Why We Don’t Force You to Use a Template for Fair Terms

Standardization was supposed to make contracting easier.
But for many teams, "standard" has started to mean "stuck."

Across the industry, template-driven contracting tools like Bond Terms and 1NDA promise to simplify the way companies sign deals. While these efforts have value, they share one common limitation:
They require everyone to play by the same template.

At TermScout, we believe there is a better way.
You should not have to change your paper to someone else's to prove your contract is fair.
That is why TermScout Certify™ works on your agreement, not ours.

The Problem with Forced Templates

Templates were designed to reduce friction and create consistency.
In practice, they create a different kind of friction: inflexibility.

Every organization has its own risk posture, policies, and customer commitments. Replacing that nuance with a one-size-fits-all document can make contracts look efficient on the surface but disconnected from business reality.

This disconnect shows up in three key ways:

• Lost Context: Your internal policies or customer promises may not fit inside a standard form.

• Resistance from Counterparties: Buyers and vendors hesitate to accept unfamiliar templates that do not reflect their own norms.

• Compliance Challenges: Forced formats can create risk when new data privacy or AI regulations evolve faster than static documents.

For SaaS vendors, enterprise buyers, and legal teams, this rigidity slows deals down instead of speeding them up.

The TermScout Difference: Certify Works on Your Paper

At TermScout, we do not believe fairness should depend on someone else’s form.
TermScout's Certify™ process evaluates your existing contract, clause by clause, benchmarking each term against thousands of market agreements to assess fairness, transparency, and trust.

This means your team keeps its templates and workflows while gaining the credibility and confidence that come with independent certification.

How it works:

1. Upload Your NDA or Agreement to TermScout.

2. We Benchmark It against 40,000+ contracts to see how your terms compare to market standards.

3. You Get Certified with a fairness rating and Certify™ badge that signals trust to counterparties.

You get market validation without forced conformity.
That means faster deals, fewer redlines, and stronger relationships.

Why This Matters Now

Many vendors are resisting industry-wide templates, and with good reason.
Flexibility is not just convenient, it is a competitive advantage.

In a world where technology evolves faster than boilerplate, Certify™ gives you freedom to adapt your terms while maintaining trust and credibility.
It combines speed and flexibility with fairness and accountability.

This is why leaders like David T. advocate for this approach. It respects both legal nuance and business agility, something no static template can deliver.

Certified NDAs: Proof in Practice

Our Certified NDA program illustrates how this works in real life.
Instead of forcing everyone to use the same form, TermScout allows you to certify your own NDA and confirm that it meets market fairness standards.

Buyers instantly know they are signing a balanced agreement. Vendors gain trust and speed without rewriting their legal foundation.
This is contracting alignment built on transparency, not templates.

Learn more about Certified NDAs and how your agreement can benchmark against market standards.

Why Choose Flexibility Over Uniformity

Forced templates can be helpful when you are starting out, but they limit progress once your business matures.
Independent certification offers freedom backed by proof.

With TermScout Certify™, you can:

• Keep your own contract templates

• Validate fairness using independent data

• Build trust with customers and partners

• Eliminate unnecessary negotiation cycles

This is not about changing your terms. It is about proving they are fair.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How is TermScout different from Bond Terms or 1NDA?

Bond Terms and 1NDA use fixed templates. TermScout’s Certify™ process works on your contract, validating fairness without forcing you to change your paper.

2. Can I certify my existing NDA or SaaS contract?

Yes. Upload your agreement to TermScout Certify™ and we will benchmark it against thousands of market contracts to assess fairness and transparency.

3. What does contract certification mean?

Contract certification is the process of independently verifying that your agreement aligns with market standards for fairness and balance. Certified contracts build trust faster.

4. Why do vendors prefer flexibility over templates?

Vendors prefer flexibility because it allows them to maintain unique risk profiles and compliance requirements while still achieving speed and trust in negotiations.

5. How do Certified NDAs improve deal velocity?

Certified NDAs reduce negotiation time by proving that your terms are balanced from the start. This helps both parties sign with confidence and move forward faster.

Lead with Trust and Win with Flexibility

At TermScout, we are building a future where trust is earned through data, certification, and clarity, not conformity.

Olga Mack

CEO

Olga is a distinguished legal innovator, executive, and thought leader specializing in the intersection of law, technology, and digital transformation. Currently serving as the CEO of TermScout.