Contracts
Upload a Word template and the AI finds every field in it. This page covers the template side of the workflow: uploading a DOCX, letting the AI analyze it, reviewing the detected fields, and activating it so you can create contracts from it.
On this page
How it works
The contract workflow has two phases. This page covers the first; the linked pages cover the rest.
- Template setup — upload a DOCX file, let the AI detect fields, review, and activate. (This page.)
- Contract creation and filling — create a contract from your template, fill in the blanks, preview, finalize, and download. See Creating and filling contracts.
To let clients or partners fill in contracts themselves, see Sharing contracts with external parties.
Setting up a Contract Assistant
- On the dashboard, click Add Assistant and select Contract Assistant.
- Choose a template or start from scratch.
- The assistant is created with two dedicated sections in the sidebar: Templates and Contracts.
Uploading a template
- Go to the Templates page from the sidebar.
- Click Upload Template.
- Select a
.docxfile (up to 50 MB). - The template uploads and enters the Analyzing state.
AI analysis
During analysis, the AI reads the entire document and detects:
- A recommended name for the template.
- The template type (NDA, Employment Agreement, Service Contract, etc.).
- All fillable fields, including fields already filled with sample values.
- Each field's details: label, type, whether it's required, and a default value.
The AI can detect fields even in pre-filled documents. It picks up names, dates, amounts, addresses, and any other variable data that should become template fields.
Field types and validation
Each detected field has a type that controls validation and input behavior:
| Type | What it's for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Names, descriptions, free-form content | Client name, project title |
| Title | Headings and section titles | Agreement heading |
| Date | Dates and deadlines | Start date, expiration date |
| Number | Amounts, percentages, and quantities | Contract value, payment amount |
| Currency | Monetary amounts (shown with a currency prefix) | Monthly fee, total price |
| Email addresses | Contact email | |
| Phone | Phone numbers | Contact phone |
| Tax number | Company tax and registration IDs | VAT number, company registration |
| Select | One choice from a predefined list | Payment terms, contract type |
Each field also has a label, whether it's required, and a default value if applicable.
Field validation rules
Each field can have validation rules that ensure data quality when contracts are filled in:
- Text fields: minimum and maximum length, regex pattern.
- Number and Currency fields: minimum and maximum value.
- Select fields: predefined list of allowed options.
- Email and Phone: automatically validated with standard patterns.
The AI detects sensible default rules during template analysis. Review and adjust them in the template field editor after activation. Invalid values show inline error messages immediately.
Reviewing and activating a template
Once analysis completes, the template moves to Draft status. Click the template to see:
- The recommended name and the original file name.
- The template type.
- The number of detected fields.
- A list of all fields with their labels, types, and default values.
Review the fields to make sure the AI detected everything correctly. When you're satisfied, click Activate.
During activation, the original document is processed to replace detected values with placeholder tags. A tagged version is created and stored, and the template content is indexed for search. The status then becomes Active.
Template statuses
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Analyzing | The AI is reading your document and finding fields. |
| Draft | Analysis done. Review the fields before activating. |
| Active | Ready to use. You can create contracts from this template. |
| Archived | No longer available for new contracts. |
Embedding the public form
Once a template is active and set to public, you can embed its fill-in form directly on your own website with an iframe. Visitors fill in and submit a new contract without leaving your page. The Share dialog gives you a ready-to-copy embed snippet — it looks like this:
<iframe src="https://app.echoaichat.com/fill/YOUR_PUBLIC_TOKEN" width="100%" height="700" style="border:none;" />To turn on public access, generate the public link, and protect it with a password, see Sharing contracts with external parties.
Tips
- Review AI-detected fields carefully. The AI is good at finding fields, but you may want to adjust labels or types.
- Use default values for fields that rarely change (like your company name or address).
- Test with a sample contract before using templates in production.
- Keep templates organized with clear names so your team can find the right one quickly.
Next steps
- Creating and filling contracts — create a contract from your template and fill it in from the dashboard or via chat.
- Sharing contracts with external parties — public links, password gates, and the external filler experience.