Harvey for Word: Playbooks Guide

Learn how to apply playbooks to review contracts directly in Word using Harvey.

Last updated: Oct 8, 2025

Overview

Note before you begin:

Playbooks require Harvey for Word. If you haven't set this up yet, follow the steps in Harvey for Word: How to Download and Install.
Playbooks are uploaded and maintained within your workspace by designated Playbook managers. Read Harvey for Word: Managing Playbooks for more details.

Playbooks in Harvey streamline contract review in Word by automatically applying your company’s established positions on documents. Each playbook defines what is acceptable, what needs review, and what is unacceptable based on your company’s standards.

What Happens When You Use a Playbook

When you upload a contract and run a playbook review, Harvey reviews each clause against the rules in the playbook. For every rule, you’ll see one of three possible outcomes:

Result	What it Means
Needs review	The clause doesn’t match the standard position, but aligns with a fallback (an acceptable alternative). A lawyer should review before approving.
Not acceptable	A red flag or dealbreaker was found or the contract does not conform to any standard or fallback positions. These rules must be addressed or reconciled to conform to the playbook.
Acceptable	The clause matches your organization’s standard position. No action needed.

How to Run a Playbook

Follow the steps below to begin reviewing a contract against a playbook.

Open a contract in Harvey for Word and choose Run playbook.
Find the playbook you would like to apply under Choose playbook and click Run.
After the Playbook processes you will be presented with a summary to review and apply suggestions or export.

How to Review Suggestions

Check the flag type.
1. Needs review: Read the clause carefully. It may be acceptable depending on context, but requires your judgment.
2. Unacceptable: Treat as a dealbreaker. These require negotiation or revision.
3. Acceptable: Contract meets playbook rule standards.
Review guidance. Some playbook rules include applicable guidance written by the playbook creator. Use these to inform your revisions or strategy.
Redline Appropriately.
1. Click on a rule within each review category to:
  1. Review the generated explanation for the review result.
  2. Review the suggested edits to conform the clause to your Standard position or any applicable Fallback positions.
  3. Apply your preferred edit as it relates to your Standard position or Fallback positions as redlines to your document.
  4. If desired, include a justification comment bubble to your redline. Harvey will generate a comment with an explanation of the revisions, which you can then further edit if desired.
2. Mark suggestions as reviewed to denote which clauses have been reviewed. Once ‘Reviewed’ they will appear in the Reviewed tab of your playbooks view.