Configuring Questions

The questions you define determine what Review Matrix extracts from your documents. Judicio provides three modes for configuring questions, each suited to different workflows. This guide explains how each mode works, when to use it, and how to get the best results.

Question modes

Smart

Smart mode

Smart mode uses AI to analyze a sample of your selected documents and automatically generate a set of relevant questions. This is the fastest way to set up an extraction when you are exploring a new document set or are not sure which questions to ask.

How it works:

1. Select Smart from the question mode selector.
2. Judicio reads a sample of your documents and identifies the document type (e.g., lease agreement, share purchase agreement, loan agreement).
3. Based on the document type, Judicio generates a tailored set of questions covering the most commonly extracted data points.
4. The generated questions appear in an editable list.

When to use Smart mode:

• You are reviewing an unfamiliar document type for the first time.
• You want a quick overview of what is in a document set before defining targeted questions.
• You are short on time and need a reasonable starting set without manual configuration.

Refining Smart-generated questions:

• Edit any question by selecting it and modifying the text.
• Delete questions that are not relevant by selecting the remove icon next to the question.
• Add additional questions manually using the Add Question button at the bottom of the list.
• Change the question type using the dropdown next to each question (see Question types below).

Get better Smart results

The more documents you select before entering Smart mode, the better Judicio can identify the document type and generate relevant questions. If your selection contains mixed document types, Smart mode bases its questions on the most common type in the set.

Template

Template mode

Template mode lets you choose from a library of pre-built question sets designed for common legal workflows. Templates save time when you know exactly what type of review you are running.

How it works:

1. Select Template from the question mode selector.
2. Browse the template library. Templates are organized by category:
   • M&A Due Diligence -- Change of control, assignment, termination, material adverse change, consent requirements.
   • Commercial Lease Review -- Rent, term, renewal, permitted use, maintenance, insurance, break clauses.
   • Loan Agreement Analysis -- Interest rate, maturity, covenants, events of default, prepayment, cross-default.
   • Employment Agreement Review -- Non-compete, notice period, severance, IP assignment, confidentiality.
   • Supply Agreement Review -- Pricing, volume, delivery terms, liability caps, force majeure, termination.
   • NDA Review -- Scope of confidential information, term, carve-outs, remedies, return of information.
3. Select a template to preview its questions.
4. Select Use Template to load the questions into your extraction.

When to use Template mode:

• You are running a standard review type that matches one of the available templates.
• You want a proven, comprehensive question set without manual setup.
• You need consistency across multiple extractions of the same type (e.g., every lease review uses the same questions).

Customizing a template:

After loading a template, you can customize it just like Smart-generated questions:

• Edit, delete, or reorder any question.
• Add new questions to fill gaps specific to your deal or project.
• Change question types as needed.

Creating your own templates

If you frequently run the same type of extraction, save your customized question set as a personal template. See Question Templates for instructions.

Custom

Custom mode

Custom mode gives you full control. Write your own questions in plain English, choose the question type for each one, and define exactly what gets extracted.

How it works:

1. Select Custom from the question mode selector.
2. Select Add Question to create your first question.
3. Type your question in plain English. Be specific about what you want extracted.
4. Choose a question type from the dropdown (see Question types below).
5. Repeat for each additional question.

When to use Custom mode:

• You have a specific checklist of data points you need to extract.
• Your review requirements do not match any available template.
• You need highly targeted questions for a unique deal structure or document type.

Writing effective custom questions:

Instead of this	Write this
What is the term?	What is the initial term of the agreement, including the start date and end date?
Any restrictions?	Are there any non-compete or non-solicitation restrictions, and if so, what is their geographic scope and duration?
Payment terms?	What are the payment terms, including the payment amount, frequency, due date, and any late payment penalties?
Who are the parties?	Who are the contracting parties, including their full legal names and jurisdictions of incorporation?

Tips for better extraction:

• Ask one thing per question. Split compound questions into separate items.
• Include context about what format you expect (e.g., "List all..." or "Provide the date when...").
• Use legal terminology that matches the language in your documents.
• Specify units or formats when relevant (e.g., "in USD" or "as a percentage").

Avoid ambiguous questions

Vague questions produce vague answers. "Tell me about the contract" will return a generic summary. "What is the governing law of this agreement?" will return a precise answer with a source citation.

Question types

Every question has a type that tells Judicio what format the answer should take. Choosing the right type improves extraction accuracy and makes results easier to analyze.

Type	Description	Example question	Example answer
Text	Free-form text answer. Use for open-ended questions.	What are the key indemnification provisions?	"The Seller shall indemnify the Buyer against all losses arising from breach of warranty, subject to a cap of..."
Yes / No	Binary answer. Use for questions that have a definitive yes or no answer.	Does the agreement contain a change-of-control provision?	Yes
Date	Extracts a specific date.	What is the lease commencement date?	1 January 2025
Number	Extracts a numeric value.	What is the annual base rent?	250,000
List	Extracts multiple items as a structured list.	What are the tenant's permitted uses of the premises?	1. General office use 2. Client meetings 3. Storage of business records
Clause Extract	Extracts the exact text of a clause verbatim.	Extract the termination for convenience clause.	"Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience by providing not less than ninety (90) days' prior written notice..."

Choosing the right question type

When in doubt, use Text -- it is the most flexible type and works well for most questions. Use specific types like Date, Number, or Yes / No when you need structured data that you plan to sort, filter, or analyze in a spreadsheet after export.

Reordering and organizing questions

• Drag and drop questions to reorder them. The order determines the column order in Table view and the sequence in exported files.
• Group related questions together (e.g., all financial terms, then all governance terms) to make the results matrix easier to read.
• There is no hard limit on the number of questions, but more questions increase credit cost and extraction time.

Previewing before extraction

Before running the extraction, the summary screen shows:

• The total number of documents selected.
• The complete list of questions with their types.
• The estimated credit cost.

Review this summary carefully. It is more efficient to refine your questions now than to re-run the extraction later.

Next steps

• Understanding Results -- Learn how to read the answers Judicio extracts.
• Question Templates -- Save your question configuration for future use.