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Contract Risk Scanner

Extracts every deadline, obligation, and red flag from contracts into a tracker sheet.

Saves about ~3 hrs per week

What it does

  • Watches a contracts folder for new PDFs
  • Extracts commitments: deadlines, obligations, renewal windows
  • Flags red-flag language with page references
  • Builds a rolling tracker sheet of every active contract

How it works

  1. Contract PDF lands in the watch folder
  2. AI extracts dates and obligations
  3. Red flags flagged with references
  4. Tracker sheet updated with the summary

What's included

  • Contract parsing
  • Obligation extraction
  • Tracker sheet

Set it up yourself

Follow these 4 steps in order. You will need accounts for: Gmail, Sheets.

Step 1: Create the contracts folder

  1. Create a Drive folder 'Contracts Inbox' where signed or inbound contracts are dropped.
  2. Add a matching Gmail label if contracts arrive by email (e.g. filter on 'contract', 'SOW', 'agreement').
  3. Make sure the workflow watches the folder/label as the trigger.
  4. Name contracts with the counter-party if you can.
  5. Test dropping a dummy contract triggers the flow.

Watch out: Keep this folder separate from 'Contracts Archive' — one is input, one is processed output, and the trigger should only watch input.

Step 2: Add the extraction prompt

  1. Build: 'Read this contract. Extract JSON: {parties, effectiveDate, termEnd, autoRenew, paymentObligations[], deliverables[], deadlines[{date, item}], terminationNoticeDays, unusualClauses[]{section, text, risk}}.'
  2. Include a 'risk' flag for: auto-renewal without notice, one-sided liability caps, silent price escalation, vague SOW.
  3. Ask for page/section references on every flagged item.
  4. Paste with API key.
  5. Test on one of your own past contracts and verify accuracy against a human read.

Watch out: Verify against a real contract first — the tracker is only useful if its recalls are near letter-perfect, and a human check will show you where the model drifts.

Step 3: Build the tracker columns

  1. Tracker sheet columns: Party, Effective Date, Term End, Auto-Renew?, Notice Days, Key Deadlines, Red Flags (summary), Status, Doc Link.
  2. Have the workflow create one row per contract and link the original PDF.
  3. Auto-create calendar reminders for termEnd minus noticeDays.
  4. Test the row creation with the parse output.
  5. Keep a 'Raw' tab of the full AI extraction for reference.

Watch out: The calendar reminder (termEnd - noticeDays) is what makes the tracker pay for itself — a contract you can't cancel on time is a contract that owns you.

Step 4: Schedule the scan

  1. Run the flow on file creation (real-time) or a 15-min poll.
  2. Add a monthly summary: contracts expiring in 90 days, red-flag count, unpaid obligations due.
  3. Cross-check the red-flag count with legally-aware eyes.
  4. Review updates quarterly.
  5. Never rely on this as legal advice — keep that disclaimer on the page.

Watch out: The monthly 'expiring in 90 days' digest is your renewal calendar — without it you discover terms you couldn't cancel once it's too late.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Contract Risk Scanner automation do?

Extracts every deadline, obligation, and red flag from contracts into a tracker sheet. Watches a contracts folder for new PDFs

How much time does Contract Risk Scanner save?

It is estimated to save ~3 hrs per week. Actual savings depend on your volume.

Which tools does Contract Risk Scanner use?

It works with Gmail and Sheets.

What does Contract Risk Scanner include?

Contract parsing, Obligation extraction, Tracker sheet.

Can I set up Contract Risk Scanner myself?

Yes. The do-it-yourself guide on this page walks through 4 steps, from getting access to testing the finished automation.