Overview
Express Contract allows your team to send a contract form to external parties — clients, vendors, or partners via email or SMS. The recipient fills in the required details through a secure link without needing a Legistify login or account. This simplifies contract initiation when the external party needs to provide key contract information before the agreement is finalised.
How to Initiate an Express Contract
Step 1: Select Express Contract
Click New from the left-hand navigation bar. From the options shown, select Express Contract. This option requires the relevant permission to be enabled for your role.
Step 2: Select a Contract Type
Choose the appropriate contract template from the Select Contract Type dropdown. You can also filter by Entry Type, Entity, Region, and Department on the right-hand side to narrow down the available templates.
Step 3: Fill in Contract Details
Once you select a template, the contract creation form opens. Fill in the following:
Contract Details
Contract Name — enter a name for the contract
Expires On — set the expiry date for the contract
Require Authentication — set to Yes if you want OTP verification when the external party opens the link. Set to No to allow open access.
Reminders — configure whether and how often to send reminders to the external party
Invite External Party
Full Name — the name of the external party (optional)
Email Address — the email to send the contract form link (required)
Phone Number — phone number for SMS delivery (optional)
Stamp Details
Configure stamp paper details if required for the contract.
Add Signatories
Add one or more signatories with their name, email, phone number, stamp/seal details, and sign type (e.g. Virtual Sign). Click Add Signatory to include additional signatories, or Mailing List to add a broader notification list. Use the Signing Order checkbox if signatories need to sign in a specific sequence.
Step 4: Submit
Click Submit to send the contract form link to the external party. The contract will appear in the Repository under the Express tab with a status of Pending until the external party responds.
What the External Party Sees
The external party receives an email or SMS with a secure link. If OTP authentication is enabled, they verify their identity before accessing the form. They fill in the required contract details and submit. No login or Legistify account is required.
After the External Party Submits
Once the external party submits their details:
The contract status moves from Pending to Requested
If an approval workflow is configured on the template, it is triggered automatically
If signatories were pre-configured, the contract proceeds to e-signing automatically
The contract is accessible in the Repository under the Express tab
Conclusion
Express Contract removes the friction of bringing external parties into the contract process. Instead of coordinating offline or waiting for external parties to log in, you send them a form link and they fill in only what is needed. The approval and signing flows then proceed automatically, keeping the process structured and trackable from start to finish.