Use Direct Entry to create a contract by entering the key information directly into UCM. Click on the Direct Entry button to open the Contract Creation Screen. You can also use the option from the Contracts Tab dropdown from anywhere in the system.
Note: If you don't see the Direct Entry icon or the green plus, you're probably a read-only user. None of this information would apply to you!
After filling in the mandatory contract information, click Continue at the bottom of the screen to create a new container!
Enter Contract Details
The first segment of information is where you enter the details of the container.
Mandatory fields are marked with a red asterisk: *
- Contract Name (Mandatory) - The name of this contract's container.
- Contract Type (Mandatory) - Is this a Service Agreement? An NDA? If you have it configured, the contract type can determine what Workflow a contract goes into automatically.
- Contract type can also determine what fields and field groups will appear on your contract, configured by Admins in Company Admin.
- Assign Workflow Template (Recommended) Marking this checkbox will allow you to select a Workflow and initial stage based off that workflow.
- Initial Workflow Stage (Recommended) - If a workflow is not selected, this will default to the first stage in your company, alphabetically.
- Owner* - By default, the person entering the contract (YOU!) will be marked as the Owner.
- Owners can be responsible parties for Alerts, Milestones and take action when a contract needs to be reviewed/approved/renewed etc.
- Responsible Parties (Optional) - If your company has responsible parties activated, you can pick additional UCM users to act on this contract's behalf.
- Folder Name (Mandatory) - What folder should this appear in, in your company?
- Note: If you can't see or select the right folder, the Owner of this contract may not be able to access that folder. You can only select what the owner can see!
Enter Document Details
This section is where you add your document and assign it a category and state. You also can decide whether this is the Primary Document (shown in a special location above the Attachments grid) and where you may add a description for your document.
None of this information is mandatory, unless you try to add a file. Then you have to give it a name at least! Don't worry if you have additional documents to add, you can do that right in the contract container!
- Document Title - What will this attachment be called?
- Document Category- Is this a Contract Request form? An NDA?
- Category is different from Contract Type in that it only applies to the individual document, rather than the contract as a whole. A Service Agreement might have many kinds of documents attached (A BAA, a COI, various licenses etc.)
- Document State - Is this contract signed? Requested? Final? Enter the state here.
- File: Drag and drop a file from your computer, or click 'Select File' to open the file browser. Again, drag and drop or select a file and upload.
- Document Description - add an optional description of this document, obviously. This is different from a Contract Description... it only applies to this particular attachment.
Relate this New Contract to an Existing Contract
In this section, you can relate your new contract to one that's already in your system. You're presented with three drop down values:
- Related To is Archived? - The contract you're relating this new one to, is it already archived? If you're not sure, leave this alone.
- What Contract Type? - Do you know what Contract Type your related contract is? If not, change this drop down to '--All--'
Which Contract? - Select the name of your contract. You can start typing the contract name to bring it up quickly. Otherwise these contracts are shown in
Click Continue. . . to create your contract!