System-guided collaborative editing of standardized documents

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a platform, a user selection of a standardized text document for collaborative editing, wherein the standardized text document includes a plurality of predefined variables;

providing, by the platform, a first user interface configured to allow a first party to define one or more acceptable values for each of the plurality of predefined variables and to define one or more modification strings for modifying the standardized text document;

receiving, by the platform, a first party set of values for the standardized text document, wherein the first party set of values comprises:

at least one first party acceptable value for each of the plurality of predefined variables of the standardized text document; and

at least one modification string for modifying text of the standardized text document, wherein the modified text of the standardized text document is not one of the plurality of predefined variables;

providing, by the platform, a second user interface configured to;

display at least a subset of the first party set of values; and

allow a second party to define a second party set of values;

receiving, by the platform, the second party set of values, wherein the second party set of values comprises:

a second party acceptable value for each of the plurality of predefined variables;

an indication of whether the at least one modification string is acceptable;

generating, by the platform, a final set of values for the standardized text document, wherein the final set of values are determined based on the first party set of values and the second party set of values by:

for each of the plurality of predefined variables:

determining a final value based on a match between the second party acceptable value and the at least one first party acceptable value;

selecting the second party acceptable value as the final value if a) the second party acceptable value does not match the at least one first party acceptable value and b) the first party approves the second party acceptable value; or

selecting a new value proposed by the first party as the final value if a) the second party acceptable value does not match the at least one first party acceptable value, b) the first party does not approve the second party acceptable value, and c) the second party accepts the new value proposed by the first party;

if the indication indicates that the at least one modification string is acceptable, including the at least one modification string in the final set of values; and

if the indication indicates that the at least one modification string is not acceptable, requesting and receiving approval from the first party to omit or change the at least one modification string; and

transmitting the final set of values to the first party and the second party.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the platform receives the first party set of values prior to beginning the collaborative editing involving the first party and the second party.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the platform stores the first party set of values for use in a future collaborative editing involving the first party and a third party.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the final set of values parameterize the predefined variables of the standardized text document, thereby forming a final text document.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first party set of values comprises, for a first key term variable, a default acceptable value and a plurality of alternative acceptable values.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the second user interface presents the default acceptable value and an option to accept the default acceptable value as the second party acceptable value.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the second user interface further presents an option to view the plurality of alternative acceptable values and to select one of the plurality of alternative acceptable values as the second party acceptable value.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the second user interface further presents an option to view the plurality of alternative acceptable values and to propose a different value as the second party acceptable value.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first party set of values comprises, for at least one of the predefined variables, a first party ranked list of acceptable values.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first party set of values and a third party set of values defined by a third party are received by the platform prior to beginning another collaborative editing involving the first party and the third party, wherein the method further comprises:

for at least some of the predefined variables, determining a plurality of matches between the first party set of values and the third party set of values; and

selecting a highest-ranked match from the plurality of matches as the final value.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second party set of values further comprises a second modification string for modifying the standardized text document, the method further comprising:

including the second modification string in the final set of values based on receiving approval from the first party to include the second modification string.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the first user interface comprises:

retrieving, by the platform, first party data corresponding to the standardized text document, wherein the first party data comprises a library of modification strings that may be used for modifying the standardized text document; and

configuring the first user interface based on the first party data prior to providing the first user interface.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first party data specifies one or more standard modification strings that are usable by any party and one or more custom modification strings that are usable by the first party.

14 . A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform steps comprising:

receiving a user selection of a standardized text document for collaborative editing, wherein the standardized text document includes a plurality of predefined variables;

providing a first user interface configured to allow a first party to define one or more acceptable values for each of the plurality of predefined variables and to define one or more modification strings for modifying the standardized text document;

receiving a first party set of values for the standardized text document, wherein the first party set of values comprises:

at least one first party acceptable value for each of the plurality of predefined variables of the standardized text document; and

at least one modification string for modifying text of the standardized text document, wherein the modified text of the standardized text document is not one of the plurality of predefined variables;

providing a second user interface configured to:

display at least a subset of the first party set of values; and

allow a second party to define a second party set of values;

receiving the second party set of values, wherein the second party set of values comprises:

a second party acceptable value for each of the plurality of predefined variables;

an indication of whether the at least one modification string is acceptable;

generating a final set of values for the standardized text document, wherein the final set of values are determined based on the first party set of values and the second party set of values by:

for each of the plurality of predefined variables:

determining a final value based on a match between the second party acceptable value and the at least one first party acceptable value;

selecting the second party acceptable value as the final value if a) the second party acceptable value does not match the at least one first party acceptable value and b) the first party approves the second party acceptable value; or

selecting a new value proposed by the first party as the final value if a) the second party acceptable value does not match the at least one first party acceptable value, b) the first party does not approve the second party acceptable value, and c) the second party accepts the new value proposed by the first party;

if the indication indicates that the at least one modification string is acceptable, including the at least one modification string in the final set of values; and

if the indication indicates that the at least one modification string is not acceptable, requesting and receiving approval from the first party to omit or change the at least one modification string; and

transmitting the final set of values to the first party and the second party.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the system receives the first party set of values prior to beginning the collaborative editing involving the first party and the second party.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the system stores the first party set of values for use in a future collaborative editing involving the first party and a third party.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the final set of values parameterize the predefined variables of the standardized text document, thereby forming a final text document.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first party set of values comprises, for a first key term variable, a default acceptable value and a plurality of alternative acceptable values.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the second user interface presents the default acceptable value and an option to accept the default acceptable value as the second party acceptable value.

20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first party set of values and a third party set of values defined by a third party are received by the system prior to beginning another collaborative editing involving the first party and the third party, wherein the steps further comprise:

for at least some of the predefined variables, determining a plurality of matches between the first party set of values and the third party set of values; and

selecting a highest-ranked match from the plurality of matches as the final value.