> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.softbooq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Contracts

> Contract lifecycle, milestones, amendments and e-signatures

The Contracts module manages the full lifecycle of customer and supplier contracts — from drafting and e-signature through to milestone billing, amendments, and automatic renewal alerts. Contract value flows into Finance for revenue recognition.

## What Contracts owns

* **Contracts** — the master contract record with parties, value, and dates
* **Milestones** — payment or delivery milestones linked to contract terms
* **Signatures** — e-signature requests and signed document storage
* **Amendments** — formal record of changes to active contracts

## Data flows into Contracts from

| Module | What it sends                       |
| ------ | ----------------------------------- |
| CRM    | Customer data for contract creation |

## Data flows out of Contracts to

| Module  | What it sends                         |
| ------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Finance | Contract value and milestone invoices |

<Note>
  Contracts approaching expiry trigger an alert 30 days before the end date. Ensure renewal or termination decisions are made before this date to avoid gaps in contracted coverage.
</Note>

***

## Common tasks

### Create a contract

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Contracts → New Contract" />

  <Step title="Choose the contract type">
    Select Customer (you are supplying) or Supplier (you are the buyer).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Link to a customer or supplier">
    Select from CRM (for customers) or Procurement (for suppliers). Their details pre-populate the contract header.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set contract terms">
    Enter start date, end date, total contract value, payment terms, and renewal conditions (auto-renew, manual renewal, or one-off).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload the contract document or draft in the editor">
    Upload the signed PDF, or draft the terms directly in the rich text editor. Both can coexist — the typed terms serve as the data source for milestones and alerts, while the uploaded PDF is the legal document of record.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    The contract is active. You will receive a renewal alert 30 days before the end date.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Request an e-signature

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the contract → click Request Signature" />

  <Step title="Add signatories">
    Enter the email addresses and names of everyone who needs to sign. You can add multiple internal and external signatories. Set the signing order if signatures must be sequential.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add signing instructions (optional)">
    Include any guidance for signatories (e.g. "Please review clause 4.2 before signing").
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send">
    Each signatory receives an email with a secure, unique link to review and sign the document electronically. No account is required for the signatory to sign.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Track signature status">
    The contract record shows in real time who has signed and who is outstanding. You can send a reminder to any outstanding signatory with one click.
  </Step>

  <Step title="On completion">
    Once all parties have signed, the signed document is stored permanently against the contract and each signatory receives a copy.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Add a payment milestone

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the contract → Milestones tab → New Milestone" />

  <Step title="Name the milestone">
    Give it a clear name that both parties will recognise (e.g. Project Kickoff Payment, Delivery Phase 1, Final Completion).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the due date and amount">
    Enter the date the milestone payment is due and the amount. Multiple milestones can add up to the total contract value, or you can use milestones for partial billing throughout a long contract.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable auto-invoicing (optional)">
    Toggle **Auto-create invoice** to have Finance automatically generate and send the invoice when this milestone is marked complete. The invoice is pre-filled with the milestone name and amount.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    The milestone appears in the contract timeline. You will receive a reminder before its due date.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Mark a milestone complete and invoice it

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the contract → Milestones tab → click the milestone" />

  <Step title="Click Mark Complete">
    Confirm the completion date.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invoice">
    If auto-invoicing is on, the invoice is generated automatically in Finance. If not, click **Create Invoice** from the milestone to generate it manually. The milestone is then marked as Invoiced.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Record an amendment

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the contract → click Add Amendment" />

  <Step title="Describe the change">
    Write a summary of what is being amended and why (e.g. scope increase, price adjustment, extension of term).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update the contract fields if needed">
    Change the end date, contract value, or payment terms to reflect the amended terms.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Re-request signatures if required">
    If the amendment requires formal agreement from both parties, use Request Signature again on the amendment document.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    The amendment is stored with a timestamp. The full version history is visible in the contract's audit trail. Amendments cannot be deleted — only subsequent amendments can reverse them.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Renew or terminate a contract

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the contract nearing expiry">
    A renewal alert will appear in your notification feed 30 days before the end date.
  </Step>

  <Step title="To renew">
    Click **Renew Contract**. Enter the new end date, updated value if applicable, and any changed terms. A new version is created with the original terms plus amendments. Re-request signatures if required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="To terminate">
    Click **Terminate Contract**. Enter the termination date and reason. If there is a termination clause or notice period in the contract, ensure the termination date complies. The contract is archived with full history retained.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A signatory says they did not receive the e-signature email">
    Check the email address entered for that signatory is correct. Use **Resend** on the signature request to send it again. Also ask the signatory to check their spam folder — e-signature emails are sometimes routed there. If the issue persists, check your email provider connection under **Settings → Email**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A milestone invoice was not generated automatically">
    Check that the milestone has **Auto-create invoice** toggled on. Also confirm the milestone is linked to a customer contract (not a supplier contract — supplier contracts do not generate customer invoices). If both conditions are met and it still did not fire, manually create the invoice from the milestone.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I cannot edit a contract that has been signed">
    Signed contracts are locked to preserve the integrity of the agreed document. To make changes, add a formal Amendment. If the original contract had an error before signing, contact support — reverting a signed document requires admin intervention and an audit log entry.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The renewal alert did not fire for an expiring contract">
    Renewal alerts fire 30 days before the contract end date. Check the end date on the contract — it may be set incorrectly. Also check **Settings → Notifications** to ensure contract renewal alerts are enabled for your account.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A contract shows as expired but should have auto-renewed">
    Auto-renew extends the contract automatically only if the **Auto-renew** option was selected in the contract's renewal conditions and the system is configured to do so. Check the renewal conditions field on the contract. If it shows Manual, no auto-renewal was set up — create a renewal manually.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I use my own contract template?">
    Yes. Go to **Settings → Contracts → Templates** to upload your standard contract templates as Word or PDF documents. When creating a new contract, select a template as the starting point. Variable fields (customer name, dates, value) are merged automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are e-signatures legally binding?">
    Yes, in most jurisdictions. Softbooq e-signatures comply with eIDAS (EU), ESIGN Act (US), and equivalent regulations in most markets. Each signature is timestamped, IP-logged, and stored with an audit certificate. For contracts requiring a qualified electronic signature (QES), consult a legal advisor.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I have both customer and supplier contracts in the same view?">
    Yes. The Contracts list shows all contracts by default. Use the **Type** filter to view only Customer or only Supplier contracts.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How many signatories can I add to a contract?">
    There is no limit. You can add multiple internal and external signatories. Set the signing order if a specific sequence is required (e.g. internal approval before external signature).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I attach related documents to a contract (e.g. specifications, SOW)?">
    Yes. Open the contract → Documents tab to attach any number of supporting files. These are stored alongside the contract and visible to all users with access to the contract record.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## See also

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="CRM" icon="handshake" href="/erp/crm">
    Contracts are linked to CRM customer records for a full account view.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Finance" icon="chart-pie" href="/erp/finance">
    Invoice milestone completions and recurring fees directly from a contract.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Projects" icon="diagram-project" href="/erp/projects">
    Link projects to contracts to track delivery against committed scope.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>