Edit Interface in an Online Document System

Abstract

An online document system can allow users to participate in collaborative negotiation of documents stored with in the online document system. To facilitate negotiations between multiple entities (each potentially including multiple users with different roles in the negotiation), the online document system includes a permissions system that allows per-clause control over user's access to propose and approve changes to a negotiated document. Similarly, the user interfaces for viewing a negotiated document provided by the online document system to users can depend on the role of that user in editing the document and the current stage of the negotiation of the document. Finally, the online document system can track agreement between sides in a negotiation on a per-clause basis and can otherwise help facilitate the negotiation of the document.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting, by an online document system, a first selection, by a first user, of a first interface element displayed within a first edit interface, the first interface element configured to, when interacted with, require approval of a first edit input by the first user via the first edit interface by a second user before the first edit is committed to the portion of the document, the first edit being to a portion of a plurality of portions of the document, each portion of the plurality of portions having separate permissions, the separate permissions comprising at least edit and approval permissions, the second user indicated by the separate permissions corresponding to the portion;   generating, by the online document system, a second interface element for display within a second edit interface displayed to the second user, the second interface element requesting approval of the first edit by the second user; and   in response to detecting a second selection, by the second user, of the second interface element by the second user indicating approval of the first edit, modifying, by the online document system, the portion of the document based on the first edit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first interface element allows the first user to identify a set of one or more users who can approve the first edit and wherein the second user is a member of the set of one or more users who can approve the first edit. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second edit interface for display to the second user is generated responsive to the second user being identified as a member of the set of one or more users who can approve the first edit. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first user and the second user are part of a same entity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second interface element comprises disclaimer language clarifying implications of the first edit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second edit interface further displays an unedited version of the portion of the document. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to and only after receiving a selection of a third interface element by the second user indicating a rejection of the first edit, generating, by the online document system, a third interface element for display within the first edit interface, the third interface element notifying the first user of the rejection of the first edit.   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 memory with instructions encoded thereon; and   one or more processors, that, when executing the instructions, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 detecting, by an online document system, a first selection, by a first user, of a first interface element displayed within a first edit interface, the first interface element configured to, when interacted with, require approval of a first edit input by the first user via the first edit interface by a second user before the first edit is committed to the portion of the document, the first edit being to a portion of a plurality of portions of the document, each portion of the plurality of portions having separate permissions, the separate permissions comprising at least edit and approval permissions, the second user indicated by the separate permissions corresponding to the portion; 
 generating, by the online document system, a second interface element for display within a second edit interface displayed to the second user, the second interface element requesting approval of the first edit by the second user; and 
 in response to detecting a second selection, by the second user, of the second interface element by the second user indicating approval of the first edit, modifying, by the online document system, the portion of the document based on the first edit. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first interface element allows the first user to identify a set of one or more users who can approve the first edit and wherein the second user is a member of the set of one or more users who can approve the first edit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second edit interface for display to the second user is generated responsive to the second user being identified as a member of the set of one or more users who can approve the first edit. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first user and the second user are part of a same entity. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second interface element comprises disclaimer language clarifying implications of the first edit. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second edit interface further displays an unedited version of the portion of the document. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 in response to and only after receiving a selection of a third interface element by the second user indicating a rejection of the first edit, generating, by the online document system, a third interface element for display within the first edit interface, the third interface element notifying the first user of the rejection of the first edit.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps of:
 detecting, by an online document system, a first selection, by a first user, of a first interface element displayed within a first edit interface, the first interface element configured to, when interacted with, require approval of a first edit input by the first user via the first edit interface by a second user before the first edit is committed to the portion of the document, the first edit being to a portion of a plurality of portions of the document, each portion of the plurality of portions having separate permissions, the separate permissions comprising at least edit and approval permissions, the second user indicated by the separate permissions corresponding to the portion;   generating, by the online document system, a second interface element for display within a second edit interface displayed to the second user, the second interface element requesting approval of the first edit by the second user; and   in response to detecting a second selection, by the second user, of the second interface element by the second user indicating approval of the first edit, modifying, by the online document system, the portion of the document based on the first edit.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first interface element allows the first user to identify a set of one or more users who can approve the first edit and wherein the second user is a member of the set of one or more users who can approve the first edit. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the second edit interface for display to the second user is generated responsive to the second user being identified as a member of the set of one or more users who can approve the first edit. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first user and the second user are part of a same entity. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second interface element comprises disclaimer language clarifying implications of the first edit. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second edit interface further displays an unedited version of the portion of the document.