Co-authoring combined with proposal software can be magic

There are many different proposal software solutions in the market, and they generally fit different segments. A proposal software should make it easier for you to respond to proposals, quicker and more coherently.

However, as the number of participants in the process increases, so does the complexity. 

Elements to consider

So, what should you take into consideration when choosing a proposal software with multiple participants and stakeholders, and maybe you are in different regions, and you would like to standardize? 

These are factors you should look at: 

1. Avoid silos: Many solutions offer file sharing, but this typically generates silos.
2. Reuse of content: Most proposal software solutions allow you to easily reuse content, and many people say you should reuse the most common content. However, is this content updated? Is it the content you win most business with?
3. Do you have multiple contributors working on your proposals? Does your proposal software allow for real co-authoring?

Co-authoring vs a serial process

Real co-authoring allows for multiple contributors to work on the same document at the same time. It will have a built-in workflow that enables openness and control at the same time, while breaking down silos. This is not really possible with a solution that is built on files or file sharing using Word.

What often happens in a file sharing solution using Word is that the proposal may be compiled by the proposal software, but tailoring for the opportunity means breaking the proposal into several files. Basically, you do not have real-time co-authoring, and you end up with a check-in / check-out process – a serial process. 

The magic of real co-authoring proposal software

With a proposal software solution that enables co-authoring, the whole team works on the same document in real time – regardless of where they are based. This means that the content review and approval process can start in parallel with the content creation.

Contributors, such as SMEs, can get feedback early in the process, instead of days or weeks after they have completed their content creation. Getting delayed feedback could lead to interruption of the process or create another process, delaying the proposal.

The contributors can also see how other team members have responded to a query, and then adjust their language accordingly. A real co-authoring solution also allows the business process owners to manage a corporate-wide process with complete insight into how the proposals are progressing. 

The above illustration shows the time savings that can be achieved with co-authoring. A real co-authoring proposal software will give you a parallel proposal process, helping you produce proposals more efficiently, but more importantly, increase the quality of your content. And, that could work wonders for your organization. 

Read more: Everything you want to know about proposal software