Karen,
There is no way to do this without creating either a Contract Workspace or a Contract Request.
Most customers have a Document Type that the user selects on the create screen which may actually drive different fields and a different template. Some examples of this process are: Certificates of Insurance, IP License Notice, Trademark Violation Letter, etc. While this is still creating a workspace, it can be eliminated or selected for in reporting based on the Document Type. The best alternative after this might be to use the Contract Request instead of a workspace. It has some advantages, including not requiring a User license to create the request.
If you have more question you can email directly at: Leslie.Martensen@sap.com
Leslie Martensen
Sr. Product Manager, Ariba Contracts