How do you handle rejection in a CLM workflow?

• A. Rejection typically reopens/returns the contract to a previous Stage, updates status, and reassigns tasks for corrections, with notifications to stakeholders.
• B. Rejection immediately cancels the contract with no notification.
• C. Rejection moves the contract to the final stage as approved.
• D. Rejection triggers an automatic escalation that creates a new contract.

Answer: (A)

Rejection in a CLM workflow is handled by routing the contract back to a prior stage for corrections, rather than ending the process. When a reject occurs, the contract’s status is updated to reflect that it needs work, tasks are reassigned to the appropriate people (such as the drafter or reviewer), and stakeholders are notified so they can address the issues and resubmit for approval. This preserves the contract’s history and maintains accountability, ensuring approvals only happen after all requirements are met.

Choosing this approach over canceling with no notification preserves context and traceability. Moving straight to an “approved” final stage would misrepresent the outcome and skip necessary corrections. Triggering an automatic escalation to create a new contract would duplicate work and create confusion in the records.