Open Agreements

What open-agreements/open-agreements does

The open-agreements/open-agreements MCP server connects an AI agent to OpenAgreements’ agreement-filling workflow. It uses standard templates and supplied field values to create DOCX documents that can be opened in Word or another compatible viewer. The project also publishes practice guides, agreement source and license metadata, review checklists, and comparison surveys, but those materials inform review rather than changing an agreement.

Supported content includes standard forms such as the Common Paper Mutual NDA, along with templates described by the project as covering NDAs, SAFEs, NVCA documents, employment agreements, and cloud terms. The exact fields and defaults depend on the selected form.

How it works

A typical workflow starts with an available form, supplies transaction-specific values, validates those values, and renders a DOCX file. The README demonstrates selecting a form by identifier and setting fields such as party names, company names, an effective date, and a business purpose. Omitted cover terms may receive template defaults, while the CLI reports priority fields that still need attention.

The form remains the source for the document structure until rendering. Supplied values become inputs for that transaction, and the resulting file is intended for human legal and business review. Legal guidance follows a separate path: practice guides cite primary sources, surveys compare jurisdictions, and checklists convert requirements into review steps.

Setup and configuration

OpenAgreements can be used through a locally installed CLI, a local MCP setup, or a hosted MCP option. The documented local CLI installation uses the open-agreements npm package:

npm install -g open-agreements
open-agreements list
open-agreements fill common-paper-mutual-nda \
  --set party_1_name="Jane Doe" \
  --set party_1_company="Acme Manufacturing, Inc." \
  --set party_2_name="John Smith" \
  --set party_2_company="Northeast Logistics LLC" \
  --set effective_date="2026-07-15" \
  --set purpose="Evaluating a potential logistics relationship" \
  --output mutual-nda.docx

Local CLI and local stdio MCP processing stay on the machine. Hosted MCP template filling runs server-side, and filled documents are not stored after the response is returned. Some field-selector workflows download an official source document at runtime, so execution mode should match the sensitivity of the documents and the organization’s policy.

Tools and capabilities

The open-agreements/open-agreements MCP server supports these documented workflow capabilities:

• Listing available forms through the CLI.
• Filling a selected standard agreement with named field values.
• Validating supplied values and identifying priority fields needing attention.
• Rendering a reviewable DOCX file.
• Using template source and license metadata when selecting or reviewing forms.
• Consulting separately published guides, checklists, surveys, and catalog materials.

Limitations and notes

The open-agreements/open-agreements MCP server provides legal information and document mechanics, not legal advice. It does not determine whether a particular form or clause fits a transaction. Generated documents are drafts and are never automatically accepted or signed; every filled term should be reviewed before signature.

Template content may have source-specific licenses, so redistribution or modification requires checking the relevant metadata and licensing reference. The project code itself is licensed under Apache License 2.0. Hosted and local execution have different document-handling boundaries, which should be considered before sending sensitive agreement data to a hosted deployment.

Getting started with this open-agreements/open-agreements MCP server

Always refer to the official documentation for the most accurate and up-to-date information.