The paper process is the series of steps that take a deal from the buyer's decision to a signed contract: legal review, procurement, security review and vendor onboarding. It is the P that MEDDPICC added to MEDDICC. Mapping it means listing each step, its owner and how long it takes.
A separate clock
The paper process gets its own letter because it runs on a separate clock from the buying decision. A champion and an economic buyer can both say yes and the deal can still stall for weeks in a security questionnaire or a master service agreement negotiation. Our MEDDPICC page puts the lesson plainly: start it early or it eats the close date.
Reps map it once the deal is qualified, usually with one question to the champion about the last contract of this size. In a deal review, the manager looks for a written list: each step, its owner on the buyer's side, the typical duration and whether it can run in parallel with the evaluation. Security review and procurement often can.
One row of that list might read: "Security review. Owner: their IT security lead. Six weeks last time. Can start now, alongside the evaluation." If the rep cannot fill the owner column, the manager's next question is who signed the last one. The decision process covers the steps up to the decision; the paper process picks up after it. The sales methodology guide shows where both fit.
Example
This example is illustrative. In week three of a $95,000 deal, the rep asks the champion: "How did the last contract this size get signed, and how long did each step take?" The champion does not know, so she asks procurement. The answer: a vendor risk questionnaire, a security review that took six weeks on the last purchase, and legal review of any non-standard terms. The rep sends the security documentation that week, while the evaluation is still running. When the buyer decides in week nine, the security review is already done and the contract signs in week eleven, inside the quarter.
- Week threeAsk what happens after a pick
- Security documentation sent that week
- Week nineThe buyer decides
- Security review already done
- Week elevenThe contract signs
- Inside the quarter
Related terms
- What is a decision process in sales?
- What is MEDDPICC?
- What is an economic buyer?
- MEDDPICC vs MEDDIC
FAQ
What does the P in MEDDPICC stand for?
The P in MEDDPICC stands for Paper Process: the legal, procurement and security steps between a buyer's decision and a signed contract. It was added to MEDDICC to make teams map those steps early, because deals often stall there after the buyer has already said yes.
When should a rep start the paper process?
A rep should start mapping the paper process as soon as the deal is qualified, well before the buyer decides. Steps like security review and vendor onboarding can often run alongside the evaluation, which keeps them from pushing the close date out.
Who owns the paper process on the buyer's side?
Usually several people: procurement, legal, information security and sometimes finance. The champion rarely owns it, but should know who does. The rep's job is to name each owner, learn their timeline and get the documents to them early.