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Summarize the changes in a contract redline
Paste two versions or a tracked-changes file. River lists every change by section, ordered by consequence, with who it favors and a suggested response.
River compares two versions of a contract, or reads a tracked-changes file, and writes a summary of every change. Each change is listed by section with the old and new wording, what it does in practice, which side it favors, and a suggested response. The summary is ordered by consequence, so business terms and risk allocation come before tidy-ups, and it is short enough to send to a client or a deal team.
The changes that matter most are often the quiet ones: a number that moved, a defined term that was narrowed, a cross-reference that now points somewhere else, or wording changed without tracking. River compares the full text, not only the marked changes, and calls out anything that was changed but not shown.
This is for lawyers, contract managers and founders who receive a markup and need to know quickly what changed and what to push back on. For negotiations running over several rounds, keep each version so the history is clear.
Reading a redline well
Never rely only on the tracked changes. Comparison software and tracking can miss edits made with tracking off, changes to defined terms that ripple through the document, and renumbering that breaks cross-references. A full-text comparison against your last version is the only reliable check.
Sort changes by what they do rather than where they appear. Changes to price, payment, term, liability, indemnity and termination move risk and money and deserve a response each. Changes to wording that do not change meaning can be accepted in a batch. A summary that treats every edit equally hides the five that matter.
For each material change, decide one of three responses: accept, reject with a short reason, or counter with specific wording. Writing the reason down helps keep positions consistent from round to round, especially when the same point comes back later in a different clause.
How it works
Add both versions
Paste or attach the two versions, or one file with tracked changes.
River compares them
The full text is compared, not just the tracked edits, including definitions and numbers.
Get the summary
A memo of every change ordered by consequence, with who it favors and a response.
Follow up in chat
Ask for a response markup or an issues list to send back.
What you get
- Every change listed by section, with the old and new wording side by side
- Changes ordered by consequence: business terms, risk allocation, then drafting
- Who each change favors and a suggested response: accept, reject or counter
- Untracked edits, moved numbers, changed definitions and broken cross-references called out
- A short summary at the top you can send to a client or deal team
Common questions
Can it read Word track changes?
Yes, attach the file. River also compares against your earlier version if you provide it, because edits made with tracking off do not show up as changes. If you only have the tracked file, River summarizes the tracked changes and says that untracked edits could not be checked.
What if the versions are very different?
If the other side replaced your draft with their own paper, a line-by-line comparison is less useful. River will say so and instead compare the two documents by topic: what each says on price, liability, termination and so on, and which positions moved.
Does it tell me which changes to accept?
It suggests a response for each material change and explains why, from your side if you say which side you are on. The decision is yours or your lawyer's; some changes depend on commercial priorities only you know.
Is it safe to share the summary with the other side?
The summary is written for your side and includes suggested responses and reasoning, so treat it as internal. Ask River for a separate issues list or response email if you want something to send across.
Does this replace a lawyer's review?
No. It makes the changes visible and suggests responses, but whether a change is acceptable depends on the deal and the law that applies. Material changes to liability, indemnity, IP or dispute terms are worth a lawyer's look.
Summarize the changes in a contract redline
Describe what you need, add any files you have, and your workspace opens with the work already underway.