open in the Draftable Clean desktop application, ready to scan and clean.
This action requires a **new iManage integration package** to be deployed into iManage Work by your iManage administrator. It is separate from the existing Draftable Compare package — deploying one does not affect the other, and installing Draftable Clean alone is not enough. See [Troubleshooting: DMS integrations](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations).
The package talks to the Draftable Clean desktop application over the local HTTP listener. Its **Draftable Clean Communication Port** setting must match the port Draftable Clean is listening on — both default to **5044**.
### NetDocuments browsing includes images and ZIP files
The NetDocuments picker now lists **image files and ZIP files** alongside documents, so you can bring them into Draftable Clean without downloading them first.
### DMS buttons follow what your system supports
The **iManage** and **NetDocs** entries in the interface now appear only where the connected system actually supports the action, rather than being shown and then failing.
## Ease of Use
### File browser defaults to compatible files
When you click **Browse**, the file dialog now opens with the **Compatible Files** filter selected rather than **All Files**. This shows only the file types Draftable Clean can scan and clean.
If you are looking for a file and cannot see it, change the filter in the bottom-right of the file dialog. **All Files** is still available at the end of the filter list.
### Clearer rules when renaming files
The inline rename editor now tells you straight away when a name will not work, instead of accepting it and quietly rewriting it when the file is saved.
A file name cannot contain any of these characters: `\ / : * ? " < > |`. Windows reserved device names — such as `CON`, `PRN`, `AUX`, `NUL`, `COM1` to `COM9`, and `LPT1` to `LPT9` — cannot be used as a file name either.
Previously, typing a `/` in a file name could result in everything before the slash being dropped when the file was saved. Names that arrive from a document management system are now corrected on save rather than truncated.
## Admin Configuration
### Deploy product keys with Group Policy
**Configure product key** is now available as a Group Policy setting under **Draftable Clean**. When it is enabled with a valid key, Draftable Clean attempts license activation automatically at launch, so administrators can deploy keys centrally instead of having each user enter one. The policy can be applied under Computer Configuration or User Configuration.
Previously the product key could only be written directly to the registry, because it was not included in the administrative templates.
### New PDF bundle policies
Five new policies set the organization-wide defaults for PDF bundles: the index page, file bookmarks, page numbers, and the page number format and position. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean).
The ADMX and ADML templates changed in this release. Administrators using the templates should **reinstall them from a v26.9.0 installation** — the product key and PDF bundle policies do not appear in the Group Policy editor until the templates are updated.
## Licensing
### Licenses refresh without restarting
Draftable Clean now revalidates your license with the licensing server whenever the **Settings > License** tab is opened, and refreshes it automatically when it expires. A license that has been renewed no longer requires the application to be restarted before it takes effect. The expiry date shown on the final day of a license is also now correct.
## Reliability
This release also includes the following fixes:
* **iManage** — documents in **My Favourites** can now be selected in the picker
* **iManage** — the **CONVERTING** status label is no longer truncated
* **Cleaning profiles** — the prompt no longer reappears repeatedly after using **Reserve all** or **Replace all** in a custom profile
* **SharePoint** — a sign-in that never completes now recovers instead of leaving the integration stuck
* **Installation** — Start Menu shortcuts are correctly created again after an install
* **PDF bundles** — the bundle option checkboxes no longer render a double checkmark
The library Draftable Clean uses to process PowerPoint files has been updated in this release. This affects PPTX cleaning. No change in behavior is expected, but if a PowerPoint file that cleaned correctly on v26.7.0 does not on v26.9.0, please send us the file and your [diagnostic logs](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support).
## Outlook add-in
The Draftable Clean **Outlook add-in** is released separately from the desktop application and is not included in this installer. See the [Release Log](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean) for add-in releases.
If you ever need help troubleshooting issues with Draftable Clean, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Single-user Installation
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Single-user-Installation
Install Draftable Clean on your Windows PC using the per-user installer, activate your license or start a free trial, and get the Outlook add-in from your administrator.
This guide walks you through installing Draftable Clean on your own Windows PC using the default per-user installer. For machine-wide or enterprise deployments, see [Enterprise Deployment](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options).
## Default installer (.exe)
| Property | Value |
| - | - |
| **Installer Type** | Regular executable (.exe) |
| **Installer Scope** | Per-user |
| **Requires Admin** | No |
| **Recommended scenarios** | Individual users, small firms, initial rollouts |
| **Download URL** | [DraftableCleanSetup.exe](https://dl.draftable.com/clean/DraftableCleanSetup.exe) |
This installer is recommended for most scenarios and is the default installer provided. It's the easiest to use and has minimal requirements — ideal for individual users and small teams.
### Benefits
* No administrator privileges are required for installation
* Updates are automatically downloaded and applied in the background
### Notes
* Each user on the system needs to run the installer (per-user deployment)
* Each user maintains their own copy of the product and settings
## Setting up the desktop application
Download the installer: [DraftableCleanSetup.exe](https://dl.draftable.com/clean/DraftableCleanSetup.exe)
Run the installer and follow the prompts, which will include selecting the install location and entering the product key.
On first launch, you will be asked to acknowledge the **terms and conditions** and your **telemetry preferences** before continuing.
Activate the product.
1. If you already have a license, enter your product key — it should have been sent to your email.
2. If you don't have a license yet, you can start a **free 5-day trial directly from the application** — no need to contact sales first. You can also start a trial from the [Draftable Clean product page](https://www.draftable.com/draftable-clean).
Draftable Clean is installed and ready to use. See [Using the Desktop Application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application) to clean your first document.
## Setting up the Outlook add-in
The add-in is deployed organization-wide by a Microsoft 365 administrator. Setup involves uploading the Draftable Clean manifest file to the Microsoft 365 admin center and assigning it to your users.
If you don't see the Draftable Clean button in the Outlook ribbon, contact your IT team to have it installed. Administrators can follow the [Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in) guide for deployment instructions.
## Next steps
Walk through uploading, cleaning, and exporting documents from the desktop application.
Learn how to clean email attachments automatically as you compose messages in Outlook.
Deploy Draftable Clean using the machine-wide MSI for enterprise environments.
# Draftable Clean Supported Metadata Types
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types
A comprehensive reference of all metadata types that Draftable Clean can detect and clean across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and image files — including supported actions, risk levels, and applicable file types.
Draftable Clean scans and cleans a wide range of metadata types across [supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types) — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and image files. Each metadata item is categorised, assigned a risk level, and can be configured to **Preserve**, **Remove**, **Replace** (with a custom value), or **Flatten** (convert to static content) — depending on the type.
This page lists every metadata type supported in the current release.
Many shared properties — author, title, dates, keywords, revision details, and other document properties — apply across the Office formats (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and, in some cases, PDF and image files. Expand **Metadata by file type** for a complete breakdown per format, or **Metadata by category** to compare metadata types across all formats.
## Supported actions
| Action | Description |
| - | - |
| **Preserve** | Keep the metadata as-is — no changes made |
| **Remove** | Delete the metadata from the document |
| **Replace** | Replace the metadata value with a specified string (e.g. replace author with your firm name) |
| **Flatten** | Convert interactive elements (form fields, structured document tags) to static content |
***
## Metadata by file type
Expand a file type below to review every metadata type Draftable Clean can clean for that format, and which actions are available for each type.
### Personal Information
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Company | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Extended Property | Preserve, Remove |
| Last Saved By | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Manager | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Producer | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| User Address | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| User Initials | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| User Name | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Document Properties
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Category | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Characters | Preserve, Remove |
| Characters With Spaces | Preserve, Remove |
| Content Status | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Created Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Description | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Document Variable | Preserve, Remove |
| Document Version | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Identifier | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Ink Annotation | Preserve, Remove |
| Keywords | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Language | Preserve, Remove |
| Lines | Preserve, Remove |
| Modified Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Pages | Preserve, Remove |
| Paragraphs | Preserve, Remove |
| Printed Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Revision Number | Preserve, Remove |
| Security | Preserve, Remove |
| Shared Document | Preserve, Remove |
| Smart Tag | Preserve, Remove |
| Structured Document Tag | Preserve, Remove, Flatten |
| Subject | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Thumbnail | Preserve, Remove |
| Title | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Total Editing Time | Preserve, Remove |
| Words | Preserve, Remove |
### Tracked Changes & Comments
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Comments | Preserve, Remove |
| Comments Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Comments Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Tracked Changes | Preserve, Remove |
| Tracked Changes Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Tracked Changes Date | Preserve, Remove |
### Document Content
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Bookmarks | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Highlighted Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Hyperlinks | Preserve, Remove |
| Obfuscated Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Ole Object | Preserve, Remove |
| Small Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Xml Comment | Preserve, Remove |
### Other Metadata
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Custom Property | Preserve, Remove |
| Custom Ui | Preserve, Remove |
| Custom Xml | Preserve, Remove |
| Unclassified | Preserve, Remove |
| Vba Code | Preserve, Remove |
### Personal Information
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Creator | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Manager | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Producer | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Document Properties
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Annotation | Preserve, Remove |
| Created Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Description | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Document Version | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Identifier | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Keywords | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Language | Preserve, Remove |
| Modified Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Subject | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Title | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Tracked Changes & Comments
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Comments Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Comments Date | Preserve, Remove |
### Document Content
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Attached Files | Preserve, Remove |
| Bookmarks | Preserve, Remove |
| Form Fields | Preserve, Remove, Flatten |
| Hyperlinks | Preserve, Remove |
### Other Metadata
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Custom Property | Preserve, Remove |
| Digital Signature | Preserve, Remove |
| JavaScript | Preserve, Remove |
| Unclassified | Preserve, Remove |
### Personal Information
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Company | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Extended Property | Preserve, Remove |
| Last Saved by | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Manager | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Producer | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Document Properties
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Category | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Characters | Preserve, Remove |
| Characters With Spaces | Preserve, Remove |
| Content Status | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Created Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Description | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Document Version | Preserve, Remove |
| Identifier | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Ink Annotation | Preserve, Remove |
| Keywords | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Language | Preserve, Remove |
| Lines | Preserve, Remove |
| Modified Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Pages | Preserve, Remove |
| Paragraphs | Preserve, Remove |
| Printed Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Revision Number | Preserve, Remove |
| Security | Preserve, Remove |
| Shared Document | Preserve, Remove |
| Smart Tag | Preserve, Remove |
| Subject | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Thumbnail | Preserve, Remove |
| Title | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Total Editing Time | Preserve, Remove |
| Words | Preserve, Remove |
### Document Content
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Alternative Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Charts | Preserve, Remove |
| Footer | Preserve, Remove |
| Formula | Preserve, Remove |
| Header | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Column | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Object | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Rows | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Sheet | Preserve, Remove |
| Hyperlinks | Preserve, Remove |
| Links | Preserve, Remove |
| Obfuscated Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Ole Object | Preserve, Remove |
| Picture | Preserve, Remove |
| Small Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Xml Comment | Preserve, Remove |
### Other Metadata
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Custom Property | Preserve, Remove |
| Custom Ui | Preserve, Remove |
| Custom Views | Preserve, Remove |
| Custom Xml | Preserve, Remove |
| Data Connections | Preserve, Remove |
| Defined Name | Preserve, Remove |
| Defined Name Comment | Preserve, Remove |
| Printer Settings | Preserve, Remove |
| Scenario Comment | Preserve, Remove |
| Scenarios | Preserve, Remove |
| Unclassified | Preserve, Remove |
| Vba Code | Preserve, Remove |
| Worksheet Property | Preserve, Remove |
For the **Formula** type, choosing **Remove** clears the formula from each cell while leaving the last-calculated value in place. Detected formula cell references are surfaced in the viewer as a comma-separated list per worksheet.
### Tracked Changes & Comments
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Comments | Preserve, Remove |
### Personal Information
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Company | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Extended Property | Preserve, Remove |
| Last Saved By | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Manager | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Producer | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Document Properties
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Category | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Characters | Preserve, Remove |
| Characters With Spaces | Preserve, Remove |
| Content Status | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Created Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Description | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Document Version | Preserve, Remove |
| Identifier | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Ink Annotation | Preserve, Remove |
| Keywords | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Language | Preserve, Remove |
| Lines | Preserve, Remove |
| Modified Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Pages | Preserve, Remove |
| Paragraphs | Preserve, Remove |
| Printed Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Revision Number | Preserve, Remove |
| Security | Preserve, Remove |
| Shared Document | Preserve, Remove |
| Subject | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Thumbnail | Preserve, Remove |
| Title | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Total Editing Time | Preserve, Remove |
| Words | Preserve, Remove |
### Document Content
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Alternative Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Animations | Preserve, Remove |
| Audio Files | Preserve, Remove |
| Footer | Preserve, Remove |
| Header | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Object | Preserve, Remove |
| Hidden Slide | Preserve, Remove |
| Hyperlinks | Preserve, Remove |
| Notes | Preserve, Remove |
| Obfuscated Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Off Slide Content | Preserve, Remove |
| Ole Object | Preserve, Remove |
| Small Text | Preserve, Remove |
| Video Files | Preserve, Remove |
| Xml Comment | Preserve, Remove |
### Other Metadata
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Custom Ui | Preserve, Remove |
| Custom Xml | Preserve, Remove |
| Presentation Tag | Preserve, Remove |
| Slide Tag | Preserve, Remove |
| Unclassified | Preserve, Remove |
| Unused Master | Preserve, Remove |
| Vba Code | Preserve, Remove |
### Personal Information
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Author | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Creator | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Location | Preserve, Remove |
| Producer | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Document Properties
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Category | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Created Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Description | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Document Version | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Identifier | Preserve, Remove |
| Keywords | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Language | Preserve, Remove |
| Modified Date | Preserve, Remove |
| Subject | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
| Title | Preserve, Remove, Replace |
### Document Content
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Exif | Preserve, Remove |
| Icc Profile | Preserve, Remove |
| Iptc | Preserve, Remove |
| Maker Note | Preserve, Remove |
| Xmp | Preserve, Remove |
### Other Metadata
| Metadata type | Actions |
| - | - |
| Custom Property | Preserve, Remove |
***
## Metadata by category
Expand a category below to review metadata types across all supported file formats, including descriptions, risk levels, and which file types each type applies to.
Metadata that directly identifies individuals or organizations involved in the document.
In the metadata viewer, the **Author** and **Creator** fields are both shown under the single label **Author** for a clearer review experience. They remain distinct underlying metadata types and can still be configured independently in the profile editor.
| Metadata type | Description | Risk | Actions | File types |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Author | The name of the document author | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Company | The company name in document properties | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Creator | The creator of the document (may differ from author) | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Image |
| Last Saved By | The user who last saved the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Manager | The manager field from document properties | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Producer | The application that produced the document (e.g. PDF producer) | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| User Address | The user address stored in the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word |
| User Initials | The user initials stored in the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word |
| User Name | The user name stored in the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word |
| Extended Property | An extended file property not individually classified | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Location | GPS location data embedded in images — reveals where a photo was taken | High | Preserve, Remove | Image |
Core document metadata including titles, dates, counts, and structural information.
| Metadata type | Description | Risk | Actions | File types |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Category | The category classification of the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Content Status | The content status field (e.g. Draft, Final) | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Created Date | When the document was originally created | High | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Description | The document description or summary field | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Document Version | The version number of the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Identifier | A unique identifier for the document (e.g. internal tracking number) | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Keywords | Keywords or tags associated with the document | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Language | The language setting of the document | High | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Modified Date | When the document was last modified | High | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Printed Date | When the document was last printed | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Revision Number | How many times the document has been saved | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Security | Security settings and permissions metadata | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Shared Document | Shared document collaboration metadata | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Subject | The document subject field | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Title | The document title — may contain project or client names | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Image |
| Total Editing Time | Total time spent editing the document | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Annotation | PDF annotations or markup | Low | Preserve, Remove | PDF |
| Characters | Character count stored in document properties | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Characters (with spaces) | Character count including spaces | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Document Variable | Document variables used by macros or fields | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word |
| Ink Annotation | Ink/pen annotations (e.g. from tablet input) | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Lines | Line count stored in document properties | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Pages | Page count stored in document properties | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Paragraphs | Paragraph count stored in document properties | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Smart Tag | Smart tags providing contextual actions on recognized content | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel |
| Structured Document Tag | Content controls in Word documents | Low | Preserve, Remove, Flatten | Word |
| Thumbnail | Thumbnail preview image stored in the document | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Words | Word count stored in document properties | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
Revision history and reviewer feedback — often the highest-risk metadata in legal documents.
| Metadata type | Description | Risk | Actions | File types |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Comments | Comments and annotations added by reviewers | High | Preserve, Remove | Word, PowerPoint |
| Tracked Changes | Tracked changes (revisions) showing the full edit history | High | Preserve, Remove | Word |
| Tracked Changes Author | The author names attached to each tracked change | High | Preserve, Remove, Replace | Word |
| Tracked Changes Date | Timestamps on tracked changes | High | Preserve, Remove | Word |
| Comments Author | The author name attached to each comment | Low | Preserve, Remove, Replace | PDF, Word |
| Comments Date | Timestamps on comments | Low | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word |
Document content that may contain hidden, embedded, or sensitive material.
| Metadata type | Description | Risk | Actions | File types |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Attached Files | Files embedded or attached to the document | Medium | Preserve, Remove | PDF |
| Bookmarks | Bookmarks used for navigation — may reveal document structure | Medium | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word |
| Form Fields | Interactive form fields — flattening converts them to static text | Low | Preserve, Remove, Flatten | PDF |
| Hidden Text | Hidden text not visible in normal view | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word |
| Highlighted Text | Highlighted text in the document | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word |
| Alternative Text | Alt text on shapes, images, and objects — may contain descriptive notes or internal labels | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel, PowerPoint |
| Animations | Slide animations and transitions | Low | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| Audio Files | Audio media embedded in the presentation | Low | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| Charts | Embedded charts (may contain data ranges with sensitive information) | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| EXIF | EXIF metadata (camera model, capture settings, timestamps, device information) | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Image |
| Footer | Page footers — may contain confidential labels or organization names | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel, PowerPoint |
| Formula | Cell formulas, which can expose calculation logic, source references, or linked data | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Header | Page headers — may contain confidential labels or author information | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel, PowerPoint |
| Hidden Column | Hidden columns that may contain data not intended for sharing | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Hidden Object | Objects hidden from normal view — may contain content not intended for sharing | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel, PowerPoint |
| Hidden Rows | Hidden rows that may contain data not intended for sharing | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Hidden Sheet | Hidden worksheets that may contain working or sensitive data | High | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Hidden Slide | Slides hidden from the presentation — may contain draft or confidential content | High | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| Hyperlinks | Hyperlinks that may point to internal or sensitive URLs | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint |
| ICC Profile | Embedded colour profile information | Low | Preserve, Remove | Image |
| IPTC | IPTC metadata (captions, creator, copyright, keywords) | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Image |
| Links | Links to external files or data sources in the workbook | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Maker Note | Camera manufacturer-specific metadata (may contain serial numbers) | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Image |
| Notes | Speaker notes attached to slides — may contain internal talking points | High | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| Obfuscated Text | Text obfuscated by color (e.g. white text on white background) | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Off-slide Content | Content positioned outside the visible slide area | High | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| OLE Objects | Embedded objects (e.g. Excel spreadsheets, Visio diagrams) | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Picture | Images embedded in the spreadsheet | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Small Text | Very small text that may be used to hide content | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Video Files | Video media embedded in the presentation | Low | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| XML Comments | XML comments embedded in the document structure | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| XMP | Adobe XMP records (authorship, editing history, and other metadata) | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Image |
Application-specific, custom, and miscellaneous metadata.
| Metadata type | Description | Risk | Actions | File types |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Custom Property | Custom document properties added by users or applications | Medium | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word, Excel, Image |
| Custom UI | Custom UI elements (ribbon customisations) stored in the document | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Custom Views | Saved custom views of the workbook | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Custom XML | Custom XML data stored within the document | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Data Connections | External data connections — may expose internal server names or database connection strings | High | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Defined Name | Named ranges and defined names in the workbook | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Defined Name Comment | Comments attached to named ranges | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Digital Signature | Cryptographic signatures — removing invalidates document authenticity | Low | Preserve, Remove | PDF |
| JavaScript | JavaScript actions embedded in the document — can pose security risks | Low | Preserve, Remove | PDF |
| Presentation Tag | Presentation-level custom tags | Medium | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| Printer Settings | Printer configuration — may reveal internal printer names or network paths | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Scenario Comment | Comments attached to what-if scenarios | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Scenarios | What-if analysis scenarios — may contain sensitive financial projections | Medium | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
| Slide Tag | Per-slide custom tags | Medium | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| Unclassified | Metadata that does not fit into any other category | Low | Preserve, Remove | PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Unused Master | Unused slide master layouts — may carry branding from other organizations | Low | Preserve, Remove | PowerPoint |
| VBA Code | VBA macro code — can pose security risks if shared externally | Low | Preserve, Remove | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Worksheet Property | Worksheet properties such as code names and tab colours | Low | Preserve, Remove | Excel |
***
## Configurable per profile
All metadata types listed above can be individually configured within [cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles). Each metadata type can be set to its supported action on a per-profile basis, giving you full control over what is removed, preserved, or replaced for each document type.
Where a metadata type supports **Replace**, you can specify a custom replacement value — for example, replacing individual author names with your firm name, or replacing document titles with a generic label.
Administrators can require specific metadata types to always be removed across **every** cleaning profile using the **enforce must-clean metadata types** policy. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) for details.
# Draftable Clean Supported file types
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types
Draftable Clean supports metadata scanning and cleaning for Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, image, and ZIP files — including password-protected files.
Draftable Clean supports the following file types for metadata scanning and cleaning:
| File type | Extensions |
| - | - |
| **Word** | `.docx` (Word Document), `.doc` (Word 97-2003) |
| **Excel** | `.xlsx` (Excel Workbook) |
| **PowerPoint** | `.pptx` (PowerPoint Presentation) |
| **PDF** | `.pdf` |
| **Image** | `.jpg`, `.jpeg`, `.png`, `.tiff`, `.gif`, `.bmp` |
| **Archive** | `.zip` (ZIP compressed folder) |
Excel (`.xlsx`), PowerPoint (`.pptx`), and image file support were added in **v26.6.0** (June 2026). See the [v26.6.0 release notes](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Notes-Draftable-Clean-June-2026-v26-6-0) for the full list of changes.
## Document files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF)
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files are scanned individually and assigned a risk rating based on the metadata detected. Each file can be expanded to review its metadata categories before cleaning, and cleaning behaviour is controlled through your [cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles).
* **Excel** (`.xlsx`) — Workbooks are scanned and cleaned using the same review workflow as Word and PDF files. Excel-specific metadata — such as formula cell references — can be reviewed in the viewer.
* **PowerPoint** (`.pptx`) — Presentations are scanned and cleaned using the same risk-rated workflow, with PowerPoint-specific metadata available for review before cleaning.
For a detailed list of every metadata type that Draftable Clean can detect and clean — including Excel-specific and PowerPoint-specific metadata — see [Supported Metadata Types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types).
### Password-protected files
Draftable Clean supports password-protected Word and PDF files. If a file requires a password, it will display a **PASSWORD** status badge (highlighted in orange) and show a **Password Required** prompt. Enter the password and click **Check Password** to authenticate.
If the password is correct, the file is scanned and its status changes to **SCANNED** with a risk rating. If the password is incorrect, a **Password Invalid** message is displayed — re-enter the correct password and click **Check Password** again.
### Cryptographically signed PDF files
When Draftable Clean detects a cryptographic digital signature in a PDF file, the file cannot be cleaned. This is by design — removing or modifying metadata would invalidate the signature, as it proves that part or all of the document is unchanged. To preserve signature integrity, Draftable Clean skips cleaning for these files.
This applies specifically to cryptographic digital signatures, not to visual signatures or annotations created with tools like Adobe Fill & Sign. Those are standard document content (text and image objects) and do not prevent cleaning.
### Images embedded in PDF files
PDF files often contain embedded images that carry metadata of their own. Draftable Clean scans these images and removes their metadata according to the active cleaning profile.
**JPEG 2000 images (JP2/JPX) are not cleaned.** As of **v26.7.0**, Draftable Clean no longer presents JPEG 2000 images as safely cleanable. When an embedded image of this type is found, it is reported as unsupported rather than being treated as cleaned.
Where a profile can only partially clean a file, Draftable Clean now tells you which metadata could not be removed, so you can see exactly what remains before sharing the document.
## Image files
Draftable Clean supports **`.jpg`**, **`.jpeg`**, **`.png`**, **`.tiff`**, **`.gif`**, and **`.bmp`** image files. Images are scanned for embedded metadata — such as EXIF data, GPS location, XMP and IPTC tags, camera maker notes, and colour profiles — which is removed according to the active cleaning profile. The profile editor exposes the metadata types relevant to images so you can configure image cleaning with the same granularity as document formats.
For some images, metadata cannot be preserved selectively. When this happens, Draftable Clean displays a warning that all metadata had to be removed.
## Converting Office files to PDF
Draftable Clean can convert **Word**, **Excel**, and **PowerPoint** files to PDF as part of the clean — in both the desktop application and the Outlook add-in. In the desktop app, click the inline **PDF icon** on a file (it turns blue when flagged) or select files and click **Convert** in the toolbar. Flag supported files before or after cleaning to address metadata and deliver a consistent output format in one step.
## ZIP files
When you upload a ZIP file, Draftable Clean scans the metadata of the archive. Cleaned ZIP files are included alongside other cleaned files when saving or emailing.
As of **v26.9.0**, you can also **create** a ZIP from files already in the application: select them and choose **Bundle > Create ZIP bundle**. This works with Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, and image files, and the archive appears in the file list as a new entry. See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application#bundling-files-into-a-single-pdf-or-zip).
## Combining files into a single PDF
As of **v26.9.0**, several files can be combined into one PDF with **Bundle > Create PDF bundle**. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files are converted to PDF as part of the process, so a mixed set of documents produces a single continuous PDF. See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application#bundling-files-into-a-single-pdf-or-zip).
## Unsupported file types
If you try to add a file with an unsupported file type, Draftable Clean will notify you that the file cannot be processed.
In the Draftable Clean Outlook add-in, if you attach a file in a format Draftable Clean does not support, the add-in displays an **"Unsupported format"** status with the message: "This file type cannot be cleaned." A link to the Knowledge Base is provided for more information on supported formats.
Unsupported files do not block sending by default. You can configure this behavior in **Settings > Add-In > Send Protection**, where each scenario (unsupported attachment types, attachments not finished cleaning) can be set to **Allow**, **Prompt**, or **Block**.
# Draftable Clean System Requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/System-Requirements
Your computer must meet the minimum and recommended technical specifications outlined below to run Draftable Clean.
## Minimum requirements
| Component | Requirement |
| - | - |
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| Processor | 1.8 GHz |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Disk space | 1.5 GB (excludes space required for document files) |
## Recommended requirements
| Component | Requirement |
| - | - |
| Operating system | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Dual-core or better (>1.8 GHz) |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Disk space | 1.5 GB (excludes space required for document files) |
## ARM64 devices (Snapdragon and Copilot+ PCs)
Draftable Clean runs on Windows on ARM devices, including Snapdragon-based and Copilot+ PCs. There is no native ARM64 build. The x64 application runs under the Windows emulation layer built into Windows on ARM, which Microsoft handles transparently, so no additional configuration is required.
If you are deploying to a fleet of ARM64 devices, pilot on a representative machine first to confirm performance with your own document sizes and your Outlook and DMS setup.
## Software prerequisites
Draftable Clean runs on **.NET 10**. As of **v26.6.0**, the required runtime is included with the installer — the machine-wide MSI no longer requires the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime to be installed as a separate prerequisite.
## Outlook add-in requirements
To use the Draftable Clean **Outlook add-in**, the following is required:
* Microsoft 365 Business account (for administrator deployment of the add-in)
* The add-in must be deployed by a Microsoft 365 administrator — see [Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in) or contact your IT team
* The Draftable Clean desktop application must be installed on the user's machine
* Corporate security tools must allow `localhost` network calls — see [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements)
### Supported Outlook versions
The add-in requires **Mailbox API 1.14**. The following Outlook versions are supported:
| Outlook version | Supported |
| - | - |
| Outlook on the web | Yes |
| New Outlook for Windows | Yes |
| Classic Outlook on Windows | Yes (some limitations on older builds) |
## Email integration (desktop application)
To use the desktop application's **Email** feature (sharing cleaned files via Outlook), one of the following supported Outlook versions must be installed and configured on the machine:
| Outlook version | Supported |
| - | - |
| Outlook on the web | Yes |
| New Outlook for Windows | Yes |
| Classic Outlook on Windows | Yes (some limitations on older builds) |
## DMS integrations
To upload files from **iManage** or **NetDocuments** (shown as **NetDocs** in the toolbar) via the Draftable Clean desktop application, network connectivity to your organization's DMS endpoints is required. See [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements) for details.
# Draftable Clean Troubleshooting
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting
Find solutions to common Draftable Clean issues — cleaning problems, licensing, DMS integrations, diagnostic logs, and contacting support.
Find the troubleshooting guide for your issue below.
Quick answers on file types, local processing, the Outlook add-in, deployment, DMS integrations, and licensing.
Password-protected files, metadata not removed, cryptographically signed PDFs, undo, and unsupported file types in the desktop app and Outlook add-in.
Checking license status, activating licenses, and transferring licenses between machines.
iManage button not visible or not connecting, and NetDocuments not detected.
Add-in not appearing, manifest validation, cleaning failures, updates, cache clearing, and removal.
Exporting diagnostic logs, clearing the add-in cache, and contacting the Draftable support team.
## Quick links
| Issue | Solution |
| - | - |
| Password-protected file won't scan | [Enter password and click Check Password (or Unlock in the add-in)](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#password-protected-files) |
| Metadata not removed after cleaning | [Check your cleaning profile and per-file overrides](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#clean-does-not-appear-to-remove-all-metadata) |
| Cryptographically signed PDF won't clean | [Expected behavior — signature must be removed first](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#cryptographically-signed-pdf-files-cannot-be-cleaned) |
| Unsupported file type | [How unsupported files are handled in the desktop app and Outlook add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#unsupported-file-types) |
| License not activating | [Check network connectivity and product key](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Licensing#license-not-activating) |
| Need to transfer a license | [Deactivate and reactivate on a new machine](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Licensing#deactivating-or-transferring-a-license) |
| iManage button not visible | [Enable iManage integration in Settings](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations#imanage-button-not-visible-or-not-connecting) |
| NetDocuments not detected | [Verify ndOffice is installed and running](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations#netdocuments-not-detected) |
| Add-in not appearing in Outlook | [Deployment and visibility checks](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) |
| Manifest validation failed | [Manifest download and network checks](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) |
| Add-in opens but does not clean files | [Desktop app and localhost connectivity](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) |
| Outlook add-in running old version | [Update the manifest or clear the add-in cache](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) |
| Need to remove the add-in | [Uninstall from Microsoft 365 Admin Center](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) |
| Need to contact support | [Export logs and email support](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support#contacting-support) |
## Contacting support
When contacting the Draftable support team, please include:
* A **description of the issue** and the steps that led to it
* The **file type(s)** you were working with (e.g. `.docx`, `.pdf`)
* Your **Draftable Clean version** — shown as **App Version** in the status bar at the bottom right of the application window. As of **v26.7.0** this is displayed for all installation types, including the **Machine-Wide MSI**. See [Updating Draftable Clean](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Updating-Draftable-Clean#checking-the-current-version)
* **Exported error logs** if available
Contact the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Troubleshooting: Cleaning issues
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues
Solutions for common cleaning issues in Draftable Clean, including password-protected files, metadata not being removed, cryptographically signed PDFs, and unsupported file types.
## Password-protected files
When a password-protected file is uploaded, Draftable Clean cannot scan its metadata without authentication. The file will appear in the file list with an orange **PASSWORD** status badge. Enter the file's password and click **Check Password** to authenticate. If the password is correct, the file is scanned and its status changes to **SCANNED** with a risk rating. If the password is incorrect, a **Password Invalid** message is displayed — re-enter the correct password and try again.
In the Outlook add-in, the workflow is the same but uses an **Unlock** button instead of **Check Password**. Once authenticated, the file is cleaned automatically using the appropriate domain-based profile.
### Password accepted but file cannot be cleaned or reviewed
If you have entered what you believe is the correct password and Draftable Clean accepts it, but you are still unable to clean or review the file's metadata:
* **The file may have multiple passwords** — Some documents have separate passwords for opening and editing. Ensure you are using the password that grants full access to the document.
* **The file may be corrupted** — Try opening the file directly in its native application (e.g. Word or a PDF reader) to verify it opens correctly. If the file does not open normally, it may be damaged.
* **The file may be a cryptographically signed PDF** — Cryptographically signed PDF files cannot be cleaned. See [Cryptographically signed PDF files](#cryptographically-signed-pdf-files-cannot-be-cleaned) below.
* If the issue persists, export your [diagnostic logs](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support) and contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with the file type and a description of the behavior.
## Clean does not appear to remove all metadata
If you've cleaned a file but some metadata remains:
* **Check your cleaning profile** — The profile you used may be configured to preserve certain metadata types. Review the profile in **Settings > Profile** to confirm which types are set to remove. See [Metadata cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles).
* **Check per-file profile overrides** — Ensure the file is using the profile you expect, not an override set at the file level.
## Cryptographically signed PDF files cannot be cleaned
If a PDF file contains a cryptographic digital signature — a cryptographic proof that part or all of the document is unchanged — Draftable Clean will not clean it. This is expected behavior — removing or modifying metadata would invalidate the signature. To preserve signature integrity, Draftable Clean skips cleaning for these files. If you need to clean the metadata, the cryptographic signature must first be removed from the PDF outside of Draftable Clean.
This does not apply to visual signatures or annotations created with tools like Adobe Fill & Sign, which are standard document content and do not prevent cleaning.
## "Potential improper redaction detected"
Draftable Clean checks PDF files for content that has been **visually covered but not securely removed**, for example, a black box drawn over text that a reader can still select and copy. Where this is found, the file is flagged in the file list with a warning banner reading:
> Potential improper redaction detected. This PDF may contain information that has been visually covered but not securely removed. Cleaning this document does not resolve the improper redaction. Review the document and use a dedicated PDF redaction tool to permanently remove sensitive content before sharing it.
The file also carries a warning count beside it, and the arrows in the header row step through every flagged file. Note in the example above that the warning **remains after the file has been cleaned** — cleaning removes metadata, it does not remove content that was covered over.
Draftable Clean looks for:
* A black or dark box drawn over text in the page content
* Dark text painted onto a dark fill it cannot be distinguished from
* Pending redaction annotations that were marked up but never applied
* Opaque shape annotations and dark highlight annotations drawn over text
This warning is **advisory**. It does not block cleaning or saving, and Draftable Clean does **not** fix an improper redaction — removing the exposed text is outside what metadata cleaning does. If a file is flagged, review it with a dedicated redaction tool before you share it.
### The warning looks like a false positive
The check works on colour and opacity, so legitimate dark formatting can occasionally be flagged — a dark table header cell with dark text on it, for example, or a design element sitting over a text layer.
This is why the message says **potential**. Treat a flag as a prompt to open the document and check, not as proof that content is exposed. Select the area in your PDF reader: if text highlights underneath the covered region, the redaction is genuinely improper.
If you believe a file has been flagged incorrectly and the file can be shared, please send it to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) along with your [diagnostic logs](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support).
## Undo not available
The **Undo** button in the toolbar is only available immediately after cleaning and before saving or closing. Once you save or close the session, the clean cannot be undone. Always review your cleaned files before saving.
## Unsupported file types
### Desktop application
How Draftable Clean handles unsupported file types depends on how the file is added:
* **Drag and drop** — If you drag and drop an unsupported file into the application, it will flag a warning and the file will not be added to the viewer.
* **Browse, iManage, NetDocs, or SharePoint** — If you add an unsupported file from a local folder or DMS, the file will be added to the viewer but you will not be able to clean it. It will flag as an error.
### Outlook add-in
When you attach a file with an unsupported format in the Outlook add-in, the file displays an **"Unsupported format"** status with the message: "This file type cannot be cleaned. See Knowledge Base."
Unsupported files do not block sending by default. You can configure how unsupported file types are handled on send in **Settings > Add-In > Send Protection**, choosing from:
* **Allow** — Send the email without prompting (default)
* **Prompt** — Show a confirmation dialog before sending
* **Block** — Prevent sending until unsupported files are removed
As of **v26.6.0**, Draftable Clean supports Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and image files. See [Supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types) for the current list of supported formats.
# Troubleshooting: DMS integrations
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations
Solutions for iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint integration issues in Draftable Clean, including enabling integrations and resolving connection problems.
## iManage button not visible or not connecting
If the **iManage** button is not visible in the toolbar, the integration needs to be enabled:
1. Open **Settings > Integrations** and check **Enable iManage integration**.
2. The **iManage** button will appear in the toolbar once the integration is enabled.
If the iManage button is visible but not connecting, check the following:
1. Verify the **Server URL** in **Settings > Integrations** matches your organization's iManage URL (e.g. `https://cloudimanage.com`).
2. Check that your network allows connections to the iManage server. See [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements).
## "Clean with Draftable" missing from the iManage right-click menu
The **Clean with Draftable** action in the iManage Work right-click menu is delivered by a **separate iManage integration package** that your iManage administrator must deploy into iManage Work. Installing or updating the Draftable Clean desktop application on its own is not enough.
This package is separate from the existing **Draftable Compare** iManage package. Deploying one does not affect the other, and having Draftable Compare already integrated with iManage does not provide the Clean action.
If the action is missing, check with your iManage administrator that the Draftable Clean package has been deployed.
### The action appears but nothing happens
The iManage package hands the selected documents to the Draftable Clean desktop application over a local HTTP listener. If clicking **Clean with Draftable** does nothing:
1. Confirm **Draftable Clean is installed** on the machine.
2. Check the package's **Draftable Clean Communication Port** setting in iManage matches the port Draftable Clean is listening on. Both default to **5044**.
3. If your organization has changed the listener port, it must be changed in **both** places. Administrators can set the port with the **Configure HTTP listener port** policy — see [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean).
The action works with both the in-application listener and the Windows service listener installed by the machine-wide MSI.
## NetDocuments not detected
NetDocuments integration is automatically enabled when the **ndOffice** desktop application is detected on your machine. If Draftable Clean shows NetDocs as unavailable:
1. Verify that ndOffice is installed and running.
2. Restart Draftable Clean after installing or updating ndOffice.
The NetDocuments picker also lists **image files and ZIP files** alongside documents.
NetDocuments assigns an `NdDocumentId` custom property to documents it stores. Draftable Clean detects and removes that property when you clean the file. When you save the cleaned file back to NetDocuments, NetDocuments writes `NdDocumentId` on again. That is expected NetDocuments behaviour, not a cleaning failure. See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application#cleaning-your-first-document-desktop) for how saving back to a DMS works.
## SharePoint button not visible or not connecting
The **SharePoint** integration was added in **v26.7.0** and supports both **SharePoint Online** and **OneDrive for Business**.
If the **SharePoint** button is not visible in the toolbar:
1. Open **Settings > Integrations** and check **Enable SharePoint integration**.
2. The **SharePoint** button will appear in the toolbar once the integration is enabled.
### Signing in to SharePoint
Sign-in is managed in **Settings > Integrations**. Under **SharePoint**, click **Sign in** and complete the Microsoft sign-in prompt. Signed-in accounts are then listed in the same place.
You can sign in with **more than one** Microsoft account, including accounts belonging to different tenants. Draftable Clean directs each request to the correct tenant for the account that owns the file.
A Microsoft **work or school account** is required. **Personal Microsoft accounts are not supported.**
### Signed in but cannot browse or save
1. Check that `graph.microsoft.com` and your organization's own SharePoint host are reachable from your network. See [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements).
2. Confirm your Microsoft account already has access to the site or library you are trying to open. Draftable Clean can only show sites, drives, and libraries that your own account can access.
3. If sign-in did not complete, return to **Settings > Integrations** and sign in again. Sign-in can be cancelled and retried safely.
If you have just installed or updated Draftable Clean, saved sign-in sessions are cleared as part of the upgrade, so you will be asked to sign in to SharePoint again the first time you use it. See [Updating Draftable Clean](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Updating-Draftable-Clean).
When saving to SharePoint, a file saved into a folder that already contains a file of the same name is saved as a **new version** of that file. To keep it separate, save it under a different name.
# Troubleshooting: Diagnostic logs and support
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support
How to export diagnostic logs, clear the Outlook add-in cache, and contact Draftable support for help with Draftable Clean issues.
## Unexpected application errors
If Draftable Clean encounters an unexpected error, restarting the application will usually resolve the issue. If the error persists, export your diagnostic logs and send them to Draftable support.
As a first troubleshooting step, try opening **Task Manager**, searching for "Clean", and ending any Draftable Clean tasks. Then relaunch the application. This can resolve issues caused by background processes that haven't fully closed.
## Exporting diagnostic logs
The Troubleshooting section in Settings provides three options for sharing logs with the Draftable support team:
Click the **Settings** gear icon in the top-right corner of the application.
Navigate to the **Troubleshooting** section.
Choose one of the following options:
* **Email logs** — Opens an email with logs attached, ready to send to support
* **Export error logs** — Saves the log file to your computer for manual sharing
* **Open log folder** — Opens the folder containing log files in Windows Explorer
Logs do not contain any document content or personal data. They only include application diagnostic information to help identify and resolve issues.
### Log entries that mention "CompareTool"
Draftable Clean logs may include entries referencing `Draftable.CompareTool.Ipc.NamedPipe`. **This is expected and is not an error.**
Draftable Clean and Draftable Compare share a common internal component for communication between application processes, and that component's name carries the Compare product name. The exported logs are still Draftable Clean's own. You do not need to have Draftable Compare installed, and seeing these entries does not mean the wrong application's logs have been collected.
## Clearing the add-in cache
If the Outlook add-in is behaving unexpectedly or appears to be running an outdated version, you can clear the cached add-in files from **Settings > Troubleshooting**:
1. Click **Clear add-in cache**
2. Restart Outlook for the change to take effect
This resolves issues where an outdated version of the add-in is loaded.
In **Classic Outlook**, after clearing the add-in cache you may see a warning when you send your first email. If this happens, restart Outlook — sending should work normally after that.
## Contacting support
When contacting the Draftable support team, please include:
* A **description of the issue** and the steps that led to it
* The **file type(s)** you were working with (e.g. `.docx`, `.pdf`)
* Your **Draftable Clean version** — shown as **App Version** in the status bar at the bottom right of the application window. As of **v26.7.0** this is displayed for all installation types, including the **Machine-Wide MSI**. See [Updating Draftable Clean](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Updating-Draftable-Clean#checking-the-current-version)
* **Exported error logs** if available
Contact the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Troubleshooting: Licensing
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Licensing
Solutions for Draftable Clean licensing issues, including checking license status, activating licenses, and transferring licenses between machines.
## Starting a free trial
As of **v26.6.0**, Draftable Clean includes a self-serve free trial. If you don't yet have a license, you can start a free 5-day trial **directly from the application** without contacting sales first. On first launch, you will be asked to acknowledge the terms and conditions and your telemetry preferences before the trial begins. See [Single-user Installation](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Single-user-Installation) for setup steps.
## Checking license status
To check your license status, open **Settings > License**. This shows:
* **Status** — Whether the license is active (Licensed) or expired
* **Edition** — Your Draftable Clean edition
* **Expires** — The license expiry date
Opening the **License** tab revalidates your license with the licensing server, and an expired license is refreshed automatically. If your license has been renewed, open **Settings > License** to see the updated status without restarting Draftable Clean.
## License not activating
If your license is not activating:
1. Ensure you have network connectivity — Draftable Clean requires a connection to `draftable.com` on port 443 for license verification. See [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements).
2. Verify the product key was entered correctly.
3. If the issue persists, contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with your product key and any error messages.
If your organization deploys product keys centrally, activation is attempted automatically when Draftable Clean launches. Where that does not happen, confirm with your administrator that the **Configure product key** policy is applied and holds a valid key — see [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean). This policy requires the **v26.9.0** administrative templates.
## Deactivating or transferring a license
If you need to deactivate a license — for example, to move it to a new machine or reassign it to another team member — see [How to deactivate your Draftable Clean license](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/How-to-deactivate-your-Draftable-Clean-license).
Deactivating in the application does not by itself free up an activation on your license. If you need to deactivate licenses in order to reuse them elsewhere, contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we will provide the right steps.
# Troubleshooting: Outlook Add-in
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in
Solutions for common Draftable Clean Outlook add-in issues — deployment, manifest validation, cleaning failures, updates, cache clearing, and removal.
This guide covers common issues when deploying and using the Draftable Clean Outlook add-in. For installation steps, see [Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Installing-Draftable-Clean-Outlook-Add-in). For cleaning behavior (password-protected files, unsupported formats, tracked changes), see [Troubleshooting: Cleaning issues](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues).
For this public release, use the supported pairing of Draftable Clean desktop **26.10.0** and Outlook add-in **1.12.110.0**. If you see a version mismatch, update both products.
* Wait up to 72 hours for deployment to fully propagate
* Verify users are in the correct security group (if using group-based deployment)
* Have users restart their Outlook application and machine
* Check that users have active Microsoft 365 subscriptions with Office apps
* Ensure users are signed in with their organizational account
* Verify the Draftable Clean desktop application is installed on the user's machine
* Ensure you downloaded the complete manifest file without corruption
* Verify the download URL is accessible from your network (not blocked by firewall or proxy)
* Check that `dl.draftable.com` is not blocked by your organization's web filter
* Try accessing the URL directly in a browser to confirm it is reachable
* Ensure the Draftable Clean desktop application is installed and licensed on the user's machine
* The desktop application must be running for the add-in to function — it will attempt to launch it silently, but this may fail if the application is not installed
* Check that the desktop application version is compatible with the add-in version
* Verify that `localhost` network calls are not being blocked by corporate security tools, firewalls, or endpoint protection software — the add-in communicates with the desktop application via `localhost`
* In **Classic Outlook**, the Draftable Clean pane must be open for attachments to be cleaned. Pin the pane using the 📌 icon so it opens when you compose a message
* If the add-in could not read your organisation's send settings, click **Review** to open the Draftable Clean pane, then send again
* The configured **Allow**, **Prompt**, or **Block** send-protection action is respected even when the pane is closed. Classic Outlook still needs the pane open for the attachment cleaning itself, so pin the pane if you send attachments regularly
* In the Draftable Clean desktop application, open **Settings > Add-In**
* Turn on **Clean attachments in New Outlook**
* When this switch is off, attachments sent from New Outlook are not cleaned and Draftable Clean does not run pre-send checks
* This switch affects **New Outlook for Windows only**. Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac are unaffected by the switch. New Outlook support remains in beta
* If the switch is disabled or locked, your administrator controls it through policy. Contact your administrator if you need it changed
* After changing the switch, click **Check again** in the add-in pane or open a new message
* Digitally signed PDFs are intentionally refused because changing a signed file would invalidate its signature
* ZIP archives and embedded emails can contain items that Draftable Clean cannot check. The **Unsupported attachment types** send-protection setting controls whether those items are allowed, prompt the sender, or block sending
* If Outlook refuses the cleaned copy because the email is near or over its mailbox size limit, remove some attachments and try again, or send the file separately. The original remains attached when Outlook refuses the cleaned copy
* This error does not require additional Microsoft 365 consent. For on-premises or hybrid mailboxes, the add-in keeps its existing Outlook fallback when the mailbox-size lookup is unavailable
* Open **Review Attachments** and wait for the cleaned replacement to finish
* Update to add-in **1.12.110.0 or later** for fixes to duplicate copies, recipient changes, and reattached files
* If an unwanted copy remains, use **Delete duplicate** when the pane offers it. Do not rely on the filename alone to identify which copy is clean. If the problem persists, keep the email unsent and contact support with diagnostic logs
* If your organisation deployed the **latest** manifest as a URL, updates arrive automatically. For pinned deployments, choose a newer manifest from the [Draftable Office Deployment Guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html#addin-metadata)
* Return to **Integrated apps** in the Admin Center
* Find the existing Draftable Clean add-in in the list and click on it
* Look for an **Update** option and provide the new manifest file
* The updated version will roll out to users automatically
* Users may need to restart Outlook to see the update
* In the Draftable Clean desktop application, go to **Settings > Troubleshooting**
* Click **Clear add-in cache**
* Restart Outlook for the change to take effect
See [Troubleshooting: Diagnostic logs and support](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support#clearing-the-add-in-cache) for more detail.
* Go to **Integrated apps** in the Admin Center
* Click on the Draftable Clean add-in
* Select **Remove** or **Delete**
* Confirm the removal
* The add-in will be removed from users' Outlook within 72 hours
## Need help?
If you experience issues not covered above, export your [diagnostic logs](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Diagnostic-Logs-and-Support) and contact the Draftable team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Updating Draftable Clean
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Updating-Draftable-Clean
This article explains how updates work in Draftable Clean, how to check which version is currently installed, and how to manually apply updates.
## How updates work
Draftable regularly releases updates for Draftable Clean, including bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features. As of **v26.6.0**, the application **updates itself in the background by default** — updates are downloaded automatically while you work and applied the next time the application is restarted.
Draftable Clean also runs from a **system tray icon** and supports **minimise-to-tray**, so it stays available (and able to apply downloaded updates) without occupying the taskbar.
If you are using the **Machine-Wide MSI** installer, updates are not applied automatically. All updates must be manually downloaded and installed by an administrator. See [Deployment options](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options) for details.
### Browser data is cleared when you install or update
As of **v26.7.0**, installing or updating Draftable Clean clears stale browser data left behind by the previous version. This prevents cache-related problems that could otherwise stop the application from starting correctly after an upgrade.
Because this data includes saved sign-in sessions, you may need to **sign in again** to integrations that authenticate through a browser — such as **SharePoint** and **NetDocuments** — the first time you use them after an update.
If Draftable Clean is deployed and updated by an administrator, the cleanup applies to the profile it runs under. On managed or multi-user machines, confirm that the end user's own browser data has been cleared rather than only the installing administrator's.
## Manually checking for updates
To force an update check or manually apply an update:
Close and restart Draftable Clean. On launch, the application automatically checks for updates and downloads any available update in the background.
If an update was downloaded, you may be prompted to restart the application to apply it. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
After restarting, check the **status bar** at the bottom of the application to confirm the version has been updated. See [Checking the current version](#checking-the-current-version) below.
In some cases, Draftable support may provide a specific update file for your organization. If so, download and run the installer directly — see [Deployment options](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options) for installer details.
If you have any issues with updating Draftable Clean, please contact the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
## Checking the current version
The current version of Draftable Clean is shown in the **status bar** at the bottom right of the application window as **App Version**, for example, `App Version: 26.10.0`.
The latest desktop release is **26.10.0** (1 October 2026). See the [release log](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Release-logs-and-notes/Release-Log-Draftable-Clean) for what changed. The Outlook add-in has its own version: **1.12.110.0**, also released on 1 October. Updating the desktop app does not update a pinned add-in deployment.
As of **v26.7.0**, the application version is displayed for **all installation types**, including the **Machine-Wide MSI**. Previously the version was not shown for MSI installations and had to be looked up in Windows **Settings** > **Apps** > **Installed apps**.
The separate **engine version** that appeared at the bottom left of the status bar has also been removed. Draftable Clean now reports a single application version.
When contacting Draftable support, include the application version so the team can assist you more effectively.
# Using the Desktop Application
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application
Learn how to upload, scan, clean, and export documents using the Draftable Clean desktop application on Windows.
Screenshots labelled **26.10 and later** show Draftable Clean 26.10.0. Use the earlier-version tab if your settings look different. Your desktop version appears at the bottom right of the main application window.
## Part 1: Desktop application
### Cleaning your first document (desktop)
Open Draftable Clean to see the main application window with the toolbar across the top.
The wide toolbar groups actions by purpose:
* **Upload**: **Browse**, **iManage**, **NetDocs**, **SharePoint**
* **Clean**: **Profile**, **Clean**, **Undo**, **Convert**
* **Export**: **Save**, **Bundle**, **Email**
* **Search**: Search the loaded files and their metadata
On a narrow window, these groups are preserved under **More actions**.
**UPLOAD:** Add files to Draftable Clean by clicking **Browse** to select documents from a local folder, **iManage**, **NetDocs**, or **SharePoint** to upload from your document management system, or by dragging and dropping files directly into the application window.
The **Browse** dialog opens with the **Compatible Files** filter selected, so it shows only the file types Draftable Clean can scan and clean. If a file you are looking for is not listed, change the filter in the bottom-right of the dialog — **All Files** is still available at the end of the list.
You can select multiple files at once. Draftable Clean handles all [supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types) simultaneously.
If an **iManage**, **NetDocs**, or **SharePoint** button is not visible, you may need to enable the integration in **Settings > Integrations**. See [Troubleshooting: DMS integrations](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-DMS-Integrations) for help.
**SharePoint** covers both **SharePoint Online** and **OneDrive for Business**. Sign in with a Microsoft work or school account under **Settings > Integrations** before using it for the first time.
**CLEAN:** Once uploaded, files are automatically scanned and assigned a risk rating. When you are ready, click **Clean** in the toolbar. All selected files are cleaned and their status changes to **CLEANED**.
**EXPORT:** Save or share your cleaned files from the toolbar.
* **Save** — Save cleaned files to disk (packaged into a compressed ZIP folder with a timestamped filename) or back to your document management system (iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint).
* **Bundle**: Combines the selected files into a single **PDF** or **ZIP**. See [Bundling files into a single PDF or ZIP](#bundling-files-into-a-single-pdf-or-zip) below.
* **Email** — Opens a new Outlook message with your cleaned files pre-attached. Draftable Clean preserves file order and any filenames you have renamed. As of **v26.7.0**, the subject and body are left **blank** unless a default has been configured — see [Configuring email defaults](#configuring-email-defaults) below.
When saving to a **DMS (iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint)**, you can choose how your cleaned files are written back:
* **Save (one by one)** — Select where you would like each file to be saved individually.
* **Save all to folder** — Select a folder to save all cleaned files into as new files.
Both options are available for iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint. When saving to **iManage**, if the file was originally uploaded from iManage you also have the option to **save as a new version** of the original document.
**Saving as a new version to NetDocuments or SharePoint:**
* **NetDocuments** — Select **Save (one by one)** and tick the **Save as new version** box when each file's dialog box appears.
* **SharePoint** — Save the file into the destination folder using the same name as the existing file. For example, saving `document.docx` into a folder that already contains `document.docx` saves it as a new version; using a different name saves it as a new file.
NetDocuments assigns an `NdDocumentId` custom property to documents it stores. Draftable Clean detects and removes that property when you clean the file. When you save the cleaned file back to NetDocuments, NetDocuments writes `NdDocumentId` on again. That is expected NetDocuments behaviour, not a cleaning failure.
When you save several files at once, Draftable Clean shows the progress of the save and which document management system each file is being written to.
If any files cannot be saved, they are listed with the reason once the save finishes. For example, a file that did not originate in iManage cannot be saved as a new version there, so it is reported as skipped rather than failing the whole batch. If you cancel part way through, the files already saved are kept and the summary tells you how many completed.
### Bundling files into a single PDF or ZIP
Select the files you want to combine, then click **Bundle** in the toolbar:
* **Create PDF bundle** — Combines the selected files into one PDF. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files are converted to PDF as part of the process, so a mixed set of documents still produces a single continuous PDF. The result appears in the file list as **PDF bundle.pdf**.
* **Create ZIP bundle** — Packs the selected files into a single ZIP archive, which also appears in the file list, named `cleaned-files-` followed by today's date.
The **Bundle** button becomes available once your files have been cleaned.
Each bundle is added to the file list as a new entry with a **BUNDLED** status. Bundles behave like any other file once created: you can rename them, clean them, and save or email them.
If any selected file cannot be added — because it is locked behind a password, cannot be read, or fails to convert — **no bundle is created at all**, and Draftable Clean names the files that caused the problem. A bundle is never produced with files quietly missing from it. Resolve the listed files, or deselect them, and create the bundle again.
#### PDF bundle options
The **Bundle** menu also carries the options that apply to PDF bundles:
* **Include front-of-bundle index** — Adds a table-of-contents page at the start of the bundle, listing each combined file and the page it starts on. **On** by default.
* **Add file bookmarks** — Adds a PDF bookmark for each file, so you can jump between documents in your PDF reader. **On** by default.
* **Overlay page numbers** — Stamps continuous page numbers across the bundle. **Off** by default. When enabled, the **Format** and **Position** controls below it become available.
**Format** offers four presets, each previewed as it would appear on a single-page bundle:
| Format | Appears as |
| - | - |
| `1` | The page number on its own |
| `1 / 1` | Page number and total, separated by a slash |
| `Page 1` | The word "Page" and the page number |
| `Page 1 of 1` | The default |
**Position** places the number at the **Left**, **Center**, or **Right** of the footer. **Right** is the default.
If your administrator has set a page number format by policy that is not one of the four presets, it appears in the list as a **Custom** entry so the dropdown still shows the value actually in use.
Page numbers are stamped **alongside** any numbering already in the source documents. Draftable Clean does not remove or renumber the original page numbers.
Administrators can set these defaults for an organization, and prevent them from being changed. If an option is greyed out, it has been set by policy — see [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean).
### Configuring email defaults
In **Settings > General**, you can prepare defaults for emails sent from the desktop application:
* **Email subject** — The default subject line
* **Email body** — The default body text
* **Attachment summary** — Whether a **List** (bullet points) or **Table** (with columns) of attachments is inserted into the email body
If no subject or body default is set, prepared emails open blank so you can write your own. Earlier versions inserted a **"Cleaned Document"** subject automatically. Administrators can configure these defaults centrally for an organisation — see [Configuring preferences for your organisation](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean).
### Password-protected files
If a file shows a **PASSWORD** status (highlighted in orange), it is password-protected and cannot be scanned until you provide the password. A **Password Required** prompt appears automatically below the file with a password field.
Enter the file's password — you can use the **eye icon** to toggle visibility — and click **Check Password**.
If the password is correct, the file is scanned and its status changes to **SCANNED** with a risk rating, just like your other files.
If the password is incorrect, a **Password Invalid** message is displayed. Re-enter the correct password and click **Check Password** again. See [Troubleshooting: Cleaning issues](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Cleaning-Issues#password-protected-files) for further help.
Password-protected files don't block the rest of your workflow. You can continue scanning, renaming, reordering, and cleaning other files while a password-protected file awaits authentication.
### Reviewing metadata in files
Click the **expand arrow** (>) on any file to see a detailed breakdown of its metadata. Metadata is grouped into categories — such as **Document Properties**, **Personal Information**, **Tracked Changes & Comments**, and more — each with their own item count and risk level.
After cleaning, expand a file again to see exactly which metadata fields were removed. Each field displays a **REMOVED** badge, so you have full visibility into what was stripped from the document.
### File history
Use the history icon next to a file to see its source and activity. Local files show the history icon without a source label beside the filename. DMS files show their source and imported version beside the filename when that information is available. The source label is text only and is not clickable.
Select the history icon to open the details panel. It shows:
* **Imported source**: The original filename, source, and output filename.
* **Activity · this session**: Import, scan, clean, and other actions recorded for the current file.
For a local file, **Source** is shown as **this computer**. For a DMS file, the source can include a version, such as `NetDocuments v2.1` when the integration provides that value. The panel can also include library or document ID details supplied by the DMS.
### Searching metadata in files
Use the search bar above the file list to find specific metadata across all loaded files. This helps you locate particular fields — such as author names or tracked changes — before you clean or export.
### Renaming and reordering files
Rename and reorder files directly in the file list before cleaning:
* **Rename** — Click the **pencil icon** next to a file name to edit it inline. Press **Enter** or click away to confirm.
* **Reorder** — Drag files up or down in the list to change the attachment order.
Renamed filenames and custom ordering are preserved when you save or email cleaned files from the desktop application.
**File name rules.** The rename editor rejects names Windows does not allow and tells you why before you confirm. A file name cannot contain any of these characters: `\ / : * ? " < > |`. Windows reserved device names — `CON`, `PRN`, `AUX`, `NUL`, `COM1` to `COM9`, and `LPT1` to `LPT9` — cannot be used either.
In earlier versions, typing a `/` in a name could result in everything before the slash being dropped when the file was saved.
### Converting to PDF
Before cleaning, you can optionally flag supported files for conversion to PDF. Click the **PDF icon** inline with a file to flag it — the icon turns **blue** when flagged. Alternatively, select one or more files and click **Convert** in the toolbar to flag them for conversion. Flagged files are converted when you click **Clean**. You can flag or unflag files for conversion before or after cleaning.
Supported files flagged for conversion are converted to PDF alongside metadata removal when you click **Clean**.
# Using the Outlook Add-in
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Outlook-Add-in
Learn how to clean email attachments automatically using the Draftable Clean Outlook add-in, including profile switching, PDF conversion, and send protection.
## Part 2: Draftable Clean Outlook add-in
The **Draftable Clean** add-in runs directly inside Microsoft Outlook and automatically cleans attachments as you compose emails.
The current Outlook pane is shown in the **1.12 and later** tab below. Older examples elsewhere on this page may show the former **Insert Attachment List** label; the current button is **Insert Attachment Summary**. Desktop settings screenshots show **26.10.0**.
Attach files and compose your email as you normally would. Draftable Clean applies your organisation's cleaning rules and send-protection settings. Review the status in the pane before sending: **Cleaned** means cleaning completed, while **Skipped** means a Skip Cleaning rule left the file unchanged.
The desktop application must be running for the add-in to function. If it is not already open, the add-in will attempt to launch it silently in the background.
In **Classic Outlook**, open the Draftable Clean pane for attachments to be cleaned, and pin it to open automatically when composing. The **Allow**, **Prompt**, and **Block** send-protection settings also apply when the pane has not been opened. If the settings cannot yet be read, Outlook asks you to open the pane before sending. In **New Outlook**, cleaning can run without the pane open, provided Clean has not been turned off for New Outlook.
Open **Manage Attachments** in the Outlook ribbon at any time to view cleaning progress and access the options below.
### Changing the add-in language
Draftable Clean supports multiple languages including English, Deutsch, Español, Français, 日本語, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Svenska, and Tagalog. Open the add-in pane and click the **globe icon** at the bottom of the panel to select your preferred language.
### Automatic profile switching based on recipients
Draftable Clean intelligently adjusts the cleaning profile based on recipient email domains. Domain rules are configured in **Settings > Add-In** and determine which cleaning profile is applied. For example, a typical configuration might be:
* **No recipients entered** — A default profile such as **Standard Clean** is used
* **Internal recipients** (e.g. `colleague@yourfirm.com`) — A lighter profile such as **Clean Draft** that preserves tracked changes and comments
* **External recipients** (e.g. `contact@externalfirm.com`) — A stricter profile such as **Standard Clean**
These are examples. Administrators and users can customise the no-recipient default and map domains to cleaning profiles in **Settings > Add-In**. See [Metadata cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles).
### Skip Cleaning
With **Draftable Clean 26.10.0 or later** and **Outlook add-in 1.12.110.0 or later**, choose **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** for the no-recipient default or a domain rule in **Settings > Add-In**.
Attachments covered by Skip Cleaning show **Skipped** and are sent unchanged. For domain rules, skipping applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule. If any recipient matches a cleaning rule or no rule, cleaning takes precedence. Keep **Default** (all other domains) assigned to a cleaning profile, such as **Standard Clean**.
Skip Cleaning does not remove metadata. If removal is required, use a cleaning profile.
### When recipients change
When you add or change recipients, a banner appears: **"Recipients changed — re-cleaning attachments with updated profile."** You can click **Review Attachments** to check the changes.
As attachments are cleaned, the panel shows cleaning progress or identifies if tracked changes or comments are present.
### Updating the file profile
If enabled by your administrator in **Settings > Add-In**, you can override the cleaning profile for individual files using the per-file **Profile** dropdown in the add-in pane.
### Converting attachments to PDF
Supported **Word**, **Excel**, and **PowerPoint** attachments can be converted to PDF from the add-in panel. Click **Convert to PDF** on an attachment to flag it — the file is converted automatically when cleaning completes.
Once conversion is complete, the panel updates to reflect the cleaned and converted attachments. If tracked changes or comments were present on a file and removed in PDF conversion, the notification reverts to showing the total number of files cleaned.
### Renaming attachments
After cleaning, you can rename files directly in the Draftable Clean panel. Click the **pencil icon** next to a file name to edit it inline.
### Unsupported file types
If you attach a file in a format Draftable Clean does not support, the Draftable Clean panel displays an **"Unsupported format"** status with the message: "This file type cannot be cleaned. See Knowledge Base." Unsupported files do not block sending by default — this behavior is configurable in **Settings > Add-In > Send Protection**.
### Password-protected files
If you attach a password-protected file, it shows **"Password protected"** with the message: "Enter the document password to clean this file." Enter the password in the provided field and click **Unlock** to authenticate and clean the file.
If the password is incorrect, an **"Incorrect password. Please try again."** message is displayed. Re-enter the correct password and click **Unlock** again.
Once the correct password is provided, the file is cleaned automatically and shows the same "Cleaned" status as your other files.
### Inserting an attachment list or table
Click **Insert Attachment Summary** to add a formatted summary into the email body. Earlier screenshots below show the former **Insert Attachment List** label. The button includes a **dropdown arrow** with two format options:
* **List** — A bullet-point list of attachment names
* **Table** — A table with Attachment and Description columns
The default format is configurable in **Settings > Add-In > Attachment Summary**.
### Send protection
These checks do not run in New Outlook for Windows when **Clean attachments in New Outlook** is turned off. See [New Outlook settings](#new-outlook-settings).
Draftable Clean controls what happens when issues are detected on send. By default:
The screenshots below are from **New Outlook**. Dialogs and prompts appear similarly in **Classic Outlook**.
* **Attachments not finished cleaning** — Sending is **blocked** with a dialog: "Attachments need review before sending." The user can click **Review** to return to the email or **Don't send** to cancel.
* **Tracked changes or comments detected** — The user is **prompted** with a dialog: "Tracked changes or comments detected." The user can click **Send anyway**, **Review**, or **Don't send**.
* **Unsupported attachment types** — Sending is **allowed**
Each scenario can be configured to **Allow**, **Prompt**, or **Block** in **Settings > Add-In > Send Protection**.
Unsupported attachments include attached emails and ZIP archives whose contents cannot all be checked. They follow the unsupported-attachment policy. See [Outlook troubleshooting](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) if attachments are duplicated, remain pending, or fail to clean.
### New Outlook settings
In the desktop app, open **Settings > Add-In > New Outlook (beta)**. **Clean attachments in New Outlook** is on by default unless your administrator has configured it otherwise.
Turning it off disables both attachment cleaning and pre-send checks in **New Outlook for Windows**. The pane explains that Clean is off. This switch does not affect Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, or Outlook for Mac. You may need to open a new email after changing it. If the setting is locked, contact your administrator.
Use desktop **26.10.0 or later** and add-in **1.12.110.0 or later** for this setting. New Outlook support remains in beta.
### Email size limits
The add-in reads your organisation's Microsoft 365 mailbox size limit where available. If an attachment would exceed the limit, a message explains the failure. Remove attachments or reduce their size, then retry and check the pane before sending. This lookup uses existing permissions and does not require new consent. On-premises Exchange retains its existing behaviour.
# What is Draftable Clean?
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/What-is-Draftable-Clean
Draftable Clean is a metadata cleaning solution that scans, identifies, and removes hidden metadata from your documents before sharing — helping legal professionals protect sensitive and privileged information.
Every document you create carries hidden metadata — author names, revision history, tracked changes, comments, system properties, and more. When shared externally, this metadata can inadvertently reveal sensitive information: who drafted the document, what was changed during negotiations, which application was used, and when the document was last modified.
Draftable Clean gives you full visibility and control over this hidden data. It scans your documents, categorises every piece of metadata by risk level, and removes it — so you can share with confidence.
## Two ways to clean
| Workflow | What it is | Best for |
| - | - | - |
| **Desktop application** | Standalone Windows application for scanning, reviewing, and cleaning documents | Bulk cleaning, detailed metadata review, saving cleaned files locally |
| **Outlook add-in** | Right-hand panel inside Outlook that automatically cleans attachments as you compose emails | Cleaning documents as part of your email sending workflow |
## How it works
1. **Scan** — Upload documents via **Browse**, drag-and-drop, or directly from **iManage**, **NetDocs**, or **SharePoint**. In the Outlook add-in, simply attach files to your email. Every file is scanned and assigned a risk rating with a detailed metadata breakdown.
2. **Review** — Expand any file to drill into its metadata by category — Personal Information, Document Properties, Tracked Changes & Comments, Document Content, and Other Metadata — each with their own risk level and item count.
3. **Clean** — In the desktop application, select a [cleaning profile](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles) and click **Clean**. In the Outlook add-in, cleaning happens automatically based on domain rules configured in settings.
4. **Share** — Save cleaned files as a ZIP, email them directly from the desktop application, or simply hit **Send** in Outlook with cleaned attachments ready to go.
## Key features
| Feature | Description |
| - | - |
| **Broad file-type support** | Scan and clean Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and image files (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, BMP), as well as ZIP archives. See [Supported file types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-file-types). |
| **Risk-rated scanning** | Every file is scanned and assigned a risk level. Expand files to see metadata breakdowns, and use cross-file search to find specific metadata across all loaded documents. |
| **Configurable cleaning profiles** | Built-in profiles for common scenarios, plus the ability to create and edit your own. Configure exactly which metadata types to remove, preserve, or replace. See [Cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles). |
| **Convert to PDF** | Convert Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files to PDF in the desktop application and the Outlook add-in. In the desktop app, flag files via the inline PDF icon or the **Convert** toolbar button before cleaning. |
| **Cleaning confirmation** | After cleaning, the replaced and removed metadata values are surfaced in the interface, so you can confirm exactly what changed before sharing. |
| **Bundle into one PDF or ZIP** | Combine selected files into a single PDF — with an optional index page, bookmarks, and page numbers — or into a single ZIP archive. See [Using the desktop application](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Using-the-Desktop-Application#bundling-files-into-a-single-pdf-or-zip). |
| **Improper redaction warnings** | PDFs are checked for content that has been visually covered but not removed, such as a black box drawn over selectable text, and flagged with an advisory warning. |
| **Automatic cleaning in Outlook** | The add-in cleans attachments automatically as you compose emails, using domain-based profile rules to apply the right profile based on recipient email domains. |
| **Send protection** | Configurable controls to block, prompt, or allow sending when attachments are still cleaning, tracked changes are detected, or unsupported file types are attached. |
| **Password-protected files** | Enter a password to unlock and clean protected files in both the desktop application and the Outlook add-in. |
| **Rename** | Rename files inline in the Outlook add-in and desktop application. |
| **Reorder** | Drag-and-drop to reorder files in the desktop application. File order is preserved when saving or emailing. |
| **DMS integrations** | Open files from — and save cleaned files back to — **iManage**, **NetDocuments**, and **SharePoint** (including OneDrive for Business) using the toolbar buttons in the desktop application. |
| **Local processing** | All documents are processed locally on your machine. Your files never leave your computer during cleaning. |
## Metadata categories
Draftable Clean organizes metadata into five categories. Each metadata type can be individually configured to **Preserve**, **Remove**, **Replace**, or **Flatten** within [cleaning profiles](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Metadata-Cleaning-Profiles). For a complete reference, see [Supported Metadata Types](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Supported-Metadata-Types).
## Getting started
Install Draftable Clean on your Windows PC and activate your license or start a free trial.
Walk through using the desktop application and Outlook add-in to clean your first documents.
See which file types Draftable Clean can scan and clean.
Full reference of every metadata type with actions and risk levels.
Check the minimum and recommended system specifications.
# JourneyBee — the Draftable partner platform
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/JourneyBee-Draftable-partner-platform
One place to register deals, track your pipeline, and grow with Draftable.
Every Draftable **partner** and **reseller** works out of **JourneyBee**, our dedicated partner
platform. It's the home of your relationship with Draftable — from the first deal you register to
the renewals that follow.
Want the detail? There's a full seventeen minute walkthrough of the platform in
[JourneyBee walkthrough: an introduction and demonstration](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/JourneyBee-walkthrough-video),
chaptered so you can jump to the part you need.
## What you can do in JourneyBee
### See your whole pipeline on the Overview
The **Overview** is the first thing you land on. It shows every lead you're working and every deal
you've registered in one picture, with a performance timeline, your lead conversion rate, and a
breakdown of open pipeline, revenue, and deals won. Change the reporting period from the selector
in the top right. Nobody has to send you a status update.
### Create leads and watch them qualify
A **lead** is an opportunity you've spotted but haven't formalised yet. Create one from the
**Leads** tab in a few fields (company, contact name, email, phone), or import a batch from a CSV.
Each lead carries a status the Draftable team updates as they review it, so you can see it move
from New to Accepted or Rejected without asking. Open any lead to see its full detail, including
the Draftable person assigned to it.
### Register deals, and keep them current
When a lead becomes a real opportunity, register it as a **deal**. Deals record the client company,
the deal value, the products involved, seat counts, and the stage the opportunity has reached. You
can create a deal from an existing lead or start a new one from scratch.
Deals aren't write-once. Edit a live deal as the opportunity changes, add upsells and renewals to an
existing client, and move the deal through its stages as you go. Your commission is recorded against
each deal, so you always know where you stand.
### Look things up in Resources
The **Resources** section is your reference library, organised into four areas:
| Folder | What's in it |
| - | - |
| Getting Started | Onboarding material for new partners and new team members |
| Billing & Invoicing | How billing works, and what to expect commercially |
| Product Knowledge | Product material for positioning, demoing, and answering client questions |
| Support | How to get help, and what to do when a client hits a problem |
It's kept current, so it's usually faster to look something up here than to book a call.
## Why partners like it
JourneyBee removes the friction that usually comes with channel programmes. There's no chasing a
partner manager for a status update, no wondering whether your deal was recorded, and no digging
through inboxes for the latest training material. You register the deal, we see it instantly, and
both sides work from the same picture.
## Signing in
JourneyBee uses a **magic link**. Enter your email address on the sign in screen and we send you a
link that signs you in, so there's no JourneyBee password to remember. You can also continue with
Google or Microsoft if your workspace uses either.
## Getting access
Workspaces are set up by the Draftable team once your partnership is agreed. To start that process,
**apply on the [partner portal](https://partners.draftable.com)** using **Apply here** on the sign
in screen, and then **email sales to tell us you've applied**. Both steps matter: the application
records your details, the email tells our team to look for it.
Once your partnership is agreed, we create your workspace, invite your users, and the onboarding
checklist on your Welcome page walks you through the rest.
Full detail on the programme and the two-step application is in
[Why partner with Draftable](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/Why-partner-with-Draftable).
# JourneyBee walkthrough: an introduction and demonstration
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/JourneyBee-walkthrough-video
A full guided tour of the Draftable partner platform, from signing in to registering deals and finding resources.
A complete walkthrough of **JourneyBee**, the Draftable partner platform. It covers everything from
signing in for the first time through to registering deals, tracking your pipeline, and finding
what you need in the resources library.
The video runs for about seventeen minutes. If you only need one section, use the chapter list
below and skip to it.
## What's covered
| Time | Chapter | What you'll see |
| - | - | - |
| 0:00 | Introduction | What JourneyBee is and what this video covers |
| 0:12 | Getting started and logging in | Signing in with a magic link, and the partner application form |
| 1:48 | Welcome and onboarding | Your onboarding checklist and where to start |
| 2:33 | Overview and analytics | Your pipeline at a glance, the performance timeline, and the lead funnel |
| 3:49 | Leads | Creating a lead, importing in bulk, lead detail, and how qualification works |
| 8:14 | Deals | Registering a deal, editing a live deal, stages, seats, and commission |
| 16:12 | Resources | The four resource folders and what lives in each |
## Before you watch
You'll get more out of this if your workspace is already set up. If it isn't yet, see
[JourneyBee, the Draftable partner platform](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/JourneyBee-Draftable-partner-platform)
for how access works, and
[Why partner with Draftable](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/Why-partner-with-Draftable)
for what the programme offers.
The data shown in the video is from a demonstration workspace. The companies, contacts, and deal
values are examples, not real customers.
## Questions after watching
* **[partners@draftable.com](mailto:partners@draftable.com)** for general enquiries about the
platform or your partnership
* **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)** for technical queries
* **Your account executive** for anything commercial, including pricing, commission, and renewals
# Why partner with Draftable
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/Why-partner-with-Draftable
Give your clients document comparison they can trust, and earn as you do.
Draftable is used and trusted by 1,300+ law firms and legal teams globally to compare documents
quickly and accurately. Many of them first heard about Draftable from a partner they already work
with: an IT provider, a legal technology consultancy, or a reseller.
If your clients work with documents, Draftable is an easy conversation. Our partner programme is
built to make it worth having.
## What we offer our partners
Every Draftable partner gets access to our partner platform. Register deals, track your
pipeline, see your commissions, and find training and resources, all in one place.
Partners earn commission on new business and on renewals, so the value of a client
relationship builds over time. Get in touch for current rates.
Prefer to purchase and resell under your own agreements? We support that too. Ask our team
which arrangement fits your business best.
Alongside the platform, you get real people. Dedicated onboarding, product training for your team,
and direct access to Draftable staff who help you land and support your deals.
## How to become a partner
There are two steps, and you need both.
Open the [partner portal](https://partners.draftable.com) and choose **Apply here** on the sign in
screen. The application asks for your company, your contact details, whether you already resell
Draftable, and roughly how many customers you expect to service.
Write to
[sales@draftable.com](mailto:sales@draftable.com?subject=I%20want%20to%20be%20a%20Draftable%20partner)
and say **"I want to be a partner"** (or "I want to be a reseller"), mentioning that you have
submitted the application. This is what starts the conversation.
From there it is a short conversation about your business, your agreement, and your invitation to
the partner platform.
Please do both. The application records your details, and the email tells our team to look for it.
Applying without emailing us, or emailing us without applying, will slow things down.
Want to see what you'd be working with? Take a look at
[JourneyBee, the Draftable partner platform](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Partner-articles/JourneyBee-Draftable-partner-platform).
# What is Draftable Business?
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/10301508835225-What-is-Draftable-Business
Draftable Business is a document comparison solution for teams and individuals that makes it easy to see what's changed between two documents.
Simply select two versions of a document, and Draftable Business will show you every single change in an easy-to-understand viewer.
## Comparing with Draftable Business
Draftable Business is easy-to-use, powerful and packed with useful features. Leave comparing documents to Draftable, which completes its tasks significantly faster than a user could do it.
### Fast and accurate
Draftable Business never misses a change. Even the smallest change is picked up.
Draftable Business works in seconds, so stop wasting your precious time looking for changes manually.
### Compare anything to anything
Draftable Business supports most common file types used in professional workplaces. Further, you can compare between different file types!
### Confidential and private
Draftable Business works offline. Comparisons don't use the internet and your documents never leave your computer.
### Easy to learn, easy to use
Draftable Business is designed to be simple and intuitive. It's easy to use the first time and only takes a few clicks to start a comparison.
### Powerful customization
While Draftable Business is designed to be easy-to-use, there is a whole depth of complexity and power-user functionality that is also available. You can control what is detected as a change, how the changes are marked up, and how the viewer looks and feels.
## Looking to set up Draftable Business for you or your team?
Jump into our quick start guide, to get set up in minutes!
Learn more about [purchasing a license](https://draftable.com/pricing) for yourself or your team, visit our [installation guides](https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/10301715836697-Installation-guides) and dive into additional resources for [deployment options](/hc/en-us/articles/6142316169625-Enterprise-deployment-options).
If you are a new Draftable Business user, learn how to start using the software by going [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/10301668955673-Draftable-Business-Quick-Start-Guide)
# Supported file types
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/10301511489817-Supported-file-types
Draftable Desktop supports the following file types:
* Word
* .docx (Word Document)
* .docx (Strict Open XML Document)
* .docx (Office Open XML Text)
* .docm (Word Macro-Enabled Document)
* .doc (Word 97-2003)
* .rtf (Rich Text Format)
* PDF
* .pdf (PDF)
* Text
* .txt (Plain text)
* Free text input also available
* Presentations
* .pptx (PowerPoint Presentation)
* .pptx (PowerPoint Picture Presentation)
* .pptx (Strict Open XML Powerpoint)
* .pptx (Office Open XML Presentation)
* .pptm (PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Presentation)
* .ppt (PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation)
* Spreadsheets
* .xlsx ( Excel Workbook)
* .xlsm (Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook)
* .xls (Excel 97-2003 Workbook)
* .csv (CSV UTF-8, Comma Delimited)
### Known issue
Sometimes, documents generated by non-Microsoft products (e.g. Google Docs) may have issues when comparing with Draftable, as they do not adhere to the Open XML specifications. We highly recommend conducting thorough testing on documents relevant to your specific use-case to determine if this is the case for you.
A workaround that often proves effective is to re-save the document using Microsoft Word/PowerPoint. This process can sometimes repair any malformed sections of the document, ensuring better compatibility with Draftable.
If you need further help with this, please get in touch with support at: [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Draftable Business Quick Start Guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/10301668955673-Draftable-Business-Quick-Start-Guide
This article can help you set up Draftable Business and run a comparison within minutes!
## What is Draftable Business?
Draftable Business is a document comparison solution for teams and individuals that makes it easy to see what's changed between two documents.
Simply select two versions of a document and Draftable Business will show you every single change in an easy-to-understand viewer.
## Setting up Draftable Desktop
Download Draftable Business here: [https://draftable.com/desktop/download/](https://draftable.com/desktop/download/)
Run the installer & follow the prompts
Activate the product by entering your product key
1. If you already have a license, your product key should have been sent to your email.
2. If you want to start a trial, you can get a trial key here: [https://www.draftable.com/book-a-demo](https://www.draftable.com/book-a-demo)
3. If you are ready to buy a license, you can see the options here: [https://draftable.com/desktop/buy/](https://draftable.com/desktop/buy/)
That's it! Draftable Business is now setup & ready to use.
## Running your first comparison
Start Draftable Business
The **New Comparison launcher** will appear
Select two documents you want to compare.\
The older/original/source document goes on the left.\
The newer/revised/modified document goes on the right.
Hit **Compare**
Draftable Business will now be comparing the documents. This can take from a few seconds up to a few minutes, depending on the contents.
Once the comparison is complete, the comparison results will load in our **comparison viewer** window
## Reviewing comparison results
The **comparison viewer** makes it easy to review changes side-by-side.
* The older document is displayed on the left, and the newer document is displayed on the right.
* View all changes, and where in the document they sit.
* Navigate the change list to find specific changes.
* [Export](/hc/en-us/articles/6140816202393-Comparison-Outputs) the comparison results.
* Select the way you view the comparison, with various zoom options.
* Choose which types of changes you want to see.
# Updating Draftable Business
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/10301718530585-Updating-Draftable-Business
This article explains how updates work in Draftable Business, how to check which version is currently installed and how to manually apply updates.
## Updates in Draftable Business
Draftable regularly releases new updates, which can range from bug fixes & UI improvements to new features & functionality.
Updates are downloaded automatically and installed on application restart (or system restart).
Sometimes, as part of support, we may release a specific update for you. This will not be automatically installed. You will need to manually update to get these updates.
## How to check the current version of Draftable Business
To check which version of Draftable Business you currently have:
In your system tray, right click Draftable and go to **Settings**
In **Settings**, the current version is shown in the the bottom left corner
## Manually updating Draftable Business
To manually update Draftable Business to the latest version:
In your system tray, right click Draftable and go to **Settings**
Click **Check For Updates**
If there is an update available, the update will start immediately.
Once the update is complete, restart the program.
Draftable Business is now updated to the latest version.
If you have any issues with updating Draftable Business, please get in contact with the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# MFA configuration
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/10941649851801-MFA-configuration
Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security method that is used to grant instance access to users only after they provide two sets of login credentials. The first is the user's password and the second is a code generated by an authentication app.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
If you wish to use MFA, users will be required to use an authentication app on their mobile devices.
## Setting up MFA for all users
As an administrator account, navigate to the **Users** tab and see the User Security window in the bottom left. You can click on **enable** to immediately require all users to use MFA to login with their account.
To setup the MFA once enabled by the administrator, ensure your users (including yourself) log out of the instance, and attempt to log back in.
Once you have provided your username and password, you will be presented with the initial setup for the MFA. Click **Set up using an app,** and using your mobile device scan the QR code that will be presented.
Once complete enter the requested passcode from the authenticator app.
Upon initial setup, users will also be provided with recovery codes in a situation where they have lost their mobile device or are unable to provide a passcode.
## Removing MFA for users
You can remove MFA from all users by returning to the **users** page within the **admin** section, and by clicking **disable** in the User Security window. This will immediately remove MFA requirements for login, for all user accounts.
If you wanted to reset an MFA login for a specific user, without having to disable MFA completely, the administrator can delete an MFA method for a specific user, which will force them to complete a new MFA setup the next time they log in.
# Network requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/12042585710489-Network-requirements
Draftable API Self-hosted container requires internet access to activate the license.
## License Activation
To activate the instance, the product license is verified by our license servers. The activation request is sent as an outbound HTTPS POST from the `web` container to `draftable.com`.
| Host | Port | Protocol | Required |
| :- | :- | :- | :- |
| draftable.com | 443 | HTTPS | Yes |
The required host is **`draftable.com`** — not `www.draftable.com`. These two domains resolve to **different IP addresses** on different infrastructure. Whitelisting `www.draftable.com` alone will **not** enable license activation.
The IP address of `draftable.com` may change due to CDN and load balancer usage, so the firewall should dynamically whitelist based on the DNS query response rather than static IP addresses.
### Verifying connectivity
To confirm that the `web` container can reach the licensing endpoint, run the following from the host:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose exec web curl -v https://draftable.com
```
If this command completes with a successful TLS handshake and an HTTP response, the firewall is correctly configured for license activation.
# Draftable Legal Quick Start Guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/15749896564377-Draftable-Legal-Quick-Start-Guide
This step-by-step guide will help you set up Draftable Legal and run your first comparison in minutes.
## What is Draftable Legal?
Draftable Legal is an enterprise document comparison platform built for legal professionals. It goes beyond simple redlining, compare Word, PDF, Excel, and PowerPoint files with multiple output formats including redline PDFs, Word tracked changes, departures tables, and side-by-side views.
With integrations into leading document management systems like iManage, NetDocuments, and SharePoint, plus features like Bulk Compare, 1-Click Compare, AI-Ready Redline export, and a powerful Change List for reviewing, tagging, and filtering changes, Draftable Legal fits seamlessly into your existing workflows.
## Setting up Draftable Legal
Download the Draftable Desktop application here: [https://draftable.com/desktop/download/](https://draftable.com/desktop/download/)
Run the installer and follow the prompts.
Your IT team may have already installed and configured Draftable Legal for you. If so, you can skip steps 1 and 2.
Once installed, launch Draftable Legal. What happens next depends on how your product key was configured.
If your IT team has already deployed your product key (for example, via Group Policy or registry configuration), Draftable Legal will open directly to the **New Comparison** window — no activation is required on your part.
You're ready to go! Skip ahead to [Running your first comparison](#running-your-first-comparison).
If your product key has not been pre-configured, Draftable Legal will prompt you to enter it on launch.
If you don't already have a license or haven't purchased Draftable, visit our [pricing page](https://www.draftable.com/pricing) to get started. If you're looking to buy for a team, [book a demo](https://www.draftable.com/draftable-legal) with our sales team.
1. Enter your product key in the **Product Key** field.
2. Click **Activate**.
3. A confirmation screen will appear showing your license details. Click **Continue**.
4. Draftable will run first-time checks to verify your system is correctly configured for all Draftable features. This takes one to two minutes. We recommend letting it complete — if any issues are flagged, contact [Draftable Support](mailto:support@draftable.com). If you prefer, you can skip this step by closing the window.
5. Click **Continue** once the checks are complete. The **New Comparison** window will appear.
Draftable Legal is now set up and ready to use.
## Running your first comparison
Start Draftable Legal
The **New Comparison launcher** will appear
Select two documents you want to compare\
The older/original/source document goes on the left\
The newer/revised/modified document goes on the right
Open the **Comparison Type** dropdown and select **Redline in Draftable**
Hit **Compare**
Draftable will now be comparing the documents. This can take from a few seconds up to a few minutes, depending on the contents.
Once the comparison is complete, the comparison results will load in our **redline comparison viewer** window
## Reviewing comparison results
### Redline viewer
The **Redline comparison viewer** makes it easy to review changes.
The Change List is shown on the right-hand side of the Comparison Viewer. [You can read more about Change List features here](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes).
You can toggle the Change List on or off by selecting the button below highlighted.
At the top of the ribbon menu within the comparison viewer, are all your comparison output options.
These options allow you to quickly and easily share comparisons via your preferred method or DMS. A quick summary of these options are:
* **Open** the results directly in your preferred Word processor or PDF reader.
* **Save** the comparison result to your computer.
* **Save** **to DMS**, e.g. iManage, NetDocuments
* **Print** a hard copy of the comparison results.
* **Copy to Clipboard** and save the comparison output to your clipboard.
* **Email** the comparison results and/or the input documents using Outlook.
For more information about these specific output options, please see our [Using Draftable](/hc/en-us/sections/15894418277017-Using-Draftable-Legal) section of our Knowledgebase.
## Other Comparison Types
Draftable Legal offers a range of Comparison Types to suit different file types and workflows. You can read more about [how to select the right Comparison Type here](/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521881-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window).
### Side by Side in Draftable
This allows you to compare two documents and have them shown on a comparison screen in a Side by Side view. This can make it very easy to see the differences between two documents and works best for PDF files (but Word files are also supported). Side by Side comparisons also have the option to create a comparison output (or export), and is very useful when comparing Excel and PowerPoint files.
### Tracked Changes in Word
The Tracked Changes comparison type will generate a Word document (.docx) with the changes marked up as Track Changes. Once ready, you will be prompted to either save or open the output. This will open in Word and let you use Word's inbuilt Tracked Changes functionality to navigate through changes and accept/reject changes.
### Redline in Word
This Comparison Type creates a Word (docx) file with static redline markup but no tracked changes metadata. This is particularly useful when using metadata cleaning tools that would otherwise remove tracked changes information.
### Redline in Excel / Redline in PowerPoint
Draftable has dedicated comparison algorithms for Excel and PowerPoint files that produce redline output in the native Office format (.xlsx or .pptx). The output opens directly in Excel or PowerPoint so you can continue working on the file after review.
### Comparing Excel and PowerPoint in the Draftable viewer
Excel and PowerPoint files can also be reviewed directly inside the Draftable Comparison Viewer. To do this, choose **Redline in Draftable** as the comparison type for your Excel or PowerPoint files. This gives you access to the interactive Change List, tagging, filtering, and export options without leaving Draftable. If you would prefer redline output in the native Office format instead, use **Redline in Excel** or **Redline in Powerpoint** (described above).
### Departures Table
A specialised report that presents changes at the section or clause level rather than as inline edits. The Departures Table highlights the entire section where a change occurred, making it ideal for long contracts and policy documents where stakeholders need to understand the scope of changes at a glance. Output format is DOCX only.
### Redline - Changed Pages Only
A streamlined output that includes only the pages where changes were detected between the original and revised documents. Unchanged pages are excluded entirely, providing a quicker way to review modifications without a full redline. Output format is PDF only.
### Text-Only in Draftable
Text-Only Compare strips all formatting, styles, numbering, and layout from both documents before comparing, leaving only substantive text changes. This is useful for documents with complex formatting or as a fallback when a standard comparison produces unexpected results.
### Live Redline Preview
When both inputs are set to free text, Draftable displays a real-time redline preview directly in the Compare Selector as you type or paste — no need to click Compare. The output can be copied as tracked changes, redline, or AI-ready format for use with generative AI tools.
## Advanced steps
For further advanced steps see the below articles:
# Enterprise deployment options
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16018288168601-Enterprise-deployment-options
This article is for IT administrators looking to deploy Draftable Legal across their organization, and all relevant information for each of the installers that are offered and their relevant use cases.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable deployment options, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925753073689-Draftable-Legal-Installer-Types-Breakdown)
As of Draftable Legal version 25.3.00 (released March 31st 2025), we have dropped support of the **Per User MSI** Installer. We will be removing references to this installer over the coming weeks from our knowledgebase and if you have any questions or concerns, please get in contact with out support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
## Configuring Draftable Legal settings via Group Policy
Draftable Legal offers a range of Group Policy settings for license deployment, application configuration and update management. More information is documented [here](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal).
## Downloading specific versions of the installers
Users can download specific versions of the installer files if they wish to install a specific version. The format schema for these direct links to a specific version takes the following form:
```bash theme={null}
https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSetup-.exe
```
Where **``** represents the version number you wish to download, and **``** indicates the type of installer you want to download.
For example, if you wanted to download the default installer version 26.3.200, the link would appear as below:
```bash theme={null}
https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSetup-26.3.200.exe
```
Lastly, if you wanted to download a machine-wide installer, version 26.4.100, the link would appear as below
```bash theme={null}
https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem-26.4.100.msi
```
## Draftable Legal Installer for enterprise deployments
For deployments in enterprise environments, the default installer for Draftable Legal may not be suitable. Draftable Legal offers two alternative installers: a per-user MSI installer and a machine-wide MSI installer.
Each installer has trade-offs, different recommended deployment scenarios, advantages, and installation steps.
### Default Installer
**Installer Type:** Regular executable (.exe)
**Installer Scope:** Per-user
**Requires Admin:** No
**Recommended scenarios:** Individual users, small-scale deployments
**Download URL:** [https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSetup.exe](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSetup.exe)
This installer is recommended for most scenarios and is the default installer provided. It's the easiest to use and has minimal requirements - ideal for individual users.
#### Benefits
* No administrator privileges are required for installation
* Updates are automatically applied
#### Notes
* Each user on the system needs to run the installer (per-user deployment)
* Each user maintains their own copy of the product
#### Installation
Run the installer
Follow the prompts, which will include selecting the install location and entering the product key
Draftable Desktop is installed and ready to use
#### Machine-Wide MSI
**Also Known As:** Native MSI, Per-Machine MSI
**Installer Type:** MSI (Windows Installer)
**Installer Scope:** System
**Requires Admin:** Yes
**Recommended scenarios:** Citrix & Remote Desktop Services deployments, high-security environments
**Download URL:** [https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi)
This installer is only recommended for specific deployment scenarios where the other installers are unsuitable. The most common scenario is Microsoft RDS and Citrix deployments where a single shared installation is desired, typically for storage efficiency.
**Deploying to Citrix or Remote Desktop (RDP/RDS)?** Licensing in these environments needs to be configured for your setup before your users activate. Please read [Deployment advice for Citrix and RDP environments](/hc/en-us/articles/Deployment-advice-for-Citrix-and-RDP-environments) before you deploy.
This installer is a "true" system-wide installer, unlike the Per-User MSI. The software is installed to a\
system-wide location and can be launched by all users of the system, including concurrently as in RDS\
and Citrix deployments.
#### Benefits
* A single installation can be shared by all users on that machine
* Administrators have the control to manage updates
* Offers support for concurrent usage by multiple users on that machine
#### Notes
* Administrator rights are required for the initial installation and updates
* All product updates must be manually downloaded and installed
* System dependencies must be manually installed (e.g. .NET)
**Looking for more MSI deployment guidance?** For further advice about deployment options via MSI switches for the System-Wide Installer, please refer to [Deployment options via MSI (System-wide) installer](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer).
**Include the HTTP Listener Service — this is required.** Every machine-wide MSI deployment must include the HTTP Listener Service (the `HttpListener` feature). It supports launching comparisons from iManage (including on Citrix and RDS), lets Draftable open when it is not already running, and is required for the Draftable Outlook add-in (Redline in Email). It is installed by default, but `ADDLOCAL` replaces the defaults with exactly the list you provide, so add `HttpListener` to every `ADDLOCAL` command. In the Advanced installer, confirm **Http service** (under **Integrations**) is set to install. See [Deployment options via MSI (System-wide) installer](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer) for details.
#### Installation
Run the installer with administrator rights
Follow the prompts, which will include entering the install location and entering the product key
Draftable Legal is installed and ready to use
## Choosing how to deliver the installer
The machine-wide MSI can be delivered by hand, or through whichever management tool your organisation already uses. These are alternative paths to the same installation, so choose the one that matches your environment. Each has its own guidance:
| Deployment path | When to choose it | Guidance |
| :- | :- | :- |
| Run the installer directly | Individual machines, pilots and small deployments | The installation steps above |
| Command line or your own script | You want to control which features are installed, or you are wrapping the install in an existing process | [Deployment options via MSI (System-wide) installer](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer) and [Silent install and launch options](/hc/en-us/articles/22425102143129-Silent-install-launch-options-for-Draftable-Legal) |
| Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM) | You already manage software deployment with Configuration Manager | [Deploying Draftable Legal with Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM)](/hc/en-us/articles/Deploying-Draftable-Legal-with-Microsoft-Configuration-Manager-SCCM) |
| Microsoft Intune | Your estate is managed from Intune | [Enterprise installation for Draftable using Intune](/hc/en-us/articles/19521353760921-Enterprise-installment-for-Draftable-using-Intune) |
**Set an Organisation Identifier as part of the rollout.** This tags your installations so Draftable can produce a usage and adoption report for your organisation, covering active users, comparison volume, application versions and feature usage. Usage is only recorded from the moment the identifier is applied, so applying it during deployment gives you a full picture from day one. See [Track your organisation's Draftable usage (Organisation Identifier)](/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry).
**Whichever path you choose, verify the `draftable://` URL scheme afterwards.** This is what allows comparisons to be started from iManage, SharePoint Online, NetDocuments, the Office add-ins and File Explorer. The installer registers it, but if something in the environment blocks that registration the installation still reports success, and a machine-wide installation will not repair it at startup.
When it is missing, the installation appears to succeed in every other respect while those compare actions do nothing at all. To check, press `Windows + R`, enter `draftable://?source=outlook` and select **OK**: the New Comparison window should open. See [Draftable does not launch from iManage, SharePoint or File Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-does-not-launch-from-iManage-SharePoint-or-File-Explorer) if it does not.
# Printing comparison outputs
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16115234585625-Printing-comparison-outputs
Draftable Legal will let you directly print the results of your comparison with ease. Once you've compared your documents, you can easily create a printed version of your comparison.
## Printing Redline outputs
Start by opening the New Comparison window, selecting a Redline comparison as the comparison type. Choose your documents, and then hit **Compare**.
On the top ribbon menu of the comparison viewer, select the **Print** option. From here you can select the following options
* From here you can select from four options:
* **Redline (DOCX):** Print the comparison as a Redline output as a DOCX file
* **Changed Pages Only:** This output shows only the changed pages between the older and newer documents. It marks up all changes in the changed pages as a Redline view
* **Original file:** An copy of the older document
* **Modified file:** An copy of the newer document
Click on the **Print export option** and you will be prompted to print your output and follow the printing dialog that appears.
## Summary page
The summary page option can be shown by selecting the **options** icon in the email output window.
This allows you to add a summary page to the output and there are 3 options:
* **Include at end:** Adds a summary page at the end of the output
* **Include at start:** Adds a summary page at the start of the output
* **Do not include:** Does not add a summary page
You can also choose to include a changes report as well, with the same options as above.
# Launching Comparisons from SharePoint
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16115274749337-Launching-Comparisons-from-SharePoint
Start to compare documents directly from your synced SharePoint location with Draftable Legal. This means you can start comparisons directly from file explorer's, given you have a synced SharePoint location.
## Synced SharePoint
You can sync your Microsoft SharePoint files directly to your computer's folder for offline access and direct work in file explorer. This is available for organizations with a Microsoft 365 work/school subscription or using SharePoint Server 2019 and Teams.
It is important to understand that OneDrive is used as part of this process, and if you want to learn more about this please visit the [official documentation](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/sync-sharepoint-and-teams-files-with-your-computer-6de9ede8-5b6e-4503-80b2-6190f3354a88).
## How to compare files directly from a synced SharePoint location
Go to the desired folder which contains the files
Select the files and **right-click** them (If using windows 11, click **Show more options**)
Click **Compare with Draftable**
The comparison window will appear with your selected documents
Just click **Compare** when you are ready!
**Note:** You can also **drag and drop** your files directly into the **New Comparison** window.
## How to compare files directly from a SharePoint Online location
Draftable can also compare files directly from your SharePoint Online instance, without the need of having to sync the files to your computer. In order to do this, you must first install the Draftable App for SharePoint Online which is explained in more details [Here](/hc/en-us/articles/25571809846297-Configuring-Sharepoint-Online-to-launch-directly-into-Draftable)
Once the Draftable App for SharePoint Online has been installed and configured, you can then open your SharePoint instance in a Web Browser and navigate to where the documents you wish to compare are located. You then have three options with which to initiate a Comparison.
i) Via the ribbon at the top of the window. Here you see three options:-
1. **Compare** which will load the selected file into the "Select Older Document" pane in the New Comparison window.
2. **Compare Version(s)** which will pop up a new window, with and display all the versions of the file you have selected
3. **1-Click Compare**, which will generate a comparison based on the settings you configured in the Draftable Settings. You can find more information about the 1-Click Compare feature [Here](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow)
ii) Via the right click context menu. you will also see the same three options for Compare, Compare Version(s) and 1-Click Compare that are mentioned above
**Dragging files from SharePoint in a web browser is no longer supported**, due to a change Microsoft made to SharePoint Online that Draftable cannot work around.
Instead, use **Compare**, **Compare Version(s)** or **1-Click Compare** from the SharePoint ribbon or right-click menu (described above), the built-in **SharePoint file picker**, or **drag and drop from a synced SharePoint folder** in File Explorer (see [Synced SharePoint](#synced-sharepoint) above).
## Saving comparison outputs to SharePoint Online
Once you have generated your comparison in Draftable Legal, you can then save the comparison into SharePoint Online by clicking on the Save to SharePoint button in the ribbon at the top of the Draftable window. You will then see the various options, which you can use to select to the file type and output you wish to save.
When you select the output type you wish to save, the SharePoint Online window will pop up. You can select the location you wish to save the comparison to, at the top of the Window and then hit the save button in the bottom right hand corner.
More information about saving comparisons into SharePoint Online can be found [here](/hc/en-us/articles/32784895738905-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-SharePoint-Online-and-saving-outputs-to-SharePoint).
# Saving comparison outputs
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16115296152729-Saving-comparison-outputs
Draftable Legal makes it easy for you to save your comparison results directly from the comparison window. You can choose the output format you want by selecting from the various options in the 'Save' button located in the ribbon at the top of the comparison window.
## Saving Redline outputs
Start by running a Redline comparison (using the Redline viewer comparison type).
On the top ribbon menu of the comparison viewer, select the **Save** option. From here you can select the following options:
* **Redline (PDF or DOCX):** This output shows the newer document and marks up all changes on top of that in the Redline view. You can select between DOCX and PDF file-type options.
* **Changed Pages Only:** This output shows only the changed pages between the older and newer document. It marks up all changes in the changed pages as a Redline view
* **Tracked Changes:** This output is an MS Office document with the changes shown in Track Changes (a Microsoft Office feature)
* **Changes report:** Creates a report of all the changes detected within the comparison. This allows users to share the Change List, along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the output options
* A drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
* **AI-Ready Redline:** Saves a portable text representation of all changes (moves, insertions, and deletions) as a `.md` file, formatted for use with generative AI tools. A **Reported Changes** dropdown lets you choose between **All changes** or **Matching filters**. For full details, see [AI-Ready Redline: Export changes for use with generative AI tools](/hc/en-us/articles/AI-Ready-Redline-Export-for-generative-AI-tools).
Click the preferred output and a save dialog will appear to let you choose where you save the file.
Once it is saved is complete, a notification will appear to confirm that the output has been created. Clicking this notification will open the output file.
## Summary page
The summary page option can be shown by selecting the **options** icon in the email output window.
This allows you to add a summary page to the output and there are 3 options:
* **Include at end:** Adds a summary page at the end of the output
* **Include at start:** Adds a summary page at the start of the output
* **Do not include:** Does not add a summary page
You can also choose to include a changes report as well, with the same options as above.
# Emailing comparison outputs
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16115297005849-Emailing-comparison-outputs
Draftable Legal makes it easy for you to directly email your comparison results from the comparison window. Draftable Legal will let you select the output you require to email by automatically attaching the output to a new email window in Outlook.
**Please note:**
The workflows below are not supported for users using 'New' Outlook.
## Emailing Redline outputs
Start by running a Redline comparison (using the Redline viewer comparison type)
In the Comparison window, in the ribbon at the top, you will see a **"Email"** button. If you click on that, you will see all the options you can choose from.
* **Redline PDF:** This output shows the newer document and marks up all changes on top of that in the Redline view
* **Changed Pages Only:** This output shows only the changed pages between the older and newer document. It marks up all changes in the changed pages as a Redline view
* **Tracked Changes:** This output is an MS Office document with the changes shown in Track Changes (a Microsoft Office feature)
* **Changes report:** Creates a report of all the changes detected within the comparison.
* **Original file:** An copy of the older document
* **Modified file:** An copy of the newer document
You may also select multiple options and choose to Zip the files as a single attachment. This can be done by selecting the checkboxes next to the export options and selecting the "Zip files" option as well.
Select which files you want to copy, by checking the box to the right of each comparison type.
You can rename the files by clicking on the pencil icon on the right hand side of the window.
You can also change the file format of the Redline and the Original and Modified files. You can pick either PDF or DOCX file formats. Track Changes has to remain as a DOCX file though.
With the **Changes Report** option, you can again decide on the file format, this time the options are DOCX and CSV, while also choosing what changes you want in the report. You can either choose All Changes, are choose to just show the changes you have selected in the Filter you have set on the Change List panel on the right hand side.
If needs be, you can also choose to zip up all the files you have selected before they are copied to the clipboard.
Finally click on the **"Send"** button and the selected files will be added clipboard, ready to be pasted elsewhere, such as an open email etc.
Your comparison output will then be attached to an Outlook email message.
# Launching comparisons directly from file explorer
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16115297854617-Launching-comparisons-directly-from-file-explorer
Draftable Legal simplifies document comparison by starting comparisons directly from your file explorer's menu.
File explorer is a file manager application that is included with Microsoft Windows, and examples of how to launch comparisons for both Windows 11 and 10 are shown in this article.
## How to launch comparisons directly from file explorer (Windows 11)
On Windows 11, once you have enabled the [Windows 11 right-click menu](/hc/en-us/articles/Enable-the-Windows-11-right-click-menu-for-Draftable-Legal), Draftable's commands appear directly in the main right-click menu, so you do not need to open **Show more options**.
Navigate to the folder containing the files you want to compare.
Select the file or files, **right-click**, and choose **Compare in Draftable**. To instantly compare a file against its previous version, choose **1-Click in Draftable**.
The New Comparison window opens with your selected documents. Select the **comparison type** and click **Compare** when you are ready.
If you have not enabled the new menu, Draftable's classic **Compare with Draftable** command still appears under **Show more options**. See [Enable the Windows 11 right-click menu for Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/Enable-the-Windows-11-right-click-menu-for-Draftable-Legal) to add the commands to the main menu.
## How to launch comparisons directly from file explorer (Windows 10)
Navigate to the desired folder which contains your desired files to compare
Select the files and **right-click** them, and then click **Compare with Draftable**
The New Comparison window will appear with your selected documents
Just select the **comparison type** and click **compare** when you're ready!
## Drag and drop
You can also **drag and drop** your files directly from File Explorer into the **New Comparison** window to add documents for your comparison.
Simply click and drag the documents from your file location into each area for the older and newer documents.
**New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:**
Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft's **New Outlook** into Draftable is not supported. This is due to a Microsoft limitation — New Outlook does not expose file attachment data in a way that external applications can consume. To compare email attachments when using New Outlook, use the [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook) or [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) add-in workflows instead of drag and drop. See [Microsoft's documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5535929/new-outlook-drag-drop-support-in-winforms) for further details.
# Vulnerability Reporting
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16226110503961-Vulnerability-Reporting
## What is a security vulnerability?
Draftable considers a security vulnerability to be any technical issue that incorrectly exposes customer data, internal data, or materially impacts the reliability & integrity of our system.
## Some examples of security vulnerabilities:
* **Broken Authentication:** *When authentication credentials are compromised, user sessions and identities can be hijacked by malicious actors to pose as the original user.*
* **SQL Injection:** *As one of the most prevalent security vulnerabilities, SQL injections attempt to gain access to database content via malicious code injection. A successful SQL injection can allow attackers to steal sensitive data, spoof identities, and participate in a collection of other harmful activities.*
* **Cross-Site Scripting:** *Much like an SQL Injection, a Cross-site scripting (XSS) attack also injects malicious code into a website. However, a Cross-site scripting attack targets website users, rather than the actual website itself, which puts sensitive user information at risk of theft.*
* **Cross-Site Request Forgery:** *A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attack aims to trick an authenticated user into performing an action that they do not intend to do. This, paired with social engineering, can deceive users into accidentally providing a malicious actor with personal data.*
* **Security Misconfiguration:** *Any component of a security system that can be leveraged by attackers due to a configuration error can be considered a “Security Misconfiguration.”*
A data leak occurs when data is accidentally *leaked from within* an organization, whereas a data breach results from data being *stolen*.
Data leakage is usually the result of a mistake. For example: sending a document with sensitive or confidential information to the wrong email recipient, saving the data to a public cloud file share, or having data on an unlocked device in a public place for others to see.
## How do I report vulnerabilities?
Please send an email to [securitydisclosures@draftable.com](mailto:securitydisclosures@draftable.com) if you have identified a vulnerability.
Please include the following information in your report:
* Type of issue
* Product with the bug, and a URL
* The potential impact of the security vulnerability (e.g. what data can be affected)
* Instructions to reproduce the issue
* Any proof-of-concept or exploit code required to reproduce the issue
# iManage Integration with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16549583625241-iManage-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal
iManage is a document and email management software for legal, financial, and accounting professionals. It provides advanced features and an intuitive interface to securely organize, store, and collaborate on documents.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
You can connect your iManage account to Draftable Legal, which will save comparison outputs into iManage. In this article, we will guide you in connecting your iManage account to Draftable Legal.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable with iManage, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925873128601-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-iManage)
## Connecting your iManage account to Draftable Legal
Depending on what version of Draftable you are using, there are two different procedures you need to follow depending on the version.
### If you are using Draftable v25.9.300 or earlier:
Now we need to ensure that we are logging into our cloud iManage account. Open the iManage settings and select **cloud**.
Ensure you have logged into iManage on your Draftable Legal application. This can be done following the process below.
Open the settings menu and navigate to the iManage settings.
Open the **Integrations** section of the settings and select **iManage**.
Click the **Login** button and enter your credentials for your iManage account. It should display as *Connected as* with your correct account details if done correctly.
That concludes the iManage configuration process between Draftable Legal and cloud iManage.
### If you are using Draftable v25.10.000 or later
Before you can connect, you need to turn on the iManage integration. In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, find the **iManage** section, and switch on its enable toggle. The connection options and **Servers** list only appear once iManage is enabled.
Open the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **iManage** section.
Here you can manage your connection options, including **Log in at startup**, **Sign in via system browser**, **Detailed logging**, **Open uploaded docs in browser**, and **App ID**. Your iManage servers are listed at the bottom under **Servers**.
To add a server, click **Add server**. In the **Add iManage Server** dialog, enter your iManage Work server address in the **Server URL** field (for example, `https://cloudimanage.com`), then click **Add Server**.
In 26.6 and later the dialog has a single **Server URL** field. There is no separate name field; the server name is taken from the URL. You connect and authenticate after the server has been added.
The server is added to the **Servers** list. You can add more than one server if you work across multiple tenancies.
Find the server you want to use in the **Servers** list and click **Connect**, then enter your iManage credentials (unless they have already been configured by Group Policy).
Once authentication succeeds, the connection is validated: the iManage header shows a green **Connected as** badge with your account, the server is marked **Connected** in the **Servers** list, and its **Connect** button changes to **Disconnect**.
Open the settings menu and navigate to the iManage settings.
Open the **Integrations** section of the settings and select **iManage**.
Enter your credentials for your iManage account (if they haven't already been configured by Group Policy) by clicking the arrow in the **Manage endpoints** section.
You can enter the endpoint name and the endpoint URL. This is important if you are using multiple tenancies.
Click the **Save** button. It will now add that endpoint to the endpoint section.
In the environment dropdown section, select the endpoint you want to connect to and click **Connect**. In this case, you would select the On-Premises endpoint you would've just defined.
Connection is validated when the "Logout" button appears and the dropdown icon greys out.
That concludes the iManage configuration process between Draftable Legal and cloud iManage.
# Redline comparison settings
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings
Configure how Draftable Legal redline comparisons look and behave: profiles, markup appearance, per-format comparison options for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and the tracked changes author.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
Draftable Legal lets you fully customise how redline comparisons look and behave. This article covers:
* Where to find the redline comparison settings
* Creating, using and exporting redline profiles
* Appearance and markup schema (colours and text styles)
* Comparison options for Word, Excel and PowerPoint
* The tracked changes author
* Where the output settings (filename, summary page) now live
## Opening the redline settings
First, open the settings menu. There are several ways to do this, covered in [Customizing your Draftable Legal experience](/hc/en-us/articles/19002262177689-Customizing-your-Draftable-Legal-experience). The two quickest are:
Right-click the **Draftable Legal** icon in the taskbar and select **Settings**.
Or open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide) and select **Settings** in the top right.
Then open the redline settings:
Select **Redline Profiles** under the **Compare** group. This screen holds all the options that control the appearance and contents of your redline comparisons.
Open the **Redline** tab. This holds all the options that control the appearance and contents of your redline comparisons.
## Profiles
Profiles let you switch between preset redline configurations without manually reconfiguring the settings for each document type or use case.
In 26.6 and later, profile management is at the top of the **Redline Profiles** screen: choose the **Active Profile**, mark a **Default profile**, and use **New**, **Rename**, **Export**, **Import** and **Delete**. Every setting on the screen applies to the active profile.
Profile configuration is an in-depth topic, so we have a [dedicated article on managing redline profiles](/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548249-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings).
## Appearance and markup schema
This controls how changes are marked up in the comparison. In 26.6 and later, these options are in the **Appearance** section of Redline Profiles (before 26.6 they were the **Markup schema** area of the Redline tab).
**Change type styling.** For each change type (insertions, deletions, moved from and moved to), you can set the **Color**, **Highlight** and **Text style**:
* **Color:** choose from a range of colours to suit your preference.
* **Highlight:** an optional background highlight (No highlight, or one of the preset colours).
* **Text style:** a grouped multi-select of decorations you can combine. Options are **Bold**, **Italic**, **Single underline**, **Double underline**, **Thick underline**, **Strikethrough** and **Double strikethrough**. With nothing selected, the style is **None**.
A live preview updates as you make changes.
**Table cells.** Set the colour used for **Inserted cells**, **Deleted cells**, **Merged cells** and **Split cells**.
**Revised lines.** The **Location marker** option controls the marker shown for revised lines.
Changes to appearance are saved to the active profile automatically as you make them.
## Comparison options
Comparison options control what content is compared and how the comparison behaves. In 26.6 and later, these are split by file type into the **Word**, **Excel** and **PowerPoint** sections of Redline Profiles. On versions before 26.6 they were a single list of options.
### Word
**What to compare — document elements**
* **Bullets and numbering:** compares changes to bullets and numbering.
* **Tables of contents:** compares changes within a table of contents.
* **Images:** compares images. Draftable does not compare the content of images, only insertions, deletions and moves of whole images.
* **Text boxes:** shows changes to content contained within text boxes.
* **Headers:** shows changes in document headers.
* **Footers:** shows changes in footers, including page numbering changes.
* **Footnotes and endnotes:** marks up changes to footnotes and endnotes.
* **Tables:** compares content within tables.
* **Watermarks:** shows both the old and new watermarks on the document.
* **Math equations:** compares changes to mathematical equations.
* **Cover page:** marks up changes on the cover page.
* **Hidden text:** when enabled, hidden text in the input documents is unhidden and compared. In the output, text that was hidden in the input file is shown in grey highlight.
**What to compare — formatting and style** (these apply to Tracked Changes output)
* **Text styling:** bold, italic, caps and underline changes.
* **Font changes:** font, font family and font colour.
* **Layout changes:** indent and text alignment.
* **Miscellaneous styling:** all other styling changes.
**Comparison behaviour**
* **Detect moved text:** detects whether text has moved within the comparison.
* **Ignore uppercase/lowercase** (was "Case insensitive comparison"): ignores capitalisation changes, so changing "a" to "A" is not shown as a change.
* **Compare at** (was "Comparison resolution"): controls whether changes are detected at the character or word level.
* **Character level:** shows changes to individual characters, which improves readability.
* **Word level:** any change within a word is shown as a whole-word change, which is better for spotting changes.
* **How to handle comments** (was "Comment options"): controls whether comments are kept, compared or skipped.
* **Compare:** comment changes are shown as redlined.
* **Show both:** keeps comments from both documents without comparing them.
* **Show original only:** keeps comments from the older document only.
* **Show modified only:** keeps comments from the newer document only.
* **Hide all:** no comments are included in the output.
* **Keep accepted comments** (was "Preserve accepted comments"): keeps comments that have been accepted.
* **Flatten dynamic content:** converts fields and formulas to static text before comparing.
* **Ignore quotation mark changes:** ignores changes between straight and curly quotation marks.
* **Ignore whitespace changes:** ignores whitespace-only changes.
* **Show header/footer changes once:** header and footer changes appear once instead of on every page.
* **Ignore headers/footers for changed-pages:** excludes header and footer changes when determining which pages count as changed.
### Excel
The Excel section controls how spreadsheet comparisons behave.
* **Cell comparison** (was "Compare type"): how cells are compared. Options are **Values and formulas**, **Values only** and **Formulas only**.
* **Detect row changes** (was "Detect row edits"): detects inserted and deleted rows.
* **Detect column changes** (was "Detect column edits"): detects inserted and deleted columns.
* **Dim unchanged cells** (was "Show unchanged content in greyscale"): greys out unchanged cells so changes stand out.
* **Formula change notes:** adds notes showing what changed inside formulas.
* **Limit changes per sheet:** stops processing a sheet after the specified number of changes.
### PowerPoint
The PowerPoint section controls how presentation comparisons behave.
**What to compare:** Text, Tables, Images, Speaker notes, Slide numbers, and Grouped shapes & SmartArt.
**Display:**
* **Dim unchanged content:** greys out unchanged content so changes stand out.
* **Rearrange overlapping edits:** moves overlapping changes apart so both are visible.
* **Shape moves:** shows when shapes have been moved.
## Tracked changes author
These options set the author used for Tracked Changes (DOCX) output. In 26.6 and later they are in the **Output** section of Redline Profiles.
**Tracked changes author** (was "Default author"): the author name applied to all changes in Tracked Changes output. Options:
* **Last person who modified:** uses whoever last modified the document.
* **Document author:** uses the document's author.
* **Office user name:** uses the user name from your Office settings.
* **Office user initials:** uses the user initials from your Office settings.
* **Custom:** lets you enter your own author text in the **Custom author name** field that appears.
* **Default:** uses Draftable's default author handling.
**Confirm author before comparing** (was "Show author in New Comparison window"): prompts you to confirm which author name to use before each comparison.
## Output settings (filename, summary page and output action)
In 26.6 these output settings moved out of Redline into **Opening & Saving Files**:
* **Filename pattern** (was "Output filename"): customise the filename for comparison outputs. See [Configuring Custom Output Filenames](/hc/en-us/articles/28737392718745-Draftable-Legal-Configuring-Custom-Output-Filenames).
* **Summary page** (was "Default summary page placement"): add a summary page at the start, at the end, or not at all.
* **When a comparison is ready** (was the Word Tracked Changes output action): choose to always ask, or automatically open or save the output. A new **Open Word in** option lets you open Tracked Changes output in Reviewing or Edit mode.
These settings are now application-wide rather than per profile. If you had different values saved on different profiles before 26.6, see [Recovering per-profile settings after upgrading to 26.6](/hc/en-us/articles/Recovering-per-profile-settings-after-upgrading-to-26-6).
A couple of viewer-related redline options also moved in 26.6: **Show comments in three-pane view** and **Default view mode** are now in the **Compare Viewer** settings.
## Export options
**Show Changes Report in menus:** when enabled, the Changes Report appears in redline export menus (Open, Save, Print, Email and so on) and in the Comparison Outputs panel. When disabled, it is hidden from these surfaces but remains available via the markup settings. This toggle is enabled by default.
# Side-by-side comparisons
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/17693327305881-Side-by-side-comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons offer an alternative method to Redline comparisons in Draftable Legal. This article will explain what side-by-side comparisons are, how to view them in Draftable Legal, and discuss their benefits and limitations.
## What Are Side-by-Side Comparisons?
Side-by-side comparisons are a method for visually displaying the differences between two documents by showing both the original and modified versions simultaneously. Changes are highlighted directly in each document, with deletions marked in the original document and insertions in the modified document.
In Draftable Legal, side-by-side comparisons make it easy to identify document changes by presenting the two documents in parallel. It also provides additional tools such as synced scrolling and a change list for an efficient review process.
## How to View Side-by-Side Comparisons in Draftable Legal:
To view a side-by-side comparison in Draftable Legal, follow these steps:
**Open the Draftable Legal New Comparison window.**
**Select the two documents** you want to compare by either browsing or dragging and dropping them into the comparison window.
**Choose Side-by-Side Comparison** as the comparison type in the comparison type row.
**Click the Compare button** to generate the comparison.
Once the comparison is complete, Draftable Legal will display the side-by-side comparison view.
## Key Features of Side-by-Side Comparisons:
The side-by-side comparison viewer offers a range of features for ease of use:
* **Documents Display:** The original document is displayed on the left, while the modified version is shown on the right.
* **Scrollbar with Highlights:** A vertical scrollbar between the documents highlights where changes occur, providing a visual guide to locate modifications.
* **Synced Scrolling:** Both documents scroll simultaneously, ensuring that corresponding sections of each document stay aligned.
* **Change List:** A summary of all modifications is shown in a change list on the right, offering a structured overview of the differences. The list can be filtered to show specific change types (e.g., insertions, deletions) or content types (e.g., text, tables).
## Creating Outputs from Side-by-Side Comparisons:
Draftable Legal allows you to export side-by-side comparisons into various formats for further review or sharing.
To export a comparison, follow these steps:
**Run a side-by-side comparison.**
**Choose your desired output** from the "Comparison Result" menu, found in the ribbon menu at the top.
Select the **output option** you wish to proceed with.
There are many output options, and each of these these include:
* **Side-by-Side PDF:** A PDF showing both documents with the changes highlighted side-by-side.
* **Single document:** Output that condenses all the changes as a single document, similar to Redline PDF.
* **Original/Modified file:** Shows either original or modified file with changes highlighted as part of that specific file.
* **Changes report:** An output that generates a document that contains all changes within a series of tables, making it easy to quickly see what specifically has changed between the documents.
* **CSV Change Report:** Export the changes into a CSV file for detailed analysis or record-keeping.
* You can **Save, Open, Print, Copy to Clipboard**, **Save to DMS (i.e iManage)** or **Email** the comparison result.
## Benefits of Side-by-Side Comparisons:
Side-by-side comparisons offer several advantages:
* **Visual Clarity:** With both documents displayed simultaneously, it's easy to visually identify differences such as text changes, formatting modifications, or moves.
* **Efficient Navigation:** Features like synced scrolling and the change list allow users to quickly navigate through lengthy documents and pinpoint alterations.
* **Comprehensive Review:** The side-by-side display ensures that all changes are visible, helping users understand the full context of the modifications.
## Limitations of Side-by-Side Comparisons:
Despite their usefulness, side-by-side comparisons also have some limitations:
* **Different Output Format:** While side-by-side comparisons are effective for visual review, they do not offer the same redline markup that some users prefer for text-based comparisons.
* **Document Alignment:** In cases where the structure of the two documents varies significantly, synced scrolling might not always align the sections perfectly, requiring manual adjustment.
# Side-by-Side: View both documents together with changes highlighted
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/17693327305882-Side-by-side-comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons offer an alternative method to Redline comparisons in Draftable Legal. This article will explain what side-by-side comparisons are, how to view them in Draftable Legal, and discuss their benefits and limitations.
## What Are Side-by-Side Comparisons?
Side-by-side comparisons are a method for visually displaying the differences between two documents by showing both the original and modified versions simultaneously. Changes are highlighted directly in each document, with deletions marked in the original document and insertions in the modified document.
In Draftable Legal, side-by-side comparisons make it easy to identify document changes by presenting the two documents in parallel. It also provides additional tools such as synced scrolling and a change list for an efficient review process.
## How to View Side-by-Side Comparisons in Draftable Legal:
To view a side-by-side comparison in Draftable Legal, follow these steps:
**Open the Draftable Legal New Comparison window.**
**Select the two documents** you want to compare by either browsing or dragging and dropping them into the comparison window.
**Choose Side-by-Side Comparison** as the comparison type in the comparison type row.
**Click the Compare button** to generate the comparison.
Once the comparison is complete, Draftable Legal will display the side-by-side comparison view.
## Key Features of Side-by-Side Comparisons:
The side-by-side comparison viewer offers a range of features for ease of use:
* **Documents Display:** The original document is displayed on the left, while the modified version is shown on the right.
* **Scrollbar with Highlights:** A vertical scrollbar between the documents highlights where changes occur, providing a visual guide to locate modifications.
* **Synced Scrolling:** Both documents scroll simultaneously, ensuring that corresponding sections of each document stay aligned.
* **Change List:** A summary of all modifications is shown in a change list on the right, offering a structured overview of the differences. The list can be filtered to show specific change types (e.g., insertions, deletions) or content types (e.g., text, tables).
## Creating Outputs from Side-by-Side Comparisons:
Draftable Legal allows you to export side-by-side comparisons into various formats for further review or sharing.
To export a comparison, follow these steps:
**Run a side-by-side comparison.**
**Choose your desired output** from the "Comparison Result" menu, found in the ribbon menu at the top.
Select the **output option** you wish to proceed with.
There are many output options, and each of these these include:
* **Side-by-Side PDF:** A PDF showing both documents with the changes highlighted side-by-side.
* **Single document:** Output that condenses all the changes as a single document, similar to Redline PDF.
* **Original/Modified file:** Shows either original or modified file with changes highlighted as part of that specific file.
* **Changes report:** An output that generates a document that contains all changes within a series of tables, making it easy to quickly see what specifically has changed between the documents.
* **CSV Change Report:** Export the changes into a CSV file for detailed analysis or record-keeping.
* You can **Save, Open, Print, Copy to Clipboard**, **Save to DMS (i.e iManage)** or **Email** the comparison result.
## Benefits of Side-by-Side Comparisons:
Side-by-side comparisons offer several advantages:
* **Visual Clarity:** With both documents displayed simultaneously, it's easy to visually identify differences such as text changes, formatting modifications, or moves.
* **Efficient Navigation:** Features like synced scrolling and the change list allow users to quickly navigate through lengthy documents and pinpoint alterations.
* **Comprehensive Review:** The side-by-side display ensures that all changes are visible, helping users understand the full context of the modifications.
## Limitations of Side-by-Side Comparisons:
Despite their usefulness, side-by-side comparisons also have some limitations:
* **Different Output Format:** While side-by-side comparisons are effective for visual review, they do not offer the same redline markup that some users prefer for text-based comparisons.
* **Document Alignment:** In cases where the structure of the two documents varies significantly, synced scrolling might not always align the sections perfectly, requiring manual adjustment.
# Configuring Side-by-Side comparison settings
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/17693437607065-Configuring-Side-by-Side-comparison-settings
The side-by-side comparison settings allow users to configure the contents and experience of side-by-side comparisons. Draftable Legal has a dedicated side-by-side comparison settings section, which provides many options so that your comparisons appear the way you want them to.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This article includes information on the following topics:
* **How to access the side-by-side comparison options**
* **Comparison output options**
* **Viewer options**
## Accessing the Side by Side settings
### Open the settings menu via the taskbar
Right-click the **Draftable Legal** icon in the taskbar
Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
### Open the settings menu via the new comparison window
Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
In 26.6 and later, select **Side by Side** under the **Compare** group. On earlier versions, open the **Side by Side** tab. Either way you get the same comparison output and viewer options.
## Comparison output
These options control how the side-by-side comparison behaves and looks.
**Ignore headers and footers** (called "Ignore changes inside Headers and Footers" before 26.6): instructs the comparison not to detect content within headers and footers, including page numbering changes. This is an experimental feature that may not provide full accuracy.
**Detect moved text** (called "Enable moves" before 26.6): toggles moves detection, which detects whether content has been moved positionally between the documents.
**Font size change sensitivity** (called "Font size sensitivity" before 26.6): sets the threshold for font size change detection within side-by-side comparisons.
* **Sensitive (any change):** Detects all changes in font size
* **Somewhat (moderate changes):** Detects only changes in font size that are at least 1pt greater
* **Significant (large changes only):** Detects only changes in font size that are at least 2pt greater
In versions before 26.6, the **Preserve Word comments when converting to PDF** option also lived in the Side by Side comparison output settings. In 26.6 and later, it is renamed **Keep Word comments in PDF output** and moved to the **Help & Troubleshooting** settings under the **Technical** heading.
## Viewer options
These options control the viewer for side-by-side comparisons.
**Default view** (called "Default view mode" before 26.6): sets the view mode shown when you open a comparison.
* **Side-by-Side view:** shows both old and new documents next to each other, with changes marked up in each
* **Single document view:** combines both documents into a single view showing changes inline
**Default content** (called "Default changes shown" before 26.6): sets how much of the document is shown by default.
* **Changed document only:** hides unchanged content so you can focus on what changed
* **Both:** shows the full document
**Color theme** (called "Changes Markup" before 26.6): sets the markup colour scheme.
* **Default (Blue):** Deletions are red, insertions are blue, and moves are green
* **Legacy (Green):** Deletions are red, insertions are green, and moves are blue
In 26.6 the change list default state is set under the **Compare Viewer** settings (as **Change list visibility**) rather than under Side by Side.
# Supported file types
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/18067608872601-Supported-file-types
Draftable Legal supports the following file types for the following comparison types.
### Redline in Draftable comparisons
* Word
* .docx (Word Document)
* .docx (Strict Open XML Document)
* .docx (Office Open XML Text)
* .doc (Word 97-2003)
* .docm (Marco enabled Word Document)
* .rtf (Word Document)
* .odt (OpenDocument Text)
* PDF
* .pdf (PDF)
* Excel
* .xlsx (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet)
* .xls (Excel 97 - 2003)
* .xlsm (Excel Macro-Enabled Spreadsheet)
* .csv (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet)
* Presentations
* .pptx (PowerPoint Presentation)
* .ppt (PowerPoint 97 - 2003)
* .pptm (PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Presentation)
* Text
* .txt (Plain text)
### Side-by-side comparisons:
* Word
* .docx (Word Document)
* .docx (Strict Open XML Document)
* .docx (Office Open XML Text)
* .docm (Word Macro-Enabled Document)
* .doc (Word 97-2003)
* .rtf (Rich Text Format)
* .odt (OpenDocument Text)
* PDF
* .pdf (PDF)
* Text
* .txt (Plain text)
* Free text input also available
* Presentations
* .pptx (PowerPoint Presentation)
* .pptx (PowerPoint Picture Presentation)
* .pptx (Strict Open XML Powerpoint)
* .pptx (Office Open XML Presentation)
* .pptm (PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Presentation)
* .ppt (PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation
* Excel
* .xlsx (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet)
* .xls (Microsoft Excel 97-2003)
* .xlsm (Excel Macro-Enabled Spreadsheet)
* .csv (Microsoft Excel 97-2003)
### Word documents generated by non-Microsoft software
Sometimes, documents generated by non-Microsoft products (e.g. Google Docs) may have issues when comparing with Draftable Legal, as they do not adhere to the Open XML specifications. We highly recommend conducting thorough testing on documents relevant to your specific use-case to determine if this is the case for you.
A workaround that often proves effective is to re-save the document using Microsoft Word/PowerPoint. This process can sometimes repair any malformed sections of the document, ensuring better compatibility with Draftable Legal.
If you need further help with this, please get in touch with support at: [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# How to deactivate your Draftable Business license
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/18357660925465-How-to-deactivate-your-Draftable-Business-license
If you're looking to deactivate an unused Draftable Business license, it's important to understand the process to avoid any potential issues. This knowledge base article, will guide you through the steps involved in deactivating a license, including contacting the Draftable support team to notify of your license deactivation.
## Deactivating your license
Right click the Draftable Desktop icon in the toolbar and select **settings.**
In the **licensing** tab, select **deactivate,** and in the following screen click **yes.**
This will remove your product key from your Draftable Business application, which will allow you to enter a new product key in the following screen below.
If you don't intend on using a new key, you can simply close this window.\
**Email support.** Deactivating removes the product key from this machine, but it does not by itself free up the activation on your licence.
If you need to deactivate licences in order to reuse them on other machines, contact the Draftable support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com). We will provide the right steps and confirm once the activations are available again.
# System Requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/18527609745305-System-Requirements
Your computer must meet the minimum & recommended technical specifications outlined below to run and use Draftable Legal.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable system requirements, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925634630937-Draftable-Legal-High-Level-Overview)
**Note:** Draftable Legal only supports x64 architecture, 32-bit is no longer supported.
### ARM64 devices (Snapdragon and Copilot+ PCs)
Draftable Legal runs on Windows on ARM devices, including Snapdragon-based and Copilot+ PCs. There is no native ARM64 build. The x64 application runs under the Windows emulation layer built into Windows on ARM, which Microsoft handles transparently, so no additional configuration is required.
If you are deploying to a fleet of ARM64 devices, pilot on a representative machine first to confirm performance with your own document sizes and your Office and DMS setup.
### Minimum requirements
*Operating system:* Windows 10 64-bit
*Processor:* 1.8 GHz Processor
*RAM:* 2 GB
*Disk space:* 1.5 GB (This excludes space required for document files or dependencies.)
*Software requirements:*
* To compare Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents and use the 'Export to Track Changes' feature, Office 2013 Pro Plus or later (including Office 365) is required.
### Recommended requirements
*Operating system:* Windows 11 64-bit
*Processor:* Dual-core or better (>1.8 GHz) Processor
*RAM:* 4 GB (Draftable Pro will use as much RAM as needed. For larger documents, you may need more than 4 GB RAM)
*Disk space:* 1.5 GB (This excludes space required for document files or dependencies.)
*Software requirements:*
* To compare Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents and use the 'Export to Track Changes' feature, Office 2013 Pro Plus or later (including Office 365) is required.
* To perform **OCR** the use of Office 2016 (or Office 365) or later is required.
* For spreadsheet compare for Excel, you are required to have one of the following versions of Excel:
1. Office Professional Plus 2013: This is where Spreadsheet Compare first became available.
2. Office 2016
3. Office 2019
4. Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365): Spreadsheet Compare is included in the suite of tools provided by the subscription service.
# Configuring settings with Group Policy (Draftable Legal)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal
This article is for system administrators who are interested in using Group Policy to deploy & configure Draftable Legal across an organization as part of an enterprise deployment.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable group policy, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925463968793-Draftable-Legal-Enterprise-Configuration-with-Group-Policy-and-MS-Intune)
## What is Group Policy?
Group Policy is a feature in Microsoft Windows that provides centralized management and configuration of operating systems, applications, and users' settings in an Active Directory environment. This is particularly useful in enterprise settings, where maintaining uniform configurations across multiple machines is critical.
**Prefer working with the registry directly?** If you would rather configure Draftable Legal by editing the Windows Registry instead of using Group Policy, see our [Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) article. It covers all available registry keys, values, and paths in detail.
## Obtaining the administrative templates
Group Policy is supported by Draftable irrespective of installation mechanism. The only difference between installation mechanism is where the administrative templates are installed to (and may need to be copied from into the administrative store). The administrative templates are found in the **GroupPolicy** folder under the product installation path.
For the Default MSI Installer the path will also contain a version number and the latest administrative templates will be in the folder with the latest version. Example path for Default Installer:
```bash theme={null}
%LocalAppData%\DraftableDesktop\app-2.4.5500\GroupPolicy
```
For Machine-Wide MSI installations, the location of the Group Policy templates will typically default to:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable\Draftable Desktop\GroupPolicy
```
An easy way of determining the location of the Group Policy folder location is to right click the Draftable Legal application shortcut on the desktop, open properties and select 'open file location'."
Alternatively, you can always access the latest Group Policy templates from our knowledgebase article [here](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files).
## Installing the administrative templates
To install the templates, copy all files/folders in the **GroupPolicy** folder to the following location on the system(s) from which Group Policy will be managed:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions
```
You could perform the following alternate methods of installing administrative templates, by either:
* If your organization maintains a Central Store, copy the administrative templates to the
Central Store's network path.
* Import custom and third party partner ADMX templates using [Microsoft Intune.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/configuration/administrative-templates-import-custom)
You will also need to copy the .adml files from the **GroupPolicy** folder in Draftable Desktop and paste these into the en-US folder within the **PolicyDefinitions** folder in C Drive:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US
```
## Editing the policies in the Group Policy editor
Once the administrative templates are installed, the Draftable Pro policies can be found in Group
Policy editor under:
* Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable
* User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable
Some settings may only be listed under one of the two scopes if they're not supported on the other.
## Policy settings
**Version compatibility:** Each policy listed below includes the version it was first introduced in. Use the ADMX/ADML templates that match your installed version of Draftable Legal. Policies marked **Pre-25.1.0** have been available since before version 25.1.0 and are supported in all currently documented versions. For a full history of changes between versions, see the [Group Policy Changelog](/hc/en-us/articles/draftable-legal-group-policy-changelog).
**Breaking changes across versions:** If you are upgrading from an older version of Draftable Legal, be aware of the following changes that require action:
* **25.2.0:** The iManage HTTP Listener policies were renamed to generic names ("Enable local HTTP Listener" and "HTTP Listener Communication Port") to support broader DMS communication scenarios. Update your GPO settings when upgrading from pre-25.2.0.
* **25.5.0:** The "Custom Status Tags" policy was moved to a new location in the ADMX templates. Existing policies must be reconfigured after upgrading.
* **25.10.100:** The "iManage On Premises Server URL" policy was removed and replaced by "iManage endpoints (CSV)", which supports multiple iManage endpoints as semicolon-separated HTTPS URLs. See [Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies](/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal) for details.
* **26.4.0:** The "Show Bulk Compare Option" policy was removed. Bulk Compare is now always available and no longer requires a Group Policy toggle.
* **26.6.200:** The "Enable SharePoint Heavy Usage Mode" policy was removed from the ADMX template. The registry value is still honoured by the application, so no action is required unless you manage this setting exclusively through Group Policy.
The policies are organized into four ADMX template files:
* **Draftable.admx** — Base category definition (parent container only, no policies)
* **DraftableDesktop.admx** — General desktop application policies (applies to both Draftable Desktop and Draftable Legal)
* **DraftableDesktopLegal.admx** — Legal edition-specific policies (DMS integrations, redline profiles, output options)
* **DraftableInstaller.admx** — Installation-related policies
## Priority of Group Policy settings
Unless otherwise noted, the order of precedence from highest priority to lowest priority is:
* User Policy (set in User Configuration)
* Computer Policy (set in Computer Configuration)
* User Setting (set by the user through the UI or by the user manually editing the registry)
If no policy setting exists, the user setting is used.
### Draftable Desktop policies
These policies are defined in **DraftableDesktop.admx** and apply to both Draftable Desktop and Draftable Legal editions.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Configure product key | Text (max 29) | Add the product key to be used for automatic license activation. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Accept terms and conditions on behalf of users | Boolean | Automatically accepts the terms and conditions on first-time application start, so users are not prompted. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Launch Draftable automatically when Windows starts | Enum | Controls whether Draftable launches at Windows startup. | **Start** (default), **NotStart**, **Silent** (start minimized) | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Setup automatic updates on behalf of users (non-MSI installer) | Boolean | By default, Draftable auto-updates. If disabled, the app can only be updated manually from the settings window. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Disable the Welcome Balloon Notification | Boolean | Prevents the Welcome Balloon Notification from appearing at application startup. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Set how files are handled after comparison | Boolean | Controls whether files are cleared from the input panel after a comparison is completed. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Open comparisons in a new tab | Boolean | Controls whether each comparison opens in a new in-app tab or reuses the current tab. If not configured, users can choose in Settings. Default is new tab. | — | 25.10.0 |
| Header and footer detection | Boolean | Enables detection of headers and footers in documents during comparison. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Compare Footnote Numbering | Boolean | Enables comparison of footnote numbering differences between documents. | — | 25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| DOCX Conversion Engine | Enum | Specify which engine converts Word documents to PDF. | **Default** (Draftable recommended, may change between versions), **Office** (Microsoft Office), **Internal** (Draftable Engine) | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure Word Application usage Policy | Enum | Sets Microsoft Word to use a single instance when converting documents to PDF. | **MultipleInstance** (default), **SingleInstance** | Pre-25.1.0 |
| PDF to DOCX Conversion Engine | Enum | Specify which engine converts PDF documents to Word. | **Default** (Apryse recommended), **Apryse**, **Office** (Microsoft Office), **Internal** (Draftable Engine) | 25.9.0 |
| Preserve Word comments when converting to PDF | Boolean | By default, Word comments are preserved when converting to PDF in Side By Side comparison. Disable this to exclude Word comments. | — | 26.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Compare Window Summary Information Policy | Enum | Controls visibility of the summary panel in the Compare Window. | **ShowExpanded** (default), **ShowCollapsed**, **Hidden** | 25.2.0 |
| Free text font family | Text (max 62) | Sets the font family used for plain-text (.txt) comparisons and, from 26.9.1, for Text Only compare output. Default font is Arial. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1-Click definition | Text | Sets the default 1-Click compare behaviour. Copy the export item from the 1-Click settings to configure this. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable to show 1-Click export options | Boolean | Shows the "copy to clipboard" export option for configuring the 1-Click definition policy. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Hide 1-Click tab for users | Boolean | Hides the 1-Click tab in Settings. Does not remove 1-Click from integrations such as Windows Context Menu. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Configure custom error message | Text | Sets a custom error message shown when a comparison fails. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure custom contact support email body | Text | Sets a custom email message for the Outlook email with logs that appears after an application error. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure custom email subject for exports | Text | Sets the default email subject when users export via the Email option. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure custom email body for exports | Text | Sets the default email body when users export via the Email option. If users include export outputs, those are appended. | — | 25.10.0 |
| Users can share error logs | Boolean | Controls whether the error dialog shows a button to draft an email with logs attached. Enabled by default. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure submission of exception reports | Enum | Controls automatic exception reporting. | **AlwaysSend**, **NeverSend** | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Send usage statistics | Boolean | When enabled, usage statistics are sent to Draftable servers for diagnostic purposes. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure an organisation identifier | Text | Tags this installation with an organisation identifier (GUID or label) so Draftable can produce a usage and adoption report for your organisation. No user-level PII is collected, and data is not backdated. See [Track your organisation's Draftable usage](/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry). | 25.9.0 |
***
### Draftable Legal policies
These policies are defined in **DraftableDesktopLegal.admx** and apply only to the Draftable Legal edition.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable iManage integration on behalf of users | Boolean | By default, Legal license holders have iManage integration activated. Set to disabled to prevent users from setting up iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage endpoints (CSV) | Text (max 4096) | Specifies one or more iManage server URLs, separated by semicolons. Only absolute HTTPS URLs are allowed. The first valid URL becomes the default. Replaces the legacy "iManage On Premises Server URL" setting. See [Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies](/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal) for details. | 25.10.100 |
| iManage On Premises Client ID | Text (max 62) | The client ID for integrating an on-premises instance of iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable iManage automatic log in | Boolean | Enables automatic iManage log in at Draftable application start. May show iManage log in screen depending on iManage configuration. Default is false. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage persistent session | Boolean | Controls the iManage persistent session process. **Recommended disabled for SSO login; must be enabled for non-SSO. Default is true.** | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Use system browser to sign in to iManage | Boolean | Routes iManage OAuth sign-in through the user's default web browser instead of the embedded browser. Required when an identity provider or Conditional Access policy blocks sign-in from third-party (embedded) browsers. When configured by policy, the in-app checkbox is locked. | 26.6.0 |
| Skip the iManage system-browser sign-in confirmation prompt | Boolean | Suppresses the confirmation prompt shown before Draftable opens the system browser to sign in to iManage, so the default browser opens immediately. Applies only when "Use system browser to sign in to iManage" is enabled. | 26.6.200 |
| iManage upload Track Changes output as new version | Boolean | Allows uploading Track Changes output as a new version to iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage upload output as new related file | Boolean | Allows uploading output as a new related file in iManage. | 25.5.0 |
| Enable local HTTP Listener | Boolean | Enables the local HTTP listener that allows launching Draftable from iManage and other DMS sites. See the [HTTP listener guide](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal) for details. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| HTTP Listener Communication Port | Text (max 62) | Specifies the HTTP Listener communication port used for DMS integrations. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage On Premises Server URL | Text (max 62) | The server URL for integrating an on-premises instance of iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 **(Deprecated in 25.10.100 — superseded by "iManage endpoints (CSV)")** |
**Renamed in 25.2.0:** The HTTP Listener policies were previously named "Enable local iManage HTTP Listener" and "iManage HTTP Listener Communication Port". They were renamed to generic names to support broader DMS communication scenarios. If upgrading from pre-25.2.0, update your GPO configuration to use the new policies.
**Removed in 25.10.100:** The "iManage On Premises Server URL" policy was removed and replaced by "iManage endpoints (CSV)". If you were using the old single-URL policy, migrate to the new CSV format using semicolon-separated HTTPS URLs.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable NetDocuments integration | Boolean | Controls whether the NetDocuments integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Worldox integration | Boolean | Controls whether the Worldox integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Epona integration | Boolean | Controls whether the Epona integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable SharePoint integration | Boolean | Controls whether the SharePoint integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable SharePoint Heavy Usage Mode | Boolean | Optimizes SharePoint integration for environments with high usage. | 26.1.0 **(Removed from GP template in 26.6.200 — registry value still honoured)** |
| Hide minor SharePoint versions by default | Boolean | When enabled, the SharePoint version picker hides minor versions by default. Users can still toggle them on per-comparison. Default is disabled. | 26.6.200 |
| Enable OneDrive | Boolean | Controls whether the OneDrive integration is enabled. Enabled by default. | 25.5.200 |
| Enable automatic selection of the two latest versions | Boolean | When a single file with multiple versions is selected from a DMS, Draftable loads the two most recent versions for comparison. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable VSTO Add-In (Word) | Boolean | When enabled, the Word VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Legal launches. Existing installations are not affected. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable VSTO Add-In (Outlook) | Boolean | When enabled, the Outlook VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Legal launches. Existing installations are not affected. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable Side-By-Side Output Comparison | Boolean | Enables the Side by Side comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Redline PDF Output | Boolean | Enables the Redline PDF comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Redline DOCX Output | Boolean | Enables the Redline DOCX comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Track Changes in Word Output | Boolean | Enables the Track Changes comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Changed Pages Output | Boolean | Enables the Changed Pages comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. From 26.9.1, it also controls the Changed Pages Only output in the Bulk Compare export dialog. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Excel Redline Output | Boolean | Enables the Excel Redline comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable PowerPoint Redline Output | Boolean | Enables the PowerPoint Redline comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Native Office Output | Boolean | Enables the Native Office comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Redline PDF Output Enabled | Boolean | Allows disabling of the Redline PDF output option. Set to false to disable. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Departures Table Output | Boolean | Enables the Departures Table comparison type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. | 25.8.0 |
| Enable Changes Report | Boolean | Enables the Changes Report comparison type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | 26.1.0 |
| Enable Text Only Compare | Boolean | Enables the Text Only Compare comparison type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | 26.1.0 |
| Enable AI-Ready Redline Output | Boolean | Enables AI-Ready Redline as an export option. This output generates a deterministic full-document diff in Markdown format, suitable for use with AI tools. Default is true. | 26.3.200 |
| Suppress table cell revisions for Track Changes output | Boolean | When enabled, omits table cell insertion/deletion revision markers in Track Changes outputs, avoiding comment bubbles on the right-hand side. | 25.8.0 |
These are global (application-wide) output settings. Most of them were lifted from individual Redline profiles to global settings in 26.6.0. For full registry value details, see the [registry configurations article](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations#output-and-viewer-settings-global).
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Output filename pattern | Text (max 1024) | Template used to name redline output files. Supports tokens such as `{originalName}` and `{revisedName}` (e.g. `{originalName} (compared)`). | — | 26.6.0 |
| Show comments in three-pane redline output | Boolean | Controls whether the three-pane redline view includes a comments column. Default is enabled. | — | 26.6.0 |
| Summary page position | Enum | Where the redline summary page is inserted in generated output. | **Skipped**, **Start** (default), **End**, **Both** | 26.6.0 |
| Open Word In | Enum | How Draftable opens final Tracked Changes and Redline DOCX output. | **Reviewing** (default), **Edit** | 26.6.0 |
| Action after a comparison completes | Enum | What Draftable does when a comparison finishes. | **ask** (default), **open**, **save** | 26.6.0 |
| Include first page in Changed Pages Only output | Boolean | Sets whether Changed Pages Only output includes the document's first page by default, even when page 1 has no changes, so the recipient can identify the source document. A comparison with no changes still produces no Changed Pages Only output. When configured by policy, the in-app setting is locked, but users can still override the choice for an individual export in the comparison viewer. | **Enabled**: first page included by default. **Disabled** or not configured: only changed pages included by default | 26.9.1 |
The Group Policy editor shows **Include first page in Changed Pages Only output** with the **Supported on** text "At least Draftable 26.9.0 (or later)". Version 26.9.0 was not released to customers, so 26.9.1 is the first version that contains this policy.
For detailed configuration of redline profiles, see the [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy) article.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Redline Settings Base Profile | Text (max 4096) | Specifies a named set of configuration settings for comparisons. Optionally allows enforcing properties on all profiles. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Redline Settings Profile 1–9 | Text (max 4096) | Preloads up to 9 redline settings profiles for use within Draftable Legal. Each profile also has a team name field. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Redline Settings Default Profile Name | Text (max 100) | Sets the default profile used for Redline comparisons. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| User Team Name | Text (max 100) | Assigns a team name to restrict which Redline profiles can be used. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Admin Base Profiles Only | Boolean | When enabled, removes the Draftable Default Template and disables importing of user profiles. Forces users to only use admin-defined profiles. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Custom Status Tags | Text (max 4096) | Override the default status tags in the comparison viewer. Supply as a JSON array of color and label pairs. | 25.3.100 |
| Hide warning before closing Bulk Compare window | Boolean | Suppresses the confirmation dialog when closing the Bulk Compare window. | 25.5.0 |
| Enable Settings pre-warm at startup | Boolean | Pre-warms the Settings interface at application startup so the first open is near-instant. Enabled by default; disable if security software interferes with the off-screen browser process used for pre-warming. | 26.6.0 |
| Never share obfuscated documents | Boolean | Controls submission of the files produced by the **Create safe file for sharing** feature (called Document Obfuscation before 26.6). When enabled, submission is always disabled. When disabled, submission is always enabled. The policy name is unchanged. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable custom contact details | Text (max 62) | Replaces [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with custom contact details in all dialog windows and as the email recipient. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Show Bulk Compare Option | Boolean | Enables the Bulk Compare option in the application. | Pre-25.1.0 **(Deprecated in 26.4.0 — Bulk Compare is now always available)** |
| Disable Legacy Document Elements Warning Dialog | Boolean | Disables the warning dialog shown when Draftable detects legacy elements in a document's structure. | Pre-25.1.0 **(Deprecated in 25.5.0 — feature removed)** |
**Changed in 25.5.0:** The "Custom Status Tags" policy was moved to a new location in the ADMX templates. If upgrading from pre-25.5.0, reconfigure this policy.
The following policies have been removed from the ADMX templates. If you are running an older version, these policies may still be available in your templates.
**iManage On Premises Server URL** — **Removed in 25.10.100, superseded by "iManage endpoints (CSV)"**
This policy has been replaced by the "iManage endpoints (CSV)" policy, which supports multiple iManage server endpoints as semicolon-separated HTTPS URLs. If you are upgrading from a version prior to 25.10.100, you must migrate your iManage server URL to the new CSV format. See [Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies](/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal) for migration details.
**Show Bulk Compare Option** — **Removed in 26.4.0**
Bulk Compare is now always available in the application and no longer requires a Group Policy toggle to enable. This policy has no effect in version 26.4.0 and later.
**Disable Legacy Document Elements Warning Dialog** — **Removed in 25.5.0**
This policy was deprecated when the legacy document elements feature was removed from the application.
**Enable SharePoint Heavy Usage Mode** — **Removed from the GP template in 26.6.200**
This policy no longer appears in the Group Policy editor from the 26.6.200 templates onward. The underlying registry value (`SharePointHeavyUsageModeEnabled`) is still read by the application, and the setting remains available in the in-app SharePoint settings, so existing deployments are unaffected. See the [registry configurations article](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) if you need to continue setting it directly.
***
### Installer policies
These policies are defined in **DraftableInstaller.admx**.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Create Desktop Shortcut | Boolean | Controls whether a desktop shortcut is created during installation. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Disable the Windows 11 primary right-click menu entry | Boolean | Controls which right-click menu Draftable adds on Windows 11. Enabled: the Windows 11 primary-menu entry is not installed and the classic right-click entries (under **Show more options**) remain. Disabled or Not Configured: the Windows 11 primary-menu entry is installed and the classic entries are suppressed. Windows 10 always uses the classic entries. | 26.8.0 |
***
## Using Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft that helps organizations manage and secure their devices, applications, and data.
If you are using Microsoft Intune, you can use it to install Group Policy for Draftable Legal. Follow the [Microsoft documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/lob-apps-windows) for more information.
# Configuring settings with Group Policy (Draftable Legal)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262106-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal
This article is for system administrators who are interested in using Group Policy to deploy & configure Draftable Legal across an organization as part of an enterprise deployment.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable group policy, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925463968793-Draftable-Legal-Enterprise-Configuration-with-Group-Policy-and-MS-Intune)
## What is Group Policy?
Group Policy is a feature in Microsoft Windows that provides centralized management and configuration of operating systems, applications, and users' settings in an Active Directory environment. This is particularly useful in enterprise settings, where maintaining uniform configurations across multiple machines is critical.
**Prefer working with the registry directly?** If you would rather configure Draftable Legal by editing the Windows Registry instead of using Group Policy, see our [Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) article. It covers all available registry keys, values, and paths in detail.
## Obtaining the administrative templates
Group Policy is supported by Draftable irrespective of installation mechanism. The only difference between installation mechanism is where the administrative templates are installed to (and may need to be copied from into the administrative store). The administrative templates are found in the **GroupPolicy** folder under the product installation path.
For the Default MSI Installer the path will also contain a version number and the latest administrative templates will be in the folder with the latest version. Example path for Default Installer:
```bash theme={null}
%LocalAppData%\DraftableDesktop\app-2.4.5500\GroupPolicy
```
For Machine-Wide MSI installations, the location of the Group Policy templates will typically default to:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable\Draftable Desktop\GroupPolicy
```
An easy way of determining the location of the Group Policy folder location is to right click the Draftable Legal application shortcut on the desktop, open properties and select 'open file location'."
Alternatively, you can always access the latest Group Policy templates from our knowledgebase article [here](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files).
## Installing the administrative templates
To install the templates, copy all files/folders in the **GroupPolicy** folder to the following location on the system(s) from which Group Policy will be managed:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions
```
You could perform the following alternate methods of installing administrative templates, by either:
* If your organization maintains a Central Store, copy the administrative templates to the
Central Store's network path.
* Import custom and third party partner ADMX templates using [Microsoft Intune.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/configuration/administrative-templates-import-custom)
You will also need to copy the .adml files from the **GroupPolicy** folder in Draftable Desktop and paste these into the en-US folder within the **PolicyDefinitions** folder in C Drive:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US
```
## Editing the policies in the Group Policy editor
Once the administrative templates are installed, the Draftable Pro policies can be found in Group
Policy editor under:
* Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable
* User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable
Some settings may only be listed under one of the two scopes if they're not supported on the other.
## Policy settings
**Version compatibility:** Each policy listed below includes the version it was first introduced in. Use the ADMX/ADML templates that match your installed version of Draftable Legal. Policies marked **Pre-25.1.0** have been available since before version 25.1.0 and are supported in all currently documented versions. For a full history of changes between versions, see the [Group Policy Changelog](/hc/en-us/articles/draftable-legal-group-policy-changelog).
**Breaking changes across versions:** If you are upgrading from an older version of Draftable Legal, be aware of the following changes that require action:
* **25.2.0:** The iManage HTTP Listener policies were renamed to generic names ("Enable local HTTP Listener" and "HTTP Listener Communication Port") to support broader DMS communication scenarios. Update your GPO settings when upgrading from pre-25.2.0.
* **25.5.0:** The "Custom Status Tags" policy was moved to a new location in the ADMX templates. Existing policies must be reconfigured after upgrading.
* **25.10.100:** The "iManage On Premises Server URL" policy was removed and replaced by "iManage endpoints (CSV)", which supports multiple iManage endpoints as semicolon-separated HTTPS URLs. See [Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies](/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal) for details.
* **26.4.0:** The "Show Bulk Compare Option" policy was removed. Bulk Compare is now always available and no longer requires a Group Policy toggle.
* **26.6.200:** The "Enable SharePoint Heavy Usage Mode" policy was removed from the ADMX template. The registry value is still honoured by the application, so no action is required unless you manage this setting exclusively through Group Policy.
The policies are organized into four ADMX template files:
* **Draftable.admx** — Base category definition (parent container only, no policies)
* **DraftableDesktop.admx** — General desktop application policies (applies to both Draftable Desktop and Draftable Legal)
* **DraftableDesktopLegal.admx** — Legal edition-specific policies (DMS integrations, redline profiles, output options)
* **DraftableInstaller.admx** — Installation-related policies
## Priority of Group Policy settings
Unless otherwise noted, the order of precedence from highest priority to lowest priority is:
* User Policy (set in User Configuration)
* Computer Policy (set in Computer Configuration)
* User Setting (set by the user through the UI or by the user manually editing the registry)
If no policy setting exists, the user setting is used.
### Draftable Desktop policies
These policies are defined in **DraftableDesktop.admx** and apply to both Draftable Desktop and Draftable Legal editions.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Configure product key | Text (max 29) | Add the product key to be used for automatic license activation. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Accept terms and conditions on behalf of users | Boolean | Automatically accepts the terms and conditions on first-time application start, so users are not prompted. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Launch Draftable automatically when Windows starts | Enum | Controls whether Draftable launches at Windows startup. | **Start** (default), **NotStart**, **Silent** (start minimized) | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Setup automatic updates on behalf of users (non-MSI installer) | Boolean | By default, Draftable auto-updates. If disabled, the app can only be updated manually from the settings window. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Disable the Welcome Balloon Notification | Boolean | Prevents the Welcome Balloon Notification from appearing at application startup. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Set how files are handled after comparison | Boolean | Controls whether files are cleared from the input panel after a comparison is completed. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Open comparisons in a new tab | Boolean | Controls whether each comparison opens in a new in-app tab or reuses the current tab. If not configured, users can choose in Settings. Default is new tab. | — | 25.10.0 |
| Header and footer detection | Boolean | Enables detection of headers and footers in documents during comparison. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Compare Footnote Numbering | Boolean | Enables comparison of footnote numbering differences between documents. | — | 25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| DOCX Conversion Engine | Enum | Specify which engine converts Word documents to PDF. | **Default** (Draftable recommended, may change between versions), **Office** (Microsoft Office), **Internal** (Draftable Engine) | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure Word Application usage Policy | Enum | Sets Microsoft Word to use a single instance when converting documents to PDF. | **MultipleInstance** (default), **SingleInstance** | Pre-25.1.0 |
| PDF to DOCX Conversion Engine | Enum | Specify which engine converts PDF documents to Word. | **Default** (Apryse recommended), **Apryse**, **Office** (Microsoft Office), **Internal** (Draftable Engine) | 25.9.0 |
| Preserve Word comments when converting to PDF | Boolean | By default, Word comments are preserved when converting to PDF in Side By Side comparison. Disable this to exclude Word comments. | — | 26.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Compare Window Summary Information Policy | Enum | Controls visibility of the summary panel in the Compare Window. | **ShowExpanded** (default), **ShowCollapsed**, **Hidden** | 25.2.0 |
| Free text font family | Text (max 62) | Sets the font family used for plain-text (.txt) comparisons and, from 26.9.1, for Text Only compare output. Default font is Arial. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1-Click definition | Text | Sets the default 1-Click compare behaviour. Copy the export item from the 1-Click settings to configure this. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable to show 1-Click export options | Boolean | Shows the "copy to clipboard" export option for configuring the 1-Click definition policy. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Hide 1-Click tab for users | Boolean | Hides the 1-Click tab in Settings. Does not remove 1-Click from integrations such as Windows Context Menu. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Configure custom error message | Text | Sets a custom error message shown when a comparison fails. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure custom contact support email body | Text | Sets a custom email message for the Outlook email with logs that appears after an application error. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure custom email subject for exports | Text | Sets the default email subject when users export via the Email option. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure custom email body for exports | Text | Sets the default email body when users export via the Email option. If users include export outputs, those are appended. | — | 25.10.0 |
| Users can share error logs | Boolean | Controls whether the error dialog shows a button to draft an email with logs attached. Enabled by default. | — | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure submission of exception reports | Enum | Controls automatic exception reporting. | **AlwaysSend**, **NeverSend** | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Send usage statistics | Boolean | When enabled, usage statistics are sent to Draftable servers for diagnostic purposes. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Configure an organisation identifier | Text | Tags this installation with an organisation identifier (GUID or label) so Draftable can produce a usage and adoption report for your organisation. No user-level PII is collected, and data is not backdated. See [Track your organisation's Draftable usage](/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry). | 25.9.0 |
***
### Draftable Legal policies
These policies are defined in **DraftableDesktopLegal.admx** and apply only to the Draftable Legal edition.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable iManage integration on behalf of users | Boolean | By default, Legal license holders have iManage integration activated. Set to disabled to prevent users from setting up iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage endpoints (CSV) | Text (max 4096) | Specifies one or more iManage server URLs, separated by semicolons. Only absolute HTTPS URLs are allowed. The first valid URL becomes the default. Replaces the legacy "iManage On Premises Server URL" setting. See [Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies](/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal) for details. | 25.10.100 |
| iManage On Premises Client ID | Text (max 62) | The client ID for integrating an on-premises instance of iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable iManage automatic log in | Boolean | Enables automatic iManage log in at Draftable application start. May show iManage log in screen depending on iManage configuration. Default is false. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage persistent session | Boolean | Controls the iManage persistent session process. **Recommended disabled for SSO login; must be enabled for non-SSO. Default is true.** | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Use system browser to sign in to iManage | Boolean | Routes iManage OAuth sign-in through the user's default web browser instead of the embedded browser. Required when an identity provider or Conditional Access policy blocks sign-in from third-party (embedded) browsers. When configured by policy, the in-app checkbox is locked. | 26.6.0 |
| Skip the iManage system-browser sign-in confirmation prompt | Boolean | Suppresses the confirmation prompt shown before Draftable opens the system browser to sign in to iManage, so the default browser opens immediately. Applies only when "Use system browser to sign in to iManage" is enabled. | 26.6.200 |
| iManage upload Track Changes output as new version | Boolean | Allows uploading Track Changes output as a new version to iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage upload output as new related file | Boolean | Allows uploading output as a new related file in iManage. | 25.5.0 |
| Enable local HTTP Listener | Boolean | Enables the local HTTP listener that allows launching Draftable from iManage and other DMS sites. See the [HTTP listener guide](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal) for details. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| HTTP Listener Communication Port | Text (max 62) | Specifies the HTTP Listener communication port used for DMS integrations. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| iManage On Premises Server URL | Text (max 62) | The server URL for integrating an on-premises instance of iManage. | Pre-25.1.0 **(Deprecated in 25.10.100 — superseded by "iManage endpoints (CSV)")** |
**Renamed in 25.2.0:** The HTTP Listener policies were previously named "Enable local iManage HTTP Listener" and "iManage HTTP Listener Communication Port". They were renamed to generic names to support broader DMS communication scenarios. If upgrading from pre-25.2.0, update your GPO configuration to use the new policies.
**Removed in 25.10.100:** The "iManage On Premises Server URL" policy was removed and replaced by "iManage endpoints (CSV)". If you were using the old single-URL policy, migrate to the new CSV format using semicolon-separated HTTPS URLs.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable NetDocuments integration | Boolean | Controls whether the NetDocuments integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Worldox integration | Boolean | Controls whether the Worldox integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Epona integration | Boolean | Controls whether the Epona integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable SharePoint integration | Boolean | Controls whether the SharePoint integration is enabled. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable SharePoint Heavy Usage Mode | Boolean | Optimizes SharePoint integration for environments with high usage. | 26.1.0 **(Removed from GP template in 26.6.200 — registry value still honoured)** |
| Hide minor SharePoint versions by default | Boolean | When enabled, the SharePoint version picker hides minor versions by default. Users can still toggle them on per-comparison. Default is disabled. | 26.6.200 |
| Enable OneDrive | Boolean | Controls whether the OneDrive integration is enabled. Enabled by default. | 25.5.200 |
| Enable automatic selection of the two latest versions | Boolean | When a single file with multiple versions is selected from a DMS, Draftable loads the two most recent versions for comparison. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable VSTO Add-In (Word) | Boolean | When enabled, the Word VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Legal launches. Existing installations are not affected. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable VSTO Add-In (Outlook) | Boolean | When enabled, the Outlook VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Legal launches. Existing installations are not affected. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Enable Side-By-Side Output Comparison | Boolean | Enables the Side by Side comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Redline PDF Output | Boolean | Enables the Redline PDF comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Redline DOCX Output | Boolean | Enables the Redline DOCX comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Track Changes in Word Output | Boolean | Enables the Track Changes comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Changed Pages Output | Boolean | Enables the Changed Pages comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. From 26.9.1, it also controls the Changed Pages Only output in the Bulk Compare export dialog. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Excel Redline Output | Boolean | Enables the Excel Redline comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable PowerPoint Redline Output | Boolean | Enables the PowerPoint Redline comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Native Office Output | Boolean | Enables the Native Office comparison output type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Redline PDF Output Enabled | Boolean | Allows disabling of the Redline PDF output option. Set to false to disable. Default is true. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable Departures Table Output | Boolean | Enables the Departures Table comparison type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. | 25.8.0 |
| Enable Changes Report | Boolean | Enables the Changes Report comparison type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | 26.1.0 |
| Enable Text Only Compare | Boolean | Enables the Text Only Compare comparison type in the comparison viewer and 1-Click. Default is true. | 26.1.0 |
| Enable AI-Ready Redline Output | Boolean | Enables AI-Ready Redline as an export option. This output generates a deterministic full-document diff in Markdown format, suitable for use with AI tools. Default is true. | 26.3.200 |
| Suppress table cell revisions for Track Changes output | Boolean | When enabled, omits table cell insertion/deletion revision markers in Track Changes outputs, avoiding comment bubbles on the right-hand side. | 25.8.0 |
These are global (application-wide) output settings. Most of them were lifted from individual Redline profiles to global settings in 26.6.0. For full registry value details, see the [registry configurations article](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations#output-and-viewer-settings-global).
| Policy | Type | Description | Options | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Output filename pattern | Text (max 1024) | Template used to name redline output files. Supports tokens such as `{originalName}` and `{revisedName}` (e.g. `{originalName} (compared)`). | — | 26.6.0 |
| Show comments in three-pane redline output | Boolean | Controls whether the three-pane redline view includes a comments column. Default is enabled. | — | 26.6.0 |
| Summary page position | Enum | Where the redline summary page is inserted in generated output. | **Skipped**, **Start** (default), **End**, **Both** | 26.6.0 |
| Open Word In | Enum | How Draftable opens final Tracked Changes and Redline DOCX output. | **Reviewing** (default), **Edit** | 26.6.0 |
| Action after a comparison completes | Enum | What Draftable does when a comparison finishes. | **ask** (default), **open**, **save** | 26.6.0 |
| Include first page in Changed Pages Only output | Boolean | Sets whether Changed Pages Only output includes the document's first page by default, even when page 1 has no changes, so the recipient can identify the source document. A comparison with no changes still produces no Changed Pages Only output. When configured by policy, the in-app setting is locked, but users can still override the choice for an individual export in the comparison viewer. | **Enabled**: first page included by default. **Disabled** or not configured: only changed pages included by default | 26.9.1 |
The Group Policy editor shows **Include first page in Changed Pages Only output** with the **Supported on** text "At least Draftable 26.9.0 (or later)". Version 26.9.0 was not released to customers, so 26.9.1 is the first version that contains this policy.
For detailed configuration of redline profiles, see the [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy) article.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Redline Settings Base Profile | Text (max 4096) | Specifies a named set of configuration settings for comparisons. Optionally allows enforcing properties on all profiles. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Redline Settings Profile 1–9 | Text (max 4096) | Preloads up to 9 redline settings profiles for use within Draftable Legal. Each profile also has a team name field. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Redline Settings Default Profile Name | Text (max 100) | Sets the default profile used for Redline comparisons. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| User Team Name | Text (max 100) | Assigns a team name to restrict which Redline profiles can be used. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Admin Base Profiles Only | Boolean | When enabled, removes the Draftable Default Template and disables importing of user profiles. Forces users to only use admin-defined profiles. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Custom Status Tags | Text (max 4096) | Override the default status tags in the comparison viewer. Supply as a JSON array of color and label pairs. | 25.3.100 |
| Hide warning before closing Bulk Compare window | Boolean | Suppresses the confirmation dialog when closing the Bulk Compare window. | 25.5.0 |
| Enable Settings pre-warm at startup | Boolean | Pre-warms the Settings interface at application startup so the first open is near-instant. Enabled by default; disable if security software interferes with the off-screen browser process used for pre-warming. | 26.6.0 |
| Never share obfuscated documents | Boolean | Controls submission of the files produced by the **Create safe file for sharing** feature (called Document Obfuscation before 26.6). When enabled, submission is always disabled. When disabled, submission is always enabled. The policy name is unchanged. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Enable custom contact details | Text (max 62) | Replaces [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with custom contact details in all dialog windows and as the email recipient. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Show Bulk Compare Option | Boolean | Enables the Bulk Compare option in the application. | Pre-25.1.0 **(Deprecated in 26.4.0 — Bulk Compare is now always available)** |
| Disable Legacy Document Elements Warning Dialog | Boolean | Disables the warning dialog shown when Draftable detects legacy elements in a document's structure. | Pre-25.1.0 **(Deprecated in 25.5.0 — feature removed)** |
**Changed in 25.5.0:** The "Custom Status Tags" policy was moved to a new location in the ADMX templates. If upgrading from pre-25.5.0, reconfigure this policy.
The following policies have been removed from the ADMX templates. If you are running an older version, these policies may still be available in your templates.
**iManage On Premises Server URL** — **Removed in 25.10.100, superseded by "iManage endpoints (CSV)"**
This policy has been replaced by the "iManage endpoints (CSV)" policy, which supports multiple iManage server endpoints as semicolon-separated HTTPS URLs. If you are upgrading from a version prior to 25.10.100, you must migrate your iManage server URL to the new CSV format. See [Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies](/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal) for migration details.
**Show Bulk Compare Option** — **Removed in 26.4.0**
Bulk Compare is now always available in the application and no longer requires a Group Policy toggle to enable. This policy has no effect in version 26.4.0 and later.
**Disable Legacy Document Elements Warning Dialog** — **Removed in 25.5.0**
This policy was deprecated when the legacy document elements feature was removed from the application.
**Enable SharePoint Heavy Usage Mode** — **Removed from the GP template in 26.6.200**
This policy no longer appears in the Group Policy editor from the 26.6.200 templates onward. The underlying registry value (`SharePointHeavyUsageModeEnabled`) is still read by the application, and the setting remains available in the in-app SharePoint settings, so existing deployments are unaffected. See the [registry configurations article](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) if you need to continue setting it directly.
***
### Installer policies
These policies are defined in **DraftableInstaller.admx**.
| Policy | Type | Description | Available From Version |
| - | - | - | - |
| Create Desktop Shortcut | Boolean | Controls whether a desktop shortcut is created during installation. | Pre-25.1.0 |
| Disable the Windows 11 primary right-click menu entry | Boolean | Controls which right-click menu Draftable adds on Windows 11. Enabled: the Windows 11 primary-menu entry is not installed and the classic right-click entries (under **Show more options**) remain. Disabled or Not Configured: the Windows 11 primary-menu entry is installed and the classic entries are suppressed. Windows 10 always uses the classic entries. | 26.8.0 |
***
## Using Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft that helps organizations manage and secure their devices, applications, and data.
If you are using Microsoft Intune, you can use it to install Group Policy for Draftable Legal. Follow the [Microsoft documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/lob-apps-windows) for more information.
# New Comparison: How to launch and set up a comparison
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide
There are several ways to launch the Draftable Legal comparison window, and we will cover four different methods to help you choose the most convenient option for your workflow.
**Video Resource:** This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer videos:
* For iManage users, it's accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/33897196071833-Draftable-Legal-Uploading-Files-Launching-Comparison-iManage-users)
* For NetDocuments users, it's accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/33898410808729-Draftable-Legal-Uploading-Files-Launching-Comparison-NetDocuments-users)
## Method 1: Double-click the Draftable Icon on the Desktop
Locate the Draftable Legal icon on your desktop. The icon should display the Draftable logo and be labelled **"Draftable Desktop"**.\\
Double-click the Draftable Legal icon using your left mouse button. The software will launch, and you should see the Draftable Compare window appear on your screen.\\
## Method 2: Start a Comparison from the Taskbar
Find the Draftable Legal icon in your taskbar, usually located at the bottom right corner of your screen. The icon should display the Draftable logo.
**Note:**
If the Draftable Legal logo does not appear in the taskbar, click the **up arrow** to expand the taskbar overflow and you should see the Draftable logo there.
Right-click the Draftable Legal icon using your right mouse button to open a menu.\\
In the menu, click on "Start a comparison." The Draftable Legal software will launch, and you should see the Draftable Legal New Comparison window appear on your screen with the comparison interface.\\
## Method 3: Search for Draftable in the Windows Search Bar
Click on the Windows Search bar, usually located at the bottom left corner of your screen.\\
Type "Draftable" in the search bar and wait for the search results to appear.\\
In the search results, locate the Draftable application with the Draftable Legal logo. Click on it using your left mouse button to launch the software. The Draftable New Comparison window should appear on your screen.\\
## Method 4: Opening Draftable via Microsoft Word
If you are working with a document in Microsoft Word that you want to compare, you can open Draftable Legal from within Microsoft Word.
In Microsoft Word, select the tab **Draftable**\\
Then click, **Compare Document as Older or Newer** (Clicking Compare Text will compare the selected text content of the Word document as Older or Newer).\\
The New comparison window will open with the Word document you were working on within Microsoft Word automatically depending on whether you choose the Newer or Older document option within the Add-in. Simply select the other document and hit **Compare** to start a comparison.\\
## Method 5: Opening Draftable via Microsoft Outlook
**New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:**
Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft's **New Outlook** into Draftable is not supported. This is due to a Microsoft limitation — New Outlook does not expose file attachment data in a way that external applications can consume. To compare email attachments when using New Outlook, use the Draftable Outlook Add-in workflows described below, or use the [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook) / [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) add-ins. See [Microsoft's documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5535929/new-outlook-drag-drop-support-in-winforms) for further details.
Open any email that you wish to compare with the documents attached or the text itself within the email. Below is an example email used to show how this process is done. \\
Note the **Draftable** toolbar item at the top of Outlook as highlight below. Select **Draftable** to open this toolbar item.\\
Now you will be presented with three icons, one called **Compare attachments**, another called **1-Click Compare** and the third called **Compare text.** **Compare Attachments** allows you to select documents attached in the email for compare, **1-Click Compare** allows you to compare and generate the output you have set in the Draftable Settings, \*\* \*\*whilst **Compare text** allows you to highlight text within the email to directly add to the New Comparison window for text compare.\\
## Using the Compare Attachments option
If you wish to compare documents that are attached in your email, in the Draftable tab select **Compare Attachments.**
You will be presented with a new window that requests you to select two files from the list of attachments on the email. Select the files you wish to compare then click **Select.**
The New Comparison window will open showing the selected documents chosen in the last step. Simply hit **Compare** to compare these documents.
## Using the Compare text option
If you wish to compare text from within an email, first highlight the text within the email you want to add to the comparison and then select **Compare text.**
The New Comparison window will open with the selected text from the email added to one of the text/document selection windows, as shown below.
# Comparing Excel files in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002208522393-Comparing-Excel-files-in-Draftable-Legal
In direct response to user feedback, the Draftable team has built dedicated comparison algorithms to compare Excel files and produce an Excel file with changes shown as Redlined markup. Additionally, Draftable offers Excel comparison via our side-by-side comparison type.
Draftable Legal supports Excel file comparisons via two other approaches:
1. Redline in Excel (In Draftable and in Excel)
2. Side by Side comparison
This article shows you how to run both of these comparisons, export these comparisons and change Excel Redline comparison settings.
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## Comparing Excel files in the Redline Comparison Type in Draftable
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline in Draftable** in the comparison type row.
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison. When the comparison is complete, it will load the Redline comparison viewer. See below for an example:
### Reviewing your comparison in Draftable
The **Redline Comparison Viewer** shows all changes in a dynamic **Change List** on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can scroll through the Change List and **click on any change** **to jump to its location** and have the change **highlighted with a blue box** on both versions shown.
Users can tag changes by selecting the **Tag Icon** on the top right corner of the individual change card in the change list. This will display a list of **5 tagging options** to choose from. Multi-tagging of changes is also possible.
Users can also leave **Notes** on changes by **selecting the Change Card,** writing a note at the bottom of the card and hitting **Enter** to save the Note\*\*.
Users can filter changes by using the **Interactive Filter Menu**, available at the top of the change list. This can be opened by selecting the **Details drop-down menu** in the top right corner of the Change List.
Users can **see filtering options** by selecting either the **Only Show** or **Do Not Show** entry forms. This will display a list of filtering options including **Change Type, Style Changes, Tags and Notes**.
Once all review of changes is completed, users can share the comparison along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the **many different output options** shown in the ribbon menu.
To share specific changes in notes and tags made in the comparison, ensure you click on the Changes Report option, in the many different output options.
A drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
## Comparing Excel files in the Redline Comparison Type in Excel
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline in Excel** in the comparison type row.
You will be prompted to either **save** or **open** the Redlined Excel comparison. For this example, lets open the Redline Excel comparison.
### Reviewing your comparison in Excel
Your Redlined Excel document will open within Excel itself
All changes are shown as Redline, where deletions and insertions are shown per cell, and formula changes are shown as comments with the cell highlighted
If you wish to change the way the Redline comparisons are run for you, please see the section below regarding "How to configure settings for Excel Redline compare"
## Comparing Excel files in the Side by Side Comparison Type
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline in Excel** in the comparison type row.
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison. When the comparison is complete, it will provide a side-by-side comparison, which will open within the Draftable comparison viewer.
### Reviewing your comparison in Draftable
The **Comparison Viewer** shows all changes in a dynamic **Change List** on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can scroll through the Change List and **click on any change** **to jump to its location** and have the change **highlighted with a blue box** on both versions shown.
Users can tag changes by selecting the **Tag Icon** on the top right corner of the individual change card in the change list. This will display a list of **5 tagging options** to choose from. Multi-tagging of changes is also possible.
Users can also leave **Notes** on changes by **selecting the Change Card,** writing a note at the bottom of the card and hitting **Enter** to save the Note\*\*.
Users can filter changes by using the **Interactive Filter Menu**, available at the top of the change list. This can be opened by selecting the **Details drop-down menu** in the top right corner of the Change List.
Users can **see filtering options** by selecting either the **Only Show** or **Do Not Show** entry forms. This will display a list of filtering options including **Change Type, Style Changes, Tags and Notes**.
Once all review of changes is completed, users can share the comparison along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the **many different output options** shown in the ribbon menu.
To share specifically changes in notes and tags made in the comparison, ensure you click on the Changes Report option, in the many different output options.
A drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
## How spreadsheets are displayed
*Available from version 26.9.1*
In the Redline View of a spreadsheet comparison, most cells are now shown the way Excel shows them:
* Cells carrying a number format use it, so dates read as dates and numbers keep their formatting rather than appearing as raw values. Cells left on Excel's built-in Currency and Accounting formats are an exception and are still shown unformatted.
* Numbers and dates are aligned to the right, matching Excel's own alignment, unless the cell carries its own alignment.
The formula bar continues to show the cell's stored value, so you can still see the underlying number behind a formatted cell.
Two further improvements make large sheets easier to compare:
* **Large sheets without a strong key column.** On a sheet with more than about a thousand rows of data, where there is no reliable column to match rows on such as an ID or a reference, Draftable now matches rows by their content instead. This reduces the number of rows reported as changed when rows have simply been reordered. Smaller sheets are unaffected.
* **Very large sheets.** Draftable now measures the page it would produce for each sheet before rendering. If a sheet would exceed the maximum page size a PDF allows, it is split across several pages instead of producing a blank page in the side-by-side view. Because the setting applies to the whole workbook, one oversized sheet paginates all of them.
## How to configure settings for Excel Redline compare
Settings for the Excel Redline comparisons can be found within the Redline tab of the settings menu. There are many options specific to Redline comparisons.
Below is an explainer of each of these options:
**Compare type:** Specifies what type of content is detected within the Excel Redline comparison, these options are Values, Formulas or both.\*\*
**Detect Row Edits:** Enables detection of changes found in row edits.
**Detect Column Edits:** Enables detection of changes found in column edits.
**Show unchanged content in greyscale:** Marks unchanged content in greyscale for easier readability.
**Show formula change notes:** Turns on change notes for formula changes found within cells.
**Limit the number of changes per sheet:** Set a limit on the number of changes found within a given sheet. This setting can be toggled on or off, and if turned on, a number of changes can be specified.
# Comparing Excel files in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002208522394-Comparing-Excel-files-in-Draftable-Legal
In direct response to user feedback, the Draftable team has built dedicated comparison algorithms to compare Excel files and produce an Excel file with changes shown as Redlined markup. Additionally, Draftable offers Excel comparison via our side-by-side comparison type.
Draftable Legal supports Excel file comparisons via two other approaches:
1. Redline in Excel (In Draftable and in Excel)
2. Side by Side comparison
This article shows you how to run both of these comparisons, export these comparisons and change Excel Redline comparison settings.
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## Comparing Excel files in the Redline Comparison Type in Draftable
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline in Draftable** in the comparison type row.
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison. When the comparison is complete, it will load the Redline comparison viewer. See below for an example:
### Reviewing your comparison in Draftable
The **Redline Comparison Viewer** shows all changes in a dynamic **Change List** on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can scroll through the Change List and **click on any change** **to jump to its location** and have the change **highlighted with a blue box** on both versions shown.
Users can tag changes by selecting the **Tag Icon** on the top right corner of the individual change card in the change list. This will display a list of **5 tagging options** to choose from. Multi-tagging of changes is also possible.
Users can also leave **Notes** on changes by **selecting the Change Card,** writing a note at the bottom of the card and hitting **Enter** to save the Note\*\*.
Users can filter changes by using the **Interactive Filter Menu**, available at the top of the change list. This can be opened by selecting the **Details drop-down menu** in the top right corner of the Change List.
Users can **see filtering options** by selecting either the **Only Show** or **Do Not Show** entry forms. This will display a list of filtering options including **Change Type, Style Changes, Tags and Notes**.
Once all review of changes is completed, users can share the comparison along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the **many different output options** shown in the ribbon menu.
To share specific changes in notes and tags made in the comparison, ensure you click on the Changes Report option, in the many different output options.
A drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
## Comparing Excel files in the Redline Comparison Type in Excel
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline in Excel** in the comparison type row.
You will be prompted to either **save** or **open** the Redlined Excel comparison. For this example, lets open the Redline Excel comparison.
### Reviewing your comparison in Excel
Your Redlined Excel document will open within Excel itself
All changes are shown as Redline, where deletions and insertions are shown per cell, and formula changes are shown as comments with the cell highlighted
If you wish to change the way the Redline comparisons are run for you, please see the section below regarding "How to configure settings for Excel Redline compare"
## Comparing Excel files in the Side by Side Comparison Type
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline in Excel** in the comparison type row.
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison. When the comparison is complete, it will provide a side-by-side comparison, which will open within the Draftable comparison viewer.
### Reviewing your comparison in Draftable
The **Comparison Viewer** shows all changes in a dynamic **Change List** on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can scroll through the Change List and **click on any change** **to jump to its location** and have the change **highlighted with a blue box** on both versions shown.
Users can tag changes by selecting the **Tag Icon** on the top right corner of the individual change card in the change list. This will display a list of **5 tagging options** to choose from. Multi-tagging of changes is also possible.
Users can also leave **Notes** on changes by **selecting the Change Card,** writing a note at the bottom of the card and hitting **Enter** to save the Note\*\*.
Users can filter changes by using the **Interactive Filter Menu**, available at the top of the change list. This can be opened by selecting the **Details drop-down menu** in the top right corner of the Change List.
Users can **see filtering options** by selecting either the **Only Show** or **Do Not Show** entry forms. This will display a list of filtering options including **Change Type, Style Changes, Tags and Notes**.
Once all review of changes is completed, users can share the comparison along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the **many different output options** shown in the ribbon menu.
To share specifically changes in notes and tags made in the comparison, ensure you click on the Changes Report option, in the many different output options.
A drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
## How spreadsheets are displayed
*Available from version 26.9.1*
In the Redline View of a spreadsheet comparison, most cells are now shown the way Excel shows them:
* Cells carrying a number format use it, so dates read as dates and numbers keep their formatting rather than appearing as raw values. Cells left on Excel's built-in Currency and Accounting formats are an exception and are still shown unformatted.
* Numbers and dates are aligned to the right, matching Excel's own alignment, unless the cell carries its own alignment.
The formula bar continues to show the cell's stored value, so you can still see the underlying number behind a formatted cell.
Two further improvements make large sheets easier to compare:
* **Large sheets without a strong key column.** On a sheet with more than about a thousand rows of data, where there is no reliable column to match rows on such as an ID or a reference, Draftable now matches rows by their content instead. This reduces the number of rows reported as changed when rows have simply been reordered. Smaller sheets are unaffected.
* **Very large sheets.** Draftable now measures the page it would produce for each sheet before rendering. If a sheet would exceed the maximum page size a PDF allows, it is split across several pages instead of producing a blank page in the side-by-side view. Because the setting applies to the whole workbook, one oversized sheet paginates all of them.
## How to configure settings for Excel Redline compare
Settings for the Excel Redline comparisons can be found within the Redline tab of the settings menu. There are many options specific to Redline comparisons.
Below is an explainer of each of these options:
**Compare type:** Specifies what type of content is detected within the Excel Redline comparison, these options are Values, Formulas or both.\*\*
**Detect Row Edits:** Enables detection of changes found in row edits.
**Detect Column Edits:** Enables detection of changes found in column edits.
**Show unchanged content in greyscale:** Marks unchanged content in greyscale for easier readability.
**Show formula change notes:** Turns on change notes for formula changes found within cells.
**Limit the number of changes per sheet:** Set a limit on the number of changes found within a given sheet. This setting can be toggled on or off, and if turned on, a number of changes can be specified.
# Redline comparisons
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002235946265-Redline-comparisons
Redline comparisons provide a clear and concise visual representation of changes between two documents. This article will help you understand what Redline comparisons are, how to view them in Draftable Legal, and discuss their benefits and limitations.
## What are Redline Comparisons?
Redline comparisons are a method to visually display the differences between two documents by highlighting the changes directly in the text within a single document view.
In Draftable Legal, Redline comparisons show deleted, inserted, and moved text with distinct formatting and colors that make it easy to identify modifications at a glance. Additionally Draftable Legal also offers a Redline comparison output as Tracked Changes Word document.
## How to View Redline Comparison in Draftable Legal :
To view a Redline comparison in Draftable, follow these simple steps:
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline (.pdf)** in the comparison type row
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison
After the comparison is complete, Draftable will display the results in the Redline comparison view
## Creating Redline comparison outputs:
Redline comparison outputs are useful if you wish to have a portable comparison copy. There are a few different variants of these outputs which are:
1. Redline PDF - Output of the Redline comparison as a PDF file
2. Changed Pages Only - Output of the Redline comparison as a PDF file, but only shows the pages that contain changed content
3. Word with Tracked Changes - Output of a Redline comparison converted into a Word with Tracked changes document.
As an alternative option, this topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
To create these outputs, follow the procedure below:
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline (.pdf)** in the comparison type row
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison
After the comparison is complete, Draftable will display the results in the Redline comparison view
On the top ribbon menu you can select multiple options to save your comparison.
These options are:
* **Open:** Immediately open the output in another program (PDF viewer or Microsoft Word for tracked changes).
* **Save:** Directly save the output to a location on your computer.
* **Save to DMS(As a new file or a new version):** Directly save the output to your connected DMS option (i.e. iManage account). For example; Our article on [iManage](/hc/en-us/articles/20525575831705-Running-compares-with-files-from-iManage-and-saving-outputs-to-iManage) goes in-depth on this topic\*\*.
* **Print:** Print the selected output to a printer device.
* **Copy to Clipboard:** Directly copy the output to your PC's clipboard.
* **Email:** Automatically opens your email processor and attaches the desired output to a new email. We have an [article here](/hc/en-us/articles/16115297005849-Emailing-comparison-outputs) with more information.
**Please note: This workflow is not supported for users using 'New' Outlook.**
Whichever of these you choose, the **Comparison Results** panel opens. It lists every output the comparison can produce, with a checkbox beside each one, so you can tick several outputs and produce them together. Tick **Zip files** to bundle them into a single archive, and click the pencil icon on a row to rename that file or change the options it offers. Click the button at the foot of the panel to produce your selection.
The outputs available are:
* **Redline PDF/DOCX:** This output shows the newer document and marks up all changes on top of that in the Redline view
* **Changed Pages Only:** This output shows only the changed pages between the older and newer document. It marks up all changes in the changed pages as a Redline view
* **Tracked Changes:** This output is an MS Office document with the changes shown in Track Changes (a Microsoft Office feature)
* **Changes report:** An output that generates a document that contains all changes within a series of tables, making it easy to quickly see what specifically has changed between the documents.
* **CSV Change Report:** Export the changes into a CSV file for detailed analysis or record-keeping.
* **AI-Ready Redline:** Export a portable text representation of all changes (moves, insertions, and deletions) in a format designed for generative AI tools. The output is saved as a `.md` file and can be pasted or uploaded into any AI tool. See our dedicated article on [AI-Ready Redline](/hc/en-us/articles/AI-Ready-Redline-Export-for-generative-AI-tools) for full details.
* **Original file:** An copy of the older document
* **Modified file:** An copy of the newer document
## Copying inserted or deleted text from mixed selections
When reviewing a Redline comparison in the Draftable viewer, you may select a portion of text that contains a mix of both inserted and deleted content. In these cases, Draftable provides a pair of buttons that allow you to copy only the inserted text or only the deleted text from your selection.
This is useful when you need to extract specific change content for use in emails, review notes, or other documents without manually separating the inserted and deleted portions yourself.
To use this feature:
Select a range of text in the Redline comparison viewer that includes both inserted and deleted content
A toolbar will appear above your selection with options to **Copy Inserted** or **Copy Deleted** text
Click the appropriate button to copy only the text you need to your clipboard
## Benefits of Redline Comparisons:
Redline comparisons in Draftable offer several benefits, including:
1. Clarity: By displaying the changes directly in the text, Redline comparisons provide a clear and easy-to-understand representation of the differences between the two documents.
2. Efficiency: As Redline comparisons show changes in a single page, this enables users to quickly identify and review changes, which can be more efficient compared to side-by-side comparisons.
3. Customization: Draftable allows users to [customize the formatting and colors](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) (markup schema) used in Redline comparisons, ensuring that the display meets their specific preferences and requirements.
## Limitations of Redline Comparisons:
Despite their benefits, Redline comparisons also have some limitations:
1. Complexity: In documents with a high number of changes or complex formatting, Redline comparisons may become difficult to read and navigate.
2. Non-Text Elements: Redline comparisons primarily focus on text changes
3. Missing context: Redline changes cannot provide the full context of a change in the same way as a side by side output, making some changes harder to interpret
# Redline: Compare documents and view changes in a marked-up format
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002235946266-Redline-comparisons
Redline comparisons provide a clear and concise visual representation of changes between two documents. This article will help you understand what Redline comparisons are, how to view them in Draftable Legal, and discuss their benefits and limitations.
## What are Redline Comparisons?
Redline comparisons are a method to visually display the differences between two documents by highlighting the changes directly in the text within a single document view.
In Draftable Legal, Redline comparisons show deleted, inserted, and moved text with distinct formatting and colors that make it easy to identify modifications at a glance. Additionally Draftable Legal also offers a Redline comparison output as Tracked Changes Word document.
## How to View Redline Comparison in Draftable Legal :
To view a Redline comparison in Draftable, follow these simple steps:
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline (.pdf)** in the comparison type row
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison
After the comparison is complete, Draftable will display the results in the Redline comparison view
## Creating Redline comparison outputs:
Redline comparison outputs are useful if you wish to have a portable comparison copy. There are a few different variants of these outputs which are:
1. Redline PDF - Output of the Redline comparison as a PDF file
2. Changed Pages Only - Output of the Redline comparison as a PDF file, but only shows the pages that contain changed content
3. Word with Tracked Changes - Output of a Redline comparison converted into a Word with Tracked changes document.
As an alternative option, this topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
To create these outputs, follow the procedure below:
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Redline (.pdf)** in the comparison type row
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison
After the comparison is complete, Draftable will display the results in the Redline comparison view
On the top ribbon menu you can select multiple options to save your comparison.
These options are:
* **Open:** Immediately open the output in another program (PDF viewer or Microsoft Word for tracked changes).
* **Save:** Directly save the output to a location on your computer.
* **Save to DMS(As a new file or a new version):** Directly save the output to your connected DMS option (i.e. iManage account). For example; Our article on [iManage](/hc/en-us/articles/20525575831705-Running-compares-with-files-from-iManage-and-saving-outputs-to-iManage) goes in-depth on this topic\*\*.
* **Print:** Print the selected output to a printer device.
* **Copy to Clipboard:** Directly copy the output to your PC's clipboard.
* **Email:** Automatically opens your email processor and attaches the desired output to a new email. We have an [article here](/hc/en-us/articles/16115297005849-Emailing-comparison-outputs) with more information.
**Please note: This workflow is not supported for users using 'New' Outlook.**
Whichever of these you choose, the **Comparison Results** panel opens. It lists every output the comparison can produce, with a checkbox beside each one, so you can tick several outputs and produce them together. Tick **Zip files** to bundle them into a single archive, and click the pencil icon on a row to rename that file or change the options it offers. Click the button at the foot of the panel to produce your selection.
The outputs available are:
* **Redline PDF/DOCX:** This output shows the newer document and marks up all changes on top of that in the Redline view
* **Changed Pages Only:** This output shows only the changed pages between the older and newer document. It marks up all changes in the changed pages as a Redline view
* **Tracked Changes:** This output is an MS Office document with the changes shown in Track Changes (a Microsoft Office feature)
* **Changes report:** An output that generates a document that contains all changes within a series of tables, making it easy to quickly see what specifically has changed between the documents.
* **CSV Change Report:** Export the changes into a CSV file for detailed analysis or record-keeping.
* **AI-Ready Redline:** Export a portable text representation of all changes (moves, insertions, and deletions) in a format designed for generative AI tools. The output is saved as a `.md` file and can be pasted or uploaded into any AI tool. See our dedicated article on [AI-Ready Redline](/hc/en-us/articles/AI-Ready-Redline-Export-for-generative-AI-tools) for full details.
* **Original file:** An copy of the older document
* **Modified file:** An copy of the newer document
## Copying inserted or deleted text from mixed selections
When reviewing a Redline comparison in the Draftable viewer, you may select a portion of text that contains a mix of both inserted and deleted content. In these cases, Draftable provides a pair of buttons that allow you to copy only the inserted text or only the deleted text from your selection.
This is useful when you need to extract specific change content for use in emails, review notes, or other documents without manually separating the inserted and deleted portions yourself.
To use this feature:
Select a range of text in the Redline comparison viewer that includes both inserted and deleted content
A toolbar will appear above your selection with options to **Copy Inserted** or **Copy Deleted** text
Click the appropriate button to copy only the text you need to your clipboard
## Benefits of Redline Comparisons:
Redline comparisons in Draftable offer several benefits, including:
1. Clarity: By displaying the changes directly in the text, Redline comparisons provide a clear and easy-to-understand representation of the differences between the two documents.
2. Efficiency: As Redline comparisons show changes in a single page, this enables users to quickly identify and review changes, which can be more efficient compared to side-by-side comparisons.
3. Customization: Draftable allows users to [customize the formatting and colors](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) (markup schema) used in Redline comparisons, ensuring that the display meets their specific preferences and requirements.
## Limitations of Redline Comparisons:
Despite their benefits, Redline comparisons also have some limitations:
1. Complexity: In documents with a high number of changes or complex formatting, Redline comparisons may become difficult to read and navigate.
2. Non-Text Elements: Redline comparisons primarily focus on text changes
3. Missing context: Redline changes cannot provide the full context of a change in the same way as a side by side output, making some changes harder to interpret
# Managing profiles for Redline settings
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548249-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings
Profiles are an easier way for you to switch between preset Redline comparison settings without having to manually setup the Redline settings menu for each different type of document.
You can create multiple profiles for each document use case, and even export them and send profile files to your teammates so that they can import them into their local version of Draftable Legal.
This article aims to provide end users a guide on how to create, import, export, rename and delete a profile from within the Redline settings section.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
For administrators looking to configure profiles for end users, please see [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy)
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## Navigating to the Redline comparison settings
Firstly, we need to open the settings menu, this can be done in a few ways:
1. Open settings via the Taskbar
Right-click the **Draftable** icon in the taskbar
Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
2. Or, open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
Once the settings menu is open, navigate to the Redline comparison settings. The profile management controls (Active Profile, Set as default, New, Rename, Export, Import and Delete) live at the top of this screen.
Select **Redline Profiles** under the **Compare** group in the left-hand menu. Profile management is at the top of the screen, with **Import** and **New** in the top right and the **Active Profile** dropdown, **Set as default**, **Rename**, **Export** and **Delete** below it.
Open the **Redline** section. The profile configurations are located at the top of the Redline comparisons section.
## What profiles do and do not control
Profiles hold your Redline comparison settings, such as the markup scheme, what is compared, and how tracked changes are authored.
From 26.6, a small number of output settings are **application-wide** rather than per profile. The output filename pattern, the summary page placement, the default view mode, whether comments show in three-pane view, and PDF line number stripping all now have a single value shared by every profile.
**Upgraded from a version before 26.6?** Those settings were carried across from your default profile only. Values saved on other profiles are still recorded on your machine and can be recovered. See [Recovering per-profile settings after upgrading to 26.6](/hc/en-us/articles/Recovering-per-profile-settings-after-upgrading-to-26-6).
## Configuring Redline settings Profiles
Below are all the different methods for creating, importing, exporting, renaming and deleting profiles from within the Redline comparison settings.
In 26.6 and later, each profile action is a dedicated button. **Import** and **New** are in the top right of the Redline Profiles screen, and **Set as default**, **Rename**, **Export** and **Delete** sit in a button row under the **Active Profile** dropdown. On versions before 26.6 these actions were reached through a single menu icon next to the profile dropdown.
### Creating a profile
Within the Redline comparison settings, make all the changes you require to all the different settings for your Redline comparisons. Once you have done so, create the profile.
Select **New** in the top right of the **Redline Profiles** screen.
Go to the top of the **Redline** section and select **Add profile**.
A new window will appear so you can name the profile.
Enter a **Profile name**, then select **Create**. There is no base profile to choose: the new profile inherits the settings you currently have configured, so make your changes first and they carry into the new profile.
Provide a **Name** for the profile and choose which profile the new one is based on. If you are creating a profile for the first time, the **Basic** profile you just edited is the one you need (it is selected by default). Confirm to create the profile.
Once created, you will see the new profile appear as the **Active Profile**.
The new profile becomes the **Active Profile** at the top of the Redline Profiles screen. Open the **Active Profile** dropdown and you will find it grouped under **Personal**, alongside the built-in profiles.
The new profile appears in the profile dropdown box.
### Exporting a profile
Exporting saves the profile to a JSON file that you can share with teammates.
Select the profile you want to export in the **Active Profile** dropdown, then select **Export**.
In the profile section, select the profile you want to export in the dropdown box. Then select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select **Export profile** to begin the export process.
A new window will appear so you can save the profile to your desired location. Provide the file with a name and select **Save**.
This will save the profile file as a JSON, with the given name.
### Importing a profile
Select **Import** in the top right of the **Redline Profiles** screen.
Within the profile section, select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select the **Import profile** menu option.
File explorer will open. Navigate to the location of the profile JSON file you wish to import, select the file and click **Open**.
You will be given a window like the one below if the import process was successful.
### Renaming a profile
Select the profile you want to rename in the **Active Profile** dropdown, then select **Rename**.
Within the profile section, ensure you have the profile you wish to rename selected in the profile dropdown box. Then select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select the **Rename profile** option.
A new window will appear. Rename the profile to your desired name, then confirm to apply the change.
The **Rename profile** dialog opens with the current name pre-filled. Edit the **Profile name**, then select **Rename** to apply the change.
### Deleting a profile
The built-in profiles are read-only, so **Rename** and **Delete** are disabled while a built-in profile is active. You also cannot delete the default profile or your only remaining profile. To delete one of those, set another profile as the default first, then delete it.
Select the profile you want to delete in the **Active Profile** dropdown, then select **Delete**.
Within the profile section, ensure you have the profile you wish to delete selected in the profile dropdown box. Then select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select the **Delete profile** option.
A confirmation dialog will appear. Select **Delete** if you want to confirm the deletion.
The profile will then be removed from your Draftable application.
## Setting a default profile
In 26.6 and later you can mark the active profile as the default with the **Set as default** button at the top of the Redline Profiles screen. The default profile is the one Draftable uses for comparisons unless you switch the active profile. When the active profile is already the default, the button reads **Default profile** and is disabled.
## Where the profile settings live in 26.6
Every setting you configure applies to the active profile. In 26.6 and later, the settings on the Redline Profiles screen are organised into accordions:
* **Appearance:** change type styling (colours, highlights and text styles for insertions, deletions, moved from and moved to), table cell colours and revised line markers.
* **Word:** what to compare and how Word comparisons behave.
* **Excel:** how spreadsheet comparisons behave.
* **PowerPoint:** how presentation comparisons behave.
* **Output:** the tracked changes author used for Tracked Changes output.
For a full walkthrough of these settings, see [Redline comparison settings](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings).
# Managing profiles for Redline settings
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548250-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings
Profiles are an easier way for you to switch between preset Redline comparison settings without having to manually setup the Redline settings menu for each different type of document.
You can create multiple profiles for each document use case, and even export them and send profile files to your teammates so that they can import them into their local version of Draftable legal.
This article aims to provide end users a guide on how to create, import, export, rename and delete a profile from within the Redline settings section.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**New to Redline profiles and settings?** If you don't yet understand Redline profiles or Redline settings in Draftable Legal, we highly recommend reading the [Redline Comparison Settings](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) article first. Alternatively, perform pilot testing with Draftable to understand what the settings do before rolling this out. Once you and your team have decided what profiles you want to deliver to your users, come back to this article to proceed with deployment.
For administrators looking to configure profiles for end users, please see [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy)
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## Navigating to the Redline comparison settings
Firstly, we need to open the settings menu, this can be done in a few ways:
1. Open settings via the Taskbar
Right-click the **Draftable** icon in the taskbar
Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
2. Or, open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
Once the settings menu is open navigate to the **Redline** section. Here you can access to the Redline profiles configurations, which is located at the top of the Redline comparisons section.
## Configuring Redline settings Profiles
Below are all the different methods for creating, importing, exporting, renaming and deleting profiles from within the Redline settings section.
### Creating a profile
Within the Redline Comparison section, make all the changes you require to all the different settings for your Redline comparisons. Once you have completed doing so, go to the top of the **Redline** section, select **Add profile.**\*\*
A new window will appear, you can provide a **Name** for the profile, and choose what the profile base template will be. If are creating a profile for the first time, **the Basic** profile you probably just edited will be the one you need to select (is selected by default).\*\*
Click **OK** and you will see that the profile is created in the profile dropdown box.
### Exporting a profile
In the profile section, select the profile you wish to export in the drop down box. Then select the menu icon as highlighted below.\*\*
Select **export profile**, to begin the export process.
A new window will appear to save the profile to your desired location. Provide the file with a name and select **save.**
This will save the profile file as a JSON, with the given name.
### Importing a profile
Within the profile section, select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select the **Import profile** menu option.
File explorer will open, and navigate to the file location for the profile JSON file you wish to import. Select the file and click **open.**
You will be given a window like the one below if the import process was successful.
### Renaming a profile
Within the profile section, ensure you have the profile you wish to rename selected in the profile dropdown box. Then select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select the **rename profile** option.
A new window will appear, rename the profile to your desired name. Then click **OK** to confirm the name change.
### Deleting a profile
Within the profile section, ensure you have the profile you wish to delete selected in the profile dropdown box. Then select the menu icon as highlighted below.
Select the **Delete profile** option.
A new window will appear to confirm if you want to delete the profile. Select **Delete** if you want to confirm the deletion.
The profile will then be removed from your Draftable application.
# Customizing your Draftable Legal experience
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19002262177689-Customizing-your-Draftable-Legal-experience
A guide to the Draftable Legal settings menu and what each section configures, covering both the 26.6 and later layout and earlier versions.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## Opening the settings menu
There are 3 methods that allow you to open the settings menu for Draftable Legal.
In 26.6 and later, settings open in a dedicated **Settings** tab and the entry point in the application window is a gear icon in the top right of the title bar. On earlier versions, **Settings** appears as a labelled link in the top right of the window. Select the tab that matches your version.
### Open the settings menu via the taskbar
Right-click the **Draftable Legal** icon in the taskbar
Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
### Open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the settings gear in the top right of the window
### Open the settings menu whilst viewing a comparison
Have the comparison viewer open
Select the settings gear in the top right of the window
The comparison viewer shares the same title bar as the New Comparison window, so the settings gear is in the same place, to the left of the help icon.
## Settings sections
The settings available are the same across versions, but Draftable Legal 26.6 reorganised them into a grouped menu with clearer names. Select the tab that matches your version.
Settings open in a dedicated **Settings** tab, organised into groups: **Compare**, **Files**, **Integrations**, **App**, and **Account**. Select a section in the left-hand list to open it, or use the **Search settings** box at the top to jump straight to a setting.
#### Compare
**Redline Profiles** — Configure how redline comparisons look and behave: markup colours and text styles for insertions, deletions and moves, table cell changes, and per-format options for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You can also manage comparison profiles here. See [Redline comparison settings](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings).
**Side by Side** — Configure the output and viewer options for side-by-side comparisons. See [Configuring Side-by-Side comparison settings](/hc/en-us/articles/17693437607065-Configuring-Side-by-Side-comparison-settings).
**Compare Selector** — Controls for the New Comparison screen, including whether to keep input files after comparing, smart file ordering, and where new comparisons open.
**Compare Viewer** — How the comparison viewer looks and behaves: default view mode, summary bar, change list, filter defaults and status tags.
**1-Click Compare** — Choose the default comparison type and action when you run a 1-Click comparison from File Explorer. The dropdowns are empty until you select your options. See [Using 1-Click Compare](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow).
#### Files
**Scanned Documents** — Control OCR text detection so scanned PDFs can be compared.
**Opening & Saving Files** — Set the default save location, the output filename pattern, summary page placement, and what happens when a comparison is ready (including the new **Open Word in** option for tracked-changes output).
#### Integrations
**DMS Connections** — Connect to document management systems to browse, compare and save files directly. Draftable Legal supports [iManage](/hc/en-us/sections/20525461300633-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-iManage), [NetDocuments](/hc/en-us/sections/25953160161049-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-NetDocuments), [SharePoint](/hc/en-us/sections/25458896791961-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-SharePoint), [Worldox](/hc/en-us/articles/31708233972121-How-to-enable-Worldox-integration-in-Draftable-Legal) and [Epona](/hc/en-us/sections/36945795877273-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-Epona).
**Add-ins** — Manage the File Explorer extension and the Office add-ins (Draftable for Word, Outlook and Excel) and Redline in Email.
#### App
**Language, Startup & Privacy** — Set the application language and startup behaviour, configure the global keyboard shortcut, and choose your privacy options for usage statistics and error reports.
Choose your display language from the **Language** dropdown under **Application Language**.
The following languages are available:
* English (US)
* English (UK)
* Cymraeg (Welsh)
* Dansk (Danish)
* Deutsch (German)
* Español (Spanish)
* Français (French)
* Italiano (Italian)
* 日本語 (Japanese)
* Nederlands (Dutch)
* Polski (Polish)
* Português (Portuguese)
* Tagalog
* Svenska (Swedish)
English (UK), Welsh, Danish and Italian are available from version 26.9.1.
When you change the language, Draftable asks whether to **Restart now** or **Stay in app**. Some parts of Draftable only switch to the new language after a restart.
**Help & Troubleshooting** — Contact support, run diagnostics (system check, create a safe file for sharing, check add-in certificates, clear the add-in cache), and adjust technical settings such as the DOCX to PDF and PDF to DOCX conversion engines. See [Understanding the PDF Conversion Engine Setting](/hc/en-us/articles/34177444131737-Understanding-the-PDF-Conversion-Engine-Setting-in-Draftable-Legal).
#### Account
**License** — View your license details, such as the license type, days remaining and product key, and deactivate your license.
On versions before 26.6, the settings menu is a single list of sections.
**General Settings**
General settings allows users to configure application wide options for Draftable Legal. Here, you can set your preferences for scanned documents, startup options, shortcuts and options for sending telemetry data such as usage and error reports. Importantly, this is where you can ensure that OCR is enabled.
**Redline**
The Redline settings section enables users to configure Redline comparisons to match their requirements. Here, you can adjust many settings such as comparison options, markup schema, and much more. You can read more about Redline settings [here](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings).
**Side by Side**
The Side by Side settings section allows users to personalize how their side-by-side comparisons look. This section lets you configure comparison output and viewer options. You can read about that [here](/hc/en-us/articles/17693437607065-Configuring-Side-by-Side-comparison-settings).
**1-Click Compare**
1-Click Compare allows users to select 2 documents within file explorer in Windows, and with 1-Click start a comparison. The settings page allows you to configure the default action taken for 1-Click compare. For more information, see the dedicated article [here](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow).
**Add-Ins**
Add-ins are additional components from applications that can be used in conjunction with Draftable Legal. Here, you can manage these add-ins and extensions.
**Integrations**
The Integrations settings section enables users to manage connections with document management systems. Here, you can configure the following DMS's to use Draftable Legal:
* Your [iManage](/hc/en-us/sections/20525461300633-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-iManage) account
* Your [SharePoint](/hc/en-us/sections/25458896791961-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-SharePoint) account
* Your [NetDocuments](/hc/en-us/sections/25953160161049-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-NetDocuments) account
* Your [Worldox](/hc/en-us/articles/31708233972121-How-to-enable-Worldox-integration-in-Draftable-Legal) account
**Licensing**
The Licensing section allows users to manage their Draftable Legal license. Here, you can view your license details, such as the license type, days left in the subscription, and product key. You can also deactivate your current license in this section.
**Troubleshooting**
The Troubleshooting section provides options for resolving issues with Draftable Legal. This includes exporting error log files (to share when contacting support), performing a system verification to ensure Draftable Legal will function fully, and disabling hardware graphics acceleration for troubleshooting.
**Preview**
The preview section (which can be enabled via a [specific registry key](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations)) allows you to access unreleased settings that are hidden by default in Draftable Legal. This allows you to view new features before they are completed so you may become familiar with them before they are formally released into the product.
## Need further help?
If you are having difficulty or want to learn more about Draftable Legal settings, contact our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and they will assist you in any query you may have.
# Enterprise installment for Draftable using Intune
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19521353760921-Enterprise-installment-for-Draftable-using-Intune
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service for mobile device and application management. It allows businesses to control access to company resources, manage mobile devices, and ensure data security centrally, regardless of where employees are located or their devices. It is part of Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility + Security suite.
This article will guide you through installing Draftable Legal using Microsoft Intune, and how to manage product keys via group policy. This guide will also cover an issue where Draftable Legal Machine Wide MSI doesn't install due to existing installation files. This article will explain how to diagnose this issue and apply a fix.
## Microsoft Intune Installation
If you wish to deploy the Draftable Legal application via Microsoft Intune here are the steps to be followed for successful deployment:
Adding Draftable Legal Machine Wide MSI to Microsoft Intune
Deploy Draftable Legal with Microsoft Intune
Using Intune to deploy the product key via group policy
### Adding Draftable Legal to Microsoft Intune
Before deploying the Draftable Legal application via Intune, it requires it to be added as a Windows App first. This is first done by ensuring the the Draftable Legal Machine Wide MSI is being used, and download link can be found [here](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi).
To continue this process, we recommend following the official Mircosoft Intune documentation on this process [here.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-windows-10-app-deploy)
**Include the HTTP Listener Service in your Intune package.** The HTTP Listener Service (the `HttpListener` feature) is a required component. It is installed by default, but `ADDLOCAL` replaces the defaults with exactly the list you provide, so once you use `ADDLOCAL` you must name it. When you configure the app's install command in Intune, include it, for example: `msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi /qn ADDLOCAL=StartMenuShortcut,DesktopShortcut,HttpListener,WordAddin,ExcelAddin,OutlookAddin`. See [Deployment options via MSI (System-wide) installer](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer) for the full feature list.
### Deploying Draftable Legal with Microsoft Intune
Now that Draftable Legal has been added as an app, we can deploy it via Microsoft Intune. For this process we recommend following the official Mircosoft Intune documentation on this process [here.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-windows-10-app-deploy)
### Using Intune to deploy the product key via group policy
If you wish to use Microsoft Intune to manage product keys, this can be done using group policy within Intune. For this process we recommend following the official Mircosoft Intune documentation on this process [here](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/configuration/administrative-templates-import-custom).
Alternatively you can deploy this by normal group policy method, which we have an article on [here](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal).
### Uploading Group Policy files to Intune
Latest ADMX/ADML template files used for group policy configuration with Draftable Legal and by extension via Intune can be found [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files)
Ensure where possible you are always using the latest template files to ensure you have access to the most up to date configuration group policy options.
**Note:** Ensure you only have 1 copy of the each the Draftable Legal ADMX/ADML file uploaded to Intune at any given time. If you attempt to upload a duplicate of an existing file (but with a different name) issues will occur.
### Tag the deployment for usage reporting
While you are configuring policies, we recommend also setting the **Organisation Identifier**. It tags every installation in your deployment so Draftable can produce a usage and adoption report for your organisation on request. Usage is only recorded from the point the identifier is applied and cannot be backdated, so set it as part of the rollout rather than afterwards. See [Track your organisation's Draftable usage (Organisation Identifier)](/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry).
## Draftable Legal MSI doesn't install due to existing installation files
We understand there is an existing issue where the Draftble Legal MSI won't install. This might be due to the system already containing the %localappdata%/DraftableDesktop directory, and the installer may mistakenly assume that the application has already been installed.
### Verify existing installation files
Check if the %localappdata%/DraftableDesktop directory already exists on the system by navigating to the specified location.
If the directory exists, proceed to the next step. Otherwise if this directory does not exist, get in touch with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and provide us with information relating to your issue.
### Existing installation files fix and verification
Delete the preexisting Draftable Directory before proceeding with the MSI installer. This is important if you've used the standard exe installer before.
Run the MSI installation process (either via Intune or default MSI deployment)
To verify the the installer is deployed correctly, an application named 'DraftableDesktop Deployment Tool' will be installed and listed under 'Programs and Features'.
If you have followed our fix or have in general questions regarding deployment, please get in touch with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and let us know your issue.
# Guide for iManage On-Premises integration with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/19747263579801-Guide-for-iManage-On-Premises-integration-with-Draftable-Legal
Draftable Legal allows you to integrate your iManage On-Premise solution with Draftable Legal itself. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up this integration by first configuring Draftable Legal for iManage, and then completing the iManage-specific integration in control center. Additionally there is information for Draftable Legal configuration in conjunction with group policy.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Please note:**
* This guide requires that you have installed the Draftable App for iManage in your iManage applications.
* It is recommended that **if are planning to use the Machine Wide MSI installer** for your Draftable Legal installation, we highly recommend that you use the default install location if you also plan to integrate with iManage to reduce the likelihood of any issues during the integration process.
* This is a technical integration guide written for administrator-level users. This is **not a guide** for **using iManage with Draftable Legal,** if you are looking for information on how to use iManage with Draftable Legal, please [visit this article instead](/hc/en-us/articles/16549583625241-iManage-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal).
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable deployment with iManage On-Premises, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27926474751641-iManage-On-Premise-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal)
## Configure Draftable Legal within iManage On-Premises Control Center
There are two distinct steps for Draftable iManage configuration, first we need to setup the integration from the Draftable Legal application in the iManage Control Centre, and then we need to setup the Draftable application within iManage itself.
### Configuring iManage Draftable app for on-premises
Firstly, we need to configure iManage On-Premise within control center.
This configuration has three parts. Expand the one you need — you can complete them in order, or jump straight to the part you are missing.
Login into your iManage On-Premise server, and navigate to **control center.**
On the left hand menu bar, scroll until you see **settings,** then select **applications.**
On the top right-hand side, select **Add Application.**
The following window will appear. Draftable now allows you to upload a package file, so we will select **Upload Package.**
Navigate to the following location:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Users\\AppData\Local\DraftableDesktop\current\Integrations
```
Where `` is the name of your account on the local machine, see below for an example.
Or if you are using the MSI install, the files will be located here instead
```bash theme={null}
C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable\Integrations
```
Select the **Draftable\_for\_iManage.Zip** file and click **open.**
The following screen will appear. Since we added the package the information is prefilled. Click **Authentication.**
Again the information is prefilled, except for **Allow Refresh Token,** ensure this is ticked as **Yes**. **Please** also ensure you set the **"Redirect URL"** to **["http://localhost/"](http://localhost/).** If this is not set you will experience issues with configuration as its required for correct integration with Draftable Legal.Once this is done, then click **Access.**
Again the information is prefilled, so just click **Settings.**
Again the information is prefilled, so just click **Review.**
You can set the Draftable Communication port to a different value, however, this will require you to change the value on the client end as well via group policy. If you wish to change the port value, set it here within iManage to your desired value and also set the group policy for the Draftable communication port. For the group policy information please refer to [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal)
Review the information to ensure everything appears to look right and then click **Finish.**
With the application registered, the Draftable actions now need to be added to the iManage web client context menus. Until this is done, your users will not see any Draftable options when they right-click a document.
In Control Center, on the left-hand menu bar, scroll until you see **Work Clients,** then select **Web Client.**
Within the web client section, select the **context menus** option to start editing the context menus.\
You will see two context menus, one for **Documents,** and another for **Versions.** We need to edit both in order to correctly configure. We will first configure **Documents.**
We first need to remove any options for **Select for Compare**, by clicking the X next to it. Do so before continuing to the next step.
Now click on the menu itself so it highlights, and at the bottom of the menu select **Add action**
Select the **Compare** menu item, to add it to the menu. Repeat this for **Compare Versions, 1-Click Compare** and **Compare with latest** items as well.
Reorder the new menu option by selecting and dragging the **Compare** options to anywhere in your menu. See below for reference.
That completes the context menu for the **Documents** context menu. Repeat steps 2 to 6 above for the **Versions** context menu. You should see a result similar to below.
This completes the configuration for the setup for iManage on-premises. If you want to know how to use the feature itself, of launching Draftable from within iManage, please see [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/22873285776409-Launching-comparisons-from-within-iManage)
Finally, Draftable Legal itself needs to be pointed at iManage and signed in. Follow the procedure for the version of Draftable you are running.
### Configuring Draftable Legal
Now we need to ensure that we are logging into our On-Premise iManage account. In 26.6 and later, open the settings menu and go to **DMS Connections > iManage**. In versions before 26.6, navigate to the **Integrations** section of the settings menu and select **iManage**.
Depending on what version of Draftable you are using, there are two different procedures you need to follow depending on the version.
### If you are using Draftable v25.9.300 or earlier:
Firstly, ensure you have selected the **On-premises option** within the iManage section of the integrations tab.
The **Communication Port** and **Draftable App Id** are prefilled, so you only need to add the **Service URL** of your On-Premise iManage server. **Remember,** the service URL is the link to the domain hosting your iManage on-premises link.
That concludes the iManage configuration process between Draftable Legal and On-Premise iManage.
### If you are using Draftable v25.10.000 or later
Before you can connect, you need to turn on the iManage integration. In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, find the **iManage** section, and switch on its enable toggle. The connection options and **Servers** list only appear once iManage is enabled.
Open the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **iManage** section.
Here you can manage your connection options, including **Log in at startup**, **Sign in via system browser**, **Detailed logging**, **Open uploaded docs in browser**, and **App ID**. Your iManage servers are listed at the bottom under **Servers**.
To add your on-premises server, click **Add server**. In the **Add iManage Server** dialog, enter the address of the server hosting your iManage Work environment in the **Server URL** field (for example, `https://imanage.yourfirm.com`), then click **Add Server**.
In 26.6 and later the dialog has a single **Server URL** field. There is no separate name field; the server name is taken from the URL. There is also no Cloud / On-Premises radio button any more: an on-premises deployment is simply a server whose URL points at your own iManage Work server rather than at `cloudimanage.com`. You connect and authenticate after the server has been added.
The server is added to the **Servers** list. You can add more than one server if you work across multiple tenancies, or if you need both an on-premises and a cloud environment.
Find the server you want to use in the **Servers** list and click **Connect**, then enter your iManage credentials (unless they have already been configured by Group Policy).
Once authentication succeeds, the connection is validated: the iManage header shows a green **Connected as** badge with your account, the server is marked **Connected** in the **Servers** list, and its **Connect** button changes to **Disconnect**.
The **Communication port** used by the DMS bridge has moved in 26.6. It is now set under **DMS Connections > Universal > Communication port**, where you switch on **Override default** to change it from `4764`. It applies across all DMS providers, not just iManage. If you changed the Draftable Communication port in iManage Control Center, set the matching value here (or via Group Policy).
Open the settings menu and navigate to the **Integrations** section of the settings.
Enter your credentials for your iManage account (if they haven't already been configured by Group Policy) by clicking the arrow in the "Manage endpoints" section.
You can enter the endpoint name and the endpoint URL. This is important if you are using multiple tenancies. In this case, you would select the endpoint you would've just defined.
Click **Save**. It will now add that endpoint to the **endpoint section**.
In the environment dropdown section, select the endpoint you want to connect to and click **Connect**. In this case, you would select the On-Premises endpoint you would've just defined.
Connection is validated when the "Logout" button appears and the dropdown icon greys out.
That concludes the iManage configuration process between Draftable Legal and On-Premise iManage.
### Draftable Legal integration configuration via group policy
You can also configure the integration configuration step shown at the start of the guide above via group policy for convenience to deploy across multiple user accounts.
Depending on what version of Draftable you are using, there are two different procedures you need to follow depending on the version.
### If you are using Draftable v25.9.300 or earlier:
The two configurable fields for iManage on-premise integration with Draftable are the **Enable iManage integration on Behalf of users,** **Service URL** and **Draftable App ID (or Client ID).**
You can configure this via group policy and follow the steps shown in [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal) The image below shows what these group policy settings are.
### If you are using Draftable v25.10.000 or later
The two configurable fields for iManage on-premises integration with Draftable are the, **Enable iManage integration on Behalf of users,** and **iManage endpoints (CSV).**
The first **Enable iManage integration on Behalf of users,** is just a Binary field that enables the integration for users.
The other policy that needs configuring is **iManage endpoints (CSV).**
To configure this field, ensure you provide valid URLs, separated by a ";" and a space. For example:
```bash theme={null}
https://draftable.com; https://newcompany.com; https://test_domain.com
```
**Note:** The first URL provided will be the default one that is selected by Draftable.
## Having issues with integration?
Please get in touch with our support team at [support@draftable.com,](mailto:support@draftable.com) please include all information regarding your configuration including screenshots and logs from Draftable in your reply.
10 KB
# How to run a Comparison from Microsoft Word
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20032551453593-How-to-run-a-Comparison-from-Microsoft-Word
In this article, we'll be able to guide you on how to run a Draftable Legal comparison directly from within Microsoft Word. This feature allows you to quickly start a comparison with an existing Word document without leaving the Word interface, streamlining your workflow and saving you time.
## How to run a Draftable Comparison from Microsoft Word
Start with Microsoft Word and open an existing document
Navigate to the **Draftable** tab and select it
Click **Compare**
The New Comparison window will open, with the document already preloaded for you (Note: to load the file into new comparison window, ensure the document is locally saved). Simply add the other document you wish to add to the comparison and hit **Compare**
# How to view and export ‘changed pages only’ in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20294100319385-How-to-view-and-export-changed-pages-only-in-Draftable-Legal
In this knowledge-based article, we will guide you through the steps on how to view and export only the 'changed pages' of your Redline comparisons in Draftable Legal.
This feature provides a quicker way to focus solely on the modifications between the original document and its revised version. This way, no time is wasted scrolling through unchanged parts of the documents.
**Important note:**
This feature currently only filters for pages that have substantive text changes (e.g. insertions, deletions, moved text). It will **not** show pages that have only had style changes (e.g. font changes, alignment, etc).
## Viewing Changed Pages in Draftable Legal
In Draftable Legal, you can easily view only the changed pages of your Redline comparisons, following the steps below:
Run a Redline comparison your comparison in New Comparison Window
Look for the **Only Show Changed Pages** icon in the toolbar at the top of the interface. Click on it.
This will filter your view to only show the pages where changes have occurred in your Redline Comparison.
## Exporting Changed Pages in Draftable Legal
Draftable Legal also allows you to export only the pages of your document comparison that have changes. Here is how to do it:
Run a Redline comparison your comparison in New Comparison Window
On the top ribbon of the comparison viewer, choose how you want to send the output out: **Open**, **Save**, **Save to DMS**, **Print**, **Copy to Clipboard** or **Email**. Every one of them offers a Changed Pages Only export, so pick whichever suits you. In the example below we used **Save**.
The **Comparison Results** panel opens, listing every output the comparison can produce with a checkbox beside each one. Tick **Changed Pages Only**. You can tick more than one output at a time, and tick **Zip files** to bundle them into a single archive.
To rename the file or change its options before you export it, click the pencil icon on the **Changed Pages Only** row. The row expands to show the filename box and the **First page** dropdown.
Click **Save**. You are then prompted for a location on your computer or your DMS. If you chose one of the other ribbon actions, the output opens, prints, copies or attaches itself to an email instead.
Changed pages are always written in document order, from the lowest page number to the highest.
## Including the first page
*Available from version 26.9.1*
A Changed Pages Only export normally contains only the pages where changes were detected. If the first page of the document has no changes, it is left out, which can make the export harder to identify once it has been sent on.
You can choose to add the first page back in. In the comparison viewer, on the **Changed Pages Only** output, open the **First page** dropdown and select:
* **Include first page** to add the document's first page even when it has no changes
* **Do not include** to export only the pages that changed
The choice applies to that export only. Your administrator can set the default for everyone with Group Policy. When they do, the setting in **Settings** is locked, but you can still change the choice for an individual export in the viewer.
To set your own default, open **Settings**, go to **Opening & Saving Files**, and under **Output content** turn on **Include first page in Changed Pages Only**. The per-export **First page** dropdown is only offered in the comparison viewer. Every other route to a Changed Pages Only output, including the New Comparison window, 1-Click Compare, Bulk Compare and the Office add-ins, uses this saved default.
## Changed Pages Only in Bulk Compare
*Available from version 26.9.1*
**Redline - Changed Pages Only (.pdf)** is also offered in the Bulk Compare export dialog, so you can produce changed pages output for a whole batch without running the comparisons again. It appears whenever the batch produces a PDF redline. A batch of spreadsheets or presentations, which cannot redline to PDF, does not offer it.
## When there are no changes
*Available from version 26.9.1*
If the two documents are identical there are no changed pages to produce, so no file is created. Draftable tells you this rather than reporting a failure.
In a single comparison, an information dialog says "No changes were detected, so there are no changed pages to show."
In Bulk Compare, the pair shows **No changes found** in place of the **Open** button, so you can see at a glance which pairs had nothing to report.
# Running compares with files from iManage and saving outputs to iManage
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20525575831705-Running-compares-with-files-from-iManage-and-saving-outputs-to-iManage
iManage is a document and email management software for legal, financial, and accounting professionals. It provides advanced features and an intuitive interface to securely organize, store, and collaborate on documents.
This article will show you how to start comparisons by selecting documents from iManage, and also how to save these comparison exports as outputs to iManage.
## Selecting a document from iManage to start a comparison
In the New Comparison window, click the **iManage** option.
An iManage window will open, which will allow you to navigate to your documents hosted within iManage.
Navigate to your desired matter location and click on the document you wish to load. If you would like to load a specific **version** of a document, first click on the **"i"** located at the top right where it is highlighted in the image below. Otherwise, if you just want to load the document as is, simply ensure it is highlighted and click on **select** and skip to step 4.
This opens all the details for the document which includes specific versions. Now click on the **versions** tab, then select the specific document version you wish to load into Draftable Legal
Once selected, this document will appear in the New Comparison window. You can repeat this process for the newer document
Once both documents are selected, you can start your comparison by selecting **Compare.**
## Saving comparisons outputs to iManage
When running a new comparison, ensure the Redline in Draftable option has been selected.
Once the comparison is ready, you will see the comparison window appear
You can select the "Save to DMS" on the top ribbon in the comparison window. From here you have three options
1. **Save to iManage (as a new file):** When saving to iManage, this will create a new document in an existing matter.
2. **Save to iManage (as a new version):** When saving to iManage, this will create a new version of an existing document within iManage.
3. **Save to iManage (as a new related file):** When saving to iManage, this will create a new document within iManage but also create a link to an existing document within iManage.
Additionally, you have the choice of 5 different comparison output types as well:
**Redline (.pdf or .docx):** A Redline output is a document comparison output that highlights the differences between two documents using coloured markup, making it easy to identify added, removed, or modified content at a glance.
**Changed Pages Only (.pdf):** A Changed Pages Only Redline PDF is a document comparison output that only includes pages with differences between the two documents, highlighting the modifications using colored markup for a focused review of altered content.
**Track Changes (.docx):** A Word document with Tracked Changes is a version of your document that displays all insertions, deletions, and formatting adjustments made, using Microsoft Word's built-in feature that allows you to review, accept, or reject the modifications individually.
**Changes Report (.docx or .csv):** A Changes Report is a document listing all the changes detected within the comparison. You can choose to include all changes or only changes matching your current Change List filters. Tags and notes applied to changes are included in the report. To learn more, see [Emailing comparison outputs](/hc/en-us/articles/16115297005849-Emailing-comparison-outputs).
**Departures Table (.docx):** A Departures Table is a structured, clause-by-clause summary of all changes detected between two versions of a document. Rather than showing changes inline like a traditional redline, it organizes each change into a table row under its relevant clause or subclause heading. You can choose to include all changes or only changes matching your current filters. To learn more, see [Understanding and using the Departures Table](/hc/en-us/articles/51552545500569-Understanding-and-Using-the-Departures-Table).
If you selected **Save to iManage (as a new file)** An iManage window will appear for you to select the save location. Use the location of your choice and save the export
Once you have chosen the location, ensure you have specified the **type** and **class** of the output. Once ready, click **save** and your output will be saved to iManage.
However, if you selected **Save to iManage (as a new version)** An iManage window will appear for you to select an existing document to save as the new version, and select the document you wish to create a new version of and click **select.**
Then the following window will appear.
Enter the relevant details and select **Save.**
When selecting **Save to iManage (as a new related file)**, you first be prompted to save the file in a location of your choosing.
Once the document has been saved, a second prompt will pop up, this time asking you which document you would like to relate the comparison to. Browse to the appropriate file and then hit the select button.
# How to obtain your iManage Client ID
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20542007013657-How-to-obtain-your-iManage-Client-ID
As part of Draftable Legal integration or troubleshooting, you may be required to obtain your iManage client ID for Draftable Legal to progress certain tasks. This article outlines how to obtain the client ID using the iManage control centre.
## Obtaining your iManage Client ID
Open and log into the iManage Control Centre
Scroll down on the left hand menu until you see **Applications.** Click on the **Applications** option.
The Applications section will load. Now search for the Draftable Pro Application name (This is the name that was specified for Drafatble Pro by your team). Click on the Application name to load the details.
You will find the Client ID information in the Client ID section as shown above.
# Release notes: Draftable Legal September 2024 (v2.9.0 & v2.9.1)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20835335203865-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-September-2024-v2-9-0-v2-9-1
It's been an exciting month at Draftable and we're excited to share our latest updates to the Draftable Pro license. The updated below summarize key features from versions 2.9.0 and 2.9.1.
## Enhanced algorithm for moved text
We are thrilled to provide customers with the most advanced “moved text” algorithm on the market. Our latest improvements mean customers can save time by avoiding reviewing moved (i.e. unchanged) text that was previously appearing as insertions and deletions. Our updated algorithm now shows text as having ‘moved’ (standard color markup in green) in the following scenarios:
* When text is moved within the same paragraph
* When text is moved to split from one to many paragraphs and vice versa
* When text is moved to and from tables
* When consecutive paragraphs are moved (shown together as a single change)
In addition to the above, we have also released fixes for some cases where the last row of changes were not being included as a ‘move’.
## Better reliability
### Environment testing on installation
We know our customers have a wide range of environmental settings that can impact Draftable operations. To guide customers through appropriate setup for Draftable, we have implemented a ‘local environment verification’ test (pictured). This automatically runs upon installation and is also available as a troubleshooting tool in the settings menu.
The test automatically identifies when additional steps required to complete set up. By running on installation, we help customers preempt additional steps required rather than displaying errors when they try to run compares.
### More knowledge base articles for environmental troubleshooting
As part of this initiative, we are also developing additional [Knowledge Base](/hc/en-us/categories/15749853683481-Draftable-Legal) articles. We have added 7 new articles to guide users through various additional steps to complete setup. These can be found in our [Troubleshooting section.](/hc/en-us/sections/18331107372697-Troubleshooting)
### In-app links to knowledge base articles
To make these and other guides accessible, we are also increasing the number of in-app links to our knowledge base make it easier for customers to use our product. The release features in app links to articles explaining:
* How to get started
* Redline settings
* Integration setup
* Email, print, save comparison outputs
### Smarter error messages
If Draftable users still run into unexpected issues, our support team is ready to help. Our first step is always to ask for more information so we can diagnose and fix the problem. This always includes asking for error logs that the Draftable program generates.
To solve customer problems faster, we've updated our error message (pictured) to provide users with an option to automatically generate an email to our support team and attach the error logs we need to diagnose the issue. This means faster fixes and you getting back to running comparisons sooner.
## Improved usability
Finally, in addition to the above features our latest releases also included some changes to improve usability, namely:
* Updated output filenames to match naming convention of \[‘older filename’ vs ‘newer filename’]
* Updated ribbon menu view to make it easier for users to find the ‘changed pages only’ toggle view in Draftable's PDF viewer
# Release Log: Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal
This article provides a summary log of Draftable Legal (formerly Draftable Pro) releases. It dates back to v2.5.0, which was the version that first introduced Draftable's Redline comparison algorithm into Draftable Desktop.
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Added Changed Pages Only as a Bulk Compare export option
* Added an option to include the first page in Changed Pages Only output so recipients can identify the document
* AI-Ready Redline now includes tables, footnotes, images, hyperlinks, tables of contents, content controls, and comments
* The Combined Departures Table export document now shows comments from the compared Word documents, including comments on unchanged text
*Ease of use*
* Added English (UK), Danish, Italian, and Welsh interface languages
* Draftable can now span multiple monitors and remembers its window size
* Changed Pages Only output is now ordered by page number
*Markup configuration*
* The free-text font setting now also applies to Text Only comparison output
*Performance*
* Extended the comparison worker timeout from 15 to 30 minutes for longer comparisons
*Integrations*
* iManage "Compare Versions" now opens faster by reusing the version list already retrieved
* Draftable in Office now uses your default comparison profile
* Added `latest` and `v` alias manifest URLs for administrators who prefer a moving Office add-in deployment URL
*Administrator features*
* Windows Explorer Properties > Details now shows the specific Draftable version
*Other*
* Updated the Apryse PDF conversion engine to version 12.1
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for identical files showing an error when using Changed Pages Only; Draftable now reports that no changes were detected
* Fix for a conversion error appearing after swapping sides during conversion
* Fix for comparison-ready Open or Save dialogs flashing and not honoring the "When a comparison is ready" setting
* Fix for the Compare Selector using stale redline settings after saving a profile
* Fix for license checks not polling reliably and expiry displaying incorrectly on the final license day
* Fix for Windows 11 context menu entries disappearing after uninstalling and reinstalling Draftable
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for Excel date and number formatting not matching the source workbook
* Fix for incorrect row alignment on Excel sheets without a strong key column
* Fix for very tall Excel sheets rendering blank instead of paginating
* Fix for Word LISTNUM inline numbering being split incorrectly
* Fix for tracked-changes output being blank for Word documents with a page background
* Fix for Word tables running off the page
* Fix for move detection crashing on empty runs
* Fix for PowerPoint comparisons crashing on slides with empty math runs
* Fix for Combined Departures Table clauses being counted as changed when the change could not be displayed
* Fix for corrupted exports on comma-decimal regional formats
* Fix for non-DOCX inputs requiring Microsoft Word when using the Aspose redline engine
* Fix for PDF-to-Word conversion dropping text hidden behind images
*Integration fixes*
* \[iManage] Fix for locally cached copies not being recognized as the same document as their server versions
* \[iManage] Fix for the add-in comparing the local working copy instead of the selected server version
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for "Compare Versions" from the Word add-in aborting after approximately 15 seconds
* \[DMS] Fix for the Microsoft 365 sign-in window opening behind Draftable
* \[Excel Add-in] Fix for Excel hanging while a comparison runs
* \[Office Add-in] Fix for local PowerPoint and Excel comparisons failing
* \[Outlook] Fix for unsupported attachments and inline images being sent to Draftable
**Features and improvements**
*Redline in Email*
* Office cloud fonts are now served to the Redline in Email task pane so markup typography matches the email
*Other*
* Updated the bundled .NET Windows Desktop Runtime to the latest patch
Redline in Email 3.0 requires this desktop version (or later) and a new Outlook add-in manifest. The existing v2 manifest will not update automatically. See [Release Log: Draftable Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/Release-Log-Draftable-Redline-in-Email).
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for fresh installs showing "Install Partially Succeeded" and not creating Start Menu or Desktop shortcuts
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Added the Combined Departures Table — a clause-first grid in the viewer with its own export option
* Draftable actions now appear directly in the top-level Windows 11 right-click context menu
*Integrations*
* iManage "Compare Versions" now opens a version picker instead of importing every version
* iManage compare now supports more than two versions, with multi-version comparisons opening in Timeline
* iManage "Compare with Latest" now works when you select multiple documents
* iManage 1-Click Compare now appears only when exactly two documents are selected
* iManage My Favourites shortcuts can now be selected in the file picker
* Rebuilt all VSTO and COM Office add-ins to improve reliability, and enabled add-in logging to make add-in issues easier to diagnose
* SharePoint file picker now paginates and previews listings, reducing folder-loading lag
The iManage integration package has been rebuilt (v4) and must be redeployed to iManage Work to use the new multi-version comparison behaviour.
*Ease of use*
* Tabs now resize dynamically and overflow cleanly when space is limited
* Added a docked Recent Files pane with shift/control+click range selection
* Sending content as older or newer now reuses the active Draftable tab
* Updated the "unable to complete comparison" message and added a notify-me checkbox
* Redline Viewer now reopens maximised
*Administrator features*
* The desktop MSI now installs the HTTP listener by default
* Added the `DisableWin11ContextMenu` policy to hide Draftable from the top-level Windows 11 context menu
* License activation now supports authenticated corporate proxies
*Other*
* Upgraded the Velopack updater to 1.2.0
* The Orleans runner now logs incoming request payloads
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for the export dialog header being clipped on high-DPI monitors
* Fix for the OCR setting not persisting between sessions
* Fix for duplicate preparation pipelines firing at once
* Fix for side-by-side PDF export hanging on large PDFs
* Fix for side-by-side comparison crashing the Orleans engine on large or complex PDFs
* Fix for export settings differing between single and bulk compare
* Fix for comparisons failing after sleep or resume
* Fix for locked-down machines throwing on the Orleans EventLog provider
* Fix for conversion-engine changes not taking effect until restart
* Fix for the German "Comparing" label grammar
* Fix for the Bulk Compare button being blocked after dragging a file onto an unmatched row
* Fix for the page break cleaner missing the final break
* Fix for Changes Report export failing for PowerPoint and Excel comparisons
* Fix for Changes Report being empty when Comparison Type is Side by Side in Draftable
* Fix for comments not displaying in the changelist
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for Word comments not matching when DurableIds differ
* Fix for whitespace changes inside smartTag, sdt, or hyperlink wrappers not being detected
* Fix for an error when deleting a TOC that contains an sdt in the field span
* Fix for a crash on `` in a deleted paragraph mark
* Fix for a crash while parsing document style strings
*Integration fixes*
* \[Word Add-in] Fix for SharePoint paths containing spaces or "+" not resolving
* \[Word Add-in] Fix for the first of two open documents being dropped from a comparison
* \[Office Add-in] Fix for PowerPoint and Excel selection comparison failures; Excel extracts now include calculated values
* \[SharePoint] Fix for sign-in not recovering after a failure
* \[Epona] Fix for personal OneDrive documents not resolving through the SharePoint integration
* \[Epona] Fix for the first comparison of a session failing at Office validation, which masked the underlying error
**Bug fixes**
*Integration fixes*
* \[Redline in Email] Fix for licensing when running from the Windows service
**Features and improvements**
*Performance*
* Comparisons are now significantly faster, especially when running several comparisons in the same session.
*Accuracy*
* More accurate table comparisons when tables have been split or combined between the two documents.
*Ease of use*
* Renamed the "Smart file ordering" setting to "Automatic version ordering" and added a supporing label, with no change to behaviour.
*Administrator features*
* New admin policy to disable the iManage "open your browser to sign in" pop-up across an organization.
*Redline in Email*
The following changes are to the underlying technology that powers Redline in Email and do not require a separate add-in update:
* Added support for auto-updating deployment
* Added an option to ignore images during HTML comparison
*Other*
* Changes Report returned to Excel and Powerpoint comparisons
* Document engine updated to Aspose.Words 26.6 for improved output fidelity
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for Excel redline header bars flickering or disappearing
* Fix for custom output filenames not being retained when settings are upgraded
* Fix for Bulk Compare progress not reaching 100%
* Fix for shift-click range selection of changes not working on the first attempt
* Fix for pages not displaying correctly after using the "Changed pages only" filter
* Fix for the OCR setting not being remembered between sessions
* Fix for an incorrect "Start a Trial" link
* Fix for a duplicate "New Comparison" tab and an unwanted welcome pop-up on managed or GPO installs where disabled by policy
* Fix for the Windows Service version endpoint
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for garbled text appearing in some comparisons
*Integration fixes*
* \[SharePoint] Fix for the unresponsive "Authorize" button, with general reliability improvements
* \[iManage] Fix for saving to iManage on locked-down or secure tenants
**Upgrading to 26.06? Your settings and policies carry over.** The Settings interface is rebuilt, but it reads from the same Group Policy and registry sources as before, so your managed values apply unchanged. Two checks for IT admins, only if they apply to you:
* **Remove the `AfterCompareSaveDestination` policy** — it no longer exists in 26.06 and has no effect. Set the save destination via the Output / Opening & Saving settings instead.
* **Check your default redline view mode** — Redline now supports only Inline and ThreePane. If a policy sets Side-by-side or Single document, update it to a supported value, otherwise it silently falls back to Inline.
Everything else carries over with no action needed. For full details of policy changes across versions, see the [Group Policy Changelog](/hc/en-us/articles/draftable-legal-group-policy-changelog). To confirm your policy set, [contact Draftable Support](https://support.draftable.com).
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Changes Report export restored for PowerPoint and Excel Redline
*Ease of use*
* Rebuilt settings interface with logical grouping, iconography, and clearer labeling to make it easier to understand what each setting does and where to find it
* In-app settings search navigates directly to section headings and their related controls
* Auto-pairing now uses DMS version data when adding files, available in both Single and Bulk modes
* Added a Ctrl+T keyboard shortcut to open a new comparison
* Unified Recent Files picker now available across both Single and Bulk modes
* Swap-sides button added to every comparison mode, with clear-all available in Single mode
* The "update ready" notification no longer repeats on every launch
*Markup configuration*
* New "Open Word In" setting to open Track Changes and Redline DOCX output in Reviewing (default) or Edit mode
*Integrations*
* Optional system-browser sign-in for iManage, which helps where Microsoft Entra Conditional Access blocks the embedded browser
*Administrator features*
* Headless license activation via the EXE using `DraftableDesktop.exe --activate-license ""`
* New admin policy to hide the "Create New Email" button when using Redline in Email
* Application updates now always apply deltas, reducing download sizes on slow or metered connections
*Accuracy*
* Inserting or deleting a single row in an Excel file no longer causes all subsequent rows to appear as changed — only the actual inserted or deleted row is shown
*Other*
* Embedded browser engine updated to CefSharp 147 for the latest security patches
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for the Cancel Export button not responding in Bulk Compare
* Fix for the Combined Departures Table being offered in many-to-one mode, where it does not apply
* Fix for a crash in TextOnly Quick Compare
* Fix for action buttons being truncated in the Compare Selector
* Fix for the last row being clipped in the Compare Selector
* Fix for the Recent Files dialog appearing behind the Compare Selector
* Fix for incorrect Add button text in the Compare Selector
* Fix for One-to-Many headers not staying fixed when swapping sides
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for comparisons failing on documents containing corrupt embedded images
* Fix for deleted section properties not inheriting correctly in Word redline output
* Fix for tables embedded in pictures not being compared correctly
* Fix for row-merge markup in Word redline output
* Fix for hidden numbered paragraphs causing misaligned redlines
* Fix for PDF text extraction on very wide, slightly rotated bounding boxes
* Fix for a grammar and spacing edge case involving misplaced spaces
*Integration fixes*
* \[iManage] Fix for the debug-logging toggle not persisting across sessions
* \[Outlook] Fix for the add-in Help link pointing to the wrong knowledge base article
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for the navigation path incorrectly including the workspace ancestor
**Features and improvements**
*Other*
* Removed an obsolete .NET 10 runtime check from the installer
**iManage sign-in may be blocked for organisations using Microsoft Entra Conditional Access with device-compliance policies.**
Starting with v26.4.0, the iManage integration uses an embedded Chromium browser for sign-in (replacing the previous .NET library, which does not support the modern .NET platform Draftable has moved to). Organisations that enforce device compliance via Conditional Access may find that Microsoft blocks the sign-in because the embedded browser does not carry the Microsoft SSO extension present in Edge or Chrome.
**This should be fixed in v26.6.0**, which adds an optional system-browser sign-in for iManage. Switching iManage sign-in to the system's default browser uses Edge or Chrome (with the Microsoft SSO extension present) and avoids the embedded-browser block. If you continue to experience this problem after upgrading, please [contact Draftable Support](https://support.draftable.com) for assistance.
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Three Bulk Compare modes now available from the starting screen: Matched Pairs, One-to-Many, and Timeline
* New Timeline mode runs a sequence of comparisons through document versions in order (v1 → v2, v2 → v3, v3 → v4, …)
* Add and change versions for DMS files (iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint) across all comparison modes — on the older side, newer side, or both
* New Combined Departures Table export for One-to-Many and Timeline mode comparisons
* Older and newer input files can now be included as DMS links (iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint) when emailing comparison output, instead of as file attachments
*Markup configuration*
* Improved footnote numbering accuracy in Redline and Tracked Changes output, now configurable as a redline profile setting
*Accuracy*
* Cleaner page-break handling reduces false-positive page breaks in PDFs
* Textbox content no longer cropped in converted PDFs
* Fine-tuned line-number stripping and first-page rendering for California pleading documents
*Ease of use*
* DMS Versions dialog preserves older/newer side positions when selecting a version
* Excel and PowerPoint redline now default to xlsx and pptx export formats
*Administrator features*
* Changes Report hidden from export menus by default; admins can re-enable via registry
* Admin-installed add-ins now shown in the Settings UI
*Other*
* Upgraded log4net to address a security advisory
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for "Changed Pages Only" not working correctly in the Viewer
* Fix for missing password and file-error prompts in Bulk, One-to-Many, and Timeline modes
* Fix for excessive page count increases in Redline comparisons
* Fix for excessive margin space added during PowerPoint redline export
* Fix for tab-switch flicker in the comparison viewer
* Fix for add-in footer button overlap
* Fix for redline export failing when the previous save location had a long-path prefix (Dropbox / virtual folders)
* Fix for One-Click Compare invocations accumulating into a single session instead of running independently
* Fix for "Determining Changed Pages..." getting stuck on the Changed Pages ribbon
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for reserved footnote IDs in strict-schema documents
* Fix for hyphen-only changes not being detected in side-by-side compare
* Fix for stray instrText when accepting complex field deletion
* Fix for empty hyperlinks in comments causing decoder crashes
* Fix for HTML list parsing ("Expected Item in Unordered List")
* Fix for Excel password exception variant from Aspose.Cells
* Fix for first w:vanish paragraph numbering with non-empty content
* Fix for invisible characters interfering with the del-ins shifter
* Fix for out-of-bounds lookup in table column consolidation
* Fix for sdt elements appearing in comments
*Integration fixes*
* \[Office Add-in] Fix for older/newer files being converted to PDF when emailing
* \[Word COM Add-in] Fix for documents with unsaved edits no longer prompting to save
* \[Word Add-in] Fix for iManage Work cache files not being recognised as DMS files
**Features and improvements**
*Draftable in Office*
* Improved responsiveness when opening older Excel files (.xls)
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for custom footnote marks not being preserved in redline output
* Fix for "Changed Pages" export option being hidden intermittently
*Integration fixes*
* \[SharePoint] Fix for infinite spinner when sign-in fails to appear
*Draftable in Office fixes*
* Improved handling of DMS files
* Fix for "Compare Open" not working for Word
* Fix for "Comparison Failed" errors when using worksheet or slide selection in Excel and PowerPoint
* Fix for error when emailing comparison output
* Fix for "Comparison Failed" error when comparing DMS files in Word
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Upgrade Aspose family to 26.02
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* New AI-Ready Redline exports comparison in a portable, AI-optimized text format
*Accuracy*
* Advanced redline option to suppress small move detections within larger edits
*Administrator features*
* Added troubleshooting setting to clear the Add-ins cache
*Integrations*
* Outlook Add-in and Redline in Email now supported in Citrix and Remote Desktop environments
**Bug fixes**
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for page rotation being applied twice on paths
*Integration fixes*
* \[iManage] Fix for blank Draftable screen appearing when comparing a file from Word
**Features and improvements**
*Ease of use*
* Open in Track Changes (Reviewing) mode by default when using open/save as Tracked Changes in Word
* Added buttons to copy inserted or deleted text when selecting a section containing both types of changes
* Drag and drop files into Draftable is now supported when launched from OnePractice
*Integrations*
* \[Word Add-in] Fix for file name not being read correctly
*Bulk Compare*
* Added support to clear files after running Bulk Compare when the general setting is enabled
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for settings window update status not reflected in UI; update can be interrupted
* Fix for Draftable Clean license activated in Compare working as Standard Business license
* Fix for reserved characters not accounted for when ignoring whitespace
*Integration fixes*
* \[iManage] Fix for opening files into Word from iManage causing an unnecessary Draftable prompt
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Text-only compare generally available
* Smart file ordering generally available
* Exclude comments from side-by-side comparison
* DOCX text transform: handle comments
*Ease of use*
* Prevent lag in text-only preview for long text
* Enable swap button when there is only one document in the launcher
* Change bulk 'Export' modal header to "Export your files"
* Add Logs tab inside the application
*Performance*
* Improve speed of PDF compatibility transform
* Upgraded to Tungsten OCR 2025
*Integrations*
* \[SharePoint] Support Group Policy for 'enable heavy usage mode'
* \[iManage] Support new iManage Co-Authored documents from MS Word
*Other*
* Refactor: make IOutputExporters responsible for name trimming
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for 1-Click Compare operations initiated via CLI incorrectly tracked as "Compare" instead of "QuickCompare" in telemetry
* Fix for inconsistent behavior with 'Locked down' redline profiles
* Fix for Text Preview being shown for Business license when it should not
* Fix for WPF Progress binding causing read-only property exception in Direct Export window
* Fix for presentation layout for RTL languages
* Fix for emailing output attaching the wrong original file after using refresh feature for DMS inputs
* Fix for UI issues in the "Improve Draftable" window
* Fix for false negative info about Add-in failure when using MSI installer
* Fix for Track Changes Compare email and copy to clipboard issue
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for empty paragraphs in slide alignment
* Fix for block-level bookmarks during complex field processing
*Integration fixes*
* \[iManage] Fix for integration commands not working, requiring multiple logins to run comparisons
* \[SharePoint] Fix for pagination in SharePoint API
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for documents given wrong file format when sent to application from NetDocs
**Bug fixes**
*Integration fixes*
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for NetDocuments connection intermittently failing with 401 Unauthorized
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Live redline preview for text input comparisons
* Text-only comparison profile \[preview feature only]
*Ease of use*
* Side-by-side comparison exports now include embedded change log
* New 'Adjust Comparison' ribbon to switch/swap/refresh versions from within the Draftable Redline Viewer
*Integrations*
* \[iManage] Advanced support for multiple tenants
* \[Word Add-in] Exclude files from NetDocuments to use local copy when triggered from Compare with Latest
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for OCR being unavailable when Office is not installed
* Fix for 1-Click not working when compare selector is already opened
* Fix for issue where saving a DOCX after Tracked Changes comparison on a document named \*.pdf produces a PDF file
* Fix for invalid/broken Knowledge Base links
* Pinned taskbar icon now maintains visual icon after upgrade (no longer points to MSI-cached icon path)
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix to tolerate malformed lvlText in numbering definitions
*Integration fixes*
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for check in to NetDocs taking up to 30 minutes to execute
* \[NetDocuments] Fix to ensure proper wait for initialization of the COM interface
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for NetDocuments and the Compare All documents option in Word Add-in
* \[Word Add-in] Fix for "Compare with latest" to follow same logic as command in DMS
**Features and improvements**
*Ease of use*
* Bulk Compare: Adjusted spacing and alignment in UIs
* Added setting that updates UX to allow dual window UX
* Ability to only show header changes once (on first page with header)
*Integrations*
* Draftable in Outlook UI: Fixed duplicated labels
* Draftable in Office: Allow users to compare files within Outlook without using Draftable's interface
*Bulk Compare*
* Added support for Redline in Excel and Redline in PowerPoint when running bulk compare
*Departures Table*
* Notes and Tags now appearing in review notes for comments
*Other*
* Upgraded Aspose.Slides to 25.11
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for error dialog when opening comparisons in new tab caused by 3-Pane view task
* Fix for inability to trigger export action if any of the documents is not ready
* Fix for Changed Pages export stuck in "Still Preparing" state (intermittent)
* Fix for Save as Track Changes being removed from Draftable Desktop SBS outputs
* Fix for Bulk Compare: Opening completed files not responding
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for Redline Settings for Online compare showing inside Draftable Comparison Output Viewer
* Fix for Office Add-in drag-drop sending concatenated URLs causing comparison failures and IPC thread blocking
* Fix for splitting surrogate pairs in delIns cleanup
* Fix for list marker change events in pptx speaker notes
* Fix for layout misalignment in colourised document transformation
* Fix for numbering mismatch with w:vanish paragraphs when compareHiddenText=false
**Bug fixes**
Fix for watermark appearing on PDF outputs
**Features and improvements**
*Accuracy*
* Updated algorithm to improve changed text position around deleted paragraphs
* Added support for comparison of smart-tag content
*Markup configuration*
* Added new Redline setting Profile option to 'ignore whitespace changes'
*Integrations*
* Draftable in Office: Added support for a new Modern JS add-in for Microsoft Office that allows full comparison workflows with Draftable inside of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
* Draftable for Office (file loading add-in):
* Added support for sheet / cell range loading in Excel and specific slide loading in PowerPoint
* Updated DMS files to display filename / ID / version in "Compare Open" screen instead of file-paths
* Outlook: Added the ability for administrators to customize the body text when Draftable generates emails in MS Outlook
*Ease of use*
* Always open to user's non-maximized window size when starting Draftable
* Added a new setting that opens the comparison viewer in a new tab (rather than same tab)
*Administrator features*
* Created a new MS Office add-in deployment instruction page with live links to latest manifest
**Bug fixes**
*Application fixes*
* Fix for missing PDF format option for Changes Report in Side by Side comparisons
*Algorithm reliability fixes*
* Fix for 'unable to compare' due to overlaps in move detection
* Fix for 'unable to compare' due to malformed svg content
* Fix for 'unable to compare' due to mismatched block- and run-level sdt markers
* Fix for 'unable to compare' due to preprocessing issues with textbox content in TOC
* Fix for issue with sync scrolling in Side by Side comparisons with threaded runners
*Integration fixes*
* \[Outlook] Fix for issue impacting the compare actions in Draftable's Outlook JS add-in
* \[iManage] Fix for issue causing actions from iManage in browser to fail
* \[SharePoint] Fix for issue causing drag & drop and launch compare from SharePoint to fail
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for issue with recent iManage integration update in 25.10.100 causing switching functionality between tenants to fail
* Fix for issue causing redline in email copy command to fail
**Features and Improvements**
*Administrator features*
* iManage configuration improvement
* Updated on premise configuration and easier switching between iManage tenants for Global team collaboration, see here for details
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for issue causing error when emailing redlines from Draftable
* Fix for issue where comparing text input vs text file is crashing the app
**Features and Improvements**
*Accuracy and reliability*
* Implemented Apryse library for PDF to Docx conversions (used in preprocessing PDF input files) and set this library to default for all users and organizations.
*Integrations*
* Word, Excel & PowerPoint: Modern Microsoft Office JavaScript (JS) add in for file loading from Office applications into Draftable – download via [https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.17.0.0/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.17.0.0/manifest.xml)
*Redline in Email*
* Added Accept/Reject All option into add-in to streamline email review workflows
* Added a "report a bug" button in the add in to assist error reporting and troubleshooting
* Improved the logic for automatic selection of baseline email when using "Compare against earlier email" command
*Administrator features*
* Added ability for Organizations to opt in to add an organization-level GUID to product telemetry to allow usage data reporting to administrators
* Update to enforce logging telemetry when adding new settings (if telemetry is enabled by the organization)
**Bugfixes**
* Fix for issue where images were causing an error in new Outlook
* Fix for occasional filename UI collision in redline viewer outputs
* Fix for issue corrupting redline in email comparisons due to sentinel values
* Fix for Redline in Email issue where the "Change Baseline" button was not working
* Fix for issues in Excel Redline where the comparison produced a corrupt xlsx file
* Fix for failed PowerPoint redline due to gradient colors not being handled in the pptx conversion to greyscale colors
* Fix to update dialog to avoid cutoff text
* Fix to avoid table column changes interacting badly and resulting in poor layout
* Fix for issue causing comparison results to open in the most recent Draftable window instead of the source tab
* Fix for issue where numbering in Redline in Draftable was incorrect when comparing RTF filetypes
* Fix for pre-processing failure when an invalid output type was selected
* Fix for issue impacting NetDocuments users comparing files loaded via NetDocuments or Draftable Word add-in due to special characters
**Features & improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Redline in Email: Stop embedding images to reduce frequency of limitation when creating new email (popup warning that email is larger than 32KB)
*Accuracy & quality*
* Improved "Draftable Engine" for PDF to Docx conversion and moved from "Preview" to "General" settings option
*Ease of use*
* Support for foreign language display in the Draftable User Interface (French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Tagalog, Portuguese, Swedish, Japanese)
* Allow users to reduce the window size of Draftable to fit into 1/4 of standard laptop screen
*Administrator features*
* Add telemetry to window sizing changes
* Include Excel and PPT when locking profile settings as an admin
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for issue where Draftable was failing to remember the user preference for window sizing
* Fix for issue where detaching a tab breaks the original window workflow
* Fix for issue causing failure to clear selection in Text Decoration settings
* Fix for issue where comparison summary information misclassifies table edits
* Fix for Side by Side algorithm parameters not reaching text alignment stage, resulting in moved text not showing as moved
* Fix for Word Add-in Not properly parsing file names with "&" symbol
* Fix for Epona file loading where files are not parsing the filename in a way that is windows compatible
* Fix for issues where invalid codepoints when normalizing text resulted in failure to compare
* Fix for false positive (showing change where no change occurred) in numbered lists due to bookmark causing revision acceptor to drop numbering
* Fix for Telemetry system issue where Original file type was not logged in the compare execution log
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for issue with Draftable Word add-in causing a pop up to appear asking users to save changes to normal.dotm template
**Bug fixes**
* Redirect draftable legal subscription link to current url
**Features & improvements**
*Ease of use*
* Allow users to resize Draftable window to original minimum (before 25.8.0 update)
*Performance*
* Added a Preview feature that optimizes comparisons to enable faster comparisons for shorter documents
*Administrator features*
* Add a setting to turn on extra logging from CEF for troubleshooting
* Added new Telemetry logging for the source of files loaded into Draftable (e.g. Local, DMS)
*Integration functions*
* SharePoint:
* Added new setting (in Integrations section) that allows detection of Major / Minor versions and only display major versions in version history
* Improved performance of SharePoint search
**Bug fixes**
* NetDocuments: Fix for issue impacting Compare with Latest command (path for domain-profile folders not being recognized)
* Fix to ensure "Compare with Latest" command in the Draftable Ribbon in Word does not appear for local (non-DMS) documents
* Fix for error when emailing 5 or more files from Draftable
* Fix for issue causing the Draftable Excel Add-in to fail to install properly via MSI
* Fix for issue when selecting iManage document as Older/Newer via Draftable Word add in
* Three fixes for document-specific issue causing 'unable to compare' error
* Fix for issue impacting ability to resize window when on comparison tab
* Update to stop modification of Normal.dotm to cleanup old context menu command for "compare text in Draftable" via registry setting to avoid popup from Word add in when closing any word documents
**Features & improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Added Changes Pages Only (PDF) output as an option in the Comparison Type menu, in 1-Click Compare workflows and in Bulk Compare mode
* Added Departures Table as a Comparison Type option and 1-Click Compare workflow option
*Quality & Accuracy*
* Refined logic used for triggering OCR in 'auto' mode to ensure it runs in cases where input documents have some machine-readable text
* Updated algorithm to handle comparison of textboxes/tables inside \
elements
* Cleanup mixed numbering to text false positives
*Ease of use*
* Redesigned application UI and UX
* Merged New Comparison Window, Comparison Viewer, Settings Menu and Progress Bar into a single window
* New comparisons open in tabs instead of multiple windows
* New comparisons can be started in new tabs
* Updated component design to modern rounded corners
* Increased font and iconography sizes for improved legibility
* Added logic to automatically order non-DMS files as older and newer based on filename, file metadata (Preview Feature)
* Remember the expanded / collapsed state of the comparison summary panel when switching between Redline and Three Pane views in the Comparison Viewer
*Integration functions*
* iManage:
* Update to support new Drag & Drop API in latest iManage SDK update
* Outlook:
* Updated Draftable's modern JS Outlook add-in to include functionality for file loading, text loading and 1-Click commands (removing the need for the COM add-in)
* Notify users when 'copying' redlined emails to paste with source formatting
* Epona:
* Allow users to decide how Compare Latest is working with subversions
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for long lines not wrapping when converting txt to pdf for comparison
* Fix to Handle listnum field with invalid level
* Fix for NetDocsEchoPrefix registry value isn't expanded or normalized, leading to path for domain-profile folders not being recognized
* Fix for Summary page style not being updated when switching profiles in the Viewer
* Fix for zip corruption with empty xml parts
* Fix for issue when 'unhiding' unchanged pages in viewer
* Fix for unknown error when Opening, Saving and Emailing PDF Redline on Excel comparison files
* Word Add-in: Fix to avoid hanging when the document is completely empty
* Fix for Changes Report Error (opening, saving, copy and email) when file has a long filename
* Added new Troubleshooting setting to turn on extra logging from CEF
**Features and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Redline in Email
* Update to ensure empty paragraph edits are visible
*Ease of use*
* Added the ability to rerun (refresh) a comparison from the viewer, with updates to input files automatically shown when input files are synced to DMS
* Added ability to switch profiles from the viewer (i.e. after running the comparison) via a new command in the ribbon menu
* The Comparison Viewer Windows now default to maximized state
**Bug fixes**
* Improved performance for MSI installs
* Fix that cleans cached values in header/footer numbering fields to ensure page numbers in footers compare correctly
* Improvement in initialization process of the Draftable application to identify potential looped process and notify user
* Fix to ensure text emphasis styles are applied properly to summary page and comments
* Fix for notes and tags on moved text not appearing in Departures Table output
* Fix to ensure moved object changes or changes in bullet lists with non-standard bullets are shown in the PowerPoint Redline Change List
**Feature and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* Added Accept/Reject functionality to Redline in Email Outlook add-in
*Markup Configuration*
* Allow multiple text decorations (e.g. Bold & Underline) to be used in markup schemas
*Accuracy*
* Updated Tungsten Automate OCR Configuration (Powered by OmniPage OCR) to improve pdf recognition and OCR performance
*Quality*
* Added new setting (off by default) that automatically accepts table layout changes when exporting to tracked changes to avoid these bubbles being left in on the right hand side of the doc
*Integration functions*
* Word Add-in: improved design to avoid Normal.dotm warning popup caused by interaction with NetDocuments Outlook add-in
* iManage: New behavior when saving comparison outputs from the Draftable viewer to default to location of last selected document
*Ease of use*
* Added ability to use default of Ctrl+leftarrow and Ctrl+rightarrow keyboard shortcut to navigate to next change, with additional shortcut options available in Settings menu
**Bug fixes**
* Fix to endure Redline in Email is working when Http Listener is installed as Windows Service
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for issue when Saving as attachment is not working
* \[NetDocuments] Fix for issue impacting ability of Draftable to identify that some documents loaded via the Draftable Word add-in as being from NetDocuments
* Fix to restore ability to export Redline outputs to docx format in Next Action menu
* Fix for issue causing "export logs" troubleshooting command to fail
* Fix to ensure the 'Select Version' behavior is loading the correct side (older or newer) depending on which side the 'select version' command was used on
* Fix for issue impacting punctuation in Changes Report when exported as a .CSV file
**Feature and improvements**
*Core Functionality*
* Allow users to compare PowerPoint files using "Redline in Draftable" and review changes in a new Draftable PowerPoint viewer with a clickable, filterable change list
* Improved handing of "capitalization" style in case-sensitive comparisons
*Integration functions*
* Outlook add in: Allow users to use "1-Click Compare" in Outlook for email attachments
* Word add in: Support for locally saved changes when loading DMS (iManage & NetDocuments) files via the Draftable Word add in
**Bug fixes**
* Fix to ensure tooltip for the Draftable System Tray icon is working properly
* Added support to handle malformed LISTNUM instructions to resolve failed comparison
* Fix for unable to compare due to serialization of nested complex field instructions
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for issue in backward compatibility of Moved Text Decoration settings (underline, strikethrough) in Administrator-created Profiles set up prior to November 2024 (before v24.11.0)
**Feature and improvements**
*Core functionality*
* New update to enable Redlining of emails directly in Outlook via new modern JS add in – see here for details on how to deploy the new Redlining in Outlook add in
*Markup customization*
* Added new setting to remove comments from input files for 3 pane view
*Integration functions*
* Word:
* Added new command in Word select files to load from all open word files
* Outlook:
* Draftable now includes the user profile's email signature when generating emails
* NetDocuments:
* Add next action to save as attachment to original or modified document
* Support for locally edited files from Word
* Add setting option to save comparison outputs as "checked in" by default
*Administrator function*
* Updated System Verification of OCR to use Tungsten Automate (Powered by OmniPage OCR) instead of Word
* Added version information to ADML and ADMX templates
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for unable to compare issue caused by numbering alignment shortcut
* Fix for issue when markup settings show no color for changes in table cells
* Fix to issue causing bulk comparisons to run slowly
* Fix to enable a user's OneDrive files to be loaded via Word add-in without the SharePoint integration enabled
**Bug fixes**
* Properly handle Install desktop shortcuts on install
* Fix for issue causing "Email logs" troubleshooting command to fail
* Fix for missing numbering reference leading to failed comparison for specific documents
* Fix for issue causing both 1-Click Compares and Bulk Compares to fail when generating Side-By-Side outputs
* Fix for issue causing exports of Tracked Changes via Draftable viewer to fail when input files are PDFs
**Features & Improvements**
* Bulk Compare: Now ensures the Draftable window resizes correctly after toggling off a bulk compare
* iManage: Add option to remove 'save as related file' as next action option
* Added a setting to keep comments when they are removed when accepting tracked changes
* Bulk Compare: Improvements to file export workflows for bulk compare
* Word add-in: Added a new 'Compare with Latest' option to Word add-in
* NetDocuments: Support selection and correct identification of Subversions
* OCR: New Tungsten Automate OCR engine (Powered by OmniPage OCR) now used for improved OCR on documents
* Excel Redline Viewer: Added support to allow Excel Redlines to be outputted as a PDF files via email / print / save output options from the Excel Redline viewer
* Added the ability for administrators to create custom tags for the change list within the comparison viewer
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed scenarios where invalid background requests cause following requests to fail
* Various fixes to comparison handling when comparing documens
* Fixed issue to prevent Draftable from freezing when updating
* Output filenames wasn't working in files with same filename has been fixed
* Fixed issues with Redline comparisons not working when using rtf file as the input file
**Bug fixes**
* Fix to errors in group policy not working
**Features and improvements:**
* Add settings UI for table cell highlight
**Bugfixes**
* Added Excel redline settings migration fix
**Features and improvements:**
*Troubleshooting*
* Improved Draftable troubleshooting, by grouping temporary files by comparison
* Removed the warning "One or more documents are in an older format" for easier clarity
*1-Click Compare*
* Improvements to 1-Click error dialogue to be clearer and more helpful
*Comparison and export improvements*
* Updated the Changes Report table to fill the entire width of a page in MS Word
* UI change, now the right hand side menu in the comparison viewer will be "sticky" between sessions (e.g. to collapse the change list by default)
* Added support for setting to ignore curly and straight apostrophes as well as quotation marks in comparisons
*Administrator features*
* Add ability for administrators to create custom tags for the change list in comparisons
* Support admin installed Add-ins information within the Draftable settings menu
*Other*
* Created Long Term Support (LTS) Deploy Pipeline / Release
* SharePoint
* One Click command should use the new command
**Bug fixes:**
* Created a fix for large bulk compares sometimes hit runner process timeouts and stall
* Fix to comment indexing in change list generation
* Created fix where files couldn't be loaded with resource error from a shared drive
* Departures Table:
Columns inconsistent in the email body, table formatting issues
* Unable to open Redline in excel issue has been fixed
* Fixes for handle numPicBullet definitions that use mc:AlternateContent blocks
* False positive paragraph change due to bookmark tag in table
* Added fix for file type icon at top of the viewer not displaying as PDF when PDF input files compared
* Added fixes for Draftable to handle pagination in SharePoint API
* Added fix for System Verification step for "Microsoft Windows: Context menu" fail when installed for system
* Fixes for text compare not working
**Features and Improvements**
*Core functionality* Departure Table: Now released to all users with:
* Improved output formatting,
* Ability to export Departures Table to email body with or without change list filtering
* Ability to extract inline comments in Departures Table
Excel Redline improvements
* Include worksheet name in "Location" column of Changes Report for Excel Comparisons
* Improve legibility for Excel Viewer when formula change border is shown
* Show redlined text from change in Changes Report from Excel Viewer
*Accuracy and Quality improvements*
* Improved algorithm for comparing Text Boxes
* Improved algorithm for PowerPoint Redline comaprisons
*Markup Configuration*
* New option to ignore changes to headers and footers in Changes Pages Only
* Improved visibility of changes for vision impaired users by adding the option to highlight changed text to mark up schema
*Ease of use*
* Added Comparison Summary Data to the top of the Comparison Viewer, added setting & GPO for showing / hiding by default
* Added the ability for 1-Click Compare to 'automatically select the two most recent versions' when using 1-Click Compare in Document Management Systems
*Administrator features*
* Updated for Http Listener service to prepare for release of new Outlook modern add-in for Redlining in in email
**Bug fixes**
* Fix to avoid truncating custom.xml when writing metadata.
* Fix for Changes Report being exported as html when docx selected
* Fix to avoid failure to generate Changes Report on moves within textboxes
* Fix for exported/saved zip contents missing file extensions
* Fix for unable to compare error due to footnoteColumns attribute in section properties
* Update to MSI installer to fix missing iManage integration package
* Fix for issue where Native office compare options were not working
* Fix for issue where comparisons are showing changes in Text Boxes even when 'Text boxes' are deselected in Redline settings
* Fix for PDF compatibility mode flattening numbering indentation, leading to all numbered content being incorrectly set at the same level
* Fix for unable to compare issue caused by issue saving files with macros in preprocessing
* fix for issue where deleted paragraphs inheriting wrong paragraph properties (e.g. headings)
* Fix for issue where all file icons were appearing as pdf in Bulk Compare
* Fic for Redline Change List generation crashing due to unhandled instrText.
* Fix for unable to compare error due to table compare issue
* Fix for PowerPoint Redline "Rearrange overlapping edits" behavior not working when Classic Red markup color selected
* Fix for unable to compare error for certain documents with comments
* Fix for false positives in umlat ü due to failing to normalize unicode sequences before comparison
**Features and Improvements**
* Excel Redline viewer and Change List in Draftable released to all users by default (no longer in Preview)
* Added telemetry data logging for Excel file metadata and actions taken in the new Excel Viewer
**Bug fixes**
* Update to comment comparison logic to avoid comments incorrectly shown as insertion when present in both documents
* Fix to strip invalid XML characters when converting from TXT to DOCX
* Fix to prevent Excel Redline comparisons from failing due to attempt to preserve merged cells
**Features and Improvements**
*Core Functionality* Excel Redline viewer in Draftable (Preview)
* Allow users to compare Excel files as "Redline in Draftable", opening a dedicated Draftable Excel viewer
* Add a clickable, filterable Change List for Redlined Excel files in the Draftable Viewer
* Added Next Actions options for Excel Redline in Draftable (save to DMS, email, etc)
* Added Changes Report export for Excel files compared with "Redline in Draftable" Comparison Type
Departures Table Improvements (available as a preview feature)
* Extended clause with parent sections, use shorthand in section column
* Updated wording in Departure Table template
* Improved clause extraction from tables
* Improved reference section extraction from tables
* Updated clause number detection algorithm to improve accuracy
* Included viewer notes and tags + differentiate comment colors
* Updated logic to ensure the exported file has the correct file name logic applied
* Improved redline of moved text in the Departures Table
Bulk Compare improvements
* Allow users to Email or Copy to Clipboard all comparisons at once after Bulk Compare
* Added support for including a Summary Page when saving comparisons from Bulk Compare mode
* Added support for multiple file types in the bulk save dialog after Bulk Compare
* Added filetype icons into UI for Select from Recent files in Bulk Compare mode
* Increased the speed of bulk compare exports
* Added a progress bar that displays while exporting files after Bulk Compare
* Implemented smart selection of comparison types for Bulk Compare (greys out inapplicable
*Accuracy and output quality*
* Updated algorithm logic to adjust the height of fixed-height rows in tables when revisions are present (to ensure revisions are visible in the redline output)
* Improve output rendering for deleted sections of tables (to avoid long skinny columns in Redline outputs)
* Aligned numbering IDs to minimize the number of layout bubbles indicating numbering changes in Tracked Changes outputs
*Markup configuration*
* Add option to compare footnote numbering
* Add option to ignore changes to quotation marks (from curly to straight)
*Ease of use improvements*
* Updated logic for file naming to remove the need to rename input files when emailing original and modified files with the same name
* Wrap file selector buttons (Browse, select from DMS, Free Text) in the New Comparison Window into two rows
* Improved file loading UI to disable the compare button until files are ready and add a file loading spinner to the New Comparison Window
*Integration functions*
* Updated file ordering logic to use version metadata when loading from iManage, Epona and SharePoint via the Draftable New Comparison Window
*Administrator features*
* Add ability to use 'remember my choice' for next actions in admin-set profiles
* Upgraded .NET60 to .NET80
* Silence all the CEF logging & Update CEF 125.0.210 ->131.3.50
* soft hyphens as zero weight characters
* MS Office Add ins: Switch LoadBehavior to Load at Startup (3) and
* MS Office Add ins: Bump up versions → Outlook v1.18.0.0 → Word v1.26.0.0 → Excel v1.4.0.0
**Bug fixes**
* Fix for issue where filenames with "." were not following filename conventions
* Fixed issue impacting the "Compare Text with Draftable" in the right click context menu in Draftable's Word Add In
* Fix for SharePoint graph client error
* Fix for highlighting colors on Departure Table
* Fix file loading logic from Document Management Systems
* Fix for error when using 1-Click Compare to export Redline Docx files
* Fix for issue causing crashes when generating clauses data for Departures Table
**Features and Improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Bulk Compare updates:
* Simultaneous comparison of multiple discrete pairs of documents
* Redesigned file loading UI/UX, removing need to select 'sub-mode'
* Revision lines now included in Bulk Comparison exports
* Departures Table: Preview feature to auto-generate Departures Table output for contract negotiations ([see December 2024 Release Notes](/hc/en-us/articles/41369665084313-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-December-2024-v24-12-0))
* Revision lines now added to Redline in Word exports
* *Ease of use*
* Set default state for Bulk Compare in Compare Selector
* Added tooltips with full filename, version and Doc ID in Bulk Compare mode
* Default UI for Draftable's New Comparison Window now auto-hides "Native in Office" Comparison Type
* *Accuracy*
* Improved algorithm for Redline in Excel: better column and row identification
* *Markup Configuration*
* Added "Vintage Green" color for moved text (legacy comparison tools)
* *Integration functions*
* iManage: Increased version selection menu limit from 25 to 100
* NetDocuments: Show Document ID and Version Number metadata in New Comparison Window and Summary Page outputs
**Bug fixes**
* Corrected output filename settings for Redline in Word outputs when loaded via Word Add-in
* Fixed two separate causes of "unable to compare" error for specific documents
* Now able to save Tracked Changes outputs even when files have long filenames
* Fixed error occurring during side-by-side comparisons
* Restored ability to open 'select version' menu when loading files from DMS via Draftable Word add-in
* Fixed OCR not working on image-based PDFs with partial machine readable text
* Fixed error related to Word showing unreadable content message in Redline outputs
* Updated fix for document numbering issues
**Features and Improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Redline in PowerPoint available for all users
* Reduced file size for PDF exports
* *Accuracy*
* Docx algorithm updated for improved numbering and paragraph comparisons
* Excel Redline algorithm improved for sheet matching based on header row and maintaining hidden sheet visibility
* *Markup configuration*
* New Redline Profile: option to convert all dynamic fields (e.g. cross-references) to plain text before comparison
* *Ease of use*
* Continue using Draftable while comparisons run in the background
* *Administrator features*
* New GPO for "Clean up input files after comparison" (in Settings → General tab)
* Admins can edit email subject for exported comparisons
* Improved telemetry captures more usage events (DMS triggers, swapping files, launching viewer, etc)
**Bugfixes**
* Restored revision lines in Comparison Viewer and Redline PDF export
* Fixed comparison formatting issues around numbering
* Fixed Comparison Error with Draftable Engine PDF conversions
* Fixed garbled text issue for redlined documents signed with Kappris
* Fixed save/open failure for specific redline input as PDF
* Fixed error in PowerPoint Redlines when Grayscale option enabled
**Features & Improvements**
* Improved table comparison algorithm: now aligns tables before comparing
* Added classic green and leaf green colors to the markup schema palette (brighter move highlights)
**Bug Fixes**
* Removed 'dev' tag from MSI installs
* Fixed numbering styles in Redline Docx comparisons
* Resolved issue where Redline in Word comparisons exported incorrectly as Tracked Changes files
* Fixed handling of hyperlinked relationships from comments
* Fixed output filename handling for New Comparison Window exports
* Corrected SharePoint integration issue (site permission changes causing missing sites in search)
* Fixed Add-in install errors with the MSI installer
* Improved move detection to remove incorrect long text in move view
* Added support for legacy field codes so Change List does not fail
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed issue preventing Office Add-ins installation for MSI setups
**Features & Improvements**
* *Ease of use*
* Improved filename truncation, dynamically trim based on save location (iManage, NetDocuments, OneDrive, local, etc)
* Cleaned up help articles in action pane & ribbon
* Added option to set the default 'save to' location for 1-Click Compare
* *Administrator features*
* Option to verify Add-in Certificates
* *Integration functions*
* \[SharePoint] Improved site search: now displays 25+ results
* \[Epona] Added support for Drag & Drop from Outlook extension
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed comparison loading delays on single-core machines due to change list generation
* Fixed iManage recent selection bug causing app blocking
* Fixed OCR per-comparison option not working in New Comparison Window
* Fixed handling of style changes in DOCX
* Fixed Changes Report loading error when combined with Summary Page in Redline
* Fixed Outlook display and filename mismatch for attachments
* Fixed error generating viewer PDF for footnotes/endnotes when disabled
* Fixed password prompt not disappearing after entering correct password mid-comparison
* Fixed opening of password-protected files during bulk comparisons
**Features & Improvements**
* Updated custom output filename token logic: 'v' added before NetDocuments version numbers in filenames (not added when comparing local files)
**Bug fixes**
* \[NetDocuments] Fixed refresh function causing 'unable to compare' errors
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed signing issue introduced in 24.10.0 for MSI installers
**Features & Improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Added PowerPoint Redline (.pptx) as Comparison Type (Preview feature – email [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com) for access)
* *Ease of use*
* Added Summary Page data to Draftable Comparison Viewer
* Added 'Exit application' option in file menu
* *Epona Integration*
* Expanded Version selector to display additional version file details
* Changed file dialog to show versions
* *Administrator features*
* Group Policy option to disable Windows bubble notifications on startup
* Group Policy to enable Bulk Comparisons
* Improved Windows system info for installed Draftable version
* Promoted "Save Track Changes output to iManage as new version" button to full feature
**Bugfixes**
* Prevent app crash for oversized Outlook file attachments
* Fixed Change List load error
* Fixed compare error with math elements
* Fixed "unable to compare" error for some files
* Fixed unsubscribing of file loading errors after changing compare method
* Fixed issue with redline author detection
* Fixed renamed files being deselected in email generation UX
* Fixed author field override when comparing input text
* Fixed 1-Click Compare definition not loading in settings UI
* Fixed NamedPipeClient System.TimeoutException
* Fixed Changes Report docx generation error
**Features and improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Redline in Excel available for all users (no longer preview)
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed Windows shell extension not being installed for Per User installer
* Fixed bug where ObservableList.Clear() was not wrapped by Dispatcher
**Features and improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Users can load files, worksheets, and selected cells via Excel Add-In
* Algorithm update: added support for Japanese and other ideographic languages
* *Ease of use*
* Faster rerun of comparisons; auto-resync of files left open in Draftable
* Bulk status tagging in change list and 'reviewed' tag for reviewed changes
* Share tagged/annotated changes in updated Next Actions menu; option to include Changes Report in email body
* New setting to default saving locally to last-used location
**New features & improvements**
* *Accuracy*
* Improved readability of merged table cells in Redline outputs
* *Markup configuration*
* Classic Word blue and red now available in markup schema
* *Ease of use*
* Setting to disable notification for legacy document comparisons
* Markup schema colours shown on Summary Page
* Names of compared files shown in Changes Report
* Side-by-side Comparisons: new option to save output to last location
* Changes Report can be added to comparison exports and exported as docx
* Markup schema colours used in Change Report for easy change ID
* Input files can be printed via Next Action menu
* Change List display removed for Bulk Compare Redline viewer (not supported)
* *Administrator features*
* File Obfuscator in troubleshooting now obfuscates a pair of files
**Bug fixes**
* Removed redundant ".docx" suffix on clipboard-renamed files
* Fixed flickering drag & drop screen rendering
* Fixed missing detection of inserted header on the first page
* Fixed compare error with complex fields
* Fixed inserted signatures not showing in change list
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed OCR settings not showing in general tab
**New features & improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Single page export for side-by-side comparisons in next action menus
* Users can rename, convert, and zip files when emailing or copying to clipboard
* *Ease of use*
* File selection, renaming, and conversion preferences now persist ('sticky') across viewer sessions
* Added Redline Profile setting to default 3-pane view for redline PDF comparisons
* Improved "Draftable does not compare" error messaging
* *Improved Performance*
* Better table column matching algorithm
* Auto-repair for input DOCX files
* Improved performance for text vs text in Redline outputs
* *Administrator features*
* Product telemetry now records Redline Profile and Group Policy changes
* Telemetry also captures Bulk Compare interactions
**Bugfixes**
* Fixed document-specific 'unable to compare' errors
* Fixed issue where redline filename was incorrect if the name included '.'
* Fixed Office Add-ins not properly installed with MSI
* Removed false positives where deleted comments were not showing
* Fixed redline output color changes not appearing if text decoration not set in markup schema
* Updated help link for Email in Next Action menu
* Fixed compare errors using files with special characters from iManage
* Corrected footer visibility with disabled footer changes
* Removed false positives in text box handling
* Fixed out-of-order display of deletions and insertions
**Features & Improvements**
* *Administrator features*
* Admins can set/remove default Comparison Types via registry/Group Policy
* Redline Change List and Three Pane view now full features (no preview toggle)
* Redline Change List, Three-Pane view, and 'Save Tracked Changes as new version to iManage' are default for all users
* Registry update avoids persistence of old default settings
* *Improved Performance*
* Excel Redline Comparison Type: output row limit raised from 10K to 1M; significant speed increase for large files
* *Greater Accuracy*
* Redline settings 'Layout Changes' now include whitespace (tab spacing etc.)
* Regression testing for 1-Click Compare API enabled
* *Integration functions*
* iManage: Users are auto-logged in on app start (enables working drag/drop when not previously logged in)
* *Note*: iManage package unchanged in this release
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed issue with Redline Change List UI not loading
* Fixed Telemetry bug for tracking PDF conversion engine changes
* Fixed issue where 'Layout Changes' exclusions generated false positives
* Fixed UI bug where NetDocuments ribbon menu commands overlapped
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed broken toggle in Preview menu for Redline in Excel
**Features & Improvements**
* *New core functionality*
* Excel Redline (.xlsx) available as Comparison Type (Preview only)
* Option to use Draftable Engine for PDF to DOCX conversions
* Option to remove cover page from Side by Side comparison exports
* *Ease of use*
* Next Actions (save, print, email, etc) now show in ribbon menu in viewer
* Bulk Compare: uses input file location when bulk saving
* Help link next to Comparison Type in New Comparison Window for KB article reference
* Redline settings UI: 'Filename Output' retitled as 'Output filename'
* *Performance improvements*
* Detects and advises user of incompatible legacy doc/docx format documents for conversion
* *Integration functions*
* iManage:
* Save outputs to iManage as 'Related' files
* Desktop IPC communication is now user-unique (for multi-user launch compatibility)
* Epona:
* File descriptor now includes version comments
* *Administrator features*
* Software version numbers now match year/month of release
* Exported error log filenames now include date and unique ID
* Dropped x32 bit support to reduce app size
* Updated CEF# & Universal C Runtime to reduce size
* Product telemetry gathers additional metadata (words, pages, chars, Word doc scheme ver, install and troubleshooting events)
**Bug fixes**
* Restored warning dialog that Changed Pages output doesn't support style changes
* Fixed Group Policy Template error for Silent Start with Windows
* Fixed compare error for comments with corrupted metadata
* Fixed whitespace changes being ignored with 'changed pages only' in Redline viewer
* Ensured 1-Click Compare respects user Output filename configuration
* Side-By-Side exports now include moves (matches what is shown in Draftable)
* Fixed drag-and-drop failure not showing correct error if integration is disabled
**New Features & Improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Improved memory efficiency on multi-user systems (e.g. Citrix) with NGEN support
* *Integrations*
* iManage: New Windows Service with Http Listener
* SharePoint: Extra troubleshooting data logging; improved search speed on large sets
* Epona: Remembers last used file location within Epona/Outlook extension
**Bug fixes**
* Respects 'Start automatically with windows' setting
* Fixed "unable to compare" error for Redline in Word output (document-specific)
* Corrected numbering issues in comparison outputs
* Fixed watermark changes not displaying
* Fixed right-click 'Compare text in Draftable' for Word Add-In
* Fixed iManage version selection for filenames with special characters
**New Features & Improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* New Redline in Word without tracked changes (.docx) comparison type
* Redline (.docx) now an export option in Next Actions, Bulk Compare, and 1-Click Compare
* *Ease of use*
* Renamed Comparison Type options in New Comparison Window ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521881-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window))
* New 'Native (MS Office)' Comparison Type for Excel/PowerPoint using Office's tools
* Accept tracked changes in selected text via 'Compare Text' in Word Add-in
* Copy input files to clipboard via Next Action menu
* *Accuracy and reliability*
* Now uses iManage SDK v10.9.3.43
* Removes "original" from input filenames when attaching to email
**Bug fixes**
* Improved algorithm prevents unwanted changes shown for images, hidden text, or page breaks when comparison options are disabled
* Prevents Draftable from altering Word Review Balloons settings after use
* Registry/Group Policy for 1-Click Compare now updates end user UI
* Fixed PDF Redline font rendering error
* Margin lines not shown when changes are ignored in selected Redline Profile
**Features & Improvements**
* *Core functionality*
* Bulk Compare:
* Now supports multiple 'older' docs vs a single 'newer' doc
* Export window lets user pick desired output and choose zip option for bulk save
* *Integration functions*
* Epona integration can be enabled in settings
* SharePoint "Heavy Usage" mode: only shows frequent/followed sites for large orgs
* *Accuracy & reliability*
* Better algorithm for table row adds/splits
* Draftable Engine is now default for PDF conversions
* *Administrator features*
* Admins can lock Profile settings when creating profiles
* Registry/Group Policy added for 1-Click Compare:
* Default workflow/definition used unless user sets their own
* Section can be removed from settings to stop user customization
* Optionally block end user export of their 1-Click Compare settings
* *Ease of use*
* Default comparison output names use 'vs' between filenames
* Removed "Changes theme" question for Side-by-Side
* 1-Click Compare settings export now available
**Bug fixes**
* Bulk Compare: fixed file list disappearance when canceling add
* Chromium logs now appear next to selected document
* Fixed input filename trimming in output filenames
* Fixed loading errors for NetDocuments files
* Fixed hidden tables being missed in comparisons
* Removed warning popup for iManage uploads and local saves that were canceled
* Prevented crash when uploading new file to iManage
* Fixed table cutoff bug in comparison
* Fixed 1-Click Compare saving preview instead of final document
* "Unable to Compare" bug fixed when Bullets/Numbering are off
* Fixed Normal.dotm prompt in Word engine
**Features & Improvements**
* List of changes for Redline comparisons now includes tagging, notes, and export (shown by default) ([see details](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes))
* Side-by-Side exports now use blue for insertions (was green)
* Comments now omitted from Redline PDF in viewer (shown in Change List instead)
* Expand comments now possible in Draftable Redline PDF viewer
* Improved "invalid 1-Click action" messages
* *Integration functions*
* SharePoint:
* Select from / save to multiple SharePoint sites, including browsing
* 1-Click Compare for file versions, with Version Selector dialog if >2 versions
* Shows check-in comment in SharePoint version dialog
* Epona: Last-used file browser path now remembered
* Office Add-ins:
* Improved VSTO add-ins unzip function
* Fixed Office Add-in cache/load issues
* *Administrator features*
* Preview tab: can enable/disable 3-pane view; Registry/Group Policy added
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed 1-Click Compare failing when workflow’s Comparison Type doesn’t support chosen files
* Fixed highlight box placement for specific fonts
* Removed Repair Add-in in Troubleshooting to prevent autoupdate issues
* Fixed 1-Click Compare workflow used incorrectly if last one was cancelled
* Fixed "next actions" option in 1-Click Compare Settings not refreshing
* Fixed revision line in black (not red) with Draftable Engine for PDF conversions
* Fixed changes in Redline Markup settings not persisting after restart
**Features & Improvements**
* New 3-Pane view: see original, modified, and redline all together ([details](/hc/en-us/articles/31975077731225-Three-Pane-View-See-changes-in-context-with-older-newer-and-redlined-documents-in-one-screen))
* *Integration functions*
* 1-Click Compare now supports file versions in iManage and SharePoint ([details](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow))
* Uses file version metadata for correct file ordering in SharePoint (old left, new right)
* *Administrator features*
* Customize 'unable to compare' error text
* Remove "share logs" from 'unable to compare' error option
* *Troubleshooting*
* "Email logs & obfuscated documents" option added in troubleshooting
* Attach obfuscated documents to auto-generated email via 'unable to compare' dialog
* *Comparison quality*
* Improved algorithm so cell content change doesn't show as entire table insertion/deletion
**Bug fixes**
* 1-Click Compare works with Bulk Compare enabled
* Added Group Policy template for Legal (DraftableDesktopLegal) and Installer (DraftableInstaller) (missing from v2.15)
**Features & Improvements**
* 1-Click Compare: Compare from file explorer or DMS (iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint, Epona, Worldox) ([details](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow))
* Side-by-Side outputs can now be saved to DMS with next actions
* *Note*: This removes options for single document view export and track changes for Legal version users
* New DMS integrations: Epona 365 and Worldox
* *Markup configurations for Redline*
* Can ignore: numbered lists, case changes, footnote numbering, tables, text boxes, tables of contents, images, and font colour as subcategory of styling
* *Administrator features*
* Show HKLM-installed add-ins in settings
* Let customers set free text font for redline PDFs
* Extended Group Policy for default PDF conversion engine
* System MSI can be deployed with/without shortcuts or Office Add-ins ([details](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer))
**Bug fixes**
* Output filename works correctly even when summary page is omitted
* Prevents non-Draftable Word Add-ins from showing in Draftable Ribbon
* Resolved dotm template prompt and related failures in Word Add-in
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed race condition on first launch when activating from Group Policy
**Bug fixes**
* Unique names for elements in VSTO Add-ins to fix conflicts with custom add-ins
* Fixed iManage "201 success" handled as error
* Removed file manager toggle to restore SharePoint access
* Custom filename feature now trims long filenames
**Bug fixes**
* Resolved issue in 2.14+ where user wasn't notified if comparison failed
**New features and improvements**
* Added Bulk Compare tooltip with Knowledge Base link
**Bug fixes**
* Option to disable iManage persistent session
* Fixed error on loading two files from iManage when not logged in
* Prevented dialog showing after Track Changes comparison success
* Draftable URL protocol now works as expected
**New features and improvements**
* Bulk Compare: One-to-many compare ([see details](/hc/en-us/articles/30062521598361-Bulk-Compare-How-to-load-and-run-multiple-comparisons-at-once))
* Redline settings: can ignore "headers" and "footers" separately
* Comparison time now shown in Summary page
* *Performance*
* Improved reliability via Word API updates
* *Integrations*
* SharePoint: Select from / save to SharePoint Online via Draftable, GPO to enable/disable
* *UI/UX*
* Next action panel in Redline Viewer is more interactive
* Viewer Ribbon menu is expanded by default
* *Other*
* Telemetry now links session between launcher & viewer
**Bug fixes**
* Can now turn moves detection on/off for Side by Side
* Fixed "given key not present in dictionary" error in TryGetNumbering
* Fixed legacy colour theme for Side-by-Side
**Bug fixes**
* Add-in installation now allows central security signing
* Fixed "Word with Tracked Changes" output setting fail to open by default
* Fixed input files not loading if triggered when app isn't running
**Bug fixes**
* As above: improved add-in installation for central security signing
* Fixed "Word with Tracked Changes" output open-by-default bug
* Fixed input files not loaded when app is not running
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed comparison bug with hidden text
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed issue preventing free text comparison
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed "StartOnStartupOption" failure
* Improved iManage enable on behalf of users (with better UI)
* Bookmarks now encoded as the same character
* Added UNC file path support (DMS/local drives)
* Font size threshold setting now visible to standard users
* Fixed Redline output for text blob comparison
**App improvements and new features**
* Custom output filenames for Redline
* File area shows spinner/loader if multiple file selector closed without file
* Improved workflow handling for NetDocuments in Offline Mode
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed saving error to NetDocuments
* Fixed parsing error for DOCX indentation
**Bug fixes**
* Small refinement to a prior compatibility fix
**App improvements & new features**
* New setting to auto-load most recent versions from DMS
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed compatibility bug with Microsoft Edge Webview2 v121.0.2277.98+ ([details](/hc/en-us/articles/28451168797977))
**App improvements & new features**
* Compare output now shows 'hidden' text as changes
* Drag and drop text directly (no "Input Text" button needed)
* Can collapse 'next actions' panel in viewer
* File browser's default save-to location matches input file location
* *Integration*
* SharePoint: Drag & drop from SharePoint Online
* MS Word: Load text to compare from within MS Word
* iManage: Option to auto-open file after saving
* *Other*
* Updated Control Panel icon for add-ins
* Draftable New Compare window no longer auto-opens on startup
* Updated app size estimate in Windows (2GB)
* Draftable settings now show installed add-in versions
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed Side-By-Side export error for certain documents
* System Verification results are now scrollable
* Tracked Changes from Side-By-Side export fixed
* Numbering algorithm error resolved
* Group Policy template "Pro" suffix changed to "Legal"
* Fixed .doc to PDF conversion bug causing failed comparisons
**Bug fixes**
* Patch for PowerPoint-side-by-side comparison issues
**App improvements & new features**
* *Speed & reliability*
* Preview: New "Draftable engine" for faster/more reliable DOCX→PDF (set in general settings, default still "Word")
* *Ease of use*
* Copy outputs to clipboard
* Export changes report CSV and save to DMS
* Update warning when app is about to restart after update
* *iManage*
* Version selector enabled when loading iManage files via Word Add-in
* *NetDocuments*
* Support for remote NetDocuments files from Word Add-in
* Save as track changes/comparison output to NetDocuments attachment
* *SharePoint*
* Compare Versions button is disabled when list doesn't support versioning
* *Administrator features*
* Group Policy support: no desktop shortcut and disable COM add-in install/update
* Group Policy: enable/disable launching Draftable on startup
* *Other*
* Updated Viewer to v3.6.20
**Bug fixes**
* Improved detection of numbered list false positives (PDF→Word input)
* Summary page timestamp is now correct
* "Normal dotm" Word warning removed when using Draftable for PDF conversion
* Fixed bug with Changed Pages output
* Drag and drop from email attachment keeps file name
* Password protection now works for xlsx
* "Email logs" works in System Verification
* OCR failure contact set to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
* UI: fixed profile name rendering issues in settings and comparison type selection
* Privacy disclaimer, activation dialog, and update-related message boxes now display properly
* Startup no longer alerts unnecessarily on application autostart or update shutdown
* GDPR: further third-party report sanitization
* Int: Fixed Add-in Repair and iManage Session Cache exception
**Bug fixes**
* Patch for PowerPoint startup issue
**App improvements & new features**
* NetDocuments integration enabled for all regions except "US-Gov"
**App improvements & new features**
* NetDocuments integration:
* Load and compare from NetDocs
* Select/save to NetDocuments
* Show versions/attachments during load from NetDocs
* NetDocuments integration can be enabled/disabled via settings/Group Policy
* *GDPR compliance*
* Further sanitized third-party logging and telemetry
* *iManage*
* Overhauled library dependency handling
* Reduced installation size by 346MB (44%)
* Added support for iManage drive files via Word add-in
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed CLI AutoCompare bug
* Enabled CSV compare for Side by Side
* Document version change now detected on re-compare
* Fixed OCR selection error on main window
* Fixed algorithm bug for page headers
**App improvements & new features**
* iManage: New context menu – "Compare with most recent" and "Compare versions"
* Redline as 'Word with tracked changes' can now be saved to iManage
* SharePoint: Can now load files (inc. versions) and run comparison in browser
* New Compare window launches after activation
* SharePoint: Supports remote-located files from Word add-in
* Local file browser: now supports multi-select
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed PDF load timeout (network drives)
* Prevented error dialog when canceling "Save to iManage"
* Fixed loading error for iManage "Favorites" via context menu
* Image hash updated (no longer uses MD5)
* Fixed regression in Office MSI detection
**App improvements & new features**
* New Compare window auto-launches after activation
* Redline for .rtf files now supported
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed loading of password-protected Office docs
* Fixed iManage favorites selection failure
**App improvements & new features**
* Input files now remain after compare (enables 1-click re-run)
* New user setting to clear input files after compare
* Group Policy: disable Redline comparison types
* Improved detection of structured document tags (fewer false positives)
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed header/footer false negatives
* Improved error handling for Word conversion failures
**App improvements and new features**
* Launch input file from recent list in launcher
* Improved iManage integration:
* Multiple input from iManage
* List other versions after selecting first iManage doc
* Show iManage doc number/version in comparison window and summary
* Output name matches iManage versions compared
* Word Add-in update now in-app
* Default insertion color: "Dark Blue"
* Upgraded viewer to 3.6.18:
* Change list: tags (Needs Review, Low Priority, etc), custom notes, can filter on status/notes (replaces "Visible Categories")
* Export change list as .csv or clipboard, configurable by filter/tags
* Troubleshooting: more detailed error logs from iManage
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed file paths using '&' in Word add-in
* Fixed author field in New Compare Window changing unintentionally
* Improved error handling for closing Word doc
* Fixed spinner on compare result window not loading PDF
* Word Add-in warns for unsaved files
* Prevented app freeze on export exceptions
* Fixed "docx to pdf copy" failure in side by side for docx
* Removed spurious error on file load timeout
* Output filename limit raised from 30 to 70 characters
**Bug fixes**
* Added iManage credential support for on-premise instances
**App improvements and new features**
* Sanitize filename function for iManage file names
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed Redline compare for text input
**App improvements and new features**
* Drag & Drop from iManage supported
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed error loading files from iManage
**App improvements and new features**
* Compare Excel files (csv, xls, xlsx) natively with Spreadsheet Compare
* Improved validate Comparison Type selection in Compare Selector
* Group policy: option to disable iManage integration
* Default: style changes are hidden for Side-by-Side
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed MSI patch version handling
* Fixed Draftable opening Word files at start of compare
**Bug fixes**
* Improved PowerPoint error handling (RPC retry)
* Fixed Word instance leak
**App improvements and new features**
* Can set default content/style changes for SBS
* Internal setting to remove iManage from input selector
**Bug fixes**
* Group Policy fix
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed error disabling PDF warning in Office in some scenarios
**App improvements and new features**
* Load files from iManage via right-click/context menu
* Native PowerPoint compare
* Progress bar now shown while loading comparison
* Viewer now supports "open link" features
* More error dialogs now include an option to export/send logs
* Error logs now include User Desktop settings
* Viewer now logs custom errors
* Added Repair Word Add-In option
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed error when Office is not installed
**App improvements and new features**
* Default types for save to iManage improved (DD-1013)
* Added double underline & strikethrough options for markup styling (DD-1045)
**Bug fixes**
* Various word integration cleanups
* Prevented double-click on redline side panel buttons
* App log now includes sentry & telemetry config info
* Error logs now record timezone at startup
* Fixed NullReferenceException in updater
* Refactored tasks to move PDF generation to progress window
* Improved default handling for redline settings
* Fixed Word Single Instance policy breaking OCR
**App improvements and new features**
* Improved default handling for redline settings
**Bug fixes**
* System.NullReferenceException in redline compare fixed
**App improvements and new features**
* Smarter default filenames for save to iManage
* File name sanitization for iManage
* Author (full/initials) now an option in settings
* "Email Comparison" window in Outlook now appears front-most
* Improved file name sanitization
* Document obfuscator feature and GPO to disable it
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed redline export error
* Fixed Tracked Changes output error
* Fixed overlong temp file path error
* Fixed interaction bug (Track Changes, PDF, third-party PDF software)
* Fixed Save to iManage "new version" cancel error
**App improvements and new features**
* OCR test added to system verification
* Switched to viewer 3.6.14
* 15 min file load & compare timeout
* RedlineProfile now defaults to headers/footers ON
**Bug fixes**
* Compatibility option for security popup issue
* Single Word Application instance enforced (+ GPO)
* Refreshed runner pool on setting change
* Fixed document redline comparison bug
* Fixed OCR bug
**App improvements and new features**
* Viewer 3.6.13
* Telemetry always logged locally (troubleshooting)
* Can select Changed Pages output for email export pre-document ready
**Bug fixes**
* Comparison Progress window bug (OCR step missing in some cases) fixed
* Office integration cleanups and fixes
* KOFAX compatibility improvements
* Exclude Draftable.Xml from obfuscation
* Minor algorithm cleanups/bugfixes
* Fixed error for side-by-side compare
* Viewer redline error fixes
**App improvements and new features**
* Blue Theme is now default
* All installers and Add-In included
* Teams can now manage profiles
**App improvements and new features**
* Increased memory limit for CompareRunner
**Bug fixes**
* Comments now display correctly in Redline
* iManage supports more than single preferred library database
* Word template issue fixed (Add-in/templates skipped on start)
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed fatal crash on upgrade
* Handles Word API TargetInvocationException
* Fixed Word Macro warning trigger
**App improvements and new features**
* Diagnostic tool issues now link to help articles
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed redundant registry read for PDF warning
* Word Options key now auto-created as needed
* Fixed OCR bugs
* Fixed Settings window hang on first open
* Fixed CompareSelector lag after closing
* Several algorithm improvements and cleanups
**App improvements and new features**
* Switched to viewer v3.6.12
**Bug Fixes**
* Fixed onboarding stats step
* Normal.dotm Word popup workaround applied
**App improvements and new features**
* Comments compared: changes tracked, authors preserved
* Redline 'moves' improved:
* Groups consecutive moves
* Detects moves within same paragraph
* Handles paragraph splits/joins
* System Verification now upfront for user settings
* Added Draftable Pro KB links throughout
* Group Policy for iManage on-prem setup (Service URL, App ID)
**Bug fixes**
* \[No bug list provided in this release]
**Bug fixes**
* OCR settings: now enabled when selected as 'automatic'/'always'
* Fixed Draftable.dotm creation error
**App improvements and new features**
* Show steps in comparison progress dialog improved
* Viewer updated to v3.6.11
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed error running side-by-side compare with PDF/Word inputs
* Fixed override bug with Word settings
* Possible fix for Normal.dotm popups
**App improvements and new features**
* Steps now shown in progress dialog
* Improved telemetry
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed loading documents into new comparison window
* Potential fix for running non-English system comparisons
**App improvements and new features**
* Group Policy for Redline Profiles
**Bug fixes**
* Fixed error for free text input
**App improvements and new features**
* Added missing Group Policy Template for Draftable Pro
* Better handling for iManage on-premise
* Manages Word options to avoid default popups
**App improvements and new features**
* Release 'Changed pages only' feature to allow dynamic toggle of in viewer and export as PDF
* Improvements to iManage integration
**App improvements and new features**
* Added Profiles for Redline settings
* Released MS Word Add-In (automatically installed after starting the app)
* New Group Policy template for Draftable Pro
* With options to set iManage on-premise credentials
* Extension for existing Draftable Group Policy to set auto-updates on/off for per User & per-User MSI
* Native menu is now enabled for Redline output, with options to
* Start new comparison
* Open settings
* Close window
* Save File to iManage as new version
**Bug fixes**
* Various Redline algorithm bug fixes
* Bugfix for Comments
**Bug Fixes**
* Fix for Headers and Footers not being visible in side-by-side view for standard license
**Bug fixes**
* Updated default Move From and Move To text decoration
**App improvements and new features**
* Compare progress dialog with spinner
* Gracefully dispose of cancel in-progress comparison
* Extend markup customization & add option for users to ignore moved text (show as insert / delete instead)
* Set default markup colours to align with word
* Allow users to save their preference to open or save when Word tracked changes output is selected
* Updated to Viewer 3.6.9
* Speed improvements
* Generate preview pages of redline PDF while waiting for comparison to complete
* Maintain pool of compare runner processes
* Remove unnecessary preprocessing steps to speed up comparisons
**Bug fixes**
* Various bugs removed from Redline algorithm
**Bugfixes**
* Fix for issue preventing saving documents to iManage from the viewer right hand side panel
**Bug fixes**
* Bug fix for issue preventing select file from iManage
**Bug fixes**
* Compare Selector visible before accepting Terms & Conditions on fresh installation
**App improvements and new features**
* Fix a bug where some fonts (mostly Asian) were not loaded
* Support iManage on-premise
* Fix bug where file name was expanding the control instead of wrapping text
* Keep the launcher open after a comparison is created
* Introduce spinners in buttons for actions that might take time
* Show license key in settings window
* Change "Redline" label to "Redline (.pdf)" in comparison launcher
* Add an option for users to switch between word-level or character-level
* Telemetry improvements
* We're able to group actions that happened in context of a specific comparison
* Create id after file drop and not changing it until the comparison is triggered
* Prepopulate email body when emailing outputs
* Ship language specific fonts with desktop
**Components**
* Use viewer v3.6.8 with better handling of long list of changes handle language specific fonts
**Bug fixes**
* Various bugs removed from Redline algorithm
**App improvements and new features**
* Respect summary page setting when doing comparison with output set to Word Track Changes
* Redline comparison execution time improvements
* Introduce session concept to improve telemetry
* If a word or pdf document doesn’t have an author we’ll use the file owner
**Redline compare algorithm improvements**
* Improved support for headers and footers
* Maintain and merge comment threads
* Partial support for embedded objects
* VML textbox support
* Fixed several edge cases that cause false positives
**App improvements and new features**
* Support txt and txt blob
* Customize Track Changes Author
* New viewer v3.6.7-pre.3
* UI fixes
**Bug fixes**
* Assertion Error in HandleInsert/HandleDelete
* Bug fixes in Redline compare algorithm
* Bookmarks
* Comments
* Header & footers
* Numbering
**App improvements and new features**
* UI improvements
* User statistics from Redline/Pro
**App improvements and new features**
* Option in Redline settings to keep comments in the Track Changes from one/both of the documents, or skip
* Compare Launcher will now be closed if the app is deactivated
* Settings window closed if the app is deactivated
* No dialog when Redline Markup Scheme not saved
* There should be no dialog when TC Compare is in progress and app was deactivated
**Bugfixes**
* Sentry log in File Explorer Integration & app shortcut launch
* Global Shortcut no longer freezes app
**App improvements and new features**
* Streamlined Redline compare workflow
* Word Track Changes support
* iManage integration
* OCR support
* Compare Selector and Settings UI improvements
* All new update and installer engines
* URL scheme improvements
* .draftable support introduced
* Draftable Pro mode now available
* Export/share via Outlook
* Viewer 3.6.7
**Dependencies update**
* Viewer rendering engine
* CEF Sharp
* Moved from Microsoft.Toolkit to CommunityToolkit
* Other dependencies updated
**Bugfixes**
* Update process bugfixes
# Side-by-Side Document Compare Failure in Draftable Business
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/20876814164377-Side-by-Side-Document-Compare-Failure-in-Draftable-Business
If you are seeing this article, it is likely that Draftable Business has detected a failure in the side-by-side document comparison feature. There could be several causes for this issue, from permission-related problems to document corruption. Unfortunately, because this issue is complex and has various potential causes, an immediate solution may not be available for users to implement on their own.
**Draftable Business 26.6 changed how you open the Settings menu from the New Comparison window.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## What's the issue?
The side-by-side document compares feature in Draftable Business is a powerful tool that allows you to view differences between two versions of a document.
However, due to the complex nature of the feature and the variety of document formats and settings it handles, issues may occasionally arise that prevent it from functioning as intended. These could be due to:
1. **Permission Issues:** The application might not have the necessary permissions to access or modify the documents.
2. **Document Corruption:** The documents being compared may be corrupted or damaged, preventing the comparison from being completed.
3. **Software Bugs:** There may be unidentified bugs in our application causing the comparison to fail.
## Here's the solution
Given the potential complexity of the issue, the best course of action is to send logs from your application to our support team for analysis. Here's how you can do it:
Navigate to the settings section of Draftable Desktop
This can be done in various ways, either by clicking **settings** in the new comparison window or right-clicking the taskbar icon and selecting **settings.** See the examples below.
Go to the **Troubleshooting** tab.
Select **Export Error Logs,** and send the output to our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
Sending these logs will provide our support team with detailed information about the actions leading up to the failure, which can help them identify and resolve the issue more effectively.
# Changes markup theme options for Draftable Business
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/21436727062297-Changes-markup-theme-options-for-Draftable-Business
Draftable Business offers users the power to change the viewer markup theme option, to make comparisons look and feel closer to their tailored needs.
**Draftable Business 26.6 changed how you open the Settings menu from the New Comparison window.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
You can select the theme you wish to use in order to more easily read comparisons based on your preference. We currently offer two themes:
1. Default theme: Deletions appear red, insertions are green, and moves are blue.
2. Legacy theme: Deletions appear red, insertions are blue, and moves are green.
This article shows you how to change the currently active theme used for Draftable comparisons.
## How to change the current markup theme
1. Firstly, we need to open the settings menu, this can be done in a few ways:
Open settings via the Taskbar
1. Right-click the **Draftable** icon in the taskbar
2. Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
Or, open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
1. Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
2. Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
Once the settings menu is open, navigate to the **Side by Side** section
Under **Viewer Options,** select the drop down box next to **Changes Markup** and select **Done** once you have finalized your choice.
Run a new comparison, and you will see your selected theme appear.
# Performing system verification in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22088193885721-Performing-system-verification-in-Draftable-Legal
To utilize all the features that Draftable Legal has to offer, the application will perform a system verification step upon its first use.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This process confirms the proper functioning of various features and their integration with your existing computer environment. Should any component fail during this verification, Draftable Legal will provide recommendations on how to rectify the failing component.
However, if you ever need to manually perform this step, this article covers the process required to do so.
## Opening the settings menu
First, we need to open the settings menu to get access to the system verification button. 3 methods allow you to open the settings menu for Draftable Legal.
### Open the settings menu via the taskbar
Right-click the **Draftable Legal** icon in the taskbar
Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
### Open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
Once you have opened the settings menu, you may proceed with the next step.
## Performing system verification
Once the settings menu is open, locate the system check action.
Select **Help & Troubleshooting** in the settings menu, then under the **Diagnostics** section select **Run system check** (this was previously called System Verification).
Navigate to the **Troubleshooting** section, then select **System Verification**.
The system verification process will begin, wait until the process is completed. There can be two outcomes.
1\. Draftable Legal has not detected any failed checks within your environment, which means that all features and integrations should work as expected.
2\. There were environment checks that failed.
If there are issues with your environment, they are indicated via the X mark next to the specific check, which contains additional information.
Clicking on the **question mark icons** will take you to a knowledge base article specific to that failed check. It is recommended that when you find failed checks, you always export your logs and send them to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) so that we can further assist you with your specific error. In 26.6 and later, the export action is **Export error logs** under **Help & Troubleshooting**. On earlier versions, it is **Export Logs** under **Troubleshooting**.
Next steps for each failed test:
**Microsoft Windows**: Context menu supported\
a) Ensure context menu support is enabled.
**Microsoft Windows**: Custom URL scheme supported\
a) This check reports whether the `draftable://` URL scheme is registered on the machine. The scheme is what allows a comparison to be started from outside the Draftable window, so when it fails, selecting a Draftable compare action in iManage, SharePoint Online, NetDocuments, the Office add-ins or File Explorer does nothing at all.\
b) To confirm, press `Windows + R`, enter `draftable://?source=outlook` and select **OK**. The **New Comparison** window should open.\
c) The installer registers the scheme, but a failure to do so does not fail the installation, so this check can fail on a machine that otherwise installed successfully. On a machine-wide MSI installation it will not recover on its own. See [Draftable does not launch from iManage, SharePoint or File Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-does-not-launch-from-iManage-SharePoint-or-File-Explorer) to resolve it.
**Microsoft Office**: Installation detected\
a) Verify that the installation is detected (Office 2016 or later).
**Microsoft Outlook**: Installation\
a) Confirm that the Draftable tab appears in the Outlook menu ribbon.
**Microsoft Word**: Add-in supported\
a) Check if Add-in support is enabled by opening Microsoft Word.\
b) Confirm that the Draftable tab is present in the Word menu ribbon.
**Microsoft Word**: Settings configured\
a) Confirm that settings are correctly configured by going to File > Options > Add-Ins in Microsoft Word.\
b) Check if the Draftable add-in is listed and enabled.
**Microsoft Word**: PDF to Office document conversion\
a) Verify the PDF to Office document conversion capability by opening Microsoft Word.
**Comparisons:** Side-by-Side (PDF)
Make sure that the documents you are attempting to compare are in a compatible PDF format
Confirm that the documents are not corrupted or password-protected, as these factors can affect the comparison process.
Check the file sizes of the documents, as excessively large files might encounter challenges during the comparison.
**Comparisons:** Side-by-Side (Office)
Make sure that the documents you are attempting to compare are in a compatible format such as Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
Confirm that the documents are not corrupted or password-protected, as these factors can affect the comparison process.
Check the file sizes of the documents, as excessively large files might encounter challenges during the comparison.
**Comparisons:** Redline
Verify that the documents have tracked changes enabled and are in a compatible format (such as Word documents).
For PDF generation, ensure that the original documents are in a supported format for conversion to PDF.
For PowerPoint comparisons, make sure the PowerPoint files are valid and in a format that can be processed by Draftable.
**For Optical Character Recognition (OCR)**:
a) Ensure that Draftable is correctly installed, update to the latest version, and verify the compatibility of the scanned images or PDF files being used.
Regardless if you experience any issues with your environment or Draftable Legal features not working, complete the system verification and then export the logs.
Please send all the information to us via [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# How to create a safe file for sharing (Document Obfuscation)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22361579075225-Explainer-Using-the-Obfuscator-feature-to-share-redacted-documents-with-Draftable-Support
If Draftable Support has asked you to share files for an 'unable to compare' issue, you can create a safe file for sharing (previously called Document Obfuscation) to anonymize the content first. This article explains how the process works so you can decide whether to share the files.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Terminology update:** From version 26.6, the **Document Obfuscator** is called **Create safe file for sharing**, and it now lives under **Settings → Help & Troubleshooting → Diagnostics**. The feature works the same way, it just has a clearer name. On versions before 26.6 it appears as **File Obfuscator** under the **Troubleshooting** tab. The steps below cover both.
## What's the issue?
If a pair of documents fails to compare, the most efficient approach for our Support team to diagnose and troubleshoot the issue is to replicate the problem using the original files. This ensures we have identified the root cause properly and enables us to confirm any fixes work before asking you to update and retest.
Documents shared with Draftable remain strictly confidential. We are committed to never sharing your documents with third parties. However, we understand that for confidentiality reasons, you may still not be able to share your documents with us.
In this case, the **Create safe file for sharing** feature (previously called the **Document Obfuscator**) offers another solution: to scramble all information in the documents before providing them to our Support team. This aims to provide both benefits: faster issue resolution, while maintaining the confidentiality of your documents.
## Here's the solution
### Create a safe file to share anonymized documents
The **Create safe file for sharing** feature allows you to completely anonymize your documents before sharing them with the Draftable support team. The tool scrambles and replaces the actual content of your documents to avoid sharing confidential information while maintaining the underlying structure of the document. Important note: the feature *does not send the files to Draftable*. You will be able to first save the safe (obfuscated) file and review it before sharing with Draftable via email. Sharing these files enables Draftable developers to rerun comparisons when attempting to fix the issue. The result is faster issue diagnosis turnaround, and internal verification testing to take place before asking you to update and confirm errors are resolved.
Open Draftable Legal and click on the **Settings** option in the top right corner
Open the feature from Settings:
Select **Help & Troubleshooting**, then under **Diagnostics** select **Create safe file for sharing**.
Go to the **Troubleshooting** tab and select the **File Obfuscator** action.
A confirmation window appears, explaining that you will be prompted to select a pair of documents and then asked to choose a location to save the files. Select **Yes** to continue.
Browse to the file location of the first file on your computer, select the file and select **Open**.
Repeat the previous step with the second file.
You will then be asked to select a location to save the Zip file, which will contain the two files you have just selected, in their anonymized form.
A new safe (anonymized) version of the files will be created in the Zip file. Open the zip, extract the two files and run them through Draftable. This is to make sure the issue you encountered is still reproducible.
If the issue still occurs with the anonymized version of the files, please send them to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
## How it works
The **Create safe file for sharing** feature removes all sensitive data from your documents while maintaining the document structure. The table below describes the transformation applied to each document element:
| **Element** | **Details** |
| :- | :- |
| Text | All text is replaced by a random text. (e.g. "the quick brown fox" -> "ani tkmlk ixrfw ssu"). This is an irreversible transformation. This applies to text in all parts of the document: body, headers, footers, footnotes, comments, etc. |
| Images | Images are replaced by black placeholder images with the same file format (e.g. jpeg, png) |
| Hyperlinks | All hyperlinks are redirected to [draftable.com](http://draftable.com/) |
| Tables | All table content is anonymized, but the table dimensions (i.e. number of rows and columns) are preserved. |
| Comments | Comments text is scrambled, and the names of comment authors are anonymised. |
| Math | The text within mathematical expressions is anonymized, but some mathematical symbols (e.g. sigma, the integral symbol) are not. |
| Metadata | All document metadata is removed (e.g., Author of file) |
The following document information is NOT changed:
* Format / Styling: e.g., the font size, font family, font colour, indentation, etc.
* Bullets/Numbering: paragraphs will continue to be numbered sequentially
* Structure: e.g., the number of paragraphs, the number of rows/columns in a table, the position of a text box
### Example of document BEFORE
### Example of document AFTER
## What if I don't create a safe file and share my documents?
If you choose not to use this feature, the Draftable team will still work to resolve your issue. However, we may find the issue diagnosis requires more trial and error, with users asked to run tests, reproduce the error and share logs several times throughout the diagnosis stage. As we will not be able to test any potential fixes, we will also ask users to re-test the comparison to see if a fix has worked. Where this fails, further error log sharing will be required. This dependency on user testing always leads to slower issue resolution times and can be painful for users who are busy with more pressing tasks.
# Silent install/launch options for Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22425102143129-Silent-install-launch-options-for-Draftable-Legal
This article is for system administrators who want to deploy the Draftable Legal application via a silent install method or want to configure Draftable Legal to start silently for users. This article discusses all the silent options available for Draftable Legal.
## Installation
Various silent installation parameters are required to be parsed for the silent installation of Draftable Legal. These differ for each of the different installer types:
### Default Installer
The silent install parameter `-s|--silent` is required for the default installer.
Hence an example of installing the default installer silently is:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\DraftableDesktopSetup.exe --silent
```
### Machine Wide MSI
To install the Machine-wide MSI installer silently, use the `/quiet` command-line parameter. We have two examples that can apply to the machine-wide MSI.
**Include the HTTP Listener Service (`HttpListener`) in every silent MSI command that uses `ADDLOCAL`.** It is a required component. It is installed by default, but `ADDLOCAL` replaces the defaults with exactly the list you provide, so any command that uses `ADDLOCAL` and omits `HttpListener` will not install the service. See [Deployment options via MSI (System-wide) installer](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer) for the full feature list and examples.
#### Example 1: Install silently into a custom location
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi /quiet INSTALLDIR="C:\Apps\Draftable\Desktop"
```
#### Example 2: Install silently without a desktop shortcut
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi /quiet ADDLOCAL=DraftableDesktop,StartMenuShortcut,HttpListener
```
This example omits the desktop shortcut but still includes the required `HttpListener` feature. Add the add-in features you need (`WordAddin`, `ExcelAddin`, `OutlookAddin`) to the same comma-separated list.
### After a silent install: verify the Draftable URL scheme
**Check the `draftable://` URL scheme after a silent installation.** The installer registers it, but if that registration is prevented — usually by endpoint protection or an application control policy blocking a write to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes` — the installation still completes and reports success.
Every comparison started from outside the Draftable window is a `draftable://` request. If the scheme is missing, selecting a Draftable compare action in iManage, SharePoint Online or NetDocuments, using the Office add-ins, or right-clicking a file in File Explorer does nothing at all: no error, no prompt and nothing written to the Draftable logs. The application itself will appear completely healthy. A machine-wide MSI installation does not repair this at startup, so it stays missing until an administrator restores it.
How to verify it, and the registry values to create if it is absent, are in [Draftable does not launch from iManage, SharePoint or File Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-does-not-launch-from-iManage-SharePoint-or-File-Explorer). If you are deploying through Microsoft Configuration Manager, the whole sequence is set out in [Deploying Draftable Legal with Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM)](/hc/en-us/articles/Deploying-Draftable-Legal-with-Microsoft-Configuration-Manager-SCCM).
To confirm the scheme on a machine, press `Windows + R`, enter `draftable://?source=outlook` and select **OK**. The **New Comparison** window should open.
## Silent launch parameters
There are various ways to configure the launch behaviour for Draftable Legal.
### Within Draftable Legal settings
In the general settings, users can manually select how they wish for Draftable Legal to start by default. Under the **Startup** menu option, we see there are 3 options to select from.
There are 3 options here:
1. Start Automatically: This starts Draftable Legal when Windows launches, the New Comparison Window will be shown on the main desktop after Windows has been booted.
2. Not Start with Windows: Draftable Legal does not start at all, and the user will need to manually open the program.
3. Silent start: This is our silent option, it starts Draftable Legal in the background when Windows starts, but does not launch the New Comparison window.
### Group Policy option
You can configure the default behaviour for the Draftable Legal start option via Group Policy options, specifically the 'Launch Draftable Automatically when Windows Start' option.
There are 3 options here:
1. Start with Windows: This starts Draftable Legal when Windows launches. The New Comparison Window will be shown on the main desktop after Windows has started.
2. Not Start with Windows: Draftable Legal does not start at all, and the user will need to manually open the program.
3. Start application but without main screen: This is our silent option, it starts Draftable Legal in the background when Windows starts, but does not launch the New Comparison window.
Remember, you can always download the latest group policy templates [here](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files).
### Registry setting
The registry key that can be configured, to control whether Draftable Legal starts, when Windows starts, can be set in the below registry key.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Compare
Value name: startOnStartupOption
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The `` value can be configured with 3 different options:
1. **Start** - This starts Draftable Legal when Windows launches. The New Comparison Window will be shown on the main desktop after Windows has started.
2. **NotStart** - Draftable Legal does not start at all, and the user will need to manually open the program.
3. **Silent** - This is our silent option, it starts Draftable Legal in the background when Windows starts, but does not launch the New Comparison window.
# Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy
This article is for system administrators who are interested in using Group Policy specifically to configure Redline comparison profiles settings for their users using Draftable Legal. This article will show the additional steps required in addition to Group Policy configuration in order to get this setting configured properly.
## Setting up
Ensure you have already followed the [Draftable Group Policy guide](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal) in respect to adding the templates for the group policy.
Open the Group Policy Editor (via Control Panel)
After installing the group policy template you should see following policies in the **Draftable Legal** section:
## Getting the profile JSON ready
To pre-configure the Redline settings profiles within group policy, you must already have the JSON for profile ready to be added into the group policy setting. To get this, see the process below:
Go to the **Redline** section within the settings menu
Select **Add profile,** then give the profile a name and click **OK**
Start building the profile as required for your user by selecting the settings desired. Then once you have finished building the profile, export it by clicking on the option icon, and then selecting **export**
A new window will appear to save the profile to your desired location. Do so and select **save**
Navigate to where the JSON has been saved and access the file
This is your profile JSON data, and is required for your group policy Redline profile settings. When required, copy the entire JSON string and save it into your group policy, which is outlined in the next step.
## Configuring Redline profiles within group policy
There are a few components to the Redline profiles configuration in group policy. Configuring Redline profiles to be loaded for the user, team allocation for what profiles users can see and setting the default Redline profile used.
### Configuring the team name for user
As an administrator, you can allocate a user to a *team* as a way to further distinguish what profiles they can use from the Redline settings configured by group policy. Mutliple team names can exist, which has the benefit of easily allocating which profiles are loaded for different groups of users.
**Note:** This step is entirely optional, and only required if you wish for certain users to only use certain Redline profiles.
Using the Group policy editor of choice, navigate to the **Draftable Legal** policy templates
Double click on **User Team Name**
Enable the policy and set a string based name for the user in the **Set team name for the user** field. Alternatively, putting a wildcard **\*** for the user, will allow them to see all profiles from all teams.
Click **Apply** and then **OK** for the policy to take effect.
The user now has a team name allocated to their account via group policy.
### Configuring the Redline profiles
You can configure up to 10 Redline profiles that can be automatically loaded into your user machines. Here is how you configure the Redline profiles:
Using the Group policy editor of choice, navigate to the **Draftable Desktop Pro** policy templates
Double click on the Redline setting profile you wish to configure
Enable the policy and paste the Redline profile JSON (that we created using the processed outlined earlier in this article) into the **Paste Redline Profile JSON here** field.
*Optionally:* you can enter the team name of the Redline setting profile, so that only users with that team name can see that profile. If you would like to do this, add the team name in the **Team name** field.
Click **Apply** and then **OK** for the policy to take effect.
Next time your user loads Draftable Legal, the Redline profiles configured in group policy will be loaded for the user to utilize.
### Setting the default profile
You can select the default Redline profile that is used when a user loads Draftable Legal. To do this follow the procedure below:
Using the Group policy editor of choice, navigate to the **Draftable Desktop Pro** policy templates
!\[]
Double click on the **Redline Default Profile Name** policy
Enable the policy and enter the name of the profile you wish to load as default into the **Set default Redline Profile name** field.
**Note:** This is the name of profile you saved it as, not the name of the policy.
Click **Apply** and then **OK** for the policy to take effect.
Next time your user loads Draftable Legal, the selected default Redline profile policy will be loaded.
## Configuring locking specific settings across all Profiles
From v2.15.300, Draftable Legal allows administrators to override any Profile setting using a "Redline Settings Base Profile" in Group Policy. This is designed to allow some Profile settings (e.g. author of changes) to be kept consistent across all profiles while still allowing administrators and end user to create custom profiles by changes other 'unlocked' settings. This section outlines how administrators can lock specific Profile settings across all Profiles with this functionality.
Locking in Draftable Legal is deliberately **per setting, not per profile**. You nominate the individual settings that must stay consistent for everyone, and every setting you do not nominate remains available to the user. This lets you fix the things that matter to the firm, such as the author applied to changes or the redline markup colours, without forcing users to build a profile from scratch when they need to adjust something for the document in front of them.
**Which policy should you use?** A numbered **Admin Redline Profile** governs only itself. Settings in a profile you deploy that way always take precedence over changes a user makes to it, and are restored whenever profiles are reloaded, but they do not carry across to profiles the user creates themselves.
To apply a setting across **every** profile, including profiles users create, put the JSON in the **Redline Settings Base Profile** policy and list the setting in its `Enforced` array. Enforced values are re-applied from the base profile each time profiles are loaded, so a change a user makes to an enforced setting does not persist.
### Configuring and locking specific settings across all Profiles
The "Redline Settings Base Profile" policy looks the same as all other Redline profiles group policy items, but it has the additional configurable property called "Enforced" that can be added to the JSON string.
Administrators can nominate keys (i.e. Redline settings) that are to be "Enforced" at the end of the profile JSON by listing them. This configures the setting using the key in the Redline profile value and locks this setting from end user configuration. Below is an example of the Redline profile JSON showing the **Enforced** key added for locking down settings.
```json expandable theme={null}
{
"Name": "My Profile",
"Version": 1,
"Created": "2024-05-27T11:46:13.6253904Z",
"Updated": "2024-05-27T11:46:13.6253904Z",
"CompareHeadersAndFooters": null,
"CompareBulletsAndNumberings": true,
"CompareTables": false,
"CompareImages": false,
"CompareTextBoxes": true,
"CompareHeaders": true,
"CompareFooters": true,
"CompareCoverPage": true,
"CompareHiddenText": false,
"CompareTablesOfContents": true,
"CompareWatermarks": true,
"CompareFootnotesAndEndnotes": true,
"StyleChangesEnabled": true,
"StyleChangeConfig": 3,
"CommentOption": 0,
"SmallChangesLevel": 0,
"CaseSensitivity": 0,
"DefaultAuthorOption": 1,
"DefaultAuthorCustomOptionValue": "Draftable",
"DefaultAuthorLauncherDropdownVisible": false,
"DefaultSummaryPagePosition": 0,
"DefaultTrackChangesBehaviour": 0,
"MovesEnabled": true,
"RedlineMarkupScheme": {
"TextDeletion": {
"Underline": 0,
"Strikethrough": 1,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "181, 8, 46",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 4,
"WordApiTextColor": 6
},
"TextInsertion": {
"Underline": 1,
"Strikethrough": 0,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "55, 110, 150",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 3,
"WordApiTextColor": 9
},
"TextMoveFrom": {
"Underline": 0,
"Strikethrough": 2,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "44, 98, 52",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 6,
"WordApiTextColor": 11
},
"TextMoveTo": {
"Underline": 2,
"Strikethrough": 0,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "44, 98, 52",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 5,
"WordApiTextColor": 11
},
"CellDelete": {
"HighlightColor": "252, 230, 244",
"WordApiCellColour": 0
},
"CellInsert": {
"HighlightColor": "225, 242, 250",
"WordApiCellColour": 2
},
"CellMerge": {
"HighlightColor": "252, 227, 208",
"WordApiCellColour": 4
},
"CellSplit": {
"HighlightColor": "254, 244, 222",
"WordApiCellColour": 1
},
"RevisedLine": {
"Mark": 0
}
},
"FilenameOutputFormat": "",
"Enforced": [
"RedlineMarkupScheme",
"CommentOption"
]
}
```
As you can see above, the keys "CommentOption" and "RedlineMarkupScheme" are now enforced.
Names in the `Enforced` array are **case sensitive** and must be spelled exactly as shown below. An entry that does not match is ignored silently, so the setting stays unlocked with no warning. Check your spelling and capitalisation carefully after editing the array.
`Enforced` takes **setting names**, which are not always identical to the JSON keys used elsewhere in the same profile. The comparison resolution setting is the one to watch: the value is stored under `ComparisonResolution` in current profiles (and under `SmallChangesLevel` in much older version 1 profiles), but the name you must list in `Enforced` is always `ComparisonResolution`.
For reference, the following settings can be listed as enforced.
**What to compare**
```json expandable theme={null}
"CompareBulletsAndNumberings"
"CompareTables"
"CompareImages"
"CompareTextBoxes"
"CompareHeaders"
"CompareFooters"
"CompareCoverPage"
"CompareHiddenText"
"CompareTablesOfContents"
"CompareWatermarks"
"CompareMathEquations"
"CompareFootnotesAndEndnotes"
"CompareFootnoteNumbering"
```
**Comparison behaviour**
```json expandable theme={null}
"ComparisonResolution"
"CaseSensitivity"
"MovesEnabled"
"DetectMovesIntoLargerEdits"
"FlattenDynamicContent"
"IgnoreChangesToQuotationMarks"
"IgnoreWhitespaceChanges"
"IgnoreRunnersInChangedPagesOnly"
"DeduplicateHeaderFooterChanges"
"ShowChangesReport"
```
**Formatting, style and comments**
```json expandable theme={null}
"StyleChangesEnabled"
"StyleChangeConfig"
"CommentOption"
"PreserveAcceptedComments"
```
**Author of changes**
```json expandable theme={null}
"DefaultAuthorOption"
"DefaultAuthorCustomOptionValue"
"DefaultAuthorLauncherDropdownVisible"
"DefaultTrackChangesBehaviour"
```
**Whole setting groups**
Listing one of these names enforces every setting inside that group as a block. You cannot enforce an individual setting from within a group.
```json expandable theme={null}
"RedlineMarkupScheme"
"PowerPointRedlineSettings"
"ExcelRedlineSettings"
```
**Names that no longer work.** Earlier revisions of this article listed the following. They are ignored if you list them today, so remove them from any existing base profile.
| Name | Why it no longer applies | What to do instead |
| - | - | - |
| `CompareHeadersAndFooters` | Split into two separate settings. Only ever applied to version 1 profiles. | List `CompareHeaders` and `CompareFooters`. |
| `SmallChangesLevel` | This is a stored value name, not a setting name. | List `ComparisonResolution`. |
| `DefaultSummaryPagePosition` | Became a global setting in 26.6.0. | Configure the `SummaryPagePosition` registry value. |
| `FilenameOutputFormat` | Became a global setting in 26.6.0. | Configure the `OutputFilenamePatternGlobal` registry value. |
`DefaultViewMode`, `ThreePaneShowComments` and `StripPdfLineNumbers` also became global settings in 26.6.0 and cannot be enforced through a profile. See [Most common Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) for the global registry values that replaced them.
Using the information above, you can prepare your base profile JSON, and once you have your JSON profile ready, go to the Group Policy Editor and find the "Redline Settings Base Profile" item.
Within this policy, paste the entire JSON profile as a string, to use as a base template to add ***enforced*** Redline settings (i.e. to configure and lock the specific Redline setting across all profiles)
**Note:** Enforcing does not allow for a setting to be locked, while still being configurable across different profiles. The enforced setting will be the same for all Profiles and will be based on the "Redline Settings Base Profile" entered in the above policy.
### How enforced settings appear to your users
An enforced setting is applied from your base profile every time profiles are loaded, so a change a user makes to one will not persist.
**Known display issue in 26.6.0 and later.** In the settings interface introduced in 26.6.0, enforced settings are not greyed out and do not show the "Set by your organisation" label. The setting is still enforced and the user's change will not be kept, but the interface does not signal the lock in advance. We are addressing this.
If you are rolling out enforced settings, it is worth telling your users which settings are firm managed rather than relying on the interface to show them.
Rather than writing the JSON by hand, build and export a profile as described in [Getting the profile JSON ready](#getting-the-profile-json-ready) above, then add the `Enforced` array to the exported file.
Exporting also keeps you on the current profile format. The example above is an older version 1 profile, kept because it still loads correctly. Profiles exported from 26.6.0 and later are version 3, and both formats accept the `Enforced` array in the same way.
### Disabling the Draftable Default profile
Administrators can disable the Draftable Default profile by using the policy 'Admin Base Profiles Only' policy.
Open the Group Policy editor
Find the Admin Base Profiles Only policy
Set to **enabled** to remove the Draftable Default profile. Users will still be able to create new profiles but these will be based on the Admin profiles created, and they cannot import any user profiles.
# Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687706-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy
This article is for system administrators who are interested in using Group Policy specifically to configure Redline comparison profiles settings for their users using Draftable Legal. This article will show the additional steps required in addition to Group Policy configuration in order to get this setting configured properly.
## Setting up
Ensure you have already followed the [Draftable Group Policy guide](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal) in respect to adding the templates for the group policy.
Open the Group Policy Editor (via Control Panel)
After installing the group policy template you should see following policies in the **Draftable Legal** section:
## Getting the profile JSON ready
To pre-configure the Redline settings profiles within group policy, you must already have the JSON for profile ready to be added into the group policy setting. To get this, see the process below:
Go to the **Redline** section within the settings menu
Select **Add profile,** then give the profile a name and click **OK**
Start building the profile as required for your user by selecting the settings desired. Then once you have finished building the profile, export it by clicking on the option icon, and then selecting **export**
A new window will appear to save the profile to your desired location. Do so and select **save**
Navigate to where the JSON has been saved and access the file
This is your profile JSON data, and is required for your group policy Redline profile settings. When required, copy the entire JSON string and save it into your group policy, which is outlined in the next step.
## Configuring Redline profiles within group policy
There are a few components to the Redline profiles configuration in group policy. Configuring Redline profiles to be loaded for the user, team allocation for what profiles users can see and setting the default Redline profile used.
### Configuring the team name for user
As an administrator, you can allocate a user to a *team* as a way to further distinguish what profiles they can use from the Redline settings configured by group policy. Mutliple team names can exist, which has the benefit of easily allocating which profiles are loaded for different groups of users.
**Note:** This step is entirely optional, and only required if you wish for certain users to only use certain Redline profiles.
Using the Group policy editor of choice, navigate to the **Draftable Legal** policy templates
Double click on **User Team Name**
Enable the policy and set a string based name for the user in the **Set team name for the user** field. Alternatively, putting a wildcard **\*** for the user, will allow them to see all profiles from all teams.
Click **Apply** and then **OK** for the policy to take effect.
The user now has a team name allocated to their account via group policy.
### Configuring the Redline profiles
You can configure up to 10 Redline profiles that can be automatically loaded into your user machines. Here is how you configure the Redline profiles:
Using the Group policy editor of choice, navigate to the **Draftable Desktop Pro** policy templates
Double click on the Redline setting profile you wish to configure
Enable the policy and paste the Redline profile JSON (that we created using the processed outlined earlier in this article) into the **Paste Redline Profile JSON here** field.
*Optionally:* you can enter the team name of the Redline setting profile, so that only users with that team name can see that profile. If you would like to do this, add the team name in the **Team name** field.
Click **Apply** and then **OK** for the policy to take effect.
Next time your user loads Draftable Legal, the Redline profiles configured in group policy will be loaded for the user to utilize.
### Setting the default profile
You can select the default Redline profile that is used when a user loads Draftable Legal. To do this follow the procedure below:
Using the Group policy editor of choice, navigate to the **Draftable Desktop Pro** policy templates
!\[]
Double click on the **Redline Default Profile Name** policy
Enable the policy and enter the name of the profile you wish to load as default into the **Set default Redline Profile name** field.
**Note:** This is the name of profile you saved it as, not the name of the policy.
Click **Apply** and then **OK** for the policy to take effect.
Next time your user loads Draftable Legal, the selected default Redline profile policy will be loaded.
## Configuring locking specific settings across all Profiles
From v2.15.300, Draftable Legal allows administrators to override any Profile setting using a "Redline Settings Base Profile" in Group Policy. This is designed to allow some Profile settings (e.g. author of changes) to be kept consistent across all profiles while still allowing administrators and end user to create custom profiles by changes other 'unlocked' settings. This section outlines how administrators can lock specific Profile settings across all Profiles with this functionality.
Locking in Draftable Legal is deliberately **per setting, not per profile**. You nominate the individual settings that must stay consistent for everyone, and every setting you do not nominate remains available to the user. This lets you fix the things that matter to the firm, such as the author applied to changes or the redline markup colours, without forcing users to build a profile from scratch when they need to adjust something for the document in front of them.
**Which policy should you use?** A numbered **Admin Redline Profile** governs only itself. Settings in a profile you deploy that way always take precedence over changes a user makes to it, and are restored whenever profiles are reloaded, but they do not carry across to profiles the user creates themselves.
To apply a setting across **every** profile, including profiles users create, put the JSON in the **Redline Settings Base Profile** policy and list the setting in its `Enforced` array. Enforced values are re-applied from the base profile each time profiles are loaded, so a change a user makes to an enforced setting does not persist.
### Configuring and locking specific settings across all Profiles
The "Redline Settings Base Profile" policy looks the same as all other Redline profiles group policy items, but it has the additional configurable property called "Enforced" that can be added to the JSON string.
Administrators can nominate keys (i.e. Redline settings) that are to be "Enforced" at the end of the profile JSON by listing them. This configures the setting using the key in the Redline profile value and locks this setting from end user configuration. Below is an example of the Redline profile JSON showing the **Enforced** key added for locking down settings.
```json expandable theme={null}
{
"Name": "My Profile",
"Version": 1,
"Created": "2024-05-27T11:46:13.6253904Z",
"Updated": "2024-05-27T11:46:13.6253904Z",
"CompareHeadersAndFooters": null,
"CompareBulletsAndNumberings": true,
"CompareTables": false,
"CompareImages": false,
"CompareTextBoxes": true,
"CompareHeaders": true,
"CompareFooters": true,
"CompareCoverPage": true,
"CompareHiddenText": false,
"CompareTablesOfContents": true,
"CompareWatermarks": true,
"CompareFootnotesAndEndnotes": true,
"StyleChangesEnabled": true,
"StyleChangeConfig": 3,
"CommentOption": 0,
"SmallChangesLevel": 0,
"CaseSensitivity": 0,
"DefaultAuthorOption": 1,
"DefaultAuthorCustomOptionValue": "Draftable",
"DefaultAuthorLauncherDropdownVisible": false,
"DefaultSummaryPagePosition": 0,
"DefaultTrackChangesBehaviour": 0,
"MovesEnabled": true,
"RedlineMarkupScheme": {
"TextDeletion": {
"Underline": 0,
"Strikethrough": 1,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "181, 8, 46",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 4,
"WordApiTextColor": 6
},
"TextInsertion": {
"Underline": 1,
"Strikethrough": 0,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "55, 110, 150",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 3,
"WordApiTextColor": 9
},
"TextMoveFrom": {
"Underline": 0,
"Strikethrough": 2,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "44, 98, 52",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 6,
"WordApiTextColor": 11
},
"TextMoveTo": {
"Underline": 2,
"Strikethrough": 0,
"HighlightColour": null,
"TextColor": "44, 98, 52",
"WordApiTextDecoration": 5,
"WordApiTextColor": 11
},
"CellDelete": {
"HighlightColor": "252, 230, 244",
"WordApiCellColour": 0
},
"CellInsert": {
"HighlightColor": "225, 242, 250",
"WordApiCellColour": 2
},
"CellMerge": {
"HighlightColor": "252, 227, 208",
"WordApiCellColour": 4
},
"CellSplit": {
"HighlightColor": "254, 244, 222",
"WordApiCellColour": 1
},
"RevisedLine": {
"Mark": 0
}
},
"FilenameOutputFormat": "",
"Enforced": [
"RedlineMarkupScheme",
"CommentOption"
]
}
```
As you can see above, the keys "CommentOption" and "RedlineMarkupScheme" are now enforced.
Names in the `Enforced` array are **case sensitive** and must be spelled exactly as shown below. An entry that does not match is ignored silently, so the setting stays unlocked with no warning. Check your spelling and capitalisation carefully after editing the array.
`Enforced` takes **setting names**, which are not always identical to the JSON keys used elsewhere in the same profile. The comparison resolution setting is the one to watch: the value is stored under `ComparisonResolution` in current profiles (and under `SmallChangesLevel` in much older version 1 profiles), but the name you must list in `Enforced` is always `ComparisonResolution`.
For reference, the following settings can be listed as enforced.
**What to compare**
```json expandable theme={null}
"CompareBulletsAndNumberings"
"CompareTables"
"CompareImages"
"CompareTextBoxes"
"CompareHeaders"
"CompareFooters"
"CompareCoverPage"
"CompareHiddenText"
"CompareTablesOfContents"
"CompareWatermarks"
"CompareMathEquations"
"CompareFootnotesAndEndnotes"
"CompareFootnoteNumbering"
```
**Comparison behaviour**
```json expandable theme={null}
"ComparisonResolution"
"CaseSensitivity"
"MovesEnabled"
"DetectMovesIntoLargerEdits"
"FlattenDynamicContent"
"IgnoreChangesToQuotationMarks"
"IgnoreWhitespaceChanges"
"IgnoreRunnersInChangedPagesOnly"
"DeduplicateHeaderFooterChanges"
"ShowChangesReport"
```
**Formatting, style and comments**
```json expandable theme={null}
"StyleChangesEnabled"
"StyleChangeConfig"
"CommentOption"
"PreserveAcceptedComments"
```
**Author of changes**
```json expandable theme={null}
"DefaultAuthorOption"
"DefaultAuthorCustomOptionValue"
"DefaultAuthorLauncherDropdownVisible"
"DefaultTrackChangesBehaviour"
```
**Whole setting groups**
Listing one of these names enforces every setting inside that group as a block. You cannot enforce an individual setting from within a group.
```json expandable theme={null}
"RedlineMarkupScheme"
"PowerPointRedlineSettings"
"ExcelRedlineSettings"
```
**Names that no longer work.** Earlier revisions of this article listed the following. They are ignored if you list them today, so remove them from any existing base profile.
| Name | Why it no longer applies | What to do instead |
| - | - | - |
| `CompareHeadersAndFooters` | Split into two separate settings. Only ever applied to version 1 profiles. | List `CompareHeaders` and `CompareFooters`. |
| `SmallChangesLevel` | This is a stored value name, not a setting name. | List `ComparisonResolution`. |
| `DefaultSummaryPagePosition` | Became a global setting in 26.6.0. | Configure the `SummaryPagePosition` registry value. |
| `FilenameOutputFormat` | Became a global setting in 26.6.0. | Configure the `OutputFilenamePatternGlobal` registry value. |
`DefaultViewMode`, `ThreePaneShowComments` and `StripPdfLineNumbers` also became global settings in 26.6.0 and cannot be enforced through a profile. See [Most common Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) for the global registry values that replaced them.
Using the information above, you can prepare your base profile JSON, and once you have your JSON profile ready, go to the Group Policy Editor and find the "Redline Settings Base Profile" item.
Within this policy, paste the entire JSON profile as a string, to use as a base template to add ***enforced*** Redline settings (i.e. to configure and lock the specific Redline setting across all profiles)
**Note:** Enforcing does not allow for a setting to be locked, while still being configurable across different profiles. The enforced setting will be the same for all Profiles and will be based on the "Redline Settings Base Profile" entered in the above policy.
### How enforced settings appear to your users
An enforced setting is applied from your base profile every time profiles are loaded, so a change a user makes to one will not persist.
**Known display issue in 26.6.0 and later.** In the settings interface introduced in 26.6.0, enforced settings are not greyed out and do not show the "Set by your organisation" label. The setting is still enforced and the user's change will not be kept, but the interface does not signal the lock in advance. We are addressing this.
If you are rolling out enforced settings, it is worth telling your users which settings are firm managed rather than relying on the interface to show them.
Rather than writing the JSON by hand, build and export a profile as described in [Getting the profile JSON ready](#getting-the-profile-json-ready) above, then add the `Enforced` array to the exported file.
Exporting also keeps you on the current profile format. The example above is an older version 1 profile, kept because it still loads correctly. Profiles exported from 26.6.0 and later are version 3, and both formats accept the `Enforced` array in the same way.
### Disabling the Draftable Default profile
Administrators can disable the Draftable Default profile by using the policy 'Admin Base Profiles Only' policy.
Open the Group Policy editor
Find the Admin Base Profiles Only policy
Set to **enabled** to remove the Draftable Default profile. Users will still be able to create new profiles but these will be based on the Admin profiles created, and they cannot import any user profiles.
# Configuring iManage to be able to launch comparisons directly from within iManage
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22860371094681-Configuring-iManage-to-be-able-to-launch-comparisons-directly-from-within-iManage
This article is intended for administrators who want to configure iManage with Draftable Legal to simplify document comparison by providing the ability to start comparisons directly from within iManage.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This guide includes the process for both iManage cloud and on-premise, hence, both deployments of iManage are supported for this integration.
### Note regarding Machine Wide MSI installation for Draftable Legal and iManage integration
It is recommended that if are planning to use the Machine Wide MSI installer for your Draftable Legal installation, we highly recommend that you use the default install location if you also plan to integrate with iManage to reduce the likelihood of any issues during the integration process.
**If the compare actions do nothing at all once configured, check the `draftable://` URL scheme.** That scheme is what allows iManage to hand a comparison over to Draftable Legal. The installer registers it, but if that was blocked during installation the actions configured in this article will do nothing when selected, with no error shown. This is more likely on machine-wide MSI deployments, which do not retry the registration at startup. See [Draftable does not launch from iManage, SharePoint or File Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-does-not-launch-from-iManage-SharePoint-or-File-Explorer).
**Draftable Legal 26.8.0 ships a new iManage integration package (version 4). You must redeploy it.** Updating the desktop application on its own is not enough. Until the new package is deployed into iManage Work, the following 26.8.0 behaviour is not reachable from the iManage menus, even though the desktop build supports it:
* **Compare Versions** offering a version picker instead of importing every version
* Comparing **more than two versions**, which opens in Timeline view
* **Compare with Latest** accepting several selected documents at once
* **1-Click Compare** appearing only when exactly two documents are selected (previously it also appeared for a single document)
Follow the configuration steps below to deploy the updated package.
**Stopping the browser prompt.** Once the compare actions are working, browsers ask users for confirmation each time before opening Draftable Legal. This can be pre-approved centrally so the prompt never appears, including for the iManage Work Panel in Outlook, which needs its own setting. See [Allowing Draftable to launch from your browser and the iManage Work Panel](/hc/en-us/articles/Allowing-Draftable-to-launch-from-your-browser-and-the-iManage-Work-Panel).
## iManage Cloud configuration
The iManage cloud configuration requires access to both Draftable Legal and an administrator-level \
(with access to control center) account for configuring Draftable within iManage.
### Configuring Draftable Legal
Ensure you have logged into iManage on your Draftable Legal application. This depends on what version of **Draftable** you are using. If you are using Draftable version 25.9.300 or earlier, please follow the process below.
Open the settings menu and navigate to the **integrations** section of the settings.
Click the **Login** button, enter your credentials for your iManage account. It should display as *Connected as* with your correct account details if done correctly.
If you're using Draftable version 25.10.000 or later, please see the following process:
In 26.6 the iManage settings live under **DMS Connections** (previously **Integrations**).
Before you can connect, you need to turn on the iManage integration. In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, find the **iManage** section, and switch on its enable toggle. The connection options and **Servers** list only appear once iManage is enabled.
Open the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **iManage** section. Your iManage servers are listed at the bottom under **Servers**.
To add a server, click **Add server**. In the **Add iManage Server** dialog, enter your iManage Work server address in the **Server URL** field. For the default cloud configuration, enter:
```bash theme={null}
https://cloudimanage.com
```
Then click **Add Server**.
In 26.6 and later the dialog has a single **Server URL** field. There is no separate name field; the server name is taken from the URL.
The server is added to the **Servers** list. You can add more than one server if you work across multiple tenancies.
Find the server you want to use in the **Servers** list and click **Connect**, then enter your iManage credentials (unless they have already been configured by Group Policy).
The connection is validated when the iManage header shows a green **Connected** badge with your account, the server is marked **Connected** in the **Servers** list, and its **Connect** button changes to **Disconnect**.
Open the settings menu and navigate to the **integrations** section of the settings.
Enter your credentials for your iManage account (if they haven't already been configured by Group Policy) by clicking the arrow in the "Manage endpoints" section.
You can enter the endpoint name and the endpoint URL. This is important if you are using multiple tenancies. If you are using just the default cloud configuration, just ensure you enter:
```bash theme={null}
https://cloudimanage.com
```
Click the **Save.** It will now add that endpoint to the endpoint section.
In the environment dropdown section, select the endpoint you want to connect to and click **Connect.**
Connection is validated when the "Logout" button appears and the dropdown icon greys out.
### Configuring iManage cloud
We need to complete a few steps in order to correctly integrate Draftable Legal in iManage, and also setup the context menus to allow your users to compare with Draftable within iManage cloud.
There are two parts to this: registering Draftable as an application in Control Center, and then adding the Draftable actions to the web client context menus. If you have already registered the application and only need the context menus, go straight to part 2.
Login into iManage and navigate to **control center.**
On the left hand menu bar, scroll until you see **settings,** then select **applications**
On the top right-hand side, select **Add Application**\\
Search for **Draftable**, select the **Draftable** option, and then click **Authentication**
Now we configure the application, in the authentication section ensure we have the following settings configured:\
**Allow Refresh Token = Yes\
Refresh Token Expiry = 365\
Access Token Expiry = 30**
Once configured, select **Access.**
In the "Access" window, ensure that **Allow access to** is set to **All Users.** Then click **Review.**
In the "Settings" window, ensure that the **Draftable Communication Port** is set to **4764.** Then click **Review.**
**Note:** You can set this to a different value, however, this will require you to change the value on the client end as well via group policy. If you wish to change the port value, set it here within iManage to your desired value and also set the group policy for the Draftable communication port. For the group policy information please refer to [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal)
In the "Review" window, ensure that the information configured is correct, and then select **Finish.**
With the application registered, the Draftable actions now need to be added to the iManage web client context menus. Until this is done, your users will not see any Draftable options when they right-click a document.
In Control Center, on the left-hand menu bar, scroll until you see **Work Clients,** then select **Web Client.**
Within the web client section, select the **context menus** option to start editing the context menus.
You will see two context menus, one for **Documents,** and another for **Versions.** We need to edit both in order to correctly configure. We will first configure **Documents.**
We first need to remove any options for **Select for Compare**, by clicking the X next to it. Do so before continuing to the next step.
Now click on the menu itself so it highlights, and at the bottom of the menu select **Add action.**
Select the **Compare** menu item, to add it to the menu. Repeat this for **Compare Versions, 1-Click Compare** and **Compare with latest** items as well.
!
Reorder the new menu option by selecting and dragging the **Compare** options to anywhere in your menu. See below for reference.
That completes the context menu for the **Documents** context menu. Repeat steps 3 to 7 above for the **Versions** context menu. You should see a result similar to below.
This completes the configuration for the setup for iManage on cloud. If you want to know how to use the feature itself, of launching Draftable from within iManage, please see [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/22873285776409-Launching-comparisons-from-within-iManage)
## iManage On-Premise configuration
The iManage on-premise configuration requires access to both Draftable Legal and an administrator-level (with access to control center) account for configuring Draftable within iManage on-premise.
### Configuring Draftable Legal
In 26.6 there is no separate **On-Premises** sub-tab. You add your on-premise iManage server the same way as a cloud server, under **DMS Connections > iManage**.
Open the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, expand the **iManage** section, and turn on its enable toggle if it is not already on. Click **Add server** and, in the **Add iManage Server** dialog, enter the **Server URL** of your on-premise iManage server, then click **Add Server**. Once the server is listed, click **Connect** and authenticate.
Firstly we need to ensure that we are logging into our On-Premise iManage account. Navigate to the **Integrations** section of the settings menu and select **On-Premises.** The **Communication Port** and **Draftable App Id** are prefilled, so you only need to add the **Service URL** of your On-Premise iManage server.
Once you have done this, we can move to configuring iManage On-Premise.
### Configuring iManage on-premises
As with the cloud configuration there are two parts: uploading and registering the Draftable package in Control Center, and then adding the Draftable actions to the web client context menus. If you have already registered the package and only need the context menus, go straight to part 2.
Login into your iManage On-Premise server, and navigate to **control center.**
On the left hand menu bar, scroll until you see **settings,** then select **applications.**
On the top right-hand side, select **Add Application**
The following window will appear. Draftable now allows you to upload a package file, so we will select **Upload Package.**
Navigate to the following location:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Users\\AppData\Local\DraftableDesktop\app-Y.ZZ.XXX\Integrations
```
Where `` is the name of your account on the local machine, and Y.ZZ.XXX is the version number of Draftable, see below for an example.
Select the **Draftable\_for\_iManage.Zip** file and click **open.**
The following screen will appear. Since we added the package the information is prefilled. Click **Authentication.**
Again the information is prefilled, except for **Allow Refresh Token,** ensure this is ticked as **Yes**. Then click **Access.**
Again the information is prefilled, so just click **Settings.**
Again the information is prefilled, so just click **Review.**
**Note:** You can set the Draftable Communication port to a different value, however, this will require you to change the value on the client end as well via group policy. If you wish to change the port value, set it here within iManage to your desired value and also set the group policy for the Draftable communication port. For the group policy information please refer to [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal)
Review the information to ensure everything appears to look right and then click **Finish.**
With the package registered, the Draftable actions now need to be added to the iManage web client context menus. Until this is done, your users will not see any Draftable options when they right-click a document.
In Control Center, on the left-hand menu bar, scroll until you see **Work Clients,** then select **Web Client.**
Within the web client section, select the **context menus** option to start editing the context menus.
You will see two context menus, one for **Documents,** and another for **Versions.** We need to edit both in order to correctly configure. We will first configure **Documents.**
We first need to remove any options for **Select for Compare**, by clicking the X next to it. Do so before continuing to the next step.
Now click on the menu itself so it highlights, and at the bottom of the menu select **Add action**
Select the **Compare** menu item, to add it to the menu. Repeat this for **Compare Versions, 1-Click Compare** and **Compare with latest** items as well.
Reorder the new menu option by selecting and dragging the **Compare** options to anywhere in your menu. See below for reference.
That completes the context menu for the **Documents** context menu. Repeat steps 2 to 6 above for the **Versions** context menu. You should see a result similar to below.
This completes the configuration for the setup for iManage on-premises. If you want to know how to use the feature itself, of launching Draftable from within iManage, please see [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/22873285776409-Launching-comparisons-from-within-iManage)
# Launching comparisons from within iManage
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22873285776409-Launching-comparisons-from-within-iManage
We have built integration with iManage which allows you to launch comparisons directly into Draftable Legal from within iManage. This exciting feature streamlines your workflows, reducing the number of clicks required to get a comparison generated.
This article will show you the various methods on how to launch a comparison from iManage to Draftable Legal.
**Please note:** As referenced before this is an integration, meaning that iManage (either on-premise or cloud) has been correctly configured prior to following the steps in this article. If you have not done this, please [complete the configuration](/hc/en-us/articles/22860371094681-Configuring-iManage-to-be-able-to-launch-comparisons-directly-from-within-iManage) before returning to the launch steps in this article.
## How to launch comparisons directly from iManage
There are a few methods to launch comparisons from iManage, either using the context menus or the toolbar within iManage. To ensure you are getting the absolute full usage of this feature, below outlines all the possible avenues of launching comparisons directly from iManage.
### Launching comparisons via the context menu
Navigate to the desired matter which contains the desired files you want to compare.
Select a file, **right-click** it, and then select **Compare with Draftable.**
**Alternatively,** you can also select two files, **right-click** them, and then select **Compare with Draftable.**
**Note:** If you select 3 or more files, the Compare with Draftable context menu option will not be available.
Regardless of whether you selected 1 or 2 documents, Draftable Legal will load the New Comparison window with the selected documents, ready for you to **Compare.**
### Launching a comparison via the toolbar menu option
Navigate to the desired matter which contains the desired files you want to compare.
Select a file(s), then select the **Compare with Draftable** icon located in the toolbar.
**Note:** If you select 3 or more files, the Compare with Draftable toolbar menu option will not be available.
Regardless of whether you selected 1 or 2 documents, Draftable Legal will load the New Comparison window with the selected documents, ready for you to **Compare**.
### Launching a comparison using a specific document version within the version tab
If you want to compare a specific version of a document in iManage, you can by going to the versions tab.
Select the file you want to compare the select the **versions** tab located on the right-hand side.
In the versions tab, select and **right-click** the document you wish to compare by opening up the context menu.
Select **Compare with Draftable**
Draftable Legal will load the New Comparison window with the selected document, ready for you to **Compare**.
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.10.0 - v2.10.7
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/22985002379545-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-10-0-v2-10-7
We are excited to share our latest updates to Draftable Legal.
Throughout August and early September, our priorities have been to:
* [**Improve iManage workflows**](#improved-imanage-workflows) to enhance ease of use
* Add a [**comparison progress bar**](#comparison-progress-bar) to improve user experience
* Add **[compare and generate Powerpoint files](#compare-and-generate-powerpoint-files)** to our core comparison functionality
* **[Resolve software environmental issues](#strengthened-reliability)** to strengthen product reliability
* Provide **[new troubleshooting capabilities](#better-debugging-tools-to-speed-up-issue-resolution)** to improve deployment and issue support
* **[Update our color theme & license name](#a-new-blue-theme-to-align-ui-with-industry-norms)** to align UI with industry conventions
You can read more about these features in the following sections.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed this 2.10 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [support@draftable.com](mailto:upport@draftable.com)
## Improved iManage workflows
We are committed to ensuring our customers can use Draftable Legal wherever they need it. Thanks to excellent feedback from our customers we have been able to make several improvements to the iManage integration workflow available for Draftable Legal.
### Launch from iManage now available
One of the most requested features we've had has been the ability for users to launch their comparisons from within iManage. We are pleased to share this feature is now available in both iManage Cloud and on-premise. There are two ways users can load files into Draftable. The first is by selecting the files and using the 'compare with Draftable' option (via the icon in their menu above the files). The second option allows user to select 'compare with Draftable' via right click. This feature works for selecting files and versions. Note: users will not be able to see 'Compare with Draftable' option if selecting three or more files.
Customers will need to have their administrators set up the 'Compare with Draftable' in their iManage environment before it is available to use. **[Our team has prepared an administrator guide on setting up the 'launch from iManage' feature](/hc/en-us/articles/22860371094681-Configuring-iManage-to-be-able-to-launch-comparisons-directly-from-within-iManage), [which can be found here](/hc/en-us/articles/22860371094681-Configuring-iManage-to-be-able-to-launch-comparisons-directly-from-within-iManage).**
### File types and names correctly defaulting when saving to iManage
Also included in the 2.10 releases were two smaller improvements to the 'save to iManage' workflow.
Users will now have their **comparison outputs 'file name' (e.g. and 'file type' (e.g. DOC, PDF) pre-filled by default when saving to iManage**. This removes two previously required steps from the save to iManage workflow to save users time and effort.
## Comparison progress bar
We have heard from users that they would like to see the progress of comparisons in addition to the steps being completed (which were added in v2.9). In response, our algorithm team have developed a progress bar that links to actual steps in the compare. This provides for a much better experience while waiting for comparisons to complete.
In future, we plan to further enhance the waiting-for comparison experience by:
* Providing users with estimates of the time the comparison will take to complete.
* Notifying users when a comparison is finished.
The objective of this will be to allow users to continue working on other items while waiting for longer comparisons to complete.
## Compare and generate PowerPoint files
Draftable Legal now offers users the ability to run comparisons of PowerPoint files as 'Redline tracked changes (.pptx)'. This new comparison functionality, available from v2.10.8 onwards allows users to generate an output in MS PowerPoint with changes shown using the interactive review functionality provided by PowerPoint.
### Running a PowerPoint compare with Draftable
Running a PowerPoint comparison in Draftable is easy. Just load the ppt or pptx files into the New Comparison window and select the 'Redline Tracked Changes (.docx, .pptx)' comparison type from the drop-down menu.
### Reviewing and continuing work in PowerPoint
After running the comparison, the new 'Redline Tracked Changes (..pptx)' comparison type from Draftable opens directly to PowerPoint. Once open, users can navigate changes using the review pane on the right hand side of their PowerPoint or by using the 'next' and 'previous' change options in the PowerPoint Ribbon menu. Changes can be accepted or rejected as with MS Word outputs.
## Strengthened reliability
As an enterprise desktop product, Draftable must interact with a variety of third-party software. These include Windows, Word, File Explorer, Outlook, Adobe and a long tail of other less common software products that interact with documents on user's machines. Thanks to the great feedback from customers, we have been able to identify and resolve a range of customer-specific (i.e. environmental) issues associated with software settings and permissions. With these resolved, customers can be confident that Draftable will operate as expected in their environment, including with their unique Word templates and IT security settings.
Specific fixes included in the 2.10 releases were:
* Fixes for Comparison Progress window not including OCR step when comparison started really fast after dropping files
* Office integration cleanups and fixes by moving all P/Invoke code into NativeMethods class for Office
* Ensure the built-in Word PDF text converter is Kofax compatible
* Bugfix for issue selecting "Changed pages output" when exporting to email (was failing when document was not ready)
* Bugfix for side-by-side comparison error
* Bugfix for disabling the PDF warning in Office in some scenarios
### Better debugging tools to speed up issue resolution
Throughout the process of addressing these issues, we have also significantly improved our system verification (to identify bugs before customers need to run their comparisons). You can [**read more about this System Verification tool here**](/hc/en-us/articles/22088193885721-Performing-system-verification-in-Draftable-Legal). We have also improved our error logs to include more system information, meaning environmental issues are able to be resolved faster.
Thanks to these efforts, our team is no longer seeing many environmental issues reported by customers. However, we remain committed to providing an exceptionally reliable product. If you encounter any issues with Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
## A new blue theme to align UI with industry norms
You may have noticed a change in the look of Draftable! The 2.10 releases included a makeover of our website, product and knowledge base UI. Underpinning this change was a move toward using industry-standard "blue" for insertions, "red" for deletions and "green" for moved text. In making the change, we took the opportunity to revise our branding and product colours to a new midnight blue theme.
# My Redline tracked changes comparison doesn't match my markup schema
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/23143479343257-My-Redline-tracked-changes-comparison-doesn-t-match-my-markup-schema
If you are visiting this article, you may have used the Redline Tracked Changes and noticed that when you viewed the tracked changes comparison in Microsoft Word, the markup colours you expected were not as was shown.
This is a known interaction and this article explains what is happening and the workaround to update the colors for Redline tracked changes output.
## What you might be seeing in your tracked changes output
In Draftable Legal you select the colours chosen for the Redline Markup Schema, or at the very least, you are used to seeing the default red vs. blue text highlights for detections.
Then you load a Redline Tracked Changes comparison in Word and see something like the example below:
The colours may vary from the example shown above, but regardless it wasn't what you were expecting.
What happening here is that **Draftable does not manage the colours used in Redline Tracked Changes comparisons** shown in Word\*\*.\*\* This is actually **managed by Word** itself, and below is the workaround you can perform to get the colours you want in your Redline Tracked Changes comparisons.
## The workaround
You can set the colours for Redline Tracked Changes to appear as the colours you like within Mircosoft Word itself. This is recommended if you using Redline with Tracked changes often.
Word automatically picks which colour represents each author (in this case being Draftable) and that colour might change when you reopen the document or someone else opens the document.
To set these colours, here is what you need to do.
Open Microsoft Word
Go to **Review,** and then select the small **Tracking Dialog Launcher** as shown in the image below:
A new window will appear, and then select **Advanced Options**.
The Advanced Track Changes window will open. You may notice that the colors for insertions and deletions are set to **By Author,** this is what we need to change. With the drop-down for the colours, choose and select the colours you wish to use for insertions and deletions.
Change the colours to your desired selection, then click **OK** at the bottom of the window.
If you re-open your comparison, your selected colours should now apply for your Redline Tracked changes.
# Guide for iManage Cloud integration with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24481421270425-Guide-for-iManage-Cloud-integration-with-Draftable-Legal
Draftable Legal allows you to integrate your iManage Cloud solution with Draftable Legal itself. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up this integration by first configuring Draftable Legal for iManage, and then completing the iManage-specific integration in control center. Additionally, there is information for Draftable Legal configuration in conjunction with group policy.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Please note:** This is a technical integration guide written for administrator-level users. This is **not a guide** for **using iManage with Draftable Legal,** if you are looking for information on how to use iManage with Draftable Legal, please [visit this article instead](/hc/en-us/articles/16549583625241-iManage-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal).
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of iManage deployment via cloud, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27926349740825-iManage-Cloud-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal)
### Note regarding Machine Wide MSI installation for Draftable Legal and iManage integration
It is recommended that if are planning to use the Machine Wide MSI installer for your Draftable Legal installation, we highly recommend that you use the default install location if you also plan to integrate with iManage to reduce the likelihood of any issues during the integration process.
## Configure Draftable Legal within iManage Cloud Control Center
There are two distinct steps for Draftable iManage configuration, first we need to setup the integration within iManage itself (Control Centre), and then we need to set up the Draftable application configuration to log us into iManage.
### Configuring iManage Cloud
1. We need to first complete a few steps in order to correctly integrate Draftable Legal in iManage, and also setup the context menus to allow your users to compare with Draftable within iManage cloud.
**PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THESE STEPS CAREFULLY**
This configuration has three parts. Expand the one you need — you can complete them in order, or jump straight to the part you are missing.
Login into iManage and navigate to **control center.**
On the left hand menu bar, scroll until you see **settings,** then select **applications**
On the top right-hand side, select **Add Application**
Search for **Draftable**, select the **Draftable** option, and then click **Authentication**
Now we configure the application, in the authentication section, ensure we have the following settings configured:
**Allow Refresh Token = Yes - (PLEASE ENSURE YOU SELECT THIS AS 'YES')\
Refresh Token Expiry = 365\
Access Token Expiry = 30**
Once configured, select **Access.**
In the "Access" window, ensure that **Allow access to** is set to **All Users.** Then click **Review.**
In the "Settings" window, ensure that the **Draftable Communication Port** is set to **4764.** Then click **Review.**
**Note:** You can set this to a different value; however, this will require you to change the value on the client end as well via group policy. If you wish to change the port value, set it here within iManage to your desired value and also set the group policy for the Draftable communication port. For the group policy information, please refer to [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal)
In the "Review" window, ensure that the information configured is correct, and then select **Finish.**
With the application registered, the Draftable actions now need to be added to the iManage web client context menus. Until this is done, your users will not see any Draftable options when they right-click a document.
In Control Center, on the left-hand menu bar, scroll until you see **Work Clients,** then select **Web Client.**
Within the web client section, select the **context menus** option to start editing the context menus.
You will see two context menus, one for **Documents** and another for **Versions.** We need to edit both in order to correctly configure. We will first configure **Documents.**
We first need to remove any options for **Select for Compare**, by clicking the X next to it. Do so before continuing to the next step.
Now click on the menu itself so it highlights, and at the bottom of the menu select **Add action.**
Select the **Compare** menu item, to add it to the menu. Repeat this for **Compare Versions, 1-Click Compare** and **Compare with latest** items as well.
Reorder the new menu option by selecting and dragging the **Compare** options to anywhere in your menu. See below for reference.
That completes the context menu for the **Documents** context menu. Repeat steps 3 to 7 above for the **Versions** context menu. You should see a result similar to below.
This completes the configuration for the setup for iManage on cloud. If you want to know how to use the feature itself, of launching Draftable from within iManage, please see [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/22873285776409-Launching-comparisons-from-within-iManage)
Finally, Draftable Legal itself needs to be pointed at iManage and signed in. Follow the procedure for the version of Draftable you are running.
### Configuring Draftable Legal
Now we need to ensure that we are logging into our cloud iManage account. In 26.6 and later, open the settings menu and go to **DMS Connections > iManage**. In versions before 26.6, navigate to the **Integrations** section of the settings menu and select **iManage**.
Depending on what version of Draftable you are using, there are two different procedures you need to follow depending on the version.
### If you are using Draftable v25.9.300 or earlier:
Now we need to ensure that we are logging into our cloud iManage account. Navigate to the **Integrations** section of the settings menu and select **cloud.**
Ensure you have logged into iManage on your Draftable Legal application. This can be done following the process below.
Open the settings menu and navigate to the **integrations** section of the settings.
Click the **Login** button, and enter your credentials for your iManage account. It should display as *Connected as* with your correct account details if done correctly.
That concludes the iManage configuration process between Draftable Legal and cloud iManage.
### If you are using Draftable v25.10.000 or later
Before you can connect, you need to turn on the iManage integration. In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, find the **iManage** section, and switch on its enable toggle. The connection options and **Servers** list only appear once iManage is enabled.
Open the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **iManage** section.
Here you can manage your connection options, including **Log in at startup**, **Sign in via system browser**, **Detailed logging**, **Open uploaded docs in browser**, and **App ID**. Your iManage servers are listed at the bottom under **Servers**.
To add a server, click **Add server**. In the **Add iManage Server** dialog, enter your iManage Work server address in the **Server URL** field (for example, `https://cloudimanage.com`), then click **Add Server**.
In 26.6 and later the dialog has a single **Server URL** field. There is no separate name field; the server name is taken from the URL. You connect and authenticate after the server has been added.
The server is added to the **Servers** list. You can add more than one server if you work across multiple tenancies.
Find the server you want to use in the **Servers** list and click **Connect**, then enter your iManage credentials (unless they have already been configured by Group Policy).
Once authentication succeeds, the connection is validated: the iManage header shows a green **Connected as** badge with your account, the server is marked **Connected** in the **Servers** list, and its **Connect** button changes to **Disconnect**.
Open the settings menu and navigate to the **Integrations** section of the settings.
Enter your credentials for your iManage account (if they haven't already been configured by Group Policy) by clicking the arrow in the "Manage endpoints" section.
You can enter the endpoint name and the endpoint URL. This is important if you are using multiple tenancies.
Click the **Save** button. It will now add that endpoint to the endpoint section.
In the environment dropdown section, select the endpoint you want to connect to and click **Connect**.
Connection is validated when the "Logout" button appears and the dropdown icon greys out.
That concludes the iManage configuration process between Draftable Legal and cloud iManage.
### iManage integration configuration via group policy
You can also configure the integration configuration step shown at the start of the guide above via group policy for convenience to deploy across multiple user accounts.
Depending on what version of Draftable you are using, there are two different procedures you need to follow depending on the version.
### If you are using Draftable v25.9.300 or earlier:
The three configurable fields for iManage cloud integration with Draftable are the, **Enable iManage integration on Behalf of users,** **Service URL** and **Draftable App ID (or Client ID).**
The On Premise GPO options will also work for cloud as long as the service URL is entered the same as the cloud URL.
You can configure this via group policy and follow the steps shown in [this article.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal) The image below shows what these group policy settings are.
### If you are using Draftable v25.10.000 or later
The two configurable fields for iManage cloud integration with Draftable are the, **Enable iManage integration on Behalf of users,** and **iManage endpoints (CSV).**
The first **Enable iManage integration on Behalf of users,** is just a Binary field that enables the integration for users.
The other policy that needs configuring is **iManage endpoints (CSV).**
To configure this field, ensure you provide valid URLs, separated by a ";" and a space. For example:
```bash theme={null}
https://draftable.com; https://newcompany.com; https://test_domain.com
```
If you need to configure just for normal iManage cloud (and not on-premises), just ensure you enter:
```bash theme={null}
https://cloudimanage.com
```
**Note:** The first URL provided will be the default one that is selected by Draftable.
## Having issues with integration?
Please get in touch with our support team at \[[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)] please include all information regarding your configuration including screenshots and logs from Draftable in your reply.
# Draftable Legal registry configurations
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations
This is an article intended for administrator level users, who wish to make certain configurations to the registry of user computers, to set values directly to the registry. This is an alternative method of Draftable Legal user machine configuration as opposed to using something like Group Policy.
**Important notice about registry values:** Registry value names in Draftable Legal are not guaranteed to remain static across versions. As the product evolves, there are instances where registry value names may be renamed, relocated, or deprecated. While we maintain a best effort to keep this documentation up to date, there may be circumstances where value names have changed between the version you are running and what is documented here. For the most reliable and version-safe configuration experience, Draftable recommends using [Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal) where possible. If you encounter any registry-related issues, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
This reference reflects **Draftable Legal version 26.9.1**. In 26.6.0, several settings that were previously configured inside each Redline profile became global settings. See [Output and viewer settings (global)](#output-and-viewer-settings-global).
## On this page
Use this index to jump straight to the registry keys you need. Within each section, related settings are grouped into collapsible panels.
Where Draftable reads keys (User Settings, User Policy, Computer Policy) and the precedence order.
Product key, accept terms and conditions, organization identifier.
Windows startup behaviour, automatic updates, Settings pre-warm, desktop shortcut.
Usage statistics, exception reports, sharing obfuscated documents.
Word, Outlook and Excel VSTO add-in installation.
DOCX-to-PDF and PDF-to-DOCX engines, preserve Word comments, single Word instance, task processing.
Header/footer detection, footnote numbering, clear files after compare, open in new tab, summary panel.
Enable or disable each comparison output type.
OCR default mode and selector visibility.
Bulk compare option, 1-Click export options, tab visibility, admin definition.
Default view mode, summary page position, filename pattern, Word open mode, after-compare action, Changed Pages Only first page.
Default / base / admin profiles, team names, and the full profile JSON property reference.
iManage, SharePoint, OneDrive, NetDocuments, Worldox, Epona.
Local HTTP listener enablement and communication port.
Admin policy to hide the Create New Email button in the Outlook add-in.
Custom error message, contact details, email subject/body, error-log sharing.
Welcome balloon, free-text font, custom status tags, application language.
Show experimental Preview settings.
Customize default export file formats and selections (PersistedViewerValues).
***
## Registry configurations
Below are a series of different registry configurations you can use to set user machine values directly for Draftable Legal. They are grouped by the category of settings/configuration each registry key belongs to.
### Registry locations
Draftable uses three registry locations, each serving a different purpose:
| Location | Path | Purpose |
| - | - | - |
| **User Settings** | `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\` | Default location where Draftable reads and writes user preferences. Users can modify these values. |
| **User Policy** | `HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` | Group Policy settings applied to the current user. Read-only to the application. |
| **Computer Policy** | `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` | Group Policy settings applied to all users on the machine. Read-only to the application. |
The `` corresponds to the setting category (e.g., `Compare`, `Feature`, `RedlineProfiles`, `HttpListener`, `Exceptions`, `Frontend`, `Installer`, and the nested `OfficeAddin\RedlineInEmail`).
**Priority order**: When Draftable reads a setting, it checks locations in this order and uses the first value found:
1. **User Policy** (`HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\`)
2. **Computer Policy** (`HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\`)
3. **User Settings** (`HKCU:\Software\Draftable\`)
This means Group Policy settings always take precedence over user settings. If no value is found in any location, the application default is used.
**Important**: The `HKLM:\Software\Draftable\` path (without "Policies") is **not used** by Draftable. If you want to set machine-wide policies, you must use `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\`.
### Which location should I use?
* **For individual user preferences**: Use `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\`
* **For Group Policy deployment**: Use `HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` (user) or `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` (machine)
* **For enterprise-wide enforcement**: Use `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` — these settings apply to all users on the machine and cannot be changed by users through the application or by editing `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\`
**A user policy still beats a computer policy.** As the priority order above shows, `HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` is checked before `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\`. If the same setting is delivered by both a User Configuration policy and a Computer Configuration policy, the user policy wins. To make a machine-wide policy authoritative, make sure the setting is not also being applied through User Configuration.
In the examples below, we show `HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` for settings that support Group Policy. You can substitute `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\` for machine-wide deployment, or `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\` for user-level settings (where supported).
***
## Licensing and activation
Configure the product key to be used for automatic license activation. By enabling this setting and configuring a valid product key, automatic license activation will be attempted on launching the product.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: ProductKey
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** should be your valid Draftable license key (29 characters).
By default, users are prompted to accept the product Terms and Conditions on first-run. Enabling this setting suppresses the license acceptance prompt.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: wereTermsAndConditionsAccepted
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to accept on behalf of users, or **0** for the default behavior (prompt users).
Tags this installation with an organisation identifier (GUID or label) so Draftable can produce a usage and adoption report for your organisation on request. No user-level personally identifiable information (PII) is collected or transmitted, and usage is only recorded from the point the identifier is applied. See [Track your organisation's Draftable usage (Organisation Identifier)](/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry).
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OrganizationIdentifier
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
*Available from version 25.9.0*
***
## Startup and updates
This registry key controls what type of startup occurs when Windows boots.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: StartOnStartupOption
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Start**: Starts and opens a New Comparison window when Windows starts (default)
* **Silent**: Starts silently in the background, no user prompt is given
* **NotStart**: Will not start Draftable when Windows starts
**Group Policy note**: The "Launch Draftable automatically when Windows starts" GPO is an enum-style policy with a dropdown selector. Because the startup behavior is controlled by the dropdown value (not by the Enabled/Disabled state of the policy itself), the GPO states work as follows:
* **Enabled** + **"Start with Windows"** selected: Draftable starts with Windows (writes `StartOnStartupOption = Start`)
* **Enabled** + **"Not start with Windows"** selected: Draftable does not start with Windows (writes `StartOnStartupOption = NotStart`)
* **Enabled** + **"Start application but without main screen"** selected: Draftable starts silently (writes `StartOnStartupOption = Silent`)
* **Disabled** or **Not Configured**: No registry value is written, so Draftable uses its built-in default and **will start with Windows**
To prevent Draftable from starting with Windows via Group Policy, you must set the policy to **Enabled** and select **"Not start with Windows"** from the dropdown. Setting the policy to "Disabled" does not prevent startup.
By default, users are automatically updated. Disabling this setting means the app will only be updated manually from the settings window. This applies to non-MSI installations only.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: AutomaticUpdatesEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable automatic updates.
Controls whether the Settings interface is pre-warmed at application startup so the first click on Settings opens with minimal delay. Disabling this skips the pre-warm step (Settings still opens, but the first open after each application launch takes a few seconds longer while the bundle loads). This can be useful if security software interferes with the off-screen browser process used for pre-warming.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SettingsV2PreWarmEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable pre-warming.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Controls whether a desktop shortcut is created during installation.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Installer
Value name: CreateDesktopShortcut
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to create a shortcut (default), or **0** to skip shortcut creation.
***
## Telemetry and diagnostics
By default, submission of usage statistics is enabled and users can opt-out.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: SendStatistics
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
To assist with identifying issues and improving the product, exception reports are automatically sent by default. This setting allows you to configure the behavior when exceptions are encountered.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Exceptions
Value name: sendExceptionReports
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **AlwaysSend**: Always send exception reports (default)
* **NeverSend**: Never send exception reports
* **AskEveryTime**: Prompt the user each time
Controls whether obfuscated documents can be sent for troubleshooting purposes, including the option in error messages.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: NeverShareObfuscatedDocuments
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to disable sending obfuscated documents, or **0** to allow (default).
From version 26.6, this feature is called **Create safe file for sharing** in the app (under **Help & Troubleshooting → Diagnostics**). The registry value name `NeverShareObfuscatedDocuments` is unchanged.
***
## Office Add-ins
Controls whether the Word VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Desktop Legal is launched.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: WordVstoAddInEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable. Machines and users which already have the Add-In installed will not be affected by disabling.
Controls whether the Outlook VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Desktop Legal is launched.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OutlookVstoAddInEnabledSetting
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
When configuring the Outlook add-in by setting the registry value directly, use the value name `OutlookVstoAddInEnabledSetting` exactly as shown above — this is the value the application reads.
Controls whether the Excel VSTO Add-In is automatically installed when Draftable Desktop Legal is launched.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsExcelVstoAddInEnabledSetting
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
***
## Conversion engines
Specify which conversion engine to use when converting Word documents to PDF.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: DocxConversionEngine
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Default**: Use Draftable's recommended engine (currently Aspose; may change between versions)
* **Aspose**: Always use the Aspose engine
* **Office**: Use Microsoft Office
* **Internal**: Use Draftable Engine
Specify which conversion engine to use when converting PDF documents to Word.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: PdfToDocxConversionEngineV2
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Default**: Use Draftable's recommended engine (currently Apryse)
* **Apryse**: Always use the Apryse engine
* **Office**: Use Microsoft Office
* **Internal**: Use Draftable Engine
*Available from version 25.9.0*
By default, Word comments are preserved when converting to PDF in Side By Side comparison. Disable this setting to exclude Word comments from the PDF output.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: PreserveWordCommentsInPdfConversion
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to exclude comments.
*Available from version 26.1.0*
Only use a single instance of Microsoft Word when converting documents to PDF. This is intended as a fix for those using macros within the normal.dotm file.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: WordApplicationInstancePolicy
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **MultipleInstance**: Allow multiple instances (default)
* **SingleInstance**: Limit to single instance
Configure how comparison tasks are executed.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: TaskRunnerType
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Default**: Use Draftable's recommended option (Worker Process)
* **Process**: Run tasks in a separate background process (more stable)
* **Thread**: Run tasks in a worker thread (Preview; may be less stable)
*Available from version 25.8.0*
***
## Comparison settings
Enables experimental header and footer detection for side-by-side comparisons.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: HeaderFooterEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
By default, Draftable does not compare footnote numbering — footnotes are numbered automatically for compatibility with Track Changes output. Enabling this will report footnote numbering changes.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CompareFootnoteNumberingEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
*Available from version 25.1.0*
This setting only supports continuous/by-section numbering and will interfere with Track Changes behavior.
Draftable generates revision information for table cell insertions and deletions in Track Changes outputs. However, when printed or exported by Word, these appear in a comment-style sidebar. Enabling this setting omits cell revisions from Track Changes outputs (they will still appear in redline outputs and reports).
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SuppressCellRevisionMarkersEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
*Available from version 25.8.0*
Controls whether files are cleared from the Compare Selector Window automatically after a comparison is completed, or retained for future actions.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ClearFilesAfterCompareSetting
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to clear files after comparison, or **0** to retain them (default).
Controls whether Draftable opens each comparison in a new in-app tab or reuses the current tab.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OpenComparisonInNewTab
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to open in new tab, or **0** to reuse current tab.
*Available from version 25.10.0*
Controls whether the summary information panel is shown in the Compare Window.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CompareWindowSummaryPolicy
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **ShowExpanded**: Summary shown expanded (default)
* **ShowCollapsed**: Summary shown but collapsed
* **Hidden**: Summary not shown
* **RememberBetweenSessions**: Reuse the panel's last expanded/collapsed state across sessions *(available from version 26.6.0)*
*Available from version 25.2.0*
***
## Comparison output options
Sets which Comparison Type is pre-selected in the New Comparison window when Draftable starts. By default this is **Redline in Draftable**.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: InitialComparisonOutput
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value should match the Comparison Type you want as the default:
| **Comparison Type** | **Value** |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | `Redline` |
| Redline in Word | `RedlineDocx` |
| Tracked Changes in Word | `TrackChangesWord` |
| Side by Side | `Draftable` |
| Redline in Excel | `ExcelRedline` |
| Native in MS Office | `NativeOffice` |
| Departures Table | `DeparturesTable` |
| Changes Report | `ChangesReport` |
| Text Only Compare | `TextOnly` |
| PowerPoint Redline | `PowerPointRedline` |
| AI-Ready Redline | `AiReadyRedline` |
Once set, the chosen Comparison Type is pre-selected each time Draftable starts. If the user then selects a different Comparison Type, that choice is "sticky" for the rest of the session and reverts to this default when the application is closed and reopened.
To make **Side by Side** the default, set the value to `Draftable`. This is different from the **Default view mode** setting (`DefaultViewerViewMode`) covered under [Output and viewer settings (global)](#output-and-viewer-settings-global) below: that controls the viewer layout shown when a comparison opens, whereas this setting controls which Comparison Type is pre-selected in the New Comparison window.
For removing unwanted Comparison Types, and for the equivalent Group Policy options, see [How to configure Comparison Types and Outputs](/hc/en-us/articles/35240737941913-How-to-configure-Comparison-Types-and-Outputs-Remove-options-or-set-initial-default).
*Available from version 24.7.200*
Controls whether Side-by-Side comparison type is available in the Compare selector and 1-Click.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsDraftableOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Redline PDF comparison type is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsRedlineOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Redline DOCX comparison type is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsRedlineDocxOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Track Changes in Word output is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsTrackChangesWordOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Changed Pages comparison type is available. From version 26.9.1, this setting also controls whether Changed Pages Only output is offered in the Bulk Compare export dialog.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsChangedPagesOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Excel Redline comparison type is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsExcelRedlineOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether PowerPoint Redline comparison type is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsPowerPointRedlineOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Native Office comparison type is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsNativeOfficeOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether Departures Table comparison type is available.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsDeparturesTableOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
*Available from version 25.8.0*
Controls whether the Changes Report export is available from **Side-by-Side** comparisons. When disabled, the Changes Report option is removed from Side-by-Side export menus and the Comparison Outputs panel.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsChangesReportEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
This policy applies to **Side-by-Side comparisons only**. For **Redline comparisons**, the Changes Report is controlled per Redline profile rather than by this flag — see [Redline profile configurations](#redline-profile-configurations) below and [Managing profiles for Redline settings](/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548249-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings) for guidance on enabling or disabling the Changes Report inside a Redline profile.
From Draftable Legal v26.4.0 onward, the default Redline profile no longer surfaces the Changes Report in the export menu. To re-enable it for Redline users, deploy a Redline profile (via `BaseRedlineProfile` or `AdminRedlineProfile1`–`AdminRedlineProfile9`) that includes the Changes Report export.
*Available from version 26.1.0*
Controls whether Text Only Compare comparison type is available in the Compare selector and 1-Click.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsTextOnlyCompareOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
*Available from version 26.1.0*
Controls whether AI-Ready Redline is available as an export option. This output generates a deterministic full-document diff in Markdown format, suitable for use with AI tools.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsAiReadyRedlineOutputEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
*Available from version 26.3.200*
An older setting that controls whether Redline PDF output is enabled.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: RedlinePdfOutputEnabledSetting
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
***
## OCR settings
Sets the default value for OCR detection when comparing documents.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Feature
Value name: DefaultOcrOption
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Auto**: Automatically performs OCR when Draftable detects the document requires it (default)
* **Yes**: Always perform OCR on the document
* **No**: Never perform OCR on the document
Controls whether the OCR setting is visible and configurable in the New Comparison window.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OcrSelectorOptionsVisible
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to show the OCR selector, or **0** to hide it (default).
***
## 1-Click Compare settings
Enable the Bulk Compare option in the Compare Selector Window. If disabled, users cannot turn on bulk compare.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: BulkEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
**Deprecated in version 26.4.0.** Bulk Compare is now always available and no longer requires this toggle. This setting has no effect in version 26.4.0 and later.
Suppresses the confirmation dialog that normally appears when closing the Bulk Compare window.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: NotShowWarningBeforeBulkCompareWindowClose
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to suppress the warning, or **0** to show it (default).
*Available from version 25.5.0*
Controls whether 1-Click export options are shown.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OneClickExportOptionsEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
Hide the 1-Click tab in Settings. Note that this will not remove 1-Click functionality from integrations such as Windows Context Menu.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: HideOneClickTab
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to hide the tab, or **0** to show it (default).
Set an initial 1-Click definition that will be used if the user has not provided their own. To enforce this value, use the "Hide 1-Click tab" setting.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: AdminOneClickCompareSuggestion
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value should be a JSON string defining the 1-Click workflow configuration.
***
## Output and viewer settings (global)
**Changed in version 26.6.0:** Several settings that were previously configured **inside each Redline profile** are now **global** (application-wide) settings, read from the registry locations below rather than from the profile JSON. When Draftable first loads an older (version 2) profile, it migrates these values to the global settings automatically; in current (version 3) profiles these properties are ignored. The settings that moved are: default view mode, summary page position, show comments in three-pane output, strip PDF line numbers, and output filename pattern. The corresponding former profile property is noted under each setting below.
Sets the default viewer layout used when a comparison opens. *(Previously the per-profile `DefaultViewMode` property.)*
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Compare
Value name: DefaultViewerViewMode
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **SideBySide** (default)
* **SingleDocument**
* **Inline**
* **ThreePane**
* **WorkbookInline**
* **SlidesInline**
This is a user-level setting and is configured under `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Compare`.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Controls where the summary page is inserted in Redline output. *(Previously the per-profile `DefaultSummaryPagePosition` property.)*
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SummaryPagePosition
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Skipped**: No summary page
* **Start**: Summary page at the beginning (default)
* **End**: Summary page at the end
* **Both**: Summary pages at both the beginning and the end
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Controls whether the three-pane redline view includes a comments column. *(Previously the per-profile `ThreePaneShowComments` property.)*
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Frontend
Value name: ThreePaneShowCommentsGlobal
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to show comments (default), or **0** to hide them.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Strips California pleading line numbers (1–28) from margins so they don't appear as false-positive changes. *(Previously the per-profile `StripPdfLineNumbers` property.)*
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: StripPdfLineNumbersGlobal
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to strip line numbers (default), or **0** to preserve them in output.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Template used to name redline output files. Supports tokens such as `{originalName}` and `{revisedName}` (for example, `{originalName} (compared)`). *(Previously the per-profile `FilenameOutputFormat` property.)*
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Frontend
Value name: OutputFilenamePatternGlobal
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Leave unset (empty) to use the application default naming. When set by policy, the in-app field is locked.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Controls how Draftable opens final Tracked Changes Word output. **Reviewing** mode opens Word with track revisions enabled for review; **Edit** mode opens Word without enabling track revisions on open (tracked revisions are still retained in the generated document).
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: WordOpenMode
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **Reviewing** (default)
* **Edit**
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Controls what Draftable Desktop does when a comparison finishes.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: AfterCompareAction
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to:
* **ask**: Prompt the user (default)
* **open**: Open the resulting comparison automatically
* **save**: Save the resulting file automatically
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Sets whether Changed Pages Only output includes the document's first page by default, even when page 1 has no changes, so the recipient can identify the source document. A comparison with no changes still produces no Changed Pages Only output.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IncludeChangedPagesFirstPage
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to include the first page by default, or **0** to include only pages containing changes (default).
For machine-wide enforcement, use `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature`. To set a user preference that users can still change, use `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Feature`. Users can also change this preference in Draftable Legal under **Settings** > **Opening & Saving Files** > **Output content**.
When the value is set in a policy location, the in-app setting is locked. Users can still include or leave out the first page for an individual export from the comparison viewer.
The Group Policy editor shows this setting's **Supported on** text as "At least Draftable 26.9.0 (or later)". Version 26.9.0 was not released to customers, so 26.9.1 is the first version that contains this setting.
*Available from version 26.9.1*
***
## Redline profile configurations
Specifies the default Redline profile to be used on Draftable startup.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\RedlineProfiles
Value name: DefaultProfileName
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value is the exact name of the Redline profile to load (case sensitive).
Specifies a base configuration for all Redline profiles. This can optionally enforce certain properties across all profiles.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\RedlineProfiles
Value name: BaseRedlineProfile
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value should be a JSON string containing the base profile settings.
Specifies named sets of configuration settings for Redline comparisons. You can configure up to 9 admin profiles. Each profile can optionally be associated with a team.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\RedlineProfiles
Value name: AdminRedlineProfile1
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\RedlineProfiles
Value name: AdminRedlineProfile1Team
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Repeat for profiles 2-9 by changing the number suffix (`AdminRedlineProfile2`, `AdminRedlineProfile2Team`, etc.).
The profile value should be a JSON string. You can read more about [Redline profiles here](/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548249-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings).
Associates a user with a team so they can see team-specific profiles. Use a wildcard `*` for the user to see profiles from all teams.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\RedlineProfiles
Value name: UserTeamName
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Removes the Draftable Default Template and disables importing of user profiles.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\RedlineProfiles
Value name: AdminBaseProfilesOnly
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to enable admin-only profiles, or **0** for default behavior.
Redline profiles are configured as JSON objects stored in the registry via `BaseRedlineProfile` or `AdminRedlineProfile1`–`AdminRedlineProfile9`. The properties below define what a profile controls. They are not standalone registry keys — they are set inside the profile JSON.
**Changed in version 26.6.0:** Five properties that used to live inside each Redline profile are now **global** settings configured via their own registry values, not inside the profile JSON. In current (version 3) profiles these properties are ignored. If you are on 26.6.0 or later, configure them using the [Output and viewer settings (global)](#output-and-viewer-settings-global) section instead:
| Former profile property | Now configured via global registry value |
| - | - |
| `DefaultViewMode` | `DefaultViewerViewMode` |
| `DefaultSummaryPagePosition` | `SummaryPagePosition` |
| `ThreePaneShowComments` | `ThreePaneShowCommentsGlobal` |
| `StripPdfLineNumbers` | `StripPdfLineNumbersGlobal` |
| `FilenameOutputFormat` | `OutputFilenamePatternGlobal` |
The property entries below are retained for reference and for configuring profiles on versions prior to 26.6.0.
**How to create and deploy Redline profiles:**
* **Create a profile** using the Draftable Legal UI: go to Settings > Redline, create/configure a profile, then export it as JSON. See [Managing profiles for Redline settings](/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548249-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings).
* **Deploy via Group Policy:** paste the exported JSON into the `AdminRedlineProfile1`–`AdminRedlineProfile9` policies. See [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy).
* **Deploy via registry:** write the JSON string directly to the registry values listed in the [Redline profile configurations](#redline-profile-configurations) section above.
* **Lock specific settings** across all profiles using the `BaseRedlineProfile` with the `Enforced` array. See the [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy) article for details.
**Understanding Redline settings in the UI:** For a visual guide to what each setting does in the application, see [Redline comparison settings](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings).
#### Profile metadata
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `Name` | String | `"Basic"` | The display name of the profile. |
| `Version` | Integer | `3` | JSON schema version. Profiles exported from 26.6.0 and later are version 3. Versions 1 and 2 still load and are upgraded automatically. |
| `Created` | DateTime | null | Timestamp when the profile was created. Auto-populated on export. |
| `Updated` | DateTime | null | Timestamp when the profile was last modified. Auto-populated on export. |
| `Enforced` | Array of strings | null | List of setting names to lock. Only propagates across all profiles when set in `BaseRedlineProfile`. An enforced value is re-applied from the base profile each time profiles are loaded, so a change a user makes to it does not persist. Names are **case sensitive** and an unrecognised name is ignored silently. Use `ComparisonResolution` here, not the older `SmallChangesLevel`. See [Configuring Redline profiles within Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/22665341687705-Configuring-Redline-profiles-within-Group-Policy) for the full list of enforceable names. |
#### Document comparison toggles
These control what document elements are included in the comparison.
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `CompareBulletsAndNumberings` | Boolean | true | Include bullet points and numbering in comparison. |
| `CompareTables` | Boolean | true | Include table structure and content in comparison. |
| `CompareImages` | Boolean | true | Include embedded images in comparison. |
| `CompareTextBoxes` | Boolean | true | Include text boxes in comparison. |
| `CompareHeaders` | Boolean | true | Include document headers in comparison. |
| `CompareFooters` | Boolean | true | Include document footers in comparison. |
| `CompareCoverPage` | Boolean | true | Include the cover/first page in comparison. |
| `CompareTablesOfContents` | Boolean | true | Include table of contents in comparison. |
| `CompareWatermarks` | Boolean | true | Include watermarks in comparison. |
| `CompareMathEquations` | Boolean | true | Include mathematical equations in comparison. |
| `CompareFootnotesAndEndnotes` | Boolean | true | Include footnotes and endnotes in comparison. |
| `CompareHiddenText` | Boolean | false | Include hidden/tracked text in comparison. Off by default as it may reveal content the document author intended to hide. |
#### Comparison behaviour
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `ComparisonResolution` | Enum | `0` (CharacterLevel) | Comparison resolution level. `0` = CharacterLevel (highlights individual character changes), `1` = WordLevel (highlights whole word changes). |
| `CaseSensitivity` | Enum | `0` (CaseSensitive) | `0` = CaseSensitive, `1` = IgnoreCase. |
| `MovesEnabled` | Boolean | true | Enable detection of moved/relocated content between documents. |
| `DetectMovesIntoLargerEdits` | Boolean | true | Include moved text that appears within larger edited sections. *Available from version 26.3.0* |
| `FlattenDynamicContent` | Boolean | false | Convert dynamic content (e.g., fields, auto-generated text) to static before comparison. |
| `IgnoreChangesToQuotationMarks` | Boolean | true | Ignore changes between different quotation mark styles (e.g., straight vs curly quotes). |
| `IgnoreWhitespaceChanges` | Boolean | false | Ignore whitespace-only changes (extra spaces, tabs). |
| `IgnoreRunnersInChangedPagesOnly` | Boolean | true | Only report header/footer page reference changes on pages that have other content changes. |
| `DeduplicateHeaderFooterChanges` | Boolean | false | Avoid reporting the same header/footer change multiple times across pages. |
#### Comments and revisions
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `CommentOption` | Enum | `0` (CompareComments) | How to handle document comments. `0` = CompareComments, `1` = ShowOriginalAndModified, `2` = ShowOriginal, `3` = ShowModified, `4` = HideAll. |
| `PreserveAcceptedComments` | Boolean | false | Keep comments that were previously accepted/resolved in the output. |
| `DefaultTrackChangesBehaviour` | Enum | `0` (Unknown) | Default behaviour for Track Changes output. `0` = Unknown (use application default), `1` = Open (show markup), `2` = Save (accept changes on save). |
#### Author attribution
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `DefaultAuthorOption` | Enum | `1` (LastModified) | Source for revision author name. `0` = Default, `1` = LastModified (uses last modified author from the document), `2` = DocumentAuthor, `3` = Custom (uses `DefaultAuthorCustomOptionValue`), `4` = OfficeUserName, `5` = OfficeUserInitials. |
| `DefaultAuthorCustomOptionValue` | String | `"Draftable"` | Custom author name used when `DefaultAuthorOption` is set to `3` (Custom). |
| `DefaultAuthorLauncherDropdownVisible` | Boolean | null | Controls whether the author selection dropdown is visible in the comparison launcher UI. |
#### View and layout
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `DefaultViewMode` | Enum | `2` (Inline) | Default viewer layout. `0` = SideBySide, `1` = SingleDocument, `2` = Inline, `3` = ThreePane, `4` = WorkbookInline, `5` = SlidesInline. **Lifted to the global `DefaultViewerViewMode` setting in 26.6.0** — ignored in version 3 profiles. |
| `DefaultSummaryPagePosition` | Enum | `0` (Skipped) | Where to place the summary page in Redline output. `0` = Skipped (no summary), `1` = Start, `2` = End, `3` = Both (start and end). **Lifted to the global `SummaryPagePosition` setting in 26.6.0** — ignored in version 3 profiles. |
| `ThreePaneShowComments` | Boolean | true | Show the comments pane in Three-Pane view. **Lifted to the global `ThreePaneShowCommentsGlobal` setting in 26.6.0** — ignored in version 3 profiles. |
#### Style change detection
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `StyleChangesEnabled` | Boolean | true | Enable detection of formatting/style changes (bold, italic, font size, etc.). |
| `StyleChangeConfig` | Flags (integer) | `3` | Which types of style changes to track. This is a bitfield: `1` = TextStyling, `2` = FontChanges, `4` = LayoutChanges, `8` = Miscellaneous. Default `3` = TextStyling + FontChanges. Combine values by adding them (e.g., `7` = TextStyling + FontChanges + LayoutChanges). |
#### Output and export
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `ShowChangesReport` | Boolean | false | Show the Changes Report export option for this profile. From version 26.4.0, the default profile has this off — deploy a custom profile to enable it. *Available from version 26.4.0* |
| `StripPdfLineNumbers` | Boolean | true | Strip California pleading line numbers (1–28) from margins so they don't appear as false-positive changes. Disable to preserve line numbers in output. *Available from version 26.4.0.* **Lifted to the global `StripPdfLineNumbersGlobal` setting in 26.6.0** — ignored in version 3 profiles. |
| `FilenameOutputFormat` | String | `""` (empty) | Custom format string for output filenames. Supports placeholder tokens for dynamic naming. **Lifted to the global `OutputFilenamePatternGlobal` setting in 26.6.0** — ignored in version 3 profiles. |
Changes Report visibility is controlled separately for Side-by-Side and Redline comparisons. The global `IsChangesReportEnabled` registry key (see [Comparison output options](#comparison-output-options)) controls Side-by-Side. The per-profile `ShowChangesReport` setting controls Redline.
#### Markup scheme (RedlineMarkupScheme)
The `RedlineMarkupScheme` property is a nested JSON object that controls the visual appearance of changes in Redline output. It contains sub-objects for text changes and cell changes.
**Text change styling** — each of `TextDeletion`, `TextInsertion`, `TextMoveFrom`, and `TextMoveTo` accepts:
| Property | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `Underline` | Enum | `0` = None, `1` = SingleLine, `2` = DoubleLine, `3` = Thick |
| `Strikethrough` | Enum | `0` = None, `1` = SingleLine, `2` = DoubleLine |
| `TextColor` | String | RGB colour as comma-separated values (e.g., `"181, 8, 46"` for red). |
| `HighlightColour` | String | Optional highlight/background colour. Set to `null` for no highlight. |
Default text styles:
* **TextDeletion**: Red text (`"181, 8, 46"`) with single strikethrough
* **TextInsertion**: Blue text (`"55, 110, 150"`) with single underline
* **TextMoveFrom**: Green text (`"44, 98, 52"`) with double strikethrough
* **TextMoveTo**: Green text (`"44, 98, 52"`) with double underline
**Cell change highlighting** — each of `CellDelete`, `CellInsert`, `CellMerge`, and `CellSplit` accepts:
| Property | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `HighlightColor` | String | RGB colour for cell background (e.g., `"252, 230, 244"` for pink). |
Default cell colours:
* **CellDelete**: Pink (`"252, 230, 244"`)
* **CellInsert**: Light blue (`"225, 242, 250"`)
* **CellMerge**: Light orange (`"252, 227, 208"`)
* **CellSplit**: Light yellow (`"254, 244, 222"`)
**Revised line marker:**
| Property | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `RevisedLine.Mark` | Enum | `0` = None, `1` = Left border, `2` = Right border |
#### PowerPoint-specific settings (PowerPointRedlineSettings)
These are set inside a nested `PowerPointRedlineSettings` object within the profile JSON.
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `CompareText` | Boolean | true | Compare slide text content. |
| `CompareImages` | Boolean | true | Compare images in slides. |
| `CompareTables` | Boolean | true | Compare tables in slides. |
| `CompareGroupedShapesAndSmartArt` | Boolean | true | Compare grouped shapes and SmartArt. |
| `CompareSpeakerNotes` | Boolean | true | Compare speaker notes. |
| `CompareSlideNumbers` | Boolean | true | Compare slide numbers. |
| `CompareCharts` | Boolean | false | Compare chart content. |
| `CompareMasterSlide` | Boolean | false | Compare master slide changes. |
| `CompareComments` | Boolean | false | Compare slide comments. |
| `CompareStyles` | Boolean | false | Compare text and shape styling. |
| `ShowMatchesInGreyscale` | Boolean | true | Display unchanged slides in greyscale to emphasise changes. |
| `ShowShapeMoves` | Boolean | false | Highlight shape position changes. |
| `ShapeMoveThreshold` | Integer | `0` | Minimum pixels a shape must move to be flagged as a change. |
| `AutoAdjustLayoutToResolveOverlappingEdits` | Boolean | false | Automatically adjust slide layout when edit markers overlap. |
#### Excel-specific settings (ExcelRedlineSettings)
These are set inside a nested `ExcelRedlineSettings` object within the profile JSON.
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `RedlineCompareType` | Enum | `0` (ValuesAndFormulas) | What to compare in cells. `0` = ValuesAndFormulas, `1` = ValuesOnly, `2` = FormulasOnly. |
| `FormulaChangeNotesVisible` | Boolean | false | Show notes explaining formula changes in the output. |
| `DetectColumnEdits` | Boolean | true | Track column insertions and deletions. |
| `DetectRowEdits` | Boolean | true | Track row insertions and deletions. |
| `ShowMatchesInGreyscale` | Boolean | true | Display unchanged cells in greyscale to emphasise changes. |
| `MaximumCellEditsPerSheet` | Integer | `1000000` | Maximum number of cell-level changes to track per sheet. |
| `IsExcelMaximumChangesPerSheetEnabled` | Boolean | false | Enable the maximum changes per sheet limit. |
***
## DMS integrations
Controls whether iManage integration is enabled by default.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: DmsEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled.
**Version 25.11 and later**: This setting replaces the separate `ImanageOnPremisesClientId` and `ImanageOnPremisesServerUrl` settings. Use this setting for all new deployments.
Specifies one or more iManage server URLs, separated by semicolons. Only absolute HTTPS URLs are allowed. The first valid URL becomes the default. When set, users cannot edit the list; they can only choose from the provided endpoints.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageEndpointsCsvPolicy
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Example: `https://cloudimanage.com;https://tenant1.cloudimanage.com;https://sso.company.com/imanage`
*Available from version 25.10.100*
Use a consistent style (no trailing slash) to avoid duplicates.
**For versions prior to 25.11 only**: This setting is superseded by `ImanageEndpointsCsvPolicy` in version 25.11 and later. Use this setting only if you are running Draftable Legal versions before 25.11.
Specifies a custom iManage client ID for on-premises deployments.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageOnPremisesClientId
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
**For versions prior to 25.11 only**: This setting is superseded by `ImanageEndpointsCsvPolicy` in version 25.11 and later. Use this setting only if you are running Draftable Legal versions before 25.11.
Specifies the server URL for on-premises iManage configuration.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageOnPremisesServerUrl
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Example: `https://imanage.yourcompany.com`
**Deprecated in version 25.10.100.** This setting has been superseded by `ImanageEndpointsCsvPolicy`. Use the [iManage endpoints (CSV)](#dms-integrations) setting for all new deployments.
Controls whether iManage login details are retained on the end user's machine. Recommended to disable for SSO scenarios. Important to keep enabled for non-SSO scenarios.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanagePersistentSessionEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
If you are having iManage connection issues, try setting this to **0**, restart Draftable, and reconnect (you will be prompted to login again).
Controls how users sign in to iManage. By default, sign-in happens in an embedded browser inside the application. Enabling this setting routes the iManage OAuth sign-in through the user's default web browser instead, which is required when an identity provider or Conditional Access policy blocks sign-in from third-party browsers such as the embedded Chromium runtime.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageUseSystemBrowserForSignin
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to sign in via the default web browser, or **0** to use the embedded browser (default). When set by policy, the in-app checkbox is locked.
Because of the iManage refresh-token lifetime (typically 30 to 90 days, depending on tenant configuration), users may be prompted to sign in again periodically.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
Controls whether a confirmation prompt is shown before Draftable opens the system browser to sign in to iManage. By default, the prompt is shown first. Enabling this setting suppresses the prompt so the default browser opens immediately.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageSystemBrowserSkipConfirm
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to suppress the confirmation prompt, or **0** to show it (default).
This setting applies only when [Use system browser to sign in to iManage](#dms-integrations) is enabled.
*Available from version 26.6.200*
Enables automatic iManage login when the application starts. This may show the iManage login screen depending on your iManage configuration.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageAutoLogInEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
Controls whether users can upload Track Changes output to iManage as a new version of the document.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: TrackChangesOutputUploadAsImanageNewVersionEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Controls whether users can upload comparison output as a new related file in iManage.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SaveImanageFileWithRelatedEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
*Available from version 25.5.0*
When a single file with multiple versions is selected, Draftable automatically loads the two most recent versions.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsLoadLatestDmsPairEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
Controls whether SharePoint integration is enabled.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SharePointEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
Optimizes SharePoint integration for environments with high usage.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SharePointHeavyUsageModeEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
As of the 26.6.200 Group Policy templates, this setting is no longer surfaced as a Group Policy. The registry value shown above is still read by the application, and the toggle remains available in the in-app SharePoint settings.
*Available from version 26.1.0*
Controls whether the SharePoint version picker hides minor versions by default. Users can still toggle minor versions on for an individual comparison.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: SharePointHideMinorVersionsByDefaultEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to hide minor versions by default, or **0** to show them (default).
*Available from version 26.6.200*
Controls whether OneDrive integration is enabled.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsOneDriveEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
*Available from version 25.5.200*
Controls whether NetDocuments integration is enabled.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsNetDocsEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
Controls whether Worldox integration is enabled.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsWorldoxEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
Controls whether Epona integration is enabled.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: IsEponaEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
***
## HTTP Listener (iManage communication)
Enables the local HTTP listener that allows running Draftable from external applications (e.g., iManage web, Outlook, etc.).
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\HttpListener
Value name: CommunicationEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to disable.
Specifies the port number for the HTTP Listener.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\HttpListener
Value name: CommunicationPort
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Default value is **4764**.
***
## Redline in Email
Hides the **Create New Email** button in the Draftable Redline in Email Outlook add-in, removing the option for users to generate the redline as a brand-new email. Useful where your workflow requires users to redline only within existing emails.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\OfficeAddin\RedlineInEmail
Value name: HideCreateNewEmailButton
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to hide the button, or **0** to show it (default).
**Policy-only setting.** This value is read only from the Group Policy paths — `HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\OfficeAddin\RedlineInEmail` (per user) or `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Draftable\OfficeAddin\RedlineInEmail` (per machine). There is no user-level (`HKCU:\Software\Draftable\…`) equivalent. It is **not** included in the Group Policy ADMX template files, so configure it directly in the registry or via a Group Policy registry preference. Requires the Redline in Email add-in with Draftable Desktop 26.6.0 or later.
This setting applies to Redline in Email 2.x only. Redline in Email 3.0 no longer has a **Create New Email** button (you send the result with **Apply to Email** or **Reply**), and it does not read this value.
*Available from version 26.6.0*
***
## Error handling and support
Set custom contact details to replace `support@draftable.com` in all dialog windows and as the email recipient for support requests.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CustomErrorContactInfoSetting
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Set a custom error message that will be shown when something goes wrong during a comparison.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CustomCompareErrorMessage
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Set a custom email message that will be included when a user sends logs via Outlook after an application error.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CustomEmailSupportMessage
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Set a custom email subject that will be used when users export via the Email option.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CustomEmailSubject
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Set the default email body used when users export via the Email option. If users choose to include any export outputs in the email body, those outputs will be appended.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CustomEmailBody
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
*Available from version 25.10.0*
Controls whether users see the option to draft an email with logs attached when an error occurs during comparison.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CompareErrorWindowAllowsToEmailLogs
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled (default), or **0** to hide this option.
***
## User interface
Prevents the Welcome Balloon Notification from appearing at application startup.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: NotShowWelcomeBalloonNotification
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to disable the notification, or **0** to show it (default).
Sets the font family used for plain-text (.txt) comparisons. From version 26.9.1, this font is also used for Text Only compare output.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: FreeTextFontSetting
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Default value is **Arial**.
Override the default status tags available within the comparison viewer. Supply this as a JSON array of color and label pairs.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Frontend
Value name: CustomStatusTags
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Example: `[{"color": "#5bf05d", "label": "Reviewed"}, {"color": "#ff6b6b", "label": "Needs Review"}]`
*Available from version 25.3.100*
Controls which right-click menu Draftable adds on Windows 11. Draftable offers either the Windows 11 primary menu entry (the short menu that opens on right-click) or the classic entries (shown under **Show more options**), never both. Set this value to keep the classic entries instead.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Draftable
Value name: DisableWin11ContextMenu
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** to prevent the Windows 11 primary menu entry from being installed, leaving the classic right-click entries in place, or **0** for the default behaviour, where the Windows 11 primary menu entry is installed and the classic entries are suppressed.
Two points to watch. This value is read from **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE only**, so it must be applied per machine and not per user. It also sits at the **root** of the `Draftable` policy key rather than under a namespace such as `Compare` or `Feature`.
Windows 10 does not support the primary menu, so it always uses the classic entries regardless of this setting.
*Available from version 26.8.0*
Set the application language/culture.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Compare
Value name: Culture
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Available values: **EnUS** (English (US)), **EnGB** (English (UK)), **CyGB** (Welsh), **DaDK** (Danish), **DeDE** (German), **EsES** (Spanish), **FilPH** (Tagalog), **FrFR** (French), **ItIT** (Italian), **JaJP** (Japanese), **NlNL** (Dutch), **PlPL** (Polish), **PtBR** (Portuguese (Brazil)), **SvSE** (Swedish). English (UK), Welsh, Danish and Italian are available from version 26.9.1.
***
## Preview features
Controls whether "Preview" settings are visible in the Draftable Legal settings menu. Preview features are experimental and may change.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Feature
Value name: PreviewSettingsEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
The value **``** can be set to **1** for enabled, or **0** for disabled (default).
***
## Customizing export default settings
The `PersistedViewerValues` registry key allows administrators to customize the default file extensions and pre-selected options for export workflows (Email, Save, Save to DMS, etc.).
When no customization is configured, Draftable uses the following defaults for export file format:
| Comparison type | Default format |
| - | - |
| Document comparisons (Word, PDF) | PDF |
| Workbook comparisons (Excel) | XLSX |
| Slide comparisons (PowerPoint) | PPTX |
Draftable remembers your last file format selection independently per document type. For example, choosing XLSX during an Excel comparison does not change your preferred format for Word comparisons.
**Upgrade behavior**: Existing user preferences for document comparisons are preserved after upgrade. Workbook and slide comparisons start with the new native-format defaults (XLSX and PPTX respectively).
**User Settings Only**: This setting does not support Group Policy. It must be configured directly in `HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Frontend`. To deploy organization-wide, use login scripts or other user-level deployment methods.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Frontend
Value name: PersistedViewerValues
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The value is a JSON string containing one or both of the following properties:
| Property | Purpose |
| - | - |
| `nextStepOptionFileExtensions` | Sets the default file extension for each exporter/export type combination |
| `nextStepOptionSelections` | Sets which export types are checked (selected) by default |
Each property contains an array of arrays, where each inner array specifies:
**For `nextStepOptionFileExtensions`:**
```
[CategoryId, ExportType, Extension]
```
**For `nextStepOptionSelections`:**
```
[CategoryId, ExportType]
```
| UI Option | Category ID |
| - | - |
| Email | `Email` |
| Save to File | `SaveFile` |
| Open File | `OpenFile` |
| Print | `PrintFile` |
| Clipboard | `Clipboard` |
| Save to iManage (New File) | `SaveImanageFile` |
| Save to iManage (New Version) | `SaveImanageVersion` |
| Save to iManage (With Related) | `SaveImanageFileWithRelated` |
| Save to NetDocuments | `SaveNetDocumentsFile` |
| Save to SharePoint | `SaveSharePoint` |
| Save to Worldox | `SaveWorldox` |
| Save to Epona | `SaveEpona` |
| Export Type | Supported Extensions |
| - | - |
| `Redline` | `pdf`, `docx` |
| `ChangedPages` | `pdf`, `docx` |
| `Original` | `pdf`, `docx` (or `xlsx`/`pptx` for spreadsheets/slides) |
| `Revised` | `pdf`, `docx` (or `xlsx`/`pptx` for spreadsheets/slides) |
| `TrackChanges` | `docx` only |
| `SideBySide` | `pdf` only |
| `ChangesReport` | `csv` only |
| `DeparturesTable` | `csv` only |
#### Example 1: Default all exports to DOCX (where supported)
This configuration sets DOCX as the default for Redline, ChangedPages, Original, and Revised across all major exporters:
**Formatted JSON:**
```json theme={null}
{
"nextStepOptionFileExtensions": [
["Email", "Redline", "docx"],
["Email", "ChangedPages", "docx"],
["Email", "Original", "docx"],
["Email", "Revised", "docx"],
["SaveFile", "Redline", "docx"],
["SaveFile", "ChangedPages", "docx"],
["SaveFile", "Original", "docx"],
["SaveFile", "Revised", "docx"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Redline", "docx"],
["SaveImanageFile", "ChangedPages", "docx"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Original", "docx"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Revised", "docx"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Redline", "docx"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "ChangedPages", "docx"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Original", "docx"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Revised", "docx"],
["OpenFile", "Redline", "docx"],
["OpenFile", "ChangedPages", "docx"],
["OpenFile", "Original", "docx"],
["OpenFile", "Revised", "docx"]
]
}
```
**Single-line registry value:**
```
{"nextStepOptionFileExtensions":[["Email","Redline","docx"],["Email","ChangedPages","docx"],["Email","Original","docx"],["Email","Revised","docx"],["SaveFile","Redline","docx"],["SaveFile","ChangedPages","docx"],["SaveFile","Original","docx"],["SaveFile","Revised","docx"],["SaveImanageFile","Redline","docx"],["SaveImanageFile","ChangedPages","docx"],["SaveImanageFile","Original","docx"],["SaveImanageFile","Revised","docx"],["SaveImanageVersion","Redline","docx"],["SaveImanageVersion","ChangedPages","docx"],["SaveImanageVersion","Original","docx"],["SaveImanageVersion","Revised","docx"],["OpenFile","Redline","docx"],["OpenFile","ChangedPages","docx"],["OpenFile","Original","docx"],["OpenFile","Revised","docx"]]}
```
#### Example 2: Default all exports to PDF
**Formatted JSON:**
```json theme={null}
{
"nextStepOptionFileExtensions": [
["Email", "Redline", "pdf"],
["Email", "ChangedPages", "pdf"],
["Email", "Original", "pdf"],
["Email", "Revised", "pdf"],
["SaveFile", "Redline", "pdf"],
["SaveFile", "ChangedPages", "pdf"],
["SaveFile", "Original", "pdf"],
["SaveFile", "Revised", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Redline", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageFile", "ChangedPages", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Original", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Revised", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Redline", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "ChangedPages", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Original", "pdf"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Revised", "pdf"]
]
}
```
**Single-line registry value:**
```
{"nextStepOptionFileExtensions":[["Email","Redline","pdf"],["Email","ChangedPages","pdf"],["Email","Original","pdf"],["Email","Revised","pdf"],["SaveFile","Redline","pdf"],["SaveFile","ChangedPages","pdf"],["SaveFile","Original","pdf"],["SaveFile","Revised","pdf"],["SaveImanageFile","Redline","pdf"],["SaveImanageFile","ChangedPages","pdf"],["SaveImanageFile","Original","pdf"],["SaveImanageFile","Revised","pdf"],["SaveImanageVersion","Redline","pdf"],["SaveImanageVersion","ChangedPages","pdf"],["SaveImanageVersion","Original","pdf"],["SaveImanageVersion","Revised","pdf"]]}
```
#### Example 3: Customize Email export - only Redline and Revised checked by default
This example sets Email to default to PDF for Redline, DOCX for Revised, and only have Redline and Revised checked:
**Formatted JSON:**
```json theme={null}
{
"nextStepOptionFileExtensions": [
["Email", "Redline", "pdf"],
["Email", "Revised", "docx"]
],
"nextStepOptionSelections": [
["Email", "Redline"],
["Email", "Revised"]
]
}
```
**Single-line registry value:**
```
{"nextStepOptionFileExtensions":[["Email","Redline","pdf"],["Email","Revised","docx"]],"nextStepOptionSelections":[["Email","Redline"],["Email","Revised"]]}
```
Options not listed in `nextStepOptionSelections` will appear unchecked but remain visible and available to the user.
#### Example 4: Combined configuration for multiple workflows
This example configures Save, Save to iManage, and Save to iManage (New Version) to default to DOCX for Redline:
**Formatted JSON:**
```json theme={null}
{
"nextStepOptionFileExtensions": [
["SaveFile", "Redline", "docx"],
["SaveImanageFile", "Redline", "docx"],
["SaveImanageVersion", "Redline", "docx"]
]
}
```
**Single-line registry value:**
```
{"nextStepOptionFileExtensions":[["SaveFile","Redline","docx"],["SaveImanageFile","Redline","docx"],["SaveImanageVersion","Redline","docx"]]}
```
You only need to specify the combinations you want to customize. Any exporter/export type combinations not listed will use their default values.
# Draftable Legal Outlook add-in
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24732284708377-Draftable-Legal-Outlook-add-In
The Draftable Legal Outlook add-in integrates directly into your Microsoft Outlook ribbon, giving you quick access to document comparison workflows from within your emails. You can compare attachments, run a 1-Click Compare, or compare highlighted text — all without leaving Outlook.
**We recommend the JavaScript add-ins instead of this one.**
The COM add-ins are fully supported, but they install per user onto each endpoint and depend on the Microsoft VSTO runtime being present, which makes them more sensitive to how a Windows estate is built and managed. Across the environments we most often work in, the JavaScript add-ins are markedly more reliable to deploy and to keep working.
If your organization meets all three prerequisites below, we strongly encourage you to deploy the JavaScript add-ins instead:
* A Microsoft 365 tenant, with Global Administrator rights or equivalent permission to use **Integrated apps** in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* Endpoints that can reach `dl.draftable.com`, where the add-in manifests and runtime are served from.
* A Draftable Legal desktop version at or above the minimum stated in each add-in's installation article.
If you cannot meet those, the COM add-ins remain supported and this article still applies.
[Moving from the COM add-ins to the JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/Moving-from-the-COM-add-ins-to-the-JavaScript-add-ins) is the step-by-step process, and [COM add-ins vs JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/COM-add-ins-versus-JavaScript-add-ins) explains the difference in full.
This add-in is what we refer to as the **COM add-in** for Outlook. For our JavaScript-based add-ins, which offer completely different and more advanced workflows, see [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) and [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook).
## Where do I find the Draftable add-in within Outlook?
Open any email that contains the documents or text you wish to compare. In the Outlook ribbon, select the **Draftable** tab to reveal the available comparison options.
You will see three options:
* **Compare attachments** — Select email attachments to load into the New Comparison window
* **1-Click Compare** — Instantly run a comparison using your preferred default workflow
* **Compare text** — Highlight text in the email body and load it into the New Comparison window
Each option is covered in detail below.
## Compare attachments
Use this option when you want to compare documents that are attached to the email.
From version 26.9.1, the add-in only sends attachments that Draftable can compare: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, CSV, PDF, RTF, ODT and TXT files. Anything else is skipped, including images, archives and forwarded messages, along with images embedded in the email body such as signature logos. This applies to both **Compare attachments** and **1-Click Compare**. If an email has attachments but none of them can be compared, you see the message "There is nothing here that Draftable can compare".
In the Draftable tab, click **Compare attachments**.
A prompt will appear asking you to select two files from the list of attachments on the email. Select the files you wish to compare, then click **Select**.
The New Comparison window will open with the selected documents loaded. Choose your comparison type and click **Compare** to start.
## 1-Click Compare
Use this option to run a comparison immediately using your default workflow settings, without needing to manually configure the New Comparison window.
In the Draftable tab, click **1-Click Compare**.
Draftable will automatically compare the email attachments using your preferred default comparison settings. The comparison runs straight away without opening the New Comparison window first.
For more details on configuring your 1-Click Compare defaults, see [1-Click Compare: Run comparisons with your preferred default workflow](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497754-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow).
## Compare text
Use this option when you want to compare text from within the email body rather than file attachments.
In the email, highlight the text you want to use for comparison.
In the Draftable tab, click **Compare text**.
The New Comparison window will open with the selected text loaded into one of the document fields. Simply add your second document or text input and click **Compare**.
# iManage Document version control with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24732304932249-iManage-Document-version-control-with-Draftable-Legal
Loading different file versions from the iManage UI can be slow and tedious. Once a file is loaded in Draftable, you can use the version controls on the file tile to see a list of that document's versions in iManage, change the version loaded, or add another version of the same file to your comparison.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This article explains how to work with iManage documents that have multiple versions, without going back to the iManage interface to find each one.
## How to access document version control
In the New Comparison window, load a document that has multiple versions from iManage. Select **iManage** in either the **Older document** or **Newer document** panel, then choose the document you want.
Once the document is loaded, a **Versions:** row appears underneath the file name with two options, **change** and **add**.
These two options were introduced in **Draftable Legal v26.4.0**. In versions before v26.4.0 this control was a single **Select Version** link that opened a window headed "Select up to two files". If you still see **Select Version**, you are on an earlier version and should [update Draftable](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal) to use the options described below.
Select **change** to swap the loaded file for a different version of the same document. The **Change version** dialog lists every version held in iManage. Pick the version you want and click **Replace**.
The button reads **Ok** until you select a version other than the one already loaded, at which point it changes to **Replace**.
Select **add** to bring another version of the same document into the comparison as a second file. The **Add versions** dialog lists the same versions; select the one you want and click **Add**, which shows the number of versions you have selected.
Both versions are now loaded and ready to compare. Check that the earlier version is in the **Older document** panel and the later version is in the **Newer document** panel, then click **Compare**.
When you add a single version this way, Draftable places it in the empty panel on the other side, whether it is older or newer than the document already loaded. If they are the wrong way round, click the swap arrows between the two panels to switch them before comparing.
# Recent Documents: Quickly select from previously compared files
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24732362072473-How-to-select-from-recently-used-documents
Draftable Legal now includes the option to be able to use recently selected documents for comparison, conveniently from within the New Comparison window. This allows you to quickly re-compare your recently used documents without having the hassle of navigating to the document location within file explorer.
This article aims to guide you on how to use this feature.
## Selecting recently used documents for comparison
Ensure you have the New Comparison window open. If you look at the comparison selection boxes you will note there is now a new option in the top right corner called **Recent** which is a drop down box selection button.
**Selecting** this option will provide a drop down list of all the recent documents you have used to compare and provides time information of how long ago you used that document.
Selecting the documents from this list will automatically load them into the selection boxes without the need of having to find these documents again.
## What appears in your recent documents list
Draftable can only add a document to your recent list if that document has a **stable, permanent location** it can point back to later. Not every file you compare meets this requirement, so you may occasionally find that a document you just compared does not appear under **Recent**.
### Documents that are added to Recent
* **Files saved on your computer or a network/synced folder** — anything with a real file path, including local drives and synced OneDrive or SharePoint folders.
* **Files opened from a connected document management system (DMS)** — iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint, Worldox, or Epona — where Draftable can reference the stored document (and version) again later.
### Documents that are *not* added to Recent
* **Email attachments compared directly through a Draftable Outlook add-in** (Draftable in Outlook / Draftable for Outlook). When you compare an attachment from within Outlook, the attachment's contents are passed straight into the comparison rather than being saved to disk as a standalone file. Because there is no permanent file for Draftable to return to, these comparisons cannot be added to the recent list.
* **Free text** that you type or paste into a comparison — there is no file involved.
* **Files supplied by some drag-and-drop sources** that only ever hand Draftable a temporary placeholder instead of the actual document.
If you want an email attachment to appear in your recent list (and to be quick to re-compare later), **save it to your computer or your DMS first**, then run the comparison from that saved location.
# How to enable iManage logging (Diagnostics)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24732520158617-How-to-enable-iManage-logging-Diagnostics
You may be experiencing issues with iManage and Draftable, and as a way to further investigate issues, there is a setting within Draftable Legal to capture logs for iManage specifically.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This article provides the method for how to activate this logging feature so that additional iManage diagnostic log files can be captured.
## How to enable the iManage logging option
Firstly, we need to open the settings menu, this can be done in a few ways:
1. Open settings via the Taskbar
Right-click the **Draftable** icon in the taskbar
Select **Settings** as the 2nd option
2. Or, open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
The setting itself moved in Draftable Legal 26.6. Select the tab for the version you are running.
With the settings menu open, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **iManage** section. The setting is called **Detailed logging**.
The **iManage** section only expands once the iManage integration is switched on with the toggle to the right of the **iManage** heading.
Switch **Detailed logging** on if you require additional logging for the iManage integration to be captured.
Once the settings menu is open navigate to the **Integrations** section. Here you can access the **Enable extra logging for iManage integration.**
Select this menu option as highlighted below if you require additional logging for iManage integration to be enabled.
If you have a persisting iManage issue, and you have ensured that iManage logging is enabled, we recommend you reproduce the issue, and then export the Draftable logs.
In 26.6 and later this is done from the **Help & Troubleshooting** section of the settings menu, using **Export error logs** under **Contact Draftable Support**. In versions before 26.6 the same option is in the **Troubleshooting** section. Either way you will export a zip file of all the logs, and we then recommend you email these logs to us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) where we will investigate your issue further from there.
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.10.8 - v2.11
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/24778013095193-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-10-8-v2-11
We are excited to share our latest updates to Draftable Legal.
Throughout September-October, we focused on developing the following features and functionalities to Draftable Legal:
* Select input files from the list of recent documents, improving workflow efficiency
* Keep input files in the launcher after running a comparison to improve user experience
* Outlook add-in, enabling single ‘click’ comparisons of text and files attached to emails
* Further improvements to iManage integration based on customer feedback
* Improvements to SharePoint integration
* Upgrades to the side-by-side viewer for ease of document review and collaboration
* Support for Rich Text Files (.rtf)
* Further improvements to enhance issue reporting and diagnosis
You can read more about these features in the following sections.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed this 2.11 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
## Select input files from the list of recent documents
One of our design goals for Draftable Legal is to give users the fastest comparison workflows possible. With that in mind, in version 2.11 users now can select input files from a list of files they have previously compared in Draftable. This includes files saved locally or in a users’ DMS (e.g. iManage). This feature allows users to save valuable time retrieving those documents where they need them for a new comparison. Where files are stored in iManage, users will see the document and version ID displayed in the list to help identify the right file to select.
The list of recently compared files can be accessed by ‘clicking’ “Recent” in the launcher. For the files to appear in the list of “Recent” files, they need to have been previously “Compared” (i.e., if files were uploaded to the launcher, but the user did not proceed with comparing them, these files will not be added to the “Recent” list).
## Keep input files in the launcher after running a comparison
This new feature is also developed in line with permitting our users to work faster. From our conversations with users, we have learnt that when running comparisons, some of them prefer if the files that they uploaded for the most recent comparison stayed in the launcher, so that they can be re-used for subsequent comparisons. Draftable v2.11 allows users to enable this feature (by unticking “Clean up input files” box in the ‘General’ settings menu) and choose if they want input files kept in the launcher or cleaned up after each comparison.
We made this feature optional, as everyone have different ways that they prefer to work in – so each user can choose what works best for themselves when using Draftable Legal.
## A new and improved Outlook add-in
We are committed to ensuring Draftable works where you do. For some lawyers, Outlook is the centre of their workflows. So we’ve made a number of significant updates to our Outlook Add-in to make it easy to start a comparison from within Outlook.
### Getting started: The new Outlook add-in will automatically be available on update
The first improvement we’ve made is to remove the need for customers to self-install their Outlook add-in. From now on, once you have updated Draftable Legal to v2.11 or later, the new Draftable add-in will automatically be installed in Outlook and will be available in the ribbon menu. It will auto-update if any future changes are made. Just be sure to restart Outlook before looking for the newest features!
### Comparing attachments from emails
Need to be able to compare email attachments directly from Outlook? No problem! The new Draftable Outlook add-in allows you to do exactly that – either through the new “Compare attachments” button in Outlook ribbon or via a ‘right click’. This function will provide users with additional paths to upload documents for comparison in the launcher (in addition to the previously available ‘drag & drop’ method).
*Option 1 – “Compare attachments” button*
You can use the ‘compare attachments’ button when selecting either individual attachments or by a whole email (this option will load all files attached to the email).
*Option 2 – ‘Right click’*
You can also load attachments to Draftable by right clicking and selecting the option “Add to compare”.
When there are more than two documents attached to an email or selecting with right click, by ‘clicking’ “Compare attachments” you will be able to see all files in a selection menu (pictured). Customers can then choose the files they wish to compare.
### Compare email text from emails
We know users often need to compare text in emails. While Draftable already supported free text comparisons, as a bonus, we wanted our Outlook add-in to make this possible with less ‘clicks’. To compare free text in Outlook, users can now highlight the relevant text for comparison and ‘click’ “Compare text” button in Draftable add-in – the text will be added to the input field in the launcher and ready for compare. This function will save users ‘Copying’ and ‘Pasting’ the text, offering a more efficient way to add free text to comparison.
In upcoming releases, we plan on expanding this feature to our Word add-in, to allow easier comparison of text in Word files.
## Improvements to iManage integration
Thanks to the detailed feedback received from our customers, we have been able to make several workflow improvements to our iManage integrations.
### Load both input files from iManage from the New Comparison window in a single go
In the previous version of Draftable, when uploading both input files from iManage from the New Comparison window, users were required to select the first input file by clicking “From iManage” and adding one file, and then they were required to repeat the same process for the second input file. From v2.11, users will be able select two iManage documents or two versions of a document to be uploaded as two input files in the launcher in one go (meaning that they do not need to repeat select “From iManage” process for the second file).
### New commands for faster selection of input file versions within iManage
Loading files from iManage can be annoying and time consuming. Our customers need a product that is easy to use, runs comparisons with minimal input so their time is devoted to more important tasks. That's why we've added two new commands within iManage that make it faster and easier to select input files for comparison. Users starting their comparison within iManage now have the following new file loading options:
#### Compare versions
Users can now select a file or file version and use the new “Compare versions” option to immediately open the Draftable version selector menu. This immediately shows a list of all versions of the selected iManage file. You can select up to two version(s) to load for comparison. *Note, where only two versions of the file exist Draftable will simply load both versions for comparison rather than showing the version selection menu*.
#### Compare with latest
Sometimes users just need to compare the two most recent version of a selected file version quickly. To make this easy, Draftable can now ‘smart select’ the next latest version available for comparison using the “Compare with latest” option within iManage.
Hitting "Compare with latest" when selecting a file (not file version) will result in Draftable loading the two most recent versions of the file into the New Comparison Window. If you have selected a specific file version you want to compare, Draftable will load that version, along with either the most recent (i.e. newest) version or the 'next most recent' version if you have selected the newest version already.
For example, if a file has four versions (V1-V4), selecting “V4” will result in “V3” and “V4” automatically being loaded into the New Comparison Window. In the same example, selecting “V2” and using 'Compare with latest' will load “V2” and “V4”). Of course, if users find that the versions are loaded that they are not the ones they need to compare, they can use the new 'select version' command within Draftable to open a list of all versions and change the input files (see below).
### Enable users to see a list of iManage file versions to change version or choose a second version for comparison
Finding the file version you need within the iManage Work UI can be slow and tedious. To help make this easier, once a file is loaded in Draftable, users can use “Select Version” to quickly see a list of file versions in iManage. Users can change the version loaded, or select another version of the same file to use in their comparison.
### Display iManage document number and version reference details in Draftable UI and outputs
In some matters, there are so many file versions, it can be hard to keep track of which one you are comparing. To help with this, from v2.11 Draftable will display the document ID and version number in the New Comparison window. The document ID and version number will also be displayed in the name of the comparison output file when iManage files are compared.
### Show iManage document number and version reference details in the comparison summary
Similar to the feature above, based on the customer feedback, the document number and version reference from iManage will now be included in the comparison summary page.
### Directly save Redline ‘Word with Tracked Changes’ output into iManage
Users can now save time by saving 'Redline Tracked Changes' comparison outputs directly to iManage as new files without first saving to their local computer.
## Improvements to SharePoint integration
### Launch comparisons from SharePoint Online with the new Draftable App
While Draftable has previously supported loading locally synced SharePoint files, customers have been asking for the ability to load files from their Sharepoint Online (i.e. files from SharePoint accessible only through web browsers). With the release of the new Draftable App for SharePoint (available from v2.11.300), users can now load files (including versions of files) and launch a comparison from SharePoint Online through their web browser.
The Draftable App adds two command options, "Compare" and "Compare version(s)" in both the ribbon menu (first picture) and the right click menu (second picture). The "Compare" command will load the selected file into the New Comparison Window. The "Compare Version(s)" command will load a window which shows the version history of your file, and allows users to select up to two versions for comparison (third picture).
###
###
### Word add-in now supports loading remote files from SharePoint
As part of our commitment to reducing time to compare, our Word add in now supports loading files that are saved to SharePoint. Previously these files were required to be saved locally before they could be loaded via our Word Add-in.
## Upgraded side-by-side viewer experience
### Tagging and adding custom notes (annotating changes)
One of our product goals is to make it easier to complete a review of changes within Draftable and share feedback with colleagues. From v2.11, the side-by-side viewer includes the option to tag changes to assign priority and indicate where further action is required (“High Priority”, “Low Priority”, “Action Required”, “No Action Required” or “Needs Review”). Customers will also be able to annotate changes in their comparison output by including custom entry “notes”. This improvement will be particularly useful when users are reviewing large documents where they first need to review the scope of the changes and take notes of high versus low priority changes before they proceed with a more detailed review addressing the changes.
### Interactive filtering of changes in the document
Once users added tags and / or notes to the changes, they are be able to filter the change list to only show those with specific tags or those that have (or do not have) notes added to them. This helps users categorise changes and focus their attention on the most relevant changes and enable a more efficient document review.
The new “Filters” feature in v2.11 replaced the “Visible Categories” feature from previous versions of Draftable. However, the users will not miss any previously offered functionality and will be able to configure the comparison output (e.g. selecting if and what style changes should be reflected) through the “Filters” menu.
### Exporting the changes list to share with colleagues
To further enhance the value of reviewing comparisons in Draftable, users can now easily a list of changes along with their tags and notes to colleagues for review. From v2.11, Draftable Legal provides for the ability to export the list of changes from a side-by-side comparison output. Customer can ‘copy’ the change list to clipboard (either as a filtered version or in full) and ‘paste’ it in a table format in emails or other documents. The table of exported changes includes all tags and notes left on changes to allow easier collaboration between colleagues. Filtering the list enables users to choose to share only changes that are most important (e.g. share changes marked with “Needs Review” tags).
In future updates, we will add the ability to export a list of changes as a .csv file.
## Comparison of Rich Text Files (.rtf) is now supported
We constantly review and improve core capabilities to ensure that the key types of files used by our customers are supported for comparison with Draftable. In response to customer feedback, we have added RTF files to the list of input file types that we support.
## Further improvements to enhance issue reporting and diagnosis
Last, but not least, we continue improving quality of the technical support that we offer to our customers. As part of this, we have developed new capabilities to facilitate error reporting and diagnosing.
### Document Obfuscator
We appreciate that privacy and security concerns are paramount for our customers. The new document obfuscator feature enables our customers to anonymise documents so that they can be shared with us to facilitate support in the case when customers experience issues with comparing certain files. Document obfuscation will completely anonymise content of a file, but will keep the structure of that file, permitting us to faster diagnose issues. This new feature can be found in ‘Troubleshooting’ section of the ‘Settings’ menu.
You can see below for an example of the same document pre- and post- obfuscation. Given that obfuscation is randomly generated, the obfuscated file will not be able to be ‘deciphered’, so none of private information contained in the original file will be available in the obfuscated file. To learn more about the document obfuscator, [see our Knowledge Base article here](/hc/en-us/articles/22361579075225-Explainer-Using-the-Obfuscator-feature-to-share-redacted-documents-with-Draftable-Support).
### Option to turn on iManage logs
To enhance customer support with queries related to iManage integration with Draftable, we now support the ability to ‘turn on’ additional logs to provide information on customer’s iManage settings. Should you have any issues with setting up iManage integration, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and our team will advise you how to enable iManage logs.
### Allow customers to configure error messages to direct to internal IT Support
We heard from several customers with internal IT support teams that they wanted Draftable to direct end users experiencing issues to reach out to internal IT support rather than go directly to Draftable. From version 2.11.1, Draftable Legal now enables administrators to configure error messages via Group Policy. Customers can customise the support contact details in the Draftable UI error messages, enabling system administrators to include details of their internal IT support team (instead of Draftable Support). Contact details for Draftable Support remains the default option, but administrators can now configure this via Group Policy. For more information on this configuration see the [knowledge base article on configuring Group Policy.](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal)
# How to retrieve error logs from Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/25263246813337-How-to-retrieve-error-logs-from-Draftable-Legal
If you are experiencing issues with Draftable Legal, you can always retrieve error logs that can be used for support diagnosis. This article outlines how to retrieve these log files so that you can send them to our support team for further investigation.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## Exporting the error logs
Open the settings menu by selecting **Settings** in the New Comparison window
Once the settings menu is open, find the **Export error logs** option.
In the settings menu, select **Help & Troubleshooting**. Under **Contact Draftable Support**, select **Export error logs**.
Navigate to the **Troubleshooting** tab and select the **Export Error Logs** option.
Save the error log Zip file to a location on your PC
Once you have exported the logs, attach them to an email (or existing email) and send them to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
If you have any issues with the above process and cannot export the logs, get in touch with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Connecting your Sharepoint account with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/25442111938585-Connecting-your-Sharepoint-account-with-Draftable-Legal
SharePoint is a document and email management software for professionals. You can connect your SharePoint account to Draftable Legal. In this article, we will guide end users through the process of connecting SharePoint accounts to Draftable Legal.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This is required to use the SharePoint Add-in extension (i.e. loading files from your SharePoint online web browser). To use the add-in, you will also need to have your system administrator set up the extension.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable deployment with Sharepoint, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27926669420825-SharePoint-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal)
## Connecting your SharePoint account to Draftable Legal
Open the **Draftable Desktop (New Comparison Window)** and select the **'settings'** in the top right corner
Open the SharePoint settings and enable the integration. SharePoint must be enabled first before you can sign in.
In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **SharePoint** accordion.
Turn on the **SharePoint** toggle to enable the integration. This must be done first, before signing in.
In settings, go to the **Integrations** tab, and under SharePoint click **Enable SharePoint**.
Select **Sign in** (called "Authorize" before 26.6) to start the connection.
With the **SharePoint** accordion still expanded under **DMS Connections**, select **Sign in**.
Under SharePoint in the **Integrations** tab, click **Authorize**.
In the **Microsoft sign in** screen, **select an account** to authorize the connection.
Your SharePoint integration should now be enabled.
In 26.6 and later, you can disconnect the account at any time with **Clear authorization** in the SharePoint accordion under **DMS Connections**.
# Configuring Sharepoint Online to launch directly into Draftable
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/25571809846297-Configuring-Sharepoint-Online-to-launch-directly-into-Draftable
This article is intended for administrators who want to configure SharePoint Online with Draftable Legal to simplify document comparison by providing the ability to start comparisons directly from within SharePoint Online (accessed via web browser).
The Draftable App for SharePoint Online requires access to both Draftable Legal and an **administrator-level account for configuring Draftable within** your **SharePoint Admin Center**.
Note, once the Draftable App for SharePoint is enabled, API access for the following needs to be approved:
* Microsoft Graph, Directory.Read.All
* Microsoft Graph, Files.Read.All
* Microsoft Graph, User.Read
This is covered in the second section of this guide.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of configuring SharePoint to launch directly into Draftable, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27924970143385-Configuring-SharePoint-to-Launch-Directly-into-Draftable-Legal)
## Enabling SharePoint App
Login into your SharePoint Admin Center and navigate to **More features then select Open under Apps**
Click **Upload**
**Navigate to the location below,** select the **"draftable-sharepoint-extension.sppkg"** file and click **open**.
```bash theme={null}
C:\Users\\AppData\Local\DraftableDesktop\current\Integrations
```
Select **Enable app**
## Approving Draftable App access to APIs
Draftable needs approval to access the graph API proceed to the API access page by clicking **Go to API access page**
Under pending requests approve each of the following individual permissions: *Directory.Read.All, Files.Read.All, User.Read*, by clicking **Approve.**
Click **Approve** again in the confirmation modal.
**Note:** You will need to repeat the above steps for each permission.
## Confirm permissions have been approved
Confirm that the permissions have been approved by viewing each permission has now been moved to ***Approved requests***
# Set up guide for Draftable Legal integration with Netdocuments
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments
Draftable Legal allows you to integrate your Netdocuments account. This allows users to easily load input files from, and save comparison outputs to Netdocuments. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up this integration by adding Draftable Legal external applications for Netdocuments in the Admin Console.
**Please note:** This is a technical integration guide written for administrator-level users. This is **not a guide** for **using Netdocuments with Draftable Legal,** if you are looking for information on how to use Netdocuments with Draftable Legal, please **visit this article instead**.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of configuring Netdocuments to work with Draftable Legal, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27924867840537-Configuring-NetDocuments-with-Draftable-as-an-External-Application)
## Add Draftable Legal Apps within Netdocuments Vault Admin Console
Go to **Netdocuments Vault** webpage and login (note, an account with administrator rights is required to complete this workflow)
In the top right corner of the screen, **click on your account name**, then **select 'Admin'** in the drop down menu to navigate to the Admin Console
In the Cabinet view, **select the cabinet** that you wish to integrate with Draftable Legal
In the Cabinet settings, select the **Integrate with external application** option from the top menu
In the 'Web applications' section, **select the following Draftable external applications** from the list provided (by checking the tick box on the left hand side):
* **Draftable Compare:** *This external application is required for users to be able to use Draftable Legal to select files from and save outputs to Netdocuments. Without it, the Netdocuments integration will not connect to a user's account*.
* **Draftable Compare Versions:** *This is an optional app which allows users to see a command in Netdocuments that will open the Draftable file version selection menu with all versions of a selected file available to load.*
* **Draftable Compare Latest:** *This is an optional web app that allows users to see a command in Netdocuments that loads the file version selected and the other most recent version into Draftable for comparison.*
* **Draftable 1-Click Compare** *This is an optional web app that allows users to see a command in NetDocuments that loads two selected files and runs a preset default workflow in 1-Click ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow))*
Once the desired apps are selected, hit **'save'** at the bottom of the screen.
Users in the cabinet should now be able to access Draftable Legal integration functions. Repeat these steps as required for other cabinets.
# Connecting your NetDocuments account with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/25961845165081-Connecting-your-NetDocuments-account-with-Draftable-Legal
NetDocuments is a document and email management software for legal, financial, and accounting professionals. It provides advanced features and an intuitive interface to securely organize, store, and collaborate on documents.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
You can connect your NetDocuments account to Draftable Legal to load files from and save files to NetDocuments. In this article, we will guide you in connecting your NetDocuments account to Draftable Legal. You will need to have **ND Office** installed on your computer to use the Draftable Legal integration with NetDocuments. For more information on ND office, visit [https://support.netdocuments.com/s/article/205220000](https://support.netdocuments.com/s/article/205220000)
**Please note:** This workflow is required to use the NetDocuments integration (i.e. loading files from NetDocuments, saving to NetDocuments). To use this integration, you will also need to have your system administrator set up the integration with your NetDocuments cabinet ([see here](/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments)).
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable deployment with Netdocuments, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925254889113-Connecting-NetDocuments-with-Draftable)
## Enable NetDocuments integration in Draftable
Open Draftable Legal and go to the **Settings** menu in the top right corner of the New Comparison Window
Open the NetDocuments connection settings and turn the integration on.
In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections** under the **Integrations** group, then expand the **NetDocuments** row and turn on its toggle to enable the integration.
NetDocuments must be enabled before you can connect your account. Turn on the **NetDocuments** toggle in **Settings > DMS Connections > NetDocuments** first; the **Connect** button only becomes available once the integration is enabled.
Go to the **'Integrations'** section on the left hand side menu, and click the **Enable NetDocuments integration** check box.
Select the **Connect** button to start linking your account.
With the **NetDocuments** row expanded, select the **Connect** button to sign in to your account. You can also turn on **Auto check-in** here if you want files to be checked back in automatically after saving.
Once the check box is selected, hit the '**Connect**' button below.
You will be prompted to log in to your NetDocuments account via the ND Office app's Activity Center
## Connect your NetDocuments Account
### If required: Connect ND Office if you are not already logged in
If you are not already logged into you NetDocuments account via the ND office app, you will be prompted to do so via the screen below
Once logged in, ND office will automatically prompt to authenticate Draftable Legal via the screen below
A web browser window will open automatically asking you to agree to allow ND Office to connect to your NetDocuments account. Hit '**Allow**'
You should now be shown this screen which confirms your ND Office app is linked to your NetDocuments account.
### Allow Draftable to connect to your NetDocuments account
Once you hit the 'Connect' option under the NetDocuments integration in the Draftable Settings menu, a popup should appear in your ND office application.
ND office will automatically open a web browser window, asking you to allow Draftable to connect to your NetDocuments account. Select "**Allow**"
You will be shown the following screen. You should now be able to use Draftable to load files and save to your NetDocuments account.
## If required, update Service Region for ND Office
If your ND Office prompts you to login to a NetDocuments URL that does not accept your login credentials, you may need to update the Service Region in your ND Office account.
Open your **ND Office Activity Center** in the **system tray** (located in the windows start bar at the bottom right corner of your primary monitor)
Open the settings menu in the activity center by **selecting the cog** in the bottom left corner and selecting **Settings** from the popup menu
In the settings menu, select the **Network** tab at the top left corner of the window
In the **Service Region** section, select the region used by your NetDocuments account and hit **OK** at the bottom of the window.
You should now be able to retry logging in to your NetDocuments account to link ND Office to Draftable Legal.
# Running comparisons with files from NetDocuments and saving outputs to NetDocuments
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/26028966136089-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-NetDocuments-and-saving-outputs-to-NetDocuments
NetDocs is a leading secure cloud-based content management software designed for legal, financial, and accounting professionals. It provides user-friendly features and an intuitive interface to securely organize, store, and collaborate on documents.
This article will guide you on how to initiate comparisons by selecting documents from NetDocuments, and how to preserve these comparison exports as outputs within NetDocuments.
**Please note:** In order to use the features outlined in this article, you must first:
* Confirm your System Administrator has [added the Draftable Compare external app](/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments) to your NetDocuments Admin Console, and
* Have [enabled the NetDocuments integration in your Draftable Settings and via ND Office](/hc/en-us/articles/25961845165081-Connecting-your-NetDocuments-account-with-Draftable-Legal).
## Selecting input files from NetDocuments to start a comparison
Within the Draftable Legal **New Comparison Window**, click on the \*\*NetDocuments \*\*icon.\\
This will launch a **NetDocuments file explorer,** where you can **navigate to the file(s)** you wish to compare.
Navigate to your desired matter location and **click on the document** **you wish to load**. Once the document is highlighted click on **Select**.
If you would like to load a specific version of a document, simply use the checkboxes under the **VERSIONS tab** in the right-hand pane. Once the version(s) are highlighted, click **Open.**
Once selected, the input document(s) will appear in the **New Comparison Window**. You can **repeat this process** (steps 1-4) for the newer document. If you need to switch the order of the documents loaded, you can use the two arrows icon in the top-center of the window.
Once both documents have been loaded, select your **Comparison Type** from the drop down menu.
Start your comparison by clicking **Compare**.
## Saving comparison outputs to NetDocuments
First, in the **New Comparison Window** ensure the **Redline in Draftable** Comparison Type has been selected.
Once the comparison is ready, the **Comparison Viewer** will appear.
Note that all the export options appear in the top ribbon menu above the comparison viewer.
There are two main options for outputs saved to **NetDocuments.** You can either Save to **Netdocuments** or Save to **NetDocuments (as attachment)**.
Regardless both options come with the same output options, however, you can specifically save a document as an attachment if required using the "Save to NetDocuments (as attachment)" option.
You can select from one of the below options:
**Redline:** This saves into a .pdf or .docx file where all changes are marked or "redlined" over the base document. This layout allows for easy visual comparison between the original and new versions of the document.
**Changed Pages Only:** This is similar to the Redline option, but it only includes pages where changes have occurred. This is a useful feature if you're dealing with lengthy documents and you want to focus just on the pages with modifications. Can only be saved as a .PDF.
**Tracked Changes:** This saves into a .docx file with all updates embedded as 'Tracked Changes' in Microsoft Word. This is useful for further editing or reviewing in Word, as you can accept or reject changes individually and keep a record of who made what changes and when.
**Changes Report:** This will save a summary of the document changes found within the Redline. You can pick to either save this in a DOCX or a CSV file format and show all the Reported changes, or just those Matching the filters you have set in the Change List panel.
**Departures Table (.docx):** A Departures Table is a structured, clause-by-clause summary of all changes detected between two versions of a document. Rather than showing changes inline like a traditional redline, it organizes each change into a table row under its relevant clause or subclause heading. You can choose to include all changes or only changes matching your current filters. To learn more, see [Understanding and using the Departures Table](/hc/en-us/articles/51552545500569-Understanding-and-Using-the-Departures-Table).
Also, if you click on the **"Options'** link at the top of the Comparison Results pop up window, you will also see three additional choices.
**Summary page:** Includes a brief summary of the number of changes made, as well at the Markup Schema used for the Redline.
**Changes report:** Includes the full changes report either at the start of the document or at the end.
**Reported changes:** Allows change report to either include or the changes in the comparison or just those that you displayed via the filter options.
After selecting your preferred output option, a NetDocuments **'Save As' window** will now appear. From here you have the option to edit the file metadata, as well as specify the save type:
a) **Save to NetDocs (as a new file):** When saving to NetDocs, this will create a new document in an existing matter. If you wish to save as a new file, simply progress to **step 6.**
b) **Save to NetDocs (as a new version):** When saving to NetDocs, this will create a new version of an existing document within NetDocs. If you wish to save as a new version, select the **'Save as new version'** checkbox.
Enter the relevant details and select **'Save'**. Your document has now been saved to **NetDocuments**
# Launching comparisons from within NetDocuments
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/26029848063769-Launching-comparisons-from-within-NetDocuments
We have developed an integration with NetDocs that allows you to initiate comparisons in Draftable Legal right from NetDocs. This feature optimises your workflows, reducing the number of steps needed to generate a comparison. This article will guide you through the various methods on how to launch a comparison from NetDocuments to Draftable Legal.
**Please note:** In order to use the features outlined in this article, you must first:
* Confirm your System Administrator has [added the Draftable Compare external app](/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments) to your NetDocuments Admin Console, and
* Have [enabled the NetDocuments integration in your Draftable Settings and via ND Office](/hc/en-us/articles/25961845165081-Connecting-your-NetDocuments-account-with-Draftable-Legal).
## How to launch comparisons directly from NetDocuments
There are a few methods to launch comparisons from NetDocuments, either using external context menus or the toolbar. To ensure that you are getting the full usage of this feature, below outlines all the possible workstreams for launching comparisons directly from NetDocuments.
### Launching comparisons via the context menu
On your enterprise's online NetDocuments instance, **navigate to your desired files** for comparison
Select a file, **right-click** it, and then select **Send to application**
**Alternatively,** you can also select two files, **right-click** them, and then select **Send to application**
This will launch the **Send to Application window**. Verify the documents you have selected under **Marked Items**. If selecting multiple file versions at once, these will all appear in the Marked Items section. Once files are selected, you have 3 comparison options: "Draftable Compare Versions", "Draftable Compare Latest" or "Draftable Compare"
### Draftable compare versions
**For files with only 2 versions**, this option will automatically **load the two versions** of the selected document. For **files with 3 or more versions**, this option will **open the Draftable version selector menu** to show a list of versions for loading. Users are able to **select up to two versions** for comparison, and then load by clicking '**Select**'.
### Draftable Compare Latest
This option uses smart logic to load file versions for comparison. If a **file is selected**, Draftable Compare Latest will load the **two latest** **versions** of the document, so you will not be prompted to select any specific versions. If a **file version** is selected, Draftable Compare Latest will **load the selected version and the most recent other version available**. For example, if a file has 4 versions (V1-V4) and V1 is selected, it will load V1 and V4. In the same example, if V4 is selected, it will load V3 and V4.
### Draftable Compare
This loads only the selected document into the **newer** (left) side of **Draftable Legal**
**Note:** When loading files you may be prompted with a **confirmation box**. Simply press **Open Draftable** to progress
### Launching comparisons via the toolbar
On your enterprise's online NetDocuments instance, **navigate to your desired files** for comparison
**Select your file(s)**, then navigate to the **3 small dots next to 'More'** in the top right corner of the dashboard.
From the drop down menu, select **Send to application**
This will launch the **Send to Application window**. Verify the documents you have selected under Marked Items, and **left-click on your preferred option (Compare versions, Compare Latest, Compare)** to transfer these items into Draftable
**Note:** You may be prompted with a **confirmation box**. Simply press **Open Draftable** to progress
Regardless of whether you selected 1 or 2 documents, Draftable Legal will load the **New Comparison window** with the selected documents, ready for comparison.
# How to authenticate iManage on behalf of users via Group Policy
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/26582491188505-How-to-authenticate-iManage-on-behalf-of-users-via-Group-Policy
Draftable Legal allows you to integrate your iManage setup with Draftable Legal itself, so you can run comparisons directly from iManage. This article provides a guide on how to enable automatic authentication of iManage for your users, via Group Policy. **Please note**, that this is not the complete configuration required for iManage integration with Draftable Legal, please see these specific articles for full configuration depending on your iManage environment.
### Configuring the setting via group policy
If you do not already have the Group Policy templates installed, please read this article first about the Draftable Legal [Group Policy Settings](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal) which details where the templates are located and how to install them.
Once you have installed the templates, you can open up the Group Policy Editor and expand either the Computer Configuration or User Configuration depending on how you are deploying Draftable Legal. Under the Administrative Templates folder, you will see a Draftable folder which contains three subfolders which that allow you to configure various Draftable Legal settings.
Select the folder Draftable Desktop Legal folder. Once opened, you will be presented with many group policy options. Select the **Enable iManage integration on behalf of users** option.
Double-click on the setting, to bring up the window to allow you to configure the setting.
Here you can enable (to allow users to connect to iManage) or disable (prevent users from connecting to iManage) the setting. Once configured and saved, you can push out the setting to the relevant group of users.
This feature has been available since version 2.10 of Draftable Legal.
# iManage Configuration Checklist
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/26582558771481-iManage-Configuration-Checklist
Before you begin configuring iManage for either iManage cloud or iManage on-premises with Draftable Legal, it is essential to have all the necessary components in place to streamline the process. Below is a detailed checklist for both configuration types with Draftable Legal, **iManage Cloud** and **iManage On-Premises.**
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## Quick reference checklist
Below is the quick reference checklist for both configuration types:
### iManage Cloud
* Draftable Installation: Ensure the latest version of Draftable is installed
* Administrator iManage access: Ensure that when iManage is being configured, an administrator-level account is used.
* Custom URL: Ensure that you have your iManage URL ready.
* Group Policy Configuration: Ensure you have the latest ADMX and ADML templates installed.
### iManage On-Premises
* Draftable Installation: Ensure the latest version of Draftable is installed
* Administrator iManage access: Ensure that when iManage is being configured, an administrator-level account is used.
* Custom URL: Ensure that you have your iManage URL ready.
* Latest iManage Package File: Obtain the latest iManage package file to be used during configuration.
* Group Policy Configuration: Ensure you have the latest ADMX and ADML templates installed.
## iManage Cloud Checklist
Ensure you have the following items ready before you proceed with iManage cloud configuration with Draftable Legal.
**1. Draftable Installation:**
\- Ensure the latest version of Draftable is installed (if possible). Using the latest version of Draftable always ensures you have the most up to date functionality and feature access.
Your installed version is shown at the bottom of the settings menu sidebar, next to **Check for updates**.
**2. Administrator iManage Credentials:**
\- Have your administrator credentials ready to access the iManage Control Center. If you are not an administrator (or otherwise do not have access to control center), it is recommended you acquire this access or have a team member who has access to complete the configuration steps.
**3. Custom URL:**
\- If you are using a custom URL for your iManage cloud instance, make sure it is noted and readily available for configuration.
**4. Group Policy Configuration:**
\- If you plan to configure iManage settings via Group Policy, ensure you have the latest ADMX and ADML templates installed. Latest templates can be found [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files)
Once you have confirmed you have the above items confirmed, you can proceed to iManage cloud configuration for Draftable, which has its own dedicated article [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/24481421270425-Guide-for-iManage-Cloud-integration-with-Draftable-Legal)
## iManage On-Premises Checklist
Ensure you have the following items ready before you proceed with iManage on-premises configuration with Draftable Legal.
**1. Draftable Installation:**
\- Ensure the latest version of Draftable is installed (if possible). Using the latest version of Draftable always ensures you have the most up-to-date functionality and feature access.
Your installed version is shown at the bottom of the settings menu sidebar, next to **Check for updates**.
**2. Administrator iManage Credentials:**
\- Have your administrator credentials ready for accessing the iManage Control Center. If you are not an administrator (or otherwise do not have access to control center), it is recommended you acquire this access or have a team member who has access to complete the configuration steps.
**3. Latest iManage Package File:**
\- Obtain the latest iManage package file, typically found in the installation directory for Draftable. See below the default installer location with the package file highlighted.
**4. Service URL:**
\- Note down the service URL of your on-premises iManage setup. This URL will be essential during the configuration process.
**5. Group Policy Configuration:**
\- If you plan to configure iManage settings via Group Policy, ensure you have the latest ADMX and ADML templates installed. The latest templates can be found [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files)
Once you have confirmed you have the above items, you can proceed to iManage on-premises configuration for Draftable, which has its own dedicated article here.
By having these components in place, you can ensure a smoother and more efficient configuration process for iManage with Draftable Legal, regardless of whether you are using a cloud or on-premises setup.
# How to re-enable Draftable Word Add-in
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/26630500422809-How-to-re-enable-Draftable-Word-Add-in
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## Introduction
This article is designed to assist users in troubleshooting their Draftable Word Add-in. Users may find this useful if they cannot see the "Draftable" tab in the Word Ribbon (see picture below):
**Please note:** Before you commence this troubleshooting guide, please confirm that you have the Draftable Word add-in installed by going to the settings menu, selecting the 'integrations' tab on the left side (see picture below).
## How to re-enable missing Draftable Word Add-in
Open Word and select the "**File**" tab of the Ribbon menu in the top left corner of the screen
Select **Options** in the bottom left corner of the file menu
Go to the "**Add-ins**" section on the left hand side navigation menu, Select **COM Add-ins** from the "**Manage**" drop down menu at the bottom of the menu and select "**Go..**"
Once the COM Add-ins menu is open, **check the "Draftable Add-in**" and hit "**OK**"
The Draftable Add in should now be available via a dedicated "Draftable" section in the ribbon menu at the top of your MS Word
### How to re-enable add-in if it was disabled for being too slow
Open Word and select the "**File**" tab of the Ribbon menu in the top left corner of the screen
Select **Options** in the bottom left corner of the file menu
Go to the "**Add-ins**" section on the left hand side navigation menu, Select **Disabled Items** from the "**Manage**" drop down menu at the bottom of the menu and select "**Go..**"
Once the Disabled Items menu is open, **highlight the "Draftable Add-in**" and hit "**Enable**"
**Restart Word** and you should see the Draftable Add in available via a dedicated "Draftable" section in the ribbon menu at the top of your MS Word.
If you still experience issues with getting your Draftable word add-in to appear in your MS Word Ribbon Menu, you can try to manually uninstall and reinstall the add in by following this guide: [How to manually re-install the Draftable MS Word Add-in](/hc/en-us/articles/30861499917337-How-to-manually-re-install-the-Draftable-MS-Word-Add-in)
Otherwise, you can contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for more assistance.
# Configuring NetDocuments with Draftable as an External Application
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27924867840537-Configuring-NetDocuments-with-Draftable-as-an-External-Application
Below is a video tutorial on how to configure NetDocuments with Draftable as an External application. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our dedicated knowledgebase article here: [Set up guide for Draftable Legal integration with Netdocuments](/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments)
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Configuring SharePoint to Launch Directly into Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27924970143385-Configuring-SharePoint-to-Launch-Directly-into-Draftable-Legal
Below is a video tutorial on how to configure SharePoint to Launch Directly into Draftable Legal. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our dedicated knowledgebase article here: [Configuring Sharepoint Online to launch directly into Draftable](/hc/en-us/articles/25571809846297-Configuring-Sharepoint-Online-to-launch-directly-into-Draftable)
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Connecting NetDocuments with Draftable
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27925254889113-Connecting-NetDocuments-with-Draftable
Below is a video tutorial on how to configure NetDocuments with Draftable. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our dedicated knowledgebase article here: [Connecting your NetDocuments account with Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/25961845165081-Connecting-your-NetDocuments-account-with-Draftable-Legal)
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal Enterprise Configuration with Group Policy and MS Intune
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27925463968793-Draftable-Legal-Enterprise-Configuration-with-Group-Policy-and-MS-Intune
Below is a video tutorial on Draftable Legal Enterprise Configuration with Group Policy and MS Intune. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal High Level Overview
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27925634630937-Draftable-Legal-High-Level-Overview
Below is a video tutorial on the Draftable Legal High-Level Overview. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal Installer Types Breakdown
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27925753073689-Draftable-Legal-Installer-Types-Breakdown
Below is a video tutorial on the Draftable Legal installer types breakdown. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal integration with iManage
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27925873128601-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-iManage
Below is a video tutorial on the Draftable Legal integration with iManage. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# iManage Cloud Integration with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27926349740825-iManage-Cloud-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal
Below is a video tutorial on the iManage Cloud Integration with Draftable Legal . If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# iManage On-Premise Integration with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27926474751641-iManage-On-Premise-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal
Below is a video tutorial on the iManage On-Premise Integration with Draftable Legal. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# SharePoint Integration with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27926669420825-SharePoint-Integration-with-Draftable-Legal
Below is a video tutorial on how to setup SharePoint Integration with Draftable Legal. If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or queries regarding this video or the information discussed in this video, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.13
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27967637990553-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-13
We are excited to share our highlights from Draftable Legal release version 2.13 (released in January 2024). *For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal)*
This update added a several improvements designed to help our customers by:
* Better supporting firms using hidden text in template documents by supporting hidden text comparison
* Simplifying user workflows through easier free text input (drag & drop & via MS Word)
* Reducing steps to complete workflows by offering smarter 'save-to' location defaults
* Improving iManage user workflows by automatically opening files saved to iManage
* Providing more flexible input file options for SharePoint users by supporting 'drag & drop' from SharePoint Online
* Supporting administrators by offering a silent launch option and by creating a [suite of tutorial videos for deployment and configuration](/hc/en-us/sections/27463514562073-Draftable-Legal-Video-Tutorials)
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 2.13 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Core Functionality
### Option to compare ‘hidden text’
A key development in the v2.13 release was the ability to compare 'hidden' text changes. This innovation will be of particular value to firms that provide instructions for lawyers in their templates as hidden text.
Users can choose to compare hidden text by selecting this option under ‘Comparison options’ in the compare output (see first screenshot). When selected, hidden text in input documents will be ‘unhidden’ by Draftable and then compared to display any changes as redline markups. In the redline output files, text that was hidden in the input file is shown in grey highlights (see second screenshot).
## Ease of use improvements
### Expand the document view by collapsing the ‘next actions’ menu
Users can now maximize the view of their comparison outputs in Draftable by collapsing the 'next actions' menu on the right side of the viewer (see screenshot).
### Drag and drop free text from anywhere into Draftable
To make it easier to compare text shared by colleagues, from v2.13 users can now drag and drop text from most applications into Draftable. This includes dragging text from MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Teams, and web browsers such as MS Edge and Chrome.
### Faster saving by using input file location as default save location
Users can now spend less time choosing a ‘save-to’ location when comparing files stored on their computer. From v2.13 Draftable Legal will automatically default its ‘save-to’ location to the same location as their comparison input files.
## Integration Improvements
### Drag & Drop input files from SharePoint Online
From v2.13 SharePoint online users can use drag and drop to add input files from browsers to Draftable. Simply select the files you wish to compare (either from a list of files or from the version history menu) and drag them into the Draftable Launcher.
### Compare text from Microsoft Word via the Draftable add-in
From v2.13, Draftable allows users to compare text in MS Word. Users can simply highlight the text they wish to compare, and either select the ‘compare text’ option in the ‘Draftable’ section of the ribbon menu or right click the text and select ‘Compare Text with Draftable’ (see screenshot below).
### Save time by auto-opening files saved to iManage
For customers that prefer working solely in iManage, Draftable Legal v2.13 onwards includes a new settings option to automatically open comparison output files after they are saved to iManage. Users can find this setting in the ‘Integrations’ section under the ‘iManage’ options (see screenshot).
## Administrative Features
### Silent Launch setting supported via Group Policy
The v2.13 release created a ‘silent launch’ option for Draftable to prevent showing users the New Compare window on startup. This is designed for firms that want to preserve the benefits of having Draftable open without alerting users to its presence. Benefits of having Draftable auto-start on windows launch include:
* Enabling auto-update for users upon system log in
This only applied when using the default installer or the per-user MSI.
* Maintaining optimal speed for compare workflows started outside for Draftable (e.g. from within iManage, NetDocuments, Outlook, etc) as Draftable does not need to launch when these commands are used
We are aware that iManage users may not be able to launch compares from within Draftable unless the application has been launched. We are working on an improvement for this workflow.
### Video tutorials for deploy and configuration
We are committed to supporting our customers throughout the adoption lifecycle. We understand that in some cases, written documentation is harder to follow than video content. That's why as part of our recent efforts we've created a new section of our Draftable Legal Knowledge Base with a series of video tutorials. These are specifically created for IT administrators and application managers to help with the process of Draftable Legal installation, configuration and integration with key document management systems. Topics covered include:
* High level overview
* Installer type breakdown
* Enterprise configuration with Group Policy & MS Intune
* Integration with iManage
* iManage on-premise integration
* iManage cloud integration
* SharePoint Integration
* Configuring SharePoint to launch directly into Draftable
* Connecting NetDocuments with Draftable
* Configuring NetDocuments with Draftable as an External Application
[You can view the video tutorials here](/hc/en-us/sections/27463514562073-Draftable-Legal-Video-Tutorials)
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.12
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/27968844979481-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-12
We are excited to share the highlighted software improvements and features from Draftable Legal version 2.12 (released in December 2023). *For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal)*
These updates added a suite of enhancements designed to help our customers by:
* Increasing productivity through improved product performance
* Simplifying user workflows through ease of use improvements and added integration functions (for NetDocuments users)
* Reduce administrator burden during adoption by adding more enterprise configuration options
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 2.12 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Performance Improvements
### Better accuracy when comparing PDF documents
In our v2.12 release, accuracy has been noticeably enhanced. Users will now experience improved quality changes in numbered lists, table of contents, and spacing changes when comparing PDF to DOCX files, thanks to improvements in Draftable’s proprietary comparison algorithm.
### Speed and Reliability improvements via Draftable Conversion Engine
The v2.12 release also bolstered speed and reliability, particularly in Redline (PDF) comparison types. We’ve added a new setting option for users to use a "Draftable engine" for faster and more reliable DOCX to PDF conversions. By selecting this conversion option (in the General Settings, see image below) users can reduce the time required for comparisons and can see comparisons run successfully when the MS Word conversion engine fails. Where customers run a Redline (PDF) comparison that fails, we encourage rerunning the comparison using the new “Draftable Engine” setting.
## Ease of use improvements
### More flexibility by copying comparison outputs to clipboard
At Draftable, we are committed to minimizing the number of steps lawyers need to take to complete their workflows. Last year, many Draftable Legal users told us they often have pre-written emails to clients or colleagues which they use to share comparison outputs. Given this, our existing ‘email’ option which generates a new draft email wasn’t quite suited to their workflows.
To better support these users, the v2.12 release added a new ‘next step’ option (available via the right side menu in the Draftable Viewer) that allows users to copy compare files to their clipboard (see screenshot below). Users can copy any combination of comparison input and output files to their clipboard and easily paste them into emails / folders or other platforms such as MS Teams or Slack.
### Save the list of changes in a comparison to your DMS as an Excel file
In v2.11 we released a series of features to add tags and notes to changes when running ‘side by side’ comparison types. Previously users could only share this annotated change list via copying to their clipboard. From v2.12 users can export the Change Report in Side by Side comparisons as a CSV file. When selecting to save as a .csv file, Draftable will offer users the choice to save directly to their Document Management Systems (e.g. iManage, NetDocuments, etc).
## Integration Improvements
### NetDocuments integration improvements (Save as attachment, load via Word)
While the response to our NetDocuments integration release was very positive, we did receive some feedback on additional functionality required by NetDocuments users. In v2.12 we added support for saving comparison outputs to NetDocuments as a file attachment via the right hand menu (see screenshot below). We also added support for using the Draftable Word Add-in to load files located remotely in NetDocuments for a seamless file integration process.
## Administrative Features and Other Improvements
### Additional configuration settings supported via Group Policy
To provide administrators with more control, from v2.12 Group Policy can be now be used for the following:
* To remove the Draftable Desktop shortcut
* To configure Draftable to disable the installation and updates of COM add-ins such as Word and Outlook
* To enable or disable Draftable launching upon Windows startup
# Network Requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/28148507772185-Network-Requirements
This article is for IT or network administrators responsible for managing an organization's network.
Draftable Legal requires network connectivity for license verification, software updates, error reporting, and network telemetry. However, some of these functions can be disabled.
**Video Resource:** For a comprehensive understanding of Draftable network requirements, we offer our specially crafted explainer video, accessible [via this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/27925634630937-Draftable-Legal-High-Level-Overview)
## License Verification
On launch, the application will verify the product license by connecting to Draftable license servers.
| Property | Value |
| :- | :- |
| Host | draftable.com |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | Yes |
## Software Updates
On launch, the application will check for updates. If a major update is available, it will be automatically installed. For minor updates, the user can force an update manually.
| Property | Value |
| :- | :- |
| Host | dl.draftable.com |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | Yes |
## Error Reporting
If unexpected error conditions are encountered, the application will send an error report to Draftable servers for diagnostics purposes.
This can be disabled by the user (via application settings) or by network administrators (via Group Policy).
| Property | Value |
| :- | :- |
| Host | draftable.com |
| Port | 443 |
| Protocol | HTTPS |
| Required | No |
## Telemetry/Usage Data
Draftable Desktop uses Microsoft Azure as the host for telemetry/usage data. Hence there are outbound connections to the Azure AppInsights servers. For further information, refer to the [Microsoft documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/ip-addresses).
This can be disabled by the user (via application settings) or by network administrators (via Group Policy).
# Draftable Legal Group Policy Template Files
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files
Draftable Legal supports configuration via Group Policy, which is a feature in Microsoft Windows that provides centralised management and configuration of operating systems, applications, and users' settings in an Active Directory environment.
For the convenience of all administrative users, attached to this article are both the ADML and ADMX template files for **Draftable Legal version 26.9.1**
If you require further information regarding group policy, see the dedicated article [here](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal). Otherwise, please get in contact with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
Download Draftable Legal Group Policy 26.9.1 files: all ADMX and ADML template files in a single ZIP archive
When you update the templates in your `PolicyDefinitions` folder or Central Store, replace all eight files together: the four `.admx` files in `PolicyDefinitions`, and the four `.adml` files in `PolicyDefinitions\en-US`. The ZIP holds all eight files in a single folder, so place the `.adml` files into the `en-US` subfolder yourself. Mixing template files from different versions can cause errors in the Group Policy editor. For the changes in each version, see the [Group Policy Changelog](/hc/en-us/articles/draftable-legal-group-policy-changelog).
# Draftable Legal Group Policy Template Files
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117722-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files
Draftable Legal supports configuration via Group Policy, which is a feature in Microsoft Windows that provides centralised management and configuration of operating systems, applications, and users' settings in an Active Directory environment.
For the convenience of all administrative users, attached to this article are both the ADML and ADMX template files for **Draftable Legal version 26.9.1**
If you require further information regarding group policy, see the dedicated article [here](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal). Otherwise, please get in contact with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
Download Draftable Legal Group Policy 26.9.1 files: all ADMX and ADML template files in a single ZIP archive
When you update the templates in your `PolicyDefinitions` folder or Central Store, replace all eight files together: the four `.admx` files in `PolicyDefinitions`, and the four `.adml` files in `PolicyDefinitions\en-US`. The ZIP holds all eight files in a single folder, so place the `.adml` files into the `en-US` subfolder yourself. Mixing template files from different versions can cause errors in the Group Policy editor. For the changes in each version, see the [Group Policy Changelog](/hc/en-us/articles/draftable-legal-group-policy-changelog).
# Draftable Legal Configuring Custom Output Filenames
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/28737392718745-Draftable-Legal-Configuring-Custom-Output-Filenames
Draftable Legal lets you fully customize the file naming schema for your comparison outputs, giving you greater control over your workflows.
This article details how to configure this feature, what each token represents, which preset patterns are available, and how to create your own output filename schema.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Upgraded from a version before 26.6?** The filename pattern used to be saved on each Redline profile, and from 26.6 it is a single application-wide setting. Only your default profile's pattern was carried across. Patterns saved on other profiles are still recorded on your machine and can be recovered: see [Recovering per-profile settings after upgrading to 26.6](/hc/en-us/articles/Recovering-per-profile-settings-after-upgrading-to-26-6).
## Enabling custom output filenames
Where you find the custom filename setting depends on your version of Draftable Legal.
In the settings menu, select **Opening & Saving Files** under the **Files** group. The custom filename setting is the **Filename pattern** field in the **Output Filename** section (this was called "Output filename" and lived on the Redline tab before 26.6).
The **Filename output** feature can be found in the Redline section of the settings menu.
Once you have selected this section, scroll down until you see the **Filename output** option.
This is where you can configure your own filename schema for your comparison outputs. First, it is important to understand what the tokens used in this feature represent.
## Filename tokens
Tokens automatically prefill the filename with data drawn from the documents in the comparison, the comparison itself, or your machine (the date and time tokens).
In 26.6 the filename pattern applies to **every comparison output**, including side-by-side, redline and tracked changes. You build the pattern from a row of token buttons below the **Filename pattern** field. Each button inserts a token written in curly braces, for example `{date}`.
The available token buttons are listed below, grouped as they appear in the app. The bare **Original** and **Modified** tokens insert `{originalName}` and `{modifiedName}`, which are the document filenames without their extension.
**Original document tokens**
* **Original** (`{originalName}`): Filename of the older document, without its extension.
* **Original display name** (`{originalDisplayName}`): Display name of the older document, including its extension. This can differ from the filename.
* **Original version** (`{originalVersion}`): DMS version of the older document, for example V3. Empty when the comparison is not from a DMS.
* **Original document ID** (`{originalId}`): DMS document ID of the older document. Empty when the comparison is not from a DMS.
* **Original file type** (`{originalFileType}`): Extension of the older document, for example .docx.
**Modified document tokens**
* **Modified** (`{modifiedName}`): Filename of the newer document, without its extension.
* **Modified display name** (`{modifiedDisplayName}`): Display name of the newer document, including its extension. This can differ from the filename.
* **Modified version** (`{modifiedVersion}`): DMS version of the newer document, for example V4. Empty when the comparison is not from a DMS.
* **Modified document ID** (`{modifiedId}`): DMS document ID of the newer document. Empty when the comparison is not from a DMS.
* **Modified file type** (`{modifiedFileType}`): Extension of the newer document, for example .docx.
**Comparison and date tokens**
* **Output type** (`{outputType}`): Label for the comparison output, for example Redline or Side-by-Side.
* **Date** (`{date}`): The comparison date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* **Time** (`{time}`): The comparison time in HH-MM format.
* **Date and time** (`{dateAndTime}`): The comparison date and time together.
On versions before 26.6 the filename feature applied to Redline outputs only, and tokens were written in square brackets, for example `[date]`.
Above is the list of all the tags that could be used to create a filename output schema. This is what each of these tags represented.
**Date:** Shows the date in the YYYYMMDD format when the output is created
**Time:** Shows the time in the HHMM format when the output is created
**Date and time:** Shows the date and time in the YYYYMMDD and HHMM format when the output is created (example: "20240214 1345", represents the date and time for 14/02/2024 1:45pm)
**Original document display name:** Displays the original document (left side) display name. This can be different to the *document name.*
**Original document name:** Displays the original document (left side) filename. This can be different to the *display name.*
**Original document version:** Displays the document version. If there is no version set, this is ignored.
**Original document ID:** Displays the document ID. If there is no ID set, this is ignored.
**Modified document display name:** Displays the modified document (right side) display name. This can be different to the *document name.*
**Modified document name:** Displays the modified document (right side) filename. This can be different to the *display name.*
**Modified document version:** Displays the document version. If there is no version set, this is ignored.
**Modified document ID:** Displays the document ID. If there is no ID set, this is ignored.
**Output type:** Provides the output type for selected output. For example if a Redline export was performed, then it will say "Redline".
**Original document file type:** Displays the original (left side) document file type. If the file type was PDF it would say "pdf".
**Modified document file type:** Displays the modified (right side) document file type. If the file type was docx it would say "docx".
Now that we understand what the tokens represent, below are the two ways you can set your own filename schema.
### Method 1: Preset options
Select the **Preset** button to the left of the token buttons to open a menu of ready-made patterns. Selecting one replaces the current pattern.
Below are a few examples to show what some of the preset patterns produce.
**Example 1:**
Original document name: original\_draft
Original document version: V2
Modified document name: original\_draft\_v2
Modified document version: V3
Preset used: `{originalVersion}{originalName} vs {modifiedVersion}{modifiedName} {outputType}`
Output type: Redline
Filename for the output: **V2original\_draft vs V3original\_draft\_v2 Redline**
**Example 2:**
Original document name: contract\_town-planning
Original document version: V2
Original document ID: 1546
Modified document name: contract\_town-planning\_variation
Modified document version: V3
Modified document ID: 1685
Preset used: `COMPARISON #{originalId}v{originalVersion} {originalName} - #{modifiedId}v{modifiedVersion} {modifiedName}`
Filename for the output: **COMPARISON #1546vV2 contract\_town-planning - #1685vV3 contract\_town-planning\_variation**
You can select from the many preset options shown above, each with its own unique use-cases. Below are a few examples to understand what some of the preset filename outputs would look like.
**Example 1:**
Original document name: original\_draft
Original document ID: 232
Modified document name: original\_draft\_v2
Modified document ID: 234
Preset used: \[original document version] \[original document name] vs \[modified document version] \[modified document name] \[output type]
Output used: Redline
Filename for the output: **original\_draft 232 vs original\_draft\_v2 234 Redline**
**Example 2:**
Original document name: contract\_town-planning
Original document version: 2.3
Original document ID: 1546
Modified document name: contract\_town-planning\_variation
Modified document version: 2.7
Modified document ID: 1685
Preset used: COMPARISON #\[original document ID]v\[original document version] \[original document name] vs #\[modified document ID]v\[modified document version] \[modified document name]
Output used: Redline
Filename for the output: **COMPARISON #1546v2.3 contract\_town-planning vs #1685v2.7 contract\_town-planning\_variation**
### Method 2: Create your own schema
You can build your own pattern from any combination of tokens and free text. Click a token button to insert that token at the cursor; press **Backspace** to remove a whole token at once. Any free text you type appears literally in every output filename and is not dynamic like the tokens.
For example, if you type the text `Comparison Export` and then click the **Date and time** button, the pattern becomes `Comparison Export {dateAndTime}`. The **Preview** line beneath the buttons shows how a sample filename would look. For a comparison run at 12:35pm on 17 February 2026, the resulting output filename would be: **Comparison Export 2026-02-17 12-35**
The token buttons insert tokens for you, so there is no need to type the curly braces by hand. There is no autocomplete or Tab-key selection in 26.6.
Using the information above we can create our own schema using any combination of tags and free text. Any free text used in the schema will appear on all comparison outputs. For example if you enter the text "Comparison Export" like shown below:
That will appear at the start of every comparison output, and is not dynamic like the tags. If we add tags to the above filename output such as the \[date and time] tag, it will look like this.
This means that if a comparison was completed at 12:35pm on the 17/02/2024, then the resulting output filename for the output would be: **Comparison Export 20240217 1235**
There are also some additional considerations to be noted:
* **Autocomplete Feature**: As you type in the Filename output field, an autocomplete dropdown should appear after you type the `[` character. This dropdown will suggest possible tags based on what the user has typed after `[`.
* **Selection of Autocomplete Options**: You can select an option from the autocomplete suggestions either by using the `Tab` key or by clicking on one of the suggestions.
* **Easy Tag Removal**: If you make a mistake, pressing the backspace key will remove the entire tag instead of just one character.
If you have any issues with this feature, or any questions, please get in touch with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# How to fix 'unable to compare' errors when comparing PDF files
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/29275292001177-How-to-fix-unable-to-compare-errors-when-comparing-PDF-files
This article provides troubleshooting steps for users encountering issues under two scenarios.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Scenario A: Unable to compare PDF files:** Where users receive an 'Unable to compare' error when trying to compare PDF files (either 'PDF vs PDF' or 'PDF vs Docx' combinations).
**Scenario B: Failed Microsoft Word or OCR System Verification tests:** Where users see errors in System Verification results for the following tests:
* Microsoft Word settings configured
* Microsoft Word: PDF to Office document conversion
* Comparisons: Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
This article provides troubleshooting steps for users encountering issues under two scenarios.
## Why Does This Happen?
These errors most commonly occur due to issues when Draftable is attempting to use Microsoft Word to complete document preprocessing steps (PDF conversion to Docx, or for Optical Character Recognition). The underlying cause of Word being unable to perform these tasks are:
* **Outdated Version**: Redlining functions best with the most recent versions of Microsoft Word. Older versions may cause conflicts.
* **Conflicting Settings:** Word has numerous settings that control its document handling. Sometimes, these settings can become jumbled and prevent Word from launching correctly.
* **PDF Conversion Issues**: Redlining often involves converting PDF files into Word documents. If this conversion process encounters problems, it can lead to Word crashing.
## The Solution: Troubleshooting Steps
### Check Office Version
Ensure that the application has correctly identified and set the Office version. Verify the Office install details below, ensuring it is Office 2016 or later (Version: 16.0.17126.20132, Arch: x64, Type: C2R).
Open any Office application, such as Word or Excel, and select **Account**.
**Note:** If you don't see **Account** or you already have a file or document open, choose **File** from the menu, and then select either **Account** or **Help** from the list on the left.
Under **Product** **Information**, you'll find your Office product name and, in some cases, the full version number.
1 - **Product name**, such as Microsoft 365 ProPlus or Office Home and Student.
2 - **Version number**, which includes version, build number, and the type of installation such as Click-to-run or Windows Store.
*For more information, such as the bit-version, choose **About Excel**. A dialog box opens, showing the full version number and bit version (32-bit or 64-bit).*
See [https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/about-office-what-version-of-office-am-i-using-932788b8-a3ce-44bf-bb09-e334518b8b19](https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/about-office-what-version-of-office-am-i-using-932788b8-a3ce-44bf-bb09-e334518b8b19) for more information.
### Enable the 'Use Single Instance of Word' Setting
**Open Draftable via the Windows Search Bar**
Open the **Settings** menu in the top right corner of the Draftable **New Comparison Window**
**Find and enable the "Single Instance" setting:**
In 26.6 and later this setting is no longer shown in the in-app Settings menu. It is still available and enabled by default, and it can be managed centrally through Group Policy or the Windows Registry. If you need to confirm or change it, see the [most common registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations) or your administrator. If you are on 26.6 and later, you can move on to the next troubleshooting step.
* A new window will appear with the Settings information about Draftable. Look for the **General** settings.
* Under this, look for the Microsoft Word section and find the **Only use a single instance of Microsoft Word** setting.
* Next to the words "Single Instance" or "Only use one Word," there will be a check box. If the box is empty, click on it so the "Single Instance" is enabled.
* If the box already has a checkmark in it, then the setting is already turned on and you don't need to do anything else.
If the setting was not enabled previously, try using Draftable again:\*\*
* Close the Draftable settings window.
* Now you can try using Draftable again and see if the problem is fixed.
* Note: if you already had this setting enabled, move to the next troubleshooting step (see below)
### Try switching to the Draftable PDF conversion engine
Open Draftable via the **Windows Search Bar**
Open the **Settings** menu in the top right corner of the Draftable **New Comparison Window**
**Find the conversion engine setting and switch to the Draftable engine:**
The location of this setting changed in 26.6. Select the tab that matches your version. For more detail on what each engine does, see [Understanding the PDF conversion engine setting](/hc/en-us/articles/34177444131737-Understanding-the-PDF-Conversion-Engine-Setting-in-Draftable-Legal).
* In the settings menu, select **Help & Troubleshooting**, then scroll to the **Technical** section.
* Set **DOCX to PDF conversion engine** to **Default (recommended)**, which is the Draftable engine. A separate **PDF to DOCX conversion engine** is available for comparisons that convert PDFs to Word.
* Under the **General** settings, look for the **Conversion engine** section. It might be set to the Default Microsoft Word conversion engine.
* Select the dropdown menu in this section and select the Draftable Engine. This will make Draftable the engine your software uses.
**If you were not previously using the Draftable Engine, rerun your comparison:**
* If you changed the conversion engine, try and re-run the comparison to see if the problem is fixed.
### Microsoft Office Repair
**Before you begin:**
* Close any Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
* Make sure you have a stable internet connection (needed for Online Repair).
**Repairing Microsoft Office:**
Right-click the Start button (lower-left corner) and select Installed apps on the pop-up menu.
Select the Microsoft Office product you want to repair, click the ellipses, and select **Modify**.
**Note:** This will repair the entire Office suite even if it's just one application you want to repair such as Word or Excel. If you have a standalone app installed, then search for that application by name.
Depending on your Office installation type (Click-to-run or MSI-based), you'll see the following options to proceed with the repair. Follow the steps for your installation type.
**Click-to-run**
In the window **How would you like to repair your Office** Programs, select **Online Repair** > **Repair** to make sure everything gets fixed. (The faster **Quick Repair** option is also available, but it only detects and then replaces corrupted files.)
**MSI-based**
In the **Change your installation** window, select **Repair** and then click **Continue**.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the repair.
**After the Repair:**
* Try opening a document in Word or any other Office application and see if the issue is resolved.
* If you were getting the error during a Draftable Desktop comparison, try comparing your documents again to see if it's fixed.
### Microsoft Repair in Draftable Settings
Open Draftable via the **Windows Search Bar**
Open the **Settings** menu in the top right corner of the Draftable **New Comparison Window**
**Find the Add-ins setting:**
* A new window will appear with the Settings information about Draftable. Look for the **Add-ins** settings (called **Add-Ins** before 26.6).
* Under this, look for the Word Add-in setting. If there are Word Add-in issues, you will have the option to **repair** the Add-In.
**Run the Word Add-in repair:**
* Click on the Repair Word Add-in button. It all happens in the background, so nothing will pop up on the screen, but it will have run the repair.
#### **After the Repair:**
* Close the Draftable settings window.
* Try opening a document in Word or any other Office application and see if the issue is resolved.
* If you were getting the error during a Draftable Desktop comparison, try comparing your documents again to see if it's fixed.
### What if the problem persists?
If you continue to face difficulties after going through the troubleshooting steps, please contact our customer support team for help at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Bulk Compare: How to load and run multiple comparisons at once
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/30062521598361-Bulk-Compare-How-to-load-and-run-multiple-comparisons-at-once
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Legacy article.** This page describes the earlier Bulk Compare interface. From Draftable Legal v26.4.0, Bulk Compare is organised into three modes — Matched Pairs, One-to-Many, and Timeline. For current guidance, see [Using the new Bulk Compare modes: Matched Pairs, One-to-Many, and Timeline](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-the-new-Bulk-Compare-modes-Matched-Pairs-One-to-Many-and-Timeline). This article is kept for reference and will be retired in a future update.
**Note:**
This article was updated in January 2025 to reflect major changes to Bulk Compare's file loading interface and functionality in our [December 2024 release (v24.12.0)](/hc/en-us/articles/41369665084313-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-December-2024-v24-12-0)
Bulk Compare allows users 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.
Draftable's Bulk Compare allows up to 100s\* of comparisons to compare at once. Each comparison is run independently and users are then able to open each individually for review and to take next actions or to save all comparisons in one bulk action.
*\*While there is no limit to the number of comparisons that can be run using the Bulk Compare feature, Draftable Legal only supports running up to 100 bulk compares at a time. Users can load and run more compares than this at their own discretion.*
A guide to using the older version of Bulk Compare (before v24.12.0) is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## How to enable the 'Bulk Compare' setting and turn on 'Bulk Compare' mode
To get started with Bulk Compare, you will first need to enable the feature in your settings.
Open Draftable Legal and go to the Settings menu in the top right corner of the New Comparison Window.
Go to the **'General'** section on the left hand side menu, and click the **Show Bulk Compare option** check box.
Once the check box is selected, close the Settings menu and click the **Bulk Compare** toggle on the New Comparison Window.
## How to load files in Bulk Compare mode
File loading for Bulk Compare is designed to be intuitive and flexible. Individual files can be added either as Older or Newer documents, but once they are loaded can be easily rearranged however necessary to reflect the pairs and ordering needed.
Files can be loaded into Draftable when Bulk Compare mode is enabled via:
* Local file browsing
* From your Document Management System (DMS)
* From recently compared files
* Via Drag and Drop.
**New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:**
Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft's **New Outlook** into Draftable is not supported due to a Microsoft limitation. To compare email attachments when using New Outlook, use the [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook) or [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) add-in workflows instead. See [Microsoft's documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5535929/new-outlook-drag-drop-support-in-winforms) for further details.
### Loading via local file browsing
Click the **Browse** folder icon (shown in the screenshot below) for either the **Older Document(s)** or **Newer Document(s).**
Draftable will open the windows file explorer menu, where you can select all documents required for bulk comparison and hit **Open** to add to Draftable. \*Note, you are able to select multiple files at once by **holding 'Ctrl'** and clicking each individual file or by holding the '**Shift'** key and selecting the first and last files in the desired list.
Once selected, the files will be added to either the 'Older Documents' or 'Newer Document(s) section based on the location where you opened the 'Browse menu. Draftable will automatically create spaces for potential pairings for each document. You can drag any of your loaded files to any other space in the arrangement.
### Loading files from your Document Management System (DMS)
In Bulk Compare mode, you can load files from your Document Management System via the DMS icon inside Draftable or via your DMS application's file loading options.
#### Load DMS files via the icon in Draftable
Click the **DMS** cloud icon (shown in the screenshot below) for either the **Older Document(s)** or **Newer Document(s)**.
**Note:**
Draftable will automatically detect which DMS you have enabled and open the file selection menu. If you have multiple DMS integrations enabled, Draftable will choose the 'priority DMS' based on the following hierarchy: \*iManage > NetDocuments > SharePoint > Epona. This means if you have iManage and SharePoint enabled, the DMS cloud icon will only open the iManage file selection menu.
Select the files using your Document Management System file selection menu. You can select as many files at once as you need providing multi selection is supported by your DMS browsing interface).
**Example of iManage file selection menu:**
**Example of NetDocuments file selection menu:**
**Example of SharePoint files selection menu:**
Once selected, the files will be added to either the 'Older Documents' or 'Newer Document(s) section based on the location where you opened the DMS file browsing menu. Draftable will automatically create spaces for potential pairings for each document. You can drag any of your loaded files to any other space in the arrangement.
#### Load DMS files from your DMS
You can also use the file loading options in your Document Management System to load files when Bulk Compare Mode is enabled. For guidance on how to load files from your DMS, see the relevant guides below:
### Load recently compared files
Click the **Recent** icon (shown in the screenshot below) for either the **Older Document(s)** or **Newer Document(s).**
Select the recently compare files you wish to compare. You can select as many files as you wish.
Once selected, the files will be added to either the 'Older Documents' or 'Newer Document(s) section based on the location where you opened the Recent Files menu. Draftable will automatically create spaces for potential pairings for each document. You can drag any of your loaded files to any other space in the arrangement.
## How to compare files in Bulk Compare mode
### Comparing multiple discrete pairs of documents
To compare multiple discrete pairs of documents in Bulk Compare mode, start by loading the desired files into Draftable.
Once these are loaded, simply rearrange your files so that the desired pairs of Older and Newer Documents are aligned.
To confirm that your arrangement will compare files as discrete pairings, you should see individual bi-directional arrows between the Older and Newer Documents (see picture below).
Once your files Select your preferred **Comparison Type** - e.g. "Redline (.pdf)", "Redline (Word with Tracked Changes)", etc and settings **'Profile'.**
Click **Compare.**
### Comparing one Older Document against multiple Newer Documents
To compare one Older Document against multiple Newer Documents, start by loading the relevant files into Draftable.
Once these are loaded, simply rearrange your files so that the desired Older Document is on the left and the Newer Documents are on the right.
Draftable will indicate with arrows in the middle that all Newer Documents will be compared against your one Older Document (see below example where the Airbnb file v1 is compared against v2 and v3).
Once your files Select your preferred **Comparison Type** - e.g. "Redline (.pdf)", "Redline (Word with Tracked Changes)", etc and settings **'Profile'**.
Click **Compare.**
### Comparing multiple Older Documents against one Newer Document
The same approach above can be used to compare multiple Older Documents against a single Newer Document. First, load the Documents you wish to compare into Draftable.
Once your documents are loaded, rearrange them as needed by dragging and dropping them into place, ensuring your have only one file on the right side under the Newer Document(s). *Note: you can place the one Newer Document in any position on the right side - see picture below*).
Once your files Select your preferred **Comparison Type** - e.g. "Redline (.pdf)", "Redline (Word with Tracked Changes)", etc and settings **'Profile'**.
Click **Compare**
## Actions after the comparisons are completed
After the comparison is complete, Draftable Legal supports directly saving all output files to your local computer or opening them individually in the comparison viewer to review and take any 'next action' (save to DMS, copy to clipboard, email, print).
### Action 1: Save all output files to your computer
From the **Comparison finished** window **select all the comparisons** that are intended to be saved, then click **Save.**
In the popup menu, you can specify the save location by selecting the "..." button (pictured).
Once opened, the **Select Folder** pop-up will allow you to navigate to the folder that the comparison outputs are to be saved in, then click **Select Folder.**
Select the files you wish to save (you can choose to save the Older and Newer input files for each comparison as well as the comparison output in the form of Tracked Changes, Redline Docx and Redline PDF).
Select whether you wish to save the files only, save the files into a zipped folder, or save both the files and a zipped folder of the files.
Select **Save.**
### Action 2: Open comparison outputs individually for review & next action
From the **Comparison finished** window click **Open on the desired comparison** output to review it in the comparison viewer. Redline .pdf comparisons and Side by Side comparisons will open in the Draftable viewer and Redline (Word with Tracked Changes) will open in MS Word.
After a comparison has been opened, its status will appear in the **Comparison finished** window will change to \*\*Opened.
# Bulk Compare: How to load and run multiple comparisons at once
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/30062521598362-Bulk-Compare-How-to-load-and-run-multiple-comparisons-at-once
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Legacy article.** This page describes the earlier Bulk Compare interface. From Draftable Legal v26.4.0, Bulk Compare is organised into three modes — Matched Pairs, One-to-Many, and Timeline. For current guidance, see [Using the new Bulk Compare modes: Matched Pairs, One-to-Many, and Timeline](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-the-new-Bulk-Compare-modes-Matched-Pairs-One-to-Many-and-Timeline). This article is kept for reference and will be retired in a future update.
**Note:**
This article was updated in January 2025 to reflect major changes to Bulk Compare's file loading interface and functionality in our [December 2024 release (v24.12.0)](/hc/en-us/articles/41369665084313-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-December-2024-v24-12-0)
Bulk Compare allows users 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.
Draftable's Bulk Compare allows up to 100s\* of comparisons to compare at once. Each comparison is run independently and users are then able to open each individually for review and to take next actions or to save all comparisons in one bulk action.
*\*While there is no limit to the number of comparisons that can be run using the Bulk Compare feature, Draftable Legal only supports running up to 100 bulk compares at a time. Users can load and run more compares than this at their own discretion.*
A guide to using the older version of Bulk Compare (before v24.12.0) is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## How to enable the 'Bulk Compare' setting and turn on 'Bulk Compare' mode
To get started with Bulk Compare, you will first need to enable the feature in your settings.
Open Draftable Legal and go to the Settings menu in the top right corner of the New Comparison Window.
Go to the **'General'** section on the left hand side menu, and click the **Show Bulk Compare option** check box.
Once the check box is selected, close the Settings menu and click the **Bulk Compare** toggle on the New Comparison Window.
## How to load files in Bulk Compare mode
File loading for Bulk Compare is designed to be intuitive and flexible. Individual files can be added either as Older or Newer documents, but once they are loaded can be easily rearranged however necessary to reflect the pairs and ordering needed.
Files can be loaded into Draftable when Bulk Compare mode is enabled via:
* Local file browsing
* From your Document Management System (DMS)
* From recently compared files
* Via Drag and Drop.
**New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:**
Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft's **New Outlook** into Draftable is not supported due to a Microsoft limitation. To compare email attachments when using New Outlook, use the [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook) or [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) add-in workflows instead. See [Microsoft's documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5535929/new-outlook-drag-drop-support-in-winforms) for further details.
### Loading via local file browsing
Click the **Browse** folder icon (shown in the screenshot below) for either the **Older Document(s)** or **Newer Document(s).**
Draftable will open the windows file explorer menu, where you can select all documents required for bulk comparison and hit **Open** to add to Draftable. \*Note, you are able to select multiple files at once by **holding 'Ctrl'** and clicking each individual file or by holding the '**Shift'** key and selecting the first and last files in the desired list.
Once selected, the files will be added to either the 'Older Documents' or 'Newer Document(s) section based on the location where you opened the 'Browse menu. Draftable will automatically create spaces for potential pairings for each document. You can drag any of your loaded files to any other space in the arrangement.
### Loading files from your Document Management System (DMS)
In Bulk Compare mode, you can load files from your Document Management System via the DMS icon inside Draftable or via your DMS application's file loading options.
#### Load DMS files via the icon in Draftable
Click the **DMS** cloud icon (shown in the screenshot below) for either the **Older Document(s)** or **Newer Document(s)**.
**Note:**
Draftable will automatically detect which DMS you have enabled and open the file selection menu. If you have multiple DMS integrations enabled, Draftable will choose the 'priority DMS' based on the following hierarchy: \*iManage > NetDocuments > SharePoint > Epona. This means if you have iManage and SharePoint enabled, the DMS cloud icon will only open the iManage file selection menu.
Select the files using your Document Management System file selection menu. You can select as many files at once as you need providing multi selection is supported by your DMS browsing interface).
**Example of iManage file selection menu:**
**Example of NetDocuments file selection menu:**
**Example of SharePoint files selection menu:**
Once selected, the files will be added to either the 'Older Documents' or 'Newer Document(s) section based on the location where you opened the DMS file browsing menu. Draftable will automatically create spaces for potential pairings for each document. You can drag any of your loaded files to any other space in the arrangement.
#### Load DMS files from your DMS
You can also use the file loading options in your Document Management System to load files when Bulk Compare Mode is enabled. For guidance on how to load files from your DMS, see the relevant guides below:
### Load recently compared files
Click the **Recent** icon (shown in the screenshot below) for either the **Older Document(s)** or **Newer Document(s).**
Select the recently compare files you wish to compare. You can select as many files as you wish.
Once selected, the files will be added to either the 'Older Documents' or 'Newer Document(s) section based on the location where you opened the Recent Files menu. Draftable will automatically create spaces for potential pairings for each document. You can drag any of your loaded files to any other space in the arrangement.
## How to compare files in Bulk Compare mode
### Comparing multiple discrete pairs of documents
To compare multiple discrete pairs of documents in Bulk Compare mode, start by loading the desired files into Draftable.
Once these are loaded, simply rearrange your files so that the desired pairs of Older and Newer Documents are aligned.
To confirm that your arrangement will compare files as discrete pairings, you should see individual bi-directional arrows between the Older and Newer Documents (see picture below).
Once your files Select your preferred **Comparison Type** - e.g. "Redline (.pdf)", "Redline (Word with Tracked Changes)", etc and settings **'Profile'.**
Click **Compare.**
### Comparing one Older Document against multiple Newer Documents
To compare one Older Document against multiple Newer Documents, start by loading the relevant files into Draftable.
Once these are loaded, simply rearrange your files so that the desired Older Document is on the left and the Newer Documents are on the right.
Draftable will indicate with arrows in the middle that all Newer Documents will be compared against your one Older Document (see below example where the Airbnb file v1 is compared against v2 and v3).
Once your files Select your preferred **Comparison Type** - e.g. "Redline (.pdf)", "Redline (Word with Tracked Changes)", etc and settings **'Profile'**.
Click **Compare.**
### Comparing multiple Older Documents against one Newer Document
The same approach above can be used to compare multiple Older Documents against a single Newer Document. First, load the Documents you wish to compare into Draftable.
Once your documents are loaded, rearrange them as needed by dragging and dropping them into place, ensuring your have only one file on the right side under the Newer Document(s). *Note: you can place the one Newer Document in any position on the right side - see picture below*).
Once your files Select your preferred **Comparison Type** - e.g. "Redline (.pdf)", "Redline (Word with Tracked Changes)", etc and settings **'Profile'**.
Click **Compare**
## Actions after the comparisons are completed
After the comparison is complete, Draftable Legal supports directly saving all output files to your local computer or opening them individually in the comparison viewer to review and take any 'next action' (save to DMS, copy to clipboard, email, print).
### Action 1: Save all output files to your computer
From the **Comparison finished** window **select all the comparisons** that are intended to be saved, then click **Save.**
In the popup menu, you can specify the save location by selecting the "..." button (pictured).
Once opened, the **Select Folder** pop-up will allow you to navigate to the folder that the comparison outputs are to be saved in, then click **Select Folder.**
Select the files you wish to save (you can choose to save the Older and Newer input files for each comparison as well as the comparison output in the form of Tracked Changes, Redline Docx and Redline PDF).
Select whether you wish to save the files only, save the files into a zipped folder, or save both the files and a zipped folder of the files.
Select **Save.**
### Action 2: Open comparison outputs individually for review & next action
From the **Comparison finished** window click **Open on the desired comparison** output to review it in the comparison viewer. Redline .pdf comparisons and Side by Side comparisons will open in the Draftable viewer and Redline (Word with Tracked Changes) will open in MS Word.
After a comparison has been opened, its status will appear in the **Comparison finished** window will change to \*\*Opened.
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.14
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/30079288683289-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-14
We are excited to share our highlights from Draftable Legal release version 2.14 (released in March 2024). *For a full list of items in all releases, please see our [Release Log.](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal)*
This update added improvements designed to help our customers by:
* Reducing time taken to compare multiple markups by running multiple comparisons\
(Bulk Compare)
* Removing tedious workflow steps for SharePoint users by allowing file selection and saving from within Draftable (via our new custom-built file selection user interface)
* Removing noise in comparisons by allowing changes in headers and footers to be included / ignored independently
* Strengthening product reliability through a series of underlying improvements to MS Word interoperations
* Creating a easier and more accessible navigation by updating the user interface of Draftable's Redline PDF viewer
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 2.14 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Core Functionality
### Run multiple comparisons at once with ‘Bulk Compare’
From Draftable Legal v2.14, users are able 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. It was the single most requested feature from customers over the last 6 months and we are thrilled to be delivering it.
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 are able to open or save them.
Future improvements will see more 'next actions' being added to the Bulk Compare feature, allowing all outputs to be printed, saved, zipped or saved to document management systems.
To learn more about how to use this feature, [see our complete step by step guide here](/hc/en-us/articles/30062521598361-Bulk-Compare-How-to-load-and-run-multiple-comparisons-at-once).
*\*While there is no limit to the number of comparisons that can be run using the Bulk Compare featu**re**, Draftable Legal only supports running up to 100 bulk compares at a time. Users can load and run more compares than this at their own discretion.*
## New SharePoint integration functionality
### ‘Select from’ and ‘save to’ SharePoint via Draftable Legal
Draftable Legal v2.14 now offers users the ability to "select from / save to" SharePoint Online directly from our platform, offering a smoother integration experience. Previously, SharePoint users had to
* Load files from SharePoint online via their web browsers
* Save comparison outputs to SharePoint online by first saving locally then separately uploading them to SharePoint Online
From v2.14, Draftable Legal has its own custom-built file selection and saving UI which has been implemented for SharePoint users. This file selection and saving interface brings our SharePoint integration up to the same standard as the iManage and NetDocuments integrations in terms of functionality and is a critical step for any customer using SharePoint as a Document Management System.
### Ability to enable / disable SharePoint online via Group Policy
In addition to the above, we have also enabled Group Policy support for enabling or disabling the SharePoint integration. This will provide administrators with added control over SharePoint integration configuration (previously only configured via registry key updates).
## Added Markup Customization
### Configure changes shown in Headers and Footers separately
In response to user feedback, we have added the ability to disregard changes in headers and footers individually in the Redline settings. This improvement adds to Draftable Legal’s ability to produce a high quality output that allows lawyers to focus on the changes that matter most.
Users can now see ignore changes in headers that aren't relevant (e.g. updated logo images) while still seeing substantive changes in footers that need to be detected (e.g. updates to recipient's name, date document name, and signee initials).
We are pleased to share that our next major release will include a number of additional markup customization options for other document elements that have been requested by users.
## Improving Software Performance
### Updates to improve reliability with MS Word
Reliability is a foundational requirement of Draftable Legal customers. Customer feedback and support has shown that many issues users run into relate to Draftable’s use of Microsoft Word for certain preprocessing operations. Our team has done a significant review of how Draftable interacts with MS Office and a range of updates have been made to reduce issues when Draftable calls out to MS Word via the API. This ensures your comparison workflows continue uninterrupted by errors.
## Better navigation and accessibility in the Draftable PDF Viewer
Users will find navigation of the Draftable viewer simplified and more accessible thanks to user interface upgrades in Draftable Legal v2.14. These changes include:
* Highlighting commands where the cursor is in the ‘next action’ menu (on right hand side) to make it easier to quickly select your next step
* Smoother expanding and collapsing animation for the ‘next action’ menu
* Defaulting to the expanded view for the Ribbon menu (top menu) to make commands such as our dynamic ‘changed pages only’ view more discoverable
These changes have also allowed us to prepare for the release of our interactive change list for redline comparisons (currently only available in Side by Side comparisons). This feature is scheduled for our next major release in April.
# Draftable Legal Frequently Asked Questions
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/30114595020185-Draftable-Legal-Frequently-Asked-Questions
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.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## 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.
[General](#general)
* [What are the system requirements for Draftable Legal?](#what-are-the-system-requirements-for-draftable-legal)
* [Can I run Draftable comparisons from the command line or CLI?](#can-i-run-draftable-comparisons-from-the-command-line-or-cli)
[Launching comparison & inputting files](#launching-comparison--inputting-files)
* [How do I launch a comparison?](#how-do-i-launch-a-comparison)
* [Can I compare documents directly from within Microsoft Word?](#can-i-compare-documents-directly-from-within-microsoft-word)
* [How do I add documents/text for comparison?](#how-do-i-add-documentstext-for-comparison)
* [How do I compare iManage documents?](#how-do-i-compare-imanage-documents)
* [How do I compare different iManage versions?](#how-do-i-compare-different-imanage-versions)
* [How do I compare NetDocuments files?](#how-do-i-compare-netdocuments-files)
* [How do I compare different versions of NetDocuments files?](#how-do-i-compare-different-versions-of-netdocuments-files)
* [How do I compare SharePoint documents?](#how-do-i-compare-sharepoint-documents)
* [How do I compare Worldox documents?](#how-do-i-compare-worldox-documents)
* [How do I compare files on my computer using right-click?](#how-do-i-compare-files-on-my-computer-using-right-click)
* [Can I drag and drop for comparisons?](#can-i-drag-and-drop-for-comparisons)
* [How do I compare from Outlook?](#how-do-i-compare-from-outlook)
* [Can I compare the documents I have already compared earlier?](#can-i-compare-the-documents-i-have-already-compared-earlier)
* [Can I compare multiple documents at once?](#can-i-compare-multiple-documents-at-once)
* [What is 1-Click Compare?](#what-is-1-click-compare)
* [What are the Draftable add-in workflows?](#what-are-the-draftable-add-in-workflows)
[Customizing and using comparisons](#customizing-and-using-comparisons)
* [How do I customize my comparisons?](#how-do-i-customize-my-comparisons)
* [Can I create Redline profiles/rendering sets?](#can-i-create-redline-profilesrendering-sets)
* [How do I rename comparison outputs?](#how-do-i-rename-comparison-outputs)
* [Can I compare just the text content without formatting?](#can-i-compare-just-the-text-content-without-formatting)
[Using the Draftable viewer](#using-the-draftable-viewer)
* [Why use the Draftable viewer?](#why-use-the-draftable-viewer)
* [What is the three-pane view?](#what-is-the-three-pane-view)
* [What is the Change List?](#what-is-the-change-list)
* [Can I tag and annotate changes?](#can-i-tag-and-annotate-changes)
[Comparison output - types & export options](#comparison-output---types--export-options)
* [How do I generate my desired comparison output? (PDF redline, tracked changes, side-by-side)](#how-do-i-generate-my-desired-comparison-output-pdf-redline-tracked-changes-side-by-side)
* [How do I export (save or send) comparisons from the Draftable viewer?](#how-do-i-export-save-or-send-comparisons-from-the-draftable-viewer)
* [How do I generate Changed pages only output?](#how-do-i-generate-changed-pages-only-output)
* [What comparison output is available for Word/PDF file comparisons?](#what-comparison-output-is-available-for-wordpdf-file-comparisons)
* [What is the Departures Table?](#what-is-the-departures-table)
* [Can I compare scanned documents in PDF format?](#can-i-compare-scanned-documents-in-pdf-format)
* [Can I switch to Word with tracked changes without re-running the comparison?](#can-i-switch-to-word-with-tracked-changes-without-re-running-the-comparison)
* [Can I redline directly within Outlook emails?](#can-i-redline-directly-within-outlook-emails)
* [How do I run PowerPoint and Excel comparisons?](#how-do-i-run-powerpoint-and-excel-comparisons)
* [What comparison outputs are available for PowerPoint and Excel comparisons?](#what-comparison-outputs-are-available-for-powerpoint-and-excel-comparisons)
[Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
* [A comparison I tried failed to work, what do I do now?](#a-comparison-i-tried-failed-to-work-what-do-i-do-now)
* [I'm having issues with Draftable's modern Office add-ins. How do I fix them?](#im-having-issues-with-draftables-modern-office-add-ins-how-do-i-fix-them)
* [How can I share my documents with Support without sharing confidential information?](#how-can-i-share-my-documents-with-support-without-sharing-confidential-information)
* [How do I export error logs?](#how-do-i-export-error-logs)
## General
**Minimum requirements:**
* **Operating system**: Windows 10 64-bit
* **Processor**: 1.8 GHz
* **RAM**: 2 GB (4 GB or more recommended, especially for large documents)
* **Disk space**: 1.5 GB (excluding space for documents)
* **Microsoft Office**: Office 2013 Professional Plus or later (required for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel comparisons and tracked changes export)
**Recommended:**
* **Operating system**: Windows 11 64-bit
* **Processor**: Dual-core or higher, above 1.8 GHz
* **RAM**: 4 GB or more
**Additional requirements:**
* **OCR (scanned documents)**: Office 2016 or later, or Microsoft 365
* **Excel Spreadsheet Compare**: Office 2013 Professional Plus, 2016, 2019, or Microsoft 365
* **Network**: HTTPS (port 443) access to draftable.com for license verification and software updates
For full details, see [System and network requirements](/hc/en-us/articles/System-and-network-requirements).
Draftable Legal does not support programmatic, command-line (CLI), or scripted execution of comparisons on local machines. Draftable Legal is a desktop application designed to be operated through its graphical user interface (GUI), Word/Outlook add-ins, file explorer context menus, and DMS integrations.
If you need to run comparisons programmatically (for example, as part of an automated workflow or CI/CD pipeline), consider using the [Draftable API](/hc/en-us/articles/7132291227289-API-documentation) or [Draftable API Self-Hosted](/hc/en-us/articles/7132278452249-New-to-Draftable-API-Self-hosted-Start-here), which provide REST API endpoints for document comparison.
## Launching comparison & inputting files
The following file types are compatible for comparison with Draftable Legal:
* **Word**: .docx, .docm, .doc, .rtf, .odt
* **PDF**: .pdf (including scanned documents via built-in OCR)
* **Excel**: .xlsx, .xlsm, .xls, .csv
* **PowerPoint**: .pptx, .pptm, .ppt
* **Text**: .txt and free text input (paste or type directly)
You can compare files of the same type against each other (e.g. Word vs Word, PDF vs PDF), and you can also compare across formats — for example, comparing a Word file against a PDF.
Launching a comparison is easy — there are several options available so 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 Draftable in Office (Office Add-in):**
If your organization has deployed the Draftable in Office add-in (available from v25.10.000), you can launch comparisons directly from a panel within Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. Look for the Draftable option in the Home tab. See [Can I compare documents directly from within Microsoft Word?](#can-i-compare-documents-directly-from-within-microsoft-word) below for more details.
**Launch from your Document Management System (DMS):**
Draftable integrates with iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint, Worldox, and Epona. 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'.
**Launch via 1-Click Compare:**
If configured, you can right-click files and select a 1-Click Compare option to go straight from file selection to your preferred output and action (e.g. email, save, print) in a single step. See [What is 1-Click Compare?](#what-is-1-click-compare) for more details.
Once you launch Draftable, you will see the New comparison window where you can select your documents and start comparing.
Yes. There are two ways to compare directly from within Word:
**Draftable Word Add-in (Draftable tab):**
The Draftable Word add-in adds a "Draftable" tab to your Word ribbon. From here you can send the currently open document to Draftable as the older or newer document for comparison.
**Draftable in Office (Home tab panel):**
Available from Draftable Legal v25.10.000 onwards, the Draftable in Office add-in provides a comparison panel directly within Word's Home tab. This panel lets you:
* **Compare open documents** — compare the document you have open against another file
* **Compare versions** — compare different versions of the same document (when loaded from a DMS)
* **Send as older/newer** — send the current document to the Draftable New comparison window
* **Select comparison profiles** — choose from your configured Redline profiles
The panel also works in Excel and PowerPoint, with additional options specific to each application (such as worksheet or slide selection).
Draftable Legal must be running in the background for the Draftable in Office add-in to function. Remote desktop, Citrix, and RDP environments are supported from add-in version 2.62.0.1 onwards.
To learn more, see [Using Draftable in Office](/hc/en-us/articles/52362093587481-Draftable-in-Office).
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.
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.
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:
Navigate to the relevant file;
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);
Go to the 'Versions' tab (which will display all versions of the file) and select the relevant version;
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.
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.
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:
Click the NetDocuments icon in the New comparison window;
Navigate to the relevant file and click on it;
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';
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.
There are several ways to compare SharePoint documents:
**From the Draftable launcher (SharePoint Online):**
In the New comparison window, click the SharePoint icon to open the Draftable file browser. Navigate to your document and select it — this loads it as the older or newer document. Repeat for the second document. You can also view and select specific versions of a document by clicking 'Show' in the Versions column.
**From SharePoint Online directly:**
Select a file in SharePoint Online and use one of the available Draftable options:
* **Compare** — loads the selected file into the Draftable New comparison window
* **Compare Version(s)** — displays all versions of the file so you can select which versions to compare
* **1-Click Compare** — automatically generates a comparison based on your configured default settings
**From synced SharePoint folders:**
If your SharePoint files are synced locally, select one or two files in File Explorer, right-click, and choose 'Compare with Draftable'. You can also drag and drop synced SharePoint files into the New comparison window.
For more details, see [Running comparisons with files from SharePoint Online](/hc/en-us/articles/32784895738905-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-SharePoint-Online-and-saving-outputs-to-SharePoint).
You can compare Worldox documents by browsing for files from within the Draftable launcher. In the New comparison window, click the Worldox icon to browse and select your documents. Draftable also supports comparing different versions of Worldox documents and saving comparison outputs back to Worldox.
For more information on setting up and using the Worldox integration, see [Running comparisons with files from Worldox](/hc/en-us/articles/31690967186201-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-Worldox-and-saving-outputs-to-Worldox).
Draftable Legal also integrates with Epona. For details, see [Running comparisons with files from Epona](/hc/en-us/articles/37239959492633-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-Epona-and-saving-outputs-to-Epona).
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.
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.
**New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:**
Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft's **New Outlook** into Draftable is not supported. This is due to a Microsoft limitation — New Outlook does not expose file attachment data in a way that external applications can consume. To compare email attachments when using New Outlook, use the [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook) or [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) add-in workflows instead of drag and drop. See [Microsoft's documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5535929/new-outlook-drag-drop-support-in-winforms) for further details.
**New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:**
Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft's **New Outlook** into Draftable is not supported due to a Microsoft limitation. To compare email attachments when using New Outlook, use the Draftable Outlook Add-in workflow described below, or the [Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook) / [Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook) add-ins. See [Microsoft's documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5535929/new-outlook-drag-drop-support-in-winforms) for further details.
Open up the email that contains the desired documents you wish to compare.
In the email window, select the tab called Draftable;
Click **Compare**;
A prompt will open asking you to choose the documents you wish to compare, select the desired documents and click **Select**; and
The selected documents will be loaded into the new comparison window.
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.
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](/hc/en-us/articles/30062521598361-Bulk-Compare-How-to-load-and-run-multiple-comparisons-at-once).
1-Click Compare lets you go from selecting files to your preferred comparison output and action in a single step — no intermediate windows or clicks required.
With 1-Click Compare, you configure your preferred defaults once in Settings:
* **Comparison type**: Redline PDF, Redline DOCX (Word with tracked changes), or side-by-side
* **Next action**: Email, copy to clipboard, print, save to a location, or open
Once configured, you can right-click files in Windows File Explorer, iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint and select the 1-Click Compare option. Draftable will automatically run the comparison with your chosen settings and perform your preferred action.
This is particularly useful for repetitive workflows where you always want the same output, such as always emailing a PDF redline after comparing.
To learn more and configure 1-Click Compare, see [Using 1-Click Compare](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow).
Draftable Legal provides several add-ins for Microsoft Office and Outlook. Each add-in serves a different purpose and appears in a different location. Here is a summary of all available add-ins:
**Office add-ins (Word, Excel, PowerPoint):**
| Add-in | Location | What it does | Key details |
| - | - | - | - |
| **Draftable for Office** | Home tab ribbon buttons | Sends the open document to the Draftable desktop application for comparison. Word offers 4 actions (Compare Open Documents, Compare Versions, Send as Older/Newer). Excel adds worksheet and cell range options. PowerPoint adds slide selection. | Requires Draftable v25.10.000+ running in the background. |
| **Draftable in Office** | Home tab panel (M365 add-in) | Opens a comparison panel directly within the Office application. Full comparison workflow without leaving the Office app. | Deployed by your M365 administrator. Requires Draftable v25.10.000+. Citrix/RDP supported from add-in version 2.62.0.1. Deployment can take up to 72 hours. |
**Outlook add-ins:**
| Add-in | Location | What it does | Key details |
| - | - | - | - |
| **Draftable Outlook Add-in** (Classic) | Draftable tab in Outlook ribbon | The traditional COM add-in for comparing email attachments. Select the Draftable tab, click Compare, and choose attachments to send to Draftable. | Works in Classic Outlook. |
| **Draftable for Outlook** | Message tab ribbon button | A dropdown button with options to compare attachments, 1-Click Compare, or send selected text as older/newer to Draftable. | Requires Draftable v25.10.000+ running in the background. Available in New Outlook. |
| **Draftable in Outlook** | Message tab → More options (...) → panel | Opens a full Draftable comparison panel within Outlook. Browse attachments, enter text, access DMS files, compare versions, and select profiles — all without leaving your inbox. | Requires Draftable v25.10.000+. Available in New Outlook. |
| **Redline in Email** | **Redline** button on the ribbon when reading or composing (the only button in the **Compare** group on the classic ribbon; may be under More options (...) on the simplified ribbon, or under Apps in New Outlook) | Opens the email in a tracked-changes editor in Outlook. See what changed since the previous email, edit with tracked changes, accept or reject changes, then apply the result to your draft or reply with it. | Version 3.0 requires Draftable 26.9.0.1 or later running on the same computer. Available in New Outlook. See [Can I redline directly within Outlook emails?](#can-i-redline-directly-within-outlook-emails) |
The availability of each add-in depends on your organization's deployment. Not all add-ins may be enabled in your environment. Contact your IT administrator if you are unsure which add-ins are available to you.
For detailed guides on each add-in, see:
* [Using Draftable for Office](/hc/en-us/articles/51787242705818-Using-Draftable-for-Office)
* [Using Draftable in Office](/hc/en-us/articles/52362093587481-Draftable-in-Office)
* [Using Draftable for Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-for-Outlook)
* [Using Draftable in Outlook](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-Draftable-in-Outlook)
* [Using Draftable Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/46382010730905-Using-Draftable-Redline-in-Email)
## Customizing and using 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.
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](/hc/en-us/articles/19002240548249-Managing-profiles-for-Redline-settings) if you wish to learn more.
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](/hc/en-us/articles/28737392718745-Draftable-Legal-Configuring-Custom-Output-Filenames).
Yes. Text-Only Compare (available from v26.1.0) strips away formatting, styles, numbering, and layout from DOCX and PDF files to focus purely on text content changes.
This is useful when:
* Documents have complex or inconsistent formatting that clutters the redline
* You want to focus on substantive text changes only
* A standard comparison produces errors due to formatting complexity
* You are comparing documents that originated from different templates
To use Text-Only Compare, select it from the comparison type drop-down menu in the New comparison window before clicking Compare. The resulting comparison uses the same viewer features as standard comparisons, including the Change List, tagging, filtering, and all export options.
Text-Only Compare can also be combined with the three-pane view for additional context during review.
To learn more, see [Text-Only Compare: How to compare documents without formatting](/hc/en-us/articles/Text-Only-Compare-How-to-compare-documents-without-formatting).
## Using the Draftable viewer
The Draftable viewer offers functionality that goes well beyond typical PDF or document viewers, providing a complete comparison review workflow in one place.
**Redline comparison features include:**
* **Next actions ribbon**: Save, email, print, open, or copy your comparison directly from the viewer — including emailing comparison output in a single click
* **Multiple export formats**: Export as full PDF redline, PDF changed pages only, Word with tracked changes, or Departures Table — all without re-running the comparison
* **Changed pages only**: View and export only pages with substantive changes, saving time on lengthy documents
* **Change List**: A dynamic panel showing all detected changes, with the ability to navigate, tag, annotate, filter, and export changes (see [What is the Change List?](#what-is-the-change-list))
* **Three-pane view**: See the older document, newer document, and redline simultaneously with synced scrolling (see [What is the three-pane view?](#what-is-the-three-pane-view))
* **Customizable output**: Apply Redline profiles/rendering sets to personalize markup colors, change detection settings, and more
**Side-by-side comparison features include:**
* **Change List**: View all changes in a dynamic list, with filtering, tagging, and export (CSV or DOCX)
* **Synced scrolling**: Both documents scroll in alignment so changes are easy to understand in context
* **Tagging and annotations**: Tag changes with status labels (e.g. High Priority, Reviewed) and add custom notes
* **Departures Table export**: Generate a clause-by-clause summary table of changes directly from the side-by-side view
The three-pane view displays the older document, newer document, and redline comparison side by side in a single screen. This allows you to see the exact changes in context without switching between windows or documents.
Key features:
* **Synced scrolling** across all three panes — as you scroll in one document, the others follow automatically
* **Resizable panes** — drag the dividers to adjust the width of each pane
* **Toggle** — switch between the three-pane view and the standard single-pane Redline view at any time
The three-pane view is available for Redline in Draftable comparisons. To activate it, click the three-pane view icon in the viewer toolbar.
To learn more, see [Three-Pane View](/hc/en-us/articles/31975077731225-Three-Pane-View-See-changes-in-context-with-older-newer-and-redlined-documents-in-one-screen).
The Change List is a dynamic panel that appears on the right-hand side of the Draftable Redline viewer. It shows every change detected in the comparison and provides tools for reviewing, organizing, and exporting those changes.
With the Change List you can:
* **Navigate changes**: Click any change in the list to jump directly to that change in the document
* **Filter changes**: Filter by change type (insertions, deletions, moves), content type (text, tables, images, etc.), location (headers, footers, body), tags, and whether notes are present
* **Tag changes**: Apply status labels such as High Priority, Low Priority, Action Required, No Action Required, Reviewed, or Needs Review
* **Add notes**: Attach custom text notes to individual changes for context or follow-up
* **Export**: Export the Change List as a CSV or DOCX file, including any tags and notes you have added
Tags and notes from the Change List are also carried through to the [Departures Table](#what-is-the-departures-table) if you generate one.
To learn more, see [Redline Change List: Review, filter, tag, add notes and export changes](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes).
Yes. Draftable Legal provides a tagging and annotation system within the Change List to help you organize your review.
**Tagging**: You can apply one of six status tags to any change:
* Reviewed
* Needs Review
* High Priority
* Low Priority
* Action Required
* No Action Required
**Notes**: You can add free-text notes to any individual change to record observations, flag items for colleagues, or note required follow-up actions.
Tags and notes are:
* Visible in the Change List alongside each change
* Included when you export the Change List to CSV or DOCX
* Carried into the Departures Table output (appearing in the Review Notes column)
* Usable as filter criteria — for example, you can filter to show only changes tagged "Action Required"
## Comparison output - types & export options
Select the relevant comparison output in the 'Comparison type' drop-down menu in the Draftable launcher before clicking the 'Compare' button.
Depending on the types of files compared, the following options are available:
* **Redline in Draftable** (PDF redline) — for Word, PDF, or text input comparisons
* **Tracked Changes in Word** — for Word, PDF, or text input comparisons
* **PowerPoint with Tracked Changes** — for PowerPoint comparisons
* **Spreadsheet Compare** — for Excel comparisons
* **Side-by-side** — available for all file types
* **Departures Table** — a clause-by-clause summary table in Word format (for Word and PDF comparisons). See [What is the Departures Table?](#what-is-the-departures-table)
* **Text-Only Compare** — strips formatting to focus on text content changes (for Word and PDF comparisons). See [Can I compare just the text content without formatting?](#can-i-compare-just-the-text-content-without-formatting)
**PDF Redline comparisons**
Comparisons in PDF redline format will be opened in the Draftable viewer. The next actions ribbon at the top of the viewer offers several export options:
* **Save**: Save as full PDF, PDF changed pages only, Word with tracked changes, or Departures Table
* **Email**: Generate an email with comparison outputs attached (or embed the Departures Table directly in the email body)
* **Print**: Print the comparison directly
* **Open**: Open in Word as tracked changes, or open the PDF externally
* **Copy to clipboard**: Copy comparison files for pasting into other applications
**Side-by-side comparisons**
Side-by-side comparisons can be exported as PDF files in their side-by-side or single-page view. Navigate to the ribbon at the top of the viewer and select the action you wish to use.
You can also export the Change List from the side-by-side view. Click the 'Save' button and choose your export type (CSV or DOCX format). Tags and notes you have added to changes will be included in the export.
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 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 the 'Compare' button;
Once the comparison is ready, in the Draftable viewer, you will see the output actions in the ribbon at the top of the window;
Click the action you want to use, for example **Save** or **Email**;
The **Comparison Results** panel opens, listing each output with a checkbox. Tick **Changed Pages Only**, then click the button at the foot of the panel.
From v26.9.1:
* The exported pages are always ordered by page number.
* In the viewer's export options, the **First page** dropdown on the **Changed Pages Only** output lets you add the document's first page even when it has no changes, so the recipient can identify the document. Your default for this sits in **Settings** > **Opening & Saving Files** > **Output content**, and your administrator can set it for the organization. Other routes, including the New Comparison window, 1-Click Compare and Bulk Compare, use that default.
* **Redline - Changed Pages Only (.pdf)** is also available in the Bulk Compare export dialog.
* If the two documents are identical, Draftable reports that no changes were detected instead of showing an error.
See [How to view and export 'changed pages only' in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/20294100319385-How-to-view-and-export-changed-pages-only-in-Draftable-Legal) for the full walkthrough.
For your Word-Word, PDF-PDF, or Word-PDF comparisons, you have the following comparison output options available:
**Redline in Draftable:**
* Opens the comparison within the Draftable PDF viewer in a clean, readable redline format
* Great for quickly reviewing changes and deciding on next actions
* From the viewer, you can export in any format (full PDF, PDF changed pages only, Word with tracked changes, or Departures Table) without re-running the comparison
* Email your comparison output directly from the viewer in a single click
* Switch to Word with tracked changes directly from the viewer (click 'Open' → 'Track Changes')
* Use the [Change List](#what-is-the-change-list) to review, tag, annotate, and filter changes
* Enable the [three-pane view](#what-is-the-three-pane-view) to see older, newer, and redline documents simultaneously
**Tracked Changes in Word:**
* The comparison is saved directly in Word with changes shown as tracked changes
* Continue working in the familiar Word environment — modify the document, accept/reject tracked changes, add comments, etc.
**Side-by-side:**
* Both documents are displayed side-by-side with changes highlighted in each
* Useful for documents with a large volume of changes, where a standard redline could be hard to read
* Includes the Change List, synced scrolling, and change tagging/annotation features
**Departures Table:**
* Generates a structured Word document summarizing all changes organized by clause and subclause
* Ideal for contract review workflows where you need a formal summary of departures from a standard or precedent document
* See [What is the Departures Table?](#what-is-the-departures-table) for full details
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.
In addition to the global OCR setting, you can also toggle OCR on or off for individual comparisons directly in the New comparison window before clicking Compare.
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.
The Departures Table is a Word document that presents a structured, clause-by-clause summary of all changes between two document versions. Rather than showing inline redlines, it organizes changes into a table format that is commonly used in legal contract review workflows.
Each row in the Departures Table includes:
* **Departure ID**: A sequential identifier for each change
* **Reference**: The clause or subclause heading where the change occurs
* **Proposed Departure**: The text of the change
* **Review Notes**: Any tags, notes, or Word comments associated with the change (carried over from the Change List)
* **Commercial Impact**: A column for recording the business impact of the change
**There are three ways to generate a Departures Table:**
1. **Directly as a comparison type**: Select "Departures Table" from the Comparison type drop-down in the New comparison window
2. **Export from the Redline viewer**: After running a Redline in Draftable comparison, export as a Departures Table from the next actions ribbon
3. **Via 1-Click Compare**: Configure 1-Click Compare to automatically generate a Departures Table
The Departures Table respects any filters you have applied in the Change List — so you can generate a table that includes only specific types of changes (e.g. only changes tagged "Action Required").
Organizations can also customize the Departures Table using their own Word templates to match internal formatting standards.
To learn more, see [Understanding and Using the Departures Table](/hc/en-us/articles/51552545500569-Understanding-and-Using-the-Departures-Table).
Yes. Redline in Email lets you redline emails directly within Outlook. This is useful when you want to show the specific changes you have made to email text (for example, when negotiating terms or responding to proposed amendments).
**How it works (Redline in Email 3.0):**
1. Open the email you received, or reply to it, then select **Redline** on the Outlook ribbon (in the **Compare** group on the classic ribbon; on the simplified ribbon, look for the **Redline** button)
2. The task pane opens the email in a tracked-changes editor, already compared with the previous email in the conversation, so every difference is marked
3. Edit in the pane: everything you type, delete or move is marked as a tracked change, and you can accept or reject changes one at a time or all at once
4. When composing, select **Apply to Email** to put the tracked result into your draft. When reading, select **Reply** to open a reply draft that carries it
To compare with a different email in the conversation, select the status line at the top of the pane and choose **Compare with an email…**.
**Requirements and limitations:**
* Redline in Email 3.0 requires Draftable 26.9.0.1 or later running on the same computer, and the version 3 add-in manifest
* Remote desktop, Citrix and RDS environments are supported
* Supported in both Classic Outlook and New Outlook (as well as Outlook on the web)
To learn more, see [Using Draftable Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/46382010730905-Using-Draftable-Redline-in-Email).
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).
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 in PowerPoint**: The comparison will be opened as a PowerPoint file with all modifications displayed as tracked changes, allowing you to navigate through changes and accept/reject them directly in PowerPoint.
* **Redline in Draftable**: The comparison will be opened in the Draftable viewer as a PDF redline, providing access to the Change List, tagging, filtering, and all standard Draftable export options.
* **Side-by-side**: Both documents are displayed side-by-side in the Draftable viewer with changes highlighted.
**Excel files:**
* **Redline in Excel**: This dedicated Spreadsheet Compare format visualizes changes directly within the Excel spreadsheet, allowing you to review cell-level changes including formulas.
* **Redline in Draftable**: The comparison will be opened in the Draftable viewer as a PDF redline, with access to the Change List and standard export options.
* **Side-by-side**: Both spreadsheets are displayed side-by-side in the Draftable viewer with changes highlighted.
## Troubleshooting
If a comparison fails, try the following steps to diagnose and resolve the issue:
1. **Restart Draftable**: Close Draftable fully (right-click the system tray icon → Exit) and relaunch it. See [How to properly restart Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/39934335355033-How-to-properly-restart-Draftable-Legal) for detailed steps.
2. **Re-save the document**: If comparing Word files, try re-saving the document as PDF using Microsoft Word, then compare the PDF version instead.
3. **Try Text-Only Compare**: If the document has complex formatting, try running a [Text-Only Compare](#can-i-compare-just-the-text-content-without-formatting) to isolate whether formatting is causing the issue.
4. **Check system verification**: Run the built-in system verification tool to check that all Draftable components are functioning correctly. Go to Settings → Troubleshooting → System Verification. See [Performing system verification](/hc/en-us/articles/22088193885721-Performing-system-verification-in-Draftable-Legal).
5. **Check PDF permissions**: If comparing PDF files and receiving permission errors, see [How to fix unable to compare errors when comparing PDF files](/hc/en-us/articles/29275292001177-How-to-fix-unable-to-compare-errors-when-comparing-PDF-files).
6. **Export error logs**: If the issue persists, export your error logs (see [How do I export error logs?](#how-do-i-export-error-logs) below) and contact your dedicated support team or [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
If you are experiencing issues with Draftable's modern (JavaScript-based) add-ins — such as **Draftable in Office**, **Draftable in Outlook**, **Draftable for Office**, **Draftable for Outlook**, or **Redline in Email** — try clearing the add-in cache:
1. Open Draftable Legal **Settings**
2. Navigate to the **Troubleshooting** tab
3. Click **Clear Add-in Cache**
4. Close and reopen the affected Office applications (Word, Outlook, etc.)
This resolves issues caused by stale or corrupted cache data, such as add-ins not loading, displaying outdated content, or failing to connect after an update.
This only applies to modern JavaScript-based add-ins. Traditional **COM add-ins** (such as the classic Draftable tab in the Outlook ribbon) are not affected and use a different mechanism.
For a full guide, see [How to clear the add-in cache in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/How-to-clear-the-add-in-cache-in-Draftable-Legal).
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 **Create safe file for sharing** feature within Draftable Legal (previously called **File Obfuscator**) 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 not be able to decipher it. The anonymized 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 → Help & Troubleshooting** and, under **Diagnostics**, select **Create safe file for sharing**. This will open a new window wherein you can choose relevant documents for anonymization. Once a safe file is created, you will be able to send it on to the support team for further diagnosis. (On versions before 26.6, this feature is called **File Obfuscator** and is found under the **Troubleshooting** tab.)
To learn more about this feature in order to use it, go to [this article in our knowledge base](/hc/en-us/articles/22361579075225-Explainer-Using-the-Obfuscator-feature-to-share-redacted-documents-with-Draftable-Support).
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.
# Deployment options via MSI (System wide) installer
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer
This guide is for IT administrators who wish to deploy Draftable Legal and want to select what additional parameters are included within the install. This can include selections for Office add ins (Outlook and Word), shortcuts and options for the iManage listener sevice. This guide is specific to the Machine-Wide MSI (also known as the System-Wide MSI, Native MSI, or Per-Machine MSI) and only from DraftableDesktopSystem.msi v2.15 onwards.
**Deploying via Microsoft Intune?** If you're planning to deploy Draftable Legal using Microsoft Intune, you can use both this article and our dedicated [Enterprise installation for Draftable using Intune](/hc/en-us/articles/19521353760921-Enterprise-installment-for-Draftable-using-Intune) article as reference points. The Intune article covers adding Draftable to Intune, deploying via Intune, and managing product keys through Intune group policy.
## Deployment options via standard MSI installer
**Deploying to Citrix or Remote Desktop (RDP/RDS)?** Licensing in these environments needs to be configured for your setup before your users activate. Please read [Deployment advice for Citrix and RDP environments](/hc/en-us/articles/Deployment-advice-for-Citrix-and-RDP-environments) before you deploy.
**Install the HTTP Listener Service — this is required.** The HTTP Listener Service (the `HttpListener` MSI feature) is a required component of every machine-wide MSI deployment. It provides support for launching comparisons from iManage (including on multi-user systems such as Citrix and RDS), lets Draftable open when it is not already running, and is required for the Draftable Outlook add-in (Redline in Email).
The HTTP Listener Service is one of the installer's default features, so a plain install includes it. **However, `ADDLOCAL` replaces the defaults with exactly the list you provide**, so any scripted or silent install that uses `ADDLOCAL` must name `HttpListener` or the service will not be installed. In the **Advanced** installer, confirm **Http service** (under **Integrations**) is set to install.
Download and run the Machine Wide MSI (you can download the latest version of this installer via [https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi))
In the installation menu, select the **Advanced** option and click 'next'\
Select item to see menu
In the Advanced screen, you will see an expandable feature tree user interface. Expand the **Draftable Desktop** node, then the **Office add-ins** node to view individual add ins (pictured)
**Select** the add in(s) that you do not want installed and use the menu to select **Entire feature will be unavailable**
Expand the **Integrations** node and confirm **Http service** is set to **Entire feature will be installed on the local hard drive**. The HTTP Listener Service is a required component, so check it here rather than skipping the step, particularly if someone has changed the selection previously.
Select **Install** to proceed with installation
The iManage HTTP Listener Service requires more configuration beyond that is setup in this article. The steps in this article merely deploys the Listener Service, but for complete configuration [please see here.](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal)
## Custom MSI deployment via scripted automated installs
The following steps are suitable for administrators deploying Draftable Desktop via a command line interface, InTune or similar. It outlines how to programmatically control features being installed by the MSI via the well-known [ADDLOCAL property (link to Microsoft Learn page)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/msi/addlocal). This allows administrators to provide a comma-separated list of features to be installed.
**Always include the HTTP Listener Service (`HttpListener`).** It is a required component of every machine-wide MSI deployment. Because `ADDLOCAL` installs **only** the features you list, you must include `HttpListener` in every `ADDLOCAL` command — otherwise the service will not be installed. For complete iManage configuration (including Citrix/RDS), please refer to the [iManage HTTP Listener Service installation guide](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal).
### What a default install includes
Omitting `ADDLOCAL` does **not** install every feature. It installs the MSI's *default* features.
Windows Installer decides this using [`INSTALLLEVEL`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/msi/installlevel), which defaults to `1`. A feature is installed by default when its authored level is less than or equal to that value. In the Draftable MSI, the Office COM add-ins are authored at level 2 and everything else is at level 1, so:
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi
```
installs the application, the HTTP Listener Service, the iManage and SharePoint extension packages and both shortcuts, but **not** the Word, Excel or Outlook COM add-ins.
The features available for specification are listed in the table below.
| Feature name ("Title") | Feature ID ("Feature") | Installed without `ADDLOCAL` |
| :- | :- | :- |
| Draftable for Outlook | OutlookAddin | No (level 2) |
| Draftable for Word | WordAddin | No (level 2) |
| Draftable for Excel | ExcelAddin | No (level 2) |
| Desktop | DesktopShortcut | Yes, unless suppressed by policy |
| Start Menu | StartMenuShortcut | Yes |
| iManage HTTP Listener Service | HttpListener | Yes |
| iManage Extension Package | ImanagePackage | Yes |
| SharePoint Extension Package | SharePointPackage | Yes |
The desktop shortcut is the one exception to the level rule. If `CreateDesktopShortcut` is set to `0` under `HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable\Installer`, no desktop shortcut is created even when `DesktopShortcut` is named in `ADDLOCAL`.
If you want the add-ins as well as the defaults, you have two options that do not require you to list every feature:
```bash theme={null}
REM every authored feature, including the iManage and SharePoint extension packages
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi ADDLOCAL=ALL
REM all level 1 and level 2 defaults, which adds the Office COM add-ins
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi INSTALLLEVEL=2
```
`ADDLOCAL=ALL` installs the iManage and SharePoint extension packages too. Those place server-side deployment files on the machine and are only useful if you are configuring iManage On-Premises or SharePoint. If you do not want them, name the features you do want instead of using `ALL`.
Running `msiexec /i` from a console does not make the install silent, and it does not change which features are selected. The full installer UI still appears unless you add `/quiet`, `/qn` or another UI switch.
**These are the COM add-ins, not the Outlook and Office add-ins you may have been asked to deploy, and they are not the ones we recommend.**
`OutlookAddin`, `WordAddin` and `ExcelAddin` install the older COM add-ins, which appear as a dedicated **Draftable** ribbon tab inside Office. They are named "Draftable **for** Outlook / Word / Excel".
They are **not** the same as **Draftable in Outlook** and **Draftable in Office**, the modern JavaScript task pane add-ins. Those are not installed by the MSI at all — the MSI has no JavaScript add-in feature. They are deployed separately by uploading a manifest in the Microsoft 365 admin center, and can take up to 72 hours to appear for your users. See [Working with our add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/Working-with-our-add-ins) if you are unsure which your organization uses.
**Which should be in your `ADDLOCAL` command?** The MSI only offers the COM add-ins, so if you want a Draftable ribbon in Office installed by the MSI, these three are the only option. We do not recommend them: they install per user onto each endpoint and depend on the Microsoft VSTO runtime, which makes them more sensitive to how a Windows estate is built and managed. You should be deploying the JavaScript add-ins through the Microsoft 365 admin center instead — but if you cannot, using these is perfectly fine and they remain fully supported.
If you are deploying the JavaScript add-ins, leave `OutlookAddin`, `WordAddin` and `ExcelAddin` out of your `ADDLOCAL` command and deploy the manifests separately. See [COM add-ins vs JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/COM-add-ins-versus-JavaScript-add-ins).
**Deploying iManage On-Premises?** Include `ImanagePackage`. It places `Draftable_for_iManage.zip` in the installation folder, which you then load into iManage Control Center. It is a sibling of `HttpListener` rather than a parent, so listing `HttpListener` alone will not install it, and the omission is silent at install time.
Use the ADDLOCAL property to programmatically specify which 'Features' are installed by the MSI by listing the Feature ID (see table above). *Note, this property specifies what IS INSTALLED. Features absent from this property will NOT be installed.*
### Basic command - MSI installation
Below is a **basic** example of how to install Draftable via a command line. This example shows installation without the Outlook add-in but including the Word and Excel add-ins and the two shortcuts and the iManage HTTP Listener Service.
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi ADDLOCAL=StartMenuShortcut,DesktopShortcut,HttpListener,WordAddin,ExcelAddin
```
Based on the above, running the installer would result in the following Advanced UI set-up:
### Advanced command - MSI installation
If you wanted a more complex configuration that specifies:
* The install location
* Multiple Draftable add-ins
* HTTP listener service for imanage
* Quiet/silent installation
* Specify no machine restart after installation
* Verbose logging of the full install. **Recommended** if you are having issues with certain components not installing correctly.
The command below is more **advanced** with demonstrates more options during installation.
```powershell theme={null}
Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "DraftableDesktopSystem.msi" ADDLOCAL=StartMenuShortcut,DesktopShortcut,HttpListener,WordAddin,ExcelAddin,OutlookAddin INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable" /qn /norestart /L*V "C:\Logs\draftable_install.log"' -Wait
```
For logging to work, please ensure you create the logging location **prior** to installation. This command will also wait to complete before returning to the command line, that way you know when the installation is completed.
If you need further assistance in deploying the Draftable Machine-wide MSI via command line, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
## Verifying the Draftable URL scheme after a scripted install
**Check the `draftable://` URL scheme once your deployment has run.** The MSI registers it as part of installing, but that registration cannot fail the installation. If something in the environment prevents it — typically endpoint protection or an application control policy blocking a write to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes` — the install still completes and reports success.
When it is missing, the installation looks entirely healthy — the application runs, the HTTP Listener Service starts, the add-ins load and licensing activates — but **no user can start a comparison from iManage, SharePoint Online, NetDocuments, the Office add-ins or File Explorer**. Those actions do nothing at all: no error, no prompt, and no entry in the Draftable logs. A machine-wide installation does not retry the registration at startup, so it will not recover on its own.
How to verify it, and the values to create if it is absent, are in [Draftable does not launch from iManage, SharePoint or File Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-does-not-launch-from-iManage-SharePoint-or-File-Explorer). For a managed rollout, including a detection rule that surfaces affected machines, see [Deploying Draftable Legal with Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM)](/hc/en-us/articles/Deploying-Draftable-Legal-with-Microsoft-Configuration-Manager-SCCM).
To check quickly, press `Windows + R`, enter `draftable://?source=outlook` and select **OK**. The **New Comparison** window should open. If nothing happens, or Windows reports that no application is associated with the link, the scheme needs to be restored.
## Troubleshooting Add-in Installation Issues
If Office Add-ins are not loading correctly after MSI installation, this may be due to the LoadBehavior registry value not being set correctly. For troubleshooting steps, see [Office Add-ins Not Loading After MSI Installation](/hc/en-us/articles/53125847291673-Office-Add-ins-Not-Loading-After-MSI-Installation).
# Deployment options via MSI (System wide) installer
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610394-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer
This guide is for IT administrators who wish to deploy Draftable Legal and want to select what additional parameters are included within the install. This can include selections for Office add ins (Outlook and Word), shortcuts and options for the iManage listener sevice. This guide is specific to the Machine-Wide MSI (also known as the System-Wide MSI, Native MSI, or Per-Machine MSI) and only from DraftableDesktopSystem.msi v2.15 onwards.
**Deploying via Microsoft Intune?** If you're planning to deploy Draftable Legal using Microsoft Intune, you can use both this article and our dedicated [Enterprise installation for Draftable using Intune](/hc/en-us/articles/19521353760921-Enterprise-installment-for-Draftable-using-Intune) article as reference points. The Intune article covers adding Draftable to Intune, deploying via Intune, and managing product keys through Intune group policy.
## Deployment options via standard MSI installer
**Deploying to Citrix or Remote Desktop (RDP/RDS)?** Licensing in these environments needs to be configured for your setup before your users activate. Please read [Deployment advice for Citrix and RDP environments](/hc/en-us/articles/Deployment-advice-for-Citrix-and-RDP-environments) before you deploy.
**Install the HTTP Listener Service — this is required.** The HTTP Listener Service (the `HttpListener` MSI feature) is a required component of every machine-wide MSI deployment. It provides support for launching comparisons from iManage (including on multi-user systems such as Citrix and RDS), lets Draftable open when it is not already running, and is required for the Draftable Outlook add-in (Redline in Email).
The HTTP Listener Service is one of the installer's default features, so a plain install includes it. **However, `ADDLOCAL` replaces the defaults with exactly the list you provide**, so any scripted or silent install that uses `ADDLOCAL` must name `HttpListener` or the service will not be installed. In the **Advanced** installer, confirm **Http service** (under **Integrations**) is set to install.
Download and run the Machine Wide MSI (you can download the latest version of this installer via [https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi))
In the installation menu, select the **Advanced** option and click 'next'\
Select item to see menu
In the Advanced screen, you will see an expandable feature tree user interface. Expand the **Draftable Desktop** node, then the **Office add-ins** node to view individual add ins (pictured)
**Select** the add in(s) that you do not want installed and use the menu to select **Entire feature will be unavailable**
Expand the **Integrations** node and confirm **Http service** is set to **Entire feature will be installed on the local hard drive**. The HTTP Listener Service is a required component, so check it here rather than skipping the step, particularly if someone has changed the selection previously.
Select **Install** to proceed with installation
The iManage HTTP Listener Service requires more configuration beyond that is setup in this article. The steps in this article merely deploys the Listener Service, but for complete configuration [please see here.](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal)
## Custom MSI deployment via scripted automated installs
The following steps are suitable for administrators deploying Draftable Desktop via a command line interface, InTune or similar. It outlines how to programmatically control features being installed by the MSI via the well-known [ADDLOCAL property (link to Microsoft Learn page)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/msi/addlocal). This allows administrators to provide a comma-separated list of features to be installed.
**Always include the HTTP Listener Service (`HttpListener`).** It is a required component of every machine-wide MSI deployment. Because `ADDLOCAL` installs **only** the features you list, you must include `HttpListener` in every `ADDLOCAL` command — otherwise the service will not be installed. For complete iManage configuration (including Citrix/RDS), please refer to the [iManage HTTP Listener Service installation guide](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal).
### What a default install includes
Omitting `ADDLOCAL` does **not** install every feature. It installs the MSI's *default* features.
Windows Installer decides this using [`INSTALLLEVEL`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/msi/installlevel), which defaults to `1`. A feature is installed by default when its authored level is less than or equal to that value. In the Draftable MSI, the Office COM add-ins are authored at level 2 and everything else is at level 1, so:
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi
```
installs the application, the HTTP Listener Service, the iManage and SharePoint extension packages and both shortcuts, but **not** the Word, Excel or Outlook COM add-ins.
The features available for specification are listed in the table below.
| Feature name ("Title") | Feature ID ("Feature") | Installed without `ADDLOCAL` |
| :- | :- | :- |
| Draftable for Outlook | OutlookAddin | No (level 2) |
| Draftable for Word | WordAddin | No (level 2) |
| Draftable for Excel | ExcelAddin | No (level 2) |
| Desktop | DesktopShortcut | Yes, unless suppressed by policy |
| Start Menu | StartMenuShortcut | Yes |
| iManage HTTP Listener Service | HttpListener | Yes |
| iManage Extension Package | ImanagePackage | Yes |
| SharePoint Extension Package | SharePointPackage | Yes |
The desktop shortcut is the one exception to the level rule. If `CreateDesktopShortcut` is set to `0` under `HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable\Installer`, no desktop shortcut is created even when `DesktopShortcut` is named in `ADDLOCAL`.
If you want the add-ins as well as the defaults, you have two options that do not require you to list every feature:
```bash theme={null}
REM every authored feature, including the iManage and SharePoint extension packages
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi ADDLOCAL=ALL
REM all level 1 and level 2 defaults, which adds the Office COM add-ins
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi INSTALLLEVEL=2
```
`ADDLOCAL=ALL` installs the iManage and SharePoint extension packages too. Those place server-side deployment files on the machine and are only useful if you are configuring iManage On-Premises or SharePoint. If you do not want them, name the features you do want instead of using `ALL`.
Running `msiexec /i` from a console does not make the install silent, and it does not change which features are selected. The full installer UI still appears unless you add `/quiet`, `/qn` or another UI switch.
**These are the COM add-ins, not the Outlook and Office add-ins you may have been asked to deploy, and they are not the ones we recommend.**
`OutlookAddin`, `WordAddin` and `ExcelAddin` install the older COM add-ins, which appear as a dedicated **Draftable** ribbon tab inside Office. They are named "Draftable **for** Outlook / Word / Excel".
They are **not** the same as **Draftable in Outlook** and **Draftable in Office**, the modern JavaScript task pane add-ins. Those are not installed by the MSI at all — the MSI has no JavaScript add-in feature. They are deployed separately by uploading a manifest in the Microsoft 365 admin center, and can take up to 72 hours to appear for your users. See [Working with our add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/Working-with-our-add-ins) if you are unsure which your organization uses.
**Which should be in your `ADDLOCAL` command?** The MSI only offers the COM add-ins, so if you want a Draftable ribbon in Office installed by the MSI, these three are the only option. We do not recommend them: they install per user onto each endpoint and depend on the Microsoft VSTO runtime, which makes them more sensitive to how a Windows estate is built and managed. You should be deploying the JavaScript add-ins through the Microsoft 365 admin center instead — but if you cannot, using these is perfectly fine and they remain fully supported.
If you are deploying the JavaScript add-ins, leave `OutlookAddin`, `WordAddin` and `ExcelAddin` out of your `ADDLOCAL` command and deploy the manifests separately. See [COM add-ins vs JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/COM-add-ins-versus-JavaScript-add-ins).
**Deploying iManage On-Premises?** Include `ImanagePackage`. It places `Draftable_for_iManage.zip` in the installation folder, which you then load into iManage Control Center. It is a sibling of `HttpListener` rather than a parent, so listing `HttpListener` alone will not install it, and the omission is silent at install time.
Use the ADDLOCAL property to programmatically specify which 'Features' are installed by the MSI by listing the Feature ID (see table above). *Note, this property specifies what IS INSTALLED. Features absent from this property will NOT be installed.*
### Basic command - MSI installation
Below is a **basic** example of how to install Draftable via a command line. This example shows installation without the Outlook add-in but including the Word and Excel add-ins and the two shortcuts and the iManage HTTP Listener Service.
```bash theme={null}
msiexec /i DraftableDesktopSystem.msi ADDLOCAL=StartMenuShortcut,DesktopShortcut,HttpListener,WordAddin,ExcelAddin
```
Based on the above, running the installer would result in the following Advanced UI set-up:
### Advanced command - MSI installation
If you wanted a more complex configuration that specifies:
* The install location
* Multiple Draftable add-ins
* HTTP listener service for imanage
* Quiet/silent installation
* Specify no machine restart after installation
* Verbose logging of the full install. **Recommended** if you are having issues with certain components not installing correctly.
The command below is more **advanced** with demonstrates more options during installation.
```powershell theme={null}
Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "DraftableDesktopSystem.msi" ADDLOCAL=StartMenuShortcut,DesktopShortcut,HttpListener,WordAddin,ExcelAddin,OutlookAddin INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable" /qn /norestart /L*V "C:\Logs\draftable_install.log"' -Wait
```
For logging to work, please ensure you create the logging location **prior** to installation. This command will also wait to complete before returning to the command line, that way you know when the installation is completed.
If you need further assistance in deploying the Draftable Machine-wide MSI via command line, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
## Verifying the Draftable URL scheme after a scripted install
**Check the `draftable://` URL scheme once your deployment has run.** The MSI registers it as part of installing, but that registration cannot fail the installation. If something in the environment prevents it — typically endpoint protection or an application control policy blocking a write to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes` — the install still completes and reports success.
When it is missing, the installation looks entirely healthy — the application runs, the HTTP Listener Service starts, the add-ins load and licensing activates — but **no user can start a comparison from iManage, SharePoint Online, NetDocuments, the Office add-ins or File Explorer**. Those actions do nothing at all: no error, no prompt, and no entry in the Draftable logs. A machine-wide installation does not retry the registration at startup, so it will not recover on its own.
How to verify it, and the values to create if it is absent, are in [Draftable does not launch from iManage, SharePoint or File Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-does-not-launch-from-iManage-SharePoint-or-File-Explorer). For a managed rollout, including a detection rule that surfaces affected machines, see [Deploying Draftable Legal with Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM)](/hc/en-us/articles/Deploying-Draftable-Legal-with-Microsoft-Configuration-Manager-SCCM).
To check quickly, press `Windows + R`, enter `draftable://?source=outlook` and select **OK**. The **New Comparison** window should open. If nothing happens, or Windows reports that no application is associated with the link, the scheme needs to be restored.
## Troubleshooting Add-in Installation Issues
If Office Add-ins are not loading correctly after MSI installation, this may be due to the LoadBehavior registry value not being set correctly. For troubleshooting steps, see [Office Add-ins Not Loading After MSI Installation](/hc/en-us/articles/53125847291673-Office-Add-ins-Not-Loading-After-MSI-Installation).
# Using 1-Click Compare to run comparisons with your preferred default workflow
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow
This article outlines how to use the 1-Click Compare with Draftable. This feature is available from Draftable Legal v2.15 on-wards and is currently supported in the Windows Browser, iManage, NetDocuments and SharePoint. Future Draftable updates will add functionality to launch a 1-Click Compare from Word and Outlook.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Note:**
Please note, to use this feature in your DMS, Administrators will need to update the relevant Draftable DMS Application.
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## What is 1-Click Compare?
1-Click Compare gets you to your preferred next action in "1-Click". Users can launch a comparison of two files and generate their chosen 'next action' without any further steps. For example, you can use 1-Click Compare to go straight from selecting your files to:
* Creating an email with redline outputs and input files attached.
* Copying input files and comparison outputs to your clipboard .
* Immediately printing your preferred comparison output.
* Saving your your preferred comparison output to your DMS
* Opening your Redline in Word
## How to set up your default comparison workflow
Open Draftable Desktop and go to the Settings Menu (in the top right corner of the New Comparison window)
Navigate to the **1-Click Compare** tab on the left hand side of the settings menu, then under **Comparison Type**, select your preference.
* **Redline (.pdf)** - generates a redline output as a PDF
* **Redline (.docx)** - generates a redline output as docx
* **Tracked Changes (.docx)** - generates a redline as a docx file with Tracked Changes
* **Side-by-Side (.pdf)** - generates a side by side comparison as a PDF
Then select the **Next Action** you want to perform with your comparison result from the list of options (note, depending on your organizational settings, some DMS-related options in the screenshot below may not be available).
For certain **Next Actions** (e.g. Email, Copy to Clipboard), you may need to **choose which files you would like included** in the action.
Once you have selected your preferred workflow, it will automatically save. Select **Done** to close the settings menu.
## Running 1-Click Compares
To run the-using-1-click from your windows browser (i.e. for local files), simply navigate to the files you wish to compare,
Select the files you wish to compare while holding the 'Ctrl' button (to allow multi-select).
**Note:**
You must select the input files in the order you wish to compare them\*\* (i.e. select the 'newer' document first and the 'older' document second).
Once the files are selected, right click one of the files to show the Windows Context Menu.
**Note:**
In Windows 11 you will need to hit 'See more options" at the bottom of the right click menu.
Select **1-Click-Compare in Draftable** to start your default workflow
Your comparison will run automatically without any further action. You will see the comparison progress bar as it is performed.
Once the comparison is completed, your nominated next action will be actioned (example below shows an email being generated).
## Running 1-Click Compare from iManage
**Important notes:**
To use 1-Click Compare in iManage, your Administrator will need to update the Draftable Universal Application for iManage and add the new 1-Click Compare command to your context menus ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/22860371094681-Configuring-iManage-to-be-able-to-launch-comparisons-directly-from-within-iManage)).
Open iManage
Navigate to the folder where your input files are located
Select the two file(s) you wish to compare using 1-click compare, If choosing two separate files (as opposed to two versions of the same file) remember to select them in the correct order you wish to compare them (i.e. select the 'older' file first and the 'newer' file second).
Once the files are selected, **Right Click a file** and choose **1-Click Compare** from the drop down menu.\
Or alternatively, you can use the icon in the ribbon (top) menu.
You can select one file with multiple versions and choose **1-Click Compare** in the **right click or ribbon (top) menu**. In this case, if there are more than two versions to compare, the Draftable Version Selector menu will appear for you to choose the two files you wish to compare. The selected file versions should automatically load with the older version on the left and newer on the right.
Your 1-Click Compare should now run with the selected files
## Running 1-Click Compare from NetDocuments
**Important notes:**
To use 1-Click Compare in NetDocuments, users must first have their cabinet settings updated by their administrator to add the command in the 'send to application' options ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments)).
Open NetDocuments
Navigate to the folder where your input files are located
Select the two file(s) you wish to compare using 1-click compare. Note: In NetDocuments, you must load exactly two separate files (as opposed to one file with multiple versions) for 1-Click Compare to work.
Once your files are selected, **right click** and select '**Send to application**'
In the send to application window, make sure only the two files selected are in the '**Marked Items**' list and select **'Draftable 1-Click Compare'**
Your 1-Click Compare should now run with the selected files
## Running 1-Click Compare from SharePoint
**Important notes:**
To use 1-Click Compare in SharePoint your Administrator will need to update the Draftable SharePoint extension to add the new 1-Click Compare command to your context menus ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/25571809846297-Configuring-Sharepoint-Online-to-launch-directly-into-Draftable)).
Open SharePoint online in your web browser
Navigate to the Site and folder where your input files are located
Select the two files you wish to compare, remembering to select the files in the correct order you wish to compare them (i.e. select the 'older' file first and the 'newer' file second).
Once the files are selected, select **1-Click Compare** **from the ribbon** **menu** OR **Right Click** a selected file **and choose 1-Click Compare** from the drop down menu.
If you select a **single file with multiple versions,** you can find the **1-Click Compare** command in by using the "..." elipses command in the ribbon (top menu, pictured) or by right clicking the file.
If you select **1-Click Compare** on a file with **more than two versions**, SharePoint will open a **Version Selection Menu** (pictured) where you will be able to **select the two versions** you wish to load and hit **1-Click Compare**. The selected file versions should automatically load with the older version on the left and newer on the right.
Your 1-Click Compare should now run with the selected files
# 1-Click Compare: Run comparisons with your preferred default workflow
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497754-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow
This article outlines how to use the 1-Click Compare with Draftable. This feature is available from Draftable Legal v2.15 on-wards and is currently supported in the Windows Browser, iManage, NetDocuments and SharePoint. Future Draftable updates will add functionality to launch a 1-Click Compare from Word and Outlook.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
**Note:**
Please note, to use this feature in your DMS, Administrators will need to update the relevant Draftable DMS Application.
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## What is 1-Click Compare?
1-Click Compare gets you to your preferred next action in "1-Click". Users can launch a comparison of two files and generate their chosen 'next action' without any further steps. For example, you can use 1-Click Compare to go straight from selecting your files to:
* Creating an email with redline outputs and input files attached.
* Copying input files and comparison outputs to your clipboard .
* Immediately printing your preferred comparison output.
* Saving your your preferred comparison output to your DMS
* Opening your Redline in Word
## How to set up your default comparison workflow
Open Draftable Desktop and go to the Settings Menu (in the top right corner of the New Comparison window)
Navigate to the **1-Click Compare** tab on the left hand side of the settings menu, then under **Comparison Type**, select your preference.
* **Redline (.pdf)** - generates a redline output as a PDF
* **Redline (.docx)** - generates a redline output as docx
* **Tracked Changes (.docx)** - generates a redline as a docx file with Tracked Changes
* **Side-by-Side (.pdf)** - generates a side by side comparison as a PDF
Then select the **Next Action** you want to perform with your comparison result from the list of options (note, depending on your organizational settings, some DMS-related options in the screenshot below may not be available).
For certain **Next Actions** (e.g. Email, Copy to Clipboard), you may need to **choose which files you would like included** in the action.
Once you have selected your preferred workflow, it will automatically save. Select **Done** to close the settings menu.
## Running 1-Click Compares
To run the-using-1-click from your windows browser (i.e. for local files), simply navigate to the files you wish to compare,
Select the files you wish to compare while holding the 'Ctrl' button (to allow multi-select).
**Note:**
You must select the input files in the order you wish to compare them\*\* (i.e. select the 'newer' document first and the 'older' document second).
Once the files are selected, right click one of the files to show the Windows Context Menu.
**Note:**
In Windows 11 you will need to hit 'See more options" at the bottom of the right click menu.
Select **1-Click-Compare in Draftable** to start your default workflow
Your comparison will run automatically without any further action. You will see the comparison progress bar as it is performed.
Once the comparison is completed, your nominated next action will be actioned (example below shows an email being generated).
## Running 1-Click Compare from iManage
**Important notes:**
To use 1-Click Compare in iManage, your Administrator will need to update the Draftable Universal Application for iManage and add the new 1-Click Compare command to your context menus ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/22860371094681-Configuring-iManage-to-be-able-to-launch-comparisons-directly-from-within-iManage)).
Open iManage
Navigate to the folder where your input files are located
Select the two file(s) you wish to compare using 1-click compare, If choosing two separate files (as opposed to two versions of the same file) remember to select them in the correct order you wish to compare them (i.e. select the 'older' file first and the 'newer' file second).
Once the files are selected, **Right Click a file** and choose **1-Click Compare** from the drop down menu.\
Or alternatively, you can use the icon in the ribbon (top) menu.
You can select one file with multiple versions and choose **1-Click Compare** in the **right click or ribbon (top) menu**. In this case, if there are more than two versions to compare, the Draftable Version Selector menu will appear for you to choose the two files you wish to compare. The selected file versions should automatically load with the older version on the left and newer on the right.
Your 1-Click Compare should now run with the selected files
## Running 1-Click Compare from NetDocuments
**Important notes:**
To use 1-Click Compare in NetDocuments, users must first have their cabinet settings updated by their administrator to add the command in the 'send to application' options ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/25960764447385-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Netdocuments)).
Open NetDocuments
Navigate to the folder where your input files are located
Select the two file(s) you wish to compare using 1-click compare. Note: In NetDocuments, you must load exactly two separate files (as opposed to one file with multiple versions) for 1-Click Compare to work.
Once your files are selected, **right click** and select '**Send to application**'
In the send to application window, make sure only the two files selected are in the '**Marked Items**' list and select **'Draftable 1-Click Compare'**
Your 1-Click Compare should now run with the selected files
## Running 1-Click Compare from SharePoint
**Important notes:**
To use 1-Click Compare in SharePoint your Administrator will need to update the Draftable SharePoint extension to add the new 1-Click Compare command to your context menus ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/25571809846297-Configuring-Sharepoint-Online-to-launch-directly-into-Draftable)).
Open SharePoint online in your web browser
Navigate to the Site and folder where your input files are located
Select the two files you wish to compare, remembering to select the files in the correct order you wish to compare them (i.e. select the 'older' file first and the 'newer' file second).
Once the files are selected, select **1-Click Compare** **from the ribbon** **menu** OR **Right Click** a selected file **and choose 1-Click Compare** from the drop down menu.
If you select a **single file with multiple versions,** you can find the **1-Click Compare** command in by using the "..." elipses command in the ribbon (top menu, pictured) or by right clicking the file.
If you select **1-Click Compare** on a file with **more than two versions**, SharePoint will open a **Version Selection Menu** (pictured) where you will be able to **select the two versions** you wish to load and hit **1-Click Compare**. The selected file versions should automatically load with the older version on the left and newer on the right.
Your 1-Click Compare should now run with the selected files
# Set up guide for Draftable Legal integration with Worldox
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31690826910617-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Worldox
Draftable Legal allows you to integrate your Worldox. This allows users to easily load input files from, and save comparison outputs to Worldox. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up this integration by adding Draftable Legal's webhooks to your Worldox application .ini files.
*This guide assumes the user already has installed Worldox correctly and validated that it works correctly.*
**Please note:**
* This is a technical integration guide written for administrator-level users.
* This is **not a guide** for **using Worldox with Draftable Legal,** if you are looking for information on how to use Worldox with Draftable Legal [see here](/hc/en-us/articles/31690967186201-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-Worldox-and-saving-outputs-to-Worldox).
* Changes to the WORDLOX.ini file that enable the Compare button in the Worldox ribbon will only work for users that have received an associated update from Worldox.
* After completion of this guide, end users will need to [enable the Worldox integration in the Settings menu](/hc/en-us/articles/31708233972121-How-to-enable-Worldox-integration-in-Draftable-Legal) (under **DMS Connections** in Draftable Legal 26.6 and later, or the **Integrations** tab before 26.6).
## Add Draftable Legal webhook to your Worldox .ini files
In your file explorer, navigate to the root directory of the Worldox install. The default location is **This PC** > **Windows (C:) > GX4.**
In the **root directory** (in the example above, the GX4 folder), find the **WDUSER32.ini** file, open it and copy and paste the following text below the ----- lines
```ini theme={null}
[Draftable!Open Worldox]
Active_Trigger=1
ModuleName=DraftableDesktop
ApplicationClass=HwndWrapper*
PopupClass=#32770
PopupTitle=Open Worldox
Process_Type=1
MessageID=71
[Draftable!Save Comparison Output to Worldox]
Active_Trigger=1
ModuleName=DraftableDesktop
ApplicationClass=HwndWrapper*
PopupClass=#32770
PopupTitle=Save Comparison Output to Worldox
Process_Type=2
Wait=1
MessageID=71
```
**Save** the file and close
Next, in the **root directory** find the **WDUSER.ini** file, open it and copy and paste the following text below the ----- lines
```ini theme={null}
[Draftable!Open Worldox]
ApplicationName=Draftable
Title=Draftable - New Comparison from File
NotForEdit=1
Macro=&N\vf\n
CancelMacro=\c
[Draftable!Save Comparison Output to Worldox]
ApplicationName=Draftable
Title=Draftable Save Comparison Output As
Macro=\vf\vs\n
CancelMacro=\c
FileNameID=54,48,1001
```
**Save** the file and close
Lastly, in the root directory find the **WORLDOX.ini** file, open it and copy and paste the following text at the end of the document (please note: this enables the Compare button in the Worldox ribbon but will only work for users that have received an associated required update from Worldox)
```ini theme={null}
[Compare Programs]
Draftable Legal=%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\DraftableDesktop\DraftableDesktop.exe "%ot" "%nt"
[Compare]
Run=OK
```
Changes to the WORDLOX.ini file that enable the Compare button in the Worldox ribbon will only work for users that have received an associated update from Worldox.
**Save** the file and close
You should now be able to use the Draftable Worldox integration next time you launch Worldox on your machine.
To learn more about how to use Worldox and Draftable, see other articles in this section.
If you encounter problems setting up this integration, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Running comparisons with files from Worldox and saving outputs to Worldox
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31690967186201-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-Worldox-and-saving-outputs-to-Worldox
Worldox is a desktop based document management system. This article will guide you on how to initiate comparisons by selecting documents from Worldox, and how to preserve these comparison exports as outputs within Worldox. This functionality is available from Draftable v2.15 onwards.
**Please note:** In order to use the features outline in this article, you must first:
* Set up the Draftable Legal integration with Worldox by [updating the.ini files](/hc/en-us/articles/31690826910617-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Worldox)
* Have enabled the Worldox integration in your Draftable Settings.
## Selecting input files from Worldox to start a comparison
You can load files into Draftable from Worldox in by right click or by dragging and dropping the files from Worldox into Draftable. You can also load files from within Draftable by using the file selector menu.
### Loading files from within Worldox via right click
In Worldox, navigate to the file you wish to compare and **select the file**
**Right click** the file and select **Compare Files**
In the popup, where it says "Compare using" you should see Draftable Legal as the selected option from the drop down menu. If necessary you can browse Worldox to find the second file for comparison. If you selected a file with multiple versions (shown) the two most recent versions will be loaded in.
Once you are ready to compare the files, select **OK**
The files will load into Draftable and you can continue to run your comparison in Draftable by selecting the Comparison Type, Profile and pressing **Compare**
### Loading files from within Worldox via Drag & Drop
Go to Worldox and navigate to the file you wish to compare
Select the file and drag the file to Draftable (note, if the Draftable window isn't visible, you can drag the file to the Draftable icon on your Windows Start Bar and the Draftable New Comparison Window should appear)
Once you drop the file into Draftable, it will be loaded. Repeat steps 1 & 2 for the second file you wish to compare.
### Load files from within Draftable via the New Comparison Window
Open the Draftable **New Comparison Window**, select **'Worldox'**
As the Draftable file navigation window opens, Worldox will open its file browsing UI and you will be able to **navigate to and select (double click) the file** you wish to load into Draftable.
Once the file is selected it will load into Draftable.
Repeat steps 1-2 for the second file and run your comparison.
## Saving comparison outputs to Worldox
First, in the **New Comparison Window** ensure the "**Redline in Draftable" Comparison Type** has been selected
After running a **Redline in Draftable** comparison, the Draftable Viewer will open. Click on the **Save to Worldox** option in the **Draftable Ribbon** found at the top of the Draftable Viewer. This expands the submenu for saving to Worldox.
This will bring up the **Comparison Results options**:
You can then select from one of the below options:
**Redline:** This saves into a .pdf or .docx file where all changes are marked or "redlined" over the base document. This layout allows for easy visual comparison between the original and new versions of the document.
**Changed Pages Only:** This is similar to the Redline option, but it only includes pages where changes have occurred. This is a useful feature if you're dealing with lengthy documents and you want to focus just on the pages with modifications. Can only be saved as a .PDF.
**Tracked Changes:** This saves into a .docx file with all updates embedded as 'Tracked Changes' in Microsoft Word. This is useful for further editing or reviewing in Word, as you can accept or reject changes individually and keep a record of who made what changes and when.
**Changes Report:** This will save a summary of the document changes found within the Redline. You can pick to either save this in a DOCX or a CSV file format and show all the Reported changes, or just those Matching the filters you have set in the Change List panel.
Also, if you click on the **"Options'** link at the top of the Comparison Results pop up window, you will also see three additional choices.
**Summary page:** Includes a brief summary of the number of changes made, as well at the Markup Schema used for the Redline.
**Changes report:** Includes the full changes report either at the start of the document or at the end.
**Reported changes:** Allows change report to either include or the changes in the comparison or just those that you displayed via the filter options.
**Select the file type** you wish to save and a Worldox save dialog (pictured) will appear shortly after Draftable opens a save window. Enter the required metadata and select **OK** when ready to save as a new file.
**Note:** you can save as a new version or related file via the same Worldox dialog.
# How to enable Worldox integration in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31708233972121-How-to-enable-Worldox-integration-in-Draftable-Legal
In this article, we will guide end users through the process of enabling the Worldox integration in Draftable Legal.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This is required to use the Worldox integration functions (i.e. loading files from your Worldox application, saving files to Worldox). To use this integration, you will also need to have your system administrator set modify your Worldox .ini files ([see here for details](/hc/en-us/articles/31690826910617-Set-up-guide-for-Draftable-Legal-integration-with-Worldox)).
## Enabling your Worldox integration in Draftable Legal
Open the **Draftable Legal, New Comparison Window** and select **'settings'** in the top right corner of the Window.
Open the Worldox settings and turn on the integration.
In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections** under the **Integrations** group. Find the **Worldox** row and turn on its toggle, highlighted in green below. This toggle is the control that activates the integration. When it is on, Worldox switches from **Disabled** to **Enabled**.
Every DMS integration in 26.6 and later is activated the same way: open **Settings > DMS Connections**, find the integration's row, and turn on its toggle. The toggle is the activate control.
In settings, go to the **Integrations** tab, and under Worldox click **Enable Worldox**.
Close the settings menu (in 26.6 and later, close the **Settings** tab; before 26.6, select **Done**). Your Worldox integration should now be enabled. You can confirm this by checking the Worldox file selection menu is available in the **New Comparison Window** (see below).
A 26.6 screenshot of the Worldox file selection menu in the New Comparison window is pending. The menu appears in the same place as on earlier versions.
If you have issues with your Worldox integration, you can contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for assistance.
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.15
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31733214593945-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-15
We are pleased to introduce Draftable Legal v2.15 (released in April 2024). *A full list of items in all releases is available in our* [*Release Log*](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal).
Benefits to customers highlighted in the 2.15 update include:
* **Finish comparison workflows faster** with the addition of ‘1-Click Comparison’
* **Focus on the changes that matter** with an expanded range of markup customization options in the Redline Settings
* **Reduced issues with the Draftable Word Add-in** by removing interaction with other add-ins and normal.dotm popups
* **New document management system integrations** for **Worldox** and **Epona 365** users
* **More next actions for Side by Side comparisons**, including the ability to save these comparisons to your DMS
* **Easier enterprise deployment configuration** for default PDF conversion engine, Office Add-ins and Shortcuts
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 2.15 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Core Functionality
### Complete your workflow faster with the new 1-Click Compare feature
Draftable Legal v2.15 debuts the '1-Click Compare' feature, fundamentally redefining how you use Draftable for document comparison. Users can select their preferred comparison type and subsequent ‘next action’, and then run comparisons with a single click operation. This feature is initially supported within Windows file explorer and from iManage, NetDocuments and SharePoint. Future releases will add this command to the Outlook and Word add-ins as well as to other DMS providers.
*To learn more about how to use this feature,* [see our complete step by step guide here](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow)*.*
## Added Markup Customization
### Focus on changes that matter with an expanded range of markup customization options
Draftable v2.15 introduces expanded markup configuration options that were requested by several customers. These include the ability to either include or ignore changes in:
* Bullets & Numberings,
* Text boxes,
* Tables,
* Tables of Contents, and
* Capitalizations.
These options (available under Settings > Redline > Comparison Options) allow users to cut out the noise and focus on the changes that truly count. Users can also use these settings to build more tailored redline Profiles.
#### Configure the font user for free text comparisons
Based on direct feedback from users, we have added a new setting that allows firms to select the font used for free-text comparisons. This new setting can be found in the ‘General’ tab, and is also configurable via the Registry and Group Policy. We have also updated the default font used for Free Text comparisons to Arial.
## Improving Software Performance
### Updates to improve reliability with MS Word
Users should see improvements to the reliability of the Draftable Word Add-in from 2.15 thanks to improvements that resolve interaction issues with other COM add-ins. We've also implemented updates that remove the ‘normal.dotm template’ pop-up from appearing when using the Draftable Word Add-in. Users experiencing these issues after updating to v2.15 are encouraged to contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
## New integration functionality
### Draftable now integrates directly with Worldox and Epona 365
Draftable Legal v2.15 widens its integration capabilities with the addition of Worldox and Epona 365. This enhanced functionality allows users to directly load files from these popular Document Management Systems (DMS), eliminating the need for manual downloads and local file saving. Users can also use Draftable to browse these DMSs to load and save files. Options to save to Worldox and save to Epona are also available from the Draftable Viewer Next Action menu. As a result, customers using these DMS providers can access an even more seamless file management experience with Draftable.
For a complete guide to setting up and using the Worldox integration, [see here](/hc/en-us/sections/31690290379929-Using-Draftable-Legal-with-Worldox).
To get started with the Draftable integration for Epona 365, users will need to have Epona installed on their machine and must have the integration set via Group Policy / Windows Registry.
**Key** in Draftable/Feature, **Value**: IsEponaEnabled **ValueName**: 0 or 1
## Next actions available for Side by Side, including save to DMS
In 2.15, our 'Side by Side' comparisons have been revamped for an improved user interface that aligns with the Redline viewer. A new 'Next Actions' menu provides efficient navigation, enabling users to open, save locally, save to DMS, print, email, or copy to clipboard, directly from the right-hand panel.
## Administrator improvements
#### Extending Group Policy for PDF conversion engine
While the Draftable team has been busily improving the quality of the Draftable PDF conversion engine, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. More and more firms are reportedly choosing the Draftable Engine as their default for PDF conversions. In response, the v2.15 version makes this choice easier to implement for administrators with an extended Group Policy option for setting the default PDF conversion engine. With this feature, administrators can easily set up their preferred default engine, eliminating the need for manual Windows Registry configuration.
*Note: We are continuing to conduct extensive quality assurance testing of the Draftable Engine for PDF conversions and will be making ongoing improvements to our algorithm in relation to PDF rendering.*
### Updates to the Machine-Wide MSI installer to enable deployment without add-ins or Shortcuts
Draftable Legal v2.15 included improvements to the Machine Wide MSI (also known as the System-Wide MSI, Native MSI, or Per-Machine MSI). These enable software installation without the MS Office add-ins or desktop and Start Menu shortcuts. This upgrade ensures Draftable users maintain flexibility in deployment after recent updates that moved add-in installation behaviour from the application to the Machine wide MSI. [See here for a complete guide on how to use this improvement while deploying the Machine-Wide MSI](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer).
# Three-Pane View: See changes in context with older, newer and redlined documents in one screen
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31975077731225-Three-Pane-View-See-changes-in-context-with-older-newer-and-redlined-documents-in-one-screen
## The problem: Reviewing changes in context is painful
When reviewing redlined documents, it can sometimes be hard to understand the intention behind a change. Many lawyers rely on having their older and newer documents open in other programs to be able to quickly review the context in which changes were made. The problem with this 'context switching' is it takes effort to find the right section of an input document, and even more concentration to connect that context to what is seen in your Redlined comparison output.
## The solution: Three-Pane View
From Draftable v2.15.100, users can now see switch the viewer mode to show the older, newer and redlined documents in one screen. This **Three Pane View** mode includes 'sync scrolling' across all documents shown, meaning you won't have to manually look for the right page of each document to complete your review. This guide provides a high level overview of how to use the 3-Pane View feature.
In Draftable, **load your input files** into the **New Comparison Window**,
select the **Redline (.pdf)** and hit **Compare**
Once the comparison is complete the **Draftable Viewer** will open. In the
viewer ribbon menu selec the **Three Pane** command (pictured).
**Note:** The Three Pane ribbon menu option will appear 'greyed out' until
the view is available. This may occur as the redline view is generated
before the three pane view. If the option is greyed out, please wait for
it to be enabled.
The Viewer will switch to Three Pane mode (pictured).
You can resize the three panes by dragging the middle border between the
input files (left hand side) and redline (right hand side).
As you move any document (older, newer or redline), the other two will 'sync
scroll' to the relevant section to allow easy review of changes in context.
You can switch back to Redline view by selecting **Redline** in the ribbon
menu (pictured)
# Three-Pane View: See older, newer and redlined documents in one screen
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/31975077731226-Three-Pane-View-See-changes-in-context-with-older-newer-and-redlined-documents-in-one-screen
## The problem: Reviewing changes in context is painful
When reviewing redlined documents, it can sometimes be hard to understand the intention behind a change. Many lawyers rely on having their older and newer documents open in other programs to be able to quickly review the context in which changes were made. The problem with this 'context switching' is it takes effort to find the right section of an input document, and even more concentration to connect that context to what is seen in your Redlined comparison output.
## The solution: Three-Pane View
From Draftable v2.15.100, users can now see switch the viewer mode to show the older, newer and redlined documents in one screen. This **Three Pane View** mode includes 'sync scrolling' across all documents shown, meaning you won't have to manually look for the right page of each document to complete your review. This guide provides a high level overview of how to use the 3-Pane View feature.
In Draftable, **load your input files** into the **New Comparison Window**,
select the **Redline (.pdf)** and hit **Compare**
Once the comparison is complete the **Draftable Viewer** will open. In the
viewer ribbon menu selec the **Three Pane** command (pictured).
**Note:** The Three Pane ribbon menu option will appear 'greyed out' until
the view is available. This may occur as the redline view is generated
before the three pane view. If the option is greyed out, please wait for
it to be enabled.
The Viewer will switch to Three Pane mode (pictured).
You can resize the three panes by dragging the middle border between the
input files (left hand side) and redline (right hand side).
As you move any document (older, newer or redline), the other two will 'sync
scroll' to the relevant section to allow easy review of changes in context.
You can switch back to Redline view by selecting **Redline** in the ribbon
menu (pictured)
# Redline Change List: Review, filter, tag, add notes and export changes
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes
This article outlines how to use the Change List and Changes Report when running 'Redline (.pdf)' comparisons in Draftable. These features were previously available in Side by Side comparisons and have been added to Redline (.pdf) comparisons from Draftable Legal v2.15.200 onward. This feature is not yet supported for Bulk Compare mode. Support for Change Lists in Bulk Compare will be added in future updates.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
The Change List is an interactive list of changes found in your comparison. By default, it is shown in the Draftable PDF viewer on the right hand side of your window in the same location as the 'next actions' menu.
The Change List provides several functions to make it easier to review your comparison prior to sharing it with others or continuing drafting in MS Word. These include:
* Navigating sequentially through changes, with the relevant section of the redline being shown on screen and highlighted
* Tagging the status of changes
* Filtering changes shown by change type (e.g. insertion / deletion), content type (e.g. numbering, table, table of contents, comments) status tag or with / without notes
* Exporting the changes (including tags and notes) into a Changes Report to share with others
## How to view the Change List
Open the **New Comparison Window**, load your input files and run a comparison using the **Redline (.pdf) Comparison Type**
Once you have run your compare, your Redline PDF will open in the **Draftable viewer**. The **Change List** will load on the **right hand side** of the screen by default.
If you prefer to **see the changes on the left hand side** of the viewer, you can swap to this side by **clicking the icon** in the **bottom right corner** of the screen (pictured)
You can **minimize** **the Change List** by **clicking** on the Change List **icon (pictured)** in the top right corner of the Change List
## Navigating through the changes
You can easily review your changes by scrolling the change list, and can review them in your redline PDF by **clicking on the individual Change Card in the Change List.** This will scroll to the change and highlight it with a blue box around the relevant text.
You can also navigate changes by using the **'next' and 'previous' change commands** in the ribbon menu. This will scroll to the change and highlight it with a blue box around the relevant text.
## Filtering the change list
You can filter which changes are listed by using the filter menu at the top of the change list.
When filtering, you can choose to select what is shown or to select what should not be shown
When selecting what is or is not shown, you have several options.
You can filter changes based on the type of Change Type (i.e. insertions, deletions, moved text, etc)
You can filter changes based on the type of Content Type (i.e. Text, Table of Contents, Image, etc)
You can filter changes based on the Change Location (i.e. Main Document, Headers, Footers, etc)
You can filter changes based on whether or not any notes have been added
You can filter changes based on the status tags applied (e.g. High Priority, Action Required, etc)
Once the change list is filtered, any content on the PDF that is 'filtered' will be greyed out. For example, below shows non filtered changes:
And below shows 'filtered' changes:
### Configuring default filters in Settings
This feature is available from Draftable Legal v26.3.0 onwards. If you are using an earlier version, this section of the Viewer Settings may not be available.
From v26.3.0, you can configure default filter behavior in the **Viewer** tab of the Settings screen. This allows you to pre-set which types of changes are shown or hidden each time you open a comparison, so you don't need to manually apply filters every time.
To configure default filters:
Go to **Settings** and select the **Viewer** tab. Scroll down to the **Filter Defaults** section.
Check **Remember filter settings between sessions** if you want your filter selections to be saved and automatically restored when you reopen a comparison. When disabled, each new comparison starts with the default filters configured below.
Click **Add filter...** under **Show Only These Changes** to specify which change types should be displayed by default. You can filter by Change Type (Insertions, Deletions, Replacements, Moves, Modifications), Style Changes, Content Type, Change Location, and Other categories.
Click **Add filter...** under **Hide These Changes** to specify which change types should be hidden by default. This is useful if you want to suppress certain types of changes (e.g. style-only changes) from appearing in your comparisons.
Use the **Clear** button next to either filter section to remove all configured filters and return to showing all changes.
## Tagging and leaving notes on changes
With the change list, you can now also tag specific changes in your comparison, and also leave notes on changes as well using the change list.
### Tagging
To tag a change, go to the change list and locate the change you wish to tag. In the top right section of the change card, hover your cursor the tag icon in the top right.
Then left-click to reveal the tagging options for that change. If you wish to tag that change with one of the tagging options, select the tag you wish to add by clicking left click again.
As you can see in the example below, the below change card has been tagged with a 'High Priority' tag.
Furthermore, we can show all tagged changes with the filters option, like the example below.
### Customizing status tags in Settings
Customizable status tags are available from Draftable Legal v26.3.0 onwards. If you are using an earlier version, you will have a fixed set of default tags.
From v26.3.0, you can fully customize the status tags available for tagging changes. This is configured in the **Viewer** tab of the Settings screen under the **Status Tags** section.
By default, three tags are provided: **Reviewed**, **Pending**, and **Rejected**. You can edit these or create your own tags to match your review workflow.
Each tag has the following properties:
* **Label** — The display name for the tag (e.g. "Approved", "Needs Review", "High Priority")
* **Shortcut** — A keyboard shortcut key (1–9 or A–Z) that can be used to quickly apply the tag to a selected change
* **Color** — A color indicator to visually distinguish tags in the Change List
**To add a new tag:** Click **+ Add Tag** at the bottom of the Status Tags list. Enter a label, choose a shortcut key, select a color, and click **Add**.
**To edit an existing tag:** Click **Edit** next to the tag you want to modify. You can change the label, shortcut, or color.
**To delete a tag:** Click **Delete** next to the tag you want to remove.
### Notes
You can also add notes to changes to help you organize changes and leave information for yourself and on your team members. To leave a note, click on the change card in the change-list to reveal the note field.
Simply type in the note of your choosing into the field and hit 'Enter' to add the note to the change card. In the below example, we added the note 'Key change' to the change card.
Like before, we can also filter all changes with notes by using the filters to show all changes with notes.
## Exporting the Change List (Changes Report)
The changes report allows you to export all changes found in comparison as either a CSV file, copied as data to your clipboard or directly into your email body. This can have various useful application, and below is how you can create this report.
### Exporting the changes report as a file
First, navigate to the top left of the comparison window and select either the **Open** or **Save** output options.
Once selected you will note the change pages option at the bottom of the export window.
There are options here for both DOCX and CSV formats, as well as the reported changes being all changes in the comparison, or only the ones that are marked by the filter.
For this guide, we selected save as a CSV for All changes. Once you have saved the file, you can view the changes in the saved CSV. Below is an example of a CSV Changes Report:
### Exporting the changes report directly into an email body
Additionally, you can export the changes report directly into the **email body** by changing how the changes report is exported via email. In the email export selection menu, click on the pen icon where it says **changes report.**
Change the format of the changes report to the **email body.** Then hit **send** in the email menu.
A new email will appear with the changes report directly embedded into the email body.
# How to automatically open comparison files saved to iManage
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/32782259799961-How-to-automatically-open-comparison-files-saved-to-iManage
This article provides a guide for iManage users to configure Draftable to automatically open comparison output files saved to iManage. These settings are designed for users who prefer to work on comparison documents within iManage.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## Configure setting to automatically open file in iManage after saving
Open the Draftable New Comparison Window and open the Settings menu
Enable the setting that opens the exported document in iManage after saving. The label and location of this setting depend on your Draftable Legal version.
In Settings, select **DMS Connections** (under **Integrations**), expand the **iManage** section, and enable **Open uploaded docs in browser** (described as "Open the exported document in iManage after saving").
In Settings, go to **Integrations** and under the **iManage** section, click on the checkbox labelled **Automatically open uploaded document using system browser**
Select **Done**
## Run your comparison
Load your input files from iManage via one of the following (links will provide you with detailed guides)...\
a) [The **iManage** option in the **New Comparison Window**](/hc/en-us/articles/20525575831705-Running-compares-with-files-from-iManage-and-saving-outputs-to-iManage),
b) [Using the Draftable commands within iManage](/hc/en-us/articles/22873285776409-Launching-comparisons-from-within-iManage), or
c) **Dragging and dropping** from iManage
Once your input files are loaded into the **New Comparison Window,** select the Comparison Type you want and hit **Compare.**
## Saving comparison files to automatically open in iManage
If you select **Tracked Changes in Word** you will have the option to **save directly to iManage** as a new file, a new related file or new version by **selecting the down arrow** on the right side of the **Save** option
If you select **Redline in Draftable** or **Side by Side**, your comparison will open in the Draftable Viewer. In this example, we will show the workflow with a Redline in Draftable but the approach is the same for Side by Side.
In the **Draftable Viewer,** select the **Save to DMS icon** n the Ribbon at the viewer.
In the **Save to DMS** menu, select either **Save to iManage (as new file)** or **Save to iManage (as new version)** or **Save to iManage (as new related file)**
After selecting how you want to save the comparison, you can then go ahead and pick which format and type of comparison you would like to save, so either the **Redline, Changed Pages Only, Tracked Changes** or **Changes Report.**
**Follow the steps** within the **iManage window** to save your file.
Once you hit **Save**, your default web browser will **automatically open to display the document** in iManage .
If you have any issues with this process or otherwise need assistance, please reach out to our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Running comparisons with files from SharePoint Online and saving outputs to SharePoint
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/32784895738905-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-SharePoint-Online-and-saving-outputs-to-SharePoint
SharePoint is a leading secure cloud-based content management software designed for use across a wide variety of industries.
This article will guide you on how to initiate comparisons by selecting documents from SharePoint online, and how to preserve these comparison exports as outputs within SharePoint.
**Please note:** In order to use the features outline in this article, you must first:
* Have [enabled the SharePoint integration in your Draftable Settings and connected your account](/hc/en-us/articles/25442111938585-Connecting-your-Sharepoint-account-with-Draftable-Legal).
## Ensuring SharePoint integration can handle large numbers (1000+) of sites
For users who have 1000s of SharePoint sites, you will need to first enable "Heavy Usage Mode" in your Integration Settings (go to the Settings in Draftable, select the "Integrations" tab and under the SharePoint integration section, select the checkbox for 'Enable Heavy Usage Mode')
## Selecting input files from SharePoint Online to start a comparison
**Dragging files from SharePoint in a web browser is no longer supported** (a Microsoft change to SharePoint Online that Draftable cannot work around). Use the SharePoint file picker described below instead.
Within the Draftable Legal **New Comparison Window**, click **SharePoint**
This will launch **Draftable's** **file explorer menu,** where you can **navigate to the file(s)** you wish to compare
Navigate to your desired file location and **click on the document** **you wish to load**. Once the document is highlighted click on **Select**
If you would like to load a specific version of a document, simply click on the **Show** option in the Versions column and the file versions will appear. Select the version(s) you wish to compare (using Ctrl for multi select) and click **Select**
Once selected, the input document(s) will appear in the **New Comparison Window**. You can **repeat this process** (steps 1-4) for the newer document if this wasn't selected with the older document. If you need to switch the order of the documents loaded, you can use the two arrows icon in the top-center of the window
You can also change the file version loaded or add another version by using the **Select Version** option under each filename
This will display the Version Selection menu where you can choose one version to replace the current version loaded or select two versions to replace both files in the launcher
Once both documents have been loaded, select your **Comparison Type** from the drop down menu
Start your comparison by clicking **Compare**
## Saving comparison outputs to SharePoint
### Option 1: Saving via the Draftable Viewer (all output types)
First, in the **New Comparison Window** ensure the **Redline in Draftable** Comparison Type has been selected then hit **Compare**
Once the comparison is ready, the **Comparison Viewer** will appear
Click on the **Save to SharePoint** button in the Draftable ribbon.
This will bring up the **Comparison Results options**:
You can select from one of the below options:
**Redline:** This saves into a .pdf or .docx file where all changes are marked or "redlined" over the base document. This layout allows for easy visual comparison between the original and new versions of the document.
**Changed Pages Only:** This is similar to the Redline option, but it only includes pages where changes have occurred. This is a useful feature if you're dealing with lengthy documents and you want to focus just on the pages with modifications. Can only be saved as a .PDF.
**Tracked Changes:** This saves into a .docx file with all updates embedded as 'Tracked Changes' in Microsoft Word. This is useful for further editing or reviewing in Word, as you can accept or reject changes individually and keep a record of who made what changes and when.
**Changes Report:** This will save a summary of the document changes found within the Redline. You can pick to either save this in a DOCX or a CSV file format and show all the Reported changes, or just those Matching the filters you have set in the Change List panel.
Also, if you click on the **"Options'** link at the top of the Comparison Results pop up window, you will also see two additional choices.
**Summary page:** Includes a brief summary of the number of changes made, as well at the Markup Schema used for the Redline
**Changes report:** Includes the full changes report either at the start of the document or at the end.
The Draftable **'Save As' window** will now appear. By default, this will open in the SharePoint location where the newer input file was stored. From here you can navigate through SharePoint online, edit the file name and create new folders as needed.
Enter the relevant details and select **'Save'**. Your document has now been saved to **SharePoint**
### Option 2: Saving directly to SharePoint (Tracked Changes in Word outputs)
First, in the **New Comparison Window** ensure the **Tracked Changes in Word** has been selected then hit **Compare**
Once the comparison is ready, you will see a popup asking whether you want to Open or Save your comparison output
Note, some users may have set a default action for these comparisons in the Redline section of the Settings menu. If this is the case, you will need to change this setting to see the popup. See [Redline comparison settings](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) for details.
On the right side of the Save option, hit the **down arrow** to show more options
Select **Save to SharePoint** from the drop down menu
The Draftable **'Save As' window** will now appear. By default, this will open in the SharePoint location where the newer input file was stored. From here you can navigate through SharePoint online, edit the file name and create new folders as needed
Enter the relevant details and select **'Save'**. Your document has now been saved to **SharePoint**
# Comparing PowerPoint files in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/32800088338073-Comparing-PowerPoint-files-in-Draftable-Legal
In direct response to user feedback, the Draftable team is developing a dedicated comparison algorithm to compare PowerPoint files and produce a PowerPoint file with changes shown as redlined markup. This is currently available as a Preview feature and will be released to all customers in November 2024. If you want access to this feature before it is released to all customers, please contact your Account Executive or contact [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
Otherwise, Draftable Legal currently supports PowerPoint file comparisons via two approaches:
1. Redline PowerPoint comparison, viewed in PowerPoint
2. Redline PowerPoint comparison, viewed in Draftable
3. Using the Side-by-Side comparison type
This article shows you how to run both of these comparison types. Additionally, this article also include an explanation of the settings for Redline PowerPoint comparison that can be used to configure Redline comparisons.
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## How to compare PowerPoint files in the Redline Comparison Type in PowerPoint
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window.](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Ensure you have selected the **Redline in PowerPoint** option for comparison type. Then, hit **Compare.**
You will be asked whether you prefer to save the comparison as an export or open it directly in PowerPoint. For the sake of example, we will open this comparison directly into PowerPoint.
Your comparison will be opened in PowerPoint
### Reviewing your comparison in PowerPoint
Viewing your Redline PowerPoint comparison in PowerPoint, you will note many different formatting elements. Lets take the slide below as an example:
First, we can see 3 elements:
* Text that is highlighted in Red Strikethrough, to indicate this content has been deleted
* Text that is highlighted in Blue Underline, to indicate this content has been added
* Text that remains unchanged, to indicate this content is the same between both documents.
Additionally, in other slides, you will see some content appear in *greyscale*, this is to indicate that this content has also remained unchanged (this can be changed in the settings menu). See the example below:
Here we see text content that has remained unchanged and an image that also is consistent between both documents.
## How to compare PowerPoint files in the Redline Comparison Type in Draftable
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window.](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Ensure you have selected the **Redline in Draftable** option for the comparison type. Then, hit **Compare.**
Your comparison will be opened in Draftable
### Reviewing your Redline comparison in Draftable
Viewing your Redline PowerPoint comparison in Draftable, you will note many different elements. Lets take the slide below as an example:
First, we can see 3 components in this viewer:
* The slide selection screen on the left: Allowing you to navigate between all the slides
* The slide preview screen in the middle: Where you can view your Redlined changes in the compared PowerPoint
* Redline Changelist: Where you can easily view all the changes made within this comparison
* Export and saving options: Export options are also available within the Draftable viewer for easy sharing of comparisons for your team to review. Select any of the relevant options if you wish to save or export your Redlined PowerPoint comparison for later viewing
Additionally, in other slides, you will see some content appear in *greyscale*, this is to indicate that this content has also remained unchanged (this can be changed in the settings menu). See the example below:
Here we see image content that has remained unchanged; however, there are text changes found on the left-hand side where the date has changed.
PowerPoint Redline comparisons can be configured in the settings menu to better suit your use case.
## How to compare PowerPoint files in the Side-by-Side Comparison Type
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window.](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Side by Side** in the comparison type row.
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison. When the comparison is complete, it will open in the Draftable **Comparison Viewer** with the older PowerPoint file on the left and newer on the right. Side by side comparisons show changes using highlights instead of redline markup.
### Reviewing your comparison in Draftable
The **Comparison Viewer** shows all changes in a dynamic **Change List** on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can scroll through the Change List and **click on any change** **to jump to its location** and have the change **highlighted with a blue box** on both versions shown.
Users can tag changes by selecting the **Tag Icon** on the top right corner of the individual change card in the change list. This will display a list of **5 tagging options** to choose from. Multi-tagging of changes is also possible.
Users can also leave **Notes** on changes by **selecting the Change Card,** writing a note at the bottom of the card and hitting **Enter** to save the Note\*\*.
Users can filter changes by using the **Interactive Filter Menu**, available at the top of the change list. This can be opened by selecting the **Details drop-down menu** in the top right corner of the Change List.
Users can **see filtering options** by selecting either the **Only Show** or **Do Not Show** entry forms. This will display a list of filtering options including **Change Type, Style Changes, Tags and Notes**.
Once all changes have been reviewed, users can share the Change List, along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the output options, via the **Changes Report** export option.
The Changes Report option, a drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
### Saving / printing / sharing your PowerPoint comparison as a PDF
To save, print or email the Side by Side comparison, note all the export options at the top of the comparison viewer as a ribbon menu.
These options allow you to quickly and easily share your PPTX comparison results via your preferred method or DMS. A quick summary of these options are:
* **Open** the results directly in your preferred Word processor or PDF reader.
* **Save** the comparison result to your computer.
* **Save** **to DMS**, e.g. iManage, NetDocuments
* **Print** a hard copy of the comparison results.
* **Copy to Clipboard** and save the comparison output to your clipboard.
* **Email** the comparison results and/or the input documents using Outlook.
For more information about these specific output options, please see our [Using Draftable](/hc/en-us/sections/15894418277017-Using-Draftable-Legal) section of our Knowledgebase.
## How to configure settings for PowerPoint Redline compare
Settings for the PowerPoint Redline comparisons can be found within the Redline tab of the settings menu. There are many options specific to Redline comparisons.
Below is an explainer of each of these options:
**Document elements:** There are various document elements that can be enabled/disabled depending on your use case:
* Text: Detects text content
* Tables: Detects the tables and content inside the tables
* Images: Detects images
* Speaker notes: Compares the speaker notes of slides
* Slide numbers: Compares the slide numbers of slides
* Grouped shapes / Smart Art: Compares the grouped shapes and Smart Art within the slide
**Show unchanged content in greyscale:** Formats unchanged content within the Redline comparison with greyscale colouration
**Rearrange overlapping edits:** This automatically adjusts the layout to resolve overlaps between edits
**Show shape moves:** Marks up moved shapes and draw move arrows
# Comparing PowerPoint files in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/32800088338074-Comparing-PowerPoint-files-in-Draftable-Legal
In direct response to user feedback, the Draftable team is developing a dedicated comparison algorithm to compare PowerPoint files and produce a PowerPoint file with changes shown as redlined markup. This is currently available as a Preview feature and will be released to all customers in November 2024. If you want access to this feature before it is released to all customers, please contact your Account Executive or contact [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
Otherwise, Draftable Legal currently supports PowerPoint file comparisons via two approaches:
1. Redline PowerPoint comparison, viewed in PowerPoint
2. Redline PowerPoint comparison, viewed in Draftable
3. Using the Side-by-Side comparison type
This article shows you how to run both of these comparison types. Additionally, this article also include an explanation of the settings for Redline PowerPoint comparison that can be used to configure Redline comparisons.
This topic is included in our specially crafted explainer video.
## How to compare PowerPoint files in the Redline Comparison Type in PowerPoint
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window.](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Ensure you have selected the **Redline in PowerPoint** option for comparison type. Then, hit **Compare.**
You will be asked whether you prefer to save the comparison as an export or open it directly in PowerPoint. For the sake of example, we will open this comparison directly into PowerPoint.
Your comparison will be opened in PowerPoint
### Reviewing your comparison in PowerPoint
Viewing your Redline PowerPoint comparison in PowerPoint, you will note many different formatting elements. Lets take the slide below as an example:
First, we can see 3 elements:
* Text that is highlighted in Red Strikethrough, to indicate this content has been deleted
* Text that is highlighted in Blue Underline, to indicate this content has been added
* Text that remains unchanged, to indicate this content is the same between both documents.
Additionally, in other slides, you will see some content appear in *greyscale*, this is to indicate that this content has also remained unchanged (this can be changed in the settings menu). See the example below:
Here we see text content that has remained unchanged and an image that also is consistent between both documents.
## How to compare PowerPoint files in the Redline Comparison Type in Draftable
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window.](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Ensure you have selected the **Redline in Draftable** option for the comparison type. Then, hit **Compare.**
Your comparison will be opened in Draftable
### Reviewing your Redline comparison in Draftable
Viewing your Redline PowerPoint comparison in Draftable, you will note many different elements. Lets take the slide below as an example:
First, we can see 3 components in this viewer:
* The slide selection screen on the left: Allowing you to navigate between all the slides
* The slide preview screen in the middle: Where you can view your Redlined changes in the compared PowerPoint
* Redline Changelist: Where you can easily view all the changes made within this comparison
* Export and saving options: Export options are also available within the Draftable viewer for easy sharing of comparisons for your team to review. Select any of the relevant options if you wish to save or export your Redlined PowerPoint comparison for later viewing
Additionally, in other slides, you will see some content appear in *greyscale*, this is to indicate that this content has also remained unchanged (this can be changed in the settings menu). See the example below:
Here we see image content that has remained unchanged; however, there are text changes found on the left-hand side where the date has changed.
PowerPoint Redline comparisons can be configured in the settings menu to better suit your use case.
## How to compare PowerPoint files in the Side-by-Side Comparison Type
Open the [Draftable Legal New Comparison window.](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
Select the two documents you want to compare, either by browsing your files or dragging and dropping them into the compare window.
Once the documents are selected, tick the box for **Side by Side** in the comparison type row.
Click the **Compare** button to run the comparison. When the comparison is complete, it will open in the Draftable **Comparison Viewer** with the older PowerPoint file on the left and newer on the right. Side by side comparisons show changes using highlights instead of redline markup.
### Reviewing your comparison in Draftable
The **Comparison Viewer** shows all changes in a dynamic **Change List** on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can scroll through the Change List and **click on any change** **to jump to its location** and have the change **highlighted with a blue box** on both versions shown.
Users can tag changes by selecting the **Tag Icon** on the top right corner of the individual change card in the change list. This will display a list of **5 tagging options** to choose from. Multi-tagging of changes is also possible.
Users can also leave **Notes** on changes by **selecting the Change Card,** writing a note at the bottom of the card and hitting **Enter** to save the Note\*\*.
Users can filter changes by using the **Interactive Filter Menu**, available at the top of the change list. This can be opened by selecting the **Details drop-down menu** in the top right corner of the Change List.
Users can **see filtering options** by selecting either the **Only Show** or **Do Not Show** entry forms. This will display a list of filtering options including **Change Type, Style Changes, Tags and Notes**.
Once all changes have been reviewed, users can share the Change List, along with any Tags and Notes with colleagues or external parties via the output options, via the **Changes Report** export option.
The Changes Report option, a drop-down list will provide options to export changes as a **DOCX** or **exporting to a** **.csv** using either the **All changes** or the **Matching filters**.
### Saving / printing / sharing your PowerPoint comparison as a PDF
To save, print or email the Side by Side comparison, note all the export options at the top of the comparison viewer as a ribbon menu.
These options allow you to quickly and easily share your PPTX comparison results via your preferred method or DMS. A quick summary of these options are:
* **Open** the results directly in your preferred Word processor or PDF reader.
* **Save** the comparison result to your computer.
* **Save** **to DMS**, e.g. iManage, NetDocuments
* **Print** a hard copy of the comparison results.
* **Copy to Clipboard** and save the comparison output to your clipboard.
* **Email** the comparison results and/or the input documents using Outlook.
For more information about these specific output options, please see our [Using Draftable](/hc/en-us/sections/15894418277017-Using-Draftable-Legal) section of our Knowledgebase.
## How to configure settings for PowerPoint Redline compare
Settings for the PowerPoint Redline comparisons can be found within the Redline tab of the settings menu. There are many options specific to Redline comparisons.
Below is an explainer of each of these options:
**Document elements:** There are various document elements that can be enabled/disabled depending on your use case:
* Text: Detects text content
* Tables: Detects the tables and content inside the tables
* Images: Detects images
* Speaker notes: Compares the speaker notes of slides
* Slide numbers: Compares the slide numbers of slides
* Grouped shapes / Smart Art: Compares the grouped shapes and Smart Art within the slide
**Show unchanged content in greyscale:** Formats unchanged content within the Redline comparison with greyscale colouration
**Rearrange overlapping edits:** This automatically adjusts the layout to resolve overlaps between edits
**Show shape moves:** Marks up moved shapes and draw move arrows
# How to make Draftable always stay on top
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/32819704412569-How-to-make-Draftable-always-stay-on-top
We understand that some of our users have use cases where they always need the Draftable Legal, New Comparison Window to appear in the foreground, in front of all other applications at all times.
There is no native feature that enables this at this time; however, thankfully, there is an easy method to achieve this using existing Microsoft tools, specifically PowerToys.
This article will cover how to install PowerToys, configure the 'Always On Top' feature and then enable the Draftable New Comparison Window to always stay on top.
## Installing PowerToys
Windows PowerToys, developed by Microsoft, is a collection of utilities for power users, and its developed and maintained by Microsoft. To install PowerToys, perform the following.
Go to the [Microsoft PowerToys page](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/install), navigate to the **Install PowerToys icon,** and select it.
Download the latest version from the "Releases" section.
Install PowerToys using the downloaded executable you just downloaded.
## Configuring the Always On Top feature
Open PowerToys and navigate to the \`Always on Top\` section in the sidebar.
Select the **Open Settings** option in the window
Whilst not required, we recommend you adjust the thickness of the feature shown below to a lower value.
## Enabling Always On Top for Draftable
Navigate to the New Comparison Window for Draftable and ensure you have it selected
Press the hotkey \`Windows Key\` + \`Ctrl\` + \`T\`
Always On Top is now enabled for the Draftable New Comparison window, which can be validated with the blue outline seen around the window.
This concludes the configuration to allow Draftable Legal to always stay on top using PowerToys, if you have any issues with this process or require further assistance please get in touch with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# API Self Hosted Deployment on Azure
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33065329148313-API-Self-Hosted-Deployment-on-Azure
This article is intended for users who wish to deploy a Draftable API Self Hosted container via Microsoft Azure. The best-supported method of Self Hosted deployment via Azure is to host a Linux virtual machine, and then to configure that virtual machine to run the container.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
**Running a Linux virtual machine with Docker Compose remains our best-supported approach on Azure.** For a v3 deployment, follow the [API Self-Hosted v3 Docker Compose Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide) for the container configuration — the Azure setup steps below still apply, but the Docker Compose file and image names on this page are Version 2 and should not be used for a new deployment.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) also works. Because Draftable has no Azure Blob Storage backend, an AKS deployment requires a shared network file share rather than object storage, which carries a real performance cost for documents containing large numbers of embedded objects. If you are committed to AKS, see the [Azure AKS Deployment Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Azure-AKS-Deployment-Guide), which sets out the measured trade-offs and the support boundaries before you commit to that platform.
See [`FILE_STORAGE_TYPE`](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide#file_storage_type) for the supported storage backends.
## Stage 1: Configuring the Azure environment
Many components need to be ready before configuring the virtual machine and setting up the container. You may already have some of these configured, so skip any steps that are already complete.
### Resource group
Ensure you have a resource group configured so that Azure resources can be allocated to it as they are created.
Click **Create** to create a resource group, give it a name, and complete the setup.
### Managed identity
You will need a managed identity for the Key Vault process.
Click **Create** to create the managed identity, give it a name, and complete the setup.
### Key Vault
Create a Key Vault to store **keys**, **secrets**, **access policies**, and **certificates**.
Click **Create** to create the Key Vault, give it a name, and complete the setup.
Once the Key Vault is created, you need to configure the following components within it. These are required for the virtual machine gateway provisioning.
#### Keys
Select **Generate/Import** and give the key a name. No additional setup is required.
#### Secrets
Select **Generate/Import** and give the secret a name. No additional setup is required.
#### Access policies
Select **Create** to begin creating an access policy.
Assign permissions to the policy. The **Key**, **Secret**, and **Certificate** management permissions are all required. You can select all permissions depending on your use case.
Assign the managed identity you created earlier as the principal. Search for the identity name and select it.
Skip the optional Application step and proceed to create the access policy.
Review the information, and if correct, select **Create**.
#### Certificates
Select **Generate/Import** to begin adding your certificate.
You have two methods for certificate setup:
**Generate a certificate:** Fill in the required fields, noting the **Subject** field which is important for configuring a CN.
**Import a certificate:** Select the **Import** method, upload the certificate file with the password. The certificate file must be in **PKCS** format.
Once the certificate has been added, you can move on to setting up the virtual machine.
## Stage 2: Setting up the virtual machine
Select **Create** in the Virtual Machine section of Azure to begin.
In the **Basics** tab, configure the following:
* **Resource group** — Select your existing resource group or the one created earlier
* **Image** — We recommend Ubuntu
* **Name** — Provide a name for the virtual machine
* **Region** — Set the region where the machine will be hosted
For the **Size**, ensure you select at least **Standard\_D2s\_V3**. Choosing a smaller size will cause the instance to fail due to lack of resources. The **Username** and **Key pair** name should auto-fill, but provide names for these if needed.
Configure your **ports**. This depends on your use case, but a typical setup includes:
* **Port 80** (HTTP)
* **Port 443** (HTTPS)
* **Port 22** (SSH)
Then move on to the **Disks** section.
Configure the **OS disk size** and **disk type**:
* **Disk size** — At least **30 GiB** (scale to your use case)
* **Disk type** — We recommend **Standard SSD**
Then move on to **Networking**.
We recommend creating new resources for the **Virtual network**, **Subnet**, and **Public IP**, unless you wish to use existing resources.
For load balancing, select **Application Gateway** — this will act as a load balancer and allow you to use the custom certificates configured earlier. Select **Application Gateway**, then choose **Create an application gateway**.
In the gateway configuration panel:
* Provide a **name** for the gateway
* Set the **port** to **443**
* Set the **Protocol** to **HTTPS**
* For **Choose a certificate**, select **Choose a certificate from Key Vault**
* Select the relevant **Managed identity**, **Key vault**, and **Certificate**
* Click **Create**
Then move on to the **Management** section.
There is no required configuration in the **Management**, **Advanced**, or **Tags** tabs (default settings are shown below). You can configure settings here as needed.
In the **Review + Create** tab, verify all the settings and confirm the validation check has passed. If everything is correct, select **Create** to begin deployment.
Deployment may take some time. Once complete, click **Go to resource** to proceed with container configuration.
## Stage 3: Configuring the virtual machine and launching the container
### Connecting to the virtual machine
Once the virtual machine is running, click **Connect** and select **SSH using Azure CLI**.
Wait for the validation checks to complete, then click **Connect**.
A Cloud Shell CLI will launch in your browser. Type **Yes** to accept the fingerprint and connect.
### Installing Docker
Run the following commands to set up the Docker repository:
```bash theme={null}
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
```
Add the Docker repository to your sources:
```bash theme={null}
echo \
"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
sudo apt-get update
```
Install Docker:
```bash theme={null}
sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
```
Verify the installation by running the `hello-world` image:
```bash theme={null}
sudo docker run hello-world
```
If you see a success message, Docker is installed correctly.
### Pulling and configuring the Draftable container
Pull the latest Draftable API Self Hosted image:
```bash theme={null}
sudo docker pull draftable/apish:latest
```
Navigate to the root directory and create a folder for your Docker Compose file:
```bash theme={null}
cd /
ls
sudo mkdir composefiles
ls
```
Navigate into the folder and create the `docker-compose.yml` file:
```bash theme={null}
cd composefiles
sudo touch docker-compose.yml
sudo nano docker-compose.yml
```
In the `nano` editor, paste the following basic configuration. For additional parameters, refer to our [API Self Hosted documentation](/hc/en-us/categories/4405478683545-Draftable-API-Self-hosted).
```yaml theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish:
environment:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
image: draftable/apish
ports:
- 80:80/tcp
- 443:443/tcp
volumes:
- draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes:
draftable-apish:
```
Save the file with `Ctrl+O` and exit with `Ctrl+X`.
### Starting the container
Start the Docker service:
```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl start docker
```
Install the Docker Compose plugin:
```bash theme={null}
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker-compose-plugin
```
Launch the container with Docker Compose:
```bash theme={null}
sudo docker compose up
```
The container will begin its boot sequence. Give it time to configure, and upon successful completion you should see a message saying `Container startup complete.`
Navigate back to the virtual machine in Azure to retrieve the **public IP address**. Copy it and enter it into your browser to connect to the instance.
You should see a screen similar to below, confirming the container is running correctly.
## Next steps
You will now need to set up the administrator account. See [Draftable Self-hosted instance first time configuration](/hc/en-us/articles/8424839618457-Draftable-Self-hosted-instance-first-time-configuration) for details.
If you have any issues or questions, please contact us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Comparison Type: How to choose the right option in the Draftable New Comparison Window
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521881-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window
Draftable Legal is designed to be easy to use right from your first comparison. To minimize the number of choices you have to make before running a comparison, there are only a few settings in the New Comparison Window.
The most important of these is the **Comparison Type** selection. This article defines what each of these Comparison Type options is and explains their benefits.
## Default Comparison Type behaviour
By default, Draftable will auto-select the following comparison types based on the input file loaded (see table below). Once a user selects a Comparison Type, Draftable will 'remember' the choice and keep that selection until it is changed again by the user.
| Input file type | Default Comparison Type |
| :- | :- |
| Word (doc, docx), PDF, Rich Text format, Free Text | Redline in Draftable |
| Excel (xls, xlsx) | Redline in Excel |
| PowerPoint (ppt, pptx) | Redline in Powerpoint |
## Defining Comparison Types in Draftable Legal
There are 9 Comparison Types in Draftable Legal. These are summarized in the table below, in the order they appear in the dropdown, and described in more detail in the following sections of this guide.
| Comparison Type | Description |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | Our recommended Redline option. Opens in the Draftable Comparison Viewer for advanced review features and allows for all file types to be opened, saved, printed, emailed or copied to clipboard. |
| Tracked Changes in Word | For users who prefer to work in Word and want their markup as tracked changes with associated metadata |
| Redline in Word | For users who prefer to work in Word and want their markup as static redline (with no associated metadata) |
| Side by Side in Draftable | Our original comparison product for users that need to see changes but don't need to continue working on a file. This produces a side by side PDF with changes shown with highlighting. Comparisons open in the Draftable Viewer for advanced review features. Can open in Adobe, save to DMS, print, email or copy the output to clipboard. This option compares all file types (including PowerPoint and Excel). |
| Redline in Excel | Produces a marked-up Excel file using Draftable's own spreadsheet comparison engine. Recommended for users who need to compare Excel files and continue working on those files afterwards. |
| Redline in Powerpoint | Produces a marked-up PowerPoint file using Draftable's own presentation comparison engine. Recommended for users who need to compare PowerPoint files and continue working on those files afterwards. |
| Departures Table | A specialised report that presents document changes with full context. Rather than showing edits inline or as redlines, it highlights the entire section or clause where a change occurred, making it easier to understand the scope of changes at a glance, especially in long or complex documents. Output format is DOCX only, and can be opened directly or saved. |
| Redline - Changed Pages Only | A streamlined output that focuses solely on modified content by providing only the pages where changes were detected between the original and revised documents. Unchanged pages are excluded entirely, making it a quicker way to review modifications without needing to perform a full Redline comparison first. Output format is PDF only. |
| Text-Only in Draftable | Compares the wording of two documents while disregarding their formatting and layout. Footnotes, endnotes, headers and footers are compared as part of the body text. Useful when the two files are formatted very differently but you only need to know what the words say. Accepts Word and PowerPoint files. |
All nine options are always listed. Options that do not apply to the files you have loaded are shown greyed out rather than hidden, so you can see the full range of outputs at any time. In the example below, two Word documents are loaded, so **Redline in Excel** and **Redline in Powerpoint** are unavailable.
Your administrator can disable individual Comparison Types, so you may not see every option listed here.
### Redline in Draftable
This Comparison Type is our recommended output for Draftable Legal customers when comparing Word and PDF files. It compares your files to produce a Redline that automatically opens in Draftable's purpose build **Comparison Viewer**. Users can export the redline in any format (docx, pdf, tracked changes) from the Comparison Viewer. We recommend this option as the Draftable viewer offers a range of features to give users the best comparison review experience possible, including:
* An interactive (clickable) Change List where selecting changes will jump to their location in the document
* Changes can be tagged or have notes added to them.
* The Change List can also can be filtered by content type, change type, change location and tags or notes ([see here for a detailed guide](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes)).
* The ability to dynamically show and hide unchanged pages (with options to expand the hidden pages as needed)
* The option to show the input files in the same screen to make it easier to review changes in context ([see here for a detailed guide](/hc/en-us/articles/31975077731225-Three-Pane-View-See-changes-in-context-with-older-newer-and-redlined-documents-in-one-screen))
* The flexibility to choose any 'Next Action' (e.g. email, print, save to DMS, copy to clipboard) using any or all export formats (i.e. Redline, Changed pages only, Tracked Changes, Changes Report). Importantly, users do not need to rerun the comparison to get any output format
### Tracked Changes in Word
This Comparison Type is designed for users who prefer to work in Word with the markup shown as tracked changes. It creates a comparison output as a Word (docx) file with tracked changes (including associated metadata). This is particularly useful when continuing to work on the document in in Word and allows users to 'accept' and 'reject' changes easily.
Once completed, users are given the option to choose their next action with the Tracked Changes in Word document. Options include:
* Open in Word
* Save (locally or to their DMS),
* Email (generates an email with the file attached),
* Copy to clipboard (useful for attaching to an existing email).
This Comparison Type still uses Draftable's proprietary and advanced comparison algorithm.
### Redline in Word
This Comparison Type is designed for users who prefer to work in Word but require a redline that does not contain any tracked changes metadata. It creates a comparison output as a Word (docx) file with static markup (i.e. the text is altered to reflect the markup but there are no 'changes' to review). This is particularly useful when using metadata cleaning tools that would otherwise remove tracked changes information. It also helps to maintain the [markup schema in your Profile](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) regardless of the client or external party word settings.
As with the Tracked Changes in Word Comparison Type, once completed, users are given the option to choose their next action with the Redline in Word document. Options include:
* Open in Word
* Save (locally or to their DMS),
* Email (generates an email with the file attached)
* Copy to clipboard (useful for attaching to an existing email)
This Comparison Type still uses Draftable's proprietary and advanced comparison algorithm.
### Side by Side in Draftable
This Comparison Type is Draftable's original product. It is designed for users that need to see the changes in a document but not necessarily continue working on it (as it can only product PDF filetype outputs). As with 'Redline in Draftable', this Comparison Type automatically opens in the Draftable **Comparison Viewer**. The same features are available in the viewer, including:
* An interactive (clickable) Change List where selecting changes will jump to their location in the document
* Changes can be tagged or have notes added to them.
* The Change List can also can be filtered by content type, change type, change location and tags or notes ([see here for a detailed guide](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes)).
* The flexibility to choose any 'Next Action' (e.g. email, print, save to DMS, copy to clipboard)
We recommend this Comparison Type for users comparing PDF files when their Redline outputs are difficult to work through.
Side by Side in Draftable accepts every file type Draftable can convert, so we also recommend it for Excel and PowerPoint comparisons ([see here for our guide to comparing Excel](/hc/en-us/articles/19002208522393-Comparing-Excel-files-in-Draftable-Legal) and [here for PowerPoint](/hc/en-us/articles/32800088338073-Comparing-PowerPoint-files-in-Draftable-Legal)). Load your Excel or PowerPoint files and select **Side by Side in Draftable** as the Comparison Type, exactly as shown above.
### Redline in Excel / Redline in Powerpoint
Draftable has built dedicated comparison algorithms for Excel and PowerPoint files that produce an Excel or PowerPoint output with changes shown as redlined markup. Additionally, Draftable offers Excel and PowerPoint comparison via the Side by Side in Draftable comparison type.
* Redline in Powerpoint (.pptx file)
* Redline in Excel (.xlsx file)
These comparisons will open directly into PowerPoint and Excel based on the input files provided, or you can export the output directly to your PC. For more information on these Comparison Types see our [guide to comparing PowerPoint files](/hc/en-us/articles/32800088338073-Comparing-PowerPoint-files-in-Draftable-Legal) and our [guide to comparing Excel files](/hc/en-us/articles/19002208522393-Comparing-Excel-files-in-Draftable-Legal).
Below is an example of a Redlined Excel comparison;
Below is an example of a Redlined PowerPoint comparison;
### Reviewing Excel and PowerPoint redlines in Draftable
This is not a separate entry in the dropdown. **Redline in Draftable** accepts Excel (.xlsx) and PowerPoint (.pptx) files as well as Word and PDF, so if you load a pair of Office files and leave the Comparison Type set to **Redline in Draftable**, you can review the redline directly in the Draftable Comparison Viewer instead of opening it in Excel or PowerPoint.
The viewer includes the Change List for fast review, tagging, filtering and export of changes, so you can work entirely inside Draftable when you prefer.
Below is an example of a Redlined PowerPoint comparison in Draftable.
### Departures Table
The Departures Table is a specialised report that presents document changes with full context. Rather than showing individual edits inline or as redlines, it highlights the entire section or clause where a change occurred. This makes it easier to understand the scope and impact of changes at a glance, which is particularly useful for long or complex documents such as contracts, agreements, and policy documents.
The Departures Table is ideal when you need to:
* Quickly identify which sections or clauses have been modified between document versions
* Present a clear summary of changes to stakeholders who need context around each modification, rather than granular word-level edits
* Review changes in a structured, clause-by-clause format
Once you run a Departures Table comparison, Draftable provides the option to directly open the comparison as a DOCX, or save it as a DOCX.
The Departures Table output format is DOCX only.
### Redline - Changed Pages Only
The Changed Pages Only PDF provides a quicker way to focus solely on the modifications between the original document and its revised version. Rather than producing a full redline of the entire document, this Comparison Type outputs only the pages where content changes were detected — unchanged pages are excluded entirely.
This is ideal when you need to:
* Quickly identify which pages have been modified without reviewing the entire document
* Produce a concise record of changed pages for filing or distribution
* Streamline your workflow by going directly to a Changed Pages output without needing to perform a full Redline comparison first
Once the comparison is complete, you can open the output directly as a PDF or save it as a PDF.
The Changed Pages Only output format is PDF only.
From **v26.9.1**, the pages are ordered by page number, and comparing two identical files reports that no changes were detected rather than showing an error. Whether the document's first page is added when it has no changes is controlled by your **Include first page in Changed Pages Only** setting, which you can change per export in the comparison viewer. See [How to view and export 'changed pages only' in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/20294100319385-How-to-view-and-export-changed-pages-only-in-Draftable-Legal).
### Text-Only in Draftable
Text-Only in Draftable compares what your documents *say* rather than how they look. Before comparing, Draftable reduces both files to their text content, so differences in formatting, styling, numbering and images are disregarded and only wording changes are reported.
As part of this process, content that normally sits outside the main body is brought into the text flow and compared alongside it:
* Footnotes and endnotes
* Headers and footers
* Comments
* Tables
This is the option to choose when:
* The same document has been re-typeset, converted between formats, or rebuilt in a different template, and a standard redline would be overwhelmed by formatting differences
* You need to confirm that wording is identical between two versions, regardless of presentation
* You need changes in footnotes, endnotes, headers or footers picked up as ordinary text
The comparison opens in the Draftable Comparison Viewer, with the same Change List, filtering and export options as Redline in Draftable.
Text-Only in Draftable accepts Word and PowerPoint files.
# Comparison Type: How to choose the right option in the Draftable New Comparison Window
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521882-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window
Draftable Legal is designed to be easy to use right from your first comparison. To minimize the number of choices you have to make before running a comparison, there are only a few settings in the New Comparison Window.
The most important of these is the **Comparison Type** selection. This article defines what each of these Comparison Type options is and explains their benefits.
## Default Comparison Type behaviour
By default, Draftable will auto-select the following comparison types based on the input file loaded (see table below). Once a user selects a Comparison Type, Draftable will 'remember' the choice and keep that selection until it is changed again by the user.
| Input file type | Default Comparison Type |
| :- | :- |
| Word (doc, docx), PDF, Rich Text format, Free Text | Redline in Draftable |
| Excel (xls, xlsx) | Redline in Excel |
| PowerPoint (ppt, pptx) | Redline in Powerpoint |
## Defining Comparison Types in Draftable Legal
There are 9 Comparison Types in Draftable Legal. These are summarized in the table below, in the order they appear in the dropdown, and described in more detail in the following sections of this guide.
| Comparison Type | Description |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | Our recommended Redline option. Opens in the Draftable Comparison Viewer for advanced review features and allows for all file types to be opened, saved, printed, emailed or copied to clipboard. |
| Tracked Changes in Word | For users who prefer to work in Word and want their markup as tracked changes with associated metadata |
| Redline in Word | For users who prefer to work in Word and want their markup as static redline (with no associated metadata) |
| Side by Side in Draftable | Our original comparison product for users that need to see changes but don't need to continue working on a file. This produces a side by side PDF with changes shown with highlighting. Comparisons open in the Draftable Viewer for advanced review features. Can open in Adobe, save to DMS, print, email or copy the output to clipboard. This option compares all file types (including PowerPoint and Excel). |
| Redline in Excel | Produces a marked-up Excel file using Draftable's own spreadsheet comparison engine. Recommended for users who need to compare Excel files and continue working on those files afterwards. |
| Redline in Powerpoint | Produces a marked-up PowerPoint file using Draftable's own presentation comparison engine. Recommended for users who need to compare PowerPoint files and continue working on those files afterwards. |
| Departures Table | A specialised report that presents document changes with full context. Rather than showing edits inline or as redlines, it highlights the entire section or clause where a change occurred, making it easier to understand the scope of changes at a glance, especially in long or complex documents. Output format is DOCX only, and can be opened directly or saved. |
| Redline - Changed Pages Only | A streamlined output that focuses solely on modified content by providing only the pages where changes were detected between the original and revised documents. Unchanged pages are excluded entirely, making it a quicker way to review modifications without needing to perform a full Redline comparison first. Output format is PDF only. |
| Text-Only in Draftable | Compares the wording of two documents while disregarding their formatting and layout. Footnotes, endnotes, headers and footers are compared as part of the body text. Useful when the two files are formatted very differently but you only need to know what the words say. Accepts Word and PowerPoint files. |
All nine options are always listed. Options that do not apply to the files you have loaded are shown greyed out rather than hidden, so you can see the full range of outputs at any time. In the example below, two Word documents are loaded, so **Redline in Excel** and **Redline in Powerpoint** are unavailable.
Your administrator can disable individual Comparison Types, so you may not see every option listed here.
### Redline in Draftable
This Comparison Type is our recommended output for Draftable Legal customers when comparing Word and PDF files. It compares your files to produce a Redline that automatically opens in Draftable's purpose build **Comparison Viewer**. Users can export the redline in any format (docx, pdf, tracked changes) from the Comparison Viewer. We recommend this option as the Draftable viewer offers a range of features to give users the best comparison review experience possible, including:
* An interactive (clickable) Change List where selecting changes will jump to their location in the document
* Changes can be tagged or have notes added to them.
* The Change List can also can be filtered by content type, change type, change location and tags or notes ([see here for a detailed guide](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes)).
* The ability to dynamically show and hide unchanged pages (with options to expand the hidden pages as needed)
* The option to show the input files in the same screen to make it easier to review changes in context ([see here for a detailed guide](/hc/en-us/articles/31975077731225-Three-Pane-View-See-changes-in-context-with-older-newer-and-redlined-documents-in-one-screen))
* The flexibility to choose any 'Next Action' (e.g. email, print, save to DMS, copy to clipboard) using any or all export formats (i.e. Redline, Changed pages only, Tracked Changes, Changes Report). Importantly, users do not need to rerun the comparison to get any output format
### Tracked Changes in Word
This Comparison Type is designed for users who prefer to work in Word with the markup shown as tracked changes. It creates a comparison output as a Word (docx) file with tracked changes (including associated metadata). This is particularly useful when continuing to work on the document in in Word and allows users to 'accept' and 'reject' changes easily.
Once completed, users are given the option to choose their next action with the Tracked Changes in Word document. Options include:
* Open in Word
* Save (locally or to their DMS),
* Email (generates an email with the file attached),
* Copy to clipboard (useful for attaching to an existing email).
This Comparison Type still uses Draftable's proprietary and advanced comparison algorithm.
### Redline in Word
This Comparison Type is designed for users who prefer to work in Word but require a redline that does not contain any tracked changes metadata. It creates a comparison output as a Word (docx) file with static markup (i.e. the text is altered to reflect the markup but there are no 'changes' to review). This is particularly useful when using metadata cleaning tools that would otherwise remove tracked changes information. It also helps to maintain the [markup schema in your Profile](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) regardless of the client or external party word settings.
As with the Tracked Changes in Word Comparison Type, once completed, users are given the option to choose their next action with the Redline in Word document. Options include:
* Open in Word
* Save (locally or to their DMS),
* Email (generates an email with the file attached)
* Copy to clipboard (useful for attaching to an existing email)
This Comparison Type still uses Draftable's proprietary and advanced comparison algorithm.
### Side by Side in Draftable
This Comparison Type is Draftable's original product. It is designed for users that need to see the changes in a document but not necessarily continue working on it (as it can only product PDF filetype outputs). As with 'Redline in Draftable', this Comparison Type automatically opens in the Draftable **Comparison Viewer**. The same features are available in the viewer, including:
* An interactive (clickable) Change List where selecting changes will jump to their location in the document
* Changes can be tagged or have notes added to them.
* The Change List can also can be filtered by content type, change type, change location and tags or notes ([see here for a detailed guide](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes)).
* The flexibility to choose any 'Next Action' (e.g. email, print, save to DMS, copy to clipboard)
We recommend this Comparison Type for users comparing PDF files when their Redline outputs are difficult to work through.
Side by Side in Draftable accepts every file type Draftable can convert, so we also recommend it for Excel and PowerPoint comparisons ([see here for our guide to comparing Excel](/hc/en-us/articles/19002208522393-Comparing-Excel-files-in-Draftable-Legal) and [here for PowerPoint](/hc/en-us/articles/32800088338073-Comparing-PowerPoint-files-in-Draftable-Legal)). Load your Excel or PowerPoint files and select **Side by Side in Draftable** as the Comparison Type, exactly as shown above.
### Redline in Excel / Redline in Powerpoint
Draftable has built dedicated comparison algorithms for Excel and PowerPoint files that produce an Excel or PowerPoint output with changes shown as redlined markup. Additionally, Draftable offers Excel and PowerPoint comparison via the Side by Side in Draftable comparison type.
* Redline in Powerpoint (.pptx file)
* Redline in Excel (.xlsx file)
These comparisons will open directly into PowerPoint and Excel based on the input files provided, or you can export the output directly to your PC. For more information on these Comparison Types see our [guide to comparing PowerPoint files](/hc/en-us/articles/32800088338073-Comparing-PowerPoint-files-in-Draftable-Legal) and our [guide to comparing Excel files](/hc/en-us/articles/19002208522393-Comparing-Excel-files-in-Draftable-Legal).
Below is an example of a Redlined Excel comparison;
Below is an example of a Redlined PowerPoint comparison;
### Reviewing Excel and PowerPoint redlines in Draftable
This is not a separate entry in the dropdown. **Redline in Draftable** accepts Excel (.xlsx) and PowerPoint (.pptx) files as well as Word and PDF, so if you load a pair of Office files and leave the Comparison Type set to **Redline in Draftable**, you can review the redline directly in the Draftable Comparison Viewer instead of opening it in Excel or PowerPoint.
The viewer includes the Change List for fast review, tagging, filtering and export of changes, so you can work entirely inside Draftable when you prefer.
Below is an example of a Redlined PowerPoint comparison in Draftable.
### Departures Table
The Departures Table is a specialised report that presents document changes with full context. Rather than showing individual edits inline or as redlines, it highlights the entire section or clause where a change occurred. This makes it easier to understand the scope and impact of changes at a glance, which is particularly useful for long or complex documents such as contracts, agreements, and policy documents.
The Departures Table is ideal when you need to:
* Quickly identify which sections or clauses have been modified between document versions
* Present a clear summary of changes to stakeholders who need context around each modification, rather than granular word-level edits
* Review changes in a structured, clause-by-clause format
Once you run a Departures Table comparison, Draftable provides the option to directly open the comparison as a DOCX, or save it as a DOCX.
The Departures Table output format is DOCX only.
### Redline - Changed Pages Only
The Changed Pages Only PDF provides a quicker way to focus solely on the modifications between the original document and its revised version. Rather than producing a full redline of the entire document, this Comparison Type outputs only the pages where content changes were detected — unchanged pages are excluded entirely.
This is ideal when you need to:
* Quickly identify which pages have been modified without reviewing the entire document
* Produce a concise record of changed pages for filing or distribution
* Streamline your workflow by going directly to a Changed Pages output without needing to perform a full Redline comparison first
Once the comparison is complete, you can open the output directly as a PDF or save it as a PDF.
The Changed Pages Only output format is PDF only.
From **v26.9.1**, the pages are ordered by page number, and comparing two identical files reports that no changes were detected rather than showing an error. Whether the document's first page is added when it has no changes is controlled by your **Include first page in Changed Pages Only** setting, which you can change per export in the comparison viewer. See [How to view and export 'changed pages only' in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/20294100319385-How-to-view-and-export-changed-pages-only-in-Draftable-Legal).
### Text-Only in Draftable
Text-Only in Draftable compares what your documents *say* rather than how they look. Before comparing, Draftable reduces both files to their text content, so differences in formatting, styling, numbering and images are disregarded and only wording changes are reported.
As part of this process, content that normally sits outside the main body is brought into the text flow and compared alongside it:
* Footnotes and endnotes
* Headers and footers
* Comments
* Tables
This is the option to choose when:
* The same document has been re-typeset, converted between formats, or rebuilt in a different template, and a standard redline would be overwhelmed by formatting differences
* You need to confirm that wording is identical between two versions, regardless of presentation
* You need changes in footnotes, endnotes, headers or footers picked up as ordinary text
The comparison opens in the Draftable Comparison Viewer, with the same Change List, filtering and export options as Redline in Draftable.
Text-Only in Draftable accepts Word and PowerPoint files.
# Release notes: Draftable Legal v2.16
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33390031956633-Release-notes-Draftable-Legal-v2-16
We are pleased to introduce Draftable Legal v2.16 (released in June 2024). *A full list of items in all releases is available in our* [*Release Log*](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal).
This update introduces enhancements designed to help our customers by:
* Expanding document comparison flexibility with a new Redline output in Word without tracked changes (.docx)
* Increasing workflow efficiency by adding Redline (.docx) as an output option in Next Actions, Bulk Compare and 1-Click Compare
* Simplifying the comparison process with renamed Comparison Type options for clearer selection
* Clarifying PowerPoint and Excel comparisons by adding a new 'Native (MS Office)' Comparison Type, previously included as part of ‘Redline tracked changes (docx, pptx, xlsx)’
* Reducing workflow steps for comparing text in word by accepting tracked changes in selected text using the 'Compare Text' command
* Saving time by allowing users to copy input files to the clipboard in the Next Action menu
* Strengthening iManage integration stability with an update to the iManage SDK version 10.9.3.43
* Reducing potential file identification confusion by adjusting filenames to omit the term "original" when attaching to emails
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 2.16 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Core Functionality
### Redline in Word (without tracked changes)
We have expanded our Redline document options by adding the ability to create Word (.docx) files without tracked changes. This new feature allows users to present markups in a static format (with no associated metadata). Users can access this new comparison output by choosing the Redline in Word Comparison Type (pictured).
Redline (.docx) has also been incorporated into the Next Action menu, Bulk Compare save menu, and 1-Click Compare settings. This ensures users who prefer this output format have access to all Draftable’s time saving features.
## Enhanced ease of use
### Updated Comparison Type options
In an effort to make our interface more intuitive for first time users, we’ve renamed the Comparison Type options in the New Comparison Window. This change simplifies the selection process, making it easier for users to navigate and choose the right options. Alongside this, a new Comparison Type 'Native (MS Office)' for Excel and PowerPoint has been introduced, leveraging PowerPoint's Compare and Spreadsheet Compare tools. These options were previously housed under Track Changes and their reallocation aims to reduce confusion for users who would otherwise have expected a redline output for PowerPoint and Excel
Redline for PowerPoint and Excel are currently in development.
The new Comparison Type options are summarized in the table below. You can read more about these in our new [**Comparison Type guide**](/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521881-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window).
| Comparison Type | Description |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | Our recommended Redline option. Opens in the Draftable Comparison Viewer for advanced review features and allows for all file types to be opened, saved, printed, emailed or copied to clipboard. |
| Tracked Changes in Word | For users who prefer to work in Word and want their markup as tracked changes with associated metadata |
| Redline in Word | For users who prefer to work in Word and want their markup as static redline (with no associated metadata) |
| Side by side | Our original comparison product for users that need to see changes but don't need to continue working on a file. This produces a side by side PDF with changes shown with highlighting. Comparisons opens in the Draftable Viewer for advanced review features. Can open in Adobe, save to DMS, print, email or copy the output to clipboard. This option compares all files types (including PowerPoint and Excel). |
| Native (MS Office) | Microsoft Office's native compare functions for PowerPoint and Excel files (Spreadsheet Compare). This is recommended for users who need to compare PowerPoint and Excel files and continue working on those files afterwards. |
### Improved text compare via the word Add-in
Users can now accept tracked changes within selected text areas when using the 'Compare Text' command in Draftable. This enhancement removes the need for users to accept or manually edit changes to text when running comparisons, removing unnecessary ‘clicks’ from their workflows.
### Copying input files to clipboard via Next Actions
In Draftable v2.16 we’ve restored the ability to copy input files to the clipboard directly from the Next Action menu. This makes it easier for users who tend to have emailed pre-drafted and need to attach their comparison files (including input files) quickly via copy to clipboard. This functionality was present in earlier versions of Draftable and has been restored after feedback from customers.
Draftable Legal v2.16 also sees minor adjustments to the input filename convention when generating emails, or copying to clipboard. We have removed the term “original” which was previously appended to input filenames when attaching documents to emails, reducing potential confusion with file identification.
## Ongoing reliability improvements
We have updated our iManage integration to use the iManage SDK version 10.9.3.43. This ensures integration stability and performance.
## Bug Fixes
Draftable Legal v2.16 has addressed several bugs raised by customers, including:
* Updating our algorithm to avoid displaying changes in images, hidden text, and page breaks when all Comparison Options are disabled in the selected Redline Profile.
* Stopping Draftable from making changes to user Word settings for Review Balloons after comparisons are run.
* Updated Registry / Group Policy for 1-Click Compare to ensure it also updates the end user UI in the settings menu.
* Fixing behavior where the incorrect font rendering in PDF Redline outputs
* Ensuring that margin lines are not shown in PDF outputs when changes are ignored.
# Draftable Legal - Uploading Files & Launching Comparison (iManage users)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33897196071833-Draftable-Legal-Uploading-Files-Launching-Comparison-iManage-users
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal - Uploading Files & Launching Comparison (NetDocuments users)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33898410808729-Draftable-Legal-Uploading-Files-Launching-Comparison-NetDocuments-users
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal - Comparison Output & Export Options
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33899267545881-Draftable-Legal-Comparison-Output-Export-Options
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal - Configuring Comparison Output via Profiles
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33899529527065-Draftable-Legal-Configuring-Comparison-Output-via-Profiles
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal - Comparing Excel & PowerPoint files
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33899677536793-Draftable-Legal-Comparing-Excel-PowerPoint-files
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal - Bulk Compare (Many-to-One)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33899769666585-Draftable-Legal-Bulk-Compare-Many-to-One
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Draftable Legal - 1-Click Compare
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33899864844697-Draftable-Legal-1-Click-Compare
If you require additional information on this topic, you can find our relevant knowledgebase articles here:
If you have any issues or questions contact us at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Alternative iManage HTTP listener service installation guide for Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal
This article provides a step-by-step guide for installing the alternative Windows service with a HTTP listener as an alternative to the local iManage HTTP Listener. This is done by installing a new Windows based listener service and then ensuring we disable the local iManage HTTP listener.
The HTTP Listener Service is a required component of every Draftable Legal machine-wide MSI deployment. This guide covers its full installation and iManage configuration, including the additional steps needed for Citrix/RDS environments and for resolving cases where the local iManage HTTP Listener does not work when Draftable Legal is not running or open in the background.
## What is the Listener service?
The Listener Service allows users to open and load files from iManage (via the Draftable Universal iManage App) even when the Draftable Desktop application is not running.
### How does it work?
The Listener Service does this by hosting a standalone HTTP Server that is also a part of the Draftable Desktop application. This operates (by default) on the same port - 4764. Its utility is in it being a standalone service that is running all the time. By always running, it can wait for a request from iManage to load files into Draftable which then triggers the Service to call the Draftable Desktop application.
### Does it require internet access?
The iManage HTTP Listener service requires network access to your iManage instance for the purpose of loading the iManage JavaScript API. No authentication credentials are required. For cloud-hosted iManage instances, Internet access is implicitly required. For on-premise installations, the service must be able to reach the URL of your iManage server as configured for the service.
## How to install the Listener Service
### Step 1: Install Draftable Legal System-Wide MSI
First we must ensure we install the new listener service via the System-Wide MSI installer.
**Download and Run Installer:**
* Download the latest system-wide MSI installer from [this link.](/hc/en-us/articles/16018288168601-Enterprise-deployment-options)
* Run the installer with administrator rights.
**Advanced setup steps:**
* During the setup process, choose the **Advanced** Installation option.
* Continue the installation as normal, but once you get to the **Product Features** section, under **Integrations,** select the Http service option and ensure you select that the **Entire feature will be installed on the local hard drive.**
* Continue the installation process until Draftable Legal is completely installed.
### Step 2: Ensure that the new Listener Process is running
We want to ensure that the installation steps above went successfully, hence we can validate the new listener service by checking the task manager after Draftable has finished installing and is currently running.
**Open Task Manager:**
* Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
* Navigate to the "Services" tab.
**Locate iManage Listener Process:**
* Look for Draftable.HttpListener in the list of services.
* As long as you can see this service, you have correctly installed the new listener service
### Step 3: Disable Local iManage HTTP Listener via group policy or registry
To ensure that the local iManage HTTP listener no longer runs, we need to disable it via group policy or via registry.
**Disable Local iManage HTTP Listener via group policy:**
* Ensure you are using the latest group policy templates from 2.16.100 or above.
* Using your preferred group policy editor, ensure the policy **Enable local iManage HTTP Listener** is set to **disabled.**
**Disable Local iManage HTTP Listener via group policy:**
In your registry, it is recommended for system-wide deployment that you configure this registry key under LOCAL\_MACHINE location, but it will still work in CURRENT\_USER.
To disable the Local iManage HTTP Listener, ensure you set the following key.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Draftable\Feature
Value name: CommunicationEnabled
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data:
```
Where the value of `` needs to be set to **0** for disabled, 1 will enable this feature.
## Troubleshooting
If you have issues with installing the HTTP listener service, you may see the following error:
This issue occurs when the local iManage listener is not disabled. Hence, please ensure that it is not enabled, restart Draftable and attempt the configuration again.
If you encounter issues during the setup, consult the Draftable support team for further assistance at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# How To Configure End User Troubleshooting: Error Messages, Logs and Contact Email
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/34137792187801-How-To-Configure-End-User-Troubleshooting-Error-Messages-Logs-and-Contact-Email
This guide will walk you through configuring the end user error message settings in Draftable Legal, which occur when a comparison fails to compare. These settings include configuring the error message body text, including logs, acontact email, and email body text. These configurations can be achieved via two different methods, Group Policy Objects and Registry Keys.
**Please note:**
Only registry keys have the option to configure the email address that is sent by default for these error messages.
## Group Policy Objects
Before configuring group policy, ensure you are using the latest group policy template files, which can be found [here](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files). To configure the error message settings via Group Policy, see each of the objects below.
### Configure Custom Error Message
This group policy object allows you to set a custom error message that will be shown when an error occurs.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable\
Object Name: Configure custom error message\
Description: Set a custom error message to show for users when there is an error when executing a comparison.
### Configure Custom Contact Support Email Body
This group policy object sets the response body of the email that users can send when prompted with an error.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable\
Object Name: Configure custom contact support email body\
Description: Set a custom email message that will be shown when the user sees Outlook email with logs, after an error in the application.
### Never share obfuscated documents
This group policy object sets the behaviour for sending/sharing obfuscated documents when sending emails for unable to compare error messages.
From version 26.6, the document obfuscation feature is called **Create safe file for sharing** in the app (under **Help & Troubleshooting → Diagnostics**). This policy and its registry value name (`NeverShareObfuscatedDocuments`) are unchanged.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable Desktop Legal\
Object Name: Never share obfuscated documents\
Description: Set this policy to be enabled, which means that obfuscated document submission is always disabled, or set the policy to disabled to ensure that documents sent via error messages are always obfuscated.
### Users can share error logs
This group policy object sets global policy whether a user can share error logs.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable\
Object Name: Users can share error logs\
Description: Enabled means that users can share error logs, disabled means that users cannot share error logs.
## Registry Keys
All registry keys should be created under Computer\HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\Software\Draftable\Feature and should be of type REG\_SZ. If the key does not already exist, you can simply just create it.
**Please note:**
For system-wide configuration, it is highly recommended that you place the registry keys under Computer\HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
### Custom Compare Error Message
This registry key allows you to set a custom error message that will be shown when an error occurs.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CustomCompareErrorMessage
Value type: REG\_SZ
Value data:
```
For the value **\,** enter a string to change the text of the error message that is displayed for users.
### Custom Email Support Message
This registry key sets the response body of the email that users can send when prompted with an error.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CustomEmailSupportMessage
Value type: REG\_SZ
Value data:
```
For the value **\,** enter the desired email body string to change the body text of the default support email.
### Custom Error Contact Info Setting
This registry key sets the email address to which the support email will be sent when users are prompted with an error.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CustomErrorContactInfoSetting
Value type: REG\_SZ
Value data:
```
For the value **\,** enter the desired default contact email address for users to send their support queries.
### Never share obfuscated documents
This registry key sets whether obfuscated documents can be sent or not sent via email as part of a comparison error message.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Compare
Value name: NeverShareObfuscatedDocuments
Value type: REG\_DWORD
Value data:
```
For the value **\**, this can be set to "1" for enabled, which means that obfuscated document submission is always disabled, or set the key to "0" disabled to ensure that documents sent via error messages are always obfuscated.
### Users can share error logs
This registry key sets whether log files can be sent or not sent via email as part of a comparison error message.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CompareErrorWindowAllowsToEmailLogs
Value type: REG\_DWORD
Value data:
```
For the value **\**, this can be set to "1" for enabled, which means log files can be sent, or set the key to "0" disabled, which disables log files from being sent.
Ensure all configurations are correctly applied by restarting Draftable Legal or the user's computer if necessary. These settings will help streamline troubleshooting by providing custom error messages and facilitating smoother communication between the users and the support team. If you have any issues with configuration, please email us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# How To Configure End User Troubleshooting: Error Messages, Logs and Contact Email
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/34137792187802-How-To-Configure-End-User-Troubleshooting-Error-Messages-Logs-and-Contact-Email
This guide will walk you through configuring the end user error message settings in Draftable Legal, which occur when a comparison fails to compare. These settings include configuring the error message body text, including logs, acontact email, and email body text. These configurations can be achieved via two different methods, Group Policy Objects and Registry Keys.
**Please note:**
Only registry keys have the option to configure the email address that is sent by default for these error messages.
## Group Policy Objects
Before configuring group policy, ensure you are using the latest group policy template files, which can be found [here](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files). To configure the error message settings via Group Policy, see each of the objects below.
### Configure Custom Error Message
This group policy object allows you to set a custom error message that will be shown when an error occurs.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable\
Object Name: Configure custom error message\
Description: Set a custom error message to show for users when there is an error when executing a comparison.
### Configure Custom Contact Support Email Body
This group policy object sets the response body of the email that users can send when prompted with an error.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable\
Object Name: Configure custom contact support email body\
Description: Set a custom email message that will be shown when the user sees Outlook email with logs, after an error in the application.
### Never share obfuscated documents
This group policy object sets the behaviour for sending/sharing obfuscated documents when sending emails for unable to compare error messages.
From version 26.6, the document obfuscation feature is called **Create safe file for sharing** in the app (under **Help & Troubleshooting → Diagnostics**). This policy and its registry value name (`NeverShareObfuscatedDocuments`) are unchanged.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable Desktop Legal\
Object Name: Never share obfuscated documents\
Description: Set this policy to be enabled, which means that obfuscated document submission is always disabled, or set the policy to disabled to ensure that documents sent via error messages are always obfuscated.
### Users can share error logs
This group policy object sets global policy whether a user can share error logs.
Policy Location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable\
Object Name: Users can share error logs\
Description: Enabled means that users can share error logs, disabled means that users cannot share error logs.
## Registry Keys
All registry keys should be created under Computer\HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\Software\Draftable\Feature and should be of type REG\_SZ. If the key does not already exist, you can simply just create it.
**Please note:**
For system-wide configuration, it is highly recommended that you place the registry keys under Computer\HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
### Custom Compare Error Message
This registry key allows you to set a custom error message that will be shown when an error occurs.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CustomCompareErrorMessage
Value type: REG\_SZ
Value data:
```
For the value **\,** enter a string to change the text of the error message that is displayed for users.
### Custom Email Support Message
This registry key sets the response body of the email that users can send when prompted with an error.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CustomEmailSupportMessage
Value type: REG\_SZ
Value data:
```
For the value **\,** enter the desired email body string to change the body text of the default support email.
### Custom Error Contact Info Setting
This registry key sets the email address to which the support email will be sent when users are prompted with an error.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CustomErrorContactInfoSetting
Value type: REG\_SZ
Value data:
```
For the value **\,** enter the desired default contact email address for users to send their support queries.
### Never share obfuscated documents
This registry key sets whether obfuscated documents can be sent or not sent via email as part of a comparison error message.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Compare
Value name: NeverShareObfuscatedDocuments
Value type: REG\_DWORD
Value data:
```
For the value **\**, this can be set to "1" for enabled, which means that obfuscated document submission is always disabled, or set the key to "0" disabled to ensure that documents sent via error messages are always obfuscated.
### Users can share error logs
This registry key sets whether log files can be sent or not sent via email as part of a comparison error message.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\\Software\\Draftable\\Feature
Value name: CompareErrorWindowAllowsToEmailLogs
Value type: REG\_DWORD
Value data:
```
For the value **\**, this can be set to "1" for enabled, which means log files can be sent, or set the key to "0" disabled, which disables log files from being sent.
Ensure all configurations are correctly applied by restarting Draftable Legal or the user's computer if necessary. These settings will help streamline troubleshooting by providing custom error messages and facilitating smoother communication between the users and the support team. If you have any issues with configuration, please email us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Understanding the PDF Conversion Engine Setting in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/34177444131737-Understanding-the-PDF-Conversion-Engine-Setting-in-Draftable-Legal
Where to find Draftable Legal's conversion engine setting in 26.6 and earlier, what the DOCX to PDF and PDF to DOCX engines do, and when to switch between the Draftable Engine and Microsoft Word.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
In Draftable Legal 26.6 and later, the conversion engines live under **Settings > Help & Troubleshooting > Technical**. In earlier versions, they're under the **General** tab. The steps below include a tab for each version.
## Purpose of the PDF Conversion Engine Setting
The PDF conversion engine setting in Draftable Legal determines how the application handles the conversion of Word documents (DOCX) to PDFs during the document comparison process. This setting significantly impacts the speed and reliability of your document comparisons. In Draftable Legal 26.6 and later, a separate **PDF to DOCX conversion engine** is also available for comparisons that convert PDFs to Word, and it has its own set of options.
## Importance of the Setting
Selecting the appropriate PDF conversion engine is crucial because it directly influences the performance of your comparisons when using the 'Redline in Draftable' comparison type. For the DOCX to PDF engine, you can leave the setting on **Default (recommended)** or choose **Microsoft Word**. Each option has its own advantages, depending on your specific needs and any issues you might encounter.
## Recommended Settings
### DOCX to PDF conversion engine
In Draftable Legal 26.6 and later, the **DOCX to PDF conversion engine** dropdown has three options:
**Default (recommended)**: This is the recommended setting for most users. It uses the Draftable Engine to provide faster and more reliable comparisons within Draftable Legal. The Draftable Engine is optimized for the software, ensuring that document comparisons are performed efficiently and accurately.
**Draftable Engine**: This selects the Draftable Engine explicitly. It behaves the same as Default (recommended).
**Microsoft Word**: This setting should be used if you experience PDF rendering issues. The Microsoft Word engine uses Microsoft's own capabilities to convert documents, which can be beneficial in cases where the Draftable Engine produces poor formatting in PDF outputs.
### PDF to DOCX conversion engine
Draftable Legal 26.6 and later also includes a separate **PDF to DOCX conversion engine** dropdown for comparisons that convert PDFs to Word. It has its own options, with **Default (recommended)** suited to most users. You only need to change this engine if comparisons that involve converting a PDF to Word produce incorrect or poorly formatted results. If that happens, try one of the other engines, or contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for guidance on which option suits your documents.
## How to Configure the PDF Conversion Engine
* Via the New Comparison window: open the New Comparison window and click **Settings** in the top-right corner.
* Via the taskbar: right-click the Draftable Legal icon in the taskbar and select **Settings**.
Next, open the conversion engine setting. Its location depends on your Draftable Legal version, so select the tab that matches yours.
1. In the settings menu, select **Help & Troubleshooting**, then scroll to the **Technical** section.
2. Set **DOCX to PDF conversion engine** to your preferred engine. Choose **Default (recommended)** for optimized performance, or **Microsoft Word** if you experience PDF rendering issues. You can also select **Draftable Engine** explicitly, which behaves the same as Default (recommended).
3. A separate **PDF to DOCX conversion engine** is available for comparisons that convert PDFs to Word. It has its own options, with **Default (recommended)** suited to most users. Only change it if these comparisons produce incorrect results.
1. In the settings menu, select the **General** tab.
2. Locate the **Conversion engine** dropdown.
3. Choose between **Draftable Engine** for optimized performance and **MS Word** for compatibility with specific PDF rendering requirements.
## Extending Group Policy or using Registry Keys for PDF Conversion Engine
For organizations utilizing Group Policy to manage settings across multiple user accounts, the PDF conversion engine can also be configured centrally. This ensures consistency in settings across the enterprise and reduces the need for individual user configuration. [A complete guide on using Group Policy can be found here](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262105-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal). [A complete guide on common Windows Registry configurations for Draftable Legal can be found here](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations).
Group Policy and registry key names are unchanged in 26.6. Only the in-app location of the setting moved, and the policy below still applies to all versions.
* Navigate to Control Panel > Windows Tools > Edit Group Policy.
* By default the Conversion Engine is set to the Draftable Engine.
* To configure this to use the Microsoft Word engine:
* Under the Draftable settings, locate the 'DOCX Conversion Engine' policy.
* Set the policy to 'Office' (MS Word).
## Troubleshooting
### Troubleshooting Issues when using the Draftable Engine
The Draftable team have an ongoing project to improve the quality of our conversion engine. If you encounter any issues with your PDF output rendering please share these with [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) so we can make necessary improvements to our comparison algorithm.
If users encounter PDF rendering issues with the Draftable Engine document comparisons, one immediate workaround available is to try switching the DOCX to PDF conversion engine to Microsoft Word.
### Troubleshooting Issues when using the Microsoft Word Engine
If users are experiencing reliability or speed issues when running comparisons using the Redline in Draftable Comparison Type, switching the PDF Conversion Engine often resolves these problems. Try switching the PDF Conversion Engine to Draftable Engine for faster and more reliable results.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal July 2024 (v24.7.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/34601611468313-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-July-2024-v24-7-0
*Note: This article was updated on July 18 2024 to include description of highlighted features in the 24.7.200 update*
We are excited to announce the release of Draftable Legal v24.7 (July 2024). This update introduces several new features and improvements aimed at expanding the value of Draftable across your user base, improving product reliability on a wider set of documents, improving integration workflows and making Draftable a leaner and easier to administer application.
Key benefits in this update include:
* **Legal-friendly and more detailed Excel comparisons** using our new Excel Redline comparison type (preview only)
* **Better reliability on a wider set of documents** by identifying word documents with legacy elements and offering users access to the Draftable Engine for PDF to Docx conversion
* **Greater flexibility for comparison iManage file management** with the new ability to save comparisons as a related file
* **Easier product use** thanks to next actions being available in the ribbon (top) menu of the Draftable Comparison Viewer
* **Faster comparison workflows for iManage users in multi-user (e.g. Citrix) environments** with the updated Listener Service to allow launching of comparisons from iManage
* **Easier IT administration of Draftable** thanks to Comparison Type configurations, reduced application size, and improved application version and error log naming conventions
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 24.7.0 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Core Functionality
### Excel Redline Comparison (Preview)
The centerpiece of the 24.7.0 release is a new (preview) feature that allows users to compare Excel files and produce a redline output in an Excel (.xlsx) file. Using a new comparison algorithm purpose built for Excel, this enhances your comparison capabilities and allows users to see changes in values, formulas and formatting changes (such as column and row insertions and deletions) in detail.
Customers can access this preview feature by contacting their account executive or by emailing [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
Our Product team will be collecting feedback on this preview feature to make additional improvements before releasing it to all Draftable users.
### Remove Cover Page from Side by Side Exports
Users that need to share Side by Side comparisons with external parties can now choose to remove the cover page from the PDF export. to conform with Increase customization with the option to remove the cover page from Side by Side comparison exports. This allows for a cleaner, more focused comparison output tailored to your specific needs.
## Ease of Use Improvements
### Next actions now available in the ribbon (top) menu
We are committed to ensuring Draftable Legal is easy to use on the first go without requiring any training. With the v24.7.0 release, we are reinforcing this commitment by adding our 'Next Actions' (e.g. open, save to DMS, email, print, copy to clipboard, etc) in the ribbon (top) menu of our Comparison Viewer.
This change ensures that the next actions are easily seen and discovered by new users. Thanks to the addition of the Redline Change List in v2.15.200, these actions were only available when users switched from the Change List to the Next Actions menu on the right hand side of the Comparison Viewer. With the addition of these action in the ribbon menu, new users should be able to compete their workflows without needing specific training on how to switch these views.
Users can still continue to use the Next Action menu on the right hand side by selecting the next action icon in the top right corner of the viewer.
### Smaller ease of use enhancements
**Use input file location when saving Bulk Compare outputs** Users can now save Bulk Compare outputs faster with Draftable Legal defaulting to the input file location.
**Improved product guidance** From v24.7.0 users will see a link next to the Comparison Type selection in the New Comparison Window that opens our [dedicated knowledge base article on Comparison Types](/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521881-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window).
## Performance Improvements
### PDF to DOCX Conversion with the Draftable Engine (Preview)
Users experiencing reliability issues with PDF comparisons due to Microsoft Word's conversion process can now switch to the Draftable Engine as an alternative. The Draftable Engine has proved hugely popular for DOCX to PDF conversion and is now the Draftable default thanks to its speed and reliability improvements compared with Microsoft Word's conversions. This feature provides that same Draftable Engine for converting PDF files to DOCX.
Customers can access this preview feature by contacting their account executive or by emailing [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
Our Product team will be collecting feedback on this preview feature to make additional quality control improvements before releasing it to all Draftable users.
### Algorithm Enhancements
Users running comparisons of older documents in Draftable can occasionally experience reliability issues due to legacy document elements. To provide a wider document compatibility and a better user experience, Draftable will detect these legacy elements and advise users to update their document to a modern format for comparison. This algorithm improvement continues to enhance our broader product reliability and has been made possible thanks to the feedback received by customers contact our Support team.
## Integration Functions
### iManage Enhancements
#### Save outputs to iManage as a 'Related' file
From Draftable Legal v24.7.0 iManage users can now save their comparison outputs to iManage as a new file and then relate that file to an existing iManage file (e.g. the input files) all in one workflow. Users simply select to Save to iManage (as a new related file). This will provide an iManage window to save the comparison output file and then immediately open another iManage window to select the file to relate the comparison output to.
#### Updated listener service for multi-user (e.g. Citrix) environments
Our recently released Listener Service was developed to allow users to launch comparisons from iManage even when Draftable is not running. However, the Listener Service was not optimized for multi-user systems (e.g. Citrix), as it only worked for one user per machine. The v24.7.0 release updated the Listener to make desktop IPC communication unique for each user instead of the system, allowing multi-user systems to launch from iManage seamlessly.
You can [read more about the Listener Service in this dedicated article](/hc/en-us/articles/33978111642905-Alternative-iManage-HTTP-listener-service-installation-guide-for-Draftable-Legal).
### Epona Enhancements
To ensure Epona users have the information they need to select the correct input files, from v24.07.0 Draftable Legal's integration with Epona 365 will now display comments associated with document versions in the file selection menu.
## Administrator Features
### Comparison Type configuration
To ensure end users are only provided with Comparison options needed by your organization, from Draftable Legal v24.7.200 administrators can set default and / or remove Comparison Types via the Windows Registry or using Group policy.
You can learn more about how to configure Comparison Types or Outputs in [this article](/hc/en-us/articles/35240737941913-How-to-configure-Comparison-Types-and-Outputs-Remove-options-or-set-initial-default).
### Other Administrator Features
**Version Number Alignment** To provide easier version tracking for administrators, Draftable Legal has switched its version numbering convention to a 'Year-Month-Version' (YY.MM.VV) format . This allows administrators to intuitively identify the age of a version when administering Draftable for their organization.
**Improved Error Log Naming** To make it easier for administrators and our Support team to track and manage errors logs, we have updated our file name conventions for exported error logs to include the date and a unique ID.
**Reduced Application Size** Draftable Legal v24.7.0 has reduced application size by dropping support for x32 bit, updating CEF# and Microsoft Universal C Runtime.
**Enhanced Telemetry** To improve our product learnings the 24.7.0 update has added data points to our telemetry, Updated product telemetry now shares document metadata (including the number of words, pages, and characters) as well as the Word Document Scheme version and installation & troubleshooting events.
See here for [more information on our Product Telemetry program](/hc/en-us/articles/34620487450265-Product-Telemetry).
## Bug Fixes
As always, this release also implemented a number of bug fixes identified by our customers. These included:
* Restoring the dialog warning users that Changed Pages output does not support style changes.
* Fixing an issue where Silent Start with Windows was set incorrectly in the Group Policy Template.
* Resolving an algorithm error when comparing documents with corrupted metadata comments.
* Fixing an issue where whitespace changes were ignored when using the 'changed pages only' option in the Draftable Redline Viewer.
* Ensuring 1-Click compares respect the user's Output filename configuration when opening.
* Updating Side-By-Side exports to include moves, aligning them with what is shown in Draftable.
* Correcting an error message shown when failing to complete a drag-and-drop load due to integration being disabled.
We hope these new features and improvements enhance your experience with Draftable Legal. For any feedback or suggestions, please contact us at [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com) and for any support issues please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Product Telemetry
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/34620487450265-Product-Telemetry
At Draftable, our goal is to deliver the best possible experience with our product, Draftable Legal. To achieve this, we rely on telemetry data to gain insights into how our product is used, identify areas for improvement, and ensure optimal performance and reliability. By allowing us to collect and analyze telemetry data, you can help us make informed decisions that drive enhancements and innovations, ultimately benefiting your users. This document provides summary information to assist firms when deciding whether to enable telemetry sharing to support these efforts.
## Privacy and data protection
We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of privacy and data protection. Importantly:
* **No Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Collected** We do not collect any personally identifiable information. This includes names, email addresses, or any other data that can be used to identify an individual.
* **No Potentially Identifiable Information Collected** Our telemetry does not capture data that can be potentially linked to specific users, licenses, IP addresses, or organizations. This ensures that all collected data is anonymized and aggregated, focusing solely on improving product performance and user experience without compromising user privacy.
By adhering to these principles, we ensure that our telemetry practices comply with privacy regulations and align with security standards expected by our users.
## Data captured
Our product telemetry captures data across various key themes to help us understand and improve product usage. These themes include:
### 1. Usage Metrics
* **Document Comparisons:** Number and frequency of document comparisons performed.
* **Document Types and Sizes:** File types (e.g. docx, pdf) and file size (in kilobytes).
* **Feature Utilization:** Specific features used during document comparisons.
* **Session Durations:** Length of time users spend on each session.
### 2. Performance Metrics
* **Response Times:** Time taken to complete document comparisons.
* **Error Rates:** Frequency and types of errors encountered.
### 3. Technical Environment
* **System Configurations:** Operating system, MS Office and browser versions, and hardware specifications.
* **Network Performance:** Latency and connectivity issues.
### 4. Interaction Data
* **User Actions:** Clicks, navigation paths, and interaction patterns within the application.
* **Help and Support:** Usage of help features and support requests.
A complete list of fields captured via Draftable telemetry can be requested by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com)
## How we use telemetry data
We collect product usage data to continuously improve our product and ensure it meets the needs of our users. Specifically, we aim to:
* **Enhance User Experience**\
By understanding how users interact with our product, we can identify areas for improvement and optimize the user interface for better efficiency and satisfaction.
* **Improve Performance and Reliability**\
Analyzing performance metrics allows us to identify bottlenecks and optimize our systems for faster and more reliable document comparisons.
* **Guide Feature Development**
Usage data helps us prioritize new features and enhancements based on actual user needs and usage patterns.
* **Proactively Resolve Issues**\
Monitoring error rates and user interactions enables us to quickly identify and address potential issues before they impact a broader user base.
Draftable does not use telemetry data for direct sales and marketing purposes. Data is de-identified and aggregated in a way that prevents us from using telemetry data to analyze specific customer product usage.
## Further information
For any further information or questions, please contact our Product team at [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
# How to set up 1-Click Compare default workflow
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/35238811918617-How-to-set-up-1-Click-Compare-default-workflow
This article outlines how to set up a default 1-Click Compare workflow for users in an organization. It is written for Systems / IT Administrators.
If you are an end user who wants to update your own default workflow for 1-Click Compare, see [this article](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow) instead.
## What is 1-Click Compare?
1-Click Compare gets you to your preferred next action in "1-Click". Users can launch a comparison of two files and generate their chosen 'next action' without any further steps. For example, you can use 1-Click Compare to go straight from selecting your files to:
* Creating an email with redline outputs and input files attached
* Copying input files and comparison outputs to your clipboard
* Immediately printing your preferred comparison output
* Saving your your preferred comparison output to your DMS
* Opening your Redline in Word
## How to set up a default 1-Click Compare workflow via Registry or Group Policy
You will first need to allow the export option to be shown on your own version of Draftable Legal. You can do this via updating the Registry key changes or by Group Policy.
By updating the registry key under HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\Software\Draftable\Feature by creating the following DWord 32 bit key `OneClickExportOptionsEnabled`with a value from 1Or by enabling the `Enable to show 1-Click export options` in Group Policy
To confirm this has worked, open Draftable, go to the settings and select the 1-Click Compare tab, in the menu you should now see a 'Copy to Clipboard' option in the top left corner (see below)
Once the export option is available, set up your preferred default workflow for 1-Click Compares in your organization via the settings UI on screen.
Once it is set up, click 'Copy to Clipboard'
Now you can paste the default workflow into either the registry key AdminOneClickCompareSuggestion or in Group Policy `1-Click definition` (pictured below in two screenshots)
Your 1-Click Default will now be set up for all users. Users will be able to override this 1-Click Compare default workflow unless you remove the settings menu section (see below for details)
## How to remove the option for end users to override your default 1-Click Compare workflow
1. You can remove the 1-Click Compare settings tab by updating the registry key HideOneClickTab from 0 to 1
2. Alternatively, you can use Group Policy to remove the 1-Click Compare settings tab by enabling the Hide 1-Click tab for users option
# How to set up 1-Click Compare default workflow
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/35238811918618-How-to-set-up-1-Click-Compare-default-workflow
This article outlines how to set up a default 1-Click Compare workflow for users in an organization. It is written for Systems / IT Administrators.
If you are an end user who wants to update your own default workflow for 1-Click Compare, see [this article](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow) instead.
## What is 1-Click Compare?
1-Click Compare gets you to your preferred next action in "1-Click". Users can launch a comparison of two files and generate their chosen 'next action' without any further steps. For example, you can use 1-Click Compare to go straight from selecting your files to:
* Creating an email with redline outputs and input files attached
* Copying input files and comparison outputs to your clipboard
* Immediately printing your preferred comparison output
* Saving your your preferred comparison output to your DMS
* Opening your Redline in Word
## How to set up a default 1-Click Compare workflow via Registry or Group Policy
You will first need to allow the export option to be shown on your own version of Draftable Legal. You can do this via updating the Registry key changes or by Group Policy.
By updating the registry key under HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\Software\Draftable\Feature by creating the following DWord 32 bit key `OneClickExportOptionsEnabled`with a value from 1Or by enabling the `Enable to show 1-Click export options` in Group Policy
To confirm this has worked, open Draftable, go to the settings and select the 1-Click Compare tab, in the menu you should now see a 'Copy to Clipboard' option in the top left corner (see below)
Once the export option is available, set up your preferred default workflow for 1-Click Compares in your organization via the settings UI on screen.
Once it is set up, click 'Copy to Clipboard'
Now you can paste the default workflow into either the registry key AdminOneClickCompareSuggestion or in Group Policy `1-Click definition` (pictured below in two screenshots)
Your 1-Click Default will now be set up for all users. Users will be able to override this 1-Click Compare default workflow unless you remove the settings menu section (see below for details)
## How to remove the option for end users to override your default 1-Click Compare workflow
1. You can remove the 1-Click Compare settings tab by updating the registry key HideOneClickTab from 0 to 1
2. Alternatively, you can use Group Policy to remove the 1-Click Compare settings tab by enabling the Hide 1-Click tab for users option
# How to configure Comparison Types and Outputs: Remove options or set initial default
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/35240737941913-How-to-configure-Comparison-Types-and-Outputs-Remove-options-or-set-initial-default
Comparison Types and outputs are at the core of the Draftable Legal experience. While we strive to offer as much flexibility for users in Comparison Types, many users will not need all the options provided. Likewise, organizations may wish to stop users from exporting certain comparison outputs via the 'Next Actions' commands or in 1-Click Compare workflows. From Draftable v24.7.200, administrators can set default and / or remove Comparison Types via the Windows Registry or using Group policy.
This article guides IT Administrators in configuring Draftable Legal to remove any unwanted Comparison Types and / or to change the default Comparison Type from 'Redline in Draftable'
To learn more about Comparison Types and their use, please see [this article](/hc/en-us/articles/33190528521881-Comparison-Type-How-to-choose-the-right-option-in-the-Draftable-New-Comparison-Window).
### How to update the initial default Comparison Type
Administrators can use the `InitialComparisonOutput` registry key to set an initial Comparison Type default.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: InitialComparisonOutput
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The default options are:
| **Comparison Type** | **Value for InitialComparisonOutput registry key** |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | Redline |
| Redline in Word | RedlineDocx |
| Tracked Changes in Word | TrackChangesWord |
| Side by Side | Draftable |
| Redline in Excel | ExcelRedline |
| Native in MS Office | NativeOffice |
| Departures Table | DeparturesTable |
| Changes Report | ChangesReport |
| Text Only Compare | TextOnly |
| PowerPoint Redline | PowerPointRedline |
| AI-Ready Redline | AiReadyRedline |
Once set, this will set the selected Comparison Type as the default choice in the New Comparison Window upon starting Draftable. If the user selects a different Comparison Type, this will be 'sticky' and remains selected until the user either changes it again or closes the application.
## Removing unwanted Comparison Types
Many organizations exclusively use either Tracked Changes or Redline in Word as their preferred word output. Likewise, organizations will often have a preference for either Redline in Excel, Side by Side or MS Office Native for Excel comparisons. With this in mind, organizations can configure Draftable Legal to only provide those Comparison Types and outputs needed by their users. This can be done via Group Policy or in the Windows Registry.
### Removing Comparison Type and Output options via Group Policy
Administrators can update the default value of the following Group Policy Options to remove Comparison Types from the New Comparison Window, Next Actions menu, and 1-Click Compare menu.
| **Comparison Type** | **Group Policy Option** |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | Enable Redline PDF Output |
| Excel Redline | Enable Excel Redline Output |
| Redline in Word | Enable Redline DOCX Output |
| Tracked Changes in Word | Enable Track Changes in Word Output |
| Side by Side | Enable Side-By-Side Output Comparison |
| Changed Pages Only PDF export | Enable Changed Pages Output |
| Native in MS Office | Enable Native Office Output |
| Departures Table | Enable Departures Table Output |
| Changes Report | Enable Changes Report |
| Text Only Compare | Enable Text Only Compare |
| PowerPoint Redline | Enable PowerPoint Redline Output |
| AI-Ready Redline | Enable AI-Ready Redline Output |
### Removing Comparison Type options via the Windows Registry
The following registry values can be configured to exclude Comparison Types and outputs from the New Comparison Window, Next Actions menu, and 1-Click Compare menu. Each value is a `REG_DWORD` under the following registry path:
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data: 1 (enabled / shown — default) or 0 (disabled / removed)
```
| **Comparison Type** | **Registry Value Name (set to 0 to remove)** |
| :- | :- |
| Redline in Draftable | IsRedlineOutputEnabled |
| Excel Redline | IsExcelRedlineOutputEnabled |
| Redline in Word | IsRedlineDocxOutputEnabled |
| Tracked Changes in Word | IsTrackChangesWordOutputEnabled |
| Side by Side | IsDraftableOutputEnabled |
| Changed Pages Only PDF export | IsChangedPagesOutputEnabled |
| Native in MS Office | IsNativeOfficeOutputEnabled |
| Departures Table | IsDeparturesTableOutputEnabled |
| Changes Report | IsChangesReportEnabled |
| Text Only Compare | IsTextOnlyCompareOutputEnabled |
| PowerPoint Redline | IsPowerPointRedlineOutputEnabled |
| AI-Ready Redline | IsAiReadyRedlineOutputEnabled |
# How to Fix Issues with Drag and Drop from iManage to Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36291759384985-How-to-Fix-Issues-with-Drag-and-Drop-from-iManage-to-Draftable-Legal
This troubleshooting article addresses a common issue where users encounter errors when dragging and dropping documents from the iManage interface directly into Draftable Legal.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
### Cause of the issue
When users try to drag and drop from iManage to Draftable Legal, an error can occur if iManage has not been authenticated with Draftable Legal. This issue usually surfaces after logging into the computer for the first time.
### Resolution of the issue
To resolve this issue, we have developed a new setting that triggers a login prompt for iManage to Draftable Legal when the application launches for the first time.
Open the Settings Menu: via the New Comparison Window: Open the New Comparison window and select "Settings" in the top right corner
Open the iManage settings:
In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections** (under Integrations), then expand the **iManage** section.
In the settings menu, navigate to the Integrations tab.
Enable the setting:
Locate the **Log in at startup** setting in the iManage section (described as "Connect to the default server when the app starts") and enable it.
Locate the "Automatically trigger log in on app start" setting within the Integrations tab and enable it.
This setting will force users to log into iManage when Draftable Legal launches, ensuring that the drag-and-drop feature works seamlessly. If you ever do experience this issue in the future, ensure that Draftable Legal and iManage are already logged in and authenticated.
If you require further help or have any queries, please get in touch with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Copy to Clipboard
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36782064468249-Copy-to-Clipboard
Draftable Legal allows you to copy comparison outputs to the clipboard, instead of having to save or email them. This is useful if for example you have an email you are working on and want to attach the comparison files to it. You can use the Copy to Clipboard feature instead of having to save the files first and the adding them to the email.
## Copy to Clipboard options
Start by running a Redline comparison (using the Redline in Draftable comparison type).
In the Comparison window, in the ribbon at the top, you will see a **"Copy to Clipboard"** button. If you click on that, you will see all the options you can choose from.
Select which files you want to copy, by checking the box to the right of each comparison type.
You can rename the files by clicking on the pencil icon on the right hand side of the window.
You can also change the file format of the Redline and the Original and Modified files. You can pick either PDF or DOCX file formats. Track Changes has to remain as a DOCX file though.
With the **Changes Report** option, you can again decide on the file format, this time the options are DOCX and CSV, while also choosing what changes you want in the report. You can either choose All Changes, are choose to just show the changes you have selected in the Filter you have set on the Change List panel on the right hand side.
If needs be, you can also choose to zip up all the files you have selected before they are copied to the clipboard.
Finally click on the **"Copy"** button and the selected files will be added clipboard, ready to be pasted elsewhere, such as an open email etc.
You are then all set and can paste your file(s) into your email or file location etc?
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal August 2024 (v24.8.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36883612378777-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-August-2024-v24-8-0
We are excited to announce the release of Draftable Legal v24.8.0 (August 2024). This update introduces several new features and improvements focused on streamlining your document comparison workflows, enhancing performance, and providing greater control for administrators.
Key benefits in this update include:
* **Greater flexibility** in file handling with new options for renaming, converting, and zipping files during email or clipboard actions.
* **Improved table comparison accuracy** with an updated algorithm for better column matching.
* **Faster comparisons** with optimized performance for text vs. text Redline outputs.
* **More export options** with single page export in the side-by-side view.
* **More consistent user experience** with persistent (i.e. sticky) user export selections across Draftable viewer sessions.
* **Improved product learnings for administration features** through expanded telemetry for Redline Profile changes and Group Policy configurations.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 24.8.0 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality Enhancements
### Enhanced File Handling with New Email and Clipboard Options
From v24.8.0, users can now save time when sharing their comparisons with the ability to rename, convert, and zip all files when emailing or copying them to the clipboard. This update allows for greater flexibility in how you share and manage documents, particularly in workflows requiring frequent document adjustments on the go.
### More export options with Single Page Export in Side-by-Side View
Effortlessly manage your comparison outputs by exporting a single page from the side-by-side view directly through the next action menus. This feature simplifies the document sharing process by enabling precise extraction of key pages for review or collaboration.
## Ease of Use Improvements
### Sticky Preferences for Consistent User Experience
Users will no longer need to manually select their file selection, renaming, and conversion preferences for every comparison. Next action preferences will now remain consistent across viewer sessions, defaulting to the last selection used. These ‘sticky’ settings ensure that your customizations persist, reducing clicks to complete your comparison and making it easier to work consistently across multiple sessions.
### New Default View Option for Redline PDF Comparisons
Optimize your review process with the new Redline Profile setting that allows the 3-pane view to be set as the default for PDF comparisons. This enhancement provides organizations or users that prefer a more detailed view of changes across older, newer and redlined documents. The setting can be configured via registry keys and Group Policy.
### Improved Error Messaging for Non-Comparable File Types
Users will now receive clearer guidance from Draftable with improved messaging for the "Draftable does not compare" filetype error. This update helps users quickly understand which file types are supported when an unsupported filetype is loaded for comparison, reducing confusion and streamlining troubleshooting.
## Performance Enhancements
### Accuracy: Improved Table Comparison Algorithm
From v24.8.0 Draftable Legal users can benefit from an updated table comparison algorithm that improves column matching accuracy. This advancement ensures that the output of tables within your documents are easier to read, reducing the work involved in reviewing comparison outputs.
### Reliability: Automatic Repair for Input DOCX Files
Enjoy greater reliability with the new auto-repair feature for DOCX documents. This function automatically corrects issues in input files with minor corruption (effectively saving a new copy of these files to remove the issue). This improvement reduces the likelihood of comparison failures and saves time by automating the workaround that would typically be provided during a support request.
### Speed: Optimized Speed for Text Comparisons in Redline Outputs
Experience faster performance in text vs. text comparisons for Redline outputs. This speed optimization allows you to complete your comparisons much more quickly than in previous versions, enhancing overall productivity.
## Administrator Features
### New Telemetry for Redline Profile, Group Policy Changes and Bulk Compare usage
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement for application administrators using Draftable, we have added new (anonymous) telemetry to log user behavior and configuration changes for Redline Profile adjustments and settings configured via Group Policy. This data will enable us to better understand the configuration needs of users which we aim to use to simplify both administrator and end user settings management.
In addition to adding Redline Profile and Group Policy events, we have also added Bulk Compare usage events to our telemetry system. We aim to use this information to guide how we further develop the Bulk Compare feature set, given the numerous additional improvements and features that can be built on top of this feature.
For more information about our product telemetry, visit our [dedicated telemetry guide](/hc/en-us/articles/34620487450265-Product-Telemetry).
## Bug Fixes
The August 2024 release also included the following bug fixes:
* Resolved document-specific error causing 'unable to compare' issues.
* Fixed an issue with redline output filenames when the name contained a period ('.').
* Corrected Office Add-ins installation issues when using MSI.
* Improved algorithm to display deleted comments correctly.
* Ensured that redline output correctly displays color changes even when text decoration is not used.
* Updated the help link for the 'Email' action in the next action menu to direct to the correct knowledge base guide.
* Fixed comparison errors caused by special characters in file names loaded from iManage.
* Corrected footers display in Redline when footer changes are disabled.
* Removed false positives in text box comparisons.
* Resolved issues with the incorrect order of deletions and insertions.
For a full list of changes and more details, please refer to our [Release Log](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal) or contact our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Opening Redlines in Word and PDF
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36894944583065-Opening-Redlines-in-Word-and-PDF
Draftable Legal allows you to open your redline output directly in Word or your PDF app without needing to save it first and then launch it in the appropriate application.
## Open Redline options
Start by running a Redline comparison (using the Redline in Draftable comparison type).
When the Comparison window opens, in the ribbon at the top, you will see the "**Open**" button. If you click on that, you will see all the options you can choose from.
To open the Redline as is, you can either choose to open it as a DOCX or a PDF. Once you have selected the format, click on arrow on the right hand side and the Redline will open in the appropriate application.
You can also open the Redline, just showing the pages that contain changes, as a PDF.
Finally you can open the Redline in Word as a Track Changes document.
# How to enable Epona integration in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36946151482137-How-to-enable-Epona-integration-in-Draftable-Legal
In this article, we will guide end users through the process of enabling the Epona integration in Draftable Legal.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This is required to use the Epona integration functions (i.e. loading files from your Epona matter, saving files in to Epona etc).
## Enabling your Epona integration in Draftable Legal
Open the **Draftable Legal, New Comparison Window** and select **'settings'** in the top right corner of the Window.
Open the Epona settings and turn on the integration. Epona must be enabled first before you can load files from or save files to your Epona matter.
In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections**, then expand the **Epona** accordion.
Turn on the **Epona** toggle to enable the integration (this was previously called "Enable Epona Integration").
DMS Connections lists every supported document management system. If you do not see Epona listed, you can find it alongside iManage, SharePoint, NetDocuments, and Worldox in the DMS Connections pane.
In settings, go to the **Integrations** tab, and under the Epona section, click "**Enable Epona Integration"**
Close the settings to return to the **New Comparison Window**. Your Epona integration should now be enabled. You can confirm this by checking the Epona file selection menu is available in the **New Comparison Window** (see below).
If you have issues with your Epona integration, you can contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for assistance.
# Running comparisons with files from Epona and saving outputs to Epona
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/37239959492633-Running-comparisons-with-files-from-Epona-and-saving-outputs-to-Epona
Epona is a leading content management software designed for use across a wide variety of industries.
This article will guide you on how to initiate comparisons by selecting documents from Epona, and how to preserve these comparison exports as outputs within Epona.
**Please note:** In order to use the features outline in this article, you must first:
* Have [enabled the Epona integration in your Draftable Settings and connected your account.](/hc/en-us/articles/36946151482137-How-to-enable-Epona-integration-in-Draftable-Legal)
## Selecting input files from Epona to start a comparison
Within the Draftable Legal **New Comparison Window**, click on the **Epona** option.
This will launch Epona's file explorer menu, where you can navigate to the file(s) you wish to compare.
Navigate to your desired file location and **click on the document(s)** **you wish to load** into Draftable. Once the document(s) are highlighted click on **OK**.
If you would like to load a specific version of a document, simply click on the **Select Version** option in the New Comparison Window.
The File versions list will appear. Select the version(s) you wish to compare and click **Select**.
Once both documents have been loaded, select your **Comparison Type** from the drop down menu.
Start your comparison by clicking **Compare** button at the bottom of the Window.
## Saving comparison outputs to Epona
First, following the steps above to load your document select into the **New Comparison** window. Then ensure "**Redline In Draftable**" is selected as the **Comparison Type.** Then hit **Compare**.
Once the comparison is ready, the **Comparison Viewer** will appear.
Select the **Save to Epona** button in the ribbon at the top of the **Comparison Viewer.**
This will bring up the Comparison Results window, which will allow you to select the Format of the file you wish to save, as well as the comparison output.
The options you can choose from are as follows:
**Redline:** This saves a .pdf or .docx file where all changes are marked or "redlined" over the base document. This layout allows for easy visual comparison between the original and new versions of the document.
**Changed Pages Only:** This is similar to the Redline option, but it only includes pages where changes have occurred. This is a useful feature if you're dealing with lengthy documents and you want to focus just on the pages with modifications. You can only save this output as a .pdf file.
**Tracked Changes:** This saves into a .docx file with all updates embedded as 'Tracked Changes' in Microsoft Word. This is useful for further editing or reviewing in Word, as you can accept or reject changes individually and keep a record of who made what changes and when.
**Changes Report:** This saves a .csv or docx file with either all the changes from the comparison or if a filter has been used, just the changes that match the filter output.
Once you have chosen the output format you wish to save, click on the arrow (->) to bring up the DMSforLegal 'Save As' window. By default, this will open in the Epona location where the newer input file was selected from the New Comparison Window. If this is not where you wish to save the output, you can navigate through your Epona folders to the desired location to save the file, as well as edit the filename and create new folders.
Enter the relevant details and select **'Ok'**. Your document has now been saved to **Epona.**
## Saving directly to Epona (Track Changes in Word outputs)
First, in the **New Comparison Window** ensure the **Tracked Changes in Word** has been selected then hit **Compare**
Once the comparison is ready, you will see a popup asking whether you want to Open or Save your comparison output
Note, some users may have set a default action for these comparisons in the Redline section of the Settings menu. If this is the case, you will need to change this setting to see the popup. See [Redline comparison settings](/hc/en-us/articles/16549612535705-Redline-comparison-settings) for details.
On the right side of the Save option, hit the **down arrow** to show more options
Select **Save to Epona** from the drop down menu
The DMSforLegal **'Save As' window** will now appear. By default, this will open in the Epona location where the newer input file was selected. From here you can navigate through Epona, edit the file name and create new folders as needed.
# Comment Comparison: Compare comments within Redline comparisons
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/37595923307801-Comparing-Comments-in-Redline-Comparisons
The Redline comparison feature in Draftable Legal allows users to not only compare the main content of documents but also review changes to comments. This guide provides an overview of how comments are compared, displayed, and managed within Redline comparisons.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## How Compare Comments Works
When performing a Redline comparison, Draftable analyzes comments within the documents being compared and identifies any changes, including comment insertions, deletions, and moves. These changes are reflected in the Redline output, allowing users to see how comments evolve between document versions.
However, there are also options to show comments by comparing them, which can be useful if users want to see all comments from either the original document, modified document or both documents without comparison of said comments.
## Managing comment settings in Redline comparisons
Draftable Legal provides flexible options for managing how comments are compared and displayed in your Redline outputs. The comment setting (named **How to handle comments** in 26.6 and later, previously **Comment Options**) offers the following choices:
You manage comment settings in the settings menu. The location of this setting changed in 26.6.
Select **Redline Profiles** under the **Compare** group, expand the **Word** accordion, and find **How to handle comments** under **Comparison Behavior**.
Open the **Redline** section and find **Comment Options** under **Comparison options**.
A related setting, **Show comments in three-pane view**, moved to the **Compare Viewer** settings in 26.6.
There are many options on how comments are shown within your Redline comparisons, which are discussed below.
### Turning off comment comparison
If you do not wish to show comments at all in your Redline comparisons, you can disable comments by setting **How to handle comments** to **Hide all** (was "Hide all comments").
### Show comments from both documents
Users can choose to include seeing comments from both documents but tell Draftable not to compare them.
This can be achieved by setting **How to handle comments** to **Show both** (was "Show comments from both documents").
As a result, comments in comparisons will still appear in the change list, but aren't compared so there is no markup applied to indicate deletions, insertions or moves.
Within the comparison, the text that contains the comments is highlighted in yellow to indicate where the comment is located.
### Showing comments from older files
Users can choose to include comments from the original documents but tell Draftable not to compare them.
This can be achieved by setting **How to handle comments** to **Show original only** (was "Show comments from the original document").
As a result, comments in the comparisons will still appear in the change list but only from the original document.
Within the comparison, the text that contains the comments is highlighted in yellow to indicate where the comment is located.
### Showing comments from newer files
Users can choose to include comments from the modified documents but tell Draftable not to compare them.
This can be achieved by setting **How to handle comments** to **Show modified only** (was "Show comments from the modified document").
As a result, comments in the comparisons will still appear in the change list but only from the modified document.
Within the comparison, the text that contains the comments is highlighted in yellow to indicate where the comment is located.
### Comparing comments
Users can choose to compare comments from both documents and show these changes within the change list.
This can be achieved by setting **How to handle comments** to **Compare** (was "Compare comments").
As a result, comments in the comparisons will still appear in the change list and show the changes between these comments.
### Markup settings for comment changes:
Markup settings for comment changes always follow what is set for Redline changes, in your Draftable Redline settings, hence:
* **Insertions**: New comments will be shown in the change list using the markup settings based on Redline settings for insertions. In this article, insertions are shown in blue.
* **Deletions**: Removed comments will appear in the change list using the markup settings based on Redline settings for deletions. In this article, deletions are shown as strikethrough red.
### Understanding compared comments in the Redline viewer
To see changes specifically for comments, in the **filters** option under the changes menu (found in the right-hand side of the view), ensure in the *Only show* field you select **Comment.** See below as an example:
Once set, only comment changes are shown in the comparison change-list. The change-list in the below example shows that we have both a deletion and insertion shown **just for the comments**.
The text in the comparison where there is/was a comment is highlighted as yellow, with the contents of the comment shown in the change list. This means, in the below example we have the text from the comparison "Provisions and" highlighted to indicate a comment was made for this text, and the change list shows us that a comment with the text "This is a deleted comment" was deleted as shown by the red strikethrough highlight.
To make it easier to distinguish between which text content contains comments and what text content are **marked** as changed (i.e normal content change), text that contains comments is marked in the **yellow highlight**, whilst text content changes are marked with **grey shading.**
If the text contains both a yellow highlight and grey shading, it means that the text associated with the content contains both changed text and a comment.
Please note, that the grey shading for changes only appears if only **Comments** are selected in the *Only show* filter menu. If no filters are applied, comments are still shown and the viewer appears like the below example:
## Deleted Comments
Deleted comments are shown within the comparison as highlighted yellow text to indicate where the comment was made. In the change list, you can note that a comment was deleted by the red strikethrough text, which indicates that the comment existed in the older document, but no longer exists in the new document.
The text where the comment was made still remains highlighted to show users where the comment was before it was removed in the new document.
## Resolved Comments in Comparison Outputs
Resolved comments will also be highlighted when comparing documents, as seen in the example below.
The resolved comment is marked as **deleted** as shown by the red strikethrough text of the comment in the change list, however, the comment itself is still shown by a yellow highlight as shown above in the text "Laws and amendment".
Hence, resolved comments and deleted comments appear the same within the viewer when compared, but are still shown despite being deleted/resolved.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal September 2024 (24.8.200, 24.9.0 & 24.9.100)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/37604055117977-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-September-2024-24-8-200-24-9-0-24-9-100
***Note: this article was updated on 30 September 2024 to include the v24.9.0 and v24.9.100 releases***
We are pleased to share details of our September releases of Draftable Legal (v24.8.200, 24.9.0 and 24.9.100). These releases bring together a number of new improvements for expanded redline and review functionality and faster and more accurate document comparison workflows.
Key benefits in September updates include:
* **Create redlined Excel files** using our new 'Redline in Excel' Comparison Type, with the ability to load excel files, worksheets or selected cells via our new Draftable Excel Add-in
* **Enjoy better accuracy** with an improved algorithm for merged cell display in tables and auto-detection and optimization for ideographic languages (such as Japanese, Chinese and Korean)
* **See markups more easily** with new markup schema color options for Classic (brighter) Blue and Red, and selected markup schema defined in the Summary page and used in the Changes Report
* **Annotate and share changes** with less clicks using new bulk action tagging in the Change List, and export your Changes Report as part of redline exports, as a separate docx file or within the body of a Draftable-generated email
* **Rerun comparisons faster** with Draftable's new automatic detection and syncing of file updates from your computer or DMS before rerunning comparisons.
* **Print files faster** with the option to print input files alongside comparison outputs
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 24.8.200 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Features & Improvements
### Redline in Excel now available to all users
#### Generate redlined Excel files using our new 'Redline in Excel' Comparison Type
From v24.9.1, users can generate redline outputs in Excel files, expanding Draftable's redlining comparison capabilities beyond Word and PDFs. This feature, previously in preview mode, is now generally available and allows for a more comprehensive review of spreadsheet-based agreements, financials, and other legal documents.
Our Redline in Excel comparison type uses a new purpose-built comparison algorithm specific to spreadsheets, and can detect and highlight where formula changes are the cause of markups (shown as yellow boxed groups of cells with 'notes' outlining formula changes). The output also displays where whole sheets are deleted or inserted, and where rows or columns are inserted or deleted using blue and pink shading.
The workflow in Draftable mimics our existing options for 'Redline in Word', providing users the flexibility to open, save, email or copy to clipboard the redlined Excel file. Our team are now hard at work building a dedicated Draftable viewer experience for spreadsheets, which will include a clickable and filterable change list for Excel comparisons.
#### Load Excel files, worksheets, or specific cells with the new Draftable Excel Add-in
To complement our new 'Redline in Excel' Comparison Type, Draftable has also released a Draftable add in for Excel. This add-in streamlines your comparison process by loading entire Excel files, individual worksheets, or selected cells for comparison. This ability to target specific sheets or cells for comparison helps users focus on relevant data, reducing time otherwise spent navigating through comparisons of larger spreadsheets.
### Improved algorithm for more accurate comparisons
#### Algorithm updates with support for Japanese and ideographic languages
From v24.9.0, users working with Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other ideographic languages can now experience more accurate and reliable comparisons. The updated algorithm automatically detects the presence of these languages in your documents and optimizes its functionality to ensure better handling of character-based languages without sentence spacing. This improves the overall experience for multilingual firms.
#### Improved outputs for comparing Tables with merged columns
Users will enjoy clearer and more readable table comparisons when they include merged cells. Draftable v24.8.200 includes algorithm improvements for scenarios where two columns are merged and text is inserted. This updated algorithm optimizes the redline output to preventing text from bunching up in a single column and gives an easy to read output while still clearly indicating the cells have been merged. This ensures smoother document reviews, particularly for tables with complex formatting.
| | |
| :- | - |
| **Older input file with Table that has empty row with two columns** | **New redline output with merged cell shown with readable text** |
### Improvements for comparison review workflows
#### Find changes more easily with brighter 'classic' blue and red markup colors
Focus on key changes by using the classic Word blue and red color scheme in markup outputs. This new option in the markup schema settings provides a familiar format for users, enhancing the ease of reviewing Redline comparisons.
#### Bulk status tagging and 'reviewed' tag for faster comparison reviews
Complete your reviews more efficiently with the new bulk tagging feature, allowing you to apply status tags across multiple changes at once. Additionally, you can mark individual changes as 'reviewed,' making it easier to track progress and finalize comparisons without missing critical updates.
### Share your annotated changes more easily
Our September updates included several enhancements to our Changes Report specifically requested by customers to make it easier to export and review. These include:
#### Export your Changes Report to DOCX or include in Redline exports or the body of emails generated by Draftable
We know most lawyers prefer working in Word documents. So from v24.8.200, users can export the Changes Report as a DOCX file in the Next Action menus (open, save, save to DMS, email, copy to clipboard). This makes it easier to share comprehensive summaries of document changes.
Alternatively, if users prefer they can choose to include the changes report as part of the redline or tracked change document itself (in any format). This can be achieved by selecting 'options' in the Next Action ribbon menus and choosing to include the Changes Report at the start or end of the comparison output.
Lastly, from v24.9.0, users can share their insights and tagged changes with colleagues directly in emails via the updated Next Actions menu. The new feature allows you to include the Changes Report within the body of emails generated by Draftable, streamlining collaboration and communication.
These additions ensure legal teams can share all necessary details when delivering reports to clients or colleagues.
#### Markup Schema Colors and filename in the Changes Report
Users can now identify changes more effectively in the Changes Report by seeing their markup schema colors used directly in the report. This visual enhancement makes it faster to understand changes in the report for quicker review turnaround.
Users will also see the names of compared files directly within the Changes Report. This feature makes it easier to ensure the correct files were compared and contextualizes the changes shown in the Changes Report.
We are currently working with customers on further enhancements to our Changes Report and if you would like to see other improvements please reach out to [product@draftable.com.](mailto:product@draftable.com)
### Other Ease of Use enhancements
Our September release has included a number of new ease of use features that remove steps in file loading and printing.
#### Rerun comparisons faster with automatic file resync
From v24.9.0, Draftable will detect updates to files that are left in the New Comparison Window, and automatically resyncs these updates from your local computer or DMS. This means users can rerun comparisons after updating their files without manually reloading the files into Draftable. This improvement reduces workflow clicks and helps you get to the results faster, especially when working on iterative drafts.
#### Save to the last used location by default
Users can save time during frequent comparison tasks by updating their General settings to default save locations to the last saved directory. This new setting minimizes unnecessary clicks and ensures smoother document handling.
#### Faster file loading when comparing older (Legacy) documents
Users can now streamline their comparison experience by disabling the warning in Draftable when working with legacy document types. This reduces unnecessary interruptions for users who frequently compare older Word documents.
#### Print Input Files via Draftable
It's now easier to obtain hard copies for comparison review when needed. Users can now choose to print their comparison input files directly from the Next Action menu in addition to comparison outputs. This improvement adds to Draftable's wide range of 'next actions' designed to reduce steps for comparison workflows.
## Bug Fixes
As with all releases, we have included a number of bug fixes reported to our support team:
* Resolved an issue where the `.docx` suffix was being appended twice when copying renamed files to the clipboard.
* Fixed a rendering issue that caused screen flickering when performing drag-and-drop operations.
* Addressed a false negative detection for inserted headers on the first page of documents.
* Corrected an error that caused a comparison failure when handling complex fields.
* Fixed an issue where inserted signatures were not appearing in the Change List.
For a full list of changes and more details, please refer to our [Release Log](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal) or contact our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Getting Comparison Results as a JSON via the Change-Details Endpoint (API Self Hosted)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/37873874456985-Getting-Comparison-Results-as-a-JSON-via-the-Change-Details-Endpoint-API-Self-Hosted
The change-details endpoint allows you to retrieve comparison results as a structured JSON response, including individual changes, style information, positional data, and a summary of all differences found.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
Running v3? See [the v3 version of this article](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Getting-Comparison-Results-as-a-JSON-via-the-Change-Details-Endpoint) instead.
The **change-details** endpoint returns a detailed JSON breakdown of every change detected between two compared documents. This includes the type of change, the affected text, positional coordinates on each page, font and style information, and a statistical summary.
## Endpoint
```bash theme={null}
GET https:///api/v1/comparisons//change-details
```
* **your-self-hosted-domain**: The base URL for your self-hosted Draftable API installation.
* **Comparison\_ID**: The unique identifier for the comparison (returned when you create a comparison via the API).
### Authentication
Include your API token in the `Authorization` header:
```bash theme={null}
Authorization: Token your_access_token
```
### Example request
```bash theme={null}
curl -H "Authorization: Token your_access_token" \
"https://your-server.example.com/api/v1/comparisons/LxBGpPTO/change-details"
```
## Response structure
The JSON response contains three top-level keys:
| Key | Description |
| - | - |
| `changes` | Array of change objects representing every matched, inserted, deleted, or replaced segment |
| `summary` | Statistical summary of the comparison including change counts and document metadata |
| `s3_links` | Presigned URLs for downloading highlighted PDFs, original documents, and viewer data files |
Depending on your self-hosted storage configuration, the `s3_links` key may contain URLs pointing to your local storage rather than AWS S3.
## Change objects
Each object in the `changes` array represents a segment of text that was either matched, inserted, deleted, or replaced between the left (older) and right (newer) documents.
### Change kinds
| Kind | Description | Text fields | Region fields |
| - | - | - | - |
| `match` | Text is identical in both documents | `text` | `leftRegion`, `rightRegion` |
| `insert` | Text exists only in the right document | `rightText` | `rightRegion` |
| `delete` | Text exists only in the left document | `leftText` | `leftRegion` |
| `replace` | Text in the left document was replaced with different text in the right document | `leftText`, `rightText` | `leftRegion`, `rightRegion` |
### Common fields on all change objects
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `kind` | string | The type of change: `match`, `insert`, `delete`, or `replace` |
| `moveId` | string or null | If present, indicates this change is part of a move operation (see [Move detection](#move-detection)) |
| `stylesInfo` | object | Font, color, and emphasis information for the text (see [Styles info](#styles-info)) |
| `viewerProperties` | object | Properties used by the Draftable viewer (typically an empty object) |
### Additional fields by kind
| Field | Present on | Type | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `text` | `match` | string | The matched text content |
| `leftText` | `delete`, `replace` | string | Text from the left (older) document |
| `rightText` | `insert`, `replace` | string | Text from the right (newer) document |
| `leftRegion` | `match`, `delete`, `replace` | object | Position of the text in the left document (see [Region objects](#region-objects)) |
| `rightRegion` | `match`, `insert`, `replace` | object | Position of the text in the right document (see [Region objects](#region-objects)) |
| `deletionMark` | `delete`, `replace` | object | Marker position in the left document margin (see [Marker objects](#marker-objects)) |
| `insertionMark` | `insert`, `replace` | object | Marker position in the right document margin (see [Marker objects](#marker-objects)) |
## Examples by change kind
### Match
A `match` change represents text that is identical in both documents.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "match",
"text": "ANNUAL REPORT",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 0,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 270.0, "top": 297.85, "right": 373.53, "bottom": 311.17 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[373.53, 297.85],
[270.0, 297.85],
[270.0, 311.17],
[373.53, 311.17]
]
}
]
},
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 0,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 270.0, "top": 297.85, "right": 373.53, "bottom": 311.17 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[373.53, 297.85],
[270.0, 297.85],
[270.0, 311.17],
[373.53, 311.17]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"leftStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "Arial-BoldMT", "emphasis": "bold", "size": 12.0 }
],
"rightStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "Arial-BoldMT", "emphasis": "bold", "size": 12.0 }
],
"leftStyleMap": ["0-12"],
"rightStyleMap": ["0-12"],
"styleChanges": []
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Insert
An `insert` change represents text that exists only in the right (newer) document.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "insert",
"rightText": "See comment above",
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 12.8, "top": 449.05, "right": 121.79, "bottom": 462.54 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[121.79, 449.05],
[12.8, 449.05],
[12.8, 462.54],
[121.79, 462.54]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"rightStyles": [
{ "color": "#FF0000", "font": "Chrom Sans OTF", "emphasis": "", "size": 12.0 }
],
"rightStyleMap": ["0-16"]
},
"insertionMark": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"point": [66.68, 477.6]
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Delete
A `delete` change represents text that exists only in the left (older) document.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "delete",
"leftText": "$9,500",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 71.13, "top": 533.38, "right": 98.62, "bottom": 543.63 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[98.62, 533.38],
[71.13, 533.38],
[71.13, 543.63],
[98.62, 543.63]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"leftStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "ArialMT", "emphasis": "", "size": 9.24 }
],
"leftStyleMap": ["0-5"]
},
"deletionMark": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"point": [98.62, 521.62]
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Replace
A `replace` change represents text that was changed between the left and right documents.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "replace",
"leftText": "21",
"rightText": "20",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 555.07, "top": 371.1, "right": 564.97, "bottom": 383.31 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[564.97, 371.1],
[555.07, 371.1],
[555.07, 383.31],
[564.97, 383.31]
]
}
]
},
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 555.07, "top": 371.1, "right": 566.45, "bottom": 383.31 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[566.45, 371.1],
[555.07, 371.1],
[555.07, 383.31],
[566.45, 383.31]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"leftStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "ArialMT", "emphasis": "", "size": 11.0 }
],
"rightStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "ArialMT", "emphasis": "", "size": 11.0 }
],
"leftStyleMap": ["0-1"],
"rightStyleMap": ["0-1"]
},
"deletionMark": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"point": [35.99, 409.32]
},
"insertionMark": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"point": [35.99, 409.32]
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
## Move detection
When Draftable detects that a block of text was **moved** (cut from one location and pasted to another), the individual `insert` and `delete` changes that make up the move are linked together using the `moveId` field. This allows you to distinguish a true move from unrelated insertions and deletions.
### The moveId format
The `moveId` is a string in the format `"{moveGroup}-{subIndex}"`:
| Component | Description |
| - | - |
| `moveGroup` | Identifies which move operation this change belongs to. All changes sharing the same `moveGroup` number are part of the same move. |
| `subIndex` | When a moved block is split across paragraphs or pages, each chunk receives its own sub-index (e.g., `0-0`, `0-1`, `0-2`). |
Changes that are not part of a move operation will not have a `moveId` field.
### How moves appear in the changes array
A move is represented as **paired** `delete` and `insert` entries:
* A `delete` change with `moveId` — the text was removed from this location in the left document
* An `insert` change with the same `moveId` — the text was placed at this location in the right document
```json theme={null}
// Text moved from page 2 to page 5
{
"kind": "delete",
"moveId": "0-0",
"leftText": "This paragraph was moved to a different section.",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 72.0, "top": 200.0, "right": 540.0, "bottom": 214.0 }
],
"regionOutlines": [...]
},
"stylesInfo": { ... },
"deletionMark": { "pageIndex": 1, "point": [36.0, 207.0] },
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "insert",
"moveId": "0-0",
"rightText": "This paragraph was moved to a different section.",
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 4,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 72.0, "top": 350.0, "right": 540.0, "bottom": 364.0 }
],
"regionOutlines": [...]
},
"stylesInfo": { ... },
"insertionMark": { "pageIndex": 4, "point": [36.0, 357.0] },
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Gaps in the sub-index sequence
When a moved block also contains **edits** (text that was changed within the moved content), the sub-index sequence will have gaps. For example, you might see `moveId` values of `"0-0"` and `"0-2"` but no `"0-1"`. The gap positions represent portions of the moved text that were edited — those edits appear as regular `replace`, `insert`, or `delete` changes **without** a `moveId`.
Example sequence for a move with internal edits:
| moveId | Kind | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `"0-0"` | `delete` / `insert` pair | First chunk of moved text (unchanged) |
| *(no moveId)* | `replace` | An edit within the moved text (the "gap" at sub-index 1) |
| `"0-2"` | `delete` / `insert` pair | Next chunk of moved text (unchanged) |
### Reconstructing move regions
Each individual change that is part of a move still carries its own `leftRegion` or `rightRegion` with full bounding box coordinates. To get the complete regions for an entire move operation, group changes by their `moveGroup` and collect the regions:
```python theme={null}
from collections import defaultdict
def group_moves(changes):
"""Group move-related changes by their move group."""
moves = defaultdict(lambda: {"deletes": [], "inserts": []})
for change in changes:
move_id = change.get("moveId")
if not move_id:
continue
move_group = move_id.split("-")[0]
if change["kind"] == "delete":
moves[move_group]["deletes"].append(change)
elif change["kind"] == "insert":
moves[move_group]["inserts"].append(change)
return dict(moves)
# Reconstruct left/right regions for each move
for group_id, move_data in group_moves(changes).items():
left_regions = [c["leftRegion"] for c in move_data["deletes"]]
right_regions = [c["rightRegion"] for c in move_data["inserts"]]
print(f"Move {group_id}: {len(left_regions)} source region(s), "
f"{len(right_regions)} destination region(s)")
```
The `moveId` field is only present on `delete` and `insert` changes that Draftable has identified as part of a move operation. Not all deletions and insertions are moves — only those where the comparison engine has matched the removed text to inserted text elsewhere in the document.
## Region objects
Region objects describe the physical location of text on a page. They appear as `leftRegion` and `rightRegion` on change objects. These regions correspond directly to the colored highlight boxes visible in the Draftable viewer and in the highlighted PDF exports available via `s3_links`.
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `pageIndex` | integer | Zero-based page number where the text appears |
| `rectangles` | array | Bounding rectangles for the text region. Each rectangle has `left`, `top`, `right`, and `bottom` coordinates (in points from the top-left corner of the page). Text spanning multiple lines or non-contiguous areas (such as chart labels) will have multiple rectangles. |
| `regionOutlines` | array | Outline polygons for the text region. Each outline has a `points` array of `[x, y]` coordinate pairs defining the exact highlight shape. For simple rectangular regions, this will be a four-point polygon matching the rectangle. For complex or multi-line regions, this defines the precise shape of the highlight overlay. |
Coordinates are measured in **points** (1 point = 1/72 of an inch) from the top-left corner of the page. A standard A4 page is approximately 595 x 842 points. A US Letter page is approximately 612 x 792 points.
## Marker objects
Marker objects (`deletionMark` and `insertionMark`) indicate where change markers appear in the document margin. These correspond to the small indicators shown alongside changes in the Draftable viewer and highlighted PDF exports — they allow you to identify which margin marker corresponds to which change.
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `pageIndex` | integer | Zero-based page number where the marker appears |
| `point` | array | An `[x, y]` coordinate pair indicating the marker position on the page (in points) |
## Styles info
The `stylesInfo` object provides font, color, and emphasis data for the text in a change. It allows you to understand the formatting of the text and detect style-only changes.
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `leftStyles` | array | Array of style objects applied to the left document text (absent on `insert` changes) |
| `rightStyles` | array | Array of style objects applied to the right document text (absent on `delete` changes) |
| `leftStyleMap` | array | Maps character ranges to styles in `leftStyles` (see below) |
| `rightStyleMap` | array | Maps character ranges to styles in `rightStyles` (see below) |
| `styleChanges` | array | List of style-only changes detected (present on `match` changes where text is identical but formatting differs) |
### Style objects
Each style object in `leftStyles` or `rightStyles` describes the formatting for a range of characters in the **original source document**:
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `color` | string | Hex color code of the text in the original document (e.g., `"#000000"` for black, `"#FF0000"` for red) |
| `font` | string | Font name (e.g., `"ArialMT"`, `"Arial-BoldMT"`) |
| `emphasis` | string | Text emphasis: `""` (none), `"bold"`, `"italics"`, or `"bold italics"` |
| `size` | number | Font size in points |
The `color` field represents the text color from the **original document**, not the comparison highlight color. For example, if a PDF contains a red annotation comment, its `color` will be `"#FF0000"` because that is the original text color — not because Draftable highlighted it.
### Style map format
The `leftStyleMap` and `rightStyleMap` arrays map character ranges in the text to entries in the corresponding styles array. Each entry is a string in the format `"start-end"`, where `start` and `end` are zero-based character indices (inclusive).
When a text segment has a single style, the style map contains one entry:
```json theme={null}
"leftStyleMap": ["0-12"]
```
When a text segment has multiple styles (e.g., mixed font sizes), the style map contains multiple comma-separated ranges per entry or multiple entries:
```json theme={null}
"leftStyleMap": ["0-25", "26-26"]
```
This means characters 0 through 25 use the first style in `leftStyles`, and character 26 uses the second style.
## Summary object
The `summary` object provides an overview of the comparison results.
```json theme={null}
{
"anyChanges": true,
"anyMatches": true,
"changeSummary": {
"matches": 998,
"deletions": 24,
"insertions": 19,
"replacements": 67,
"matchingWords": 16738,
"deletedLeftWords": 163,
"replacedLeftWords": 70,
"insertedRightWords": 139,
"replacedRightWords": 69,
"styleChanges": 0
},
"leftDocumentSummary": {
"pageCount": 32,
"characterCount": 75721,
"wordCount": 16862
},
"rightDocumentSummary": {
"pageCount": 32,
"characterCount": 75092,
"wordCount": 16836
}
}
```
### Summary fields
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `anyChanges` | boolean | `true` if any differences were detected between the documents |
| `anyMatches` | boolean | `true` if any matching text was found between the documents |
### Change summary fields
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `matches` | integer | Number of matched (unchanged) text segments |
| `deletions` | integer | Number of deleted text segments |
| `insertions` | integer | Number of inserted text segments |
| `replacements` | integer | Number of replaced text segments |
| `matchingWords` | integer | Total word count across all matched segments |
| `deletedLeftWords` | integer | Total word count of deleted text from the left document |
| `replacedLeftWords` | integer | Total word count of replaced text from the left document |
| `insertedRightWords` | integer | Total word count of inserted text in the right document |
| `replacedRightWords` | integer | Total word count of replacement text in the right document |
| `styleChanges` | integer | Number of style-only changes (text is identical but formatting differs) |
### Document summary fields
Both `leftDocumentSummary` and `rightDocumentSummary` contain:
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `pageCount` | integer | Total number of pages in the document |
| `characterCount` | integer | Total character count |
| `wordCount` | integer | Total word count |
## How the JSON maps to the visual comparison
The change-details JSON provides the same underlying data that powers the Draftable viewer and highlighted PDF exports. Here is how the key fields relate to what you see visually:
| JSON field | Visual representation |
| - | - |
| `kind` | Determines the highlight color: deletions and the left side of replacements appear as red strikethrough in the left document; insertions and the right side of replacements appear as colored highlight boxes in the right document |
| `rectangles` | Define the exact bounding boxes of each highlight region on the page |
| `regionOutlines` | Define the precise polygon shape of each highlight overlay (important for multi-line or irregularly shaped regions) |
| `deletionMark` / `insertionMark` | Correspond to the small margin indicators shown next to each change in the viewer |
| `stylesInfo` | Captures the original document formatting — useful for detecting style-only changes, but does **not** represent comparison highlight colors |
You can use the `rectangles` coordinates to programmatically draw your own highlight overlays on the original PDFs, or to build custom change navigation (e.g., "jump to change on page 5").
## S3 links
The `s3_links` object contains presigned URLs for downloading documents and viewer data files associated with the comparison. These URLs are temporary and will expire.
| Key | Description |
| - | - |
| `left` | Original left (older) document |
| `right` | Original right (newer) document |
| `left_highlighted` | Left document with comparison highlights applied (PDF) — deletions shown with red strikethrough, left side of replacements highlighted |
| `right_highlighted` | Right document with comparison highlights applied (PDF) — insertions and right side of replacements shown with colored highlight boxes |
| `scrollmap` | Scroll synchronization data used by the Draftable viewer |
| `changelist` | Change list data used by the Draftable viewer |
The `left_highlighted` and `right_highlighted` PDFs are the same highlighted documents used in the Draftable combined comparison export. The combined export interleaves them page-by-page (left page 1, right page 1, left page 2, right page 2, etc.).
## Fetching change-details via code (Python)
You can access the change-details endpoint programmatically. Below is an example using Python.
The change-details endpoint is **not** part of any existing Draftable client library. You will need to call it directly using an HTTP client.
```python theme={null}
import requests
import json
# Replace with your self-hosted domain, API access token, and comparison ID
base_url = "https://your-server.example.com"
access_token = "your_access_token"
comparison_id = "your_comparison_id"
url = f"{base_url}/api/v1/comparisons/{comparison_id}/change-details"
headers = {
"Authorization": f"Token {access_token}",
}
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
# Access the summary
summary = data["summary"]
print(f"Changes found: {summary['anyChanges']}")
print(f"Deletions: {summary['changeSummary']['deletions']}")
print(f"Insertions: {summary['changeSummary']['insertions']}")
print(f"Replacements: {summary['changeSummary']['replacements']}")
# Iterate through changes
for change in data["changes"]:
if change["kind"] == "replace":
print(f"Replaced '{change['leftText']}' with '{change['rightText']}'")
elif change["kind"] == "insert":
print(f"Inserted: '{change['rightText']}'")
elif change["kind"] == "delete":
print(f"Deleted: '{change['leftText']}'")
else:
print(f"Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")
```
## Important considerations
1. **Authentication**: You must include a valid API token in the `Authorization` header. Ensure your token has access to the comparison you are querying.
2. **Comparison must be complete**: The change-details endpoint is only available after a comparison has finished processing. Check the comparison status via the main comparisons endpoint before requesting change details.
3. **Error handling**: Handle common HTTP status codes in your code:
* `401 Unauthorized` — Invalid or missing API token
* `404 Not Found` — Comparison ID does not exist or has expired
4. **Data privacy**: The response contains the full text content of both compared documents. Ensure appropriate security measures are in place when storing or transmitting this data.
5. **Presigned URL expiry**: The URLs in `s3_links` are temporary presigned URLs. Retrieve fresh URLs by calling the endpoint again if they have expired.
For more information on other API endpoints, refer to your self-hosted Draftable API documentation.
If you encounter any issues accessing the endpoint or need assistance, reach out to our support team.
# Getting Comparison Results as a JSON via the Change-Details Endpoint (API)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/37873922031129-Getting-Comparison-Results-as-a-JSON-via-the-Change-Details-Endpoint-API
The change-details endpoint allows you to retrieve comparison results as a structured JSON response, including individual changes, style information, positional data, and a summary of all differences found.
The **change-details** endpoint returns a detailed JSON breakdown of every change detected between two compared documents. This includes the type of change, the affected text, positional coordinates on each page, font and style information, and a statistical summary.
## Endpoint
```bash theme={null}
GET https://api.draftable.com/v1/comparisons//change-details
```
* **Comparison\_ID**: The unique identifier for the comparison (returned when you create a comparison via the API).
### Authentication
Include your API token in the `Authorization` header:
```bash theme={null}
Authorization: Token your_access_token
```
### Example request
```bash theme={null}
curl -H "Authorization: Token your_access_token" \
"https://api.draftable.com/v1/comparisons/LxBGpPTO/change-details"
```
## Response structure
The JSON response contains three top-level keys:
| Key | Description |
| - | - |
| `changes` | Array of change objects representing every matched, inserted, deleted, or replaced segment |
| `summary` | Statistical summary of the comparison including change counts and document metadata |
| `s3_links` | Presigned URLs for downloading highlighted PDFs, original documents, and viewer data files |
## Change objects
Each object in the `changes` array represents a segment of text that was either matched, inserted, deleted, or replaced between the left (older) and right (newer) documents.
### Change kinds
| Kind | Description | Text fields | Region fields |
| - | - | - | - |
| `match` | Text is identical in both documents | `text` | `leftRegion`, `rightRegion` |
| `insert` | Text exists only in the right document | `rightText` | `rightRegion` |
| `delete` | Text exists only in the left document | `leftText` | `leftRegion` |
| `replace` | Text in the left document was replaced with different text in the right document | `leftText`, `rightText` | `leftRegion`, `rightRegion` |
### Common fields on all change objects
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `kind` | string | The type of change: `match`, `insert`, `delete`, or `replace` |
| `moveId` | string or null | If present, indicates this change is part of a move operation (see [Move detection](#move-detection)) |
| `stylesInfo` | object | Font, color, and emphasis information for the text (see [Styles info](#styles-info)) |
| `viewerProperties` | object | Properties used by the Draftable viewer (typically an empty object) |
### Additional fields by kind
| Field | Present on | Type | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `text` | `match` | string | The matched text content |
| `leftText` | `delete`, `replace` | string | Text from the left (older) document |
| `rightText` | `insert`, `replace` | string | Text from the right (newer) document |
| `leftRegion` | `match`, `delete`, `replace` | object | Position of the text in the left document (see [Region objects](#region-objects)) |
| `rightRegion` | `match`, `insert`, `replace` | object | Position of the text in the right document (see [Region objects](#region-objects)) |
| `deletionMark` | `delete`, `replace` | object | Marker position in the left document margin (see [Marker objects](#marker-objects)) |
| `insertionMark` | `insert`, `replace` | object | Marker position in the right document margin (see [Marker objects](#marker-objects)) |
## Examples by change kind
### Match
A `match` change represents text that is identical in both documents.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "match",
"text": "ANNUAL REPORT",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 0,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 270.0, "top": 297.85, "right": 373.53, "bottom": 311.17 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[373.53, 297.85],
[270.0, 297.85],
[270.0, 311.17],
[373.53, 311.17]
]
}
]
},
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 0,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 270.0, "top": 297.85, "right": 373.53, "bottom": 311.17 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[373.53, 297.85],
[270.0, 297.85],
[270.0, 311.17],
[373.53, 311.17]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"leftStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "Arial-BoldMT", "emphasis": "bold", "size": 12.0 }
],
"rightStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "Arial-BoldMT", "emphasis": "bold", "size": 12.0 }
],
"leftStyleMap": ["0-12"],
"rightStyleMap": ["0-12"],
"styleChanges": []
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Insert
An `insert` change represents text that exists only in the right (newer) document.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "insert",
"rightText": "See comment above",
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 12.8, "top": 449.05, "right": 121.79, "bottom": 462.54 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[121.79, 449.05],
[12.8, 449.05],
[12.8, 462.54],
[121.79, 462.54]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"rightStyles": [
{ "color": "#FF0000", "font": "Chrom Sans OTF", "emphasis": "", "size": 12.0 }
],
"rightStyleMap": ["0-16"]
},
"insertionMark": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"point": [66.68, 477.6]
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Delete
A `delete` change represents text that exists only in the left (older) document.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "delete",
"leftText": "$9,500",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 71.13, "top": 533.38, "right": 98.62, "bottom": 543.63 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[98.62, 533.38],
[71.13, 533.38],
[71.13, 543.63],
[98.62, 543.63]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"leftStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "ArialMT", "emphasis": "", "size": 9.24 }
],
"leftStyleMap": ["0-5"]
},
"deletionMark": {
"pageIndex": 3,
"point": [98.62, 521.62]
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Replace
A `replace` change represents text that was changed between the left and right documents.
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "replace",
"leftText": "21",
"rightText": "20",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 555.07, "top": 371.1, "right": 564.97, "bottom": 383.31 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[564.97, 371.1],
[555.07, 371.1],
[555.07, 383.31],
[564.97, 383.31]
]
}
]
},
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 555.07, "top": 371.1, "right": 566.45, "bottom": 383.31 }
],
"regionOutlines": [
{
"points": [
[566.45, 371.1],
[555.07, 371.1],
[555.07, 383.31],
[566.45, 383.31]
]
}
]
},
"stylesInfo": {
"leftStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "ArialMT", "emphasis": "", "size": 11.0 }
],
"rightStyles": [
{ "color": "#000000", "font": "ArialMT", "emphasis": "", "size": 11.0 }
],
"leftStyleMap": ["0-1"],
"rightStyleMap": ["0-1"]
},
"deletionMark": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"point": [35.99, 409.32]
},
"insertionMark": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"point": [35.99, 409.32]
},
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
## Move detection
When Draftable detects that a block of text was **moved** (cut from one location and pasted to another), the individual `insert` and `delete` changes that make up the move are linked together using the `moveId` field. This allows you to distinguish a true move from unrelated insertions and deletions.
### The moveId format
The `moveId` is a string in the format `"{moveGroup}-{subIndex}"`:
| Component | Description |
| - | - |
| `moveGroup` | Identifies which move operation this change belongs to. All changes sharing the same `moveGroup` number are part of the same move. |
| `subIndex` | When a moved block is split across paragraphs or pages, each chunk receives its own sub-index (e.g., `0-0`, `0-1`, `0-2`). |
Changes that are not part of a move operation will not have a `moveId` field.
### How moves appear in the changes array
A move is represented as **paired** `delete` and `insert` entries:
* A `delete` change with `moveId` — the text was removed from this location in the left document
* An `insert` change with the same `moveId` — the text was placed at this location in the right document
```json theme={null}
// Text moved from page 2 to page 5
{
"kind": "delete",
"moveId": "0-0",
"leftText": "This paragraph was moved to a different section.",
"leftRegion": {
"pageIndex": 1,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 72.0, "top": 200.0, "right": 540.0, "bottom": 214.0 }
],
"regionOutlines": [...]
},
"stylesInfo": { ... },
"deletionMark": { "pageIndex": 1, "point": [36.0, 207.0] },
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
```json theme={null}
{
"kind": "insert",
"moveId": "0-0",
"rightText": "This paragraph was moved to a different section.",
"rightRegion": {
"pageIndex": 4,
"rectangles": [
{ "left": 72.0, "top": 350.0, "right": 540.0, "bottom": 364.0 }
],
"regionOutlines": [...]
},
"stylesInfo": { ... },
"insertionMark": { "pageIndex": 4, "point": [36.0, 357.0] },
"viewerProperties": {}
}
```
### Gaps in the sub-index sequence
When a moved block also contains **edits** (text that was changed within the moved content), the sub-index sequence will have gaps. For example, you might see `moveId` values of `"0-0"` and `"0-2"` but no `"0-1"`. The gap positions represent portions of the moved text that were edited — those edits appear as regular `replace`, `insert`, or `delete` changes **without** a `moveId`.
Example sequence for a move with internal edits:
| moveId | Kind | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `"0-0"` | `delete` / `insert` pair | First chunk of moved text (unchanged) |
| *(no moveId)* | `replace` | An edit within the moved text (the "gap" at sub-index 1) |
| `"0-2"` | `delete` / `insert` pair | Next chunk of moved text (unchanged) |
### Reconstructing move regions
Each individual change that is part of a move still carries its own `leftRegion` or `rightRegion` with full bounding box coordinates. To get the complete regions for an entire move operation, group changes by their `moveGroup` and collect the regions:
```python theme={null}
from collections import defaultdict
def group_moves(changes):
"""Group move-related changes by their move group."""
moves = defaultdict(lambda: {"deletes": [], "inserts": []})
for change in changes:
move_id = change.get("moveId")
if not move_id:
continue
move_group = move_id.split("-")[0]
if change["kind"] == "delete":
moves[move_group]["deletes"].append(change)
elif change["kind"] == "insert":
moves[move_group]["inserts"].append(change)
return dict(moves)
# Reconstruct left/right regions for each move
for group_id, move_data in group_moves(changes).items():
left_regions = [c["leftRegion"] for c in move_data["deletes"]]
right_regions = [c["rightRegion"] for c in move_data["inserts"]]
print(f"Move {group_id}: {len(left_regions)} source region(s), "
f"{len(right_regions)} destination region(s)")
```
The `moveId` field is only present on `delete` and `insert` changes that Draftable has identified as part of a move operation. Not all deletions and insertions are moves — only those where the comparison engine has matched the removed text to inserted text elsewhere in the document.
## Region objects
Region objects describe the physical location of text on a page. They appear as `leftRegion` and `rightRegion` on change objects. These regions correspond directly to the colored highlight boxes visible in the Draftable viewer and in the highlighted PDF exports available via `s3_links`.
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `pageIndex` | integer | Zero-based page number where the text appears |
| `rectangles` | array | Bounding rectangles for the text region. Each rectangle has `left`, `top`, `right`, and `bottom` coordinates (in points from the top-left corner of the page). Text spanning multiple lines or non-contiguous areas (such as chart labels) will have multiple rectangles. |
| `regionOutlines` | array | Outline polygons for the text region. Each outline has a `points` array of `[x, y]` coordinate pairs defining the exact highlight shape. For simple rectangular regions, this will be a four-point polygon matching the rectangle. For complex or multi-line regions, this defines the precise shape of the highlight overlay. |
Coordinates are measured in **points** (1 point = 1/72 of an inch) from the top-left corner of the page. A standard A4 page is approximately 595 x 842 points. A US Letter page is approximately 612 x 792 points.
## Marker objects
Marker objects (`deletionMark` and `insertionMark`) indicate where change markers appear in the document margin. These correspond to the small indicators shown alongside changes in the Draftable viewer and highlighted PDF exports — they allow you to identify which margin marker corresponds to which change.
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `pageIndex` | integer | Zero-based page number where the marker appears |
| `point` | array | An `[x, y]` coordinate pair indicating the marker position on the page (in points) |
## Styles info
The `stylesInfo` object provides font, color, and emphasis data for the text in a change. It allows you to understand the formatting of the text and detect style-only changes.
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `leftStyles` | array | Array of style objects applied to the left document text (absent on `insert` changes) |
| `rightStyles` | array | Array of style objects applied to the right document text (absent on `delete` changes) |
| `leftStyleMap` | array | Maps character ranges to styles in `leftStyles` (see below) |
| `rightStyleMap` | array | Maps character ranges to styles in `rightStyles` (see below) |
| `styleChanges` | array | List of style-only changes detected (present on `match` changes where text is identical but formatting differs) |
### Style objects
Each style object in `leftStyles` or `rightStyles` describes the formatting for a range of characters in the **original source document**:
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `color` | string | Hex color code of the text in the original document (e.g., `"#000000"` for black, `"#FF0000"` for red) |
| `font` | string | Font name (e.g., `"ArialMT"`, `"Arial-BoldMT"`) |
| `emphasis` | string | Text emphasis: `""` (none), `"bold"`, `"italics"`, or `"bold italics"` |
| `size` | number | Font size in points |
The `color` field represents the text color from the **original document**, not the comparison highlight color. For example, if a PDF contains a red annotation comment, its `color` will be `"#FF0000"` because that is the original text color — not because Draftable highlighted it.
### Style map format
The `leftStyleMap` and `rightStyleMap` arrays map character ranges in the text to entries in the corresponding styles array. Each entry is a string in the format `"start-end"`, where `start` and `end` are zero-based character indices (inclusive).
When a text segment has a single style, the style map contains one entry:
```json theme={null}
"leftStyleMap": ["0-12"]
```
When a text segment has multiple styles (e.g., mixed font sizes), the style map contains multiple comma-separated ranges per entry or multiple entries:
```json theme={null}
"leftStyleMap": ["0-25", "26-26"]
```
This means characters 0 through 25 use the first style in `leftStyles`, and character 26 uses the second style.
## Summary object
The `summary` object provides an overview of the comparison results.
```json theme={null}
{
"anyChanges": true,
"anyMatches": true,
"changeSummary": {
"matches": 998,
"deletions": 24,
"insertions": 19,
"replacements": 67,
"matchingWords": 16738,
"deletedLeftWords": 163,
"replacedLeftWords": 70,
"insertedRightWords": 139,
"replacedRightWords": 69,
"styleChanges": 0
},
"leftDocumentSummary": {
"pageCount": 32,
"characterCount": 75721,
"wordCount": 16862
},
"rightDocumentSummary": {
"pageCount": 32,
"characterCount": 75092,
"wordCount": 16836
}
}
```
### Summary fields
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `anyChanges` | boolean | `true` if any differences were detected between the documents |
| `anyMatches` | boolean | `true` if any matching text was found between the documents |
### Change summary fields
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `matches` | integer | Number of matched (unchanged) text segments |
| `deletions` | integer | Number of deleted text segments |
| `insertions` | integer | Number of inserted text segments |
| `replacements` | integer | Number of replaced text segments |
| `matchingWords` | integer | Total word count across all matched segments |
| `deletedLeftWords` | integer | Total word count of deleted text from the left document |
| `replacedLeftWords` | integer | Total word count of replaced text from the left document |
| `insertedRightWords` | integer | Total word count of inserted text in the right document |
| `replacedRightWords` | integer | Total word count of replacement text in the right document |
| `styleChanges` | integer | Number of style-only changes (text is identical but formatting differs) |
### Document summary fields
Both `leftDocumentSummary` and `rightDocumentSummary` contain:
| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `pageCount` | integer | Total number of pages in the document |
| `characterCount` | integer | Total character count |
| `wordCount` | integer | Total word count |
## How the JSON maps to the visual comparison
The change-details JSON provides the same underlying data that powers the Draftable viewer and highlighted PDF exports. Here is how the key fields relate to what you see visually:
| JSON field | Visual representation |
| - | - |
| `kind` | Determines the highlight color: deletions and the left side of replacements appear as red strikethrough in the left document; insertions and the right side of replacements appear as colored highlight boxes in the right document |
| `rectangles` | Define the exact bounding boxes of each highlight region on the page |
| `regionOutlines` | Define the precise polygon shape of each highlight overlay (important for multi-line or irregularly shaped regions) |
| `deletionMark` / `insertionMark` | Correspond to the small margin indicators shown next to each change in the viewer |
| `stylesInfo` | Captures the original document formatting — useful for detecting style-only changes, but does **not** represent comparison highlight colors |
You can use the `rectangles` coordinates to programmatically draw your own highlight overlays on the original PDFs, or to build custom change navigation (e.g., "jump to change on page 5").
## S3 links
The `s3_links` object contains presigned URLs for downloading documents and viewer data files associated with the comparison. These URLs are temporary and will expire.
| Key | Description |
| - | - |
| `left` | Original left (older) document |
| `right` | Original right (newer) document |
| `left_highlighted` | Left document with comparison highlights applied (PDF) — deletions shown with red strikethrough, left side of replacements highlighted |
| `right_highlighted` | Right document with comparison highlights applied (PDF) — insertions and right side of replacements shown with colored highlight boxes |
| `scrollmap` | Scroll synchronization data used by the Draftable viewer |
| `changelist` | Change list data used by the Draftable viewer |
The `left_highlighted` and `right_highlighted` PDFs are the same highlighted documents used in the Draftable combined comparison export. The combined export interleaves them page-by-page (left page 1, right page 1, left page 2, right page 2, etc.).
## Fetching change-details via code (Python)
You can access the change-details endpoint programmatically. Below is an example using Python.
The change-details endpoint is **not** part of any existing Draftable client library. You will need to call it directly using an HTTP client.
```python theme={null}
import requests
import json
# Replace with your actual API access token and comparison ID
access_token = "your_access_token"
comparison_id = "your_comparison_id"
url = f"https://api.draftable.com/v1/comparisons/{comparison_id}/change-details"
headers = {
"Authorization": f"Token {access_token}",
}
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
# Access the summary
summary = data["summary"]
print(f"Changes found: {summary['anyChanges']}")
print(f"Deletions: {summary['changeSummary']['deletions']}")
print(f"Insertions: {summary['changeSummary']['insertions']}")
print(f"Replacements: {summary['changeSummary']['replacements']}")
# Iterate through changes
for change in data["changes"]:
if change["kind"] == "replace":
print(f"Replaced '{change['leftText']}' with '{change['rightText']}'")
elif change["kind"] == "insert":
print(f"Inserted: '{change['rightText']}'")
elif change["kind"] == "delete":
print(f"Deleted: '{change['leftText']}'")
else:
print(f"Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")
```
## Important considerations
1. **Authentication**: You must include a valid API token in the `Authorization` header. Ensure your token has access to the comparison you are querying.
2. **Comparison must be complete**: The change-details endpoint is only available after a comparison has finished processing. Check the comparison status via the main comparisons endpoint before requesting change details.
3. **Error handling**: Handle common HTTP status codes in your code:
* `401 Unauthorized` — Invalid or missing API token
* `404 Not Found` — Comparison ID does not exist or has expired
4. **Data privacy**: The response contains the full text content of both compared documents. Ensure appropriate security measures are in place when storing or transmitting this data.
5. **Presigned URL expiry**: The URLs in `s3_links` are temporary presigned URLs. Retrieve fresh URLs by calling the endpoint again if they have expired.
For more information on other API endpoints, refer to the [Draftable API Documentation](https://api.draftable.com/).
If you encounter any issues accessing the endpoint or need assistance, reach out to our support team.
# Draftable Business Ongoing Release Notes
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/38383773095193-Draftable-Business-Ongoing-Release-Notes
Please note: this article is for **non-legal Draftable Business customers**. Draftable Legal customers can find a record of all product updates in [Release Log: Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal). Descriptive articles for each month's Draftable legal releases are also available in our [Release Notes](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal) section.
If you require any specific explanations on the changes or features, please get in touch with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
### Release Notes
**Features & Improvements:**
* Added English (UK), Danish, Italian, and Welsh interface languages
* Draftable can now span multiple monitors and remembers its window size
* Extended the comparison worker timeout from 15 to 30 minutes for longer comparisons
* The Draftable executable now shows its exact version in Explorer > Properties > Details
* Updated the Apryse PDF conversion engine to version 12.1
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed a conversion error appearing after swapping sides during conversion
* Fixed license checks not polling reliably and the expiry date displaying incorrectly on the final license day
* Fixed Windows 11 context menu entries disappearing after uninstalling and reinstalling Draftable
* Fixed Excel date and number formatting not matching the source workbook
* Fixed incorrect row alignment on Excel sheets without a strong key column
* Fixed very tall Excel sheets rendering blank instead of paginating
* Fixed Word LISTNUM inline numbering being split incorrectly
* Fixed Word tables running off the page
* Fixed move detection crashing on empty runs
* Fixed PowerPoint comparisons crashing on slides with empty math runs
* Fixed PDF-to-Word conversion dropping text hidden behind images
**Add-ins:**
* \[Outlook Add-in] Fixed unsupported attachments and inline images being sent to Draftable
**Features & Improvements:**
* Updated the bundled .NET Windows Desktop Runtime to the latest patch
**Features & Improvements:**
* Draftable actions now appear directly in the top-level Windows 11 right-click context menu
* Tabs now resize dynamically and overflow cleanly when space is limited
* Added a docked Recent Files pane, with shift-click and control-click range selection
* Sending content as older or newer now reuses the active Draftable tab instead of opening a new one
* Clearer "unable to complete comparison" message, with a checkbox to be notified when the problem is fixed
* Rebuilt the Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook add-ins to improve reliability
* The machine-wide MSI now installs the HTTP listener by default
* New `DisableWin11ContextMenu` policy to hide Draftable from the top-level Windows 11 right-click menu
* License activation now works through authenticated corporate proxies
* Upgraded the application updater (Velopack) to 1.2.0
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed the export dialog header being clipped on high-DPI monitors
* Fixed duplicate document preparation pipelines running at the same time
* Fixed side-by-side PDF export hanging on large PDFs
* Fixed a crash in the comparison engine when running side-by-side comparisons on large or complex PDFs
* Fixed export settings differing between single and bulk comparisons
* Fixed comparisons failing after the machine had been asleep
* Fixed conversion engine changes not taking effect until the application was restarted
* Fixed a startup failure on locked-down machines caused by the Windows Event Log provider
* Fixed the grammar of the German "Comparing" label
* Fixed the Bulk Compare button staying disabled after dragging a file onto an unmatched row
* Fixed the page break cleaner missing the final page break
* Fixed comments not appearing in the change list
**Algorithm reliability:**
* Fixed Word comments not matching when their DurableIds differ
* Fixed whitespace changes inside SmartTag, `sdt`, or hyperlink wrappers not being detected
* Fixed an error when deleting a table of contents containing an `sdt` in the field span
* Fixed a crash on `` in a deleted paragraph mark
* Fixed a crash while parsing document style strings
**Add-ins:**
* \[Word Add-in] Fixed the first of two open documents being dropped from a comparison
* \[Office Add-ins] Fixed PowerPoint and Excel selection comparison failures; Excel extracts now include calculated values
**Features & Improvements:**
* Comparisons are now significantly faster, especially when running several comparisons in the same session
* More accurate table comparisons when tables have been split or combined between the two documents
* Renamed the "Smart file ordering" setting to "Automatic version ordering" and added a supporting label, with no change to behaviour
* Document engine updated to Aspose.Words 26.6 for improved output fidelity
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed custom output filenames not being retained when settings are upgraded
* Fixed Bulk Compare progress not reaching 100%
* Fixed shift-click range selection of changes not working on the first attempt
* Fixed an incorrect "Start a Trial" link
* Fixed a duplicate "New Comparison" tab and an unwanted welcome pop-up on managed installs where these are disabled by policy
* Fixed the Windows Service version endpoint
* Fixed garbled text appearing in some comparisons
**Features & Improvements:**
* Rebuilt settings interface with logical grouping, iconography, and clearer labeling to make it easier to find each setting
* In-app settings search navigates directly to section headings and their related controls
* Added a Ctrl+T keyboard shortcut to open a new comparison
* Unified Recent Files picker now available across both Single and Bulk modes
* Swap-sides button added to every comparison mode, with clear-all available in Single mode
* The "update ready" notification no longer repeats on every launch
* Headless license activation via the EXE using `DraftableDesktop.exe --activate-license ""`
* Application updates now always apply deltas, reducing download sizes on slow or metered connections
* Inserting or deleting a single row in an Excel file no longer causes all subsequent rows to appear as changed
* Embedded browser engine updated to CefSharp 147 for the latest security patches
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed the Cancel Export button not responding in Bulk Compare
* Fixed action buttons being truncated in the Compare Selector
* Fixed the last row being clipped in the Compare Selector
* Fixed the Recent Files dialog appearing behind the Compare Selector
* Fixed incorrect Add button text in the Compare Selector
* Fixed One-to-Many headers not staying fixed when swapping sides
* Fixed comparisons failing on documents containing corrupt embedded images
* Fixed tables embedded in pictures not being compared correctly
* Fixed PDF text extraction on very wide, slightly rotated bounding boxes
* Fixed a grammar and spacing edge case involving misplaced spaces
**Features & Improvements:**
* Removed an obsolete .NET 10 runtime check from the installer
**Features & Improvements:**
* Three Bulk Compare modes now available from the starting screen: Matched Pairs, One-to-Many, and Timeline
* Cleaner page-break handling reduces false-positive page breaks in PDFs
* Textbox content no longer cropped in converted PDFs
* Admin-installed add-ins now shown in the Settings UI
* Upgraded log4net to address a security advisory
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed tab-switch flicker in the comparison viewer
* Fixed One-Click Compare invocations accumulating into a single session instead of running independently
* Fixed reserved footnote IDs in strict-schema documents
* Fixed hyphen-only changes not being detected in side-by-side compare
* Fixed stray instrText when accepting complex field deletion
* Fixed empty hyperlinks in comments causing decoder crashes
* Fixed HTML list parsing ("Expected Item in Unordered List")
* Fixed out-of-bounds lookup in table column consolidation
* Fixed sdt elements appearing in comments
* \[Word COM Add-in] Fixed documents with unsaved edits no longer prompting to save
**Features & Improvements:**
* Improved responsiveness when opening older Excel files (.xls)
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed "Compare Open" not working for Word
* Fixed error when emailing comparison output
**Features & Improvements:**
* Upgrade Aspose family to 26.02
**Features & Improvements:**
* Added troubleshooting setting to clear the Add-ins cache
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed page rotation being applied twice on paths
**Features & Improvements:**
* Added buttons to copy inserted or deleted text when selecting a section containing both types of changes
* \[Word Add-in] Fixed file name not being read correctly
* Added support to clear files after running Bulk Compare when the general setting is enabled
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed settings window update status not reflected in UI; update can be interrupted
* Fixed reserved characters not accounted for when ignoring whitespace
**Features & Improvements:**
* Enable swap button when there is only one document in the launcher
* Improved speed of PDF compatibility transform
* DOCX Text Transform: handle comments
* Exclude comments from side-by-side comparison
* Refactor: make IOutputExporters responsible for name trimming
* Added Logs tab inside the application
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed WPF Progress binding causing read-only property exception in Direct Export window
* Fixed presentation layout for RTL languages
* Handle empty paragraphs in slide alignment
* Handle block-level bookmarks during complex field processing
* Fixed UI issues in the "Improve Draftable" window
**Features & Improvements:**
* Export side-by-side comparison with change log
* Fixed pinned taskbar icon losing visual icon after upgrade due to shortcut pointing to MSI-cached icon path
**Bugfixes:**
* Tolerate malformed lvlText in numbering definitions
* Fixed 1-Click not working when compare selector is already opened
* Fixed invalid/broken Knowledge Base links
**Features & Improvements:**
* Added setting that updates UX to allow dual window UX.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed an issue where export action could not be triggered if any of the documents was not ready.
* Fixed splitting of surrogate pairs in delIns cleanup.
* Fixed handling of list marker change events in pptx speaker notes.
* Fixed layout misalignment in colourised document transformation.
* Fixed numbering mismatch with w:vanish paragraphs when compareHiddenText=false.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed an issue where a watermark could appear on PDF outputs.
**Features & Improvements:**
* Improved placement of changed text around deleted paragraphs.
* Added support for comparing SmartTag content.
**Ease of Use**
* Draftable now starts in the user’s **last non-maximized window size**.
* New setting to **open the comparison viewer in a new tab** (rather than the same tab).
**Bugfixes:**
**Algorithm Reliability**
* Fixed several “unable to compare” errors related to:
* Move detection overlaps.
* Malformed SVG content.
* Mismatched block- vs run-level `sdt` markers.
* Preprocessing of textbox content within a Table of Contents.
* Fixed an issue with **sync scrolling** in Side-by-Side comparisons when using threaded runners.
**Bugfixes:**
* Prevented crashes when comparing **text input vs text file**.
**Features & Improvements:**
**Administrator Features**
* Added the option for organizations to include an **organization-level GUID** in telemetry for admin usage reporting.
* Enforced logging of new settings to telemetry (when organization telemetry is enabled).
**Bugfixes:**
* Updated the **update dialog** to avoid cut-off text.
* Prevented poor layouts stemming from interactions with **table column changes**.
* Ensured results open in the **source tab** rather than the most recent Draftable window.
* Fixed preprocessing failure when an **invalid output type** was selected.
**Features & Improvements:**
* Added telemetry events for window size changes.
* You can now reduce the Draftable window to one quarter of the screen.
* New option to display the Draftable UI in additional languages.
**Bugfixes:**
* The original file type is now logged in compare execution telemetry.
* Side-by-side algorithm parameters now reach the text alignment stage correctly.
* Improved parsing of names containing “&” in the Word Add-in.
* Text normalization now tolerates invalid code points.
* Draftable now remembers your preferred default window size after resizing.
* Detaching a tab no longer breaks the original window.
**Hotfix:**
* Resolved an issue in the Draftable **Word Add-in** that caused unexpected template prompts to appear when using Word.
**Hotfix:**
* DD-2604: Redirect Draftable subscription link to the current URL.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Added a setting to enable extra CEF logging for diagnostics
* Restored the ability to resize the app down to the original minimum window size (pre-25.8.0)
**Bugfixes:**
* Improved email generation to avoid Outlook-related issues
* Fixed the Excel Add-in archive not extracting properly
* \[Telemetry] Now logs the source of files added to the app
* Resolved the inability to resize the window while on the Comparison tab
* Prevented unintended modifications to `Normal.dotm` unless explicitly requested
**Features & Improvements:**
* **Tabbed UI:** Redesigned the app to use tabs instead of multiple windows
* **Unified window:** Merged the Launcher and Viewer into a single window
* **Viewer UX:** Remember the expanded/collapsed state of the Summary panel when switching view types
* **Diagnostics:** Setting to enable extra logging from CEF
* **Compare quality:** Reduce false positives where mixed numbering is interpreted as text
**Bugfixes:**
* Wrap long lines when converting TXT to PDF for comparison
* Handle `LISTNUM` fields with invalid levels
* Workaround for ZIP corruption caused by empty XML parts (DD-2454).
* **Word Add-in:** Avoid hang when the source document is completely empty
**Improvements & Features:**
* Resolved pipe-handling issues affecting MSI installs.
* **Viewer:** added **“Re-run Compare”** command, allowing users to relaunch a comparison directly from the results window (intended to be used with filters)
* Cleans cached values in header/footer numbering fields for more accurate numbering
* Compare window now opens in maximised state by default
**Features & Improvements:**
* \[Word Add-in] Context menu actions no longer modify the `Normal.dotm` template.
* Introduced a keyboard shortcut to quickly navigate to the next change in comparison results.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed issue preventing export logs from generating.
* Resolved unresponsive behaviour in the "Export Error Logs" feature.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Improved case-sensitive comparison with better handling of `` styles.
**Bugfixes:**
* Updated tooltip behaviour for the system tray icon.
* Fixed serialization logic for nested complex field instructions in documents.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Embedded version information into ADML and ADMX templates.
* \[Word Add-in] Added command to load all open Word files into Draftable.
**Bugfixes:**
* Added configuration to limit the number of runner processes for performance stability.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed issues where email logs were not being generated properly.
* Fixed issues with 1-Click and Bulk Compare producing invalid Side-by-Side outputs.
* Fixed an issue in the Group Policy template.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Administrators can now define custom tags for the change list.
**Bugfixes:**
* Prevented follow-up requests from failing after an invalid background request.
* Fixed bug where certain Burmese script characters were converted to newlines.
* Resolved app freezes during update processes.
* Fixed issues with output filenames for files sharing the same name.
**Bugfixes:**
* Various fixes to group policy
**Improvements & Features:**
* Improved handling of shared drive file loading to prevent resource errors.
* Group temporary files by comparison for easier troubleshooting.
* Removed the "One or more documents are in an older format" warning.
* Right-hand menu in viewer is now sticky between sessions (e.g. change list state persists).
* Enhanced clarity in the 1-Click Compare error dialog.
* New setting to ignore differences between curly and straight apostrophes and quotation marks.
* Admin-installed Office Add-ins are now visible in Settings.
* Admins can now create custom tags for the change list.
**Bugfixes:**
* Improved handling of `numPicBullet` definitions using `mc:AlternateContent`.
* Fixed false positive paragraph changes caused by bookmark tags in tables.
* PDF icon now properly displays when PDF files are compared.
* Resolved system verification errors related to the "Microsoft Windows: Context menu" feature.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Added PDF compatibility toggle.
* Improved comparison accuracy for Text Boxes.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed export bug where HTML was generated despite DOCX being selected.
* Fixed missing file extensions in ZIP exports.
* Now handles `footnoteColumns` attribute in section properties.
* Disabled changes display when "Compare Textboxes" is turned off.
* Fixed indentation flattening in PDF compatibility mode.
* Prevented incorrect inheritance of paragraph properties in deleted content.
* Fixed comparison errors due to table issues in certain documents.
* Fixed comparison failures for documents with comments.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed orphaned comments in document outputs.
* Removed invalid XML characters when converting from TXT to DOCX.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Automatically convert XLSEL to XLSX when loading from the Excel Add-in; now also supported in Side-by-Side view.
* Multiple comparisons can now be emailed at once.
* Improved filename handling and enforced naming conventions.
* Improved comparison of footnote numbering.
* Treated soft hyphens as zero-weight characters in comparisons.
**Bugfixes:**
* Updated tooltip wording in General Settings.
* Resolved file loading issues.
* Adjusted fixed-height row layout for revised tables.
* Improved text alignment logic in numbering detection.
* Ignored quotation mark-only changes in comparisons.
* Fixed numbering ID alignment for consistency.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed file naming recognition for Redline in Word when launched from the Word Add-in.
* Resolved document comparison failure bugs.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed issue where Office Add-ins were not properly installed by the MSI installer.
**Improvements & Features:**
* Added a certificate verification option for Office Add-ins.
* Extended SharePoint site search to return more than 25 results.
* Cleaned up help article links in the action pane and ribbon UI.
* \[Epona] Added support for drag and drop from the Outlook extension.
* 1-Click Compare now supports setting a default "save to" location.
* Improved filename truncation logic for OneDrive, NetDocuments, and viewer displays.
**Bugfixes:**
* Improved performance on single-core machines by optimizing change list generation.
* Fixed app-blocking issue when iManage files are selected from recent files.
* Resolved problem where customized OCR settings were not applied.
* Improved handling of DOCX style changes in Aspose engine.
* Upgraded Aspose.Words to version 24.10.
* Fixed failure to load the Changes Report when Summary Page is included in Redline.
* Resolved mismatch between displayed name and actual filename for Outlook attachments.
* Fixed PDF generation error when footnotes/endnotes comparison was disabled.
* Addressed lingering password prompt during comparison after entering correct credentials.
* Fixed issue where password-protected files wouldn’t open during Bulk Compare.
**Improvements & Features:**
* 1-Click compare improvements: Allow users to set specific 'save to' location default for 1-Click Compare
**Bugfixes:**
* Addressed an issue where the refresh function was interfering with the comparison process.
**Bugfixes:**
* Fixed a signing issue for the MSI installer introduced in version 24.10.0.
**Improvements & Features:**
* **Startup Notifications Setting:** Added a new setting and Group Policy option to disable Windows startup notifications for a smoother launch experience.
* **Application Exit Option:** Users can now exit the application conveniently from the file menu.
* **Version Information Sync:** Ensures that the Windows system always has the latest Draftable version information.
**Bugfixes:**
* Resolved issues with change list loading errors and file handling during comparisons.
* Fixed various errors affecting the generation and display of comparison reports and document metadata.
* Improved the handling of settings when reloading file comparison definitions.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Windows Shell extension not installed for Per-User installer.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Option added to default to the last saved location when saving locally.
* Local files are now reloaded before comparison if the file content changes.
* Users can mark off changes in the change list.
* Bulk actions are now available for status tags in the change list.
**Bug Fixes:**
* File Obfuscator failed to obfuscate files.
**Bug Fixes:**
* False negative on the first page header.
* Compare error on handling complex fields.
* Inserted signature not showing up on the change list.
* Password-protected XLSX documents are not detected properly.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Removed suffix (.docx) from appending twice on renamed files when copying to the clipboard.
* File Obfuscator tool now asks for two files.
* Include names of compared files in the changes report.
* Added option to save output to the last save location.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issue where certain settings were not showing in the general tab.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Improved table column matching.
* Tracked settings configured by Group Policy in the telemetry.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Table comparison error resolved.
* False negatives for deleted comments in comparisons fixed.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Conversion engine setting changes are now logged to telemetry.
* Resolved UI issue where the Change List was not loading properly.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Corrected several false positives and wrong descriptions of changes in the change list.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Added NGEN support to reduce memory consumption on multi-user systems.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Start automatically with Windows is not working.
* Updated the File Open to remember the last used location.
* Incorrect numbering changes resolved.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Renamed comparison options.
* Certain changes are now excluded when all elements are disabled in comparison options.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issues with changes made to Word settings after using Draftable.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Administrators can now lock certain profile settings when creating new profiles.
* Implemented registry and Group Policy support for 1-Click Compare, including options to control 1-Click export settings.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed issue where chromium logs would appear next to the selected document.
* Filename trimming corrected.
* Resolved cutoff issue with tables during comparison.
* Fixed compare error with bullets and numbering disabled.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Updated insertion colors in Side-by-Side exports from green to blue.
* Improved error message when no valid 1-Click action is defined.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issues with next actions for 1-Click Compare not appearing properly.
* Fixed font issues affecting highlight boxes.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Added missing Group Policy templates.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Introduced 1-Click Compare.
* Added next action menu to Side-By-Side comparisons.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Filename output now works correctly without a summary page.
* Various issues with dotm template prompts in Word Add-In resolved.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Filenames are now correctly trimmed for custom filename output.
**Bug Fixes:**
* The application now properly informs users when a comparison fails.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Small UI improvements made to the side by side viewer.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Enhanced interactions with the Word API.
* Telemetry now passes the ComparisonID to the viewer.
* The ribbon menu is now expanded by default.
* Added a colon to automated emails for comparison outputs.
* Speed improvements for DOCX comparisons, with an average performance boost of 6.5%.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Side-by-Side users can now turn off moves in the settings.
* Fixed the "key not present in the dictionary" error in TryGetNumbering.
* Resolved issues with the legacy theme not being supported for Side-by-Side comparisons.
**Improvements:**
* Enhanced the installation process for Add-ins.
**Improvements:**
* Fixed an issue where input files were not filled when the app was triggered without running.
**Bug Fix:**
* Fixed an error when comparing documents with hidden text.
**Bug Fix:**
* Resolved an issue where text inputs could not be compared.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Fixed the startup option to ensure proper behavior on Windows startup.
* Bookmarks are now encoded as the same character.
* Extended support for UNC file paths.
* Font size threshold setting is now visible to standard users.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Custom output filename structure now available.
* Fixed error parsing DOCX indentation values.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issue where the file area would stay in spin/load mode when closing the multiple file selector without files.
**Improvements:**
* Small improvement to a previous bug fix, making it more efficient.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved a conflict between Microsoft Edge WebView2 and Chromium that caused issues.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Compare output now shows 'hidden' text as a change.
* Users can now drag and drop text directly into the box without clicking the "input text" button.
* Introduced a silent launch option that prevents the New Compare window from showing on startup.
* Added the ability to compare text from Word.
* Users can now collapse the 'next actions' menu on the right side of the viewer.
* The default 'save to' location in the Windows file browser is now the same as the comparison input file location.
* Updated the Squirrel installer to reflect an app size estimate of 2GB.
* Display the installed version of add-ins in the settings.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed error when exporting Side-by-Side comparisons for certain documents.
* Allowed scrolling for System Verification results to avoid UI cutoff.
* Resolved issues with exporting Tracked Changes from Side-by-Side comparisons.
* Fixed error handling numbering issues in DOCX comparisons.
* Resolved conversion issues with .doc files to PDF where files could not be found.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Enabled drag-and-drop text directly into the comparison input box.
* The default 'save to' location in Windows file browser is now the same as the input file location.
* Added support for footnotes and endnotes in the change list.
* Added support for other run content in the Change List.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Stopped using Office apps from the main process to avoid errors.
* Fixed issues with exporting Side-by-Side comparisons for certain documents.
* Allowed scrolling for System Verification results to avoid UI cutoff.
* Small refactor of temporary file management.
* Fixed issue where errors during Side-by-Side export for email caused app freezes.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Improved sequential processing of PowerPoint operations.
* Stopped using Office apps from the main process to avoid errors.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Export logs option now works after system verification.
* Incorrect timestamps in the summary page resolved.
* Fixed UI issues for long profile names in the settings menu.
* Fixed linking Sentry reports with the license.
* Resolved incorrect filename issues for files dragged and dropped from Outlook email attachments.
* Alert during application auto-start added.
* Addressed long profile name cutting off the comparison type in the launcher.
* Fixed privacy disclaimer window cutting off text.
* Tooltip for Draftable Desktop activation dialog no longer appears on top of other windows.
* Resolved application exit issues with Squirrel AbandonedMutexException.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Added "Side by Side as Tracked Changes" as a new comparison type.
* Disabled the "Compare Version(s)" button in the web extension when list versioning is not supported.
* Aspose is now available via the general settings tab (not set as the default).
* Group Policy support added to disable the desktop shortcut.
* Updated viewer to version 3.6.20.
* Group Policy added to enable/disable Draftable launching upon startup.
* Warn users before the app restarts after an update.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* **GDPR Compliance**:
* Sanitized error reporting data captured in Sentry.
* Sanitized telemetry data.
* Draftable Engine used for PDF to DOCX conversions.
**Bug Fixes:**
* AutoCompare fixed when running from CLI.
* Document version changes now detected after clicking "Compare."
* Fixed header bug in comparison.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* New Comparison window automatically launched after product activation.
* Multiple file selection now available in Windows file browser.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed PDF file load timing out on network drives.
* Updated image hash not to use MD5.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Added support for a third-party library for DOCX to PDF rendering, available in the "Preview Features" tab.
* New Comparison window automatically launches after product activation.
* Support for loading password-protected Office documents added.
* Added a Preview Features tab in settings, accessible via SHIFT + F12.
**New Features:**
* Option to keep input files after a comparison is complete.
* Group Policy introduced to guide users to contact internal IT for support instead of Draftable Support.
* Improvements in handling Structured Document Tags.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed header/footer false negatives in comparisons.
* Resolved issue where Word conversion would break due to error overriding Word settings.
**New Features:**
* Users can now select input files from a list of recent documents.
* Default insertion color changed from "Blue" to "Dark Blue."
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed issue with the Word Add-In not working for file paths containing "&".
* Resolved issues where the author name in the new comparison window would change when switching comparison types.
* Improved error handling when closing Word documents.
* Fixed issue where the Compare Result window would get stuck on a spinner when loading output PDFs.
* The Word Add-In now displays a warning when attempting to compare an unsaved file.
* Fixed app freeze caused by an exception during export.
* Resolved an error when running Side-by-Side comparisons for DOCX files, ensuring PDF copies of the original document are created at the correct stage.
* Addressed false error timeouts when loading files.
* Output filenames are no longer truncated, with the limit extended from 30 to 70 characters.
* Profile picker no longer displays for non-legal users.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Improved validation of the Comparison Type on the Compare Selector window.
* Fixed leaking Word instances.
* Fixed patch version for MSI installers.
* Resolved issue with Draftable opening Word files when running comparisons.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Fixed leaking Word instances.
**Improvements:**
* Users can now set content and style changes for Side-by-Side comparisons.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Group Policy fix applied.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed issue where disabling the PDF warning in Office was not working in certain scenarios.
**New Features:**
* Progress bar introduced to indicate loading status during comparisons.
* Open link features now supported from the Viewer.
* Error dialogs now include an option to export and send logs.
* User Desktop settings are now included when exporting logs.
* The Viewer now logs custom errors, which are sent to Sentry for troubleshooting.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issue where the app would encounter an error when Office was not installed.
**Bug Fixes & Improvements:**
* Cleaned up Word integration for better diagnostics and future issue resolution.
* Extended the app log to include Sentry and telemetry configuration details.
* Updated error logs to record the current time zone from Windows during startup.
* Fixed `NullReferenceException` in the Draftable.CompareTool.Updater.WindowsUtils.
* Moved PDF generation steps to the progress window for better task execution.
**New Features:**
* Introduced double underline and strikethrough options for markup styling.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Relaxed memory limit on Draftable for enhanced performance.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Improved handling of `TargetInvocationException` from the Word API.
* Resolved issue where using a simple/default Normal.dotm template triggered Word Macros warnings, by removing all templates before comparison.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Optimized handling of the `DisableConvertPdfWarning` setting to prevent unnecessary changes when already correctly configured.
* Created the Word Options key automatically if missing.
* Help articles are now linked to issues found by the diagnostic tool.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed an issue where the settings window would become unresponsive when opened for the first time.
* Improved performance of the CompareSelector window by reducing lag after closing a comparison.
* Various algorithm improvements and cleanups.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Updated viewer to latest viewer version.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed an issue with the onboarding statistics step not being readable.
* Addressed issues with Word's `Normal.dotm` popup warning during comparisons.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Introduced a new diagnostic tool to help resolve common support issues.
* MSI installers now support versioning.
* Added links to relevant knowledge base articles for better in-app guidance.
* Viewer ribbon is now maximized by default for better usability.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed various smaller bugs and issues with the comparison dialog.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issue preventing the creation of `Draftable.dotm`.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Enhanced comparison progress dialog to show steps more clearly.
* Updated the viewer to new version.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed an issue causing unknown errors when running Side-by-Side comparisons with one PDF and one Word document.
* Resolved `AccessViolationException` when trying to override Word settings.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Added the display of steps in the comparison progress dialog to enhance the visibility of the process.
* Improved the handling of document loading, addressing one of the most common bugs reported by support.
* Implemented a potential fix for running comparisons when the system language differs from the application language.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Telemetry improvements made based on recent reviews.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved text input bugs for smoother operation.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Managed Word options to avoid default Microsoft pop-ups during comparisons.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Small backend bug fixes applied.
**New Features:**
* Extended the Draftable Group Policy template to allow setting auto-updates on/off for per-user and per-user MSI.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issues with algorithm and comments handling.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issue where Headers and Footers were not visible in Side-by-Side comparisons for users with a standard license.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed the Move From and Move To decoration for improved comparison readability.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Introduced a new compare progress dialog with a spinner for better visibility of ongoing comparisons.
* Gracefully handle and dispose of in-progress comparison cancellations.
* Extended markup customization options, with a feature flag to ignore moves.
* Default markup settings now align with Microsoft Word's style.
* Users can now save their preference for opening or saving tracked changes output.
* Implemented new techniques for faster performance.
* Avoided using the Microsoft Word for preprocessing to improve efficiency.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed the issue where files were removed after a comparison was cancelled.
* Several algorithm bug fixes for smoother performance.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Resolved issue where it was not possible to save a document to from the streamline view panel.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed issue preventing users from selecting files.
**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed issue where the Compare Selector was visible before users accepted the Terms & Conditions during a fresh installation.
**New Features & Improvements:**
* Fixed an issue where some fonts (primarily Asia-based fonts) were not loaded correctly.
* Resolved an issue where long file names would expand the control instead of wrapping.
* Kept the launcher open after a comparison is created for better workflow continuity.
* Introduced spinners in buttons for actions that take time to complete.
* License key is now visible in the settings window.
* Added an option for users to switch between word-level or character-level comparison.
* Telemetry improvements: grouped actions related to specific comparisons and created comparison IDs after file drop, keeping them consistent until the comparison is triggered.
* Prepopulated the email body when emailing comparison outputs.
* Shipped language-specific fonts with the desktop application for better compatibility.
**Components:**
* Upgraded to new Viewer for better handling of long lists of changes and improved font handling for different languages.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal October 2024 (24.10.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/38894714889881-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-October-2024-24-10-0
We are pleased to share the latest enhancements in Draftable Legal v24.10.0 (released October 11, 2024). This update introduces a Preview of our new comparison algorithm for PowerPoint, and a number of improvements for end user workflows, administrators and Epona users.
Key benefits in October updates include:
* **Redline PowerPoint presentations** with our new ‘PowerPoint Redline Comparison’ feature, enabling more efficient review of .pptx files with changes clearly marked for quick analysis.
* **Access critical comparison insights faster** by viewing summary page data directly within the Draftable Comparison Viewer, reducing the need to export comparisons to see this summary.
* **Make more accurate document selections in Epona** with extended file version details in the Epona integration, allowing users to select the correct file version quickly and confidently
* **Improve end user system performance** by easily exiting the Draftable Desktop application after comparisons via the file menu, rather than by using the windows system tray
* **Provide users with fast comparison launching distractions** with the option for administrators to disable Windows bubble notifications on startup, configurable via Group Policy.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 24.10.0 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Features & Improvements
### Core Functionality
#### PowerPoint Redline Comparison (Preview)
Users accustomed to redline markups can now easily review PowerPoint presentation files using the new **Redline in PowerPoint** Comparison Type. The Redline in PowerPoint uses a newly developed Draftable PowerPoint comparison algorithm and supports identification of changes in:
* Text (insertions and deletions)
* Tables (insertions, cell / row / column deletions, text changes within tables)
* Images (including icons, graphics and shapes)
* Speaker notes (insertions and deletions, shown without coloring)
* Slide numbers
* Whole slides (insertions, deletions)
* Grouped shapes / smart art (insertions and deletions as well as text changes)
The Redline in Draftable will use your Profile settings for markup schema (colours, text styling) and offers the ability to choose whether to compare or ignore slide elements such as text, tables, images, speaker notes, slide numbers and grouped shapes and smart art.
This feature is available in v24.10.0 as a Preview, and users interested in accessing it can contact their account representative or email [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
#### Summary page data and exit application option in the Comparison Viewer
To further streamline workflows, we have integrated summary page data directly into the Draftable Comparison Viewer. This makes it easier to access key comparison information without needing to switch views, helping users focus on critical changes. Additionally, we’ve introduced an 'Exit application' option in the file menu, offering a more convenient way to close the application.
#### Improved file selection UI for Draftable's Epona integration
For users using the Epona 365 document management system, we’ve made improvements for file selection workflows in the October release. Draftable now **extends the version selector** in its Epona integration to provide more information, such as author, date and check in comments, to help users select the correct file for comparison. The file selection dialog has also been updated to make it easier to identify major and minor versions during selection.
#### Easier administration of Draftable for faster comparison workflows
**Run Draftable in silent mode without popups**
Administrators will now be able to give their end users faster compare launching by having Draftable run without users being notified by Windows (pictured). From v24.10.0, a new setting exists to disable the Windows bubble notifications on startup. This can be configured via Group Policy, reducing distractions for users during launch.
**Enable Bulk Compare for users via Group Policy**
The October release also added a Group Policy option to enable Bulk Compare for end users. This enables the General setting (shown below) that displays the 'Bulk Compare Mode' toggle in the New Comparison Window. Organizations using Group Policy can now easily ensure their teams can find this mode and run multiple document comparisons simultaneously, saving valuable time.
## Bug Fixes
Finally, the October update also covered a number of identified bug fixes, including:
* Update for Windows tracking of installed versions of Draftable, ensuring the system always reflects the most up-to-date information.
* Resolved an issue where attaching comparison files larger than Outlook's size limit caused crashes.
* Fixed a Change List load error, addressed an issue with comparing math elements, and corrected errors that occurred when switching compare methods.
* A problem with redline author detection has been fixed, along with a UX bug that caused renamed files to be deselected during email generation.
* Resolved issues where the author field was being overwritten during text comparisons and ensured the 1-Click Compare settings load properly.
* Fixed two errors found when generating Changes Reports in .docx format.
# Fixing issues with Draftable Add-in certificates
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/39385647272473-Fixing-issues-with-Draftable-Add-in-certificates
How to use the add-in certificate check in Draftable Legal to verify add-in certificates against your Trusted Publishers store and resolve Office add-in security warnings.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## Understanding the add-in certificate verification process
Our application provides add-ins for Word, Outlook, and Excel to enhance productivity and streamline workflow. At times, you may encounter warnings related to these add-ins if their certificates are not recognized as trusted on your device. To mitigate this, we offer an add-in certificate check that ensures these certificates are properly verified and trusted.
In Draftable Legal 26.6 and later this tool is called **Check add-in certificates** and lives under **Help & Troubleshooting** in the **Diagnostics** section. In versions before 26.6 it was called **Verify Add-in Certificate state** and was found under the **Troubleshooting** tab in the **Actions** section. The tool works the same way in both versions.
### What does the certificate check do?
Running the certificate check prompts our application to check the certificate status of each add-in against your system's Trusted Publishers store. Certificates act like digital IDs, confirming that software is safe and originates from a trustworthy publisher. Here is an overview of the process:
Each add-in's certificate is reviewed to verify its presence in your Trusted Publishers store. This store serves as an approved list, allowing Office to recognize trusted add-ins without security warnings.
If any certificate is missing, a prompt will appear, asking if you would like to add it. Adding the certificate ensures the add-in is recognized as a trusted source, enhancing security and performance.
If the verification process encounters an error (for example, a certificate cannot be verified or added), you will be prompted to send logs for analysis. The application will gather relevant logs and draft an email with the logs attached, which you can review before sending to our support team.
### Why certificates matter for add-ins
Microsoft Office requires all add-ins to be signed by trusted publishers to protect your data and environment from malicious code. By ensuring that each add-in's certificate is verified and stored in the Trusted Publishers list, our application provides:
* **Security**: Only verified add-ins run within your Office applications.
* **Reliability**: Add-ins from trusted publishers perform better and avoid potential security blocks by Office.
### Common reasons for missing certificates
Certificates may be missing from your Trusted Publishers store due to:
* **System changes**: Updates or changes to your system can sometimes reset the Trusted Publishers list.
* **New installations**: For fresh installs, certificates might not yet be added to your system's trusted stores.
* **Office security policies**: Strict security settings may prevent automatic certificate recognition.
### How to run the certificate check
Open the settings menu, then find the certificate check tool.
In the settings menu, select **Help & Troubleshooting**, then under **Diagnostics** select **Check add-in certificates**.
Open the **Troubleshooting** tab, then under **Actions** select **Verify Add-in Certificate state**.
If any certificates are missing, a prompt will appear, asking for permission to add them.
If any step fails, you will be prompted to send logs. Approving this action drafts an email with the logs attached, which you can send to our support team for assistance.
### Clearing the add-in cache
In Draftable Legal 26.6 and later, the **Help & Troubleshooting** pane also includes a **Clear add-in cache** action under **Diagnostics**. If an add-in continues to behave unexpectedly after the certificate check, clearing the add-in cache can resolve issues caused by stale cached add-in data. You can find it next to **Check add-in certificates** in the same Diagnostics section shown above.
### Your privacy and security are a priority
We prioritize your security. The verification process and log collection are strictly for troubleshooting. Logs are only gathered and sent with your approval and contain only the necessary information for identifying issues with add-in certificate verification.
Running the certificate check helps ensure a smooth, secure experience with our Office add-ins. For further assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team.
# How to properly restart Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/39934335355033-How-to-properly-restart-Draftable-Legal
Restarting Draftable Legal can be a helpful troubleshooting step or a way to refresh the application. It can also resolve instances where Draftable say's its up to date, but the version doesn't match the latest version in the settigns.
Follow these simple steps to ensure a proper restart:
### Steps to Restart Draftable Legal
* Locate the Draftable Legal icon in the system tray at the bottom right corner of your Windows taskbar.
* Right-click the Draftable icon, and from the options that appear, select **Exit**.
* Once the application has closed completely, you can reopen it as you normally would.
* This may involve clicking on the Draftable Legal desktop shortcut or finding it through the Windows Start menu.
By following these steps, Draftable Legal will fully shut down and then restart with a clean session. This process can resolve minor performance issues, apply updates and ensure any recent changes to settings are applied effectively.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal November 2024 (v24.11.0 & 24.11.100)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/40545252851993-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-November-2024-v24-11-0-24-11-100
We are pleased to share the latest updates to Draftable Legal v24.11.0 & 24.11.100, released in November 2024. This update focuses on enhancing document comparison accuracy, user workflows, and administrative features while addressing key issues to improve reliability and user experience. Let’s explore the improvements.
Key benefits in November updates include:
* **All users can now Redline PowerPoint presentations** with our new ‘Redline in PowerPoint' Comparison Type, as we have moved this feature out of 'Preview mode'.
* **Achieve more accurate document comparisons** with enhanced algorithms for Word numbering formats and Excel sheet matching, including visibility of hidden sheets.
* **Increase productivity** by continuing to work in Draftable while comparisons are running in the background, reducing workflow interruptions.
* **Ensure consistent and predictable results** with the ability to convert dynamic fields like cross-references into plain text before comparison, using the new redline profile setting.
* **Enhance administrative control** with a new GPO setting for cleaning up input files post-comparison and the ability to edit email subjects for exported comparisons.
* **Address key issues with fixes for missing revision lines**, PowerPoint grayscale errors, and garbled text in signed redlines, improving reliability across file types.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 24.11.0 and 24.11.100 releases to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Features & Improvements
### Core Functionality
#### PowerPoint Redline Comparison
We are thrilled to announce that from v24.11.100 all users have access to our new 'Redline in PowerPoint' Comparison Type. Users can easily find changes in presentations by using this Comparison Type to generate PowerPoint files that have all changed marked up in a redline format. This capability, previously released as a 'Preview' feature to selected clients, will be the default Comparison Type option when users load PowerPoint files into Draftable.
As a reminder, the Redline in PowerPoint uses a newly developed Draftable PowerPoint comparison algorithm and supports identification of changes in:
* Text (insertions and deletions)
* Tables (insertions, cell / row / column deletions, text changes within tables)
* Images (including icons, graphics and shapes)
* Speaker notes (insertions and deletions, shown without coloring)
* Slide numbers
* Whole slides (insertions, deletions)
* Grouped shapes / smart art (insertions and deletions as well as text changes)
You can watch a short demonstration of the Redline in PowerPoint feature by our Product Lead in the video below:
#### Reduced File Size for PDF Exports
Users will be able to save storage space on their machine and share comparison outputs as PDFs faster thanks to a new enhancement that has reduced the file size of PDFs generated by Draftable.
### Quality Improvements
#### Improved display of changes to numbered lists
From v24.11.100, users will enjoy a cleaner comparison output when comparing Word files with numbered lists. Draftable has made improvements to its algorithm to reduce the number of changes that weren't actually made (AKA 'false positives').
As an example, when breaking a numbered list into two paragraphs as shown below:
The latest update improves the comparison Draftable produces as shown in the images below:
| Comparison produced by Draftable BEFORE the November update | Comparison produced by Draftable AFTER the November update |
| :- | :- |
| | |
#### Improved display of matching paragraphs
The November release (v24.11.100) also includes improved display of changes within paragraphs. Specifically, the update reduces the production of redlines with too many deletions and insertions in a single paragraph.
*Example of paragraph comparison with previous Draftable algorithm*
Instead, Draftable will now detect where paragraphs have a large number of insertions and deletions and instead wholly replace the paragraph, while showing any matched text as 'moved text' instead. Users will notice more consistent and accurate outputs, especially in complex documents.
*Example of paragraph comparison with new Draftable algorithm*
#### Improved sheet matching and maintaining hidden sheets for Excel Redlines
The November release improved our Excel Redline algorithm to better match spreadsheets based on header rows, ensuring users get the comparisons they expect. The update also added better handling of hidden sheets, by ensuring the (in)visibility of hidden sheets is now preserved when producing outputs so users receive the redline as expected.
### Markup Configuration
#### Convert Dynamic Fields to Plain Text
Draftable Legal users can now enjoy cleaner and more reliable comparisons of documents with dynamic fields thanks to a new redline Profile setting "Flatten Dynamic Content" that converts these to plain text. The setting is designed to remove unnecessary noise in comparisons, by avoiding the default Draftable behavior that compares the underlying dynamic field data (e.g. the hyperlink behind the text, rather than the text itself). Another benefit of this setting is that it can be used to avoid errors caused by dynamic field discrepancies, providing for a more reliable comparison experience.
#### New brighter Green color options in Markup Schema
At the request of users, from v24.11.0 users and administrators will be able to select one of two brighter green color options for markup schemas. These two options "Classic Green" and "Leaf Green", are designed to complement the "Classic Blue" and "Classic Red" options added earlier this year.
Users can access these colors in the Redline tab of the Settings under the 'Markup Schema' section.
After additional customer feedback, Draftable will be adding a new 'Vintage
Green' option which will replicate a specific green color used in legacy
comparison software. This will be released in our December update.
### Ease of Use
#### Work While Comparisons are Running
From v24.11.100, users will be able to continue working on their comparisons (e.g. reviewing comparisons in Draftable) while simultaneously running a comparison in the background. Previously, Draftable would lock all windows while a comparison was running. After feedback from our customers, we have updated this behavior to allow users to remain productive while document comparisons are in progress. This enhancement minimizes downtime and supports multitasking in Draftable.
### Administrator Features
#### Group Policy for Input File Cleanup
From v24.11.100, administrators can use Group Policy to configure whether Draftable clears files or leaves them in the New Comparison Window after a comparison is run. This setting is shown to end users in the 'General' tab of the Settings window, and is often disabled to make it easier for users to rerun their comparisons without reloading files. Administrators may wish to configure this setting to be enabled to ensure users are always loading the latest versions of their files into Draftable when running comparisons.
From v24.9.0, Draftable will automatically reload DMS-stored files left in the
New Comparison Window before rerunning comparisons to ensure the most up to
date version is being used.
#### Editable Subject for Draftable-generated emails when sharing comparisons
The November releases also included a new Group Policy Option for administrators to customize the email subject used when users choose to 'email' comparison outputs from Draftable. This is designed to enable organizational standards to be implemented when users are emailing comparisons from Draftable.
#### Expanded Telemetry for Usage Insights
The 24.11.100 update also included a cleanup of Draftable's fully anonymized Telemetry data system. This work deduplicated some data fields and allowed logging of new in-app events. The new fields captured cover the following themes:
* How users trigger comparisons (e.g. from Document Management Systems, from the New Comparison Window, from the System Tray)
* Use of the Document Swap option in the New Comparison Window
* Usage of the 'Help' and 'Settings' options in the New Comparison Window
* Comparison Viewer usage (opening the viewer)
* Generation of key artefacts by Draftable (Redline PDF output, Redline in Word output, Redline Change List, etc)
You can [read more about our Product Telemetry system here](/hc/en-us/articles/34620487450265-Product-Telemetry).
## Bug Fixes
The November releases also resolved a number of bugs reported by customers, including:
* **Restored Revision Lines:** Addressed issues causing missing revision lines in the Comparison Viewer and PDF exports, ensuring all non-style changes are indicated via this feature.
* **Numbering and Formatting Fixes:** Improved handling of formatting issues in Word documents, particularly around numbering.
* **Error Resolution in PDF Conversions:** Fixed a comparison error when using the Draftable Engine for PDF conversions, ensuring smooth workflows.
* **Garbled Text in Signed Redlines:** Resolved text corruption issues in documents signed with Kappris, improving the integrity of redline outputs.
* **PowerPoint Grayscale Fixes:** Fixed errors in PowerPoint redlines when the Grayscale option was enabled.
# Updating Draftable API Self Hosted
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/40971532147225-Updating-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted
Updating your Draftable API Self-Hosted instance means updating to use the latest image version which ensures access to the newest features, performance improvements, and security updates. This guide walks you through the steps to update your instance.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
**Prerequisites**
1. Ensure you have administrative access to the server running the Draftable API Self-Hosted instance.
2. Verify that Docker and Docker Compose are installed on the server.
## Steps to Update the Draftable API Self-Hosted Instance
Pull the Latest Docker Image
Use the `docker pull` command to download the latest image from the Draftable repository:
`docker pull draftable/apish:latest `
This command ensures that the most recent version of the image is downloaded to your server.
Update the `docker-compose.yml` File
The `docker-compose.yml` file defines how your container is configured and deployed. Locate this file in the directory where your Draftable API instance is hosted.
* Open the file in a your preferred text editor.
* Update the `image` field under the `services` section to ensure it references the latest image:
```json theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish:
environment:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
image: draftable/apish:latest #The term 'Latest' always ensures you are using the latest version
ports:
- 80:80/tcp
- 0.0.0.0:8440:443/tcp
volumes:
- draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes:
draftable-apish:
```
* Save and exit the editor
Restart the Container
To apply the updates, restart your container with the updated configuration:
Start by shutting down the container:
`docker-compose down`
Then restart the container with:\
`docker-compose up`
To apply the updates, restart your container with the updated configuration:
Start by shutting down the container:
`docker-compose down`
Then restart the container with:\
`docker-compose up`
You should see the container begin to restart, now using the latest image specified.
Verify the Update
* Check that the container is running:
`docker ps `
* Navigate to your instance's web interface or API endpoint to confirm it is operational.
* You can also confirm the version of Self Hosted, by navigating to the Admin page and checking the bottom left corner.
If you have any issues following the above information or questions in general, please get in contact with us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal December 2024 (v24.12.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/41369665084313-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-December-2024-v24-12-0
We are pleased to introduce our final update for 2024, Draftable Legal v24.12.0. This update brings exciting new functionality for multiple comparison workflows, and adds a new comparison export option specifically designed to automate manual work that our customers reported their teams are doing with comparison outputs. We also add features that help to streamline workflows and improve accuracy to ensure users can compare legal documents faster and with greater clarity.
Key benefits in November updates include:
* **Save time running different comparison pairs** with our redesigned Bulk Compare experience that supports easier file loading and compares multiple discrete pairs of documents.
* **Automatically generate Departures Tables (i.e. Issues Lists) via a new export** that provides a table of named clauses with redlined text in context (Preview Only).
* **See moved text more clearly** with the new "Vintage Green" color inspired by legacy comparison software.
* **Identify NetDocuments files more easily** with Document ID and version number now displaying in the Draftable New Comparison Window.
* **Select the correct version of heavily edited iManage files** by seeing up to 100 iManage file versions in Draftable's version selection menu.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the 24.12.0 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Features & Improvements
### Core Functionality
#### Bulk Compare redesigned: easier file loading and compare multiple unique pairs
From v24.12.0, Draftable Legal users can save time comparing multiple unique pairs of documents by using Bulk Compare. Previously, Bulk Compare mode only supported multiple comparisons of a single precedent or a single markup. Our December update redesigns Bulk Compare mode to allow discrete pairs of unrelated documents to be compared at once. For example, users can now upload two versions of a contract, and two versions of a term sheet to run both comparisons simultaneously. This improvement removes the pain of running individual comparisons one at a time. It is particularly aimed to assist Document Processing Teams who are often given large numbers of discrete documents to compare for practice area teams.
To complement this update, we have made file loading into Bulk Compare easier, by removing the need to select the type of bulk compare (i.e. the 'use one older file' or 'use one newer file' options). Instead, users can simply arrange the files how want them compared and Draftable will automatically understand how to run the Bulk Comparison.
| **Draftable's previous 'Bulk Compare' mode required the selection of either '** **Use same Original Document' or 'Use same Newer Document' and did not support unique pairs** | **Draftable's new Bulk Compare mode allows flexible file loading, multiple unique comparisons, and automatically duplicates older or newer documents as needed** |
| :- | - |
| | |
#### Preview feature: Automatically generate a Departures Table output for contract negotiations
Our December release includes a Preview of our exciting new "Departures Table" export. This allows users to automatically generate a Departures Table (also known as an Issues List) using Draftable. The output displays the document clause details (e.g. clause 4a) and shows the changes as redlined text in the context of the whole clause or subclause (see screenshot below).
This Departures Table output helps legal teams to define positions on markups and assists in real-time contract negotiations with external parties by eliminating the need for manual comparison review to compile changes into a concise list of changes.
Importantly, we have designed the Departures Table to allow firms to use Microsoft Word templating methods to specify their own unique template for the Departures Table document. This ensures these important documents are standardized across organizations and are appropriately branded when sharing with clients.
We will be testing this Preview feature with our customers in the coming months to ensure it performs well on as many contract document formats as possible before it is released to all users. If you or your organization would like to take part in early testing of this feature, please contact your Account Executive or email [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com) for instructions on how to gain access to Preview features.
**An example of the new 'Departures Table' export from Draftable (available as a docx file) showing the relevant clause numbering (see 'Section' column) for each change detected and providing the whole clause text around the redlined changes (see 'Proposed Change' column)**
### Quality Improvements
#### Achieve greater precision in Excel Redline comparisons
Enhanced algorithms in our December release have improved the detection and matching of rows and columns in Excel files, ensuring changes are identified with greater accuracy. This refinement reduces errors and misalignments, providing a more reliable foundation for decisions based on Excel Redline comparisons. Legal professionals working with spreadsheets for financials or data-heavy documents will particularly benefit from this improvement.
### Markup Configuration
#### Improve clarity with the new "Vintage Green" color for moved text
After feedback on the addition of the "Classic Green" and "Leaf Green" color options, our December release adds a new "Vintage Green" has been introduced to our Markup Schema options. Vintage Green is intended to mark moved text with enhanced visibility for users familiar with legacy comparison tools. This addition to our markup configuration helps ensure a seamless transition for lawyers migrating from other comparison tools to Draftable.
### New integration functionality
#### NetDocuments: Identify Document ID and Version Number in the Draftable UI
In response to feedback from customers using NetDocuments, our December release includes the addition of Document IDs and version numbers to the Draftable New Comparison Window (pictured below). Users can now more readily identify the correct files they want to compare with this important file metadata.
| **Example of previous Draftable user interface when files from NetDocuments were loaded missing the Document ID and version number** | **The new Draftable user interface when files from NetDocuments are loaded showing Document ID and version number** |
| :- | - |
| | |
#### iManage: Access more file versions in Draftable's version selection menu
For lawyers drafting documents with a very large number of iterations, the December release includes an increase to the maximum number of iManage file versions displayed in Draftable. From Draftable Legal v24.12.0, users will be able to see up to 100 file versions in the Draftable "Select Version" menu. This improvement ensures that users can reliably access even older or less recent file versions, providing flexibility when managing long-term projects or archived documents.
Previously, the file version selection screen only supported 25 file versions. Users can access the file version selection menu by selecting the 'Compare Versions' option in iManage or by clicking the 'Select Version' option in the Draftable New Comparison Window.
## Bug fixes
As with all releases, our team have also worked hard to resolve identified issues. The December release included the following bug fixes:
* **Fixes error when comparing side by side comparisons:** The update resolved an issue that was causing errors during side-by-side comparisons.
* **Resolved problems with saving Tracked Changes outputs:** for files with excessively long filenames.
* **Addressed a specific "unable to compare" error:** this issue, now resolved, affected only a subset of document comparisons based on unique document element configuration.
* **Corrected an issue with file naming:** the update resolved behavior where output filenames were not being implemented properly for Redline in Word comparisons using input files loaded via the Draftable Word Add-in.
# Document Privacy and Security with the Draftable API
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/42553018962841-Document-Privacy-with-Draftable-API
How the Draftable API protects your documents: hosting, data lifecycle control, retention and deletion, encryption in transit and at rest, and our compliance certifications.
Draftable takes the privacy and security of your documents seriously. This page summarises how your data is handled when you use the cloud-hosted **Draftable API**, the controls you have over the lifecycle of that data, and the certifications that underpin our security programme.
This page covers the **cloud-hosted Draftable API** (`api.draftable.com`). If you run the **Self-Hosted API (APISH)** in your own environment, your documents never leave your infrastructure and you control retention, storage, and deletion directly. See the Draftable APISH documentation for details.
## Where your documents are hosted
Customer data submitted to the Draftable API is stored in Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure that is owned and operated by Draftable, using **Amazon S3** for document storage and **Amazon RDS** for application data.
Access to customer data is controlled at the application layer. Access is restricted to authorised personnel on a least-privilege basis, protected by multi-factor authentication, and logged.
Accounts created through draftable.com are hosted in our US data centre. We also operate an **EU data centre**, and can provision your account there on request. Other regions are possible where there is enough customer commitment to support the deployment. Contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) to discuss your data residency requirements.
## You control the lifecycle of your data
Documents and comparisons you submit to the Draftable API are retained until you remove them. You decide how long your data persists, using the lifecycle controls built into the API and client libraries:
* **Comparison expiry (recommended).** Set an `expires` value when you create a comparison and the API automatically deletes the comparison and all associated documents once that time passes.
* **Manual deletion.** Delete any comparison and its documents on demand with a single API call or SDK method.
* **URL expiry.** Control how long a signed viewer link stays valid. This affects link access only and does **not** delete documents or free storage.
For step-by-step examples in C#, Python, and Node.js, see [How to delete comparisons in Draftable API](/hc/en-us/articles/How-to-delete-comparisons-in-Draftable-API).
The most reliable way to keep only the data you need is to set an `expires` value on every comparison you create. This guarantees automatic cleanup without any manual intervention.
If you are not able to make API or SDK calls yourself, you can also ask our support team to delete a specific comparison on your behalf. Just supply the comparison identifier or URL.
## Retention and deletion
By default, data you upload through the authenticated Draftable API is **retained indefinitely unless you act on it**, either by setting an expiry or by deleting it. There is no automatic clean-up that happens on your behalf, which is why we recommend setting an `expires` value on every comparison.
When a deletion is processed (whether by expiry, by an API call, or on request), the data is made **immediately inaccessible**. A copy may persist briefly in encrypted backups, which age out automatically. The maximum period for which data may remain in backups after a deletion request is **30 days**.
Retention is governed by these service-wide controls rather than by per-customer arrangements. If you need data removed sooner, use comparison expiry or delete on demand, both described above.
## Encryption
**In transit.** All data transmitted between your systems and the Draftable API travels over the public internet encrypted with **TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3**. Older, insecure protocol versions (TLS 1.1 and below, and all versions of SSL) are not permitted.
**At rest.** Stored customer data is encrypted using the **Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 256-bit keys**. Both document storage and the application database are encrypted, with encryption keys managed by AWS under controlled access and regular rotation.
## Certifications and compliance
Draftable is part of Affinda Holdings Pty Ltd, and our security and compliance programme covers the Draftable brand. Independently verified certifications and assurances include:
* **ISO/IEC 27001:2022** certified information security management system.
* **SOC 2 Type II** attestation covering the Security trust services criteria.
* **Independent, third-party penetration testing** of our web application and API.
* Ongoing security controls including proactive monitoring, multi-factor authentication, and access logging for customer data.
You can view our current certificates and security posture, including the latest ISO/IEC 27001 certificate, in our [Trust Center](https://trust.affinda.com/).
For data protection and privacy obligations (including GDPR), our practices are governed by our [Privacy Policy](https://www.draftable.com/privacy). Where a customer requires additional contractual assurance, a confidentiality agreement or non-disclosure agreement (NDA) can be arranged.
## Where to find our policies and reports
The **Draftable (Affinda Group) Trust Center** is the single source of truth for our current certifications, security posture, and policy documents:
* **Trust Center:** [https://trust.affinda.com/](https://trust.affinda.com/)
* **Privacy Policy:** [https://www.draftable.com/privacy](https://www.draftable.com/privacy)
Many documents in the Trust Center are marked as restricted. The site will prompt you to request access with your work email. For a walkthrough, see [Accessing Draftable's compliance and security documentation](/hc/en-us/articles/49898032588569-Accessing-Draftable-s-Compliance-Security-Documentation).
## Need help?
If you have questions about how your documents are handled, or you need documentation for a security review, contact our team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we will be glad to help.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – January 2025 (v25.1.0 & v25.1.100)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/42932383980057-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-January-2025-v25-1-0-v25-1-100
We are excited to announce the latest release of Draftable Legal (v25.1), delivering improvements across core comparison functionality, ease of use, and system integration. Here's a quick highlight of the top five new features:
We are excited to announce the latest release of Draftable Legal (v25.1), delivering improvements across core comparison functionality, ease of use, and system integration. Here's a quick highlight of the top five new features:
Highlighted benefits of the January release include:
* **Quickly review, annotate and share changes in Excel files** – Review redlined Excel documents with a new spreadsheet view in Draftable, enabling faster navigation through changes with a clickable change list, change notes and tags and easily share via our next-step options.
* \*\*Streamline clause reviews \*\*– Save time on document review by accessing improved clause extraction, parent-section visibility, and see color-coded notes and tags in the Departures Table export (available in Preview).
* **Faster and smoother bulk comparison workflows** – Easily manage large volumes of comparisons with one-click options to email or copy all results, faster exports, and real-time progress tracking.
* **Only see the changes you need** – Tailor comparisons to your preferences with new options to redline footnote numbering and ignore quotation mark differences, ensuring relevant changes are highlighted.
* **Easier input file sharing** – Export input files instantly without renaming when comparing two versions of a document from your DMS thanks to automated filename updates to differentiate original from modified documents.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the January releases to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Features & Improvements
### Core Functionality
#### Excel Redline Viewer and Change List
We are excited to announce that from v25.1.100, all Draftable Legal users can review changes in Redlined Excel files faster and easier thanks to our new dedicated Excel Comparison Viewer. To access this viewer, simply load Excel files into Draftable and select the "Redline in Draftable" Comparison Type.
This dedicated Excel viewer provides:
* A clickable, filterable Change List for easy navigation and jump to change functionality.
* The ability to add notes and tags when reviewing changes in Excel comparisons
* Next actions options (save to DMS, email, etc.) directly within the viewer.
* The ability to export Changes Reports, to easily share review notes with colleagues, clients or external parties.
Our Excel viewer is designed to be a familiar spreadsheet viewing experience for users accustomed to Microsoft Excel. These changes help streamline analysis and reporting for complex Excel documents and will be particularly useful for Banking and Finance and M\&A practice areas and legal teams working in large financial institutions.
Our new Excel Redline comparison viewer includes the ability to select changes from a list and jump directly to its location across the entire Workbook. Users can also add notes and tags to changes and export these to a changes report.
#### Departures Table Enhancements (Preview feature)
In our December 2024 update, we released a Preview of our new Departures Table. This feature automates tedious manual work to prepare issue lists from redlined comparisons during contract negotiations. In Draftable, the Departures Table comparison output provides a Word document with a table of clauses that have been amended in your documents. The table includes the changes shown in the context of the whole clause to avoid the need to read the export in the context of the redlined document.
Our January 2025 updates have added a number of important enhancements to the Departures Table output, including:
* Clauses now display with parent sections to provide better context.
* Improved clause and reference section extraction, especially for table-based content.
* Updated clause number detection ensures greater accuracy in redline outputs.
* Added differentiated comment colors, viewer notes, and tags for more organized feedback.
* The export process for Departures Tables has also been improved to ensure file naming consistency.
We are continuing to work with customers to test the Departures Table feature on real life documents and we plan on releasing this feature to all customers in the next 1-2 months. If you or your firm would like to get early access to this feature, you can contact your Account Executive or contact [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
The Departures Table export shows section clause IDs in abbreviated form, adds all relevant parent clause text into the 'Proposed Change' column and now exports tags and notes from the Draftable viewer into the 'Review Notes' column
#### Bulk Compare Improvements
The January releases have added several improvements for document processing teams running large numbers of comparisons at once. Our Bulk Compare feature now allows these users to:
* **Easily share multiple comparisons** via new Email and Copy to Clipboard actions after completing comparisons in bulk.
* **Include summary information when using Bulk Compare** with Summary Pages now included when saving and sharing files in Bulk Compare mode.
* **Easily select recent files for bulk comparison** with file-type icons added into the navigation in "Select from Recent Files" in Bulk Compare mode.
* **Complete Bulk Compare workflows faster and with more confidence** thanks to increased export speeds and a progress bar to track the progress of large exports.
* **Avoid unnecessary errors** when trying to run Bulk Compares thanks to new smart Comparison Type selection logic that ensures only valid Comparison Types for your input files can be selected.
These enhancements provide faster, more intuitive batch processing for high-volume document comparisons.
Filetype icons have been added into the 'Select from Recent' menu for Bulk Compare
The January releases added new Next Action options for Email and Copy to Clipboard after Bulk Compares
Our January release made Bulk Compare exports faster and added a progress bar so users can see how long export preparation will take
### Accuracy and Output Quality
The January updates provides users with clearer, more accurate redline outputs, making it easier to identify and understand document changes. Specific accuracy and quality updates included:
* **Improved revision visibility** by dynamically adjusting row heights in tables, ensuring no changes are obscured and tables remain readable.
* **Better rendering of deleted sections**, eliminating formatting issues like long, narrow columns that can disrupt the document layout and clarity.
* **Minimized layout inconsistencies** by aligning numbering IDs, reducing visual clutter from unnecessary change markers and improving output presentation.
### New Markup Customization
In direct response to requests from our customers, the January update made two important additions to Redline Profile settings to reduce noise in comparisons and focus on meaningful differences. From v25.1.0, users and administrators can now:
* Choose to ignore changes to quotation marks from curly to straight to prevent minor formatting variations from appearing as tracked changes.
A new Profile setting allows users to ignore changes from straight to curly quotation marks in redline outputs
* Track changes to footnotes more easily with redlined changes to footnote numbering references Note: this setting is off by default and is not shown to end users. To enable redlining of footnote numbering, administrators can configure the following Windows Registry key: HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\Software\Draftable\Feature\CompareFootnoteNumberingEnabled
### Ease of Use improvements
Draftable's January 2025 updates also included a number of workflow improvements to help users handle documents more efficiently, reducing errors and improving clarity during the comparison process.
#### Automated renaming of input files to prevent filename conflicts
From v25.1.0, any input files with the same document name will be automatically renamed by Draftable with "- original" and "- modified" by default. This removes a mandatory renaming step for users when comparing two versions of a document from their DMS. Now users can simple export their input documents with no manual renaming, reducing the number of clicks to complete comparison workflows. Importantly, Draftable Legal users will still have the option to rename input files if needed.
#### Easier access to file loading options
The January update made a simple but important change to the Draftable New Comparison Window user interface. Users with more than one document management system integration will no longer have to use the horizontal scroll bar to see all their file input options. Instead, the updated UI organizes file selector options into two rows in the New Comparison Window, meaning all file loading options are visible at all times. This reduces the number of clicks required to complete file loading when using more than one document management system.
#### Improved file loading selection state visibility
January's update also adds an small improvement to our user experience that avoid conflicts in file loading actions. Previously, users were able to choose to load a second file when the first was still being added to Draftable. From v25.1.0 a loading spinner and disabled compare button will display until all files are loaded, ensuring users know when files are still being prepared and do not need to reload files unnecessarily.
## Integration Updates
### Improved file ordering when loading files from DMS
Our January update includes an improvement to ensure DMS files are loaded in the correct order when selecting document management system files. Previously, Draftable only used file version metadata to order documents only when those were loaded from the loading commands available within each Document Management System. This update ensures the same file ordering logic applies when using the file selection options within the New Comparison Window. This improvement applies to iManage, Epona, and SharePoint.
### Updated load behavior for Draftable's Microsoft add-ins
Several customers provided feedback that Draftable's dynamic MS Office Add-in dynamic load behavior was causing issues with avoiding it being disabled by Outlook, Word and Excel. Based on this feedback, we have updated all of the Draftable MS Office Add-ins (Outlook, Word and Excel) to now load at startup to reduce issues with add-ins being disabled by Microsoft Office. As part of this update, all Microsoft Office Add-ins have had version upgrades, specifically:
* Outlook Add-in v1.18.0.0
* Word Add-in v1.26.0.0
* Excel Add-in v1.4.0.0
## Administrator Features
A number of small updates were made in our January releases to assist application administrators and to ensure software frameworks leveraged by Draftable are kept up to date. Specifically, the 25.01.0 release included:
* An update to remove the 'Remember my choice' checkbox for next actions in admin-set profiles when the 'always ask' option is configured
* An upgrade to .NET80 for improved stability and performance
* An updated CEF (Chromium Embedded Framework) to version 131.3.50 to reduce logging noise and improve integration behavior.
## Bug Fixes
As with all releases, the January updates have included fixes to several reported issues:
* Fixed file naming inconsistencies for filenames with periods (".").
* Resolved an error in the Word Add-in impacting the 'Compare Text with Draftable' option.
* Fixed errors related to SharePoint graph client connections.
* Addressed color highlighting issues in the Departures Table.
* Corrected file loading issues from Document Management Systems.
* Resolved export errors when using 1-Click Compare for redline DOCX files.
* Fixed crashes related to clause data generation in the Departures Table.
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Contacting Draftable Support
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/43674001541273-Contacting-Draftable-Support
At Draftable, we’re here to help! Whether you have a **technical issue**, a **product question**, need assistance with **integrations**, or have **any other inquiries**, our support team is ready to assist you.
## How to Reach Us
If you need support, the best way to get in touch is via **email**. You can reach our support team at:
Our team is available to assist with:
* Troubleshooting technical issues
* Guidance on using Draftable products
* Questions about integrations with third-party platforms
* Licensing and account inquiries
## What to Include in Your Request
To help us assist you as quickly as possible, please include the following details in your email:
* A brief **description of the issue** or question
* The **product** you are using (e.g., Draftable Legal, Draftable Desktop)
* Any **error messages** (if applicable)
* **Log files** from the affected machine
* Steps you have already tried to resolve the issue
* Screenshots (if relevant)
We appreciate your patience and look forward to helping you! 🚀
# Contacting the Draftable Product Team
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/43674043240473-Contacting-the-Draftable-Product-Team
Our **Product Team** is always keen to hear from you! Whether you have **questions about our products**, want to **request new features**, or need help with **preview features** that haven't been fully released yet, we’re here to listen.
## How to Reach Us
If you have any product-related inquiries, you can contact our **Product Team** at:
We encourage you to reach out for:
* **Product-related questions** – If you have inquiries about Draftable’s features, roadmap, or best practices.
* **Feature requests** – If there’s a feature that would improve your workflow, let us know!
* **Request to test new preview features** - If your interested in testing features that haven't been fully released yet, please get in touch!
* **Feedback on preview features** – If you’re testing **unreleased or beta** features, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
## Providing Useful Feedback
To help us better understand your request, please include as much detail as possible in your email:
* A **description of your question or request**
* The **product or feature** you’re inquiring about
* If it's a **feature request**, tell us about the **problem you’re trying to solve**
* If it’s feedback on a **preview feature**, let us know what’s working well and what could be improved
* Screenshots or examples (if applicable)
Your insights help us **shape the future of Draftable**, so we truly appreciate your input. Thanks for helping us build the best possible experience! 🚀
# Checking Draftable API Status
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/43677873463705-Checking-Draftable-API-Status
If you’re experiencing issues with Draftable’s API services or want to stay informed about **downtime, maintenance, or system updates**, you can check our **API Status Page** for real-time updates.
## Where to Check API Status
To see the current status of Draftable’s services, visit:
Our status page provides:
✅ **Live service status** – Check if any Draftable services are experiencing issues
⚠️ **Incident reports** – Track ongoing or resolved incidents.
🔄 **Subscribe to future updates** – See when scheduled future updates is happening by subscribing to our mailing list.
## What to Do if You Encounter Issues
If the status page indicates that everything is **operating normally**, but you're still experiencing an issue, try the following:
* Refresh the page and retry your request
* If using a client library, confirm your code/script is functioning correctly
* Check your network connection
Still having trouble? Reach out to our support team at **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)** for further assistance.
By keeping an eye on our status page, you can stay up to date with any service disruptions and planned updates. 🚀
# How to find log files without exporting
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/43678264426777-How-to-find-log-files-without-exporting
If you're experiencing issues with **Draftable**, our support team may request log files to help investigate the problem. While you can export logs through Draftable’s built-in feature, you can also retrieve them manually from your Windows file system.
Follow the steps below to locate and send your **Draftable Desktop log files**.
## **Step 1: Reproduce the Issue**
Before retrieving the logs, please **reproduce the issue** you’re experiencing. This ensures that the logs contain the most relevant data for troubleshooting.
## **Step 2: Locate the Log Files**
* Press **`Windows + R`** on your keyboard to open the **Run** dialog.
* Type **`%LOCALAPPDATA%`** and press **Enter**.
* This will open the **Local AppData** folder in File Explorer.
* Open the folder named **`DraftableDesktop`**.
* Inside this folder, open **`draftable-desktop`**.
## **Step 3: Send the Log Files**
* The folder contains **multiple log files** that are useful for troubleshooting.
* Select all files and folders and select **"Compress to → Zip file"**.
* Send the compressed folder to **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)** for further investigation.
## **Additional Information**
When submitting your support request, please also include:\
✅ The **documents** that caused the issue (or sample documents if possible)\
✅ A description of what happened when the issue occurred\
✅ Whether the issue happens with **all documents** or only specific ones
By following these steps, you’ll help our support team diagnose and resolve the issue faster.
# Using the Summary Page in Draftable Legal Exports
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/43680467644185-Using-the-Summary-Page-in-Draftable-Legal-Exports
The **Summary Page** in Draftable Legal provides an overview of key details from your document comparison. This page can be included in your export settings to help reviewers quickly understand changes without going through the full document. See below an example of what the comparison summary page looks like.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
You can control how the **Summary Page** is included in your exported comparison files by adjusting the summary page placement setting.
## Configuring the Summary Page Placement
To customize how the **Summary Page** appears in your comparison exports, there are two methods:
### Configuring the summary page at the time of export
The per-export **Options** menu shown below is opened from the comparison viewer and still works the same way in Draftable Legal 26.6 and later.
Whilst in the **comparison viewer,** select your desired export option via the ribbon menu
In the above example, we will select the **save option**
When the export menu opens, note that there is text marked as "Options", go ahead and click this text:
Once clicked you will have an option to set the summary page behaviour, there are four options:
* **Do not include:** The Summary Page will **not** be added to your export.
* **Include at start:** The Summary Page appears at the **beginning** of the comparison.
* **Include at end:** The Summary Page appears at the **end** of the comparison.
* **Include at the start and end:** The Summary Page appears **both at the start and end** of the comparison.
The per-export **Options** menu uses the wording "Include at start" and "Include at end", while the settings dropdown (described below) uses "At the start" and "At the end". They control the same behaviour. The per-export menu also offers a fourth choice, "Include at the start and end", which the settings dropdown does not.
Continue with your export workflow with the summary page option selected. The export option will include the summary page if you have selected it (either at the start or end of the export).
### Configuring the summary page via the settings menu
The settings menu lets you set a default placement that applies to every comparison. You can still override this default for an individual comparison using the **Options** menu described above.
* Open the settings menu via the New Comparison Window
* Open the [New Comparison window](/hc/en-us/articles/19002140760217-Launching-a-Comparison-in-Draftable-Legal-A-Step-by-Step-Guide)
* Select **Settings** in the top right of the window
In the settings menu, select **Opening & Saving Files** (under the **Files** group), then find **Summary page** under the **Output Content** heading.
In the **Settings** menu, go to the **Redline** section and find the **Default Summary Page Placement** setting.
This setting controls where (or if) the **Summary Page** is included in your comparison exports.
The **Summary page** dropdown has three options:
* **Do not include:** The Summary Page will **not** be added to your export.
* **At the start:** The Summary Page appears at the **beginning** of the comparison.
* **At the end:** The Summary Page appears at the **end** of the comparison.
* **Do not include:** The Summary Page will **not** be added to your export.
* **Include at start:** The Summary Page appears at the **beginning** of the comparison.
* **Include at end:** The Summary Page appears at the **end** of the comparison.
* **Include at start and end:** The Summary Page appears **both at the start and end** of the comparison.
## How This Affects Your Exports
The summary page placement setting applies to all export document formats in Draftable Legal.
If your workflow requires a **quick reference summary**, including the Summary Page at the start or end of the document can help improve review efficiency.
## Need Further Assistance?
If you have any questions or need help configuring your settings, contact our support team at **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)**.
# How to integrate Epona with Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/43691959041817-How-to-integrate-Epona-with-Draftable-Legal
Draftable Legal allows you to connect to your Epona application, so that you can compare files stored in Epona.
To take advantage of this integration, you need to ensure you have the Epona DMSforLegal version 24.3.1 or higher installed on your machine. Once installed, all the Draftable menu items will be available to users. If you are on an earlier version of the DMSforLegal integration, please contact Epona directly for latest release.
To configure DMSForLegal in Outlook, so that the Draftable integration works, please follow the below steps.
Open Outlook.
Click on the DMSForLegal option in the Outlook Ribbon and then select the Options button.
The DMSforLegal configuration window will pop up. Click on the External tab and change the Document Comparison software option to Draftable and the Comparison completed action to Open in Draftable.
If you have not already done so, you can select the Email results options as well.
When everything is set, hit the Apply and ok buttons and you will be good to go
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – February 2025 (v25.2.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/44145905520153-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-February-2025-v25-2-0
We are excited to announce the February release of Draftable Legal (v25.2.0), delivering our accuracy and quality improvements to our algorithms, new Departures Table output format to all users, enhancing review features for Excel Redlines, and new markup options for vision impaired users. Here’s a quick highlight of the top five new features:
1. **Quickly export and share Departure Tables –** streamline clause reviews by exporting the **Departures Table** (now available to all users) directly into the **email body**, with or without the filters in your change list, making it easier to share key departures with colleagues and clients without extra formatting steps.
2. **Faster, clearer Excel change tracking –** share summary of changes in Excel files more efficiently with worksheet names now displayed in the Changes Report, clearer redline visibility in the Excel Viewer, and redlined text appearing directly in the **Changes Report**, ensuring all modifications are easy to spot and understand.
3. **More precise document comparisons –** we've improved the accuracy in text box and PowerPoint comparisons, reducing false positives and ensuring that changes are captured with greater precision, especially in **complex slide decks and structured documents**.
4. **More markup customization options** – Customize how changes are displayed with options to **ignore changes to footers** in Changes Pages Only mode and **highlight changed text** within the markup schema, making document comparisons more relevant and easier to read.
5. **Smarter 1-Click Compare file loading –** Save time when working with version-controlled documents with **1-Click Compare now automatically selects the two most recent versions** when comparing files in a **Document Management System**, eliminating manual selection steps.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the February releases to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Features and Improvements
### Core Functionality
#### Departures Table Enhancements
All users of Draftable Legal can now automatically generate a table formatted output document showing with all changes with the relevant clause number referenced, and Microsoft word comments from input files and any tags or notes added in Draftable shown in a 'Review Notes' column. Based on feedback from customers testing the preview version of this feature, the February release included the following improvements:
* Better output formatting for readability.
* A new option in the 'next actions' menu of the Draftable viewer to export the Departures Table directly into the email body, with or without the change list filtering applied (pictured).
* Added ability to extract inline comments within the Departures Table into the 'Review Notes' column (pictured).
#### Excel Redline Improvements
Based on further feedback from customers since January's release of our Excel Redline viewer in Draftable, we have made improvements to this workflow to ensure better legibility of formula changes in the viewer and provide more information in the changes report.
Below is an example of our improvement for enhanced legibility for the Excel Viewer when formula change borders are displayed.
| **Previous display of adjacent cells with unique formula changes shown in the Draftable viewer** | **Updated display of adjacent cells with unique formula changes shown in the Draftable viewer** |
| :- | - |
| | |
Below is an example of the updated Changes Report (shown here in an email body) now displaying worksheet names in the "Location" column and redlined text from changes in each change row.
### Accuracy and Quality Enhancements
#### Improved comparison of text boxes
The February 2025 update allows users who compare documents with text boxes to see higher quality outputs thanks to improvements to our Text Box comparisons algorithm. This improvement has removed the likelihood of Draftable displaying false changes (i.e. showing unchanged text boxes as insertions and deletions) due to small movements in the location of the text box, and ensures that revised inserted text in text box is displayed in a way that is easy to read.
#### Improved quality of Redline in PowerPoint
We have also released an enhanced PowerPoint Redline algorithm that reduces the for more accurate slide comparisons. Specifically, these improvements have optimized our comparison algorithm to:
* Ensure moved text boxes are clearly displayed as a move
* Missing markup for inserted shapes
* Optimize text size to avoid redlined text running outside of the slide
### Markup Configuration Updates
#### New Markup Schema option to use highlights to display changes
Law firms and legal teams working with vision impaired clients or staff often have trouble ensuring changes can be easily seen and understood by those audiences. Based on feedback from users, our February release includes a new option in the Redline Profile settings to use highlights to indicate changes.
#### Ignore footnote changes in Changed Pages Only output
We heard from many law firms that their Document Management System often inserts the Document ID and version number into the footer of their documents. This meant each version had a footer change on every page, and while lawyers do want to see those changes redlined, footer changes should on their own be enough to include a page in the 'Changed Pages Only' PDF output.
In our February release, we have implemented a new Redline profile setting (set to off by default) that ensures if the only change on a page is either in the header or footer, these changes will be ignored in the 'Changed Pages Only' PDF export.
Importantly, the 'Changed Pages Only' output will still show redlined changes in the header and footer for pages that are included.
### Ease of Use Enhancements
Several law firms provided feedback to Draftable that their users would prefer to see the changes summary statistics (e.g. number of insertions, deletions, etc) at the top of the Draftable Viewer. The February update of Draftable Legal has added a new collapsible section to our Comparison Viewer which displays these summary statistics at the top of the screen.
Users and administrators can configure how this is displayed via the General tab in the Settings menu or via the Windows Registry or Group Policy, choosing from the following options:
* Do not display the statistics section
* Display the statistics section collapsed by default
* Display the statistics section shown by default
#### Automatically use the latest two versions for 1-Click Compare
When using 1-Click Compare commands in document management systems, users previously were asked to first select the two versions for comparison from a list. We have now updated the '1-Click Compare' logic to leverage the setting available in the Integrations tab of the Settings menu, which enables users to have Draftable automatically select the two most recent versions of a file when using 1-Click Compare.
To enable this behavior, users or administrators just need to ensure the integration setting 'Enable automatic selection of the two latest versions' is checked.
### Administrator Features
#### Updated HTTP Listener Service for new Outlook Add-In
Our February update also updated our HTTP Listener Service to prepare this for the upcoming release of our new Outlook Add-In which will include functionality for redlining changes in emails.
## Bug Fixes
As with all releases, the February update included fixes to several reported issues:
* Fixed an issue causing **custom.xml** truncation when writing metadata.
* Resolved an issue where the **Changes Report was exported as HTML** instead of DOCX when selected.
* Fixed a failure to generate the **Changes Report on moves within text boxes**.
* Fixed an issue where exported/saved ZIP contents were **missing file extensions**.
* Addressed an issue where a **comparison error occurred due to the footnoteColumns attribute in section properties**.
* Updated the MSI installer to fix the **missing iManage integration package**.
* Fixed an issue where **native Office compare options were not working**.
* Resolved an issue where **comparisons showed changes in text boxes even when 'Text boxes' were deselected in Redline settings**.
* Fixed a **PDF compatibility mode bug** that caused numbering indentation to flatten incorrectly.
* Resolved a comparison failure caused by **issues saving files with macros in preprocessing**.
* Fixed an issue where **deleted paragraphs inherited incorrect paragraph properties (e.g., headings)**.
* Addressed an issue where **all file icons appeared as PDFs in Bulk Compare**.
* Fixed an issue where **Redline Change List generation crashed due to an unhandled instrText error**.
* Fixed a **comparison error caused by table compare issues**.
* Addressed an issue where **PowerPoint Redline's "Rearrange overlapping edits" behavior did not work when Classic Red markup color was selected**.
* Fixed a **comparison error for certain documents with comments**.
* Resolved false positives in **umlaut (ü) detection due to failing to normalize Unicode sequences before comparison**.
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – March 2025 (v25.3.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/45439030627737-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-March-2025-v25-3-0
We're excited to share the March release of Draftable Legal (v25.3.0), bringing new customization options for comparison accuracy, streamlined document viewing, and enhancements to SharePoint workflows. This update also includes fixes to common issues affecting Excel redlines, PDFs, and large batch comparisons. Here is a quick overview of the five new improvements that matter most:
We're excited to share the March release of Draftable Legal (v25.3.0), bringing new customization options for comparison accuracy, streamlined document viewing, and enhancements to SharePoint workflows. This update also includes fixes to common issues affecting Excel redlines, PDFs, and large batch comparisons. Here is a quick overview of the five new improvements that matter most:
* **Focus on real content differences** – Comparisons can now ignore changes between straight and curly apostrophes or quotation marks. This new setting helps you avoid getting distracted by irrelevant changes in punctuation formatting, especially in documents with mixed authorship or legacy content.
* **Keep your layout preferences between comparisons** – The Viewer now remembers your preferred layout — such as keeping the Change List collapsed. This saves time for reviewers who prefer a cleaner workspace when comparing many files throughout the day.
* \*\*Understand issues faster with improved error messages \*\*– When comparisons fail, the 1-Click Compare error dialog now includes clearer explanations and next steps. This helps users resolve issues without needing to escalate to IT or support teams.
* \*\*Review legacy documents without unnecessary alerts \*\*– The warning about older document formats (.doc) has been removed to reduce interruptions during review. Users can now compare older Word files without seeing alerts that don't affect output quality.
* \*\*Use custom change list tags for internal workflows \*\*– Admins can now define custom tags for the change list, giving you greater control over how changes are labelled and reviewed.
Let's take a closer look at the full list of updates:
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the March releases to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Comparison Settings
#### Option to ignore punctuation style differences
A new Redline Profile setting allows users to treat straight and curly apostrophes or quotation marks as equivalent, preventing minor formatting differences from being flagged as content changes.
This is especially helpful in cross-jurisdictional or collaborative documents where punctuation standards vary.
## Ease of Use Enhancements
### Sticky sidebar preferences
The right-hand menu panel in the Viewer now remembers your last state — whether collapsed or expanded. This preference carries across future comparisons and sessions, streamlining the review process.
### Clearer error messages
We've redesigned the 1-Click Compare error dialog to surface more helpful context, including what went wrong and what the user can try next. This supports faster self-resolution without needing to escalate to IT.
### SharePoint: updated 1-Click Compare behavior
When using 1-Click Compare via SharePoint, the command now runs using the latest engine, ensuring faster, more consistent comparisons with improved file handling.
## Word and Excel Output Enhancements
### Word: Changes Report now uses full page width
The table in the Word Changes Report now expands to fill the width of the page, improving readability and reducing wasted space.
### Custom tags in change list
Administrators can define firm-specific tags that appear in the change list. These tags support team-based review workflows and help reviewers scan for key issues faster. This can be implemented in the Group Policy settings under Custom Status Tags.
## Bug Fixes
As with all releases, the March update included fixes to several reported issues:
* Resolved issues in bulk comparisons where large sets would occasionally timeout
* Fixed change list comment indexing to ensure consistent markup output
* Resolved formatting issues in Departures Table emails
* Fixed issue with redlines failing to open in Excel
* Corrected false positives in paragraph changes caused by bookmarks
* Fixed PDF viewer icon not appearing when PDF files are compared
* Improved SharePoint API handling for large libraries
* Fixed issue with TXT file comparisons
* Corrected behavior for admin-installed add-ins in Settings view
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# How to configure a custom Departures Table template
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46349329328281-How-to-configure-a-custom-Departures-Table-template
## What is the Departures Table?
The **Departures Table** is a specialized report that helps you see how a document has changed—**with full context**. Instead of just showing edits inline or as redlines, it highlights the **entire section or clause** where a change occurred. This makes it easier to understand changes at a glance, especially in long or complex documents.
## What Is It Used For?
The Departures Table is typically used during collaborative editing or negotiation processes. It's especially helpful when:
* You want to **quickly review all meaningful changes** without digging through redlines.
* You're working with **large documents** and need a summary that highlights changes in full paragraphs or sections.
* You need a **clean, shareable summary** of updates to send to others for review or approval.
## How to export a Departures Table
Run a **Redline in Draftable** comparison
In the Draftable viewer, navigate to any of the **export options** in the top-left, and select **Departures Table**. A Departures Table can be generated for **Open, Save, Save to DMS, Copy to Clipboard** or **Email**.
## How to configure a custom Departures Table template
Draftable includes a default Word document template for the Departures Table, but you can customize this to suit your needs. This can be achieved by adding your own custom template and overriding the default template.
Navigate to Draftable installation folder, e.g. `%LOCALAPPDATA%\DraftableDesktop\current` or `C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable\Draftable Desktop` and open `Resources` folder.
Create a copy of **DeparturesTableTemplate.docx** file and open it in MS Word and enable it for editing.
Edit the newly created, copied Departures Table template according to your needs. Please, however, adhere to the requirements for the table:
At least four columns for the following content in the following order:
1. Departure ID
2. Section Reference
3. Changed clause (departure)
4. Review notes/comments
Also, ensure there is:
* A table header
* An empty row
See the example below:
Style the document according to your needs
1. Elements that can be customised:
1. Header and footer
2. Font family and size
3. Table header titles
4. Adding more table columns on the right-hand side
2. Elements that cannot be customised:
1. Removing or adding columns at position 1-4 (as mentioned above)
2. Changing the order of columns at position 1-4 (as mentioned above)
## Deploying a custom Departures Table template
Copy the document created to the Microsoft Office templates folder, typically at: %AppData%\Microsoft\Templates
**Restart Draftable** by exiting out of the application completely. Do not just close out the New Comparison window. (Guide here on how to [correctly restart Draftable](/hc/en-us/articles/39934335355033-How-to-properly-restart-Draftable-Legal))
Verify the new template is working by generating a Departures Table report
## Having issues?
Reach out to the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we will assist you in getting your departures table template working, or if you have any questions regarding this feature.
# How to configure a custom Departures Table template
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46349329328282-How-to-configure-a-custom-Departures-Table-template
## What is the Departures Table?
The **Departures Table** is a specialized report that helps you see how a document has changed—**with full context**. Instead of just showing edits inline or as redlines, it highlights the **entire section or clause** where a change occurred. This makes it easier to understand changes at a glance, especially in long or complex documents.
## What Is It Used For?
The Departures Table is typically used during collaborative editing or negotiation processes. It's especially helpful when:
* You want to **quickly review all meaningful changes** without digging through redlines.
* You're working with **large documents** and need a summary that highlights changes in full paragraphs or sections.
* You need a **clean, shareable summary** of updates to send to others for review or approval.
## How to export a Departures Table
Run a **Redline in Draftable** comparison
In the Draftable viewer, navigate to any of the **export options** in the top-left, and select **Departures Table**. A Departures Table can be generated for **Open, Save, Save to DMS, Copy to Clipboard** or **Email**.
## How to configure a custom Departures Table template
Draftable includes a default Word document template for the Departures Table, but you can customize this to suit your needs. This can be achieved by adding your own custom template and overriding the default template.
Navigate to Draftable installation folder, e.g. `%LOCALAPPDATA%\DraftableDesktop\current` or `C:\Program Files (x86)\Draftable\Draftable Desktop` and open `Resources` folder.
Create a copy of **DeparturesTableTemplate.docx** file and open it in MS Word and enable it for editing.
Edit the newly created, copied Departures Table template according to your needs. Please, however, adhere to the requirements for the table:
At least four columns for the following content in the following order:
1. Departure ID
2. Section Reference
3. Changed clause (departure)
4. Review notes/comments
Also, ensure there is:
* A table header
* An empty row
See the example below:
Style the document according to your needs
1. Elements that can be customised:
1. Header and footer
2. Font family and size
3. Table header titles
4. Adding more table columns on the right-hand side
2. Elements that cannot be customised:
1. Removing or adding columns at position 1-4 (as mentioned above)
2. Changing the order of columns at position 1-4 (as mentioned above)
## Deploying a custom Departures Table template
Copy the document created to the Microsoft Office templates folder, typically at: %AppData%\Microsoft\Templates
**Restart Draftable** by exiting out of the application completely. Do not just close out the New Comparison window. (Guide here on how to [correctly restart Draftable](/hc/en-us/articles/39934335355033-How-to-properly-restart-Draftable-Legal))
Verify the new template is working by generating a Departures Table report
## Having issues?
Reach out to the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we will assist you in getting your departures table template working, or if you have any questions regarding this feature.
# Using Draftable Redline in Email
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46382010730905-Using-Draftable-Redline-in-Email
Redline in Email is an Outlook add-in that opens your email in a tracked-changes editor. See what changed since the previous email, edit with tracked changes, accept or reject changes, and send the redline without leaving Outlook.
Draftable must be installed on your computer, and it must be running in the background for Redline in Email to work properly. If it is not, version 3.0 prompts you to launch Draftable so it starts running in the background.
**This article describes Redline in Email 3.0.** Version 3.0 opens straight into an editor where your changes are tracked as you type. If your task pane instead opens on an **"I want to…"** menu, you are using version 2.1 or earlier: see [Earlier versions of Redline in Email](#earlier-versions-of-redline-in-email) at the end of this article. To move to version 3.0, your IT administrator needs to deploy the version 3 add-in manifest and update Draftable to 26.9.0.1 or later. See [Configuring Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/46382047949977-Configuring-Redline-in-Email-Outlook-with-Draftable).
## How Redline in Email works
Redline in Email lets you mark up an email and review changes without leaving Outlook. Everything happens in one task pane:
1. When the pane opens, you see the email you are reading or writing, with its changes already marked up as tracked changes.
2. You edit the email in the pane. Everything you type, delete or move is marked as a tracked change.
3. You accept or reject changes, one at a time or all at once.
4. You send the result on. When you are writing an email, **Apply to Email** puts the tracked result into your draft. When you are reading an email, **Reply** opens a reply draft that carries the tracked result.
Nothing in your email changes until you select **Apply to Email** or **Reply**.
## Open Redline in Email
To review an email you received, open it. To redline your own reply, open the email and select **Reply** (or **Reply All**) so you have a draft to work in. You can also open Redline in Email on a new email.
Select **Redline** on the Outlook ribbon. The Redline in Email task pane opens on the right-hand side.
* **Classic ribbon:** **Redline** is the only button in the **Compare** group. It is there whether you are reading or writing an email.
* **Simplified ribbon:** the group name is not shown, so look for the **Redline** button. If the Outlook window is narrow, it may be under the **More options (...)** menu.
* **New Outlook and Outlook on the web:** add-in buttons can also appear under **Apps**.
The **Draftable** button in the separate **Draftable in Outlook** group belongs to a different add-in, which sends text or attachments to the Draftable desktop app for comparison. This article covers the **Redline** task pane.
Redline in Email checks your Draftable license, finds the email to compare with, and opens the editor. This usually takes a few seconds.
The first time you open the pane, it can show a **License Check** screen ("Checking your Draftable Desktop license.") with **Launch Draftable** and **Refresh License** buttons, even when Draftable is already running. Select **Refresh License**. After that, Redline in Email opens straight into the editor.
## What you see when the pane opens
The pane has four parts, from top to bottom:
* **The status line.** It names what the marked changes are measured against, for example **Changes: Alex's email 22 July, 11:11 am ⇄ your draft**. An email you sent yourself is named **your email**. The **Settings** (gear) and **Help** (question mark) buttons sit at its right-hand end.
* **The review toolbar.** **Track changes**, **Accept**, **Reject**, and the previous and next change buttons with the change count.
* **The formatting toolbar.** Bold, italic, underline, font, size, lists, links and tables.
* **The editor**, with **Apply to Email** or **Reply** at the bottom.
What the editor starts with depends on the email:
| The email you opened | What the editor shows | Status line |
| - | - | - |
| Already contains a redline (for example, a redlined reply you received) | The existing tracked changes, ready for you to accept, reject or add to | **Started without a comparison** |
| A reply you are writing, or an email you received, in a conversation | The email compared with the previous email in the conversation, with every difference marked as a tracked change | **Changes:** followed by the email it is compared with, then **your draft** or **this email** |
| A new email, or the first email in a conversation | The email as it is, with **Track changes** on so your edits are marked from now on | **Started without a comparison** |
### Which email your changes are compared with
* **When you are writing a reply**, Draftable compares your draft with the email you are replying to. If it cannot identify that email, for example on a forward, it uses the latest email in the conversation.
* **When you are reading an email**, Draftable compares it with the email before it in the conversation.
The comparison marks every difference, including edits made directly in the Outlook message body without tracking. New messages written above the earlier email, such as "see my changes below", appear as normal text rather than as insertions, so only the changes to the earlier email are marked.
If the status line names the wrong email, you can choose a different one. See [Compare with a different email](#compare-with-a-different-email).
## Compare with a different email
Select the status line at the top of the pane (it shows a small arrow), then select **Compare with an email…**. The status line works as a menu when the email is part of a conversation.
The picker shows the email you have open at the top, marked with a **This email** or **Your draft** badge. Under **Compare with**, it lists the other emails in the conversation, newest first, with who sent each one, when, and the first line of what it added.
Select an email to see the changes it would give in the **Preview** underneath the list, headed with the same **Changes:** line the status line would show. You can drag the divider to resize the list and the preview.
When you are reading an email, any emails that arrived after it are folded into a row at the top of the list that counts them, for example **3 later emails**. Expand it if you want to compare with one of them, and each one is marked **After this email**. If there is nothing to compare with, a line tells you there is no earlier email in the conversation.
Select **Compare with this email** (or double-click the email in the list). The editor rebuilds with the changes measured against the email you picked.
If you have already made edits in the pane, Redline in Email asks first, because the edits do not carry over to the new comparison. Select **Discard edits** to continue, or **Keep editing** to go back. Your email itself is not changed.
To leave the picker without changing anything, select **Back**.
When you choose an email to compare with, any tracked changes already in your email are treated as accepted before the comparison runs, in the same way as Microsoft Word.
### Start without a comparison
To stop comparing and simply edit the email with tracking on, select the status line, then select **Start without a comparison**. If you have edits in the pane, confirm with **Discard edits**, or select **Keep comparing** to stay where you are. The status line then reads **Started without a comparison**. You can pick an email to compare with again at any time.
## Edit with tracked changes
Edit the email in the pane as you normally would. With **Track changes** on (the default), your edits are marked for the next person to review:
* **Typing** is marked as an insertion.
* **Deleting** is marked as a deletion.
* **Moving text:** cut the text (**Ctrl+X**) and paste it (**Ctrl+V**) where it belongs, and it is marked as a move.
* **Retyping** text you just deleted cancels the change word for word, so the text goes back to plain. Retyping only part of a word leaves it marked as a replacement.
To make an edit without markup, select **Track changes** to turn it off, make the edit, then select it again to turn tracking back on.
The formatting toolbar has **Bold**, **Italic**, **Underline**, **Font**, **Size**, **Bulleted list**, **Numbered list**, **Link** and **Table**:
* **Link** opens a dialog with **Address** and **Text to display**. Select **Insert** (or **Update** for an existing link). New link text is tracked like any other insertion.
* **Table** is available when your cursor is in a table. It offers **Add row above**, **Add row below**, **Add column left**, **Add column right**, **Delete row** and **Delete column**, and these changes are tracked.
Formatting changes such as bold, font and size are applied to the email but are not marked as tracked changes.
## Review, accept and reject changes
Select a change in the editor, or use the up and down arrow buttons (**Previous change** and **Next change**) on the review toolbar. The counter between them shows how many changes there are, or which one you are on, for example **Change 3 of 10**.
When a change is selected, a small bubble appears next to it naming the type of change, with **Accept change** (✓) and **Reject change** (✕) buttons. Most changes read **Insert** or **Delete**. Moved text reads **Moved from** where it used to be and **Moved to** where it now is.
You can also use the toolbar. **Accept** accepts the selected change and moves to the next one. **Reject** rejects the selected change and moves to the next one.
Open the arrow on the **Accept** button and select **Accept all changes**, or open the arrow on the **Reject** button and select **Reject all changes**.
In a narrow task pane, the **Accept** and **Reject** buttons show only their tick and cross icons. Hover over any button to see what it does, or drag the left edge of the pane to make it wider and show the labels.
## Send the redline
Select **Apply to Email**. The body of your draft is replaced with the tracked result from the pane, with the markup your recipient will see. Review your draft in Outlook, then send it as normal.
You can keep working in the pane after applying, and select **Apply to Email** again to update the draft.
Select **Reply**. Redline in Email creates a reply to the sender that contains the tracked result, and opens it in a new window. Add any other recipients you need, review the draft, then send it as normal.
Outlook limits the size of an email body. If the tracked result is too large to apply to your draft, you see a message that the changes exceed Outlook's 1MB limit for the email body. Your edits stay in the pane. The message also suggests applying a smaller selection or copying the changes. Version 3.0 has no Copy button and cannot apply part of a result, so ignore that part of the message. Shorten the email instead, or see [Redline in Email workaround: create a text redline in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/Redline-in-Email-text-redline-workaround).
## If the pane closes before you apply
Outlook can close the task pane without warning, for example when you select **Reply** in the Outlook message itself. To protect your work, Redline in Email saves your unsent edits in the pane as you go.
The next time you open Redline in Email on the same email, a **Saved draft** message asks whether to continue. Select **Continue draft** to pick up where you left off, or **Start fresh** to discard the saved edits.
If you were editing while reading an email and then selected **Reply** in Outlook, open Redline in Email in the new reply. It offers the edits you made so you can continue in the reply.
* Saved edits are kept for 24 hours on the computer where you made them, and are removed once you select **Apply to Email** or **Reply**.
* Images you pasted into the pane are not included in a saved draft. Images that were already in the email are.
* If **Not autosaving** appears on the review toolbar, your edits cannot be saved for recovery. Apply your edits before you close the pane.
## Settings: include images in comparisons
Select the **Settings** (gear) button on the status line to open **Settings**. **Compare images** is off by default, and its description reads "Include image changes. This can slow compares, especially in large emails." Turning it on includes image changes in the comparison. Select **Back** to return to the editor.
If you change **Compare images** while a comparison is open and you have already made edits, Redline in Email asks whether to **Rebuild comparison** (your edits since the comparison opened are discarded) or **Keep edits** (the new setting applies to your next comparison).
## Quick help and reporting a problem
Select the **Help** (question mark) button on the status line to open **Quick help**. It summarizes the workflow (**See what changed**, **Make your edits**, **Accept and reject**, **Send it on**) and has a **Good to know** section on moves, tables and **Track changes**. Select **View full documentation** to open this article, or **Back** to return to the editor.
If something does not look right, select the bug button in the bottom-left corner of the pane. This opens a bug report screen where you can choose to include the email chain, include an obfuscated copy of it, or leave the emails out. Select **Report Bug** to open an email draft, then describe the issue and send it.
### Check your Redline in Email version
The footer at the bottom of the pane shows **Powered by Draftable**, followed by the version of Redline in Email in brackets, for example **3.0.0.0 260915-0934**. Include the whole string, build stamp and all, when you contact support.
## Messages you might see
| Message | What it means | What to do |
| - | - | - |
| **Draftable not detected** | Redline in Email cannot reach the Draftable desktop app. | Select **Launch Draftable** or open Draftable, then select **Try Again**. |
| **Draftable Desktop Required** or **Draftable Desktop Not Detected** | This is the first time you are using Redline in Email on this computer, and Draftable is not running. | Select **Launch Draftable**, then **Refresh License**. |
| **License Check** or **Refresh License** | Redline in Email needs to confirm your license with Draftable. This can appear the first time you open the pane, even when Draftable is running. | Make sure Draftable is running, then select **Refresh License**. |
| **Draftable Desktop Upgrade Required** | Your version of Draftable is too old for this version of Redline in Email. | Ask your IT administrator to update Draftable to 26.9.0.1 or later. |
| **License Expired** or **License Invalid** | Your Draftable license is not valid for Redline in Email. | Contact your IT administrator or [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com). |
| **Could not apply the changes** | The tracked result could not be written to your email. Your edits are still in the pane. | Try again. If the message mentions Outlook's 1MB limit, reduce the content or use the text redline workaround below. |
**Redline in Email not working for a text change?** If the panel will not load, you hit a message size limit, or the redline will not apply to your email, you can build the redline manually in Draftable Legal and paste it into your email. See [Redline in Email workaround: create a text redline in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/Redline-in-Email-text-redline-workaround).
## What changed from version 2.1
If you used an earlier version of Redline in Email, this is how the familiar actions map to version 3.0:
| Version 2.1 | Version 3.0 |
| - | - |
| **"I want to…"** menu | Removed. The pane opens straight into the editor. |
| **Redline my changes** | The editor opens with your changes already marked. Edit in the pane with **Track changes** on. |
| **Redline my selection** and **Show surrounding context** | Removed. The whole email is shown in the editor. |
| **Compare against an earlier email** and **Change Baseline** | Opening the pane on a received email compares it automatically. Use the status line and **Compare with an email…** to pick a different email. |
| **Accept or reject changes** screen and its toolbar | The **Accept** and **Reject** buttons, and the bubble on each change, work in the same editor. |
| **Synced with email** / **Not synced** badge | Removed. You edit in the pane, and nothing reaches your email until you apply it. |
| **Revert** a change in the preview | Reject the change instead. |
| **Copy** and **Copy selection** | Removed. Use **Apply to Email** or **Reply**. |
| **Create New Email** (when reading) | Replaced by **Reply**, which opens a reply draft carrying the tracked result. |
| Totals for changes, insertions and deletions | The review toolbar shows the number of changes. |
| **Undo** button on the accept or reject toolbar | Removed as a button. Press **Ctrl+Z** in the editor to undo an accept, a reject or an edit. |
## Earlier versions of Redline in Email
These instructions apply only if your task pane opens on the **"I want to…"** menu. Version 2.1 drives everything from one menu that adapts to what you are doing: **Compose** actions when you are writing a reply, and **Read** actions when you are reviewing a received email.
### Opening Redline in Email (2.1)
To review a received email, open it. To redline your own reply, open the email and select **Reply** (or **Reply All**) so you have a draft to work in.
On the Outlook ribbon, open **Apps** (the apps launcher) and select **Redline in Email**. The Draftable task pane opens on the right-hand side.
### The Redline in Email menu (2.1)
The task pane opens on the **"I want to…"** menu. The actions available depend on whether you are reading or composing, so options that do not apply are greyed out (hover a greyed action to see why).
The **Compose** actions are active: **Redline my changes** ("Show the changes that you have made to the current email.") and **Redline my selection** ("Redline only the selected text in your email."). **Accept or reject changes** is also available.
The **Read** actions are active: **Compare against an earlier email** ("Compare this email against your previously sent email in the chain.") and **Accept or reject changes**.
**Accept or reject changes** is the one action available in both modes. The menu also has **Settings** and **How to use Redline in Email** (quick help).
### Redline my changes (2.1)
Make your edits in the reply, then choose **Redline my changes**. Draftable compares your draft (including the conversation history below your reply) against the baseline email and shows a redline of your changes, with deletions struck through and insertions underlined. The totals for **changes**, **insertions**, and **deletions** appear beneath the preview, and the **Synced with email** badge means the preview updates automatically as you keep editing.
Select **Apply to Email** to write the redline into your reply. Once applied, the change appears as markup in the email body and the badge changes to **Not synced**, because the email now contains the redline and the preview no longer tracks further edits. To copy the redline instead of applying it, use **Copy**.
Applying is a one-time action per preview. If you keep editing after applying, run **Redline my changes** again to get a fresh, synced preview.
### Redline my selection (2.1)
Highlight the text you want to redline in the email body first, then choose **Redline my selection**. The preview shows a redline of just that selection. If you run it without selecting anything, the pane prompts you: "No content selected. Please select text before running Redline."
Select **Show surrounding context** (the eye button beneath the preview) to see the selection within the wider email, with the surrounding text greyed out. Select **Hide surrounding context** to return to just the selection.
### Compare against an earlier email (2.1)
Open the received email and select **Compare against an earlier email**. Draftable compares it against the previous version in the conversation (including the conversation history) and marks every difference, with the totals shown beneath the preview.
Select **Change Baseline** ("Change the older email being compared against.") to compare against a different earlier email. Choose the email you want, then select **Select This Email**.
When you are ready to work through the changes, select **Accept/Reject Changes**.
### Accept or reject changes (2.1)
Select a change in the preview, then use the toolbar to accept or reject it. A counter tracks your progress: the current change, how many you have **accepted** and **rejected**, and how many **remain**.
| Button | Tooltip | What it does |
| - | - | - |
| **‹** Back | Return to menu | Returns to the "I want to…" menu |
| **⌃** Up chevron | Go to previous change | Selects the previous change |
| **⌄** Down chevron | Go to next change | Selects the next change |
| **✓** Single tick | Accept selected revision | Accepts the currently selected change |
| **✓✓** Double tick | Accept all revisions | Accepts **every** remaining change at once |
| **✕** Single cross | Reject selected revision | Rejects the currently selected change |
| **✕✕** Double cross | Reject all revisions | Rejects **every** remaining change at once |
| **↶** Undo | undo (ctrl + z) | Reverses your last accept or reject (also **Ctrl+Z**) |
**Undo** is greyed out until you accept or reject at least one change. As you accept or reject, the counter updates and the selection advances to the next change automatically.
### Copy, Apply, and Create New Email (2.1)
* **Copy** copies the preview to your clipboard so you can paste it into an email. If you have selected text within the preview, Copy copies only that selection (the button reads **Copy selection**). After copying, Draftable reminds you to paste using **Keep Source Formatting** so the markup is preserved.
* **Apply to Email** (compose) writes the finished redline into your reply.
* **Create New Email** (read) opens a new email containing your accepted and rejected changes.
### Settings and quick help (2.1)
Open **Settings** from the menu to control whether images are compared. **Compare images** is off by default.
Select **How to use Redline in Email** from the menu for a reminder of each workflow, including the **Good to know** notes on **Change Baseline**, **Synced with email** and **Revert a change**.
That's how you use Draftable Redline in Email. If you have any questions or issues, please get in touch with the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Using Draftable Redline in Email
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46382010730906-Using-Draftable-Redline-in-Email
Redline in Email is an Outlook add-in that opens your email in a tracked-changes editor. See what changed since the previous email, edit with tracked changes, accept or reject changes, and send the redline without leaving Outlook.
Draftable must be installed on your computer, and it must be running in the background for Redline in Email to work properly. If it is not, version 3.0 prompts you to launch Draftable so it starts running in the background.
**This article describes Redline in Email 3.0.** Version 3.0 opens straight into an editor where your changes are tracked as you type. If your task pane instead opens on an **"I want to…"** menu, you are using version 2.1 or earlier: see [Earlier versions of Redline in Email](#earlier-versions-of-redline-in-email) at the end of this article. To move to version 3.0, your IT administrator needs to deploy the version 3 add-in manifest and update Draftable to 26.9.0.1 or later. See [Configuring Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/46382047949977-Configuring-Redline-in-Email-Outlook-with-Draftable).
## How Redline in Email works
Redline in Email lets you mark up an email and review changes without leaving Outlook. Everything happens in one task pane:
1. When the pane opens, you see the email you are reading or writing, with its changes already marked up as tracked changes.
2. You edit the email in the pane. Everything you type, delete or move is marked as a tracked change.
3. You accept or reject changes, one at a time or all at once.
4. You send the result on. When you are writing an email, **Apply to Email** puts the tracked result into your draft. When you are reading an email, **Reply** opens a reply draft that carries the tracked result.
Nothing in your email changes until you select **Apply to Email** or **Reply**.
## Open Redline in Email
To review an email you received, open it. To redline your own reply, open the email and select **Reply** (or **Reply All**) so you have a draft to work in. You can also open Redline in Email on a new email.
Select **Redline** on the Outlook ribbon. The Redline in Email task pane opens on the right-hand side.
* **Classic ribbon:** **Redline** is the only button in the **Compare** group. It is there whether you are reading or writing an email.
* **Simplified ribbon:** the group name is not shown, so look for the **Redline** button. If the Outlook window is narrow, it may be under the **More options (...)** menu.
* **New Outlook and Outlook on the web:** add-in buttons can also appear under **Apps**.
The **Draftable** button in the separate **Draftable in Outlook** group belongs to a different add-in, which sends text or attachments to the Draftable desktop app for comparison. This article covers the **Redline** task pane.
Redline in Email checks your Draftable license, finds the email to compare with, and opens the editor. This usually takes a few seconds.
The first time you open the pane, it can show a **License Check** screen ("Checking your Draftable Desktop license.") with **Launch Draftable** and **Refresh License** buttons, even when Draftable is already running. Select **Refresh License**. After that, Redline in Email opens straight into the editor.
## What you see when the pane opens
The pane has four parts, from top to bottom:
* **The status line.** It names what the marked changes are measured against, for example **Changes: Alex's email 22 July, 11:11 am ⇄ your draft**. An email you sent yourself is named **your email**. The **Settings** (gear) and **Help** (question mark) buttons sit at its right-hand end.
* **The review toolbar.** **Track changes**, **Accept**, **Reject**, and the previous and next change buttons with the change count.
* **The formatting toolbar.** Bold, italic, underline, font, size, lists, links and tables.
* **The editor**, with **Apply to Email** or **Reply** at the bottom.
What the editor starts with depends on the email:
| The email you opened | What the editor shows | Status line |
| - | - | - |
| Already contains a redline (for example, a redlined reply you received) | The existing tracked changes, ready for you to accept, reject or add to | **Started without a comparison** |
| A reply you are writing, or an email you received, in a conversation | The email compared with the previous email in the conversation, with every difference marked as a tracked change | **Changes:** followed by the email it is compared with, then **your draft** or **this email** |
| A new email, or the first email in a conversation | The email as it is, with **Track changes** on so your edits are marked from now on | **Started without a comparison** |
### Which email your changes are compared with
* **When you are writing a reply**, Draftable compares your draft with the email you are replying to. If it cannot identify that email, for example on a forward, it uses the latest email in the conversation.
* **When you are reading an email**, Draftable compares it with the email before it in the conversation.
The comparison marks every difference, including edits made directly in the Outlook message body without tracking. New messages written above the earlier email, such as "see my changes below", appear as normal text rather than as insertions, so only the changes to the earlier email are marked.
If the status line names the wrong email, you can choose a different one. See [Compare with a different email](#compare-with-a-different-email).
## Compare with a different email
Select the status line at the top of the pane (it shows a small arrow), then select **Compare with an email…**. The status line works as a menu when the email is part of a conversation.
The picker shows the email you have open at the top, marked with a **This email** or **Your draft** badge. Under **Compare with**, it lists the other emails in the conversation, newest first, with who sent each one, when, and the first line of what it added.
Select an email to see the changes it would give in the **Preview** underneath the list, headed with the same **Changes:** line the status line would show. You can drag the divider to resize the list and the preview.
When you are reading an email, any emails that arrived after it are folded into a row at the top of the list that counts them, for example **3 later emails**. Expand it if you want to compare with one of them, and each one is marked **After this email**. If there is nothing to compare with, a line tells you there is no earlier email in the conversation.
Select **Compare with this email** (or double-click the email in the list). The editor rebuilds with the changes measured against the email you picked.
If you have already made edits in the pane, Redline in Email asks first, because the edits do not carry over to the new comparison. Select **Discard edits** to continue, or **Keep editing** to go back. Your email itself is not changed.
To leave the picker without changing anything, select **Back**.
When you choose an email to compare with, any tracked changes already in your email are treated as accepted before the comparison runs, in the same way as Microsoft Word.
### Start without a comparison
To stop comparing and simply edit the email with tracking on, select the status line, then select **Start without a comparison**. If you have edits in the pane, confirm with **Discard edits**, or select **Keep comparing** to stay where you are. The status line then reads **Started without a comparison**. You can pick an email to compare with again at any time.
## Edit with tracked changes
Edit the email in the pane as you normally would. With **Track changes** on (the default), your edits are marked for the next person to review:
* **Typing** is marked as an insertion.
* **Deleting** is marked as a deletion.
* **Moving text:** cut the text (**Ctrl+X**) and paste it (**Ctrl+V**) where it belongs, and it is marked as a move.
* **Retyping** text you just deleted cancels the change word for word, so the text goes back to plain. Retyping only part of a word leaves it marked as a replacement.
To make an edit without markup, select **Track changes** to turn it off, make the edit, then select it again to turn tracking back on.
The formatting toolbar has **Bold**, **Italic**, **Underline**, **Font**, **Size**, **Bulleted list**, **Numbered list**, **Link** and **Table**:
* **Link** opens a dialog with **Address** and **Text to display**. Select **Insert** (or **Update** for an existing link). New link text is tracked like any other insertion.
* **Table** is available when your cursor is in a table. It offers **Add row above**, **Add row below**, **Add column left**, **Add column right**, **Delete row** and **Delete column**, and these changes are tracked.
Formatting changes such as bold, font and size are applied to the email but are not marked as tracked changes.
## Review, accept and reject changes
Select a change in the editor, or use the up and down arrow buttons (**Previous change** and **Next change**) on the review toolbar. The counter between them shows how many changes there are, or which one you are on, for example **Change 3 of 10**.
When a change is selected, a small bubble appears next to it naming the type of change, with **Accept change** (✓) and **Reject change** (✕) buttons. Most changes read **Insert** or **Delete**. Moved text reads **Moved from** where it used to be and **Moved to** where it now is.
You can also use the toolbar. **Accept** accepts the selected change and moves to the next one. **Reject** rejects the selected change and moves to the next one.
Open the arrow on the **Accept** button and select **Accept all changes**, or open the arrow on the **Reject** button and select **Reject all changes**.
In a narrow task pane, the **Accept** and **Reject** buttons show only their tick and cross icons. Hover over any button to see what it does, or drag the left edge of the pane to make it wider and show the labels.
## Send the redline
Select **Apply to Email**. The body of your draft is replaced with the tracked result from the pane, with the markup your recipient will see. Review your draft in Outlook, then send it as normal.
You can keep working in the pane after applying, and select **Apply to Email** again to update the draft.
Select **Reply**. Redline in Email creates a reply to the sender that contains the tracked result, and opens it in a new window. Add any other recipients you need, review the draft, then send it as normal.
Outlook limits the size of an email body. If the tracked result is too large to apply to your draft, you see a message that the changes exceed Outlook's 1MB limit for the email body. Your edits stay in the pane. The message also suggests applying a smaller selection or copying the changes. Version 3.0 has no Copy button and cannot apply part of a result, so ignore that part of the message. Shorten the email instead, or see [Redline in Email workaround: create a text redline in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/Redline-in-Email-text-redline-workaround).
## If the pane closes before you apply
Outlook can close the task pane without warning, for example when you select **Reply** in the Outlook message itself. To protect your work, Redline in Email saves your unsent edits in the pane as you go.
The next time you open Redline in Email on the same email, a **Saved draft** message asks whether to continue. Select **Continue draft** to pick up where you left off, or **Start fresh** to discard the saved edits.
If you were editing while reading an email and then selected **Reply** in Outlook, open Redline in Email in the new reply. It offers the edits you made so you can continue in the reply.
* Saved edits are kept for 24 hours on the computer where you made them, and are removed once you select **Apply to Email** or **Reply**.
* Images you pasted into the pane are not included in a saved draft. Images that were already in the email are.
* If **Not autosaving** appears on the review toolbar, your edits cannot be saved for recovery. Apply your edits before you close the pane.
## Settings: include images in comparisons
Select the **Settings** (gear) button on the status line to open **Settings**. **Compare images** is off by default, and its description reads "Include image changes. This can slow compares, especially in large emails." Turning it on includes image changes in the comparison. Select **Back** to return to the editor.
If you change **Compare images** while a comparison is open and you have already made edits, Redline in Email asks whether to **Rebuild comparison** (your edits since the comparison opened are discarded) or **Keep edits** (the new setting applies to your next comparison).
## Quick help and reporting a problem
Select the **Help** (question mark) button on the status line to open **Quick help**. It summarizes the workflow (**See what changed**, **Make your edits**, **Accept and reject**, **Send it on**) and has a **Good to know** section on moves, tables and **Track changes**. Select **View full documentation** to open this article, or **Back** to return to the editor.
If something does not look right, select the bug button in the bottom-left corner of the pane. This opens a bug report screen where you can choose to include the email chain, include an obfuscated copy of it, or leave the emails out. Select **Report Bug** to open an email draft, then describe the issue and send it.
### Check your Redline in Email version
The footer at the bottom of the pane shows **Powered by Draftable**, followed by the version of Redline in Email in brackets, for example **3.0.0.0 260915-0934**. Include the whole string, build stamp and all, when you contact support.
## Messages you might see
| Message | What it means | What to do |
| - | - | - |
| **Draftable not detected** | Redline in Email cannot reach the Draftable desktop app. | Select **Launch Draftable** or open Draftable, then select **Try Again**. |
| **Draftable Desktop Required** or **Draftable Desktop Not Detected** | This is the first time you are using Redline in Email on this computer, and Draftable is not running. | Select **Launch Draftable**, then **Refresh License**. |
| **License Check** or **Refresh License** | Redline in Email needs to confirm your license with Draftable. This can appear the first time you open the pane, even when Draftable is running. | Make sure Draftable is running, then select **Refresh License**. |
| **Draftable Desktop Upgrade Required** | Your version of Draftable is too old for this version of Redline in Email. | Ask your IT administrator to update Draftable to 26.9.0.1 or later. |
| **License Expired** or **License Invalid** | Your Draftable license is not valid for Redline in Email. | Contact your IT administrator or [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com). |
| **Could not apply the changes** | The tracked result could not be written to your email. Your edits are still in the pane. | Try again. If the message mentions Outlook's 1MB limit, reduce the content or use the text redline workaround below. |
**Redline in Email not working for a text change?** If the panel will not load, you hit a message size limit, or the redline will not apply to your email, you can build the redline manually in Draftable Legal and paste it into your email. See [Redline in Email workaround: create a text redline in Draftable Legal](/hc/en-us/articles/Redline-in-Email-text-redline-workaround).
## What changed from version 2.1
If you used an earlier version of Redline in Email, this is how the familiar actions map to version 3.0:
| Version 2.1 | Version 3.0 |
| - | - |
| **"I want to…"** menu | Removed. The pane opens straight into the editor. |
| **Redline my changes** | The editor opens with your changes already marked. Edit in the pane with **Track changes** on. |
| **Redline my selection** and **Show surrounding context** | Removed. The whole email is shown in the editor. |
| **Compare against an earlier email** and **Change Baseline** | Opening the pane on a received email compares it automatically. Use the status line and **Compare with an email…** to pick a different email. |
| **Accept or reject changes** screen and its toolbar | The **Accept** and **Reject** buttons, and the bubble on each change, work in the same editor. |
| **Synced with email** / **Not synced** badge | Removed. You edit in the pane, and nothing reaches your email until you apply it. |
| **Revert** a change in the preview | Reject the change instead. |
| **Copy** and **Copy selection** | Removed. Use **Apply to Email** or **Reply**. |
| **Create New Email** (when reading) | Replaced by **Reply**, which opens a reply draft carrying the tracked result. |
| Totals for changes, insertions and deletions | The review toolbar shows the number of changes. |
| **Undo** button on the accept or reject toolbar | Removed as a button. Press **Ctrl+Z** in the editor to undo an accept, a reject or an edit. |
## Earlier versions of Redline in Email
These instructions apply only if your task pane opens on the **"I want to…"** menu. Version 2.1 drives everything from one menu that adapts to what you are doing: **Compose** actions when you are writing a reply, and **Read** actions when you are reviewing a received email.
### Opening Redline in Email (2.1)
To review a received email, open it. To redline your own reply, open the email and select **Reply** (or **Reply All**) so you have a draft to work in.
On the Outlook ribbon, open **Apps** (the apps launcher) and select **Redline in Email**. The Draftable task pane opens on the right-hand side.
### The Redline in Email menu (2.1)
The task pane opens on the **"I want to…"** menu. The actions available depend on whether you are reading or composing, so options that do not apply are greyed out (hover a greyed action to see why).
The **Compose** actions are active: **Redline my changes** ("Show the changes that you have made to the current email.") and **Redline my selection** ("Redline only the selected text in your email."). **Accept or reject changes** is also available.
The **Read** actions are active: **Compare against an earlier email** ("Compare this email against your previously sent email in the chain.") and **Accept or reject changes**.
**Accept or reject changes** is the one action available in both modes. The menu also has **Settings** and **How to use Redline in Email** (quick help).
### Redline my changes (2.1)
Make your edits in the reply, then choose **Redline my changes**. Draftable compares your draft (including the conversation history below your reply) against the baseline email and shows a redline of your changes, with deletions struck through and insertions underlined. The totals for **changes**, **insertions**, and **deletions** appear beneath the preview, and the **Synced with email** badge means the preview updates automatically as you keep editing.
Select **Apply to Email** to write the redline into your reply. Once applied, the change appears as markup in the email body and the badge changes to **Not synced**, because the email now contains the redline and the preview no longer tracks further edits. To copy the redline instead of applying it, use **Copy**.
Applying is a one-time action per preview. If you keep editing after applying, run **Redline my changes** again to get a fresh, synced preview.
### Redline my selection (2.1)
Highlight the text you want to redline in the email body first, then choose **Redline my selection**. The preview shows a redline of just that selection. If you run it without selecting anything, the pane prompts you: "No content selected. Please select text before running Redline."
Select **Show surrounding context** (the eye button beneath the preview) to see the selection within the wider email, with the surrounding text greyed out. Select **Hide surrounding context** to return to just the selection.
### Compare against an earlier email (2.1)
Open the received email and select **Compare against an earlier email**. Draftable compares it against the previous version in the conversation (including the conversation history) and marks every difference, with the totals shown beneath the preview.
Select **Change Baseline** ("Change the older email being compared against.") to compare against a different earlier email. Choose the email you want, then select **Select This Email**.
When you are ready to work through the changes, select **Accept/Reject Changes**.
### Accept or reject changes (2.1)
Select a change in the preview, then use the toolbar to accept or reject it. A counter tracks your progress: the current change, how many you have **accepted** and **rejected**, and how many **remain**.
| Button | Tooltip | What it does |
| - | - | - |
| **‹** Back | Return to menu | Returns to the "I want to…" menu |
| **⌃** Up chevron | Go to previous change | Selects the previous change |
| **⌄** Down chevron | Go to next change | Selects the next change |
| **✓** Single tick | Accept selected revision | Accepts the currently selected change |
| **✓✓** Double tick | Accept all revisions | Accepts **every** remaining change at once |
| **✕** Single cross | Reject selected revision | Rejects the currently selected change |
| **✕✕** Double cross | Reject all revisions | Rejects **every** remaining change at once |
| **↶** Undo | undo (ctrl + z) | Reverses your last accept or reject (also **Ctrl+Z**) |
**Undo** is greyed out until you accept or reject at least one change. As you accept or reject, the counter updates and the selection advances to the next change automatically.
### Copy, Apply, and Create New Email (2.1)
* **Copy** copies the preview to your clipboard so you can paste it into an email. If you have selected text within the preview, Copy copies only that selection (the button reads **Copy selection**). After copying, Draftable reminds you to paste using **Keep Source Formatting** so the markup is preserved.
* **Apply to Email** (compose) writes the finished redline into your reply.
* **Create New Email** (read) opens a new email containing your accepted and rejected changes.
### Settings and quick help (2.1)
Open **Settings** from the menu to control whether images are compared. **Compare images** is off by default.
Select **How to use Redline in Email** from the menu for a reminder of each workflow, including the **Good to know** notes on **Change Baseline**, **Synced with email** and **Revert a change**.
That's how you use Draftable Redline in Email. If you have any questions or issues, please get in touch with the support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Configuring Redline in Email (Outlook) with Draftable
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46382047949977-Configuring-Redline-in-Email-Outlook-with-Draftable
Draftable's Redline in Email is a Microsoft Outlook Add-in that enables users to run Draftable Redline comparisons directly from within their Outlook inbox. By deploying this add-in across your Microsoft 365 organization, you empower your users to Redline their drafted emails efficiently without needing to leave their email client.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Outlook Add-in organization-wide.
**Update Draftable before you deploy Redline in Email 3.0.**
Redline in Email 3.0 requires **Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 or later** on every user's machine. If the add-in reaches users before Draftable Desktop is updated, Redline in Email will not work for them. Roll out Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 first, or at the same time as the new manifest.
* See [Update procedure and configuration across deployment options](/hc/en-us/articles/Update-procedure-and-configuration-across-deployment-options) for how to update each installer type.
* See the [Draftable Legal release log](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal) for what is in 26.9.0.1.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account)**
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* You must have **at least Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1** for this Add-in to correctly function. Version 3.0 is a new major version, so you also need to update the Outlook add-in manifest. The existing v2 auto-updating manifest will not deliver this release.
* **Draftable Desktop must be installed and running on each user's computer.** See [Keep Draftable running for Redline in Email](#keep-draftable-running-for-redline-in-email) below.
## Keep Draftable running for Redline in Email
Redline in Email is not a standalone add-in. It works with the Draftable desktop app on the user's own computer, so **keep Draftable running whenever users work in Redline in Email**. It can run minimized or in the system tray. Draftable must be running the first time a user opens Redline in Email, and the add-in reconnects to it to keep the user's license current. Setting Draftable to start silently with Windows avoids the interruption.
If Draftable is closed, the task pane shows a **Draftable not detected** notification, or a **Draftable Desktop Required**, **Draftable Desktop Not Detected** or **Refresh License** screen when the license needs to be checked. The user can select **Launch Draftable** and then **Try Again** or **Refresh License**, but the add-in does not start Draftable for them automatically. If Draftable is older than 26.9.0.1, the pane shows **Draftable Desktop Upgrade Required** instead.
**Recommended for organization-wide deployments:** configure Draftable to start silently in the background when users sign in to Windows. Redline in Email is then ready whenever users need it.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: StartOnStartupOption
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data: Silent
```
You can also set this with the **Launch Draftable automatically when Windows starts** Group Policy, set to **Enabled** with **Start application but without main screen** selected. Setting a value of `NotStart`, or selecting **Not start with Windows**, means users must open Draftable themselves before using Redline in Email. For all options, see [Most common Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations).
**Upgrading from version 2.x:** version 3.0 replaces the separate compose, review and copy screens with a single tracked-changes editor, so there is no longer a **Create New Email** button. The **HideCreateNewEmailButton** registry policy has no effect on version 3.0. For what users will see, share [Using Draftable Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/46382010730905-Using-Draftable-Redline-in-Email).
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Upload the Draftable Outlook Add-in
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the drop down menu.
When prompted for the manifest, provide one of the following **manifest URLs** as a link (rather than uploading a downloaded, fixed copy). Choose based on how you want updates handled:
**Latest manifest (v3), recommended:**
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/latest/v3/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/latest/v3/manifest.xml)
Use this to receive Redline in Email updates automatically within the version 3 major release. The URL always points to the most recent v3 release, so you do not need to retrieve and re-upload a new manifest for each update.
If you previously deployed the v2 manifest (`/latest/v2/`), it will not upgrade you to version 3.0. Replace it with the v3 manifest above: in **Integrated apps**, select the existing Redline in Email add-in and update it with the new manifest URL, rather than deploying a second copy. Make sure Draftable 26.9.0.1 or later has reached your users first.
**Pinned manifest, for change-controlled environments:**
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/3.0.0.0/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/3.0.0.0/manifest.xml)
Use this to stay on this exact release. Updates are applied manually by deploying the next pinned version when you are ready.
Click **Validate**.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
* Choose whether the add-in should be **automatically installed** or **available for users to install manually**.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
**App Permissions:**
* Read the signed-in user's mailbox.
* Sign in and read users’ basic profile information.
* Access user profile details including name, picture, username, and email address.
* Read basic company information for signed-in users.
**App Capabilities:**
* `ReadWriteItem`: Allows the app to read and write the contents of an email item.
* `SendReceiveData`: Enables the app to communicate with the Draftable application for comparison processing.
The exact wording on the permissions screen is provided by Microsoft and can differ from the list above. Redline in Email uses its access to the user's mailbox to find the earlier emails in a conversation to compare with, and to create a reply draft when a user selects **Reply** in the task pane.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, Redline in Email will be available within Outlook. Users select **Redline** on the ribbon, both when reading and when composing emails. On the classic ribbon, **Redline** is the only button in the **Compare** group. On the simplified ribbon the group name is not shown, so users look for the **Redline** button, which may be under the **More options (...)** menu if the window is narrow. In the new Outlook and Outlook on the web, add-in buttons can also appear under **Apps**.
The first time a user opens Redline in Email, the pane can show a **License Check** screen with **Launch Draftable** and **Refresh License** buttons, even when Draftable is running. Selecting **Refresh License** clears it, and the pane opens straight into the editor from then on.
**Please note:** The Application installation and update can **take up to 72 hours (and in some cases longer)**.. For more information about it, please visit Microsoft Documentation - [Deploy add-ins in the admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide")
We recommend that if the Add-in hasn't been deployed in this time, you should get users to restart Outlook and their Machine to **prompt** the Add-in to be added.
## Need Help?
If you experience issues with deployment or setup, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Configuring Redline in Email (Outlook) with Draftable
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46382047949978-Configuring-Redline-in-Email-Outlook-with-Draftable
Draftable's Redline in Email is a Microsoft Outlook Add-in that enables users to run Draftable Redline comparisons directly from within their Outlook inbox. By deploying this add-in across your Microsoft 365 organization, you empower your users to Redline their drafted emails efficiently without needing to leave their email client.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Outlook Add-in organization-wide.
**Update Draftable before you deploy Redline in Email 3.0.**
Redline in Email 3.0 requires **Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 or later** on every user's machine. If the add-in reaches users before Draftable Desktop is updated, Redline in Email will not work for them. Roll out Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 first, or at the same time as the new manifest.
* See [Update procedure and configuration across deployment options](/hc/en-us/articles/Update-procedure-and-configuration-across-deployment-options) for how to update each installer type.
* See the [Draftable Legal release log](/hc/en-us/articles/20871414263577-Release-Log-Draftable-Legal) for what is in 26.9.0.1.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account)**
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* You must have **at least Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1** for this Add-in to correctly function. Version 3.0 is a new major version, so you also need to update the Outlook add-in manifest. The existing v2 auto-updating manifest will not deliver this release.
* **Draftable Desktop must be installed and running on each user's computer.** See [Keep Draftable running for Redline in Email](#keep-draftable-running-for-redline-in-email) below.
## Keep Draftable running for Redline in Email
Redline in Email is not a standalone add-in. It works with the Draftable desktop app on the user's own computer, so **keep Draftable running whenever users work in Redline in Email**. It can run minimized or in the system tray. Draftable must be running the first time a user opens Redline in Email, and the add-in reconnects to it to keep the user's license current. Setting Draftable to start silently with Windows avoids the interruption.
If Draftable is closed, the task pane shows a **Draftable not detected** notification, or a **Draftable Desktop Required**, **Draftable Desktop Not Detected** or **Refresh License** screen when the license needs to be checked. The user can select **Launch Draftable** and then **Try Again** or **Refresh License**, but the add-in does not start Draftable for them automatically. If Draftable is older than 26.9.0.1, the pane shows **Draftable Desktop Upgrade Required** instead.
**Recommended for organization-wide deployments:** configure Draftable to start silently in the background when users sign in to Windows. Redline in Email is then ready whenever users need it.
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: StartOnStartupOption
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data: Silent
```
You can also set this with the **Launch Draftable automatically when Windows starts** Group Policy, set to **Enabled** with **Start application but without main screen** selected. Setting a value of `NotStart`, or selecting **Not start with Windows**, means users must open Draftable themselves before using Redline in Email. For all options, see [Most common Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations).
**Upgrading from version 2.x:** version 3.0 replaces the separate compose, review and copy screens with a single tracked-changes editor, so there is no longer a **Create New Email** button. The **HideCreateNewEmailButton** registry policy has no effect on version 3.0. For what users will see, share [Using Draftable Redline in Email](/hc/en-us/articles/46382010730905-Using-Draftable-Redline-in-Email).
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Upload the Draftable Outlook Add-in
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the drop down menu.
When prompted for the manifest, provide one of the following **manifest URLs** as a link (rather than uploading a downloaded, fixed copy). Choose based on how you want updates handled:
**Latest manifest (v3), recommended:**
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/latest/v3/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/latest/v3/manifest.xml)
Use this to receive Redline in Email updates automatically within the version 3 major release. The URL always points to the most recent v3 release, so you do not need to retrieve and re-upload a new manifest for each update.
If you previously deployed the v2 manifest (`/latest/v2/`), it will not upgrade you to version 3.0. Replace it with the v3 manifest above: in **Integrated apps**, select the existing Redline in Email add-in and update it with the new manifest URL, rather than deploying a second copy. Make sure Draftable 26.9.0.1 or later has reached your users first.
**Pinned manifest, for change-controlled environments:**
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/3.0.0.0/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/3.0.0.0/manifest.xml)
Use this to stay on this exact release. Updates are applied manually by deploying the next pinned version when you are ready.
Click **Validate**.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
* Choose whether the add-in should be **automatically installed** or **available for users to install manually**.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
**App Permissions:**
* Read the signed-in user's mailbox.
* Sign in and read users’ basic profile information.
* Access user profile details including name, picture, username, and email address.
* Read basic company information for signed-in users.
**App Capabilities:**
* `ReadWriteItem`: Allows the app to read and write the contents of an email item.
* `SendReceiveData`: Enables the app to communicate with the Draftable application for comparison processing.
The exact wording on the permissions screen is provided by Microsoft and can differ from the list above. Redline in Email uses its access to the user's mailbox to find the earlier emails in a conversation to compare with, and to create a reply draft when a user selects **Reply** in the task pane.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, Redline in Email will be available within Outlook. Users select **Redline** on the ribbon, both when reading and when composing emails. On the classic ribbon, **Redline** is the only button in the **Compare** group. On the simplified ribbon the group name is not shown, so users look for the **Redline** button, which may be under the **More options (...)** menu if the window is narrow. In the new Outlook and Outlook on the web, add-in buttons can also appear under **Apps**.
The first time a user opens Redline in Email, the pane can show a **License Check** screen with **Launch Draftable** and **Refresh License** buttons, even when Draftable is running. Selecting **Refresh License** clears it, and the pane opens straight into the editor from then on.
**Please note:** The Application installation and update can **take up to 72 hours (and in some cases longer)**.. For more information about it, please visit Microsoft Documentation - [Deploy add-ins in the admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide")
We recommend that if the Add-in hasn't been deployed in this time, you should get users to restart Outlook and their Machine to **prompt** the Add-in to be added.
## Need Help?
If you experience issues with deployment or setup, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – Early May 2025 (v25.5.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/46593503914649-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-Early-May-2025-v25-5-0
We're excited to share the May release of Draftable Legal (v25.5.0), introducing improved OCR processing for scanned PDFs as well as new workflows for exporting Excel redlines and retrieving document versions from your DMS with a single click. This update also brings improved control over tracked comment retention and clearer messaging for bulk compare exits.
We're excited to share the May release of Draftable Legal (v25.5.0), introducing improved OCR processing for scanned PDFs as well as new workflows for exporting Excel redlines and retrieving document versions from your DMS with a single click. This update also brings improved control over tracked comment retention and clearer messaging for bulk compare exits.
Here's a quick overview of the five new improvements that matter most:
* \*\*Clearer results when comparing scanned PDFs \*\* — PDF comparisons powered by Tungsten Automate now use improved OCR processing to better detect and align text in scanned documents.
* \*\*Share Excel redlines more easily \*\* — Excel redlines can now be saved, printed or sent as PDFs. This new format improves compatibility and makes it easier to share redlines with clients or colleagues who don't work in Excel.
* **Save time reviewing version updates** — The new "Compare with Latest" option in the Word Add-In pulls the open document from your DMS and automatically finds its most recent version. This allows for 1-click comparisons with minimal navigation.
* **Preserve important context in markup** — A new profile setting allows comment threads to be preserved when tracked changes are accepted before redlining. This ensures markup context is retained, even when documents must be cleaned prior to comparison.
* **Exit bulk compare jobs with confidence** — The confirmation message when exiting a completed Bulk Compare job now only appears if a save or export action was incomplete — removing unnecessary alerts and improving clarity in high-volume workflows.
Let's take a closer look at the full list of updates:
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the February releases to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Improved accuracy for scanned PDF comparisons (OCR)
PDF comparisons using Tungsten Automate (Powered by OmniPage OCR) now deliver more reliable results on scanned documents, thanks to improved OCR performance that reduces alignment issues and false positives. This enhancement improves the quality of redlines generated from image-based files, such as scanned contracts and letters.
### Compare with Latest (Word Add-In)
A new option in the Word Add-In allows users to run a comparison between the current document and its previous version in the Document Management System — all in a single click. This speeds up version control reviews and eliminates manual file selection.
## Output and Integration Enhancements
### Export Excel Redlines as PDF
Excel redlines can now be exported as PDFs, making it easier to share, print, or store redline summaries for stakeholders who prefer non-editable formats.
### NetDocuments subversion support
Draftable now supports saving redline outputs as subversions in NetDocuments. The workflow also includes improved version recognition and easier selection of target subversions when saving.
### iManage: Option to disable 'save as related file'
Administrators can now disable the "Save as Related File" option in iManage when configuring next actions. This gives firms more control over document storage preferences in integrated workflows.
## Ease of Use Enhancements
### Retain comments when accepting changes
A new Redline Profile setting ensures that comment threads are preserved when accepting tracked changes during preprocessing. This helps maintain reviewer context without compromising clean document formatting.
### Clearer messaging in Bulk Compare
The Bulk Compare exit message has been updated to appear only when a save or export action is incomplete. This removes unnecessary prompts and helps reviewers confidently complete large comparison jobs.
### Draftable window resizes correctly after Bulk Compare
When Bulk Compare mode is toggled off, the Draftable window now resizes properly — restoring the user interface to its previous state and improving usability.
## Bug Fixes
As with all releases, the April update includes fixes to several reported issues:
* Fixed an issue where comparisons involving .RTF files failed to complete
* Fixed app startup failures when opening from a Draftable URL
* Corrected output file naming when comparing files with identical names
* Fixed intermittent app freezing when updating
* Resolved instances of duplication of cover pages in redline output
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – Late May 2025 (v25.5.100-25.5.300)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/47626491941273-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-Late-May-2025-v25-5-100-25-5-300
The May 2025 releases of Draftable Legal (v25.5.100-300) delivered important upgrades to email redlining, markup customization, and integration workflows across Word, Outlook, and NetDocuments. These releases also included reliability improvements for OneDrive and performance fixes to enhance document comparison speed and accuracy.
The May 2025 releases of Draftable Legal (v25.5.100-300) delivered important upgrades to email redlining, markup customization, and integration workflows across Word, Outlook, and NetDocuments. These releases also included reliability improvements for OneDrive and performance fixes to enhance document comparison speed and accuracy.
Here's a quick highlight of the top five new features:
* **Redline your emails directly in Outlook** – Redline your changes or compare changes to your email chain by others without leaving your inbox, using a new modern Draftable Outlook add-in.
* \*\*Cleaner input file review \*\*– Remove the side pane comments from input files when viewing comparisons in 3-Pane view mode.
* **Load open Word documents instantly** – A new Word add-in command allows you to select any currently open document for comparison without switching windows or manually browsing.
* **Smarter Outlook email generation** – Automatically include your Office profile's email signature when generating emails of redlines from Draftable.
* **Improved NetDocuments workflows** – Save as attachment to specific input files, support for local edits, and option to check in comparison outputs by default.
Let's explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the May 2025 releases to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Redline your emails directly in Microsoft Outlook
Draftable legal users can now redline email message content from within Microsoft Outlook using a new modern JavaScript add-in. This new "Redline in Email" add in enables comparisons of email threads and drafted responses without switching applications or copying content manually to Draftable.
Users can make changes, before manually redlining their changes prior to sending their email so that the recipients will easily see their changes (even if they do not have Draftable).
Users can also use the add in to 'compare' a received email against an earlier version in their conversation. This makes it easy to find changes from colleagues, clients or external parties that have not been redlined.
You can learn more about how to use Redline in Email in our dedicated guide, or watch a short demonstration video (below). See the administrator deployment guide for instructions on how to setup the new add in for your organization.
*Note: We are currently building accept / reject functionality into this add in, to further support review workflows in outlook. This will be released in the coming months.*
## Markup Configuration
### Remove comments from input files in 3-Pane View
Users now have the option to exclude comments from the input documents when viewing redlines in the Draftable's 3-Pane view layout. This helps reduce noise and distractions in the markup when internal review notes are not relevant to external document versions.
## Ease of Use
### Select from open Word files
A new command in the Draftable Word add-in allows users to quickly load documents from all currently open Word windows. This improvement eliminates unnecessary navigation steps and speeds up file selection during side-by-side or redline comparisons.
## Integration Functions
### Outlook: Include email signature in drafts
When users choose to email comparison outputs (redlines, change reports, departures tables), Draftable will now automatically appends the user's Outlook profile signature to the email it generates. This ensures lawyers can easily send comparison outputs in less time while maintaining consistent client-facing communication.
### NetDocuments enhancements
Draftable Legal now supports the following NetDocuments workflow improvements to minimize clicks and steps when loading input files and saving comparison outputs. These include:
* **Save as attachment to Older / Newer file** – Redline outputs can be saved as attachments specifically to either the older or the newer file. This removes the need to browse to the particular input file in the NetDocuments UI, allowing faster save workflows.
* **Support for local edits** – Files opened from NetDocuments and edited locally in Word are now fully supported in comparison workflows to ensure they can be loaded into Draftable for comparison without saving back into NetDocuments.
* \*\*Default check-in setting \*\*– Administrators can enable a default setting to automatically check in redline outputs when saved, improving version control compliance and removing the need for users to manually 'check in' these comparisons after saving.
## Administrator Features
### System Verification now uses Tungsten Automate when testing OCR function
Draftable's automated 'System Verification' tool has been upgraded in v25.5.200 to ensure that the OCR tests use our new Tungsten Automate OCR library (released earlier in May) instead of Microsoft Word. This ensures Draftable identifies any OCR related issues proactively upon installation (when system verification first runs) and if the system verification tool is used during troubleshooting.
### Versioning information now in Group Policy templates
From Draftable Legal v25.5.200, IT administrators will be able to verify and track group policy template versions during deployment and updates with ADMX and ADML files now including embedded version information.
## Bug Fixes
As with all releases, our 25.5.200 update included some important fixes for issues reported by our customers. Specific bugs addressed in this release:
* Fix to ensure desktop shortcuts are not installed when this is configured by administrators during app installation
* Fix for issue causing "Email logs" troubleshooting command to fail
* Fix for missing numbering reference leading to failed comparison for specific documents
* Fix for issue causing both 1-Click Compares and Bulk Compares to fail when generating Side-By-Side outputs
* Fix for issue causing exports of Tracked Changes via Draftable viewer to fail when input files are PDFs
* Resolved an issue where comparisons failed due to misaligned paragraph numbering shortcuts.
* Fixed a display bug where markup settings caused table cell changes to appear without color.
* Improved performance for large batch comparisons by addressing a bottleneck in bulk compare processing.
* Corrected an issue that prevented OneDrive-stored documents from loading via the Word add-in when SharePoint integration was disabled.
* Fix to ensure text decoration in Profiles configured prior to v24.11.0 are applied correctly from 25.5.300 (note - for organization that set up their Profiles before v24.11.0, you will need to update to v25.5.300 or later to ensure backward compatibility of text decorations)
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – June 2025 (v25.6.0. 25.6.100, 25.6.200)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/48014082360985-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-June-2025-v25-6-0-25-6-100-25-6-200
We’re pleased to share the highlights from our series of June 2025 releases of **Draftable Legal (v25.6.0, v25.6.100 & v25.6.200)**. These updates added a significant number of improvements across core functionality, markup configuration options, workflow ease of use and integrations.
Here are the most valuable improvements in this release:
* **Finalize email changes faster** – our 'Redline in Email' add in now allows users to Accept / Reject changes in Outlook.
* **Review PowerPoint presentation changes faster** by opening PowerPoint files in Draftable with an interactive change list
* **Refresh results in one click** – users can now rerun an open comparison and pull the latest DMS versions without leaving the Viewer.
* **Switch markup profiles on demand** – switch Redline Profiles mid-review without restarting via a new ribbon command in the Comparison Viewer.
* **Save time comparing email attachments** by using 1-Click Compare from within Microsoft Outlook
Let’s explore these updates in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the June 2025 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Redline in Email: Accept / Reject changes in Outlook emails
From v25.6.100, reviewers can **action email feedback immediately** by Accepting or Rejecting individual redlined edits directly inside the 'Redline in Email' Outlook add-in, eliminating the need for time consuming manual edits.
From our v25.6.200 update, users can **catch more subtle formatting change in email threads** thanks to improvements in identifying style-only edits (e.g. numbered list changes) and previously invisible empty-paragraph changes.
### Redline PowerPoint files using Draftable’s new PowerPoint Viewer
Users can now review redlined `.pptx` and `.ppt` files faster and more easily using Draftable’s new **PowerPoint viewer**. Changes are displayed with an interactive **clickable and filterable change list** to help users navigate between slide changes more easily. This allows faster review of presentation decks, pitch materials, and visual contracts.
## Accuracy and Quality
### Improved PDF detection for running OCR
**Our v25.6.100 update further enhanced OCR redlines on scanned PDFs** thanks to an updated Tungsten Automate configuration (powered by OmniPage) that improves PDF recognition and performance.
### Option to remove table-change layout bubbles in tracked changes
Lawyers and legal teams can now **export cleaner tracked-change documents** by enabling a new option (off by default and configured only by administrators) that automatically accepts table-layout changes, preventing empty revision balloons down the right-hand margin when printing to PDF.
## Markup Configuration
### Apply multiple text decorations to changes
From v25.6.100, teams can **apply clearer, more flexible markup** by combining multiple text decorations—such as bold **and** underline—in a single schema, making key changes impossible to miss. The new options are available in the Redline settings menu under 'markup schema'.
## Ease of use
### New option to refresh comparisons
Users can now **stay in flow when source files evolve**: a new **Refresh Comparison** command in Draftable's Comparison Viewer will rerun the comparison with any updated input files that have been synced to the user's DMS. This removes several clicks from rerunning comparison workflows and removes the need to context switch to the New Comparison Window.
### Switch profiles easily from the Comparison Viewer
Reviewers **trial different markup rules on the fly** by switching Redline Profiles from the Viewer ribbon—no need to rerun the comparison from scratch.
### New keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard-centric users **move through changes faster** with the default Ctrl + ← / Ctrl + → shortcuts to move between changes in the Comparison Viewer. Users are also provided with other keyboard shortcut options which can be adjusted in the Settings menu.
## Integration Functions
### 1-Click Compare attachments from Outlook
Draftable Legal’s **Outlook Add-In** now supports **1-Click Compare** for email attachments. This enhancement allows lawyers to immediately run redlines on incoming or outgoing files without needing to download and launch Draftable separately, streamlining inbox-based workflows.
### Support reloading locally saved files via the Word Add-In
The **Draftable Word Add-In** now supports the ability to load locally-saved changes made to files retrieved from either **iManage** or **NetDocuments**. When a user opens a DMS file and saves changes locally (i.e. without syncing changes to their DMS), Draftable will identify those locally saved changes and include them when loading via the Draftable Word Add-In. This removes the need to 'save and sync' changes back to a DMS to run a comparison, enabling more flexible comparison workflows across editing sessions.
## Administrator features
### Improved detection of MSI failures
IT teams can avoid stalled **roll outs** after performance tuning of the MSI installer to allow detection potential looped processes at start-up and prompt users with clearer recovery steps.
## Bug Fixes
As with all updates, our June 2025 release series included important fixes for issues reported by our customers. Specific bugs addressed in these updates are:
* **System tray tooltip now displays correctly**, restoring visibility of Draftable’s running status
* **Malformed LISTNUM instructions** are now handled gracefully, preventing failures when comparing Word documents with broken list structures
* **Comparison stability has improved** by resolving errors caused by nested and complex field instructions during document serialization
* **Redline in Email now works when the HTTP Listener** **runs** as a Windows Service.
* **NetDocuments: “Save as attachment” and document-origin detection** issues resolved.
* **Restored ability to export Redline outputs to DOCX** from the Next Action menu.
* **“Export logs” troubleshooting command now completes** successfully.
* **“Select Version” now loads the correct older / newer side**.
* **Punctuation now exports correctly** in CSV Change Reports.
* **Cached header/footer numbering cleared** before comparison, ensuring accurate page-number redlines.
* **Moved-text notes and tags appear** in Departures Tables.
* **Text emphasis styles render correctly** on Summary pages and comments.
* **PowerPoint redlines now show moved objects and changes** in non-standard bullet lists.
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Make “Keep Source Formatting” the default paste option in Outlook (for your Redline in Outlook workflow)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/48547678896537-Make-Keep-Source-Formatting-the-default-paste-option-in-Outlook-for-your-Redline-in-Outlook-workflow
As part of the new Redline in Outlook feature, when you copy Draftable redlined content into a new email, pasting as plain text removes the coloured insertions, deletions, and comments, making it impossible for recipients to see your changes.
Follow the steps below to set **Keep Source Formatting** (also called **Paste with Source Formatting**) as the default paste behaviour in Outlook, so your redline markup is always preserved.
## 1. Outlook for Windows (classic)
**Open a blank message** and click **File,** and then **Options**.
Select **Mail,** and then under the section **Compose messages,** select **Editor Options**.
Once the Editor options page opens, navigate to the **Advanced** tab.
Scroll to **Cut, copy, and paste**.
For each scenario, choose **Keep Source Formatting** from the drop-down list:
* **Within the same email**
* **Pasting between emails**
* **Pasting between emails when style definitions conflict**
* **Pasting from other programs**
Make sure **Show Paste Options button when content is pasted** remains ticked (this lets you override the default if needed).
Click **OK** on all windows to save.
Outlook will now retain all Draftable markup whenever you paste.
## 2. Outlook for Windows (New Outlook)
Navigate to the top of New Outlook to the settings icon, which is depicted as a gear below, and click it.
This will open your settings menu as depicted below
Select the **Mail** option on the left-hand side, and then select the **Compose and reply** option. The below window should match what your seeing:
In the **Compose and reply** section, scroll down to the **Cut, copy and paste** section and ensure that **Keep source formatting** is selected for both drop-down menu options.
Click **Save** on all windows to save.
New Outlook will now retain all Draftable markup whenever you paste.
## 3. Administrator options to enforce via Group Policy
If your organisation manages Office settings centrally:
* Deploy the **Office ADMX** templates.
* Navigate to **User Configuration ► Administrative Templates ► Microsoft Outlook ► Outlook Options ► Editor Options ► Advanced ► Cut, copy, and paste**.
* Pre-set each dropdown to **Keep Source Formatting (like seen above but for Group Policy)**, then deploy the policy or configuration profile.
This ensures every user inherits the correct setting without manual steps.
## Need more help?
If you still can’t retain Draftable markup when emailing, contact **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)** with screenshots of your Outlook settings section as shown above, included in the email, and we’ll be happy to assist.
# Verifying Draftable Legal licence activation across user machines
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/49539873315353-Verifying-Draftable-Legal-licence-activation-across-user-machines
Draftable Legal stores a tiny piece of licence data locally the first time a user activates the product.
Because no per-user telemetry is sent to Draftable, and a centralised administrator portal for license and usage monitoring does not exist for Draftable, the Windows Registry is the most reliable way for administrators to confirm whether **this** workstation (and account/user) is already activated.
This article explains:
* **Where to look** in the Registry for both per-user and machine-wide installs.
* **What each value means** (activated vs not-yet-activated).
* A ready-to-run **PowerShell script** that can audit one PC, or many PCs by reading those keys remotely.
### How Draftable decides which key to read
When Draftable starts, it first checks the current user hive (**HKCU**).\
If the required value is **not** present, it falls back to the machine-wide hive (**HKLM)**.
**Machine-wide note:** all system-scope keys live under\
`HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable` rather than `HKLM\Software\Draftable`.
### Registry locations and meanings
| Installer scope | Hive & path | Value name | Meaning |
| :- | :- | :- | :- |
| Per-user (Default EXE / MSI) | `HKCU\Software\Draftable\Compare` | `ActivatedProductKey` | Present ⇒ this profile **is activated** |
| Per-user (Default EXE / MSI) | `HKCU\Software\Draftable\Compare` | `ProductKey` | Present but **ActivatedProductKey missing** ⇒ user *has not activated yet* |
| Machine-wide MSI | `HKLM\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare` | Same two value names as above | Same meaning, but applies to **all** users on the device |
**Example screenshot of a user who has Draftable activated**
The `ProductKey` entry is also where administrators can pre-set a licence before first launch.
### Manual, one-off check
**Win + R →** `regedit`
Browse to the relevant path from the table above.
Look for `ActivatedProductKey` (activated) or only `ProductKey` (not yet activated).
### Automated audit with PowerShell
Save this as `Check-DraftableActivation.ps1` and run it in an elevated PowerShell window.\
It defaults to the local machine; add `-ComputerName` to scan remote PCs (requires the **Remote Registry** service).
```powershell expandable theme={null}
<#
Check-DraftableActivation.ps1
Purpose: List Draftable licence status for one or more computers.
Usage:
.\Check-DraftableActivation.ps1 # local machine
.\Check-DraftableActivation.ps1 -ComputerName PC01,PC02
#>
param(
[string[]]$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
)
function Get-DraftableStatus {
param($Computer)
# Open HKU (per-user hives) on the target
$reg = [Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey]::OpenRemoteBaseKey(
[Microsoft.Win32.RegistryHive]::Users, $Computer)
foreach ($sid in $reg.GetSubKeyNames()) {
$sub = $reg.OpenSubKey("$sid\Software\Draftable\Compare")
if (-not $sub) { continue }
$activated = $sub.GetValue('ActivatedProductKey',$null)
$pending = $sub.GetValue('ProductKey',$null)
[pscustomobject]@{
Computer = $Computer
UserSID = $sid
Activated = [bool]$activated
ProductKey = $activated ?? $pending
}
}
}
$results = $ComputerName | ForEach-Object { Get-DraftableStatus $_ }
$results | Format-Table -AutoSize
```
**What the script does**
* Enumerates each profile under **HKU**.
* Reports `Activated = True` if `ActivatedProductKey` exists; otherwise `False`.
* Works locally or remotely (requires network connectivity and permissions).
* Pipe the last line to `Export-Csv` for a spreadsheet-friendly report:
```powershell theme={null}
$results | Export-Csv .\DraftableActivationAudit.csv -NoTypeInformation
```
### Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| :- | :- | :- |
| No keys found for a user | Draftable has never been launched under that profile | Ask user to open Draftable once, or pre-seed a ProductKey |
| Neither HKCU nor HKLM keys exist | App installed but never run, or incorrect installer path | Verify correct installer (per-user vs machine-wide) |
| Remote script returns access errors | Remote Registry service disabled or insufficient rights | Start the service or run with elevated domain credentials |
### Next steps or further questions?
* Use the PowerShell script to audit your users' activation status, and make changes to the code for easier automation where required.
* Pair this check with Draftable’s [Group Policy templates](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117721-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files) to automate licence rollout and other settings.
* Still have questions? Contact **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)** — centralised usage telemetry is on our roadmap and feedback is welcome.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – August 2025 (v25.8.0)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/49881837628313-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-August-2025-v25-8-0
We're excited to share the August release of Draftable Legal (v25.8.0), delivering a major redesign of the application interface, new comparison output formats, and deeper integrations with leading document management and productivity tools. This release also includes improvements to OCR reliability, text recognition in complex elements, and fixes to several reported issues.
We're excited to share the August release of Draftable Legal (v25.8.0), delivering a major redesign of the application interface, new comparison output formats, and deeper integrations with leading document management and productivity tools. This release also includes improvements to OCR reliability, text recognition in complex elements, and fixes to several reported issues.
**Here's a quick overview of the five improvements that matter most:**
* **Save time and reduce screen clutter with the single workspace window** using tabs to consolidate new comparisons, progress bars, comparison views and the settings menu.
* **Remove dependency on COM add-ins by using Draftable's new JS Outlook add-in** to compare attachments, email text, or run 1-Click Compare workflows
* **Get to outputs faster by selecting Changes Pages Only (PDF) and Departures Table as Comparison Types** without opening the Draftable Comparison Viewer.
* **Improve comparison reliability with refined OCR handling** and better detection of text in tables and shapes.
* **Increase stability with fixes for long filenames, TXT-to-PDF wrapping, empty document handling, and more.**
**But first, a note from our product team**
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the August 2025 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Redesigned user interface
Running comparisons is faster, more intuitive, and less cluttered than ever with a redesigned interface. Draftable now sits within a single window with tabs, consolidating all previous windows (new comparison, progress bar, comparison viewer, settings) into a single view.
Users can run multiple new comparisons at once by opening new 'tabs'. When completed, comparisons are viewed inside of tabs making it easier to switch between multiple redlines. Taking design cues from modern web browsers, users will find the new experience familiar and easy to work with right out of the box. Specific changes included in the update are:
* A single window now merges the New Comparison, Comparison Viewer, Settings, and Progress Bar.
* Tabbed comparisons replace multiple floating windows, reducing screen clutter.
* Users can start new comparisons in a new tab for faster multitasking (and run multiple single pair comparisons at once outside of 'bulk compare mode').
* Modern rounded corners and larger fonts/icons improve readability and navigation.
### New comparison output options
Users can spend less time in unnecessary workflow steps ('clicks') by directly opening or exporting Changed Pages Only or Departures Table output types (previously only available via export from the viewer). This allows lawyers to review and share key documents more efficiently. Specific details of the output types and changes in v25.8.0 are below:
* **Changes Pages Only (PDF)**: This generates an output showing only the changed (redlined) pages. It is now available as a Comparison Type (when running a comparison), and in 1-Click Compare workflows and Bulk Compare mode.
* **Departures Table:** This is an table document output showing each changed clause in a redline, with changes shown in the context of the whole clause text. It is now available directly from the Comparison Type menu and as a 1-Click Compare option.
The 'Departures Table' and 'Redline - Changes Pages Only in PDF' outputs are now available in the 'Comparison Type' menu, as well as in the 1-Click Compare workflow settings and as a Bulk Compare output
## Accuracy & Quality
### Smarter OCR handling
Reviewing scanned or partially machine-readable documents is now much less hassle. Draftable's Tungsten OmniPage OCR engine in now triggers more consistently in 'auto' mode when documents contain both digital text and scanned content. This means lawyers do not need to manually switch OCR mode to 'always' when comparing documents with scanned sections.
### Better recognition of structured elements
Complex documents with embedded tables and textboxes can now be reviewed with greater accuracy. Updates to the comparison algorithm ensure that content inside `` elements is correctly captured in the redline.
### Improved comparison quality - less false positives
Reviews are now clearer and less cluttered, letting fee earners focus on substantive changes. New logic for mixed numbering and text detection minimizes unnecessary markups when documents contain structured numbering.
## Ease of Use
Users can now rely on Draftable to make smarter decisions about file order and layout preferences.
### Smart ordering for non-DMS input files (Preview Feature)
Non-DMS files are now automatically sorted into older/newer order based on metadata such as filenames (e.g. if including reference to version numbers) or file modification or creation dates. This reduces the need for file order switching when comparing non-DMS documents. The feature is currently released as a 'Preview' only. To access this feature contact your account representative or email [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
### Remember Summary Panel view setting
The Viewer now remembers the expanded or collapsed state of the summary panel when switching between Redline and Three-Pane views. This removes a frustration from users when toggling between view settings.
The Summary Panel at the top of the document now remembers your view setting (expanded, collapsed) when switching between Redline and Three Pane View
## Integration Functions
### Outlook
#### File loading, text loading and 1-Click Compare in modern JS add-in
Comparing documents directly from Outlook is now possible without VSTO / COM add in technology, reducing reliance on legacy components. The new Draftable JS Outlook add-in v1.1.21 (see here for update instructions) now supports file loading, text loading, and 1-Click commands. This means organizations will be able to remove the legacy Draftable Outlook COM add-in by upgrading to the Outlook JS add-in v1.1.21 or later.
*Note: Draftable is currently building more JS add ins for Word (coming next month), Excel and PowerPoint (by end of October) to remove dependency on COM technology.*
Draftable's new Outlook add-in commands shown in the Home tool bar
#### Redline in Email updates
The v1.1.21 Outlook add-in also updated Redline in Email functionality to:
* Support improved image caching
* Fix an error when comparing edits to tables in emails
* Fix an error when list items contain breaks
* Update add-in name to "Draftable" from "Redline"
* Optimize long running compare tasks
### iManage
iManage users can continue to rely on drag-and-drop workflows with support for the latest Drag & Drop API in the updated iManage SDK. This ensures compatibility with current and upcoming versions of iManage without disruption. For customers on-premise who may not yet have upgraded iManage, drag & drop in Draftable will remain backwards compatible.
### Epona
Teams using Epona gain greater control over how comparisons interact with subversions. A new option allows users to decide how Compare Latest processes sub-versioned files, providing flexibility in version management.
## Administrator Features
IT administrators can now diagnose issues more effectively with a new Troubleshooting setting. Enabling extra logging from CEF provides greater visibility into underlying processes when resolving errors.
A new Troubleshooting setting allows logging for CefSharp to allow more application bugs to be diagnosed by our Support team
## Bug Fixes
This release includes multiple fixes to improve reliability and stability:
* Corrected text wrapping when converting .txt files to PDF.
* Fixed handling of invalid listnum fields.
* Resolved issue where NetDocsEchoPrefix registry value was not normalized, causing domain-profile paths to fail.
* Fixed Summary page style not updating when switching Viewer profiles.
* Corrected zip corruption caused by empty XML parts.
* Fixed issue when unhiding unchanged pages in the Viewer.
* Resolved "unknown error" when opening, saving, or emailing Excel PDF redlines.
* Fixed Word Add-in hanging when opening completely empty documents.
* Resolved Changes Report errors with long filenames.
If you are ever experiencing issues in Draftable Legal, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for further assistance.
# Accessing Draftable’s Compliance & Security Documentation
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/49898032588569-Accessing-Draftable-s-Compliance-Security-Documentation
This article explains where customers and reviewers can find Draftable’s latest compliance, privacy, and security information, and what you can expect to see there.
## Where to go
Open our Trust Center: [https://trust.affinda.com/](https://trust.affinda.com/)
> The Trust Center is the single source of truth for Draftable (Affinda Group) security and compliance information.
## What you’ll find there
* **Certifications & posture**
* Affinda/Draftable is **ISO 27001 certified**
* Affinda/Draftable is also **SOC 2 Type II certified**
* Overview of our security controls, including **encryption in transit and at rest**, **annual third-party penetration testing**, **proactive monitoring**, **MFA**, and **AWS-hosted infrastructure**.
* **Policies & legal documents**
* Links to **Privacy Policy**, **Website Terms**, and **Product Terms** are provided alongside security information.
* **Security & compliance overview**
* Our Platform and Security pages also point you to the Trust Center for details.
## How to access specific artifacts
Go to the Trust Center: [https://trust.affinda.com/](https://trust.affinda.com/)
Browse the sections for the item you need (e.g., certifications, policies, security practices)
Most documents are marked as **restricted**, the Trust Center will prompt you to request access with your work email and your information. Follow the on-screen steps to submit your request.
## Who is this for?
* Prospective or existing customers completing security reviews
* Procurement and legal teams assessing data protection and resilience
* Technical stakeholders needing hosting, encryption, and testing information
## Need help?
If you have trouble accessing the Trust Center or can’t find a specific document, contact our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we’ll assist you.
# Looking for Affinda?
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/49898180105881-Looking-for-Affinda
If you’ve landed on the Draftable Help Center but were actually looking for **Affinda**, you’re in the right family, just the wrong help site. Affinda is Draftable’s sister company and focuses on AI-powered document processing (e.g., invoice extraction, resume parsing, and custom Document parsing).
## Go to Affinda
product overview, pricing, and demos
how-to guides, API docs, and product updates
sales & support inquiries
## Still need Draftable help?
If you’re here for Draftable Legal or Draftable Desktop (document comparison/redlining), keep browsing our knowledge base or email [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and our team will point you in the right direction.
# Retrieve & export logs from API Self-Hosted v3
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51117494938777-Retrieve-export-logs-from-API-Self-Hosted-v3
This article shows how to view and export logs for your **API Self-Hosted v3** stack from the console. It covers per-service log streaming, time-range filters, and simple export recipes for Linux/macOS and Windows.
## Before you start
* Open a terminal **in the directory containing your** `**docker-compose.yml**`.
* Ensure Docker Desktop / Docker Engine is running.
* If you’re unsure of service names, run:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose config --services
```
or to see what’s running:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose ps
```
## Service names you can target
Use any of the following service names in place of `api` in the examples below:
```bash theme={null}
db
rabbitmq
redis
celery_beat
celery_worker
converter
web_init
web
compare
server
```
## Stream live logs (follow mode)
Stream logs for a specific service:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs -f web
```
Press **Ctrl+C** to stop following.
**Common filters**
```bash theme={null}
# Only the last 200 lines
docker compose logs --tail=200 web
# Since a relative time window (e.g., last 2 hours)
docker compose logs --since=2h web
# Since/until absolute timestamps (ISO 8601)
docker compose logs --since="2025-09-30T01:00:00" --until="2025-09-30T03:00:00" web
# Include timestamps in each line
docker compose logs -f --timestamps web
```
**All services at once**
```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs -f
```
## Export logs to files (Linux/macOS)
**Entire history (can be large):**
```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs web > web.log
```
**Recent logs with timestamps (recommended for support):**
```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs --since=24h --timestamps web > "web-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M).log"
```
**Compress for sharing:**
```bash theme={null}
gzip -9 web-*.log
# produces e.g. web-20250930-1042.log.gz
```
**Stream & save simultaneously:**
```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs -f --since=30m --timestamps web | tee "web-live-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M).log"
```
## Export logs for **all services** (copy/paste)
### Linux/macOS
```bash theme={null}
services=(db rabbitmq redis celery_beat celery_worker converter web_init web compare server)
stamp=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M)
for s in "${services[@]}"; do
docker compose logs --since=24h --timestamps "$s" > "${s}-${stamp}.log"
done
tar -czf "api-selfhosted-logs-${stamp}.tar.gz" *-"${stamp}".log
```
## Per-container logs (scaled services)
If a service is scaled (e.g., `web` has multiple replicas), you can export each container’s logs:
```bash theme={null}
# List running containers and their service
docker compose ps
# Export per-container (replace with actual container name, e.g., stack_web_1)
docker logs --since=24h --timestamps stack_web_1 > stack_web_1.log
```
Container names are typically `__`. For ad-hoc viewing, `docker compose logs ` is simpler; for per-instance analysis, use `docker logs `.
## What should I collect for Support?
When requested, please provide:
1. The `.log`, `.tar.gz`, or `.zip` files you created above (ideally limited with `--since` and/or `--tail`).
2. The **time window** during which the issue occurred.
3. The **service name(s)** involved (e.g., `web`, `compare`, `server`).
4. Any noteworthy steps just before the issue (deploy, restart, config change, etc.).
## Troubleshooting tips
* **Keep it concise:** Use `--since` (e.g., `2h`, `24h`) and `--tail` to reduce noise and file size.
* **Timestamps help:** Add `--timestamps` so lines can be correlated across services.
* **Startup issues:** Check `web_init` and `server` first; they often surface misconfigurations early.
* **Dependencies:** If the app looks healthy but jobs stall, review `celery_worker` and `celery_beat`. For connectivity or persistence problems, check `db`, `redis`, and `rabbitmq`.
* **Redaction:** Logs may contain URLs or IDs. Skim before sharing externally.
## FAQ
Yes. `docker compose` resolves services from the `docker-compose.yml` in the current directory (or use `--file` to point to the correct one).
`docker compose logs` prints plain text from the Docker log driver. If your services emit JSON lines, they’ll appear as such. For structured querying, consider a central log stack (e.g., Loki/ELK) in addition to these ad-hoc exports.
Narrow with `--since`, `--until`, and `--tail`. For example:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs --since=90m --tail=1000 --timestamps web > web-window.log
```
Get in touch with our support team at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and we will do our best to help you.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – September 2025 (v25.9 Series)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51126397213337-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-September-2025-v25-9-Series
The September 2025 releases of Draftable Legal (v25.9.0 through v25.9.300) deliver key performance, usability, and accuracy enhancements across core workflows. Customers can expect faster comparison speeds, broader language support, and more reliable document handling particularly when working with SharePoint, iManage, and complex markup scenarios.
Here’s a quick summary of the five most impactful improvements:
* **Work faster with PDFs and short documents** thanks to a new **Preview Mode** that speeds up comparisons for smaller files, and a new Draftable PDF to DOCX conversion engine for PDF input files
* **Use Draftable in your native language** with new support for 10 international languages in the interface
* **Easily load files via drag and drop** by resizing the new Draftable window to 1/4 of a laptop screen
* **Clean up version lists in SharePoint** by displaying **only major versions** when selecting files
* **Enforce settings across filetypes** with Group Policy for Profiles now supporting Excel and PowerPoint
Let's explore these in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the September 2025 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:\[product@draftable.com).
## Performance
### Faster comparisons on shorter documents with new Preview setting
Draftable has always been optimized for comparing **large, complex documents** (30+ pages). Our comparison engine prepares all output formats (PDF, Redline in DOCX, Tracked Changes, side-by-side view) up front so you don’t have to rerun comparisons. But for **shorter documents** (1–30 pages), this upfront work can feel slower than necessary.
With version **25.9.0**, we introduced a new processing architecture called **Worker Thread Mode,** which is designed to speed up comparisons for short (up to 30 page) documents. This has been released as a **Preview feature** as it is stable for most cases, but may encounter edge-case errors. We'll be finalizing its implementation across our product suite in early 2026.
To access this preview setting, please contact your Account Executive or reach out directly to [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
### Improved speed and reliability of PDF comparisons
PDF files are often a source of frustration when running comparisons. They take longer to compare and are more likely to result in errors. The 25.9.300 update included a new "Draftable Engine" option for "PDF to DOCX conversion". This new engine is faster and more reliable than the previous default Word engine, and should mean faster PDF comparisons with 25% less 'unable to compare' errors. This setting was previously available as a preview while we undertook quality assurance testing, but is now available to all users in the "General" settings tab. In some cases, users may notice this new Draftable Engine also improves layout preservation and text recognition in redline comparisons.
### Smoother workflows for Redline in Email
Early feedback on our new Redline in Email add in showed that while lawyers are loving the ability to accept / reject changes, they were running into limits when trying to generate 'clean' emails to share with clients or external parties. Our "Redline in Email" outlook add in v1.1.23 update changed how we handle images in emails to reduce the likelihood of seeing popups limiting new 'clean' email creation.
This change improves reliability when sharing comparisons directly from Draftable.
## Ease of Use
### Use Draftable in your language of choice
Firms operating in multilingual regions can now use Draftable Legal in their preferred language. The user interface now supports French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch, Japanese, Polish & Tagalog.
Language settings can be adjusted via the **General** tab in Settings.
The language for all Draftable Add Ins remains English. Support for foreign language in Draftable Add-ins will be added in future updates.
### Enhanced window resizing for drag and drop
After feedback on the user interface design changes in our 25.8.0 release, we have updated Draftable support a smaller **minimum window resizing**. This allows users to snap Draftable into a quarter-screen view and is ideal for drag and drop workflows on laptops or smaller monitors. We also fixed a bug fix in v25.9.300 to ensure Draftable **remembers the last window size**, meaning users should not need to adjust the window sizing each time they launch Draftable.
## Integration Functions
### SharePoint: Show only major versions
A new setting allows customers using SharePoint to **filter out minor versions** when browsing document history. This helps users avoid clutter and reduces the risk of accidentally comparing or saving to an unintended version.
### SharePoint: search and performance improvements
Search operations in SharePoint have been optimized to deliver results more quickly especially in large libraries or when selecting files via the new file picker interface.
## Administrator Features
### Lock profile settings across Office formats
Administrators can now **enforce redline profile settings across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint** by locking configurations via Group Policy or Windows Registry. This improves consistency across file types and helps firms standardize output formatting across file types.
### New telemetry data for file sources and window sizing
Two new telemetry settings have been added to improve visibility into user workflows and assist with product improvements:
* **Source of loaded files** (e.g. Local, DMS, SharePoint)
* **User window resizing actions**
These logs are captured by Draftable by default (unless telemetry is turned off by your organization) and used to help identify future improvements for our product. All data is anonymized and Draftable does not capture information which can identify users or document content. To learn more about our Telemetry, visit [Product Telemetry](/hc/en-us/articles/34620487450265-Product-Telemetry).
## Bug Fixes
* Fixed **"Compare with Latest"** command appearing on local files instead of only DMS-managed files
* Resolved **SharePoint 'Compare with Latest' path issue** affecting NetDocuments domain-profile folders
* Fixed bug where **more than 5 files emailed** from Draftable would trigger an error
* Corrected installation issue for **Draftable Excel Add-in via MSI**
* Fixed issues with **file selection in iManage via Word Add-in**
* Multiple fixes for **“unable to compare” errors** caused by document-specific edge cases
* Fixed layout issue when resizing the comparison tab
* Cleaned up **Normal.dotm** context menu entries to eliminate unnecessary prompts
* Fixed **tab detachment** issue breaking original window workflow
* Fixed text decoration settings not clearing correctly
* Corrected classification issues in **table edits** and **moved text alignment**
* Fixed false positives in **numbered lists** caused by bookmarks interfering with the revision acceptor
* Fixed **Word Add-in parsing errors** for files containing ampersands (&)
* Fixed failure to compare when encountering invalid Unicode codepoints
* Fixed telemetry logging issue where original file type was not captured
If you ever need help troubleshooting issues with Draftable, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# API Self Hosted v3 – Quick Start Guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide
This guide will help you set up and run API Self Hosted v3 in a Docker-based environment. Follow the steps below to get up and running in minutes.
## Pre-requisites
### Software
Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed on your Linux server:
* A Linux distribution that supports Docker (or equivalent container runtime)
* Docker is installed and running
* Docker Compose plugin installed
### Hardware
Your server should meet the following minimum requirements:
* **Processor**: 4 cores running at 2.5 GHz (Intel Xeon 8000 series or better)
* **Memory**: 8 GB RAM minimum
* **Storage**: 20 GB free disk space
## Configuration Files
You can find the Docker Compose file and a sample `.env` configuration file at our GitHub repository:
## Initial Deployment
On your Linux server, create a dedicated folder that contains your `.env` file and the Docker Compose file. Adjust the settings in the `.env` file to suit your use case.
**Note:** You can pre-configure your product key in the `.env` file.
Example:
```bash theme={null}
DRAFTABLE_PRODUCT_KEY=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
```
**Upgrading from v2?** Your existing v2 product key is fully compatible with v3. No new key is required.
First ensure you are currently operating within the directory where the compose file and .env exists.
```bash theme={null}
cd /location_of_your_directory
```
Run the following command from inside your deployment folder:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose up
```
Add the `-d` flag if you want to run the container in the background:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose up -d
```
Open your browser and navigate to the HTTPS address you configured in your `.env` and Compose files.
Example:
On first launch, you will be prompted to create an Administrator account.
After creating your account, log in with the Administrator credentials.
You now have full UI access to the container.
Navigate to **Account Settings** within the Administrator portal to view your API credentials.
With these credentials, you can now start using the API.
Use the Administrator portal to modify user accounts, update settings, and manage your deployment. Selecting the **Account settings** of the user you wish to configure will open the Django administration page.
Here you can configure the settings for the user account. These settings impact things like file size limitations, UI configuration and default values with comparison UI.
✅ You are now ready to use API Self Hosted v3! If you are having any issues deploying or problems related to the new image version, please get in touch at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
✅ You are now ready to use API Self Hosted v3! If you are having any issues deploying or problems related to the new image version, please get in touch at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Draftable API Self Hosted v3 Docker Compose Guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide
This is a guide for the Docker Compose file used in the API Self Hosted v3 image.
## Web server
### `SERVER_DNS`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: (empty)
* **Example**: `draftable.yourcompany.com`
Primary domain name for the server. Used for configuring the load balancer to serve requests, SSL certificate validation, and virtual host configuration.
### `TLS_CERT`
* **Type**: String (PEM content)
* **Default**: (empty)
Full PEM-encoded SSL/TLS certificate content. Paste the entire certificate including the `-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----` and `-----END CERTIFICATE-----` lines directly into the `.env` file.
The load balancer container reads certificate content from environment variables and writes it to its internal Nginx SSL paths. You must provide the actual PEM content — file paths are not supported.
### `TLS_KEY`
* **Type**: String (PEM content)
* **Default**: (empty)
Full PEM-encoded SSL/TLS private key content. Paste the entire key including the `-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----` and `-----END PRIVATE KEY-----` lines directly into the `.env` file.
### `TLS_CA_CHAIN`
* **Type**: String (PEM content)
* **Default**: (empty)
Full PEM-encoded SSL/TLS certificate authority chain. If your certificate chain includes intermediate and root CA certificates, concatenate them together in a single value.
To populate your `.env` file from existing certificate files, you can use:
```bash theme={null}
echo "TLS_CERT=\"$(cat /path/to/tls-cert.pem)\"" >> .env
echo "TLS_KEY=\"$(cat /path/to/privkey.pem)\"" >> .env
echo "TLS_CA_CHAIN=\"$(cat /path/to/tls-ca-chain.pem)\"" >> .env
```
## Application
### `APP_BASE_URL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `https://localhost`
* **Example**: `https://draftable.yourcompany.com`
Base URL where the application is accessible. Must include the protocol (`https://`) and port if non-standard. Used for generating links in API responses and the web interface.
### `ENV`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `prod`
* **Valid Values**: `dev`, `prod`
Environment mode for the application containers. Use `prod` for all production and customer deployments.
### `CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS`
* **Type**: List
* **Default**: Value of `APP_BASE_URL`
* **Example**: `https://draftable.yourcompany.com`
List of trusted origins for CSRF validation. In most deployments, the default (derived from `APP_BASE_URL`) is sufficient. Set explicitly if serving from multiple origins.
### `APP_MODE`
* **Type**: String
* **Valid Values**: `web`, `web_init`, `celery_worker`, `celery_beat`
Defines the role of each application container. This is set automatically in Docker Compose and should be set per-container in Kubernetes deployments. `web_init` runs database migrations and should complete before other containers start.
### `DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `draftable@localhost`
* **Example**: `noreply@yourcompany.com`
Default sender email address for system notifications.
## Licensing
### `DRAFTABLE_PRODUCT_KEY`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: (empty)
Product key for automatic activation of Draftable API Self-hosted. If left empty, the product key can be entered in the web administration interface.
**Upgrading from v2?** Your existing v2 product key is fully compatible with v3. No new key is required.
## Compare API
### `COMPARE_API_ACCOUNT_SIGNUP_ENABLED`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `true`
Allow users to create accounts through self-registration.
### `COMPARE_API_SOURCE_URL_ALLOW_HTTP`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Allow HTTP URLs in the `source_url` parameter of comparison requests.
### `COMPARE_API_SOURCE_URL_ALLOW_PRIVATE_IP`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Allow private IP addresses in the `source_url` parameter of comparison requests.
## Application security
### `DJANGO_SECRET_KEY`
* **Mandatory setting**
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: (empty)
Secret key used for cryptographic signing by web containers. A random alphanumeric value of at least 64 characters is recommended. The secret key can be changed at any time, however, doing so will invalidate all existing login sessions forcing all users to login again.
### `ALLOWED_HOSTS`
* **Type**: List
* **Default**: Value of `SERVER_DNS`
* **Example**: `draftable.yourcompany.com, www.draftable.yourcompany.com`
List of hosts and domains which the application is permitted to serve. By default, the value of `SERVER_DNS` is automatically used.
### `REQUIRE_HTTPS`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `true`
Require all web requests and responses be served over HTTPS. When enabled, any HTTP requests will be redirected to the equivalent HTTPS URL. See also the configuration of the [`X-Forwarded-Proto` HTTP header](#x-forwarded-proto).
### `SESSION_COOKIE_AGE`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `86400`
* **Valid Values**: >= 0
Duration for which a session cookie (login session) is valid. The value is provided in seconds with the default of `86400` equal to one day.
### `SESSION_COOKIE_SAMESITE`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `Lax`
* **Valid Values**: `Strict`, `Lax`, `None`, (empty)
Value for the `SameSite` attribute of session cookies. Consult general online documentation for the behaviours set by the `Strict`, `Lax`, and `None` values. Setting an empty string will result in omitting the `SameSite` attribute from session cookies, which on modern web browsers is typically equivalent to the `Lax` setting.
## Database (PostgreSQL)
PostgreSQL database connection settings. When using the default Docker Compose configuration, the built-in PostgreSQL container is used and these defaults are sufficient, except for [`DB_CONN_MAX_AGE`](#db_conn_max_age), which you should set to `0`. For Kubernetes deployments or when connecting to an external database (e.g. Amazon RDS), you must configure these variables explicitly.
### `DB_HOST`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `pgsql`
Hostname or IP address of the PostgreSQL server.
The default value `pgsql` corresponds to the Docker Compose service name. For Kubernetes or external database deployments, set this to your database hostname (e.g. `postgres.internal` or `your-rds-endpoint.region.rds.amazonaws.com`).
### `DB_PORT`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `5432`
* **Valid Range**: 1–65535
Port number for the PostgreSQL server.
### `DB_NAME`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `draftable`
Name of the PostgreSQL database.
### `DB_USER`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `postgres`
Username for PostgreSQL authentication.
### `DB_PASS`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `password`
Password for PostgreSQL authentication. **Change from default in production.**
### `DB_TLS_MODE`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `prefer`
* **Valid Values**: `disable`, `allow`, `prefer`, `require`, `verify-ca`, `verify-full`
TLS connection mode for PostgreSQL. Use `require` or higher for production, especially when connecting to a remote or managed database.
### `DB_CONN_MAX_AGE`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `-1`
* **Recommended**: `0`
* **Valid Values**: `-1` (unlimited), `0` (no persistent connections), `>0` (seconds)
Lifetime of database connections in seconds. **Set this to `0` on every deployment.**
The web service handles each request in its own lightweight task. With any value other than `0`, including the default of `-1` and bounded values such as `300`, a finished request leaves its PostgreSQL connection open, and later requests do not reuse it. Idle connections build up until PostgreSQL reaches `max_connections`, and API calls then fail with HTTP 500 and this error in the web logs:
```
FATAL: sorry, too many clients already
```
With `0`, each connection is closed when its request finishes. Opening a new connection per request adds negligible overhead.
The default `docker-compose.yml` only passes the variables listed in its `db` configuration section to the containers, and `DB_CONN_MAX_AGE` is not one of them. **Adding `DB_CONN_MAX_AGE` to your `.env` file alone has no effect.** Add it to the `db` section of `docker-compose.yml`:
```yaml theme={null}
db: &db-config
DB_HOST: ${DB_HOST:-pgsql}
DB_USER: *db-user
DB_PASS: *db-pass
DB_NAME: *db-name
DB_CONN_MAX_AGE: ${DB_CONN_MAX_AGE:-0}
```
Then apply the change with `docker compose up -d`. Recreating the containers also closes any connections that have already built up.
To check connection usage:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose exec pgsql psql -U postgres -c "SELECT client_addr, state, count(*) FROM pg_stat_activity GROUP BY 1, 2;"
```
With `0` set, the web containers should hold no idle connections when there is no traffic. PostgreSQL's default `max_connections` of 100 is enough for most deployments, because connections are only held while requests are in progress.
***
## Redis
Redis is used for caching, session storage, license data, and custom font storage. When using the default Docker Compose configuration, the built-in Redis container is used and these defaults are sufficient. For Kubernetes deployments or when connecting to an external Redis instance (e.g. Amazon ElastiCache), you must configure these variables explicitly.
**Redis persistence is critical.** Redis stores the activated license and any custom fonts. If Redis data is lost, all users will be locked out until the license is reactivated. Always ensure Redis is configured with persistent storage (the default Docker Compose configuration includes AOF and RDB persistence). If using a managed Redis service, ensure persistence is enabled.
If Redis data is lost, re-run the `web_init` container to reactivate the license from the `DRAFTABLE_PRODUCT_KEY` environment variable. In Docker Compose: `docker compose run --rm web_init`. You do not need to restart the entire deployment.
### `REDIS_HOST`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `redis`
Hostname or IP address of the Redis server.
The default value `redis` corresponds to the Docker Compose service name. For Kubernetes or external Redis deployments, set this to your Redis hostname (e.g. `redis.internal` or `your-elasticache-endpoint.region.cache.amazonaws.com`).
**Kubernetes naming conflict**: Kubernetes automatically creates an environment variable `REDIS_PORT=tcp://ip:port` when a service is named `redis`. This conflicts with the integer port value expected by the application. To avoid this, name your Redis Kubernetes service something other than `redis` (e.g. `redis-svc`).
### `REDIS_PORT`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `6379`
* **Valid Range**: 1–65535
Port number for the Redis server. Use `6380` for TLS connections if required by your provider.
### `REDIS_PASSWORD`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: (empty)
Password for Redis authentication. Leave empty if Redis has no authentication configured.
### `REDIS_USER`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: (empty)
Username for Redis authentication (Redis 6.0+ with ACLs). Leave empty for password-only authentication.
### `REDIS_TLS`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Enable TLS encryption for Redis connections. Set to `true` when connecting to managed Redis services that require TLS (e.g. ElastiCache in-transit encryption).
### `REDIS_DB`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `0`
* **Valid Range**: 0–2147483646
Redis database number to use.
***
## AMQP (RabbitMQ)
RabbitMQ is the message broker used for communication between the web application and the comparison engine. When using the default Docker Compose configuration, the built-in RabbitMQ container is used and these defaults are sufficient. For Kubernetes deployments or when connecting to an external RabbitMQ instance (e.g. Amazon MQ), you must configure these variables explicitly.
**Draftable requires RabbitMQ (AMQP 0-9-1). AWS SQS and Amazon MQ for ActiveMQ are not supported.** The comparison engine communicates exclusively over the AMQP 0-9-1 protocol and uses RabbitMQ-specific features, which neither SQS nor ActiveMQ provide. ActiveMQ implements AMQP 1.0, which is a different, non-interoperable protocol despite the shared "AMQP" name.
* If you use **Amazon MQ**, select the **RabbitMQ** engine (not ActiveMQ), and connect on port `5671` for TLS.
* **Self-managed RabbitMQ** (in-cluster or on a dedicated host) is also supported.
* You do not need to pre-create exchanges, queues, or bindings — Draftable declares its own on startup. Provide a running broker on the default virtual host (`/`) with a user that has configure, write, and read permissions.
### `AMQP_HOST`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `rabbitmq`
Hostname or IP address of the RabbitMQ server.
The default value `rabbitmq` corresponds to the Docker Compose service name. For Kubernetes or external RabbitMQ deployments, set this to your broker hostname (e.g. `rabbitmq.internal` or `your-amazonmq-endpoint.mq.region.amazonaws.com`).
### `AMQP_PORT`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `5672`
* **Valid Range**: 1–65535
Port number for the RabbitMQ server. Use `5671` for TLS connections (e.g. Amazon MQ).
### `AMQP_USER`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `draftable`
Username for RabbitMQ authentication.
### `AMQP_PASSWORD`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `draftable`
Password for RabbitMQ authentication. **Change from default in production.**
### `AMQP_TLS`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Enable TLS encryption for RabbitMQ connections. Set to `true` when connecting to managed RabbitMQ services that require TLS (e.g. Amazon MQ).
***
## File storage
### `FILE_STORAGE_TYPE`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `local`
* **Valid Values**: `local`, `s3`
Storage provider to use for storing uploaded documents and resulting comparison data.
* `local`\
Data is made directly accessible to Draftable containers through the container filesystem. When using the default Docker Compose configuration a Docker volume will be created and mounted into all Draftable containers. Using a Docker volume is not generally compatible with deployments where Draftable containers span multiple servers as the underlying volume will typically not be accessible across discrete hosts.
* `s3`\
Data is stored in AWS S3 buckets. This storage option is highly scalable and permits usage of Draftable containers across multiple servers due to the separation of the storage backed from compute. The AWS S3 buckets must be configured in advance. Please reach out to Draftable support for details.
**Azure Blob Storage is not supported.** The only supported values for `FILE_STORAGE_TYPE` are `local` and `s3` (AWS S3). There is no native support for Azure Blob Storage, Azure Files, or any other Azure storage identifier. Customers deploying on Microsoft Azure infrastructure should use `local` storage or contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) to discuss their requirements.
**NFS shared volumes (e.g. Azure NetApp Files) are not officially supported.** While it is technically possible to use an NFS shared volume with `FILE_STORAGE_TYPE=local` to share the `/srv/draftable` mount across multiple pods (for example, in an Azure AKS deployment), Draftable does not test or optimise against NFS storage internally. Our limited testing has identified performance issues inherent to NFS that can impact comparison workloads.
Customers who choose to use NFS do so at their own risk. Draftable support is unable to assist with troubleshooting issues related to NFS storage performance, reliability, or configuration. Your infrastructure team is welcome to build and optimise an NFS-based solution that works within your environment, but this falls outside the scope of Draftable's supported deployment configurations.
If you are deploying on Azure and require a supported multi-node storage solution, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) to discuss your requirements.
### `DRAFTABLE_API_FILE_STORAGE_ROOT`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `/srv/draftable/data`
Path at which the comparison data will be mounted in Draftable containers when using the `local` storage type. Changing the default is not recommended unless directed by Draftable support for specific advanced scenarios.
**To enable S3 storage, the 2 environment variables must be set below:**
### `S3_STORAGE_BUCKET`
\- **Type**: String\
\- **Default**: (empty).
Name of the bucket to use. The bucket must be configured with Cross-origin resource sharing (CORS). Below is a minimal JSON example:
```json theme={null}
[
{
"AllowedHeaders": [
"*"
],
"AllowedMethods": [
"GET"
],
"AllowedOrigins": [
"*"
],
"ExposeHeaders": []
}
]
```
### `AWS_REGION`
\- **Type**: String\
\- **Default**: (empty)
AWS region name. Must match the region of the bucket.
### `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`
AWS credentials. The user/role used to access the bucket requires the following permissions:
`s3:ListBucket`, `s3:GetObject`, `s3:PutObject`, `s3:DeleteObject`
Example IAM policy:
```json theme={null}
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Sid": "ListBucket",
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:ListBucket"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::bucket-name"
},
{
"Sid": "ReadWriteObjects",
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:PutObject",
"s3:GetObject",
"s3:DeleteObject"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::bucket-name/*"
}
]
}
```
## HTTP headers
### X-Frame-Options (iframe embedding)
**Known issue (v3.0.5 and earlier):** The load balancer container includes a hardcoded `X-Frame-Options: DENY` header on all HTTPS responses. This prevents the comparison viewer from being embedded in an iframe — a regression from v2 where iframe embedding worked without issue.
Adding `X_FRAME_OPTIONS` to your `.env` file will **not** resolve this, as the header is set at the nginx level inside the load balancer container, not by the application.
A fix will be included in a future release. In the meantime, use the workaround below.
**Workaround: override the nginx configuration template**
The load balancer container uses a template file at `/nginx.conf.template` which its entrypoint script processes on startup — substituting your `SERVER_DNS` value and DNS resolver — before writing the final configuration to `/etc/nginx/nginx.conf`. The workaround below replaces this template so that the entrypoint can still run normally.
Extract the template file (not the processed config) from the running container:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose exec server cat /nginx.conf.template > custom-nginx.conf
```
Open `custom-nginx.conf` and find this line in the HTTPS server block:
```nginx theme={null}
add_header X-Frame-Options DENY always;
```
Change it to one of the following depending on your requirements:
* **Same-origin embedding** (viewer iframe is hosted on the exact same origin as the APISH server):
```nginx theme={null}
add_header X-Frame-Options SAMEORIGIN always;
```
* **Cross-origin embedding** (viewer iframe is on a different domain or subdomain to the APISH server):
Remove the `add_header X-Frame-Options` line entirely.
`SAMEORIGIN` requires an **exact origin match** (scheme + host + port). Different subdomains — for example, embedding from `app.yourcompany.com` when APISH is hosted at `draftable.yourcompany.com` — are considered cross-origin and will still be blocked by `SAMEORIGIN`. In this case, remove the line entirely.
For more granular control, you can replace the `X-Frame-Options` line with a `Content-Security-Policy` header that specifies which origins are permitted to embed the viewer:
```nginx theme={null}
add_header Content-Security-Policy "frame-ancestors https://app.yourcompany.com https://draftable.yourcompany.com" always;
```
You can also use wildcards (e.g. `https://*.yourcompany.com`). See the [MDN Content-Security-Policy frame-ancestors documentation](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Reference/Headers/Content-Security-Policy/frame-ancestors) for full syntax.
Do not change the `SERVER_NAME_PLACEHOLDER` or `RESOLVER_PLACEHOLDER` tokens in the file. These are replaced automatically by the container's entrypoint script on startup.
Add a volume mount to the `server` service in your `docker-compose.yml`, mapping your custom file to `/nginx.conf.template`:
```yaml theme={null}
server:
image: draftable/apish-load-balancer:latest
volumes:
- ./custom-nginx.conf:/nginx.conf.template:ro
# ... keep your existing configuration below
```
```bash theme={null}
docker compose down
docker compose up -d
```
Open your browser's developer tools, load the comparison viewer URL, and confirm the `X-Frame-Options` response header now shows `SAMEORIGIN` (or is absent if you removed the line).
### Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)
#### `CORS_ENABLED`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Enable including CORS headers in API Self-hosted responses to HTTP(S) requests.
#### `CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS`
* **Type**: List
* **Default**: (empty)
* **Example**: `https://app.yourcompany.com, https://api.yourcompany.com`
List of origins permitted to make cross-origin requests.
#### `CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGIN_REGEXES`
* **Type**: List
* **Default**: (empty)
* **Example**: `https://.*\.yourcompany\.com`
List of regular expression patterns for which matches are permitted to make cross-origin requests.
#### `CORS_ALLOW_ALL_ORIGINS`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Permit requests from any origin. Enabling this behaviour can be a security risk and should be carefully evaluated.
### Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection
#### `CSRF_COOKIE_SAMESITE`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `Strict`
* **Valid Values**: `Strict`, `Lax`, `None`, (empty)
Value for the `SameSite` attribute of CSRF cookies. Consult general online documentation for the behaviours set by the `Strict`, `Lax`, and `None` values. Setting an empty string will result in omitting the `SameSite` attribute from CSRF cookies, which on modern web browsers is typically equivalent to the `Lax` setting.
### HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
#### `SECURE_HSTS_SECONDS`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `0`
* **Valid Values**: >= 0
Number of seconds for which the HSTS policy will be enforced when received by a web browser. The configured value is set in the `max-age` attribute of the HSTS header. The default of zero disables the HSTS header, while for production deployments a value of two years (`63072000`) is recommended.
#### `SECURE_HSTS_INCLUDE_SUBDOMAINS`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
Enables applying the HSTS policy to all subdomains of the API Self-hosted domain. When enabled, sets the `includeSubDomains` attribute in the HSTS header.
#### `SECURE_HSTS_PRELOAD`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `false`
* **Required**: Optional
Enables inclusion of the HSTS policy in the [preload list](https://hstspreload.org/) maintained by Google. When enabled, sets the `preload` attribute in the HSTS header, indicating that the API Self-hosted domain may be included in the preload list, which is used by all major web browsers. To take effect the `SECURE_HSTS_SECONDS` value must be at least one year (`31536000`) and `SECURE_HSTS_INCLUDE_SUBDOMAINS` must be enabled.
There are additional requirements for inclusion in the preload list; see the [submission requirements](https://hstspreload.org/#submission-requirements) for full details.
### `X-Forwarded-Proto`
#### `SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER_ENABLED`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `true`
Enables setting the `X-Forwarded-Proto` header on requests sent from the load balancer to web containers and configures the API Self-hosted application to respect the header.
If HTTPS support is enabled via the `REQUIRE_HTTPS` setting (the default) then the `X-Forwarded-Proto` header will be implicitly enabled irrespective of the value of this setting.
#### `SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER_NAME`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO`
The name of the header used to communicate the protocol used by the client which originated the request.
#### `SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER_VALUE`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `https`
The value of the header which indicates that the originating client request is secure.
## Logging
Configuration of logging functionality and minimum logging severity levels of components. Changing logging severity levels from the defaults is not recommended unless directed by Draftable support.
### `CONSOLE_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `WARNING`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for outputting logs to the console.
### `AWS_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `INFO`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for logs from Amazon Web Services (AWS) libraries.
### `CELERY_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `INFO`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for logs from the Celery distributed task queue.
### `DJANGO_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `INFO`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for logs from the Django web application framework.
### `DRAFTABLE_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `INFO`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for logs from Draftable components.
### `GUNICORN_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `INFO`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for logs from the Gunicorn WSGI HTTP server.
### `MISC_LOG_LEVEL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `INFO`
* **Valid Values**: `CRITICAL`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `INFO`, `DEBUG`
Minimum severity level for logs from components not covered by a specific `LOG_LEVEL` setting.
### `CONSOLE_LOG_TIMESTAMP_ENABLED`
* **Type**: Boolean
* **Default**: `true`
Prepend a timestamp for logs output to the console. When collecting console logs via a log aggregation system that adds its own timestamps to the processed events you may wish to disable this behaviour to avoid duplication of timestamps.
## Infrastructure services
These environment variables configure supporting infrastructure services and the document processing pipeline.
### `JODCONVERTER_URL`
* **Type**: String
* **Default**: `http://converter:8080/lool/convert-to/pdf`
URL for the JODConverter service used for document format conversion (e.g. Office to PDF). The default value uses the Docker Compose service name. For Kubernetes deployments, update this to match your converter service name and namespace (e.g. `http://converter-svc.draftable.svc.cluster.local:8080/lool/convert-to/pdf`).
### `COMPARE_WORKERS_COUNT`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `1`
* **Valid Range**: 1–10
Number of comparison worker processes within the compare container. Increase for higher throughput on multi-core systems. In Kubernetes, you can also scale horizontally by increasing the number of compare pod replicas.
### `HTTP_PORT`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `80`
HTTP port exposed by the load balancer container. Only applicable to Docker Compose deployments.
### `HTTPS_PORT`
* **Type**: Integer
* **Default**: `443`
HTTPS port exposed by the load balancer container. Only applicable to Docker Compose deployments.
# Understanding Draftable Legal vs Draftable Business
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51498434438553-Understanding-Draftable-Legal-vs-Draftable-Business
A complete breakdown of what separates Draftable Legal from Draftable Business: comparison outputs, DMS integrations, customization, and the workflows each product is built for.
Draftable Legal and Draftable Business are the **same Windows desktop application** running under two different licences. You install the same product, and the product key you activate with decides which features unlock.
That single fact explains almost everything about how the two compare. There is no separate download, no separate installer and no migration project. Moving between them is a licence change, not a reinstall.
Because both products share one codebase, an option you cannot see in Draftable Business is usually a Draftable Legal feature rather than a fault. Upgrading the licence enables it in place, keeping your existing settings.
## The short answer
**Draftable Business** produces **Side-by-Side comparisons**. It is built for general business users who need to see what changed between two documents, quickly and accurately, without a document management system behind them.
**Draftable Legal** adds every other comparison output, all of the document management system (DMS) integrations, and the deep markup and profile customization that legal document production depends on.
If you need a **Word or PDF redline**, a **tracked changes document**, or an integration with **iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint, Worldox or Epona**, you need Draftable Legal.
## Comparison outputs
This is the largest single difference between the two products, and the one customers notice first.
Draftable Business is restricted to the Side-by-Side output. Every other comparison output is a Draftable Legal feature.
| Comparison output | Draftable Business | Draftable Legal |
| :- | :-: | :-: |
| Side-by-Side (the Draftable viewer) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Redline (PDF) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Redline (Word / .docx) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Word tracked changes | ❌ | ✅ |
| Departures table | ❌ | ✅ |
| Changed pages | ❌ | ✅ |
| Excel redline | ❌ | ✅ |
| PowerPoint redline | ❌ | ✅ |
| Text-only comparison | ❌ | ✅ |
| Changes report | ❌ | ✅ |
Because Draftable Business only has one output available, the **output selection controls are hidden** rather than shown and disabled. Business users do not choose an output type before comparing; they simply compare, and the Side-by-Side viewer opens.
## DMS integrations
Draftable Legal integrates with five document management systems. **Draftable Business includes none of them.** Each integration is licence-gated in the same way, so there is no partial or read-only mode in Business.
| Integration | Draftable Business | Draftable Legal |
| :- | :-: | :-: |
| iManage (including Work 10 and Cloud) | ❌ | ✅ |
| NetDocuments | ❌ | ✅ |
| SharePoint | ❌ | ✅ |
| Worldox | ❌ | ✅ |
| Epona DMSforLegal | ❌ | ✅ |
In Draftable Business, the **Integrations tab in Settings is not displayed at all**. This is expected behaviour, not a configuration problem. If you have deployed DMS settings by Group Policy to a machine running a Business licence, those settings are written but never read.
Draftable Legal also supports **iManage auto log-in**, so users are not prompted for DMS credentials each session, and can be configured for **multiple iManage tenancies**.
## Markup, profiles and customization
Draftable Legal is where document production teams standardise how a redline looks across a firm. Draftable Business keeps a fixed, sensible default.
| Capability | Draftable Business | Draftable Legal |
| :- | :-: | :-: |
| Changes markup theme (viewer colours) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Redline markup scheme customization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Redline profiles | ❌ | ✅ |
| Default author name control on redlines | ❌ | ✅ |
| Output configuration settings | ❌ | ✅ |
In Draftable Business the redline markup scheme is forced to the default and the associated settings sections are hidden. The **changes markup theme** for the Side-by-Side viewer is still available to Business users, which is a separate setting controlling the colours you see on screen.
## Document handling and engine options
| Capability | Draftable Business | Draftable Legal |
| :- | :-: | :-: |
| OCR for scanned documents | ❌ | ✅ |
| Choice of Word to PDF conversion engine | ❌ | ✅ |
| Per-user communication for add-in workflows | ❌ | ✅ |
**OCR is a Draftable Legal feature.** If you compare a scanned PDF in Draftable Business, no text layer is generated for you, and the comparison only reflects text the file already contains. This is a common source of "Draftable found no changes" reports on scanned documents.
## Deployment and administration
Both products are enterprise-deployable, and this is where they are most alike.
| Capability | Draftable Business | Draftable Legal |
| :- | :-: | :-: |
| Per-user EXE installer (auto-updating) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Machine-wide MSI installer | ✅ | ✅ |
| Group Policy (ADMX/ADML) configuration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Microsoft Intune deployment | ✅ | ✅ |
| Registry-based configuration | ✅ | ✅ |
Both products use the same three-tier settings priority, where a user policy overrides a computer policy, which overrides a user's own setting.
The practical difference is **how much there is to configure**. Draftable Legal exposes a far larger settings surface because it has far more features. A Group Policy template applied to Draftable Business applies cleanly, but settings covering Legal-only features have no effect.
Draftable Legal and Draftable Business are Windows desktop applications. Neither product runs on macOS. If you need document comparison on macOS or from another platform, look at the [Draftable API](/hc/en-us/articles/43677873463705-Checking-Draftable-API-Status) instead.
## Workflow differences in practice
The feature tables above translate into a few day-to-day differences worth calling out.
In Draftable Business, you select two files and compare. In Draftable Legal, you also choose a **comparison type** before running, because more than one output is available, and you may be selecting those files from a DMS rather than the file system.
Both products open the Side-by-Side viewer. Draftable Legal users can additionally produce a redline, a tracked changes document, a departures table or a changes report from the same comparison.
Draftable Business users share the Side-by-Side output. Draftable Legal users typically share a redline PDF or a Word file with tracked changes, which is the format most legal workflows expect.
Only Draftable Legal can save a comparison result back into iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint, Worldox or Epona. Draftable Business saves to the file system.
## Which product is right for you?
Choose **Draftable Business** if you need fast, accurate, private document comparison for general business documents, you work from local or synced file storage, and the Side-by-Side viewer is how your team wants to review changes.
Choose **Draftable Legal** if any of the following apply:
* You produce **redlines** or **tracked changes documents** for others to review
* You store documents in a **DMS**
* You need **OCR** for scanned material
* You need to **standardise redline appearance** across a team or firm
* You need **departures tables** or **changes reports**
## Moving from Draftable Business to Draftable Legal
Because both products are the same application, upgrading is straightforward. You enter a Draftable Legal product key, and the previously unavailable features become available. Your existing preferences are retained.
To discuss licensing, upgrades or a trial of Draftable Legal, visit the [Draftable pricing page](https://www.draftable.com/pricing) or contact our sales team at **[sales@draftable.com](mailto:sales@draftable.com)**.
## Related articles
# Departures Table: Summarizing a table of changes for review
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51552545500569-Understanding-and-Using-the-Departures-Table
The Departures Table is a structured Word document that summarizes all changes between two document versions, organized by clause. Learn how to generate, filter and customize Departures Tables in Draftable Legal.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
## What is a Departures Table?
A **Departures Table** is a Microsoft Word document that presents a structured, clause-by-clause summary of all changes detected between two versions of a document. Rather than showing changes inline as a traditional redline does, the Departures Table organizes each change into a table row under its relevant **clause or subclause heading**, making it easy to review, discuss and share with colleagues and counterparties.
Each row in the Departures Table includes:
| Column | Description |
| :- | :- |
| **Departure ID** | A sequential number identifying the change |
| **Reference** | The clause or subclause where the change was detected (e.g. "1.2(a)") |
| **Proposed Departure** | The full clause text with redline markup showing insertions and deletions |
| **Review Notes** | A column for review commentary — automatically populated with any tags, notes and comments (see below) |
| **Commercial Impact** | An additional column for team collaboration (empty by default) |
The Departures Table output format is **DOCX only**. It can be opened directly in Word, saved, emailed as an attachment, or embedded into an email body.
## When to use a Departures Table
The Departures Table is designed for scenarios where you need a **concise, structured summary** of changes rather than a full redline document. It is particularly useful when:
* **Preparing for negotiations** — present a clear list of departures from the original terms to discuss with counterparties
* **Internal review meetings** — share a focused summary of changes with stakeholders who need to understand the scope of modifications without reading the full document
* **Contract management** — maintain a record of how each clause has changed between versions for compliance or audit purposes
* **Delegating review work** — distribute specific clauses to different team members using the structured table format
## How to create a Departures Table
There are three ways to generate a Departures Table in Draftable Legal:
### Method 1: Select Departures Table as your comparison type
If you only need the Departures Table output (and do not need to review the redline in the viewer first), you can select **Departures Table** directly as your comparison type.
Load your older and newer documents in the **New Comparison** window.
From the **Comparison Type** dropdown, select **Departures Table**.
Click **Compare**. Draftable will generate the Departures Table directly and present you with the option to **Open** it in Word or **Save** it.
This method is the fastest way to get a Departures Table. However, it does not open the Redline viewer, so you will not be able to add tags, notes or filters before generating the table. If you need to review and annotate changes first, use **Method 2** below.
### Method 2: Export from the Redline viewer
If you want to **review, tag, add notes to and filter your changes** before generating the Departures Table, first run a **Redline in Draftable** comparison. You can then export the Departures Table from the viewer's export menu — and any tags, notes and filters you have applied will carry through into the table output.
Load your documents in the **New Comparison** window, select **Redline in Draftable** as your comparison type and click **Compare**.
In the Redline viewer, use the **Change List** on the right-hand side to review your changes. You can:
* **Tag** changes with status labels (e.g. Reviewed, Needs Review, High Priority)
* **Add notes** to individual changes
* **Filter** the Change List to focus on specific change types, content types or locations
Any tags and notes you add will be included in the **Review Notes** column of the Departures Table. See [Redline Change List: Review, filter, tag, add notes and export changes](/hc/en-us/articles/32514479509785-Using-the-Redline-Change-List-to-review-filter-tag-add-notes-and-export-your-changes) for a detailed guide.
In the comparison viewer, select **Save**, **Open**, **Email**, **Copy to Clipboard** or **Print** from the top ribbon menu to access the export options.
Check the **Departures Table** checkbox in the export list. Click the **pen icon** to expand the export options where you can rename the output file and choose which changes to include.
Use the **Reported Changes** dropdown to select:
* **All changes** — includes every change detected in the comparison
* **Matching filters** — includes only changes that match your current Change List filters (see [Exporting only filtered changes](#exporting-only-filtered-changes) below)
Click **Save**, **Open**, **Email** or your chosen next action to generate the Departures Table.
### Method 3: Via 1-Click Compare
You can also configure **1-Click Compare** to generate a Departures Table as its default output. This allows you to go straight from selecting your files to receiving the Departures Table without any intermediate steps.
To set this up, open the Draftable Desktop **Settings** menu, navigate to the **1-Click Compare** tab and select **Departures Table** as your comparison type. See [Using 1-Click Compare](/hc/en-us/articles/31611819497753-Using-1-Click-Compare-to-run-comparisons-with-your-preferred-default-workflow) for a full setup guide.
## Understanding the Departures Table output
### How changes are organized by clause
Draftable analyzes the document structure and groups changes under their relevant **clause and subclause headings**. The **Reference** column displays the clause numbering as it appears in the document (e.g. "1.1", "1.1(a)", "4.2(b)(iii)").
When changes are detected within a clause, the **Proposed Departure** column shows the full clause text with redline markup:
* Deleted text is shown with strikethrough formatting
* **Inserted text** is shown in a contrasting style
This gives reviewers the full context of each change within its clause, rather than isolated word-level edits.
### Preamble content
Any text that appears **before the first numbered clause** in the document is labeled as **"preamble"** in the Reference column. This typically includes introductory paragraphs, recitals, definitions sections and any other content that precedes the numbered body of the agreement.
### Inline comments from input documents
If your input documents contain **inline comments** — text enclosed in square brackets such as `[Proponent Note: ...]` or `[Proponent Comment: ...]` — Draftable will detect these and include them in the **Review Notes** column of the Departures Table rather than in the Proposed Departure column. This separates commentary from the substantive clause text, making it easier to distinguish between document changes and reviewer annotations.
### Document comments
If either input document contains **Word comments** (i.e. comments added via Word's Review > New Comment feature), these are also captured and included in the **Review Notes** column. Each comment displays the **author name** and **comment text**, helping you see feedback from previous reviewers alongside the relevant clause changes.
### Tags and notes from the Change List
When you export a Departures Table from the **Redline viewer** (Method 2 above), any **tags** and **notes** you have applied to changes in the Change List are included in the **Review Notes** column. Tags are displayed as formatted labels (e.g. **NEEDS REVIEW**, **REVIEWED**) and notes appear as text beneath them.
Tags and notes are only available when exporting from the Redline viewer. If you generate the Departures Table directly via the **Departures Table** comparison type (Method 1), the Review Notes column will not contain tags or notes since the viewer is not opened.
## Exporting only filtered changes
You can generate a Departures Table that includes **only a subset of changes** by applying filters in the Change List before exporting.
In the Redline viewer, open the **filter menu** at the top of the Change List. You can filter by:
* **Change Type** — insertions, deletions, moved text, replacements, format changes
* **Content Type** — text, numbering, table of contents, images, tables, comments
* **Change Location** — main document, headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes
* **Tags** — Reviewed, Needs Review, High Priority, Low Priority, Action Required, No Action Required
* **Notes** — changes with or without notes
When exporting the Departures Table, click the **pen icon** to expand the options and set **Reported Changes** to **Matching filters**.
The resulting Departures Table will only include clauses that contain changes matching your active filters. Clauses with no matching changes are excluded entirely.
This is useful when you want to focus your review on specific types of changes — for example, generating a Departures Table that only includes **substantive text changes** while excluding formatting, numbering or table of contents changes.
## Embedding a Departures Table in an email body
In addition to saving or opening the Departures Table as a DOCX file, you can embed it directly into an **email body** for quick sharing.
In the comparison viewer, select **Email** from the top ribbon menu.
Check the **Departures Table** checkbox, then click the **pen icon** to expand the options. Change the **Format** dropdown from **DOCX** to **Email Body**.
Click **Email** to generate a new email with the Departures Table embedded directly in the email body.
## Customizing your Departures Table template
The Departures Table is generated from a **Word template** that controls the table structure, column headings, branding, headers, footers and formatting. You can customize this template to match your organization's requirements — for example, adding your firm's logo, renaming columns or adding additional columns for specific review workflows.
For a full guide on creating and deploying a custom Departures Table template, see [How to configure a custom Departures Table template](/hc/en-us/articles/46349329328281-How-to-configure-a-custom-Departures-Table-template).
## Frequently asked questions
The Departures Table is generated from comparisons of **Word (doc, docx)** and **PDF** input files. The output is always a **DOCX** file (or embedded HTML when using the Email Body format).
No. Departures Tables are available from **Redline** comparisons only. You can either select **Departures Table** as the comparison type directly, or run a **Redline in Draftable** comparison and export the table from the viewer.
The Departures Table described in this article is available for individual comparisons only.
From Draftable Legal **26.8.0**, multi-document comparisons have their own clause-first output: the **Combined Departures Table**, which brings the results of a One-to-Many or Timeline comparison into a single interactive grid and exports to DOCX or XLSX. See [Using the Combined Departures Table to review many documents at once](/hc/en-us/articles/Using-the-Combined-Departures-Table-to-review-many-documents-at-once).
Yes. Draftable Legal supports fully customizable Word templates (.dotx) for the Departures Table. See [How to configure a custom Departures Table template](/hc/en-us/articles/46349329328281-How-to-configure-a-custom-Departures-Table-template) for setup instructions.
Draftable analyzes the paragraph structure and numbering within the document to identify clause and subclause boundaries. It builds a hierarchical structure based on the document's numbering scheme and indentation levels. If a section of text appears before any numbered clause, it is labeled as "preamble".
Yes, but only when exporting from the **Redline viewer** (Method 2). Tags and notes from the Change List are included in the **Review Notes** column. If you generate the Departures Table directly via the Departures Table comparison type, the viewer is not opened and tags/notes cannot be applied.
# Configuring Multiple iManage Tenancies in Draftable Legal
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51727897426841-Configuring-Multiple-iManage-Tenancies-in-Draftable-Legal
Draftable Legal now supports **multiple iManage tenancies** within the application. This feature enables organizations that work across multiple iManage environments, such as different firms, clients, or practice areas to seamlessly connect and switch between them directly inside Draftable Legal.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
This update introduces the ability to **configure and manage multiple iManage tenancies both within the Draftable Legal application and via Group Policy** for enterprise administrators.
### What are multiple iManage tenancies?
An iManage tenancy (also referred to as an iManage "environment" or "instance") represents a unique deployment of iManage Cloud or On-Premise. Organizations often have multiple tenancies for different business units, regions, or clients.
Previously, Draftable Legal supported integration with a **single iManage tenancy** at a time. With this update, users and administrators will be able to **add, label, and connect to multiple tenancies** from within the application, making it simple to compare and save documents from multiple environments without needing to log out.
### Configuring iManage Tenancies in Draftable Legal (In-App)
End users can manage their iManage tenancies from within the Draftable Legal interface.
* Right-click the Draftable Legal icon in the Windows taskbar and select **Settings**.\
**(The taskbar is located at the bottom-right of your screen.)**
* In the settings menu, select **DMS Connections** under the **Integrations** group, then expand the **iManage** accordion.
* Turn on the **iManage** toggle at the top of the accordion before you add servers or connect. The **Add server** button and server actions only appear once iManage is enabled.
* Under **Integrations**, locate the **iManage** section.
* In the **iManage** accordion, find the **Servers** area and select **Add server**.
* In the **Add iManage Server** dialog, enter the **Server URL** (for example, "[https://customdomain.com](https://customdomain.com)"), then select **Add Server**. The dialog has a single Server URL field; Draftable derives the display name from the URL, so there is no separate tenancy-name field. You connect and authenticate as a separate step after the server is added.
* Repeat for each tenancy you want to add. The added servers appear in the **Servers** list, where you can connect to each one and set a default.
* Click on the arrow icon on the **Manage endpoint** section in the iManage settings.
* To add multiple tenancies, first enter the tenancy name and then add the custom URL (for example, "Firm Main Cloud", then "[https://customdomain.com](https://customdomain.com)").
You can test the connection to ensure that the domain is correct, and then save it to add it to your tenancy list.
* In the **Servers** list, select **Connect** on the tenancy you want to connect to.
* Follow the prompts to sign in to iManage and authorise Draftable Legal.
* Once complete, your tenancy will display as **Connected**.
* In the **iManage** accordion under **DMS Connections**, each tenancy appears as a separate entry in the **Servers** list. Select **Connect** on the server you want to use, and use **Set Default** to choose which server Draftable connects to first.
* Within the Integrations tab, toggle between connected tenancies using the drop-down list.
* Draftable Legal will remember your last active tenancy.
### Configuring iManage Tenancies via Group Policy (For Administrators)
For enterprise environments, administrators can configure multiple iManage tenancies via **Group Policy (GPO)**, allowing deployment across all users in a domain.
This feature uses an updated **administrative template (ADMX/ADML)** included with the next release of Draftable Legal.
There is only one group policy item that needs configuring for this, which is **iManage endpoints (CSV).**
To configure this field, ensure you provide valid URLs, separated by a ";" and a space or no space, both scenarios work. For example:
```bash theme={null}
https://draftable.com; https://newcompany.com;https://test_domain.com
```
**Note:** The first URL provided will be the default one that is selected by Draftable.
### Configuring iManage Tenancies via the Registry (For Administrators)
If Group Policy is not an option, you can configure the same setting directly in the Windows Registry.
```bash theme={null}
Current user key location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Local Machine key location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: ImanageEndpointsCsvPolicy
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
The `` value is the same as group policy, you set URLs separated by a ";" and a space or no space, both scenarios work. For example:
```bash theme={null}
https://draftable.com; https://newcompany.com;https://test_domain.com
```
**Note:** The first URL provided will be the default one that is selected by Draftable.
### Notes for Administrators
* If using **Microsoft Intune**, you can import the latest Draftable Legal ADMX templates to deploy tenancy configurations cloud-wide.
* Group Policy configurations take precedence over user-defined settings.
* For troubleshooting, ensure that the steps followed for iManage configuration were correctly done (depending on whether your setup is for on-premise or cloud).
**Known issue: iManage keeps asking you to sign in.** If one of your iManage server URLs is a link copied from a workspace in iManage Work, rather than the address of your iManage server, Draftable cannot complete sign-in and prompts you again. Remove that entry from the **Servers** list (or from the **iManage endpoints (CSV)** policy) and keep only the server address, for example "[https://customdomain.com](https://customdomain.com)". If that does not resolve it, contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
### Related Articles
### Need Help?
If you require assistance configuring multiple iManage tenancies or Group Policy templates, contact our support team at [**support@draftable.com**](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Configuring Draftable for Office
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51764565990425-Configuring-Draftable-for-Office
Draftable for Office is a Microsoft Office Add-in that enables users to send documents directly to Draftable Desktop for comparison from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. By deploying this add-in across your Microsoft 365 organization, you empower your users to use efficient workflows with Draftable from Office applications.
**This is one of our JavaScript add-ins, and it is the one we recommend you deploy.**
Draftable's older COM add-ins carry confusingly similar names — the MSI installs them as **Draftable for Outlook**, **Word** and **Excel** — so it is easy to mistake one generation for the other. This article covers the modern JavaScript add-in, which you deploy centrally through **Integrated apps** in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Use the JavaScript add-ins wherever your environment allows it, and avoid the COM add-ins unless you have no alternative. See [COM add-ins vs JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/COM-add-ins-versus-JavaScript-add-ins) if you are not sure which your organization is running.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Outlook Add-in organization-wide.
Remote desktop, Citrix, and RDP environments are supported from add-in version 2.62.0.1 onwards.For the latest version of Chrome (142.0.7444), these add-ins do not work for Microsoft 365 in Chrome.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account)**
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* You must have **at least Draftable v25.10.000** for this Add-in to correctly function.
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Upload the Draftable Outlook Add-in
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the dropdown menu.
Provide the **manifest URL** for the current release:\
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.64.0.1/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.64.0.1/manifest.xml)
**Note:** The Draftable for Office Add-in **does not auto-update**. You will need to retrieve the latest manifest file when you wish to update your version of the Add-in.
This is a **pinned** manifest URL: it stays on version 2.64.0.1 and does not move to later releases. The current version and URL for every Draftable add-in are always listed in the [Draftable Office add-in deployment guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html). Check it before deploying, and again when you want to update.
Click **Validate**.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
* Choose whether the add-in should be **automatically installed** or **available for users to install manually**.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
**App Permissions:**
* Sign in and read users’ basic profile information.
* Access user profile details including name, picture, username, and email address.
* Read basic company information for signed-in users.
**App Capabilities:**
* `ReadWriteItem`: Allows the app to read and write the contents of a document.
* `SendReceiveData`: Enables the app to communicate with the Draftable application for comparison processing.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, the Draftable in Office Add-in will be available within Word.
**Please note:** The Application installation and update can **take up to 72 hours (and in some cases longer)**. For more information about it, please visit Microsoft Documentation - [Deploy add-ins in the admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide")
We recommend that if the Add-in hasn't been deployed in this time, you should get users to restart Outlook and their Machine to **prompt** the Add-in to be added.
## Need Help?
If you experience issues with deployment or setup, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Installing Draftable for Office
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51764565990426-Installing-Draftable-for-Office
Draftable for Office is a Microsoft Office Add-in that enables users to run Draftable comparisons directly from Word. By deploying this add-in across your Microsoft 365 organization, you empower your users to use efficient workflows with Draftable from Word.
**This is one of our JavaScript add-ins, and it is the one we recommend you deploy.**
Draftable's older COM add-ins carry confusingly similar names — the MSI installs them as **Draftable for Outlook**, **Word** and **Excel** — so it is easy to mistake one generation for the other. This article covers the modern JavaScript add-in, which you deploy centrally through **Integrated apps** in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Use the JavaScript add-ins wherever your environment allows it, and avoid the COM add-ins unless you have no alternative. See [COM add-ins vs JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/COM-add-ins-versus-JavaScript-add-ins) if you are not sure which your organization is running.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Outlook Add-in organization-wide.
Remote desktop, Citrix, and RDP environments are supported from add-in version 2.62.0.1 onwards.For the latest version of Chrome (142.0.7444), these add-ins do not work for Microsoft 365 in Chrome.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account)**
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* You must have **at least Draftable v25.10.000** for this Add-in to correctly function.
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Upload the Draftable Outlook Add-in
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the dropdown menu.
Provide the **manifest URL** for the current release:\
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.64.0.1/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.64.0.1/manifest.xml)
**Note:** The Draftable for Office Add-in **does not auto-update**. You will need to retrieve the latest manifest file when you wish to update your version of the Add-in.
This is a **pinned** manifest URL: it stays on version 2.64.0.1 and does not move to later releases. The current version and URL for every Draftable add-in are always listed in the [Draftable Office add-in deployment guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html). Check it before deploying, and again when you want to update.
Click **Validate**.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
* Choose whether the add-in should be **automatically installed** or **available for users to install manually**.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
**App Permissions:**
* Sign in and read users’ basic profile information.
* Access user profile details including name, picture, username, and email address.
* Read basic company information for signed-in users.
**App Capabilities:**
* `ReadWriteItem`: Allows the app to read and write the contents of a document.
* `SendReceiveData`: Enables the app to communicate with the Draftable application for comparison processing.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, the Draftable in Office Add-in will be available within Word.
**Please note:** The Application installation and update can **take up to 72 hours (and in some cases longer)**. For more information about it, please visit Microsoft Documentation - [Deploy add-ins in the admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide")
We recommend that if the Add-in hasn't been deployed in this time, you should get users to restart Outlook and their Machine to **prompt** the Add-in to be added.
## Need Help?
If you experience issues with deployment or setup, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Using Draftable for Office
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51787242705817-Using-Draftable-for-Office
Draftable for Office is an add-in that sends documents directly to the Draftable desktop application for comparison from within Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Draftable for Office requires **Draftable version 25.10.000 or later** to be installed and running on the user's system.
The Draftable for Office add-in appears under the **Home** tab in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. All actions send documents directly to the **Draftable desktop application**, opening the Draftable New Comparison window where you can complete and view your comparison.
Ensure that **Draftable is open in the background** when using Draftable for Office, otherwise documents will not be loaded correctly or at all into Draftable.
The core workflow is consistent across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — each app offers the same comparison options (Compare Open, Compare Versions, Send as Older/Newer), with Excel and PowerPoint providing additional app-specific actions for worksheets, cell ranges, and slides.
***
## Using Draftable for Office in Word
Once installed, the add-in appears under the **Home** tab in Microsoft Word with four primary buttons.
### 1. Compare Open Documents
The **Compare Open** option lists all documents currently open in all instances of Word, allowing you to quickly select two to compare. This is useful when working on multiple files simultaneously.
Once you click **Compare Selected**, the chosen documents open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 2. Compare Versions
The **Compare Versions** feature allows you to compare different versions of the same document — ideal for version-controlled files (e.g., from iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint).
You can also **refresh versions** if a new version has been saved or published. The selected versions open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 3. Send as Older / Send as Newer
**Send as Older** opens the Draftable New Comparison window with the active Word document preloaded as the **older (left)** document. You can then select the newer document in Draftable to complete the comparison.
**Send as Newer** opens the Draftable New Comparison window with the active Word document preloaded as the **newer (right)** document. You can then select the older document to complete the comparison.
***
## Using Draftable for Office in Excel
In Excel, the Draftable for Office add-in appears under the **Home** tab with eight buttons. In addition to the standard options available in Word, Excel provides worksheet-specific and cell range-specific actions.
The button group is arranged in a grid:
### 1. Send as Older / Send as Newer
These work the same as in Word — **Send as Older** loads the active spreadsheet as the older (left) document in the Draftable New Comparison window, and **Send as Newer** loads it as the newer (right) document.
### 2. Compare Open Spreadsheets
The **Compare Open** option lists all spreadsheets currently open in Excel, allowing you to quickly select two to compare. The selected files open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 3. Compare Versions
The **Compare Versions** feature works the same as in Word, allowing you to compare different versions of the same spreadsheet — ideal for version-controlled files from a DMS. The selected versions open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 4. Send Worksheet as Older / Send Worksheet as Newer
These Excel-specific buttons send the **active worksheet** to the Draftable New Comparison window as either the older or newer side. This is useful when you want to compare a specific sheet within a workbook rather than the entire file.
#### Comparing one worksheet against another
To compare a specific worksheet against its counterpart, you need to send **both** sides from Excel. The worksheet selection only happens inside the Excel add-in, so both the older and newer worksheet have to be sent using these buttons.
You cannot add the second worksheet from the Draftable New Comparison window itself. Browsing for a file there always loads the **entire workbook**, not an individual sheet. To narrow the comparison down to a single worksheet on each side, send both sides from the Excel add-in.
Open the workbook containing the newer version, click the tab of the specific worksheet you want, then click **Send Worksheet as Newer**. Draftable opens with that single sheet loaded on the newer side.
Open the other workbook (your older version), click the tab of the worksheet you want to compare against, then click **Send Worksheet as Older**. It loads into the older side of the same New Comparison window.
Both worksheets are now loaded, one on each side. Click **Compare**.
If the two worksheets are in the **same** workbook, you do not need to open a second file. Activate each sheet in turn and send it to its side, one as **Send Worksheet as Newer** and the other as **Send Worksheet as Older**, then click **Compare**.
### 5. Send Range as Older / Send Range as Newer
These Excel-specific buttons send a **selected cell range** to the Draftable New Comparison window. First select the cells you want to compare in Excel, then click **Send Range as Older** or **Send Range as Newer** to load that specific range into Draftable. This is useful when you only need to compare a particular section of a spreadsheet.
***
## Using Draftable for Office in PowerPoint
In PowerPoint, the Draftable for Office add-in appears under the **Home** tab with six buttons. In addition to the standard options available in Word, PowerPoint provides slide-specific actions.
The button group includes clearly labelled actions:
### 1. Send as Older / Send as Newer
These work the same as in Word — **Send as Older** loads the active presentation as the older (left) document in the Draftable New Comparison window, and **Send as Newer** loads it as the newer (right) document.
### 2. Compare Open Presentations
The **Compare Open** option lists all presentations currently open in PowerPoint, allowing you to quickly select two to compare. The selected files open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 3. Compare Versions
The **Compare Versions** feature works the same as in Word and Excel, allowing you to compare different versions of the same presentation. The selected versions open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 4. Send Slides as Older / Send Slides as Newer
These PowerPoint-specific buttons send the **selected slides** to the Draftable New Comparison window as either the older or newer side. This is useful when you want to compare specific slides rather than the entire presentation.
#### Comparing specific slides against their counterparts
To compare a specific set of slides against another, you need to send **both** sides from PowerPoint. The slide selection only happens inside the PowerPoint add-in, so both the older and newer slides have to be sent using these buttons.
You cannot add the second set of slides from the Draftable New Comparison window itself. Browsing for a file there always loads the **entire presentation**, not individual slides. To narrow the comparison down to specific slides on each side, send both sides from the PowerPoint add-in.
In the newer presentation, select the slide (or slides) you want, then click **Send Slides as Newer**. Draftable opens with those slides loaded on the newer side.
Open the older presentation, select the corresponding slide (or slides), then click **Send Slides as Older**. They load into the older side of the same New Comparison window.
Both sets of slides are now loaded, one on each side. Click **Compare**.
If the slides you want to compare are in the **same** presentation, you do not need to open a second file. Select each set of slides in turn and send it to its side, one as **Send Slides as Newer** and the other as **Send Slides as Older**, then click **Compare**.
***
## Notes
* Draftable for Office requires **Draftable version 25.10.000 or later** to be installed and running on the user's device.
* All comparisons are sent to the Draftable desktop application using the same comparison engine as Draftable Legal, ensuring identical accuracy and output consistency across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
* If you need further assistance or support for Draftable for Office, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Using Draftable for Office
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51787242705818-Using-Draftable-for-Office
Draftable for Office is an add-in that sends documents directly to the Draftable desktop application for comparison from within Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Draftable for Office requires **Draftable version 25.10.000 or later** to be installed and running on the user's system.
The Draftable for Office add-in appears under the **Home** tab in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. All actions send documents directly to the **Draftable desktop application**, opening the Draftable New Comparison window where you can complete and view your comparison.
Ensure that **Draftable is open in the background** when using Draftable for Office, otherwise documents will not be loaded correctly or at all into Draftable.
The core workflow is consistent across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — each app offers the same comparison options (Compare Open, Compare Versions, Send as Older/Newer), with Excel and PowerPoint providing additional app-specific actions for worksheets, cell ranges, and slides.
***
## Using Draftable for Office in Word
Once installed, the add-in appears under the **Home** tab in Microsoft Word with four primary buttons.
### 1. Compare Open Documents
The **Compare Open** option lists all documents currently open in all instances of Word, allowing you to quickly select two to compare. This is useful when working on multiple files simultaneously.
Once you click **Compare Selected**, the chosen documents open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 2. Compare Versions
The **Compare Versions** feature allows you to compare different versions of the same document — ideal for version-controlled files (e.g., from iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint).
You can also **refresh versions** if a new version has been saved or published. The selected versions open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 3. Send as Older / Send as Newer
**Send as Older** opens the Draftable New Comparison window with the active Word document preloaded as the **older (left)** document. You can then select the newer document in Draftable to complete the comparison.
**Send as Newer** opens the Draftable New Comparison window with the active Word document preloaded as the **newer (right)** document. You can then select the older document to complete the comparison.
***
## Using Draftable for Office in Excel
In Excel, the Draftable for Office add-in appears under the **Home** tab with eight buttons. In addition to the standard options available in Word, Excel provides worksheet-specific and cell range-specific actions.
The button group is arranged in a grid:
### 1. Send as Older / Send as Newer
These work the same as in Word — **Send as Older** loads the active spreadsheet as the older (left) document in the Draftable New Comparison window, and **Send as Newer** loads it as the newer (right) document.
### 2. Compare Open Spreadsheets
The **Compare Open** option lists all spreadsheets currently open in Excel, allowing you to quickly select two to compare. The selected files open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 3. Compare Versions
The **Compare Versions** feature works the same as in Word, allowing you to compare different versions of the same spreadsheet — ideal for version-controlled files from a DMS. The selected versions open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 4. Send Worksheet as Older / Send Worksheet as Newer
These Excel-specific buttons send the **active worksheet** to the Draftable New Comparison window as either the older or newer side. This is useful when you want to compare a specific sheet within a workbook rather than the entire file.
#### Comparing one worksheet against another
To compare a specific worksheet against its counterpart, you need to send **both** sides from Excel. The worksheet selection only happens inside the Excel add-in, so both the older and newer worksheet have to be sent using these buttons.
You cannot add the second worksheet from the Draftable New Comparison window itself. Browsing for a file there always loads the **entire workbook**, not an individual sheet. To narrow the comparison down to a single worksheet on each side, send both sides from the Excel add-in.
Open the workbook containing the newer version, click the tab of the specific worksheet you want, then click **Send Worksheet as Newer**. Draftable opens with that single sheet loaded on the newer side.
Open the other workbook (your older version), click the tab of the worksheet you want to compare against, then click **Send Worksheet as Older**. It loads into the older side of the same New Comparison window.
Both worksheets are now loaded, one on each side. Click **Compare**.
If the two worksheets are in the **same** workbook, you do not need to open a second file. Activate each sheet in turn and send it to its side, one as **Send Worksheet as Newer** and the other as **Send Worksheet as Older**, then click **Compare**.
### 5. Send Range as Older / Send Range as Newer
These Excel-specific buttons send a **selected cell range** to the Draftable New Comparison window. First select the cells you want to compare in Excel, then click **Send Range as Older** or **Send Range as Newer** to load that specific range into Draftable. This is useful when you only need to compare a particular section of a spreadsheet.
***
## Using Draftable for Office in PowerPoint
In PowerPoint, the Draftable for Office add-in appears under the **Home** tab with six buttons. In addition to the standard options available in Word, PowerPoint provides slide-specific actions.
The button group includes clearly labelled actions:
### 1. Send as Older / Send as Newer
These work the same as in Word — **Send as Older** loads the active presentation as the older (left) document in the Draftable New Comparison window, and **Send as Newer** loads it as the newer (right) document.
### 2. Compare Open Presentations
The **Compare Open** option lists all presentations currently open in PowerPoint, allowing you to quickly select two to compare. The selected files open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 3. Compare Versions
The **Compare Versions** feature works the same as in Word and Excel, allowing you to compare different versions of the same presentation. The selected versions open in the Draftable New Comparison window.
### 4. Send Slides as Older / Send Slides as Newer
These PowerPoint-specific buttons send the **selected slides** to the Draftable New Comparison window as either the older or newer side. This is useful when you want to compare specific slides rather than the entire presentation.
#### Comparing specific slides against their counterparts
To compare a specific set of slides against another, you need to send **both** sides from PowerPoint. The slide selection only happens inside the PowerPoint add-in, so both the older and newer slides have to be sent using these buttons.
You cannot add the second set of slides from the Draftable New Comparison window itself. Browsing for a file there always loads the **entire presentation**, not individual slides. To narrow the comparison down to specific slides on each side, send both sides from the PowerPoint add-in.
In the newer presentation, select the slide (or slides) you want, then click **Send Slides as Newer**. Draftable opens with those slides loaded on the newer side.
Open the older presentation, select the corresponding slide (or slides), then click **Send Slides as Older**. They load into the older side of the same New Comparison window.
Both sets of slides are now loaded, one on each side. Click **Compare**.
If the slides you want to compare are in the **same** presentation, you do not need to open a second file. Select each set of slides in turn and send it to its side, one as **Send Slides as Newer** and the other as **Send Slides as Older**, then click **Compare**.
***
## Notes
* Draftable for Office requires **Draftable version 25.10.000 or later** to be installed and running on the user's device.
* All comparisons are sent to the Draftable desktop application using the same comparison engine as Draftable Legal, ensuring identical accuracy and output consistency across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
* If you need further assistance or support for Draftable for Office, please reach out to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Track your organisation's Draftable usage (Organisation Identifier)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry
Tag your Draftable Legal deployment with an organisation identifier so Draftable can produce a usage and adoption report for your organisation.
This article is intended for IT administrators deploying Draftable Legal with Group Policy, the registry, or an enterprise deployment tool.
## What is an Organisation Identifier?
By default, the usage statistics Draftable Legal sends back are anonymous and cannot be traced to any particular organisation. That means Draftable cannot tell you how your own users are getting on with the product.
The **Organisation Identifier** solves this. It is a single text value (a GUID, or any label you choose) that you deploy to every Draftable Legal installation in your organisation. From that point on, every usage event those installations send carries your identifier, so Draftable can group them together and produce a **product usage report** for your organisation on request.
## Why administrators set this
Without an identifier, a Draftable deployment is a black box after go-live. You know the software installed, and you know how many licences you bought, but you have no way to see what happened next. Setting the identifier turns that into something you can actually manage.
**Prove the rollout worked.** An install that succeeds is not the same as an install people use. Activations and active users against the licences you purchased tell you whether Draftable reached the desks it was meant to reach, and comparison volume week by week tells you whether it stuck. If adoption is flat in one part of the business, you find out from the report rather than from a complaint months later.
**Make the renewal conversation a factual one.** Rather than arguing from impressions, you can go into a renewal or an internal budget review with real numbers: how many people used the product, how many comparisons they ran, and which features they relied on. The same applies in reverse. If the numbers show you are paying for more than you use, you have the evidence to right-size.
**Target training where it will change something.** The report separates lightly active users from heavy users. That split usually maps neatly onto who has had proper training and who has not. Feature usage tells you the same story from another angle: if nobody in the firm has run a departures table or a changes report, that is a training gap, not a product limitation.
**Catch version drift before it causes tickets.** The application version breakdown shows how many users are on which release. This matters most on machine-wide MSI deployments, which do not auto-update, where a handful of machines can quietly sit several releases behind and hit bugs that were fixed long ago.
**See problems while they are still small.** The comparison failure rate is tracked week by week. A rise in failures is usually the first visible sign of something environmental, such as a change to a document template, an Office update, or a DMS configuration problem. Noticing a trend is far cheaper than working backwards from a queue of individual complaints.
**Understand how your firm actually works.** The report shows which file type combinations your users compare and which output formats they export. If almost everyone exports a Word tracked-changes document, your default redline profile should reflect that. Configuration decisions become evidence-led rather than assumed.
**Get more out of a trial or pilot.** During an evaluation the identifier gives you a defensible picture of usage across the pilot group, which is exactly what a business case needs. Because usage is not backdated, this only works if the identifier is in place from the start of the trial.
**Usage data is not backdated.** Draftable can only report on activity recorded **after** the identifier is deployed. Nothing before that point can be attributed to your organisation, and it cannot be recovered retrospectively. For that reason we recommend configuring the Organisation Identifier **as part of your deployment**, before or at the same time as you roll Draftable Legal out, rather than adding it later.
## What the report shows
Below is an example of the report Draftable produces. It covers your whole organisation in aggregate, and no individual user can be identified in it.
The report includes:
| Section | What it tells you |
| - | - |
| Headline totals | Total activations, active users, sessions and comparisons over the period |
| Compares run per week | Comparison volume over time, so you can see adoption building or dropping off |
| User activity per week | How many users are lightly active versus heavily active each week |
| Compare fail rate per week | The proportion of comparisons that failed, which is a useful early warning of a document or environment problem |
| User application version | The spread of Draftable Legal versions across your users, so you can find machines that have not updated |
| File loading and output | Which file type combinations your users compare, and which output formats they export to |
| Feature usage | How often specific features are used, such as bulk compare, changes report, departures table and one-click compare |
The exact contents of the report may change as the product develops. If there is a specific measure you need, mention it when you request the report and we will tell you whether it is available.
## What is not collected
* **No user-level personally identifiable information (PII)** is collected or transmitted.
* **No document content, file names, or comparison results** are collected.
* The identifier is an opaque label for grouping only. It has no effect on product functionality, licensing, or activation.
## How to request your report
Once the identifier has been deployed and users have had time to generate activity, email **[support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com)** from your account address and ask for a **product usage report**. Include the Organisation Identifier value you deployed and the date range you are interested in.
## Before you start
* The policy requires **Draftable Legal 25.9.0 or later**. Older versions ignore the setting.
* The latest Draftable Legal administrative templates must be installed if you are configuring this through Group Policy. See [Draftable Legal Group Policy template files](/hc/en-us/articles/28666057117722-Draftable-Legal-Group-Policy-Template-Files).
* Usage statistics must remain enabled for data to be sent at all. If **Send usage statistics** has been turned off by policy or by the user, that installation reports nothing regardless of the identifier. See [Most common Draftable Legal registry configurations](/hc/en-us/articles/24732245077401-Most-common-Draftable-Legal-registry-configurations).
* Use the **same identifier everywhere**. Different values across your estate will split your organisation into separate groups in the report.
## Group Policy configuration
Once the Draftable Legal administrative templates are installed, the policy is available under either **Computer Configuration** or **User Configuration**:
```bash theme={null}
Administrative Templates > Draftable > Draftable Desktop
```
Policy name: **Configure an organization identifier**
**Policy options:**
* **Not Configured / Disabled** – no organisation identifier is included, and usage from these machines stays anonymous.
* **Enabled** – enter your organisation's identifier (a GUID or a text label) in the field provided.
## Registry configuration
The same setting can be applied directly through the registry if you are not using Group Policy, for example through Intune, SCCM, or a deployment script.
Per user:
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OrganizationIdentifier
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
Machine-wide:
```bash theme={null}
Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Draftable\Feature
Value name: OrganizationIdentifier
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data:
```
For example:
```bash theme={null}
"OrganizationIdentifier"="ContosoLegalTeam"
```
**Draftable Clean has its own identifier.** If you also deploy Draftable Clean, set the equivalent policy there as well. It is a separate setting under `Software\Policies\Draftable\Clean\Reporting`, value name `OrganizationIdentifier`, and it requires Draftable Clean 26.6.100 or later.
## Related articles
* [Deploying Draftable: an introduction](/hc/en-us/articles/Deploying-Draftable-An-introduction)
* [Complete deployment guide](/hc/en-us/articles/Complete-deployment-guide)
* [Configuring settings with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/articles/18763487262106-Configuring-settings-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Legal)
* [Verifying Draftable Legal licence activation across user machines](/hc/en-us/articles/49539873315353-Verifying-Draftable-Legal-licence-activation-across-user-machines)
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – October 2025 Updates (v25.10 series)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/52148225931673-Draftable-Legal-October-2025-Updates-v25-10-series
The October 2025 updates to Draftable Legal (v25.10.x) introduced major improvements to preprocessing accuracy, email comparison workflows, Microsoft Office integrations, and administrator telemetry options. These releases also delivered critical bug fixes across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email redlines.
**Top 5 improvements in this update**
* **Improved accuracy for PDF inputs** – comparisons using PDFs are now best-in-class quality thanks to upgraded PDF preprocessing via the Apryse conversion engine.
* **Future-proofed file selection from Microsoft Office** – load files directly from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint into Draftable using our new modern JavaScript add-in "Draftable for Office".
* **Faster email reviews** – Accept/Reject All commands added to streamline review of redlined emails in Outlook.
* **Greater visibility for IT teams** – optional organization-level telemetry tagging enables company usage reporting for administrators.
* **Multi-tenant** **iManage support** – improved configuration options for on-premise iManage and for multiple iManage tenants per user.
Let's explore these in more detail.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the October 2025 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## New Features and Improvements
### Core Functionality
#### Improved accuracy and reliability on PDFs
Hot off the heels from our PDF improvements in the [September 2025 updates](/hc/en-us/articles/51126397213337-Release-Notes-Draftable-Legal-September-2025-v25-9-Series), lawyers can now enjoy **more reliable comparisons when using PDF input files**, thanks to the addition of the **Apryse conversion engine for PDF to DOCX pre-processing**. This addition means lawyers using Draftable will have access to the best-in-class PDF comparison quality allowing them to accurately interpret changes to PDF files. The update also ensured the Apryse engine is set as the default for all organizations regardless of previous administrator configuration.
#### Faster "Redline in Email" accept / reject workflows
Our October updates provided a new version of Draftable's "Redline in Email" Outlook add in ([v1.1.26](/hc/en-us/articles/46382047949977-Configuring-Redline-in-Email-Outlook-with-Draftable)). This update included:
* **A new** **Accept All / Reject All** option to allow reviewers to process email changes in bulk.
* **Enhanced baseline selection logic** to improve the accuracy of comparisons using “Compare against earlier email,” helping users avoid mismatched versions during redline creation.
These updates simplify review workflows for lawyers redlining correspondence and client communication.
### Integration Functions
#### Modern Microsoft Office add-in for file loading
Draftable now provides a **modern JavaScript (JS) add-in** for file loading from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This one modern Office add in lets users **quickly load files into Draftable** and removes the dependency on our existing VSTO COM add ins. The add-in can be deployed via the following manifest link:\
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.17.0.0/manifest.xmlThe](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-simple/2.17.0.0/manifest.xmlThe) updated add-in works across desktop and web versions of MS Office, making it easier to integrate Draftable comparisons into day-to-day document workflows.
Example of MS Word with new JS add in "Draftable in Office" file loading command on 'home' tab of ribbon menu
Example of MS Excel with new JS add in "Draftable in Office" file loading command on 'home' tab of ribbon menu
Example of MS PowerPoint with new JS add in "Draftable in Office" file loading command on 'home' tab of ribbon menu
### Administrator Features
#### iManage tenant switching and configuration updates
For firms using on-premise iManage environments, Draftable now supports **easier switching between iManage tenants**. This is especially valuable for **global firms collaborating across multiple regions**. Updates include improvements to local configuration options and connection persistence between sessions.
Administrators can configure the multiple iManage server URLs for end users via Group Policy, ensuring lawyers aren't brought into technical configuration workflows.
#### Opt-in usage data reporting via organization-level telemetry tagging
Administrators can now choose to include an **organization-level GUID** in [telemetry data](/hc/en-us/articles/34620487450265-Product-Telemetry). This enables **tracking and reporting of Draftable usage** in customer organizations. Administrators can [opt-in to this system by adding the GUID via a registry setting change](/hc/en-us/articles/51788481256985-Configure-an-Organisation-Identifier-Group-Policy-Registry). Once enabled, requests can be made to [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) for usage data reports covering the following topics:
* The number of unique comparisons
* Monthly, weekly or daily active users,
* Comparison reliability (success rates),
* Comparison speed (i.e. pages per second)
* Input document formats compared (e.g. PDF, Word, Excel, PPT, etc)
* Comparison Types used (e.g. Redline in Draftable, Tracked Changes in Word, Side by Side, etc)
* Product versions in use (e.g. v25.10.0)
* Adoption / usage of specific features such as Redline in Email, bulk compare, one click compare, departures table, etc.
It’s important to note that Draftable **cannot report named users** as our system does not collect personally identifiable information (PII). In practice we can report the number of comparisons and usage frequency based on unique devices (i.e. computers) which we treat as a proxy for a unique ‘user’.
Draftable is in the process of implementing a federated named user identity management system alongside a new web-based administrative portal. This will provide automated reporting out of the box for your team and is expected to be ready by mid 2026 alongside the release of our web version of Draftable Legal.
## Bug Fixes
The October releases (25.10.0, 25.10.100, and 25.10.200) resolved several customer-reported issues:
### Redline in Email
* Fixed issue where **images caused errors in new Outlook**
* Resolved bug where the **“Change Baseline” button was unresponsive**
* Fixed redline corruption due to sentinel values in email formatting
* Fixed issue where **comparison results opened in the wrong tab**
### Excel & PowerPoint
* Resolved issue where Excel redlines produced **corrupt** `**.xlsx**` **outputs**
* Fixed PowerPoint redlines failing due to **unsupported gradient colors**
* Addressed layout issues caused by **table column handling errors**
### File handling and UI
* Fixed **filename collisions** when exporting redline files with similar names
* Prevented pre-processing errors caused by **invalid output types**
* Resolved bug where **numbering in RTF redlines was incorrect**
* Addressed dialog box text cutoff issues in the Draftable Viewer
### Integrations
* Resolved issue affecting **NetDocuments comparisons** triggered via Draftable Word Add-in when filenames contained special characters
* Fixed bug in **25.10.100** that caused **iManage tenant switching** to fail in some environments
* Fixed issue where **emailing redlines directly from Draftable** caused an error
* Fixed crash when **comparing text input vs text file**
* Fixed failure of **"copy" command** in Redline in Email feature
# Installing Draftable in Office
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/52362093587481-Draftable-in-Office
Draftable in Office is a Microsoft Office Add-in that enables users to run Draftable comparisons directly from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. By deploying this add-in across your Microsoft 365 organization, you empower your users to use efficient workflows with Draftable from Office applications.
**This is one of our JavaScript add-ins, and it is the one we recommend you deploy.**
Draftable's older COM add-ins carry confusingly similar names — the MSI installs them as **Draftable for Outlook**, **Word** and **Excel** — so it is easy to mistake one generation for the other. This article covers the modern JavaScript add-in, which you deploy centrally through **Integrated apps** in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Use the JavaScript add-ins wherever your environment allows it, and avoid the COM add-ins unless you have no alternative. See [COM add-ins vs JavaScript add-ins](/hc/en-us/articles/COM-add-ins-versus-JavaScript-add-ins) if you are not sure which your organization is running.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable in Office Add-in organization-wide.
Remote desktop, Citrix, and RDP environments are supported from add-in version 2.62.0.1 onwards.
For the latest version of Chrome (142.0.7444), these add-ins do not work for Microsoft 365 in Chrome.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account)**
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* You must have **at least Draftable v25.10.000** for this Add-in to correctly function.
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Upload the Draftable in Office Add-in
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the dropdown menu.
Provide the **manifest URL** for the current release:\
[https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office/2.64.0.1/manifest.xml](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office/2.64.0.1/manifest.xml)
**Note:** The Draftable in Office Add-in **does not auto-update**. You will need to retrieve the latest manifest file when you wish to update your version of the Add-in.
This is a **pinned** manifest URL: it stays on version 2.64.0.1 and does not move to later releases. The current version and URL for every Draftable add-in are always listed in the [Draftable Office add-in deployment guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html). Check it before deploying, and again when you want to update.
Click **Validate**.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
* Choose whether the add-in should be **automatically installed** or **available for users to install manually**.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
**App Permissions:**
* Sign in and read users' basic profile information.
* Access user profile details including name, picture, username, and email address.
* Read basic company information for signed-in users.
**App Capabilities:**
* `ReadWriteItem`: Allows the app to read and write the contents of a document.
* `SendReceiveData`: Enables the app to communicate with the Draftable application for comparison processing.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, the Draftable in Office Add-in will be available within Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
**Please note:** The Application installation and update can **take up to 72 hours (and in some cases longer)**. For more information about it, please visit Microsoft Documentation - [Deploy add-ins in the admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide")
We recommend that if the Add-in hasn't been deployed in this time, you should get users to restart Outlook and their Machine to **prompt** the Add-in to be added.
## Need Help?
If you experience issues with deployment or setup, please contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com).
# Migrating from API Self-Hosted V2 to V3
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/52985002658841-Migrating-from-API-Self-Hosted-V2-to-V3
This guide covers migrating your existing Draftable API Self-Hosted V2 instance to V3. The migration process is designed for zero downtime, allowing both instances to run side-by-side during the transition. The entire process should take less than 30 minutes.
## What Gets Migrated
The migration script transfers the following data from your V2 instance:
* **PostgreSQL database** — Complete draftable database including all comparisons, user accounts, and settings
* **Application files** — All data stored in the /srv/draftable volume (config, data, fonts)
* **License** — Your existing product key is automatically activated in V3
Your existing v2 product key is fully compatible with v3 — no new key is required. The migration script will automatically activate it in your new instance.
## Prerequisites
### Software Requirements
* **Docker Engine**: Version 20.10 or higher
* **Docker Compose V2**: Must use docker compose command (not legacy docker-compose)
* **Bash shell**: Linux/macOS native
* **Windows**: Use WSL2 (recommended), Git Bash, or Cygwin
**Note:** If you are not using **Docker** as part of your existing deployment, you may need to configure a V3 container from the ground up, as this migration process **only supports Docker.**
### Hardware Requirements
* **Storage**: At least double your current V2 data size in free disk space
* **Memory**: 8 GB RAM minimum (same as V2 requirements)
### Verify Your Environment
Run these commands to confirm your setup meets the requirements:
```bash theme={null}
# Check Docker version (requires 20.10+)
docker --version
# Check Compose version (requires v2.x.x)
docker compose version
# Check available disk space
df -h
```
### Required Files
Before proceeding, ensure you have:
1. **V3 Docker Compose file** —Can be found here: [https://github.com/draftable/apish](https://github.com/draftable/apish)
2. **V3** .env file — Sample file can be found here: [https://github.com/draftable/apish](https://github.com/draftable/apish)
3. **Migration script** (migrate-data.sh) — Can be found here: [https://github.com/draftable/apish/tree/main/v3\_migration](https://github.com/draftable/apish/tree/main/v3_migration)
## Migration Overview
The migration follows a side-by-side approach:
Start V3 instance on alternate ports **and on the same server/machine** as your V2 instance (V2 continues running normally)
Run migration script to copy database and files from V2 → V3
Validate V3 instance with migrated data
Switch V3 to production ports and shut down V2
**Note:** Your V2 instance remains fully operational throughout the migration process until you explicitly switch over.
IMPORTANT: Treat your V2 instance as read-only during the migration process. Any new data created in V2 after the migration script starts (e.g., new comparisons, user changes) will NOT be transferred to V3. To avoid data loss, ensure all users stop making changes to the V2 instance before beginning the migration.
## Step 1: Prepare V3 Configuration
Create or update your .env file for the V3 deployment:
```bash theme={null}
# Required variables
DB_USER=postgres
DB_PASS=
AMQP_USER=draftable
AMQP_PASSWORD=
DJANGO_SECRET_KEY=
# Optional variables
# SERVER_DNS=
# TLS_CERT=
# TLS_KEY=
# TLS_CA_CHAIN=
# COMPARE_WORKERS_COUNT=
```
Place the V3 docker-compose.yml and .env file in a dedicated directory separate from your V2 deployment.
## Step 2: Start V3 on Alternate Ports
Launch the V3 instance on custom ports to avoid conflicts with your running V2 instance. **Ensure that containers are running on the same machine**:
```bash theme={null}
HTTP_PORT=3080 HTTPS_PORT=3443 docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml up -d
```
Verify V3 is running:
```bash theme={null}
# Check container status
docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml ps
# View logs
docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml logs -f
# Test accessibility
curl http://localhost:3080
```
Confirm you can access the V3 instance at `` before proceeding.
## Step 3: Run Migration Script
Execute the migration script, providing paths to both your V2 and V3 compose files:
```bash theme={null}
bash migrate-data.sh /path/to/v2/docker-compose.yml /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml
```
### What the Script Does
The migration script performs these operations automatically:
1. **Export V2 database** — Uses pg\_dump to create a complete export of the draftable database
2. **Import to V3** — Loads the database dump into V3's PostgreSQL service
3. **Copy application files** — Transfers config, data, and fonts directories from V2 volume to V3
4. **Apply schema updates** — Runs Django migrations to update the database schema for V3
5. **Activate license** — Re-activates your product key in the V3 instance
6. **Verify migration** — Performs basic integrity checks
### Migration Progress
The script provides timestamped output for each step:
```bash theme={null}
==========================================
Data Copy: Old → New Instance
==========================================
Configuration:
Old compose: /path/to/v2/docker-compose.yml
New compose: /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml
[12:34:56] ✓ Compose files found
[12:34:57] ✓ Old app volume: draftable_data
[12:34:58] ✓ New app volume: apish_app_data
...
==========================================
[12:45:12] ✓ Data Copy Complete!
==========================================
```
## Step 4: Validate Migration
Before switching over, thoroughly test the V3 instance:
### Current State
At this point, you have two instances running:
* **V2**: Running on default ports ([https://](https://localhost/)localhost or your SERVER\_DNS)
* **V3**: Running on [http://](http://localhost:3080/)localhost[:3080](http://localhost:3080/)
**Note:** localhost is in reference to the current domain/address of your container.
### Validation Checklist
* \[ ] Log in with existing administrator credentials
* \[ ] Verify all existing comparisons are present and viewable
* \[ ] Confirm application files (documents) are accessible
* \[ ] Create a new test comparison to verify functionality
* \[ ] Check license status in the admin portal
* \[ ] Review any custom configurations or user accounts
**Important:**
Do not proceed to the switchover step until you've confirmed V3 is working correctly with your migrated data.
## Step 5: Switch to V3
Once validation is complete, switch V3 to production:
```bash theme={null}
# Stop both instances
docker compose -f /path/to/v2/docker-compose.yml stop
docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml stop
# Start V3 on default ports
docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml up -d
```
V3 is now running on the default ports. Access it at `` or your configured SERVER\_DNS.
## Cleanup
After confirming V3 is stable in production:
### Remove Temporary Migration Files
```bash theme={null}
rm -rf temp-migration-data/
```
### Stop V2 Containers
```bash theme={null}
docker compose -f /path/to/v2/docker-compose.yml down
```
### Remove V2 Volumes (Optional)
**Warning:**
This action permanently deletes V2 data and cannot be undone. Only proceed after confirming V3 is fully operational.
```bash theme={null}
# List volumes to identify V2 volumes
docker volume ls
# Remove specific V2 volumes
docker volume rm
```
## Troubleshooting
### Migration Script Fails to Find Containers
**Error:** Existing API instance not detected, are you sure it's running on this machine?
Ensure your V2 instance is running:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose -f /path/to/v2/docker-compose.yml ps
```
### Volume Not Found
**Error:** Old volume not found: ``
The script auto-detects volumes from compose files. Verify your V2 instance has been started at least once and volumes exist:
```bash theme={null}
docker volume ls
```
### Database Import Errors
Check the migration log file for details:
```bash theme={null}
cat temp-migration-data/migration.sql.log
```
### PostgreSQL Not Ready
If the script times out waiting for PostgreSQL, ensure the V3 database service is healthy:
```bash theme={null}
docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml ps pgsql
docker compose -f /path/to/v3/docker-compose.yml logs pgsql
```
If you encounter issues not covered here, contact [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with your migration logs and error output.
# Release Notes: Draftable Legal – November 2025 (v25.11 Series)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/53021614450969-Draftable-Legal-November-2025-Updates-v25-11-series
The November 2025 updates to Draftable Legal include a major upgrade to comparison flows in Microsoft Office, enhancements to comparison accuracy, markup customization, and user experience. These updates also include targeted fixes to key issues affecting Side-by-Side comparisons, email workflows, and integration reliability across iManage and SharePoint.
Here's a quick summary of the five most impactful improvements:
* **Run comparisons entirely within Microsoft Office** using our new JavaScript Add-In
* **Better support for smart-tags and deleted paragraphs** when comparing complex legal content
* **View comparison results in a new tab** to make switching files and settings easy
* **Admins can now configure default email body text** to be inline with your language requirements
* **Optionally ignore whitespace changes** (added spaces, tabs, or line breaks) to reduce noise in comparison results
Let's take a closer look at the full list of updates.
***But first, a note from our product team***
Our product improvements are the direct result of insights from our customers. We are extremely grateful for the excellent feedback we received which allowed the November 2025 release to be possible.
If you have feature ideas or product performance feedback, we would love to hear from you. Please share any suggestions with us by contacting [product@draftable.com](mailto:product@draftable.com).
## Core Functionality
### Run Draftable comparisons entirely inside Word, Excel and PowerPoint
We know lawyers do most of their work in Microsoft Office. Comparison workflows often start in Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Switching from MS Office to the Draftable Desktop application can be inconvenient at best and painfully frustrating when deadlines are looming. That's why we've built our most advanced Office add-in yet: **"Draftable in Office"**.
This new Microsoft Office JavaScript (JS) Add-In allows users to access full comparison workflows from within Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — including initiating comparisons, viewing redlines, and saving/exporting all directly within the Office interface. The November 2025 updates to Draftable Desktop have included updated back end to support the new add-ins, which will be available for download and provisioning in early December 2025.
This is a major improvement for firms standardizing on Microsoft 365 and enables a more integrated experience for fee earners working directly in Office applications.
[Watch the Draftable in Office demo video](https://vimeo.com/1142650556) (opens in a new tab)
Visit the [Draftable Office Add-In Deployment page](/hc/en-us/articles/52362093587481-Draftable-in-Office) to find install links and guides for all our modern Office add-ins.
### Improved accuracy around deleted paragraphs
Comparisons now offer greater positional accuracy in cases where paragraphs are removed. Updated handling ensures that text changes surrounding deleted sections are located and marked with improved precision, reducing false positives in these scenarios.
### Support for smart-tag content comparison
Draftable Legal now identifies and compares smart-tag content within legal documents. This enhancement ensures no content is missed during markup, even when embedded metadata or smart-tagged values are used to track client names, dates, or other key information.
## Markup Configuration
### Remove clutter from redlines by ignoring whitespace changes
A new Redline profile setting allows users to ignore changes consisting solely of whitespace (e.g., added spaces, tabs, or line breaks). This helps reduce noise in comparison results and lets reviewers focus on substantive changes.
This setting can be toggled on or off in settings via **Redline > Word - Comparison options** section, or configured via Registry or Group Policy.
## Ease of Use
### Draftable now remembers your preferred window size
Draftable Legal will now open using the window size last used by the user, instead of defaulting to full screen. This change supports consistent user preferences across sessions and improves multitasking on split-screen setups.
### View results in a new tab without losing your comparison screen
A new setting allows the Viewer to open in a separate tab, so the original comparison window stays open. This makes it easier to change files or settings and rerun comparisons without reloading inputs. It also ensures that closing a comparison doesn't fully exit the app.
## Integration Functions
### Word, Excel and PowerPoint: Standardized DMS file naming conventions
The Draftable file selection panel inside of Office now displays the DMS filename, document ID, and version instead of raw file paths. This change improves clarity when launching comparisons via the "Compare Open" panel, especially when working concurrently with many files.
## Administrator Features
### Outlook: Customizable email body text
Administrators can now configure via Group Policy the default body text used when Draftable Legal generates an Outlook email containing comparison results. This setting allows firms to standardize language for outbound redlines and tailor it to internal review or client delivery requirements.
## Bug Fixes
The November releases (25.11.0, 25.11.100) resolved several customer-reported issues:
### Application Fixes
* Fixed an issue where the PDF format was not available in the Changes Report when viewing Side-by-Side comparisons
### Algorithm Reliability Fixes
* Resolved errors related to move detection overlaps that previously caused 'unable to compare' messages
* Fixed failures due to malformed SVG content
* Resolved issues with mismatched sdt markers at block- and run-levels
* Corrected pre-processing failures related to textboxes within Table of Contents
### Integration Fixes
* **Outlook Add-In:** Resolved an issue preventing comparison actions from triggering within the Outlook JavaScript Add-In
* **iManage:** Fixed failures that occurred when launching comparisons from within iManage in the browser
* **SharePoint:** Corrected drag-and-drop failures and restored functionality for launching comparisons from SharePoint environments
If your firm experiences any issues or has feedback on recent updates, please contact us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com). For deployment guidance, including new Microsoft Office Add-In instructions, please refer to our updated [Installation Guides](/hc/en-us/articles/52362093587481-Draftable-in-Office).
# Office Add-ins Not Loading After MSI Installation
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/53125847291673-Office-Add-ins-Not-Loading-After-MSI-Installation
Troubleshooting guide for when Draftable Office Add-ins (Word, Excel, Outlook) do not load correctly after installing via the MSI installer. This is typically caused by incorrect LoadBehavior registry values.
**The settings menu was reorganised in Draftable Legal 26.6.** If you are on 26.6 or later, follow the "26.6 and later" tabs below. On earlier versions, follow "Before 26.6". To check your version, open Settings. The version number shows at the bottom-left (for example, v26.6.0).
If you have installed Draftable Legal using the MSI installer and the Office Add-ins (Word, Excel, or Outlook) are not loading correctly or showing as unavailable in the Draftable Add-ins tab, this may be due to the **LoadBehavior** registry value not being set correctly.
## Checking Add-in Status in Draftable Legal
Before investigating the registry, you can check the status of your add-ins directly within Draftable Legal.
Open Draftable Legal and navigate to **Settings** > **Add-ins** tab.
The Add-ins tab displays all installed Draftable add-ins and their current status.
When add-ins are working correctly, they will show as loaded. However, if you see a **"Failed"** status against any add-in, this indicates there is an issue with that add-in loading correctly.
If any add-in shows a **"Failed"** status, you will need to investigate the LoadBehavior registry value for that specific add-in as described below.
## Understanding LoadBehavior
Microsoft Office uses a registry value called `LoadBehavior` to determine how and when add-ins should be loaded. According to [Microsoft's documentation on keeping add-ins enabled](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/outlook/concepts/getting-started/support-for-keeping-add-ins-enabled), the LoadBehavior value controls the loading behavior of COM add-ins.
For Draftable Add-ins to load correctly at startup, the **LoadBehavior value must be set to `3`** (Load at startup).
If the LoadBehavior is not set to `3`, the Add-ins may not load correctly and can show false positives within the Draftable Add-ins tab, appearing as if they are installed but not functioning.
## How to Check and Fix LoadBehavior
Press `Win + R`, type `regedit`, and press Enter to open the Windows Registry Editor.
Check the LoadBehavior value for each Office application where the add-in is not loading:
**For Outlook:**
```
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Draftable.CompareTool.OutlookAddIn
```
**For Word:**
```
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Word\Addins\Draftable.CompareTool.WordAddIn
```
**For Excel:**
```
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins\Draftable.CompareTool.ExcelAddIn
```
**Machine-wide installation?** Depending on your installation type and end-user machine configuration, the registry keys may be located under `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE` instead of `HKEY_CURRENT_USER`. If you cannot find the keys in the CURRENT\_USER location, check the following paths:
* `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Draftable.CompareTool.OutlookAddIn`
* `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Word\Addins\Draftable.CompareTool.WordAddIn`
* `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins\Draftable.CompareTool.ExcelAddIn`
In each of the registry locations above, look for a DWORD value named `LoadBehavior`.
If the `LoadBehavior` value is not set to `3`, double-click on it and change the value to `3`.
| Value | Behavior |
| - | - |
| 0 | Do not load automatically |
| 1 | Do not load automatically |
| 2 | Load at startup (but not connected) |
| **3** | **Load at startup (recommended)** |
| 9 | Load on demand |
| 16 | Load first time, then load on demand |
After changing the LoadBehavior value, close and restart the affected Office application(s) for the changes to take effect.
## Deploying the Fix via Group Policy
For enterprise deployments, administrators can ensure the correct LoadBehavior is set via Group Policy or during the MSI installation process. Contact your IT administrator to configure the registry values centrally.
## Still Having Issues?
If you have verified that the LoadBehavior is set to `3` and the add-ins still do not load:
1. Check that the add-in is not disabled in the Office application's **COM Add-ins** settings
2. Verify that Draftable Legal is installed and running correctly
3. Try [manually re-installing the add-in](/hc/en-us/articles/30861499917337-How-to-manually-re-install-the-Draftable-MS-Word-Add-in)
If the issue persists, please contact us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with details about your installation method and any error messages you are seeing.
## Related Articles
* [Deployment options via MSI (System wide) installer](/hc/en-us/articles/31609155610393-Deployment-options-via-MSI-System-wide-installer)
* [How to manually re-install the Draftable MS Word Add-in](/hc/en-us/articles/30861499917337-How-to-manually-re-install-the-Draftable-MS-Word-Add-in)
* [How to re-enable Draftable Word Add-in](/hc/en-us/articles/26630500422809-How-to-re-enable-Draftable-Word-Add-in)
# Installing custom certificates onto your Self-hosted instance
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/5526003315353-Installing-custom-certificates-onto-your-Self-hosted-instance
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Installing custom certificates on your instance
The following instructions assume the API Self-hosted appliance is running and was launched using Docker Compose. However, the instructions can be adapted for most orchestration systems. An example Docker Compose configuration is published on GitHub to the official [Draftable API Self-hosted](https://github.com/draftable/apish) repository.
## Prerequisites
The following files should be configured and ready before the installation procedure begins.
* Custom certificate files which include a .crt and .key files respectively
* An instance that has already gone through the first time configuration
* An instance that has been configured using docker-compose (you cannot install custom certificates using docker run based instances)
## Installation procedure
The *custom.crt* and *custom.key* files refer to the custom TLS certificate and private-key respectively. The file names are not important, but it’s recommended to use the .crt and .key file extensions. If using different file names you should reflect this is the below instructions as appropriate.
**Note:** Ensure you have versed yourself and are using docker compose for container start-up before you start this custom certificate installation process.
1. Determine the name of the running API Self-hosted container. Use command below:
```bash theme={null}
docker ps
```
2. Create the directory where the custom TLS certificate will be stored. Use command template below, remembering to change the \ field to the name of your instance:
```bash theme={null}
docker exec -it mkdir -p /srv/draftable/config/certs /srv/draftable/config/private
```
3. Copy the custom TLS certificate and private-key to the container. Use command template below, remembering to change the *\, custom.crt* and *custom.key* fields to the name of your instance, generated certificate and key names respectively:
```bash theme={null}
docker cp /path/to/custom.crt :/srv/draftable/config/certs/custom.crt
docker cp /path/to/custom.key :/srv/draftable/config/private/custom.key
```
4. Set the appropriate permissions on newly created directories and files. Use command template below, remembering to change the \, custom.crt and custom.key fields to the name of your instance, generated certificate and key names respectively:
```bash theme={null}
docker exec -it chgrp -R ssl-cert /srv/draftable/config/private
docker exec -it chmod 0750 /srv/draftable/config/private
docker exec -it chmod 0640 /srv/draftable/config/private/custom.key
```
5. Update your docker-compose.yml file with the following configuration: (Note if you are not using docker compose to run your containers, please see the attached documentation to how to setup and run your containers via docker compose)
```bash theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish:
environment:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
nginx:
virtual_hosts:
draftable:
conf_settings:
ssl:
certificate: /srv/draftable/config/certs/custom.crt
private_key: /srv/draftable/config/private/custom.key
image: draftable/apish
ports:
- 80:80/tcp # HTTP
- 0.0.0.0:8443:443/tcp # HTTPS
volumes:
- draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes:
draftable-apish:
```
**Note:** That the above snippet should be merged with the existing content of your Docker Compose file (or equivalent YAML configuration for your orchestration system). Attached to this article is an example of a docker compose.yml file. Click here for more information regarding the [docker-compose.yml file](/hc/en-us/articles/6140653011865-Understanding-the-docker-compose-yml-file-and-parameters-guide).
6. For the changes to take effect, restart the container by using the docker compose down and up commands. Ensure you are currently in the directory where the docker compose YAML exists:
```bash theme={null}
docker-compose down
```
* Once the container has stopped, we run the up command
```bash theme={null}
docker-compose up
```
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# SSL termination configuration
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/5526115029017-SSL-termination-configuration
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Configuration via environment variables
Settings regarding SSL termination (reverse proxy configuration) are configurable via the docker-compose.yml. The relevant parameters are:
```bash theme={null}
http_redirects_to_https:
```
```bash theme={null}
use_x_forwarded_proto:
```
Below is an example of a docker compose file that could be used for your instance, taking note of the parameters below the **conf\_setttings**:
```YAML theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish:
environment:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
nginx:
virtual_hosts:
draftable:
conf_settings:
http_redirects_to_https: True
use_x_forwarded_proto: False
image: draftable/apish
ports:
- 80:80/tcp # HTTP
- 443:443/tcp # HTTPS
volumes:
- draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes:
draftable-apish:
```
These parameters are critical for correct implementation for SSL termination on your instance, and should also be reflected on your reverse proxy/load balancer if you are using one.
### Descriptions of custom variables
```bash theme={null}
http_redirects_to_https:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default value: True (Boolean)
```
If enabled, redirect HTTP requests to the equivalent HTTPS URL. Disabling should only be necessary if you want to allow "truly" insecure requests. When TLS connections are not being terminated on the server, you should instead enable `use_x_forwarded_proto`, and ensure the `use_x_forwarded_proto` header is being set by upstream load balancers and reverse proxies.
```bash theme={null}
use_x_forwarded_proto:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default: False (Boolean)
```
If enabled, check the `use_x_forwarded_proto` header in requests to determine the URI scheme (HTTP or HTTPS). The header will be passed through to the frontend server, and used to check if a HTTP redirect to the equivalent HTTPS URL should be sent when HTTPS request redirection is enabled.
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# CORS implementation within API Self-hosted
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/5526130052633-CORS-implementation-within-API-Self-hosted
This article is intended for users wanting to configure CORS (Cross-origin resource sharing) support to their API Self-hosted instance.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
To enable CORS support you will need to add a series of variables and values to your environment field within your docker-compose.yml file (or similar). For reference, you can find our full guide on docker-compose.yml file configuration [here](/hc/en-us/articles/6140653011865-Understanding-the-docker-compose-yml-file-and-parameters-guide).
**Note:** CORS is only supported in API Self-Hosted version 2.3.1 and above.
Firstly let's look at an example docker-compose.yml file, with all the CORS settings added.
```yaml theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish:
environment:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_DJANGO: |-
draftable:
django:
enable_cors: True #enables CORS on the Draftable Self Hosted instance
cors:
allowed_origins: [] # List of allowed origins
allowed_origin_regexes: [] # List of regular expressions matching allowed origins
allow_all_origins: True # Allow CORS requests from any origin
image: draftable/apish:latest
ports:
- 80:80/tcp # HTTP
- 0.0.0.0:8443:443/tcp # HTTPS
volumes:
- draftable_volumne:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes:
draftable_volume:
```
There are multiple variables that are added to this yaml configuration. See below for an explanation of each variable and its purpose.
* `DRAFTABLE_APISH_DJANGO: |-`: This is a new environment variable exposed to the Docker container and `DRAFTABLE_APISH_DJANGO: |-`It is required for CORS support. This is different and should not be confused with `DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-`, and you can remove `DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-` if no other configuration is being used inside that environment variable.
* `enable_cors:`: This variable which is seated under the `django:` key sets whether CORS is enabled or not on the instance. If set to `true` CORS will be enabled on that instance.
* `allowed_origins:`: This variable which is seated under the `cors:` key allows you to provide a list of the allowed origins for CORS. The correct formatting for this field is:
```bash theme={null}
allowed_origins:
- my.domain.com
- some.other.domain.com
```
* `allowed_origin_regexes:`: This variable which is seated under the `cors:` key allows you to list the regular expressions matching the allowed origins
* `allow_all_origins:`: This variable which is seated under the `cors:` key allows you to turn on CORS requests from any origin. This is the equivalent of using \* as a wildcard and needs to be set to `True` for this effect.
Of the fields added under `DRAFTABLE_APISH_DJANGO: |-` **you** **only need to add one of those fields** for configuration to function. This `allow_all_origins`field is obviously the easiest (it defaults to `False`), as it just allows requests from anywhere. A more secure configuration is one of the first two options being `allowed_origins: and allowed_origin_regexes:`.
# AWS copilot deployment guide for Draftable Self-hosted
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/5526134550809-AWS-copilot-deployment-guide-for-Draftable-Self-hosted
AWS Copilot is designed for both existing ECS users, and new ECS users who want to move beyond manual management of lower-level infrastructure, and instead just start thinking about their application and its lifecycle. In essence users can go from idea to implementation quickly, with the confidence that the infrastructure you have deployed has production-ready configuration. This article aims to produce a guide on how to do this specifically for Draftable Self-hosted containers.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
**Note:** Currently there is no native method of persistent storage instances using AWS copilot. This means that if you stop your instance, you will lose all your data, configuration and comparisons for your Self-hosted appliance. If this is an issue, we suggest deploying [Self-hosted instances using ECS](/hc/en-us/articles/6142662952089-API-Self-hosted-AWS-EC2-deployment-guide) using a non-copilot method which will provide your instance with persistent storage.
## Deployment guide
This deployment guide is broken up into multiple sections as there are many prerequisite configurations required before you can successfully launch a EC2 instance via AWS copilot. If you have never deployed a AWS EC2 instance with this method, please follow along carefully as deployment may not be successful if all steps are not followed.
### Installing AWS CLI
Depending on whether you are using a Windows or Linux based environment, you will need to configure and setup the AWS CLI on your terminal to be able to use AWS copilot. Please refer to [Amazon documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/getting-started-install.html) regarding this step and verify that the CLI is installed by using the following command.
```bash theme={null}
aws help
```
If the CLI is correctly installed, you should see text explaining what AWS CLI is.
### AWS user authentication and docker
Now you need to log into your AWS account via the CLI, however before doing this you will need to ensure that the account being used has the following permissions set:
* **AdministratorAccess**
This can be configured in your user settings on your AWS console. If your account does not have this permission applied, you will not be successful in launching a container using AWS copilot. Once that has been verified log into your CLI using the following command and enter the relevant data.
```bash theme={null}
aws configure
```
Once you have successfully logged in, you will need to ensure that you have installed docker on your machine (which will differ based on your environment) so that copilot can build and upload the images when launching the container.
### Setup location and installing copilot
Choose a location on your machine where you will host you copilot content, which will include the copilot executable and your instance files such as manifest and Dockerfile. Once you have setup that directory, you will point your terminal to that directory and install copilot.
Below is a command examples depending on your operating system environment. Please ensure you **edit these commands** to correctly set the installation location for copilot.
#### **Linux**
For Linux x86 (64-bit) systems:
```bash theme={null}
sudo curl -Lo /usr/local/bin/copilot https://github.com/aws/copilot-cli/releases/latest/download/copilot-linux \
&& sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/copilot \
&& copilot --help
```
For Linux ARM systems:
```bash theme={null}
sudo curl -Lo /usr/local/bin/copilot https://github.com/aws/copilot-cli/releases/latest/download/copilot-linux-arm64 \
&& sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/copilot \
&& copilot --help
```
#### **Windows**
Using Powershell or similar, run the following command:
```bash theme={null}
PS C:\> New-Item -Path 'C:\copilot' -ItemType directory; `
Invoke-WebRequest -OutFile 'C:\copilot\copilot.exe' https://github.com/aws/copilot-cli/releases/latest/download/copilot-windows.exe
```
#### **macOS**
For macOS:
```bash theme={null}
sudo curl -Lo /usr/local/bin/copilot https://github.com/aws/copilot-cli/releases/latest/download/copilot-darwin \
&& sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/copilot \
&& copilot --help
```
You can verify that copilot has been installed on your machine by using the following command:
```bash theme={null}
copilot help
```
The help command should correctly execute.
### Configuring your Docker file and final checks
A *Dockerfile* is a text document that contains all the commands a user could call on the command line to assemble an image. A Dockerfile is required for copilot as it reads this file to know where to pull the image from. Hence you can build a Dockerfile with a single line of text below.
```dockerfile theme={null}
FROM draftable/apish:latest
```
Ensure you save this file in the root directory of where you setup copilot.
### Using Copilot to launch your instance
Now we can start to use copilot and build our Self-hosted instance. Start with the command:
```bash theme={null}
copilot init
```
You will be prompted to enter information regarding the instance. First you will be prompted to give your application a name:
Then you will select the workload type which will suit your application. For this we need to select a **load balanced web service**.
Provide a name for the load balanced webservice.
Provide a name for the service.
Assuming you correctly placed the Dockerfile in the root directory where the copilot executable is located, you simply need to select the first option when copilot prompts you to select the Dockerfile.
Lastly you will be prompted to select which port traffic will be sent to on your instance. Once entered copilot will begin local infrastructure configuration.
Now that the local infrastructure has been built in this local directory, we now need to edit the manifest file, which is the file that is used to configure Draftable Self-hosted instance.
This file is created for you and is located under a folder which is named after the service. Go to this directory and edit this file.
This configuration is critical so please take note of the example manifest file below. Attached to this article is also a copy of this example manifest YAML file.
```yaml expandable theme={null}
name: selfhosted
type: Load Balanced Web Service
http:
path: '/'
healthcheck:
success_codes: '200,301,302'
grace_period: 120s
image:
build: Dockerfile
port: 80
cpu: 2048
memory: 4096
platform: linux/x86_64
count: 1
exec: true
storage:
ephemeral: 20
volumes:
draftable:
# efs: true
path: /srv/draftable
read_only: false
cgroup:
path: /sys/fs/cgroup
read_only: false
variables:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
nginx:
virtual_hosts:
draftable:
conf_settings:
http_redirects_to_https: False
use_x_forwarded_proto: True
environments:
dev:
count:
range:
min: 1
max: 3
spot_from: 2
cpu_percentage: 90
memory_percentage: 90
production:
count:
range:
min: 2
max: 10
cpu_percentage: 70
memory_percentage: 80
FROM draftable/apish:latest
```
The above example will provide a working instance, however if you may need to configure it specifically to suit your instance.
Once all files are been correctly configured you can go ahead and deploy the environment.
Copilot will begin to launch all the infrastructure required for this instance. This may take some time depending on your machine and internet connection speed.
### Finalising and connecting to your new instance
If configuration has been done correctly you should have a successfully launched an instance via copilot to ECS. You can access the instance by directly connecting to it via the link provided at the end of the setup.
You can make changes to this instance by logging into your AWS console and editing the components directly.
# Using docker-compose to launch instances
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6140153331993-Using-docker-compose-to-launch-instances
Our recommendation is that users launch Draftable API Self-hosted containers via Docker Compose, as it is the most reliable and configurable method of container deployment. This article will guide you to the correct procedure to launch instances using docker-compose.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## docker-compose
Docker Compose is a tool that was developed to help define and share multi-container applications. With Docker Compose, you can create a YAML file to define all the services and settings of a Draftable Self-hosted instance, and then with a single command launch everything up or deactivate a instance.
Read more about Docker Compose here: [https://docs.docker.com/compose/](https://docs.docker.com/compose/)
For more configurations and settings using Docker Compose, please refer to the [docker compose configuration guide](/hc/en-us/articles/6140653011865-Understanding-the-docker-compose-yml-file-and-parameters-guide).
## Before you start
If using a local windows 10 machine for testing purposes, ensure that you have installed Docker desktop (Community Edition or Enterprise Edition). If however you are using a Linux based server however, please ensure that you have the latest docker engine installed and docker-compose also installed on that operating system.
## Launching a new instance via docker-compose
Retrieve the latest Draftable API Self-hosted release.
* This can be done via the terminal on the local machine with the following command:\
docker pull draftable/apish:latest
Create a YAML file titled "docker-compose.yml" on your local machine.\
**Note:** If you are using windows and need further clarification, please see the example [here](#example-setting-up-docker-compose-directory-using-windows) for further direction.
Populate the YAML file with your Self-hosted configuration. Basic configuration is as follows; comments are in **bold.** You can copy paste this configuration into your own docker-compose file for testing purposes. Alternatively, here is a [link to the same file.](https://draftable.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/EST4jJmRv9xIn_q9LVtBs6cBMjcuTTGGHcIWQe3QTT_xhQ?e=4dWPBB)
```bash theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish: #Name of the service being used
environment: #Enviroment settings for the appliance
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
image: draftable/apish #Select which image is to be used on your appliance
ports:
- 80:80/tcp # HTTP port settings
- 0.0.0.0:8440:443/tcp # HTTPS port settings
volumes: #Configure which volumes will be used for your appliance
- draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes: #Configuration for volumes used, settings should match above
draftable-apish:
```
Go to your terminal and navigate to directory which hosts the location of your docker-compose YAML file.
Start building your instance by invoking the command:
* `docker-compose up`
Your instance will now be running, and to start using it navigate to the instance in a browser based on your port configurations. If you are setting up your instance for the first time, please refer to this article [here](/hc/en-us/articles/8424839618457-Draftable-Self-hosted-instance-first-time-configuration).
## Making changes to your YAML
If you ever need to make changes to your instance, you can simply edit the "docker-compose.yml" file, then restart the server. The restart process is as follows.
```
docker-compose down
```
```
docker-compose up
```
## Example setting up Docker Compose directory (using Windows)
Create a directory on your system where you will wish to host the docker-compose YAML file (docker-compose.yml). In the below example I am using a windows 10 and am creating a new location to host my YAML file called "API\_Self\_Hosted\_Test".
Create and configure the docker compose file, this file will be all the parameters that dictate the configuration of your instance. Remember you **must** name your file as "docker-compose.yml" otherwise docker-compose will not function correctly.
# Understanding the docker-compose.yml file and parameters guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6140653011865-Understanding-the-docker-compose-yml-file-and-parameters-guide
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## A complete docker-compose.yml
This article outlines all the configurable parameters that can be made within the docker compose YAML file. See below an example of a docker-compose file that has **every** **possible configurable parameter**.
```yaml expandable theme={null}
version: '3.5'
services:
apish:
environment:
DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-
nginx:
virtual_hosts:
draftable:
conf_settings:
http_redirects_to_https: False
use_x_forwarded_proto: True
real_ip_header_name: X-Real-IP
real_ip_header_from: 190.168.10.80
ssl:
certificate: /srv/draftable/config/certs/apish.crt
private_key: /srv/draftable/config/private/apish.key
DRAFTABLE_APISH_DJANGO: |-
draftable:
django:
enable_cors: True #enables CORS on the Draftable Self Hosted instance
cors:
allowed_origins: [] # List of allowed origins
allowed_origin_regexes: [] # List of regular expressions matching allowed origins
allow_all_origins: True # Allow CORS requests from any origin
image: draftable/apish
ports:
- 80:80/tcp # HTTP
- 440:443/tcp # HTTPS
volumes:
- draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
- /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup
volumes:
draftable-apish:
```
You can copy and paste sections from the example above to form your own docker-compose.yml file. Just be sure to change the values to suit your installation.
## All docker-compose YAML parameters
Below is an explanation of each important field that can be configured to enable/disable certain features within the instance. You can also view the [documentation on docker-composer](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) created by docker.
### Default docker-compose parameters
These are parameters that are required for APISH but are configurable.
```yaml theme={null}
image:
```
This selects the image that is used to start the instance, only 1 image can be selected. Please ensure the image is already pulled before declaring it in the docker-compose file.
```yaml theme={null}
ports:
```
Notate which ports are opened for users to access the instance. Take note of the formatting of the ports settings.
```yaml theme={null}
volumes (under apish):
```
This is where you donate the storage locations within the selection volume for both the volume data and cgroups. Ensure that the volume name used matches the other *volumes* field below.
```yaml theme={null}
volumes:
```
Notate which volume is being used with the instance. When r*unning docker-compose up* if the volume named here does not match one that already exists, it will generate a new volume. Like the other *volumes* field, the volume declared needs to match.
### Draftable Self-hosted specific environmental configuration settings
All fields under **`environment`** are additional features that have been added to the API Self-hosted product and can be customised here. There are two subfields,`DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-` and `DRAFTABLE_APISH_DJANGO: |-`, NGINX is used for the majority of settings, whilst DJANGO is only used for [CORS specific](/hc/en-us/articles/5526130052633-CORS-implementation-within-API-Self-hosted) configurations. Ensure you place the correct setting variable under the right subfield. Refer to the full yaml example shown earlier.
Below are descriptions for all the different fields that can be added and hence configured.
```bash theme={null}
http_redirects_to_https:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default value: True (Boolean)
```
If enabled, redirect HTTP requests to the equivalent HTTPS URL. Disabling should only be necessary if you want to allow "truly" insecure requests. When TLS connections are not being terminated on the server, you should instead enable `use_x_forwarded_proto`, and ensure the `use_x_forwarded_proto` header is being set by upstream load balancers and reverse proxies.
For more information you can view our [SSL termination instructions article](/hc/en-us/articles/5526115029017-SSL-termination-configuration).
```bash theme={null}
use_x_forwarded_proto:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default: False (Boolean)
```
If enabled, check the `use_x_forwarded_proto` header in requests to determine the URI scheme (HTTP or HTTPS). The header will be passed through to the frontend server, and used to check if a HTTP redirect to the equivalent HTTPS URL should be sent when HTTPS request redirection is enabled.
For more information you can view our [SSL termination instructions article](/hc/en-us/articles/5526115029017-SSL-termination-configuration).
```bash theme={null}
enable_cors:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default: False (Boolean)
```
This variable which is seated under the `django:` key sets whether CORS is enabled or not on the instance. If set to `true` CORS will be enabled on that instance.
For more information you can view our [CORs implementation setup article](/hc/en-us/articles/5526130052633-CORS-implementation-within-API-Self-hosted).
```bash theme={null}
allowed_origins:
```
```bash theme={null}
Correct format
allowed_origins:
- my.domain.com
- some.other.domain.com
```
This variable which is seated under the `cors:` key allows you to provide a list of the allowed origins for CORS. The correct formatting for this field is shown above.
```bash theme={null}
allowed_origin_regexes:
```
This variable which is seated under the `cors:` key allows you to list the regular expressions matching the allowed origins.
```bash theme={null}
allow_all_origins:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default: False (Boolean)
```
This variable which is seated under the `cors:` key allows you to turn on CORS requests from any origin. This is the equivalent of using \* as a wildcard and needs to be set to `True` for this effect.
```bash theme={null}
real_ip_header_name:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default value: (String)
```
Specifies the name of the HTTP header supplied in requests which contains the "real" IP address of the client. This can be used by load balancers and reverse proxies to communicate the IP address of the client, allowing the server to be aware of the IP address of clients making requests. The header used for this purpose is typically named `use_x_forwarded_proto`
```bash theme={null}
real_ip_header_from:
```
```bash theme={null}
Default value: \[0.0.0.0:0\] (IP address with ports expected)
```
If`real_ip_header_name` has been set, specifies an array of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses trusted to provide real IP address information. If untrusted clients can access the server and set this header, they can effectively "spoof" their IP address. It's strongly recommended this setting be set to addresses of load balancers and reverse proxies forwarding requests.
```bash theme={null}
ssl:
```
The two sub-fields under this field represent the certificate and private key locations which are used as part of custom certificate installation.
* **certificate:**
* This notates which certificate is being used within the volume for ssl configuration. Note the value *apish.crt* in the YMAL example is just a placeholder name.
* **private\_key:**
* This notates which private key is being used within the volume for ssl configuration. Note the value *apish.key* in the YAML example is just a placeholder name.
For the process of installing custom certificates, see [installing customer certificates onto your Self-hosted](/hc/en-us/articles/5526003315353-Installing-custom-certificates-onto-your-Self-hosted-instance)
319 Bytes
# System requirements for a Self-hosted instance
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6140740336665-System-requirements-for-a-Self-hosted-instance
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## System requirements
| **Requirement** | **Minimum** | **Recommended** |
| :- | :- | :- |
| Processor **1** | 2 cores | 4 cores |
| Memory | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 10 GB **2** | Variable **3** |
| Operating system | Windows 10 using docker desktop to virtualise a Linux kernel **4** | Linux host w/ supported kernel **5** |
| Root permissions | Root permissions on docker host | Root permissions on docker host **6** |
**PLEASE NOTE:** Draftable API Self-Hosted v3 supports horizontal scaling on **AWS EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)** with S3 storage, which is our documented and tested reference deployment. See the [AWS EKS Deployment Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-AWS-EKS-Deployment-Guide) for details. Other container platforms such as AWS ECS (including Fargate) can also run API Self-Hosted v3 using the same S3 storage plus managed backing services (Amazon RDS, ElastiCache, and Amazon MQ), although they are not covered by a dedicated deployment guide. Azure AKS is not currently supported due to a storage compatibility limitation.
1. Processor speed is often not a reliable indicator of performance, however any processor manufactured from 2014 on-wards with sufficient cores should meet performance requirements. For development and testing scenarios the processor and memory requirements may be reduced to 2 core and 2GB.
2. For testing or low use purposes 10 GB of storage should be sufficient, however please perform your own testing to see how much storage space is required for your instance use case.
3. Storage requirements are primarily dictated by the volume of comparisons to be processed by the appliance. As a general indicator, required storage should be calculated as \~5x the size of the documents submitted for a given comparison. However, the only truly reliable indicator for storage requirements is to submit a representative set of comparisons for your usage scenario.
4. This configuration is only recommended for testing and development purposes and production environments.
5. Supported refers to a Linux kernel under active support by the distribution vendor. The kernel must have the requisite support for Docker functionality. In addition, support for cgroups is strongly recommended as the Docker container can take advantage of this functionality for improved application stability and reliability.
6. Root permissions are required in order for the Self Hosted container to be provisioned correctly, without root permissions the container setup will failover during this provisioning process. We currently do not offer or support a 'rootless' design.
# Comparison Outputs
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6140816202393-Comparison-Outputs
A comparison output is document produced by Draftable that contain a part of, or whole comparison. It can be shared with colleagues, archived for compliance/record-keeping purposes, etc. There are 3 comparison outputs: side-by-side PDF, single document view PDF and Tracked Changes document.
## Comparison output types
* *Side-by-Side PDF:* This output shows both older and newer documents, with changes highlighted. This is done by interleaving the pages so that the older document is displayed on even pages and the newer document is displayed on odd pages. This aims to reproduce the side-by-side viewer experience. See [viewing side-by-side comparisons](#ExportasPDF-Suggestedmethodsofviewingtheoutput) for more information.
* *Single Document View PDF:* This output shows the newer document and marks up all changes on top of that. This is similar to the Single Document View. Insertion are marked up with a green underline and and deletions are marked up with a red carat.
* *Tracked Changes document:* This output is an MS Office document with the changes shown in Track Changes (a Microsoft Office feature). This is only supported for Word-Word, PowerPoint-PowerPoint and Excel-Excel comparisons.
## Saving a comparison output
Run a comparison
In the comparison viewer, go to **File > Save**
Here you will see a few options:
* **Save Left Side** will save a PDF copy of the left document
* **Save Right Side** will save a PDF copy of the right document
* **Export to Side-by-Side** will save the Side-by-Side PDF output
* **Export to Single Document View** will save the Single Document View PDF output
* **Export as Tracked Changes** will save the Tracked Changes document output
Click the preferred output & follow the save dialog to choose the save location.
Once the output is saved, a confirmation notification will appear. Click the notification to open the output folder.
## Viewing the side-by-side comparison output
The best way to view the Export as PDF output is through a PDF viewer in **Two Page Continuous** mode (or sometimes called '**Two Page Scrolling**'). This mode allows you to see the left and right document next to each other - similar to the Draftable native side-by-side view.
It should open in this mode by default when using Adobe Acrobat and most popular PDF readers. If the document opens in a different view, you can often change this in the settings. In Adobe Acrobat, go to **View > Page Display > Two Page Scrolling**.
# Reverse proxy server configurations for API Self-hosted
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6141903571609-Reverse-proxy-server-configurations-for-API-Self-hosted
A reverse proxy is a server that sits in front of web servers and forwards client (e.g. web browser) requests to those web servers. Reverse proxies are typically implemented to help increase security, performance, and reliability.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
This article aims to provide configuration examples using a Apache server for both *reverse proxy* and *TLS termination* to achieve a reverse proxy server.
## Reverse proxy configuration
For Apache 2.4, a minimal reverse proxy configuration would include the following parameters within the apache configuration file (*httpd.conf*):
```bash theme={null}
# Authorise all requests
Require all granted
# Preserve the Host header
ProxyPreserveHost On
# API Self-hosted reverse proxy
ProxyPass / https:///
ProxyPassReverse / https:///
```
Note that:
* This is not a complete configuration web server configuration, it only illustrates the specific parts pertaining to the reverse proxy. The above configuration would typically be inserted into an appropriate `` block.
* See [ProxyPass documentation](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_proxy.html#proxypass) for more information.
* See [ProxyPassReverse documentation](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_proxy.html#proxypassreverse) for more information.
* The above requires the Apache `mod_proxy` and `mod_proxy_http` modules to be enabled. These modules are typically included in most Apache installations, but may need to be enabled.
* See the full [Apache documentation](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_proxy.html) regarding `mod_proxy`
* The `****` placeholders in the `ProxyPass` and `ProxyPassReverse` statements should be replaced with the DNS address or IP address (preferred) of the API Self-hosted installation.
## TLS termination configuration
For the scenario where TLS termination is being performed by the reverse proxy, in addition to the required APISH configuration, the *Apache* configuration file would be modified as follows:
```bash theme={null}
# Authorise all requests
Require all granted
# Pass the client IP through to the backend
RemoteIPHeader X-Forwarded-For
# Flag that client connection to proxy is secure
RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto https
# Preserve the Host header
ProxyPreserveHost On
# API Self-hosted reverse proxy
ProxyPass / http:///
ProxyPassReverse / http:///
```
Note that:
* The `ProxyPass` and `ProxyPassReverse` statements are now using `http` instead of `https`.
* We use the `RemoteIPHeader` setting to pass through the IP of the client to the APISH box in the `X-Forwarded-For` header. This requires the `mod_remoteip` module be enabled. This is not required, but is recommended.
* See the full [Apache documentation](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_remoteip.html) regarding `mod_remoteip`
* We set the `X-Forwarded-Proto` header to `https` to indicate to APISH that the original connection is secure. This requires the `mod_headers` module and is required.
# System Requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142284007449-System-Requirements
Your computer must meet the minimum & recommended technical specifications outlined below to run and use Draftable Business.
### Minimum requirements
*Operating system:* Windows 10
*Processor:* 1.8 GHz Processor
*RAM:* 2 GB
*Disk space:* 1.5 GB (This excludes space required for document files or dependencies.)
*Software requirements:*
* To compare Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents, Office 2007 or later is required (Both 32 & 64 bit versions supported).
* To use the 'Export to Track Changes' feature, Office 2013 Pro Plus or later (including Office 365) is required.
### Recommended requirements
*Operating system:* Windows 11
*Processor:* Dual-core or better (>1.8 GHz) Processor
*RAM:* 4 GB (Draftable Business will use as much RAM as needed. For larger documents, you may need more than 4 GB RAM)
*Disk space:* 1.5 GB (This excludes space required for document files or dependencies.)
*Software requirements:*
* To compare Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents, Office 2007 or later is required (Both 32 & 64 bit versions supported).
* To use the 'Export to Track Changes' feature, Office 2013 Pro Plus or later (including Office 365) is required.
# Enterprise deployment options
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142316169625-Enterprise-deployment-options
This article is for IT administrators looking to deploy Draftable Desktop across their organization.
## Configuring Draftable Business settings via Group Policy
Draftable Business offers a range of Group Policy settings for license deployment, application configuration and update management. More information is documented [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/6142412798233-Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Business)
## Installer for enterprise deployments
For deployments in enterprise environments, the default installer for Draftable Business may not be suitable. Draftable Business offers an alternative installer: a machine-wide MSI installer.
Each installer has trade-offs, different recommended deployment scenarios, advantages, and installation steps.
### Default Installer
**Installer Type:** Regular executable (.exe)
**Installer Scope:** Per-user
**Requires Admin:** No
**Recommended scenarios:** Individual users, small-scale deployments
**Download URL:** [https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSetup.exe](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSetup.exe)
This installer is recommended for most scenarios and is the default installer provided. It's the easiest to use and has minimal requirements - ideal for individual users.
#### Benefits
* No administrator privileges are required for installation
* Updates are automatically applied
#### Notes
* Each user on the system needs to run the installer (per-user deployment)
* Each user maintains their own copy of the product
#### Installation
1. Run the installer
2. Follow the prompts, which will include selecting the install location and entering the product key
3. Draftable Business is installed and ready to use
### Machine-Wide MSI
**Also Known As:** Native MSI, Per-Machine MSI
**Installer Type:** MSI (Windows Installer)
**Installer Scope:** System
**Requires Admin:** Yes
**Recommended scenarios:** Citrix & Remote Desktop Services deployments, high-security environments
**Download URL:** [https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi](https://dl.draftable.com/desktop/DraftableDesktopSystem.msi)
This installer is only recommended for specific deployment scenarios where the other installers are unsuitable. The most common scenario is Microsoft RDS and Citrix deployments where a single shared installation is desired, typically for storage efficiency.
This installer is a "true" system-wide installer, unlike the Per-User MSI. The software is installed to a\
system-wide location and can be launched by all users of the system, including concurrently as in RDS\
and Citrix deployments.
#### Benefits
* A single installation can be shared by all users on that machine
* Administrators have the control to manage updates
* Offers support for concurrent usage by multiple users on that machine
#### Notes
* Administrator rights are required for the initial installation and updates
* All product updates must be manually downloaded and installed
* System dependencies must be manually installed (e.g. .NET)
**Include the HTTP Listener Service — this is required.** Every machine-wide MSI deployment must include the HTTP Listener Service (the `HttpListener` feature). It runs in the background so that Draftable can open when it is not already running and so background integrations work reliably. It is one of the installer's default features, but `ADDLOCAL` replaces those defaults with exactly the list you provide, so **any command line deployment that uses `ADDLOCAL` must include `HttpListener`**. During an **Advanced** install, confirm **Http service** (under **Integrations**) is set to install.
#### Installation
1. Run the installer with administrator rights
2. Follow the prompts, which will include entering the install location and entering the product key
3. Draftable Business is installed and ready to use
# Network Requirements
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142385828249-Network-Requirements
This article is for IT or network administrators responsible for managing an organization's network.
Draftable Business requires network connectivity for license verification, software updates, error reporting, and network telemetry. However, some of these functions can be disabled.
## License Verification
On launch, the application will verify the product license by connecting to Draftable license servers.
**Host:** draftable.com
**Port:** 443
**Protocol:** HTTPS
**Required:** Yes
## Software Updates
On launch, the application will check for updates. If a major update is available, it will be automatically installed. For minor updates, the user can force an update manually.
**Host:** dl.draftable.com
**Port:** 443
**Protocol:** HTTPS
**Required:** Yes
## Error Reporting
If unexpected error conditions are encountered, the application will send an error report to Draftable servers for diagnostics purposes.
This can be disabled by the user (via application settings) or by network administrators (via Group Policy).
**Host:** draftable.com
**Port:** 443
**Protocol:** HTTPS
**Required:** No
## Telemetry/Usage Data
Draftable Business uses Microsoft Azure as the host for telemetry/usage data. Hence there are outbound connections to the Azure AppInsights servers. For further information, refer to the [Microsoft documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/ip-addresses).
This can be disabled by the user (via application settings) or by network administrators (via Group Policy).
# Configuring preferences with Group Policy (Draftable Business)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142412798233-Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Business
This article is for system administrators who are interested in using Group Policy to deploy & configure Draftable Business across an organization as part of an [enterprise deployment.](/hc/en-us/articles/6142316169625-Enterprise-deployment-options)
## What is Group Policy?
Group Policy is a feature in Microsoft Windows that provides centralized management and configuration of operating systems, applications, and users' settings in an Active Directory environment. This is particularly useful in enterprise settings, where maintaining uniform configurations across multiple machines is critical.
## Obtaining the administrative templates
The administrative templates are found in the **GroupPolicy** folder under the product installation path.
For the Default Installer, the path will also contain a version number. The latest administrative templates will be in the folder with the latest version.
Example path for Default Installer:
```bash theme={null}
%LocalAppData%\DraftableDesktop\current\GroupPolicy
```
## Installing the administrative templates
To install the templates, copy all files/folders in the **GroupPolicy** folder to the following location on the system(s) from which Group Policy will be managed:
```bash theme={null}
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions
```
You could perform the following alternate methods of installing administrative templates, by either:
* If your organization maintains a Central Store, copy the administrative templates to the\
Central Store’s network path.
* Import custom and third party partner ADMX templates using [Microsoft Intune.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/configuration/administrative-templates-import-custom)
## Editing the policies in the Group Policy editor
Once the administrative templates are installed, the Draftable Desktop policies can be found in Group\
Policy editor under:
* Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable
* User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Draftable
Some settings may only be listed under one of the two scopes if they’re not supported on the other.
### Policy settings
These are the policy settings that can be set via Group Policy for Draftable Desktop:
* **1-Click definition:** By copying the 1-Click Compare export item (pictured below), you can copy the instruction to set the group policy definition to a default behavior.
* **Setup automatic updates on behalf of users (non-MSI installer):** By default, users' Draftable applications are automatically updated. If this policy is set to the disabled setting, the app can only be updated manually from the settings window.
* **Configure custom error message:** This option allows you to set a custom error message that will be shown when something goes wrong when executing a comparison.
* **Configure customer contact support email body:** This option allows you to a custom email message that will be shown when user will see Outlook email with logs, after an error in the application.
* **DOCX Conversion Engine:** Specify which conversion engine to use when converting Word documents to PDF.
* Use 'Default' to use Draftable recommended engine. The default engine may change between versions.
* Use 'Office' to use Microsoft Office.
* Use 'Internal' to use Draftable Engine.
* **Free text font family:** Allows you to set custom font family for free text comparisons. Default font is Arial.
* **Header and footer detection:** An experimental feature for detecting headers and footers in documents. When enabled, the product key must also be entered as part of the policy setting.
* **Hide 1-Click tab from users:** Allows you to hide 1-Click tab in the Settings. Note that it'll not remove 1-click in the integrations such as Windows Context Menu.
* **Enable to show 1-Click export options:** Allows you to see the "copy to clipboard" export option (in the image pictured above) as so be able to configure the **1-Click definition** group policy item.
* **Configure product key:** Add the product key to be used for automatic license activation.
* **Send usage statistics:** When enabled, statistics on user machines are sent to Draftable servers for diagnostic purposes.
* **Configure Word Application usage Policy:** This setting when enabled, sets the setting for Microsoft Word to only use a single instance of Word, when converting documents to pdf.
* **Configure submission of exception reports:** Assists Draftable Legal in identifying issues and improving the product. When enabled, the administrator has 2 additional options: Always send exceptions or never send exceptions.
* **Launch Draftable Automatically when Windows starts:** If you enable this policy setting, Draftable will launch automatically when Windows starts, unless the user explicitly opts out from the settings window.
* **Accept terms and conditions on behalf of users:** Users are prompted to accept the terms and conditions on first-time application start. When enabled this will automatically accept said terms and conditions.
* **Users can share error logs:** When goes wrong while executing comparison, by default users are prompted with an error dialog that has a button to draft an email with logs attached. This setting can hide that option, by default it's enabled.
## Priority of Group Policy settings
Unless otherwise noted, the order of precedence from highest priority to lowest priority is:
* User Policy (set in User Configuration)
* Computer Policy (set in Computer Configuration)
* User Setting (set by the user through the UI or by the user manually editing the registry)
If no policy setting exists, the user setting is used.
## Using Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft that helps organizations manage and secure their devices, applications, and data.
If you are using Microsoft Intune, you can use it to install Group Policy for Draftable Business. Follow the [Microsoft documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/lob-apps-windows) for more information.
# API Self-hosted AWS EC2 deployment guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142662952089-API-Self-hosted-AWS-EC2-deployment-guide
If you intend on using AWS EC2 to host your Draftable Self-hosted image, this guide provides a step by step process for this exact deployment.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Prerequisites
You will need to ensure you have the following ready before beginning this deployment.
1. You have logged into your AWS console with elevated privileges
2. You have selected the correct region in the AWS console where you are going to host your instance
## Deployment steps
The deployment steps are broken down into the following sections.
* [User configuration:](#user-configuration) Account configuration for the AWS user that will interact with the instance configuration.
* [Launching a EC2 instance](#launching-a-ec2-instance): Process of the initial configuration for your EC2 instance.
* [Instance configuration](#instance-configuration): Adding the Draftable container to your instance, configuring the Self-hosted instance and restarting your container with Self-hosted configured.
### User configuration
Navigate to your **IAM users.** We are going to create a new user by selecting the **add users** option. (**Note:** if editing an existing user account instead skip to step 5)
Enter details for the new user, ensure that you have the following AWS credential parameters enabled: **Access Key** and **Password.** Then click **next**.
Now we include specific policies on the account. Ensure you include the *AdministratorAccess* and *IAMUserChangePassword* policies to the account. Then click **next**.
Ignoring the **tags** step, go straight to the **review** page. Ensure that the two policies we added earlier are present. If all looks good, click **create user**.
Open the user account again and go the **permissions** page. We to add an additional permission called *AmazonEC2ContainerRegistryFullAccess.* Add this policy and hit **next,** then **add permissions**.
### Launching a EC2 instance
#### **Prerequisites**
Ensure you have setup the following:
* Logged into the AWS console as the user created/edit in the user configuration section.
* Have the correct region selected before continuing with instance setup.
Navigate to the **EC2 dashboard** and select the **Launch instance** option.
Draftable API Self-hosted runs on any Linux operating system which has both docker support and uses a Linux kernel. Provide a **name** for your instance and then select **Amazon Linux** as the AMI.
You can deviate from the example below and choose a different Linux operating system, as long as it still supports the above requirements.
Continue to configure the instance by selecting a **x64** architecture, and then selecting a instance type that is at least **t2.medium** or higher. Key pair should be the same one used as part as the login for the AWS user.
Configure the **network settings** as detailed below, create a new **firewall security group** and allow **SSH**, **HTTPS** and **HTTP** traffic from the internet. Depending on your use case you may want to change some of these parameters at a later time, but for the configuration process please allow all during the setup process.
Following this configuration, you should be left with a following summary of settings. Ensure they are correct to the settings provided earlier.
Click **launch instance.** Your EC2 instance should now be running.
### Instance configuration
#### **Prerequisites**
Ensure you have setup the following:
* Logged into the AWS console as the user created/edit in the user configuration section.
* Are on the **instances** page before continuing.
Select on your newly created instance and click on **connect to your instance.** Ensure the username s correct and then select **connect**.
In this instance terminal we will configure and add the latest Draftable Self-hosted image. First we need to add docker to the instance, which can be done with the command below:
```bash theme={null}
sudo yum install -y docker
```
Now we need to add docker-compose to the instance, use the commands below:
```bash theme={null}
sudo curl -L https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m) -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
```
```bash theme={null}
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
```
We can now verify that docker compose has installed correctly by using the command below:
```bash theme={null}
docker-compose version
```
Now create the ***docker-compose.yml*** file, use the command below:
```bash theme={null}
touch docker-compose.yml
```
Now we need to edit the *docker-compose* file to add all the correct parameters for the instance. To start editing the file use the command below:
```bash theme={null}
nano docker-compose.yml
```
Now using this file editor, populate the YAML file with the correct configuration. For references on this topic see our [docker-compose guide](/hc/en-us/articles/6140153331993-Using-docker-compose-to-launch-instances) and [settings reference.](/hc/en-us/articles/6140653011865-Understanding-the-docker-compose-yml-file-and-parameters-guide) For this example we are using the most basic YAML configuration.
Save and close the *docker-compose* file, and then start the docker daemon with the following command:
```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl start docker
```
Now start the instance using the command below: docker-compose up
You may receive a permissions error regarding the instance trying to connect to the Docker Daemon. If so run this command to correct permissions:
```
sudo chmod 666 /var/run/docker.sock
```
Your instance should launch from here. You can go back to your **EC2 instances** list and extract a IP address to connect to your instance via the web browser to start configuration.
From here, please refer to our [first time configuration guide](/hc/en-us/articles/8424839618457-Draftable-Self-hosted-instance-first-time-configuration).
If you are having difficulty following this guide or getting Draftable Self-hosted to work on your AWS EC2, please get in contact with our support team at [support@draftable.com.](mailto:support@draftable.com)
# Retrieving logs for API Self-hosted
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142667920537-Retrieving-logs-for-API-Self-hosted
Draftable API Self-hosted, offers log retrieval for diagnostic purposes which can be downloaded as an archive from the administration interface. This feature is intended to be used to expedite support issues reported on your Self-hosted instance.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## What's in the logs
The logs contain information about various components of your instance, which include:
* Fault and debug information from internal application routines
* APISH version and history
* Docker processing statistics
## Downloading your logs
Log into the Administration Dashboard with your admin account. (If uncertain see [how to access your administration dashboard)](#how-to-access-your-administration-dashboard)
Under API Support, click **Download Logs** to download the logs as a tar.gz archive.
**Note:** If you are accessing this via remote desktop, the logs will be downloaded locally to the host server. Hence you will likely need to transfer this archive to a location that would then allow you to submit these logs to our support team for diagnostic review.
## Submitting your logs
Make sure to send through your logs to your support contact directly. By submitting your logs to us, you give us permission to review them in order to assist with diagnosing any issues.
The logs will be saved as a tar.gz file extension which will be downloaded locally to the host server.
If you are experiencing issues with your Self-osted appliance and need technical support, please get in touch at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) and include information regarding your issue as well as the logs outlined in this article.
## How to access your administration dashboard
Log into your self-hosted instance as a user with administrative permissions, then navigate to your home page.
Click on the **3 dots** next to **Welcome Admin**, then select the **Admin**.
This takes you to the administrator dashboard, which houses critical information such as instance health, license information, access to to the usage and user control panels as well as log retrieval.
# AWS load balancer configuration example for your EC2 instance
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/6142677946265-AWS-load-balancer-configuration-example-for-your-EC2-instance
A load balancer **serves as the single point of contact for clients**. The load balancer distributes incoming application traffic across multiple targets, such as EC2 instances, in multiple Availability Zones. This increases the availability of your application.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
This guide shows how to setup an example **Classic load balancer** for you EC2 Draftable instance.
## Before you begin
Ensure you have configured/prepared the following before creating your load balancer
* Ensure your VPC and EC2 instances are prepared. Assistance for [AWS VPC and instance configuration](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/classic/elb-backend-instances.html#set-up-ec2).
* Launch the EC2 instances that you plan to register with your load balancer. Ensure that the security groups for these instances allow HTTP access on port 80.
## Create and set your load balancer type
Open the Amazon EC2 console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/)
On the navigation bar, choose a Region for your load balancer. Be sure to select the same Region that you selected for your EC2 instances.
On the navigation pane, under **LOAD BALANCING**, choose **Load Balancers**.
Choose **Create Load Balancer**.
In this example we are going to choose the **Classic Load Balancer.** Click **Create**.
## Configure your load balancer
We now configure the load balancer, this includes information such as a name, a network, and a listener.
A *listener* is a process that checks for connection requests. It is configured with a protocol and a port for front-end (client to load balancer) connections and a protocol and a port for back-end (load balancer to instance) connections. In this tutorial, you configure a listener that accepts HTTP requests on port 80 and sends them to your instances on port 80 using HTTP.
### Basic configuration
Type a name for your load balancer.
For **Scheme** and **IP address type,** select *Internet-facing* and *IPv4* respectively. If you require different routing please refer to your own use-case for the correct settings.
### Network mapping
There are two components for **Network mapping** which are the **VPC** selection and **Mapping** configuration:
* Select a **VPC** which will align to your target groups. Ensure you select the right **VPC** at this stage as you cannot change the **VPC** after configuring your load balancer.
* For **Mappings**, select at least one available public subnet in the dropdown box. To improve the availability of your load balancer, select more than one public subnet. You can add at most one subnet per Availability Zone.
### Security groups
On the **security groups** dropdown box, select a security group that fits your security configuration scheme for your load balancer. If you need to create a new security group for you load balancer, select **create new security group** and assign it to this load balancer.
### Listeners and routing
A **listener** is a process that checks for connection requests, using the protocol and port you configure. Traffic received by the listener is then routed per your specification. You can specify multiple rules and multiple certificates per listener after the load balancer is created.
Select a **Protocol, Port** and \*\*Default action/\*\***target group** for each listener. These settings are critical to ensure that traffic routing to your EC2 instance is properly configured to suit your load balancer use case. Ensure that your target groups have been properly configured as to route traffic back to your EC2 instance.
You can add more listeners by clicking **add listener.**
If you require assistance on how target groups work, refer to the [AWS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/application/load-balancer-target-groups.html).
### Summary and creation
Check the **Summary** page and ensure that all the configurations are accurate.
Once you have verified that all information is accurate click **Create load balancer.**
## Verify your load balancer
Go to the **Load Balancers** page, and select your new load balancer.
On the **Description** tab, see the **Status** row.
After at least one of your EC2 instances is in service, you can test your load balancer. Copy the string from **DNS name** (for example, my-load-balancer-1234567890.us-west-2.elb.amazonaws.com) and paste it into the address field of an internet-connected web browser. If your load balancer is working, you see the default page of your server.
# Managing user settings
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/7132242748313-Managing-user-settings
User accounts within a API Self Hosted instance are managed within the Django backend, which is a user management tool local to your instance. There are many configurations that can be altered for your user accounts, and this article details the procedure of managing these settings.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Management steps
First start by logging in as an administrator account on the Self-hosted instance and clicking on the **admin** section from the drop down menu found in the top left of the homepage.
Go to the users tab, and the below screen will be presented. From here select the user you wish to edit and click on Account settings for that user.
You are now taken to the Django backend for you Self-hosted instance, for account management. This page below allows you to edit many settings for the user account.
See below for an example of the full accounts page for a user. Note: For information on each of the account fields, refer to the setting reference.
Ensure you click on Save to ensure that the account settings edited on the account are correctly applied.
You have successfully updated a user account with the settings applied to that account.
## Settings reference for Self-hosted user accounts
Below are settings reference for each configurable fields on a user account.
**Username:** The username for the account
**First name:** First name for the user
**Last name:** Last name for the user
**Email address:** Email address for the user
**Name:** Donates a name for the account, this field is ignored by the instance.
**File size limit MB:** The maximum file size of a document this user can submit for comparison. Measured in MB. If the user attempts to submit a file larger then the limit specified in this field, the comparison will fail.
**File page limit:** The maximum page limit of a document this user can submit for comparison. Measured in MB. If the user attempts to submit a document with a larger page limit then is specified in this field, the comparison will fail.
**Internal plan notes:** Add notes here for this users account.
**Viewer version**: You can specific specific viewer versions that is run by default on this users account when comparisons are generated. If left blank it will default to the latest version.
**Draftable Branded:** Checkbox, if enabled it leaves Draftable branding in the viewer. Otherwise if disabled, no branding is seen
**App name:** Allows you to specify the text in the browser tab for comparison pages for this users account.
**Custom page description:** Enter a custom text for the description for the page.
**Search enabled:** Checkbox, if enabled the search button is visible on the page. If disabled the search button is hidden.
**Zoom button hidden:** Checkbox, if enabled the zoom button is hidden on the page. If disabled the search button is visible.
**Zoom Default Scale:** Set the default zoom level for the viewer.
**Cursor button hidden:** Checkbox, if enabled the cursor is hidden on the page. If disabled the cursor is visible.
**Cursor default state:** Set the default cursor mode to either Grab mode, or Text selection mode.
**Print enabled:** Checkbox, if enabled the print button is visible on the page. If disabled the print button is hidden.
**Download enabled:** Checkbox, if enabled the download button is visible on the page. If disabled the download button is hidden.
**Help enabled:** Checkbox, if enabled the help button is visible on the page. If disabled the help button is hidden.
**Comparison view - default view:** Set to either single page or side by side view as default when the viewer loads.
**Show changes list:** Checkbox, if enabled the change-list is visible on the page. If disabled the change-list is hidden.
**Change list default state:** Can be set to open, which enables the change-list to be visible on the page by default. Otherwise set to closed, the change-list is closed by default.
**Share button hidden:** Checkbox, if enabled the share button is hidden on the page. If disabled the share button is visible.
**Full screen enabled:** Checkbox, if enabled the full screen option is available to the user. Is disabled the full screen option is not an option.
**Show Style changes:** Checkbox, if enabled style changes will be shown in the viewer. If disabled, style changes are not shown.
**Changes shown default state:** Set the default state to either show both content and style changes, just content changes or just style changes.
**Font size change threshold:** Sets a threshold wherein font changes are detected. For example if the average font size was reduced across an entire document by 0.05, you can set the threshold to 0.1 as to not detect the change in font size.
**Dots:** If enabled, it shows dots as detections within the comparison.
**Dashes:** If enabled, it shows dashes as detections within the comparison.
**Underscores:** If enabled, it shows underscores as detections within the comparison.
**Enable header footer detection:** Checkbox, If enabled shows header and footer detection within comparisons.
**Enable moves:** Checkbox, If enabled shows moved text detection within comparisons.
**Delete:** Can set the colour for deletion detections.
**Insert:** Can set the colour for insert detections.
**Move:** Can set the colour for move detections.
# New to Draftable API Self-hosted? Start here!
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/7132278452249-New-to-Draftable-API-Self-hosted-Start-here
Whether you are completely new to running dockerized containers, or you are an experienced user, this page will outline which articles will be most useful for you to begin with.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Before you begin
This outlines the hardware and software requirements for a Self Hosted instance.
## Launching APISH container methods
For users who want to launch containers via the *docker compose* command.
## Setup and managing your instance
Once you have a container up and running, you need to ensure that it is configured correctly.
Provides a clear guideline on the process of creating new users for your Self-hosted instance.
There are many configurable options for your user accounts, this article shows you how.
## Cloud based deployment articles
For launching API Self Hosted via AWS Co-pilot.
For configuring Self Hosted via EC2.
For users wanting to setup a AWS load balancer between instance and client, this guide will assist you.
# API documentation
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/7132291227289-API-documentation
The Draftable API is complemented by detailed documentation which provides information on the many facets of the API and its endpoints. For the most up to date documentation, see below for further information.
The reference pages linked below describe the **Draftable Compare API itself** — its endpoints, parameters and behaviour. That API surface is shared by the cloud API and API Self-Hosted, so this material is current and applies to both.
Only the **deployment model** differs by version.
**If you are deploying API Self-Hosted, Version 2 is legacy.**
All new self-hosted deployments **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
Using the **cloud** API at `api.draftable.com`? Start with [Getting started with the Draftable API](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-API-getting-started), or explore the endpoints interactively with the [API Explorer](/hc/en-us/articles/Draftable-API-using-the-api-explorer).
[https://api.draftable.com/introduction](https://api.draftable.com/introduction)
[https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-lifecycle](https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-lifecycle)
[https://api.draftable.com/reference/creating-comparisons](https://api.draftable.com/reference/creating-comparisons)
[https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-viewer](https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-viewer)
[https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-speeds](https://api.draftable.com/reference/comparison-speeds)
[https://api.draftable.com/reference/exporting-comparisons](https://api.draftable.com/reference/exporting-comparisons)
[https://api.draftable.com/reference/authentication](https://api.draftable.com/reference/authentication)
# API client libraries
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/7132291518233-API-client-libraries
Draftable maintains several open-source client libraries, making it easy to use the API from C#/.NET, Java, Python, and Node.js. Each library is a thin wrapper around the API that handles making the requests, as well as authentication and signing. The libraries are fully documented in their READMEs on GitHub.
**The client libraries work with both cloud and self-hosted Draftable.** They are not version specific, so this article applies whichever you are using.
**If you are deploying API Self-Hosted, Version 2 is legacy.**
All new self-hosted deployments **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Pointing a client library at a self-hosted instance
By default the libraries connect to the cloud API. To use your own instance, pass your **base API URL** as the third parameter when constructing the client.
The URL must end in **`/v1`**, with **no trailing slash**. For an instance at `draftable.mycompany.com`:
```
https://draftable.mycompany.com/api/v1
```
```python theme={null}
client = draftable.Client(ACCOUNT_ID, AUTH_TOKEN, "https://draftable.mycompany.com/api/v1")
```
A trailing slash, or a URL missing the `/v1` suffix, is the most common cause of a client library failing to connect to a self-hosted instance.
To find the most up to date information on our client libraries, please refer to our documentation on our website which can be [found here](https://api.draftable.com/reference/client-libraries).
However for quick reference, below is links to our GitHub repositories for each client library.
# Creating new users
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/7132308389017-Creating-new-users
Creating new user accounts within a API Self Hosted instance is a quick process carried out by a administrator account of the Self Hosted instance.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Creating new users steps
The administrator will need to navigate to the **admin** page of their Self Hosted instance.
Once on this screen you can click **new user**, to generate a new user account.
Now enter the email address for the new user you want to create and click on **create user**.
You will be presented with a link that can be used to fully activate the account. If you wish to activate this immediately click the link now.
Enter the same email address as provided prior, then enter a password for that user. Remember the password will need to include a capitalised letter, a symbol and a number.
Your new user account has been created, and they can now log into your Draftable Self Hosted instance.
If you wish to know how to configure and manage your users account settings, see this help article [here.](/hc/en-us/articles/7132242748313-Managing-user-settings)
# Draftable Self-hosted instance first time configuration
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/8424839618457-Draftable-Self-hosted-instance-first-time-configuration
When you have first launched an instance, there is a first time configuration that is required to setup the administrator account for that instance. This article will detail a clear procedure for configuring your instance for the first time.
**This documentation is for API Self-Hosted Version 2 (Legacy)**
Version 2 is a legacy deployment model. All new customers **must** use Version 3, which features a modern multi-container architecture with improved security and performance.
👉 [Get started with API Self-Hosted v3](/hc/en-us/articles/51133475373465-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Quick-Start-Guide)
## Before you start
Ensure the following before you begin the configuration steps:
1. You have launched your instance using [*docker-compose*](/hc/en-us/articles/6140153331993-Using-docker-compose-to-launch-instances)
2. The IP address of the instance to put into your browser
## Configuration steps
Connect to your instance webpage, then navigate to the instance webpage by using your browser and connecting to the address.\*\*
You may see this warning if you have not installed trusted certificates onto the instance. You can navigate around this by clicking **advanced** then click on **Accept the Risk and Continue (warning this does mean you are typically trusting an self signed certificate)**.
Go through and complete the first time setup for the administrator account.
Once you have entered the admin user password, log back in with the same credentials.
Your instance (and administrator) account has been successfully set up.
Navigate to the admin section (found in the top right corner of the webpage) and enter your product key. This completes first time configuration.
# AI-Ready Redline: Export changes for use with generative AI tools
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/AI-Ready-Redline-Export-for-generative-AI-tools
Learn how to export a portable text representation of your document changes using the AI-Ready Redline output in Draftable Legal, designed for use with generative AI tools.
The AI-Ready Redline is an output type in Draftable Legal that exports a portable text representation of document changes, in a format designed for generative AI tools. It covers insertions, deletions and moves, along with the structured content those changes sit in, such as tables, footnotes, images, hyperlinks, tables of contents, content controls and comments.
Previously, sharing redline results with AI tools was difficult because those tools don't accept redline document formats (PDF, DOCX) or redline formatting via copy/paste as usable input. AI-Ready Redline solves this by producing a clean, tool-agnostic text representation of all changes, complete with comparison metadata.
This enables legal teams to bring comparison context into any AI workflow — for example, asking an AI assistant to summarise key changes, identify risk areas, or draft review notes.
**Important:** The AI-Ready Redline is generated **entirely on your local machine**. No document data is sent to any external service during the export process. Draftable does not use or connect to any LLM — the AI-Ready Redline simply formats your comparison results into a text representation that is ready for use with AI tools of your choice.
## Requirements
* **Draftable Legal version:** 26.03.100 or later
* **Comparison type:** Redline in Draftable only (not Tracked Changes in Word, Side-by-side, or other comparison types)
* **Supported file types:** Word and PDF only (not Excel or PowerPoint)
Redline profile settings do not affect AI-Ready Redline output.
## Where to find AI-Ready Redline
AI-Ready Redline is available from two places in Draftable Legal:
### The comparison viewer output panel
AI-Ready Redline is one of the outputs listed in the **Comparison Results** panel, which opens when you choose **Open**, **Save**, **Save to DMS**, **Copy to Clipboard** or **Email** in the comparison viewer ribbon. It sits alongside the other outputs, such as Redline, Tracked Changes, Changes Report and Departures Table, and is identified by a sparkles icon.
Tick the checkbox on the **AI-Ready Redline** row to include it in the export, then click the pencil icon on that row to name the file and set the **Reported Changes** option.
The expanded row includes a **Reported Changes** dropdown with the following options:
| Setting | What appears in the output |
| - | - |
| **All changes** | The full document text with every detected change annotated using delete/insert syntax |
| **Matching filters** | The full document text is still present, but only changes matching the currently active viewer filters are annotated. Non-matching changes appear as plain, unmarked text. |
The ribbon button you started from decides what happens to the output:
* **Open** opens it in your default text editor
* **Save** saves it as a `.md` (Markdown) file
* **Save to DMS** saves it to your connected DMS as a `.md` file
* **Copy to Clipboard** copies plain text to the clipboard
* **Email** attaches the `.md` file to a new email
### Live Redline Preview
A **Copy AI-Ready Redline** button appears in the Live Redline Preview panel, allowing you to copy the output directly to your clipboard.
### Not available from
AI-Ready Redline is not currently available from the following workflows:
* Draftable in Office add-in
* Draftable in Outlook / Draftable for Outlook add-ins
* 1-Click Compare workflows
* Windows Explorer context menu
## How to use AI-Ready Redline
### From the comparison viewer
Run a **Redline in Draftable** comparison using Word or PDF documents.
Review the comparison results in the Draftable viewer. Optionally, apply filters to focus on specific change types.
In the ribbon, click the action you want: **Open**, **Save**, **Save to DMS**, **Copy to Clipboard** or **Email**. The **Comparison Results** panel opens.
Tick the checkbox on the **AI-Ready Redline** row (sparkles icon). You can tick other outputs at the same time if you want them as well.
Click the pencil icon on the **AI-Ready Redline** row, then set **Reported Changes**:
* **All changes** to include every detected change
* **Matching filters** to include only changes matching your current viewer filters
Click the button at the foot of the panel, for example **Save**, to produce the output.
Paste or share the output with your preferred AI tool.
### From Live Redline Preview
Start a comparison in [Live Redline Preview](/hc/en-us/articles/Live-Redline-Preview-Instantly-compare-text-inputs) mode.
Click **Copy AI-Ready Redline** in the preview panel.
Paste the output into your preferred AI tool.
## Understanding the output
The AI-Ready Redline output is a continuous text stream of the full document with changes marked inline using a simple delete/insert syntax. It is not JSON — it is readable text that any person or AI tool can understand.
### Output syntax
| Marker | Meaning | Example |
| - | - | - |
| `{-...-}` | Deleted text (was in the original, removed in the revision) | `{-brown-}` |
| `{+...+}` | Inserted text (new in the revision) | `{+red+}` |
| `[<>moved-from>>]` | Marks where text was moved to (new position) | |
| `[image]` | An image, with `[image added]`, `[image removed]` and `[image replaced]` for image changes. Alt text follows a colon, as `[image: alt text]`. | |
| `[link text](URL)` | A hyperlink and the target it points at. `(#name)` is a target inside the document. | |
| `[^fn1]` / `[^en1]` | A footnote or endnote reference. The note body follows the paragraph its reference sits in, as `[^fn1]: body`. Where the body reads `[content not captured]`, the note text was not carried into the comparison, so the export has nothing to show for it. The note itself is still in your document. | |
| `[c1]` | A comment anchor. The thread follows the paragraph the anchor sits in, as `[c1] author (date): body`, with replies indented by `↳`. | |
| `[table] … [/table]` | A table, one row per line as `\| cell \| cell \|`. Structure changes appear as `[row added]`, `[cell removed]`, `[column added]` and so on. | |
| `[TOC] … [/TOC]` | A table of contents. | |
| `[content-control NAME]` | A content control, with its content following the marker. | |
| `[field NAME] value [/field]` | A field and the value it displayed, for example `[field PAGE] 4 [/field]`. | |
| `[bookmark: name]` | A bookmark carried into a change. Unchanged bookmarks are not shown. | |
| `[... N characters unchanged ...]` | Unchanged text that was condensed. This appears only in very large documents. | |
| `\` | Escapes literal document text that would otherwise read as a marker, for example `\{-` or `\[table]`. | |
The full marker legend is written into the header of every export produced from the comparison viewer, so the AI tool you paste it into can interpret the notation without any extra explanation from you. The **Copy AI-Ready Redline** button in Live Redline Preview produces a shorter output that marks insertions and deletions only, with no legend.
### Header preamble
Every output starts with a metadata header that includes:
* **Original and revised document names**
* **Reported changes setting** (All changes or the active filter)
* **Timestamp** of when the redline was generated
* **Syntax legend** listing every marker the export can use
* **Known limitations** of the export
* **Total change count**, and a separate comment change count when comments changed
```
---
# AI-READY REDLINE
original_document: "Contract_v1.docx"
revised_document: "Contract_v2.docx"
reported_changes: "All changes"
generated_at: "2026-03-11T04:15:02Z"
syntax: |
{-deleted text-} {+inserted text+}
... one line per marker family ...
limitations: "Style-based tables of contents are not detected; formatting-only changes are not shown; a link whose text spans paragraphs is not bound to its target; headers and footers are not included."
---
comparison: "Contract_v1.docx → Contract_v2.docx"
total_changes: 47
comment_changes: 3
reported_changes: "All changes"
```
### Example output
```
The quick {-brown-}{+red+} fox {-jumps-}{+leaps+} over the lazy dog.
```
This means:
* "brown" was deleted and replaced with "red"
* "jumps" was deleted and replaced with "leaps"
For moved text:
```
{- This sentence was moved.-} [<>moved-from>>] {+ This sentence was moved.+}
```
## Getting the best results
### Compare with clarity in mind
* Compare the **nearest document versions** — avoid skipping many intermediate drafts, as this produces a cleaner, more meaningful redline.
* If a document was heavily restyled, expect more formatting noise in the output.
### Pick the right export scope
* Use **All changes** for a complete legal or risk review.
* Use **Matching filters** for targeted analysis — for example, focusing on one clause family or a specific change type.
For complex agreements, consider doing both: a broad all-changes pass for full coverage, and a focused filtered pass for specific areas of concern.
### Prompting AI tools for best results
AI-Ready Redline works with **any** generative AI tool that accepts text input. Paste the output into the tool's chat or input field and ask questions about the changes.
When prompting, ask the AI to:
* **Cite clause anchors and section names** so you can trace findings back to the document
* **Explain reasoning from Before vs. After text** so conclusions are grounded in the actual changes
#### Quick prompts
* "Summarise the key changes between these two documents."
* "Identify any changes to liability, indemnity, or limitation of liability clauses."
* "Are there any changes that shift risk from one party to the other?"
* "Draft review notes for my client summarising what changed and what to pay attention to."
* "List all changes to defined terms and assess whether they are consistent throughout the document."
* "Flag any changes that could affect the governing law or dispute resolution provisions."
For a thorough review of a complex agreement, try a structured prompt like this:
```
Analyze this AI-Ready Redline and produce:
1) Top 10 substantive changes by legal impact,
2) Risk allocation changes (who gained/lost protection),
3) Commercial term changes (fees, valuation, payment timing),
4) A short executive summary.
Rules:
- Cite the clause anchor for every finding.
- Use Before/After text as primary evidence.
- Treat formatting-only changes as low priority.
```
### Quality checklist before sharing AI output
Before relying on or sharing AI-generated analysis of your redline, verify:
* Did the AI cite clause anchors or section references?
* Did it separate substantive changes from formatting-only changes?
* Did it justify its conclusions from Before/After text?
* Has a human reviewer verified the high-impact items?
### Compatible AI tools
AI-Ready Redline works with any AI tool that accepts text input, including:
* **General-purpose:** ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Google Gemini
* **Legal-domain-specific:** Harvey, Legora, CoCounsel
The output is tool-agnostic — no special configuration or integration is required.
## Large documents
For very large documents (hundreds of pages), the AI-Ready Redline output can be substantial. Some AI tools may not accept the full text if pasted directly due to input size limits.
If an AI tool rejects the pasted text, save the AI-Ready Redline as a file (.md) and upload the file into the AI tool instead. Most AI tools support file uploads alongside chat input.
## Privacy and security
The AI-Ready Redline is generated **entirely on your local machine**. No document data is sent to any external service during the export process. Draftable does not use, connect to, or process data through any LLM or AI service — the AI-Ready Redline is purely a local formatting operation that structures your comparison results into a text representation ready for use with AI tools.
When you paste or upload the AI-Ready Redline output into an AI tool, that content is governed by that tool's own data handling and privacy policies. Check your organisation's policies and the AI tool's terms of service before sharing sensitive document content.
## What is included
*Structured content support extended in version 26.9.1*
This describes an export produced from the comparison viewer. The **Copy AI-Ready Redline** button in Live Redline Preview produces a shorter output that marks insertions and deletions only.
| Content | How it appears |
| - | - |
| **Text** | The full document text in reading order, with insertions and deletions marked inline. |
| **Moves** | Marked at both ends, so you can see where text came from and where it went. An edit made to the text as it moved is marked inside the moved span. |
| **Tables** | Kept as tables, one row per line, with the cells separated. Added and removed rows, columns, cells and whole tables are marked, and a cell that spans several columns says so. |
| **Footnotes and endnotes** | The reference is marked where it sits, and the note body follows the paragraph that carries the reference. A note whose body was not carried into the comparison, typically an unchanged note, is listed with `[content not captured]` in place of its text, so you can see the reference is there even though the wording is not reproduced. |
| **Images** | Marked where they sit, including images added, removed or replaced. Alt text is included where the document has it. |
| **Hyperlinks** | The link text is bound to the target it points at, so a change to the target is visible even when the text did not change. Links to a place inside the document are marked as such, and a reference whose target is missing from both versions is flagged as broken where Draftable can tell. |
| **Tables of contents** | Marked as a table of contents. An entry that changed only because its heading changed is annotated, so it is not read as a further edit. |
| **Content controls** | A control that was added or removed as a whole is named, with its content following. A control still showing its prompt text rather than authored content is marked as a placeholder. A control whose content was simply edited is not marked; its text appears inline like any other text. |
| **Comments** | Comment anchors are marked in the text, and the thread follows the paragraph, with author, date and replies. A comment that is entirely new or entirely deleted is marked as added or removed, while a comment that was partly rewritten shows the edits inside its text. Comments marked resolved say so. Comment changes are counted separately in the header. |
| **Bookmarks** | Shown when carried into a change. Unchanged bookmarks are not shown. |
| **Fields** | The field and the value it displayed, for example page numbers, dates and cross-references. |
## Known limitations
| Area | Limitation |
| - | - |
| **Formatting** | Formatting-only changes are not shown. |
| **Tables of contents** | A table of contents built from styles rather than a field is not detected. |
| **Hyperlinks** | A link whose text runs across more than one paragraph is not bound to its target. |
| **Headers and footers** | Content in headers and footers is not included. |
| **Page and section breaks** | Page and section breaks are not represented. |
| **Equations, charts and SmartArt** | Equations, charts and SmartArt are not represented, and no placeholder is shown in their place. |
| **Text boxes** | Text in a text box is not marked as such. |
| **Very large documents** | Runs of unchanged text may be condensed so the output fits what AI tools accept. The header marks the export as condensed when this happens. |
| **File types** | Only available for Word and PDF comparisons. Not available for Excel or PowerPoint. |
| **Comparison types** | Only available for Redline in Draftable. Not available for Tracked Changes in Word, Side-by-side, or other comparison types. |
Some of these limitations are also written into the header of every export produced from the comparison viewer, so the AI tool reading it knows what the redline does not cover.
## Frequently asked questions
AI-Ready Redline is a row in the **Comparison Results** panel, not a button on the ribbon. Click **Save** (or another output action) in the viewer to open the panel, and look for the row with the sparkles icon. If it is not listed, check that you are on Draftable Legal version 26.03.100 or later, and that you have run a Redline in Draftable comparison (not Tracked Changes in Word, Side-by-side, or another comparison type). AI-Ready Redline is only available for Word and PDF comparisons.
For very large documents, the output text may exceed what some AI tools accept via paste. Save the AI-Ready Redline as a file (using the Save action) and upload the `.md` file into the AI tool instead.
Yes. From version 26.9.1, tables are written as tables, one row per line with the cells separated, and rows, columns, cells and whole tables that were added or removed are marked. In earlier versions, table content was flattened to plain text.
Yes, from version 26.9.1. Images are marked where they sit, including images added, removed or replaced, along with their alt text where the document has it. Comment anchors are marked in the text with the thread, author, date and replies following the paragraph. Footnote and endnote references are marked where they sit, with the note body following the paragraph that carries the reference.
No. AI-Ready Redline is available for Word and PDF comparisons only.
No. AI-Ready Redline output is not affected by profile settings.
No. The export is generated entirely on your local machine. No document data leaves your machine during the export. However, when you paste or upload the output into an AI tool, that tool's own data policies apply.
"All changes" annotates every detected change in the output. "Matching filters" still includes the full document text, but only the changes matching your currently applied viewer filters are marked up with delete/insert syntax. Non-matching changes appear as plain, unmarked text.
No. AI-Ready Redline is currently available from the Draftable Legal comparison viewer and Live Redline Preview only.
# API Self-Hosted v3 – AWS EKS Deployment Guide (S3 Storage)
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-AWS-EKS-Deployment-Guide
Complete guide for deploying Draftable API Self-Hosted v3 on AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) with S3 storage backend.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for deploying Draftable API Self-Hosted v3 on AWS EKS with **S3 storage**.
**AWS EKS with S3 storage is the fully supported Kubernetes deployment for Draftable API Self-Hosted v3.** S3 object storage is the architecture this product is designed around, and this is the Kubernetes path we test, optimise for, and support.
Other platforms are possible but carry trade-offs:
* **Azure AKS** — functional, but Draftable has no Azure Blob Storage backend, so it requires a shared network file share instead of object storage. See the [Azure AKS Deployment Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Azure-AKS-Deployment-Guide), which documents the measured performance implications and the support boundaries before you commit to it.
* **Any other Kubernetes distribution** — see the [generic Kubernetes Deployment Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Kubernetes-Deployment-Guide).
See [`FILE_STORAGE_TYPE`](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide#file_storage_type) for the supported storage backends.
**NFS and network file share storage is not supported.** Draftable does not test or optimise against NFS, SMB, or any other shared network filesystem, and **we cannot provide support for issues arising from network file share storage** — including performance, file locking, and mount behaviour.
This applies wherever such storage is used, including Azure Files on AKS. If you deploy on Kubernetes and want a supported storage configuration, use **AWS EKS with S3**.
**S3 Storage Only**: This guide covers S3-based deployments. EFS storage configurations are not covered in this documentation and are **not recommended** for Draftable deployments.
***
## Architecture Overview
### Component Architecture
Draftable API Self-Hosted consists of several microservices that work together:
| Component | Purpose | Kubernetes Suitability |
| - | - | - |
| **Web** | Django web application, API endpoints | ✅ Excellent (stateless) |
| **Celery Worker** | Background task processing | ✅ Excellent (stateless) |
| **Celery Beat** | Task scheduler | ⚠️ Stateless, but must run as a single replica |
| **Compare** | Document comparison engine (.NET) | ✅ Excellent (stateless) |
| **Converter** | Office-to-PDF conversion (LibreOffice) | ✅ Excellent (stateless) |
| **PostgreSQL** | Database | ⚠️ Consider managed service |
| **Redis** | Caching and sessions | ⚠️ Consider managed service |
| **RabbitMQ** | Message broker | ⚠️ Consider managed service |
### Stateful vs Stateless Recommendation
**Critical Data Loss Risk**: The stateful components (PostgreSQL, Redis, RabbitMQ) included in this guide use Kubernetes PersistentVolumeClaims for storage. However, if pods are restarted, rescheduled, or the cluster is rebuilt, **you may lose all your data** including the database, cached sessions, and queued messages.
For **production deployments**, you **must** use managed AWS services for stateful components.
| Component | Kubernetes (Dev/Test Only) | Production Requirement |
| - | - | - |
| PostgreSQL | `10-postgresql.yaml` | Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL |
| Redis | `12-redis.yaml` | Amazon ElastiCache for Redis |
| RabbitMQ | `11-rabbitmq.yaml` | Amazon MQ for RabbitMQ |
**Why managed services?**
* Kubernetes frequently tears down and recreates containers—excellent for stateless services but **dangerous for stateful workloads**
* Pod restarts, node failures, or cluster updates can result in **permanent data loss**
* Managed services provide automated backups, high availability, and data persistence guarantees
**Redis persistence is especially critical.** Redis stores the activated license and custom fonts. If Redis data is lost, all users will be locked out until the license is reactivated by re-running the `web-init` job. Always use persistent storage for Redis — or preferably, a managed Redis service with persistence enabled.
### Scaling and high availability
The application components are designed to be scaled horizontally, with one exception. The table below
shows what each component supports.
| Component | Multiple replicas | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| **Web** | Yes | Stateless. Sessions are stored in the database and the cache in Redis, so no sticky sessions are required. |
| **Celery Worker** | Yes | Competing consumers on a shared queue. |
| **Compare** | Yes | Competing consumers on a shared queue. This is the main throughput lever. |
| **Converter** | Yes | Stateless HTTP service. Each replica maintains its own copy of any custom fonts, synchronised independently from Redis. |
| **Celery Beat** | **No — one replica only** | Scheduler. See the warning below. |
| **Web Init** | Not applicable | A Job that runs to completion and exits. |
| **PostgreSQL, Redis, RabbitMQ** | Not by replica count | See [Stateful vs stateless](#stateful-vs-stateless-recommendation) above. |
**Celery Beat must run as exactly one replica.** Beat holds its own schedule and there is no leader
election between instances, so a second Beat pod fires every scheduled job a second time. One of those
jobs moves daily usage tracking data out of Redis into the database and then clears the Redis keys, so
two copies running at once can race each other and produce duplicated or dropped usage records.
Set `replicas: 1` and use `strategy: Recreate` rather than the default rolling update, so an upgrade
never briefly runs two Beat pods at once.
Beat is a scheduler, not part of the comparison request path. If its node or Availability Zone is lost,
Kubernetes reschedules it into a surviving zone and comparisons continue running normally in the
meantime.
#### Spreading replicas across Availability Zones
For the components that do scale, set the replica count to 2 or more and add a topology spread
constraint on the zone label so Kubernetes actively places replicas in different Availability Zones
rather than leaving placement to chance:
```yaml theme={null}
topologySpreadConstraints:
- maxSkew: 1
topologyKey: topology.kubernetes.io/zone
whenUnsatisfiable: ScheduleAnyway
labelSelector:
matchLabels:
app: compare
```
Add a `PodDisruptionBudget` with `minAvailable: 1` for each scaled component so a node drain cannot
remove the last running replica.
Comparison jobs are queued durably and are only acknowledged once they complete, so a comparison
interrupted by a pod eviction or a zone failure returns to the queue and is picked up by a surviving
Compare replica rather than being lost.
Compare and Converter are the memory-hungry components, so doubling their replica count roughly
doubles their share of your node capacity. Size your node group accordingly.
**Do not make the in-cluster stateful components highly available by raising their replica count.**
The `10-postgresql.yaml`, `11-rabbitmq.yaml` and `12-redis.yaml` manifests each run a single pod
against a ReadWriteOnce PersistentVolumeClaim. Two PostgreSQL or Redis pods cannot share that volume,
and an EBS-backed ReadWriteOnce volume is pinned to a single Availability Zone, so the pod that mounts
it cannot move between zones.
RabbitMQ is the most damaging of the three to get wrong. Two RabbitMQ pods behind one Service that are
not clustered together become two independent brokers. Publishers and consumers can then connect to
different brokers, and comparisons will sit in progress indefinitely without producing an error.
For multi-zone resilience, use the managed services in the table above: Amazon RDS and Amazon
ElastiCache both support Multi-AZ with automatic failover, and Amazon MQ for RabbitMQ offers an
active/standby multi-AZ deployment. If you must self-manage RabbitMQ, it needs a genuine cluster with
peer discovery and quorum queues, not a raised replica count.
### S3 Authentication Architecture
**Critical**: The Compare service does **NOT** support IRSA (IAM Roles for Service Accounts). It requires explicit AWS credentials.
| Component | Service Account | S3 Authentication Method |
| - | - | - |
| Web | `draftable-s3-sa` | IRSA (IAM Roles for Service Accounts) |
| Celery Worker | `draftable-s3-sa` | IRSA |
| Celery Beat | `draftable-s3-sa` | IRSA |
| **Compare** | `default` | **Explicit AWS credentials (required!)** |
The Compare service (.NET application) is missing the `AWSSDK.SecurityToken` assembly required for `AssumeRoleWithWebIdentity`. Attempting to use IRSA will result in:
```
Assembly AWSSDK.SecurityToken could not be found or loaded.
This assembly must be available at runtime to use Amazon.Runtime.AssumeRoleAWSCredentials.
```
***
## Prerequisites
### Required Information
Before starting, gather the following:
* AWS Account ID
* Desired AWS Region (e.g., `ap-southeast-2`)
* Domain name for the application
* Draftable product license key
### Required Tools
Install and configure the following tools on your workstation:
| Tool | Purpose | Installation |
| - | - | - |
| **AWS CLI** | AWS resource management | [Download](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/) |
| **kubectl** | Kubernetes cluster management | [Download](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/) |
| **eksctl** | EKS cluster creation | [Download](https://github.com/weaveworks/eksctl/releases) |
| **Helm** | Kubernetes package manager | [Download](https://github.com/helm/helm/releases) |
Verify installations:
```bash theme={null}
aws --version
kubectl version --client
eksctl version
helm version
```
### Hardware Requirements
Your EKS cluster nodes should meet these minimum requirements:
* **Instance Type**: `t3.large` or larger (2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM per node)
* **Node Count**: Minimum 3 nodes for production
* **Storage**: 50 GB per node
### Estimated Deployment Time
| Phase | Duration |
| - | - |
| EKS cluster creation | 15–25 minutes |
| S3 and IAM setup | 10–15 minutes |
| Application deployment | 10–15 minutes |
| **Total** | **45–60 minutes** |
***
## AWS Account Setup
### IAM Access Configuration
**Recommendation**: Instead of creating a dedicated IAM user for EKS access, grant access to your existing administrator role (e.g., SSO Administrator). This allows you to use your regular admin credentials with `kubectl` and view resources in the AWS Console.
#### Option A: Use Existing Administrator Role (Recommended)
After cluster creation, add your administrator role via EKS Access Entries:
1. Go to **AWS Console** → **EKS** → Your Cluster → **Access** tab
2. Click **Create access entry**
3. Select your **SSO Administrator role** (or equivalent)
4. Click **Next**
5. Add access policy: **AmazonEKSClusterAdminPolicy**
6. Click **Create**
#### Option B: Create Dedicated IAM User
If you prefer a dedicated user, it needs these permissions:
* `AdministratorAccess` (recommended for initial setup)
Or these specific policies:
* `AmazonEKSClusterPolicy`
* `AmazonEKSServicePolicy`
* `AmazonEC2FullAccess`
* `AmazonVPCFullAccess`
* `AWSCloudFormationFullAccess`
* `IAMFullAccess`
### Configure AWS CLI
```bash theme={null}
aws configure
# Enter: Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, Region, Output format (json)
```
***
## Create EKS Cluster
### Cluster Configuration
Download or create the cluster configuration file:
EKS cluster configuration for Draftable
Key configuration points:
```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: eksctl.io/v1alpha5
kind: ClusterConfig
metadata:
name: draftable-eks
region: ap-southeast-2 # UPDATE: Your region
version: "1.31" # UPDATE: Use latest stable version
vpc:
nat:
gateway: Single # Avoids Elastic IP limits
iam:
withOIDC: true # REQUIRED for IRSA (S3 access)
managedNodeGroups:
- name: draftable-workers
instanceType: t3.large
desiredCapacity: 3
minSize: 2
maxSize: 5
volumeSize: 50
volumeType: gp3
```
**Kubernetes Version**: Always use the latest stable version. Check available versions with:
```bash theme={null}
aws eks describe-addon-versions --query 'addons[0].addonVersions[*].compatibilities[*].clusterVersion' --output text | sort -u
```
### Create the Cluster
```bash theme={null}
eksctl create cluster -f eksctl-cluster-config.yaml
```
This command takes **15–25 minutes** to complete. Do not interrupt the process.
### Configure kubectl
After cluster creation, configure `kubectl` to connect:
```bash theme={null}
aws eks update-kubeconfig --region ap-southeast-2 --name draftable-eks
```
### Grant Console Access (Optional but Recommended)
To view cluster resources in the AWS Console:
1. Go to **AWS Console** → **EKS** → **draftable-eks** → **Access** tab
2. Click **Create access entry**
3. Select your **SSO Administrator role**
4. Add policy: **AmazonEKSClusterAdminPolicy**
5. Click **Create**
### Verify Cluster
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get nodes
```
You should see 3 nodes in `Ready` state.
***
## Create S3 Bucket
### Create the Bucket
```bash theme={null}
# Set variables
ACCOUNT_ID=$(aws sts get-caller-identity --query Account --output text)
BUCKET_NAME="draftable-storage-$ACCOUNT_ID"
REGION="ap-southeast-2"
# Create bucket
aws s3 mb s3://$BUCKET_NAME --region $REGION
```
### Configure CORS
**CORS is required** for the document viewer to load files from S3. Without CORS, comparisons will fail to render in the browser.
Download or create the CORS configuration:
S3 CORS configuration
Update the `AllowedOrigins` to match your domain:
```json theme={null}
[
{
"AllowedHeaders": ["*"],
"AllowedMethods": ["GET", "HEAD"],
"AllowedOrigins": ["https://your-domain.example.com"],
"ExposeHeaders": ["ETag", "Content-Length", "Content-Type"]
}
]
```
Apply the CORS configuration:
```bash theme={null}
aws s3api put-bucket-cors --bucket $BUCKET_NAME --cors-configuration file://s3-bucket-cors.json
```
***
## Configure IAM for S3 Access
Draftable requires two types of AWS credentials:
1. **IRSA (IAM Role for Service Accounts)** – Used by Web, Celery Worker, and Celery Beat
2. **IAM User with Access Keys** – Required by the Compare service (does not support IRSA)
### Get OIDC Provider ID
```bash theme={null}
OIDC_ID=$(aws eks describe-cluster --name draftable-eks --region ap-southeast-2 \
--query "cluster.identity.oidc.issuer" --output text | rev | cut -d'/' -f1 | rev)
echo $OIDC_ID
```
### Create S3 Access Policy
Download or create the policy:
IAM policy for S3 access
Update the bucket name in the policy, then create it:
```bash theme={null}
aws iam create-policy \
--policy-name DraftableS3AccessPolicy \
--policy-document file://s3-access-policy.json
```
### Create IAM Role for IRSA (Web/Celery)
Download or create the trust policy:
IRSA trust policy template
Update the following placeholders:
* `YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID` – Your AWS account ID
* `YOUR_REGION` – Your AWS region
* `YOUR_OIDC_ID` – The OIDC ID from the previous step
Create the role:
```bash theme={null}
aws iam create-role \
--role-name DraftableS3AccessRole \
--assume-role-policy-document file://irsa-trust-policy.json
aws iam attach-role-policy \
--role-name DraftableS3AccessRole \
--policy-arn arn:aws:iam::$ACCOUNT_ID:policy/DraftableS3AccessPolicy
```
### Create IAM User for Compare Service
**Required**: The Compare service cannot use IRSA and must have explicit AWS credentials.
```bash theme={null}
# Create user
aws iam create-user --user-name draftable-s3-user
# Attach policy
aws iam put-user-policy \
--user-name draftable-s3-user \
--policy-name S3Access \
--policy-document file://s3-access-policy.json
# Create access key
aws iam create-access-key --user-name draftable-s3-user
```
**Save the `AccessKeyId` and `SecretAccessKey`** from the output – you will need these when creating Kubernetes secrets.
***
## Install AWS Load Balancer Controller
The AWS Load Balancer Controller is required to create Application Load Balancers (ALB) for the Ingress.
### Create IAM Policy
```bash theme={null}
curl -o iam_policy.json https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes-sigs/aws-load-balancer-controller/main/docs/install/iam_policy.json
aws iam create-policy \
--policy-name AWSLoadBalancerControllerIAMPolicy \
--policy-document file://iam_policy.json
```
### Create Service Account
```bash theme={null}
eksctl create iamserviceaccount \
--cluster=draftable-eks \
--namespace=kube-system \
--name=aws-load-balancer-controller \
--attach-policy-arn=arn:aws:iam::$ACCOUNT_ID:policy/AWSLoadBalancerControllerIAMPolicy \
--approve \
--region=ap-southeast-2
```
### Install Controller via Helm
```bash theme={null}
helm repo add eks https://aws.github.io/eks-charts
helm repo update
helm install aws-load-balancer-controller eks/aws-load-balancer-controller \
-n kube-system \
--set clusterName=draftable-eks \
--set serviceAccount.create=false \
--set serviceAccount.name=aws-load-balancer-controller
```
Verify the controller is running:
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get deployment -n kube-system aws-load-balancer-controller
```
***
## Deploy Draftable
### Kubernetes Manifests
All Kubernetes manifests are available in our GitHub repository:
Complete set of deployment manifests
**Templated Files**: All YAML manifests are deliberately templated and incomplete. You **must** replace placeholder values (marked with `YOUR_*` or `REPLACE_*`) with your own configuration before applying them to your cluster.
| File | Description |
| - | - |
| `00-namespace.yaml` | Creates the `draftable` namespace |
| `01-secrets.yaml` | Application secrets (template) |
| `02-configmap.yaml` | Application configuration |
| `03-service-account.yaml` | IRSA service account for S3 |
| `04-aws-credentials-secret.yaml` | AWS credentials for Compare service |
| `10-postgresql.yaml` | PostgreSQL database |
| `11-rabbitmq.yaml` | RabbitMQ message broker |
| `12-redis.yaml` | Redis cache |
| `20-web-init-job.yaml` | Database migration job |
| `21-web.yaml` | Web application |
| `22-celery-worker.yaml` | Celery background worker |
| `23-celery-beat.yaml` | Celery scheduler |
| `24-compare.yaml` | Compare service |
| `25-converter.yaml` | Document converter (**must use TCP probes**) |
| `30-ingress.yaml` | ALB Ingress |
### Update Configuration Files
Before deploying, update these files with your values:
#### `02-configmap.yaml`
```yaml theme={null}
data:
APP_BASE_URL: "https://your-domain.example.com"
SERVER_DNS: "your-domain.example.com"
CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS: "https://your-domain.example.com"
S3_STORAGE_BUCKET: "your-bucket-name"
AWS_S3_REGION_NAME: "ap-southeast-2"
DB_CONN_MAX_AGE: "0"
```
**Set `DB_CONN_MAX_AGE` to `"0"`.** With any other value, including the default, the web pods leave idle database connections open after requests until PostgreSQL refuses new ones and the API returns HTTP 500 with `FATAL: sorry, too many clients already`. See [`DB_CONN_MAX_AGE`](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide#db_conn_max_age) in the Docker Compose Guide.
**Critical S3 Configuration**: The `FILE_STORAGE_TYPE` must be set to `s3`. Without this, the application uses local filesystem storage regardless of other S3 settings.
#### `03-service-account.yaml`
```yaml theme={null}
annotations:
eks.amazonaws.com/role-arn: arn:aws:iam::YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID:role/DraftableS3AccessRole
```
#### `30-ingress.yaml`
```yaml theme={null}
annotations:
alb.ingress.kubernetes.io/certificate-arn: arn:aws:acm:ap-southeast-2:YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID:certificate/YOUR_CERT_ID
spec:
rules:
- host: your-domain.example.com
```
### Create Secrets
```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f 00-namespace.yaml
```
```bash theme={null}
kubectl create secret generic draftable-secrets -n draftable \
--from-literal=db-password='YourDbPassword123!' \
--from-literal=amqp-password='YourAmqpPassword123!' \
--from-literal=redis-password='YourRedisPassword123!' \
--from-literal=django-secret-key='your-64-character-random-string-here-make-it-long-and-random!' \
--from-literal=draftable-product-key='YOUR-DRAFTABLE-LICENSE-KEY'
```
```bash theme={null}
kubectl create secret generic aws-s3-credentials -n draftable \
--from-literal=AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID='YOUR_ACCESS_KEY' \
--from-literal=AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY='YOUR_SECRET_KEY'
```
### Deploy Infrastructure
```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f 02-configmap.yaml
kubectl apply -f 03-service-account.yaml
```
```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f 10-postgresql.yaml
kubectl apply -f 11-rabbitmq.yaml
kubectl apply -f 12-redis.yaml
```
```bash theme={null}
kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -l app=postgresql -n draftable --timeout=300s
kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -l app=rabbitmq -n draftable --timeout=300s
kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -l app=redis -n draftable --timeout=300s
```
### Run Database Migrations
```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f 20-web-init-job.yaml
# Wait for job to complete
kubectl wait --for=condition=complete job/web-init -n draftable --timeout=300s
```
### Deploy Application
**Converter Health Probes**: The `25-converter.yaml` manifest **must** use TCP socket probes (not HTTP). The JODConverter API returns 404 on all health endpoints, and LibreOffice takes 60-90 seconds to start. Using HTTP probes will cause the pod to enter CrashLoopBackOff with hundreds of restarts. See [Troubleshooting](#converter-in-crashloopbackoff-400-restarts) for details.
```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f 21-web.yaml
kubectl apply -f 22-celery-worker.yaml
kubectl apply -f 23-celery-beat.yaml
kubectl apply -f 24-compare.yaml
kubectl apply -f 25-converter.yaml
# Wait for web pods
kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -l app=web -n draftable --timeout=300s
```
**Converter startup time**: The converter pod may take 90-120 seconds to become ready. During startup, you may see "Office process died with exit code 81" in the logs—this is normal while LibreOffice initializes.
### Deploy Ingress
```bash theme={null}
kubectl apply -f 30-ingress.yaml
```
***
## Configure DNS and HTTPS
### Get ALB DNS Name
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get ingress draftable-ingress -n draftable
```
The `ADDRESS` column shows the ALB DNS name.
### Create DNS Record
In your DNS provider, create a CNAME record:
| Field | Value |
| - | - |
| **Name** | Your subdomain (e.g., `draftable`) |
| **Type** | CNAME |
| **Value** | ALB DNS name from above |
### Request ACM Certificate
If you haven't already created an ACM certificate:
1. Go to **AWS Certificate Manager** in the AWS Console
2. Click **Request a certificate**
3. Select **Request a public certificate**
4. Enter your domain name
5. Choose **DNS validation**
6. Complete the DNS validation process
7. Update `30-ingress.yaml` with the certificate ARN
***
## Verification
### Check Pod Status
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get pods -n draftable
```
All pods should show `Running` status with `1/1` or `2/2` ready.
Expected output:
```
NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE
celery-beat-xxx 1/1 Running 0 5m
celery-worker-xxx 1/1 Running 0 5m
compare-xxx 1/1 Running 0 5m
converter-xxx 1/1 Running 0 5m
postgresql-xxx 1/1 Running 0 10m
rabbitmq-xxx 1/1 Running 0 10m
redis-xxx 1/1 Running 0 10m
web-xxx 1/1 Running 0 5m
web-xxx 1/1 Running 0 5m
```
### Check S3 Connectivity
After creating a comparison, verify files are stored in S3:
```bash theme={null}
aws s3 ls s3://$BUCKET_NAME/ --recursive
```
### Access the Application
Open `https://your-domain.example.com` in your browser. You should see the Draftable login page.
***
## Troubleshooting
### Pods Stuck in `Pending`
**Cause**: PersistentVolumeClaims not binding.
**Solution**: Check StorageClass exists:
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get storageclass
```
Ensure you're using `gp2` (default on EKS). If using `gp3`, you may need to create the StorageClass first.
***
### `CreateContainerConfigError`
**Cause**: ConfigMap or Secret key not found.
**Solution**: Verify all ConfigMap and Secret keys exist:
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get configmap draftable-config -n draftable -o yaml
kubectl get secret draftable-secrets -n draftable -o yaml
```
***
### Compare Fails with `AWSSDK.SecurityToken could not be found`
**Cause**: Compare service is attempting to use IRSA (not supported).
**Solution**:
1. Ensure Compare uses `serviceAccountName: default` (not `draftable-s3-sa`)
2. Verify `aws-s3-credentials` secret exists with `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID` and `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get deployment compare -n draftable -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.serviceAccountName}'
# Should output: default
kubectl get secret aws-s3-credentials -n draftable
# Should exist
```
***
### Viewer Doesn't Render Documents (CORS Error)
**Cause**: S3 bucket CORS not configured.
**Solution**: Apply CORS configuration:
```bash theme={null}
aws s3api put-bucket-cors --bucket $BUCKET_NAME --cors-configuration file://s3-bucket-cors.json
```
***
### `DisallowedHost` Error in Web Logs
**Cause**: ALB health checks use the pod's internal IP address, not the domain name.
**Solution**: Ensure `ALLOWED_HOSTS: "*"` is set in the ConfigMap (already configured in the provided manifests).
***
### `REDIS_PORT` Parse Error (`invalid literal for int()`)
**Cause**: Kubernetes auto-creates `REDIS_PORT=tcp://ip:port` when a service is named `redis`.
**Solution**: The Redis service is named `redis-svc` in our manifests to avoid this conflict. Ensure you're using the provided manifests.
***
### Converter in `CrashLoopBackOff` (400+ Restarts)
**Cause**: HTTP health probes fail because JODConverter returns 404 on all health endpoints, and LibreOffice takes 60-90 seconds to initialize.
**Symptoms**:
* Pod restarts continuously (often 400+ times)
* Events show: `Readiness probe failed: HTTP probe failed with statuscode: 404`
* Logs show: `Office process died with exit code 81; restarting it`
**Solution**: The converter **must** use TCP socket probes, not HTTP probes. Ensure your `25-converter.yaml` uses:
```yaml theme={null}
livenessProbe:
tcpSocket:
port: 8080
initialDelaySeconds: 120
periodSeconds: 30
timeoutSeconds: 10
failureThreshold: 3
readinessProbe:
tcpSocket:
port: 8080
initialDelaySeconds: 90
periodSeconds: 10
timeoutSeconds: 5
failureThreshold: 6
```
**Do NOT** use `httpGet` probes for the converter. The JODConverter REST API returns 404 on `/`, `/health`, and `/actuator/health` endpoints, causing probe failures and endless restart loops.
**Why TCP probes work**: TCP probes simply verify port 8080 is listening, which it is once Tomcat starts—even while LibreOffice is still initializing.
**Note**: During normal startup, you will see "Office process died with exit code 81" messages in the logs. This is expected behavior while LibreOffice initializes.
***
### Useful Debugging Commands
```bash theme={null}
# View all pods
kubectl get pods -n draftable
# View pod logs
kubectl logs -n draftable deployment/web --tail=100
# Describe pod for events
kubectl describe pod -n draftable -l app=web
# Check environment variables in pod
kubectl exec -n draftable deployment/web -- env | grep S3
# Restart a deployment
kubectl rollout restart deployment/web -n draftable
```
***
## Production Recommendations
### Using Managed AWS Services
For production deployments, replace in-cluster stateful services with managed AWS services:
#### Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
1. Create RDS PostgreSQL instance (Engine: PostgreSQL 16, Multi-AZ enabled)
2. Update ConfigMap:
```yaml theme={null}
DB_HOST: "your-rds-endpoint.region.rds.amazonaws.com"
DB_PORT: "5432"
```
3. Skip applying `10-postgresql.yaml`
#### Amazon ElastiCache for Redis
1. Create ElastiCache Redis cluster (Engine: Redis 7.x)
2. Update ConfigMap:
```yaml theme={null}
REDIS_HOST: "your-elasticache-endpoint.region.cache.amazonaws.com"
REDIS_PORT: "6379"
```
3. Skip applying `12-redis.yaml`
#### Amazon MQ for RabbitMQ
Amazon MQ must use the **RabbitMQ** engine. **Amazon MQ for ActiveMQ is not compatible** with Draftable (it uses AMQP 1.0; Draftable requires AMQP 0-9-1), and **AWS SQS is not supported**. See [supported message brokers](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide#amqp-rabbitmq). If your RabbitMQ or Redis uses a private or internal CA, see [Using a private or internal CA](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Using-a-Private-or-Internal-CA).
1. Create Amazon MQ RabbitMQ broker
2. Update ConfigMap:
```yaml theme={null}
AMQP_HOST: "your-amazonmq-endpoint.mq.region.amazonaws.com"
AMQP_PORT: "5671" # Note: Amazon MQ uses TLS
```
3. Skip applying `11-rabbitmq.yaml`
***
## Configuration Reference
### S3 Environment Variables
| Variable | Purpose | Required |
| - | - | - |
| `FILE_STORAGE_TYPE` | Must be `s3` to enable S3 storage | ✅ |
| `S3_STORAGE_BUCKET` | S3 bucket name | ✅ |
| `AWS_S3_REGION_NAME` | AWS region (note: not `AWS_REGION`) | ✅ |
### Application Environment Variables
For a complete list of environment variables, see the [Docker Compose Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide).
***
## Support
If you encounter issues during deployment, please contact us at [support@draftable.com](mailto:support@draftable.com) with:
* Pod logs (`kubectl logs -n draftable deployment/`)
* Pod events (`kubectl describe pod -n draftable -l app=`)
* ConfigMap values (sanitized)
* Error messages from the browser console
# API Self-Hosted v3 – Azure AKS Deployment Guide
Source: https://help.draftable.com/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Azure-AKS-Deployment-Guide
Draftable does not recommend deploying API Self-Hosted v3 on Azure AKS. It requires unsupported network file share storage. This guide is for customers with no alternative, and documents the trade-offs and support boundaries.
**Draftable does not recommend this deployment. We recommend you do not use it.**
This is a "how to make it work" guide, not a "this works well" guide.
Draftable API Self-Hosted v3 **can** be deployed on Azure Kubernetes Service, and we have verified
that it works end to end. But it can only do so on **network file share storage, which is not a
supported configuration on any platform.** We do not test against it, we do not optimise for it, and
we cannot support problems arising from it.
**Please choose a different platform if you possibly can.** See
[Choosing a different platform](#choosing-a-different-platform) — on Azure, a Linux virtual machine
running Docker Compose avoids every limitation described here, and on Kubernetes, AWS EKS with S3 is
fully supported.
This guide exists so that customers with a genuine constraint — a Microsoft-only mandate combined with
a Kubernetes mandate — are not left guessing. It is not an endorsement, and following it successfully
does not make this a supported configuration.
Improving Azure storage support is under active consideration. Until something changes, the
constraints described here are inherent to this platform combination and cannot be configured away.
## Why we do not recommend this platform
Two limitations sit behind that warning. Neither is a bug, and neither can be worked around with
configuration.
### Draftable has no Azure Blob Storage backend
API Self-Hosted supports exactly two file storage backends: **local filesystem** and **Amazon S3**.
Azure Blob Storage is not supported, and there is no way to point Draftable's S3 client at a
non-AWS, S3-compatible endpoint.
The practical consequence is that on AKS you must use `FILE_STORAGE_TYPE=local` backed by a **shared
network file share**, because the web, Celery worker, Celery beat and compare services all read and
write the same files at the same time, from potentially different nodes.
Object storage is what this product is designed around on Kubernetes. A network file share works,
but it is emulating a local disk over a network, and that carries a measurable cost described in
[Storage performance](#storage-performance).
### Azure has no managed RabbitMQ
Draftable requires **AMQP 0-9-1**. Azure Service Bus implements AMQP 1.0 and is therefore not
compatible, and Azure offers no managed RabbitMQ service of any kind.
On AWS you can use Amazon MQ for RabbitMQ and keep your message broker outside the cluster. On
Azure you must run RabbitMQ yourself, either inside the cluster or on a dedicated virtual machine.
That is a genuine reduction in resilience compared with our AWS reference architecture, and it means
you own the broker's availability and backups.
PostgreSQL and Redis have good managed equivalents on Azure (Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible
Server and Azure Cache for Redis) and you should use them. RabbitMQ is the exception.
## Choosing a different platform
In rough order of how well we support them:
**Best supported option on Azure.** Run an Azure Linux virtual machine with Docker Compose. Local
storage is genuinely local, so none of the file share overhead applies.
**The fully supported Kubernetes option.** If your organisation can use AWS, this is the
architecture the product is designed for, and the only Kubernetes storage configuration we support.
Platform-agnostic manifests and configuration reference. **This article builds on it** — start
there for the base manifests.
**Not recommended.** This article. Functional and verified, but on unsupported storage. Choose it
only if the three options above are genuinely unavailable to you.
If you are on AKS purely for compute standardisation and are not bound by data residency
requirements, there is one further option worth knowing about: **AKS with an Amazon S3 bucket**. This
uses the fully supported S3 code path, and nothing prevents pods in Azure from reaching S3. It means
your documents are stored in AWS, which is unacceptable for many organisations, but if it is
acceptable for yours it avoids every limitation in this guide.
## What we tested, and what we did not
We would rather you knew the limits of our testing than assumed more than we can support.
**Verified working:**
* AKS 1.35, two `Standard_D2s_v5` nodes, `australiaeast`
* Azure Files **Premium** with the **NFS v4.1** protocol as the shared `ReadWriteMany` volume
* API Self-Hosted v3 using the `latest` image tags as of 3 August 2026 (`apish-web` 3.0.8 was current
at that date), with in-cluster PostgreSQL 16, RabbitMQ 3.13.3 and Redis 8
* Comparisons of Word and PDF documents completing end to end via the API
* The comparison results viewer rendering correctly in a browser
* Public HTTPS via ingress-nginx and a Let's Encrypt certificate
**Not tested, and therefore not characterised:**
* **Sustained load over hours or days.** Our testing covered a single session.
* **Azure NetApp Files**, which may perform better than Azure Files and which some customers prefer
for exactly this kind of workload.
* **Azure Files Premium with SMB** for full comparison workloads. We measured its raw file
operations, which were worse than NFS, and did not proceed further.
* **Multi-region, private-endpoint-only, or restricted-egress network topologies.**
* **Horizontal scaling beyond a single replica of each service.**
**Network file share storage is not a supported configuration.** Draftable does not test or optimise
against NFS or SMB, and **we cannot provide support for issues arising from network file share
storage** — including performance, file locking, and mount behaviour. This is a standing position, not
specific to Azure.
Draftable Support can help you with **Draftable's own configuration** on AKS: environment variables,
licensing, container settings, and the Azure-specific issues documented in this article. We cannot
troubleshoot Azure Files performance or your cluster's networking and storage configuration.
If a problem is traced to file share performance or behaviour, the resolutions available to you are to
change storage tier or to change platform. We will tell you that plainly rather than iterate on it.
If you need a **fully supported** Kubernetes deployment, that is
[AWS EKS with S3 storage](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-AWS-EKS-Deployment-Guide).
## Storage performance
This is the part we most want you to understand before committing.
We measured raw file operations on a live AKS cluster, comparing the node's local disk against both
Azure Files Premium protocols.
| Operation (1,000 small files) | Local disk | Azure Files Premium NFS | Azure Files Premium SMB |
| - | -: | -: | -: |
| Create | 30 ms | **10,294 ms** | **16,714 ms** |
| List directory | 6 ms | 27 ms | 22 ms |
| Read | 608 ms | 5,904 ms | 5,076 ms |
| Delete | 11 ms | **2,940 ms** | **6,009 ms** |
**Bulk throughput is not the problem.** Sequential write bandwidth on Azure Files Premium measured
around 226 MiB/s, comfortably faster than the node's own OS disk. If you benchmark this deployment
with large files, you will conclude that storage is fast, and you will be measuring the wrong thing.
**Per-file overhead is the problem.** Creating a single file costs roughly **10 ms on NFS and 17 ms
on SMB**, against microseconds on a local disk. Draftable's workload is full of small file
operations: a `.docx` is a ZIP archive of many small parts, and comparing two documents means
unpacking all of those parts, writing page renderings, scroll maps and change data, then cleaning up.
### What that means in practice
The cost scales with the **number of files a comparison touches**, not with document size. That is why
the deployment is viable at all, rather than a reason to choose it:
| Document | Internal parts | Comparison time observed |
| - | -: | - |
| Small Word document | 17 | \~1.4 seconds |
| 5.3 MB Word document, 250 sections, 50 embedded images | 67 | \~5.8 seconds, consistently |
Both part counts are measured, not estimated. The 5.8 second figure held to within 0.2 seconds across
every run of our final clean test pass.
Comparison times above were measured on a deliberately small two-node test cluster (4 vCPU total)
and are **not** a performance prediction for your environment. They are included only to show that
ordinary documents remain workable. Your times will differ.
So:
* **Ordinary business documents** — tens of internal parts — remain workable. Every comparison still
pays overhead that a supported deployment would not, but it is unlikely to be the thing you notice.
* **Documents with very large numbers of embedded objects** — hundreds or thousands of images or
attachments — will feel it, and the cost grows linearly with part count.
* **High comparison concurrency** multiplies file operations against a single shared file share,
which becomes the bottleneck before CPU does.
**None of this overhead exists in a supported deployment.** On a Linux VM with Docker Compose, storage
is genuinely local. On AWS EKS with S3, the product uses object storage as designed and hands large
files to browsers directly rather than pulling them through a file share.
Every millisecond described in this section is a cost you are choosing to take on, and it buys you
nothing except the ability to run on AKS. If that constraint is real, proceed. If it is a preference,
we would strongly encourage you to reconsider.
### Always choose NFS, never SMB
**SMB is the default protocol for Azure Files. Do not use it.** Our measurements show SMB is around
1.6 times slower than NFS at creating files and roughly twice as slow at deleting them, and Draftable
is a Linux application that expects POSIX filesystem behaviour, which NFS provides more faithfully.
NFS requires the **Premium** tier. Standard Azure Files does not offer NFS.
## Prerequisites
Start from the [generic Kubernetes Deployment Guide](/hc/en-us/articles/API-Self-Hosted-v3-Kubernetes-Deployment-Guide)
for base manifests, environment variables and the overall component architecture. This article covers
only what differs on Azure.
**Tools:** Azure CLI, `kubectl`, and Helm.
**Azure prerequisites:**
* A subscription with quota for at least **8 vCPU** in your chosen region for a production-shaped
cluster. Check both your quota **and** your subscription's permitted VM SKU list, which are
separate restrictions — a size can be blocked even when quota is available.
* Permission to create role assignments, not just resources. `Contributor` alone is insufficient;
you need `Owner`, or `Contributor` plus `User Access Administrator`.
* A Draftable product key, and outbound HTTPS access to `draftable.com` for licence activation.
Avoid **B-series** burstable VM sizes. Their CPU credit model causes comparison times to degrade
unpredictably once credits are exhausted, which is very difficult to diagnose after the fact.
## Azure-specific configuration
Six things differ from a generic Kubernetes deployment. The first will stop your deployment working
entirely and is very hard to diagnose, so start there.
### 1. Load balancer health probes
**This will silently break your deployment and the symptom points you in the wrong direction.**
The `ingress-nginx` Helm chart sets `appProtocol: http` on the controller's Service ports. The Azure
cloud provider reads that and creates an **HTTP** health probe against `/` rather than a TCP probe.
Other ingress controllers may behave the same way, so check yours if you are not using
`ingress-nginx`.
Your ingress controller answers `/` with a 404 when no ingress rule matches the probe's request,
because the probe sends no `Host` header. Azure load balancer health probes treat **only HTTP 200**
as healthy. Every node is therefore marked unhealthy and the load balancer silently discards all
inbound traffic.
**The symptom is a connection timeout from the internet while the cluster is completely healthy
internally.** If you are using Let's Encrypt, certificate issuance fails with
`Timeout during connect (likely firewall problem)`, which naturally sends you to inspect network
security groups. The network security group is not the problem.
Fix it with an annotation on the ingress controller Service:
```yaml theme={null}
controller:
service:
annotations:
service.beta.kubernetes.io/azure-load-balancer-health-probe-request-path: /healthz
```
`/healthz` is served on the controller's data ports and returns 200.
To confirm what your probe is actually configured to check:
```bash theme={null}
NODE_RG=$(az aks show -g -n --query nodeResourceGroup -o tsv)
az network lb probe list -g "$NODE_RG" --lb-name kubernetes \
--query "[].{protocol:protocol, port:port, path:requestPath}" -o table
```
### 2. The shared NFS StorageClass
```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: storage.k8s.io/v1
kind: StorageClass
metadata:
name: azurefile-premium-nfs
provisioner: file.csi.azure.com
parameters:
protocol: nfs
skuName: Premium_LRS
reclaimPolicy: Delete
allowVolumeExpansion: true
volumeBindingMode: Immediate
mountOptions:
- nconnect=4
- actimeo=30
- noresvport
- rsize=1048576
- wsize=1048576
```
`nconnect=4` opens multiple TCP connections to the share and is the single most useful tuning option
for this workload. `actimeo=30` caches attribute lookups and reduces round trips considerably; if you
see unexpected file consistency behaviour between services, reduce it.
The minimum provisioned size for an Azure Files Premium share is **100 GiB**, which is a billing
floor rather than a capacity recommendation.
```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: v1
kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
metadata:
name: draftable-shared
namespace: draftable
spec:
accessModes: [ReadWriteMany]
storageClassName: azurefile-premium-nfs
resources:
requests:
storage: 100Gi
```
Mount this at `/srv/draftable` in the web, Celery worker, Celery beat and compare pods, and set:
```bash theme={null}
FILE_STORAGE_TYPE=local
DRAFTABLE_API_FILE_STORAGE_ROOT=/srv/draftable/data
```
### 3. Create the storage subdirectories before the compare service starts
The compare service watches `/srv/draftable/config` for licence changes and **fails to start if that
directory does not exist**. A freshly provisioned file share is empty, and nothing creates it for you.
On Docker Compose the directory is present inside the container image, so this problem is unique to a
new network share.
Add an init container to the compare deployment:
```yaml theme={null}
initContainers:
- name: ensure-directories
image: busybox:1.36
command:
- sh
- -c
- mkdir -p /srv/draftable/config /srv/draftable/data /srv/draftable/fonts
volumeMounts:
- name: shared
mountPath: /srv/draftable
```
### 4. Compare service memory
Allow **at least 4 GiB** for the compare service. We observed the container being terminated by the
kernel (`OOMKilled`) with a 2 GiB limit, and once at 3 GiB, while comparing a 120-page PDF. Note that
4 GiB is a headroom recommendation based on those observations — we did not validate it under load.
When the compare service is terminated, every comparison it was processing is lost. Callers see
either a comparison that never completes or an HTTP 500 on their next status request. **This looks
exactly like a storage or network fault**, so check for it first:
```bash theme={null}
kubectl get pod -n draftable -l app=compare \
-o jsonpath='{.items[*].status.containerStatuses[*].lastState}'
```
### 5. Database connection limits
**Set `DB_CONN_MAX_AGE` to `"0"` in your ConfigMap.** With any other value, including the default of
`-1` and bounded values such as `300`, the web service leaves a database connection open after
requests finish and never reuses it. Idle connections build up until the database refuses new ones.
The API returns HTTP 500 and the logs show:
```
FATAL: sorry, too many clients already
```
With `0`, each connection is closed when its request finishes, so the web service only holds
connections for requests in progress. See
[`DB_CONN_MAX_AGE`](/hc/en-us/articles/51141426113049-Draftable-API-Self-Hosted-v3-Docker-Compose-Guide#db_conn_max_age)
in the Docker Compose Guide for details.
On **Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server**, `max_connections` is determined by the SKU you
choose. Per Microsoft's documentation a `B1ms` allows roughly 50 connections, which a busy
deployment can exhaust even with `DB_CONN_MAX_AGE` set to `0`. **Size your database SKU by the number
of requests you expect to handle at once, not only by CPU and memory.**
We did not test on Flexible Server. Verify the connection limit for whichever SKU you select.
To check current usage:
```bash theme={null}
psql -h -U -d draftable \
-c "select state, count(*) from pg_stat_activity
where backend_type='client backend' group by state;"
```
### 6. Converter health probes
This applies to all Kubernetes platforms, but it is worth repeating because it produces a dramatic
failure. The document converter must use **TCP** probes, not HTTP. Its API returns 404 on every
health endpoint, and LibreOffice takes 60 to 90 seconds to initialise, so HTTP probes fail
permanently and the pod restarts hundreds of times.
```yaml theme={null}
readinessProbe:
tcpSocket:
port: 8080
initialDelaySeconds: 90
periodSeconds: 10
failureThreshold: 6
livenessProbe:
tcpSocket:
port: 8080
initialDelaySeconds: 120
periodSeconds: 30
failureThreshold: 3
```
`Office process died with exit code 81` in the converter log during startup is expected and not an
error.
## DNS and TLS
For a publicly reachable hostname without configuring your own DNS, Azure can assign a label to the
load balancer's public IP address, giving you `