The best software to blackline and redline contracts

Blackline vs. redline. NTD. Turns. Redline meaning. Bust. You’ve just been invited to a contract negotiation. You feel confident, prepared, and ready. With your metaphorical red pen in hand, you feel sure that nothing will hold you back from making all the edits and suggestions necessary to improve this draft.

Nothing, that is, but these weird phrases lurking in the margins of your contract collaboration software.

NTD? Turns? Redlines? Bust? What do all of these terms mean, and why are they being used here?

More importantly, how can you make sure you’re using these terms correctly, so you come across as the competent, capable professional that you know you are when you start redlining the contract?

Not everyone who works with contracts has a law degree and has gone through the process of negotiated contracts in the real world. Whether you work as in-house counsel, running sales, or managing procurement, understanding and using the correct terminology during a negotiation is an unwritten, but critical, part of your job description. It’s better to learn this sooner rather than later so you can master communication among the various parties involved with contract negotiation.


Being able to communicate effectively during all aspects of contract negotiations, from beginning to end, will help them run smoother. It will also make it more likely that you get what you want out of the negotiation process.

When it comes to negotiations, using the correct terminology matters. This is as true in writing the original contract as it is in creating notes and recommendations for revisions (or, like those in the industry might say, redlines and versions). Accidentally using the wrong term in your messages can confuse everyone and end up causing important negotiations to take longer than necessary or, worse, not go your way at all.


You might have thought you know everything there is to know about the English language when you first started at your job. But taking one stab at contract negotiations will be enough to make you wonder if you’ve been speaking English at all.

It’s easy to get bogged down by the new terms you suddenly face in a contract, especially when you’re not confident about the lingo of contract negotiations. You might decide that you’re unequipped to be part of the conversation, or you may overcompensate by overusing several of the terms without fully understanding what they mean or how they should be used.


Here’s a simple solution for you. Stop being afraid of contract lingo. Instead of stressing, take the time to learn what these terms mean.

The key to understanding new terminology without appearing unprofessional or illequipped to perform the task at hand is to know where to find information on contract negotiation lingo.


So, how can you make sure you’re using the right terminology without sounding like a complete newbie when you’re in the middle of a significant contract negotiation? By relying on our handy contract negotiation cheat sheet.