12 best contract management software in 2022
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms have transformed and modernized the process of contract layout and storage, having created today’s contract management industry.
Systems that provide seamless integration are lauded for helping companies stay compliant while increasing close rates by 40% or more.
However, in the booming contract management SaaS world, it might get perplexing to choose the right contract management software, one that will boost your close rate and save your team time.
To add more tension to the already existing dilemma — not all software is easy to use right out of the box or possible to integrate with current workflows.
To help you find the best contract management solutions, we evaluated over four dozen providers based on their key features, automation, customization, workflow, security, compliance measures, templates, pricing plans, and popular integrations.
12 best contract management software in 2021
What is contract management software?
Contract management software is a tool that unifies all parties, contracts, and versions participating in contract negotiation and contract creation.
A contract management solution is a trusted medium that allows all parties to see changes and track contract timelines, from inception to signing.
The best contract lifecycle management system mirrors providing detailed reporting and analytics, a wealth of ongoing management and workflow automation features, and intelligent notifications.
Many software solutions included in this review roundup offer all or some of these characteristics.
Contract management software options range in complexity, depending on an organization’s needs.
While some platforms can be completely customized and can feature broader applicability, others are based on simplicity, servicing a small number of selected contract management use cases and business verticals.
In its base, contract management software should center on four essential functions:
- Document management: reliable contracts storage
- Key provisions that must be tracked in an organized workflow
- Well-established, intuitive system that enables finding a contract based upon specific criteria
- Understandable or reportable information contained within or implicated by the contracts
These core functionalities and different contract management solution alternatives are usually what separates contract management systems from one another.
How we got our data
To cover all relevant data sources and information from independent publications, we went over 25 different websites. Our main goal was to find unbiased data, free from sponsorship or promotion.
The websites we included in our content analysis include specialized SaaS review websites, user review platforms, as well as the websites of the mentioned SaaS tools.
To further make sure that the websites are trustworthy and independent, we grouped them into five cohorts based on visits (which were used as an indicator of websites’ relevance and expertise):
- >500.000 visits;
- 250.000 – 500.000 visits;
- 100.000 – 250.000 visits;
- 50.000 – 100.000 visits;
- <50.000 visits
The websites in the first group were considered higher in relevance and reliability scores – therefore, the information sourced from these publications was assigned priority. The websites that were further down the list required additional checks and confirmation through other sources.
Some examples of the sources we considered relevant include:
- Unbiased review of contract management software by Investopedia
- Contract management comparison by PCMag
- Analysis of contract management software by TrustRaidus
- DealHub reviews from Getapp
- Concord reviews from Capterra
As for the websites of the mentioned tools, they were only consulted to confirm factual data about the tools. This includes data like pricing plans, additional features, free trial details, etc. Their own impressions and claims of these tools weren’t represented in the analysis.
Other sources include statistics and tech articles that cover contract management in a broader sense.
1. PandaDoc
PandaDoc is a complete digital document and contract management solution designed to automate your contract management process. PandaDoc allows you to customize, negotiate, and eSign complex contracts.
The software includes built-in eSignatures and plenty of integrations, such as contract templates, in-document commenting, redlining, and a content library that prevents costly errors and client disappointment.
“PandaDoc has empowered sales teams to improve deal workflow, insights, and speed while delivering an amazing buying experience. The software is ideal for anyone that needs to send multiple contracts within a single deal. The software automatically transfers customer metadata from an existing document to a new one.”
PandaDoc is a multi-function contract lifecycle management software that offers a variety of options essential for smooth contractworks.
In addition to contract creation, PandaDoc offers contract renewals as well. This is thanks to its built-in renewal notification emails designed to alert you when it’s time to revisit and renew the original contract.
PandaDoc will help with document management, too. In cases where the signed contract needs ironing before both parties sign, PandaDoc makes it easy for users to leave comments throughout the contract and utilize the general chat feature.
This automation facilitates seamless collaboration between teams and helps organize and track the changes made easily.
The software also comes with customizable user-role management and approval processes. Different employees require different levels of user access, so PandaDoc lets you modify these accordingly.
PandaDoc seems designed to alleviate pressure and improve time management and workflow by offering preapproved clauses and the option to customize new contracts.
In addition, PandaDoc includes a template library as well. Sales teams that utilize PandaDoc’s software typically see a 65% decrease in the amount of time spent on document creation.
PandaDoc’s eSignature integration lets you request legally binding electronic signatures within minutes. And, immediately after all signatures have been collected, the software lets you collect payments.
With PandaDoc automation in place, you’ll obtain detailed insights about all your contracts, expenditures, and revenue over time.
In addition, you’ll receive upcoming activities and alerts. With the CRM integration allowing you to easily pull customer data from your CRM into a new contract, you’ll have no manual data entry required.
Price range: The cost ranges from $9 for individuals up to $49 for businesses.
Why choose PandaDoc: It’s an all-in-one solution for secure collaboration, management, and contract tracking. It’s a complete contract lifecycle management solution that makes it easy to handle contract creation at scale and for internal teams to manage contracts from contract automation, contract drafting, and contract approval (before they’re delivered to clients) to signature and payment. Its contract management platform flexibility means that it can support almost any business process that requires document management and electronic signatures.
Main advantage on G2: The ability to upload nearly any type of contract documents, from Word to PDF. Users also appreciate that it’s user-friendly for both internal and external parties and acts as a contract repository for teams.
Main complaint on G2: Users suggest a mild learning curve due to the full range of features that PandaDoc provides.
Number of integrations: Countless, including 15 CRMs, accounting programs, and payment services.
Support: Full support via phone, email, and online chat at any time of day.
2. ContractWorks CLM Software
ContractWorks offers industry-leading security, transparent pricing, and custom reporting automation.
With ContractWorks document tagging, including their artificial intelligence (AI) quick start tagging system, it’s easy to locate contracts and track action. This software prioritizes security and offers several backup options.
ContractWorks restores contract visibility, encouraging you to stay organized, reduce costs, and minimize risk.
You can store all your documents in one central location with multi-user access that eliminates bottlenecks and confusion.
Thanks to its impeccable automation, the software will automatically identify and tag each document using a set of pre-determined criteria.
ContractWorks enables quick access to key contract details using intuitive reminders that have enviable functionality and help you stay ahead of your obligations and never miss another renewal, upcoming milestone, or deadline.
In addition, ContractWorks gives you the power to create detailed reports and take control of your contracts.
With its intuitive base, you can drag and drop files to store them in one searchable, scalable, secure contract repository with controlled access and permission-based user roles.
Whether on a new contract or a renewal, the software allows users to highlight specific sections of a contract for emphasis or so that everyone is on the same page.
The software uses 256-bit encryption technology to store and share documents safely. Easy image and PDF conversion into searchable text data are enabled, too.
Price range: $600 to $800 a month for unlimited enterprise users.
Why choose ContractWorks: Provides smooth data migration and a transparent pricing model.
Main advantage on G2Crowd: Users find that this software makes it easy to run reports.
Main complaint on G2Crowd: Larger organizations with multiple reviewers face problems because revisions aren’t possible. Instead, they need to restart the entire process.
Number of integrations: Although ContractWorks doesn’t mention integrations, you can connect with Salesforce for a one-time fee of $500.
Support: Customer support is available during business hours.
3. Ironclad
Ironclad is a contract management software solution that helps legal departments automate workflows, generate reports, and process contracts efficiently.
Its drag-and-drop user interface makes it easy for all stakeholders to use, even without technical knowledge.
With its public API and seamless integrations, Ironclad is the only CLM that tackles the complexity of clause-level collaboration and negotiation, allowing its users to minimize risk while fast-tracking approvals.
Ironclad offers various approval workflows, including signature and approval conditionality, regardless of the agreement types.
You can store all your contracts in a central location with an intuitive search capability, including a structured and full-text search of the entire contract database.
The software lets you automate the contract creation process with no coding required; it comes with built-in editing, redlining, and auditing capabilities that make your workflow seamless and enjoyable.
Thanks to its built-in document editor, users can tag colleagues and accept or reject contract modifications and preview and edit documents without leaving the platform.
Ironclad promises not to disrupt your ongoing processes; instead, it only builds on them with added automation and function.
With this contract management system, you can rest assured that your contracts will be stored in the folders and databases you’re already using.
Ironclad guarantees your data will be safely stored, processed, and transferred, thanks to its SOC 2, Type II policies.
And the software comes with powerful API integrations, including Salesforce, Google Drive, Dropbox, and eSignature providers like PandaDoc.
Price range: No pricing information on their website.
Why choose Ironclad: Companies choose Ironclad to automate repetitive, manual, black-box contracts with the only CLM software built for in-house legal teams.
Main advantage on G2: Primary advantage of using Ironclad is that it balances speed and compliance by allowing business users to launch contracts on their own, within guardrails. It is also streamlined and effective requiring less time for contract language reviews usually done by lawyers.
Main complaint on G2: Those without a legal background, such as a human resources team, may face issues understanding workflow functions.
Number of integrations: Although Ironclad provides a public API, it only offers one CRM integration.
Support: 24-hour support via a live representative.
4. DealHub
Featuring native integration with Salesforce, DealHub.io helps organizations create and send contracts quickly and effortlessly.
Its easy-to-use interface works for staff with various levels of tech training, ensuring that everyone on your team feels comfortable using the software. Also, administrators can preapprove templates to ensure accuracy.
Deal Hub.io makes contract creation a breeze, allowing users to generate new contracts, quotes, and other business documents from directly within the DealHub.io platform.
Moreover, the software supports collaboration among team members with easy document-sharing features.
You can use Deal Hub.io software to configure criteria for faster approval workflows; by using the CLM software, you have the option to collaborate with your customers over a contract to streamline the entire revision process.
The software automatically integrates with your CRM to transfer existing data onto contracts while capturing all views and edits of a contract. In addition, it lets you know who the document has been shared with.
Once you’re finished with a contract, you can easily store it in a central storage location for easy access and retrieval. Everyone can add electronic signatures to the document, and the information is automatically stored in your CRM.
Price range: No pricing information on their website.
Why choose DealHub.io: Automate proposal and contract process without leaving Salesforce.
Main advantage on G2: Users appreciate the content library and document analytics.
Main complaint on G2: Some users have reported having trouble when configuring and using the deal room.
Number of integrations: This software only features three integrations on their website: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and Freshworks.
Support: Available online with a live representative 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
5. Concord
Concord is a software solution that makes compliance and negotiation simple with its contract management software.
Concord comes with pre-approved templates for faster contract creation, with the version-control feature ensuring that all users receive up-to-date versions of the document.
It offers the ability to track changes and hold discussions with stakeholders and other reviewers inside the platform. In addition, users can see the status of all contracts to speed up the buying cycle.
The automated approval feature guarantees less time spent waiting by relying on automated contracts sending through the proper approval channels.
The online negotiations and redlining feature allow for commenting, redlining, and editing directly within the document, significantly speeding up the sales cycle.
The customers have the option to edit, review, and electronically sign the contract at no additional cost. Concord supports a Salesforce integration and automates the post-signatures execution in your CRM.
Moreover, you can use Concord to build real-time custom reports and data drawn from existing contracts. This allows you to identify opportunities to upsell your current customers.
The software comes with a built-in eSignature solution to minimize the duration of the end-to-end CLM process and eliminate the need for on-premise agreement signing.
Price range: Prices range from $100 to $195 per creator per month plus $50 to $95 per collaborator per month.
Why choose Concord: Users who need to create an audit trail might want to choose Concord.
Main advantage on G2: Current users appreciate how the tagging system automatically gives departments access to specific documents.
Main complaint on G2: The app appears to be more suited to professionals working in legal or operations. It may not be ideal for those in sales and marketing.
Number of integrations: Concord only offers one CRM integration compared to which provides 15 integrations.
Support: Online, during business hours.
6. Icertis
Icertis Contract Management provides contract templates and clause libraries to users, helping speed up the processes of contract application using its cloud computing and storage system and an unmatched technology and category-defining innovation.
Icertis pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with contract lifecycle management (CLM).
The software also helps global companies ensure compliance with regulations like Europe’s GDPR. This highly functional tool for enterprises delivers a remarkable amount of information while preserving your contracts.
Icertis has built-in capabilities to model any contractual relationship; the software offers an intuitive and role-based experience for all users.
Featuring enterprise-grade administration standards, Icertis guarantees your most highly sensitive contract will remain safe.
The flexible rule-based contract generating Icertis features make it easy to create, collaborate on, and execute a new contract. The solution also provides commercial risk, governance, and compliance tools.
Icertis provides detailed, AI-operated reports and insights, driven by VisualizeAI, DiscoverAI, and NegotiateAI. It’s built on Microsoft Azure, making it integration-friendly and highly scalable to different kinds of SaaS cloud architecture.
By configuring and connecting the critical contract information that specifies how an organization runs, the analyst-validated Icertis Contract Intelligence (ICI) platform turns contracts from static documents into a strategic advantage.
Price range: No pricing information on their website.
Why choose Icertis: Even complicated integrations are accessible with the open Icertis API platform.
Main advantage on G2: Customers appreciate being able to access and manage all their contracts in one place.
Main complaint on G2: Administrators find it challenging to learn how to use the system to their advantage.
Number of integrations: While exact numbers of integrations aren’t given, the API framework allows tech teams to connect with any number of programs.
Support: Icertis doesn’t offer 24/7 support. Instead, you can only contact them online during business hours.
7. Conga
Conga Contracts (formerly Apttus) is a hybrid contract lifecycle management (CLM) solution helping organizations generate, track, maintain and report on different business contracts – all in one spot.
Conga offers pay-as-you-grow or end-to-end enterprise options.
The solution can be hosted in the cloud or deployed on-premise. It offers various tools for contract management, including Conga Collaborate, Conga Sign, Conga Composer, and Conga CPQ.
When you sign up for Conga, the software allows you to create a clause library filled with preapproved clause bundles.
This software procurement makes it easy to create strong, legally binding contracts quickly. In addition, you can collaborate with your team to quickly streamline, edit and review contracts with no additional training required.
All users can redline and comment on a document, thanks to the interactive online interface. Moreover, Conga allows users to automate every approval process and speed up the contract lifecycle.
With automatic updates of this contract management tool, you’ll be able to stay on top of all deadlines and contract renewals.
The software’s audio track allows you to follow all views and edits made to the document to ensure the contract retains its integrity at all times.
Conga provides enterprise-grade controls to speed up processes, eliminate risk, and minimize your costs. The software supports multiple third-party integrations, including CRMs, supply chain management systems, and cloud storage solutions.
Price range: Conga Collaborate pricing starts at $50 per user per month.
Why choose Conga Contract Management: AI insights and simple step-by-step wizards make this software easy to use.
Main advantage on G2: Users like having all their contacts in one convenient location.
Main complaint on G2: Switching to this software can pose some technical problems and is time-consuming.
Number of integrations: Conga doesn’t list its integrations, they say,
“Conga’s technical services experts have a 100% proven track record of integrating with any application.”
Support: Their online system offers a live rep 24-hours a day, although Conga Composer doesn’t provide email support like the alternative.
8. ContractSafe
ContractSafe is designed as an all-in-one contract management solution. It supports an unlimited number of users, relieved of typically complex user permissions synonymous with other apps.
ContractSafe offers a swift and intuitive keyword searching feature to locate contracts, reports, and other business documents quickly. You can use both general and highly specific keywords.
When you’re done with a document, you can store it in one centralized, secure location. An easy track-and-search option for all stored documents is available, too.
ContractSafe provides data encryption on all stored and transferred documents. The software also comes with malware, virus, and intrusion-detection capabilities.
Every time you have an upcoming deadline, termination, or contract renewal, ContractSafe will send out an alert to remind you.
The software supports an unlimited number of users, making it easy to assign roles to each team member. That includes no-delete and read-only users.
ContractSafe software integrates with many third-party apps, including applications for cloud storage, eSignature, CRM, and other industry-acclaimed contract managers like PandaDoc.
The company offers free implementation, in-product help, and customized training sessions.
Price range: The Basic plan pricing starts from $299/mo. for 500 active users, to $899/mo. for 5,000 active users on the Enterprise plan.
Why choose ContractSafe: The software comes with a Speed Search feature that works with scanned documents as well.
Main advantage on G2: Many users like the contract database, which allows documents to be stored in a cloud repository alongside the built-in advanced search capabilities.
Main complaint on G2: The existing dashboard is more of a spreadsheet that doesn’t offer much functionality aside from listing the existing contracts.
Number of integrations: Some of the integrations ContractSafe include SalesForce, DocuSign, Active Directory, and Okta/SAML 2.0.
Support: Live Chat support is available during business hours.
9. SpringCM
Suggested for companies with at least 250 employees, SpringCM (acquired by DocuSign) is an easy-to-use contract management software solution meant to help companies streamline their contract process.
Customers can access their contract management tool online and via mobile devices while enjoying various self-help options that guide different workflows.
A reliable and user-friendly contract lifecycle management tool, SpringCM can be used to create, store, and manage contracts, automate the contract workflow, and generate reports.
SpringCM’s top features include contract management, document generation, a central repository, contract automation, and redlining and negotiation tools.
SpringCM allows creating new contracts quickly, using pre-approved templates to source and populate metadata from other systems.
All documents can be stored in a dynamic and scalable central repository. SpringCM comes with an intuitive folder structure that makes it easy to organize and tag documents in a single, searchable location.
Software procurement allows you to automate the contract workflow process, effectively eliminating all manual handoffs and bottlenecks.
You can track all changes and view multiple versions of the same contract for an accurate audit trail.
Users can quickly generate new contracts from pre-existing templates and implement redlining, routing, contractworks, eSigning, and approvals for shorter turnaround times.
The software is FedRAMP, TRUSTe, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliant, so you’ll know your contracts are always safe.
Price range: From $40 to $80 per user per month.
Why choose SpringCM: Flexible options for businesses in a pattern of growth.
Main advantage on G2: Customers like how SpringCM makes collaboration easier.
Main complaint on G2: Several users complain about a lag time or glitches where the user is logged out too soon.
Number of integrations: While its API helps with integrations, it offers one CRM connection compared to the 14 that Spring CM provides.
Support: Only provides online support during business hours.
10. Nintex
Nintex is primarily a process management system with contract management being its secondary function. This software makes it easy to develop and automate complex workflows within an organization.
With easy-to-use tools for quickly automating, visually managing, and continuously optimizing business processes and workflows – Nintex improves the way you work.
Nintex makes it easy to quickly generate new contracts, invoices, and other important business documents.
You can streamline complex workflows and core business operations with the drag-and-drop visual editor. In addition, Nintex makes importing high-resolution images into documents easy and quick.
All users can electronically sign important business documents with automated workflows. The software provides alerts and reminders so everyone stays on track.
The built-in visual tools make it easy for users to capture real-time feedback from relevant stakeholders. Nintex tracks various workflows performance to provide data-driven metrics for improvement.
The drag-and-drop connector allows users to integrate with third-party applications for cloud storage, CRM, and more.
Price range: Starts under $950 a month up to $1,300 a month.
Why choose Nintex: Generate contracts from Salesforce or Microsoft Office 360.
Main advantage on G2: Customers choose Nintex because it provides a fast way to build process apps at a reasonable cost with the highest overall satisfaction.
Main complaint on G2: Users suggest that the architecture feels clunky and is difficult to troubleshoot.
Number of integrations: This company only integrates with one CRM.
Support: Online, during business hours.
11. SAP Ariba
SAP Ariba streamlines every aspect of the contract lifecycle: from creation and collaboration to execution and compliance in one easy-to-use central repository.
It offers users a lower total cost of ownership with little to no demands on an organization’s IT team.
SAP Ariba provides a central repository with advanced search tools and secure storage. This allows you to access all your most important business documents easily.
You can quickly generate legally binding contracts with a library of pre-approved legal clauses and templates. The software supports SAP Ariba solutions, ERPs, CRMs, and other third-party integrations for higher compliance levels.
Users can monitor all changes made to the pre-approved document formats. This ensures that all agreements remain standard, allowing users to input important milestones for contracts, e.g., renewal and termination dates effortlessly.
The software supports third-party eSignature management. The software’s document tracking features will keep all stakeholders informed of changes made to the contract, ensuring all your contracts remain compliant.
SAP Ariba’s version control feature guarantees that up-to-date versions of the contract are always available.
Price range: No pricing information provided.
Why choose SAP Ariba: Provides unrivaled transparency allowing users to stay informed during every phase of the contract lifecycle.
Main advantage on G2: Easy synchronization and integration with other ERPs.
Main complaint on G2: The APIs it comes with are limited and challenging to integrate.
Number of integrations: Limited number of integrations with other cloud-based applications supported.
Support: Email support is available via service requests on the Contact Us page.
12. Trackado
Trackado is a simple, fast, and easy-to-use tool that allows users to store and access their contracts remotely from a central document repository.
It also comes with built-in reminders on critical contract milestones.
With Trackado, you’ll get access to a central database for storing, searching, and retrieving all available documents. Customers can search the database by category, department, or any other customer property.
Using Trackado allows you to access your contracts instantly from anywhere.
The automated events and reminders feature makes it easier for users to keep track of upcoming contract renewals and terminations. You can quickly generate new workflows from pre-defined templates or create new workflows from scratch.
The software logs all activities as they are routed through the required approval channels.
The business partner module feature displays contact details and other important information related to an ongoing business relationship. The software allows you to uncover insights about the financial health of your contracts, as well.
Trackado integrates with several third-party applications like Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. Software’s document tracking feature allows you to monitor any important changes to a contract.
Price range: Pricing starts from $0/mo. for the Free plan, which supports only one user, to $199/mo. for the Enterprise plan that supports up to 25 users.
Why choose Trackado: Provides accurate and up-to-date billing information to help users stay on top of their financials.
Main advantage on Capterra: Easy-to-use and easy-to-navigate due to its intuitive layout and functional display.
Main complaint on Capterra: Some users found the notification alerts and renewal options slightly confusing.
Number of integrations: Aside from cloud storage integrations like OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox, Trackado does not appear to support any other integrations.
Support: Live Chat support is available during business hours.
Bottom line
Whatever platform or toolset you choose to manage your contracts, make sure to start with a thorough analysis of your team’s requirements for features, integrations, and user experience.
From there, it’ll be much easier to find the perfect contract management tool since you’ll be able to evaluate each one objectively.
Don’t hesitate to try multiple tools’ demos and compare one against another before you say “yes” to the right one.
Frequently asked questions
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PandaDoc is, without a doubt, the industry leader when it comes to dynamic and robust end-to-end contract management solutions. When sourcing for CLM software, the key things you need to look out for are the top built-in features, its ease-of-use, alongside the overall number of integrations supported. The more capabilities it has, the easier and more convenient it will be to use.
PandaDoc embodies everything you would want in the best contract management software. From contract creation, its collaborative quality, and approval, to eSigning, CRM integration, and payment processing – PandaDoc does it all. That’s why it’s a top choice for professionals across the world!
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The goal of any CLM app is to automate the entire contract lifecycle from creation to payment in a single unified workspace. The idea is to speed up the closing of deals so that you can get down to business and focus on what matters – increasing your bottom line.
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Your business needs a CMS since it helps keeps track of key milestone dates, eliminates redundancy, provides critical performance metrics, supports real-time collaboration, and tracks all versions of a document.
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While the prices may vary widely depending on the features it has and the number of integrations supported, most software providers offer a monthly or annual subscription plan. The specific cost depends on the number of users and the specific plan you pick, with most providers offering a significant discount on annual plans.
Prices range anywhere between $0 for an individual user on a Free plan to $900 per month for Enterprise plans that support an unlimited number of users.
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Yes, it does. The Salesforce CLM software is built on the company’s already-existing CRM solution. It is designed to manage the entire contract lifecycle while pulling relevant customer data from the CRM.
While it may not provide the full array of capabilities you get with other contract management systems in the market like PandaDoc, it does automate certain aspects of key processes, which in turn reduces the turnaround times compared to traditional approaches.
Originally published January 5, 2020. Updated August 10, 2021.
Disclaimer
Parties other than PandaDoc may provide products, services, recommendations, or views on PandaDoc’s site (“Third Party Materials”). PandaDoc is not responsible for examining or evaluating such Third Party Materials, and does not provide any warranties relating to the Third Party Materials. Links to such Third Party Materials are for your convenience and does not constitute an endorsement of such Third Party Materials.
