Contract Types Planning for Your Contract Insight Application
The next table that should be though about and planned should be the Contract Types table. This table is usually used to document the different types of Contracts/Agreements that your organization may have with Vendors/Customers (the 'counter-party'). The Contract Type table in Contract Insight is hierarchical to other Initial Setup Tables, such as the "Categories" table, in that the Contract Type is always selected first when adding a Contract Record. With a new installation of Contract Insight, there are several out-of-the-box values provided for you as examples of how this table is usually used. Please keep in mind that while the examples may represent many of the same Contract Types that your organization uses, these values can always be edited and deleted if a change to the name of the Contract Type is needed, or if the Contract Type is not needed at all. Please see the Contract Type Management Documentation Wiki page for more information about adding, editing, and deleting values in the Contract Types table.
1. Contract Types are always the first classification to be selected when adding a new Contract Record to Contract Insight.
This is something that cannot ever be changed because of the areas that can be affected by the Contract Types table.
2. You can have as many or as few Contract Types as you would like documented in your Contract Type list in Contract Insight.
Always keep in mind that while a feature in Contract Insight may be available, it may not be something that fits into your organization's Contract process. You can document as many or as few Contract Types as needed by your organization. Remember that the reason for purchasing Contract Management Software was to make the process of managing your organization's contracts easier, not more complex.
3. Contract Types can have a unique set of fields assigned to its Contract Record screen (see below).
Areas Affected:
For each Contract Type value in your Contract Insight application, you can have a unique set of fields displayed on each Contract Record screen.
A feature available in Contract Insight is the "Assign/Manage Fields by Contract Type" feature. This allows Administrators to add Contract Type-specific fields to the master list of fields for the Contract Details Table, and then go in and assign only the fields that pertain to that Contract Type to the list of fields that will be displayed. Here is how it works:
- Go into the Field Manager > Manage Fields screen and create/add any additional necessary fields to the Contract Details Table, even if the additional field(s) only apply to one or all of the Contract Types.
- Next, go to the Field Manager > Assign/Manage Fields by Contract Type screen and select a Contract Type from the drop down list (which will display all of the Contract Types that you have entered into your Contract Types list).
- First be sure to add all of the fields listed in the "Tip" box in the right hand menu of the screen by clicking the "Add" link for the field.
- Next, add any additional fields that you would like to have displayed on the Contract Type's Contract Details screen.
Please keep in mind that assigning fields by Contract Type is not something that HAS to be done/utilized, but is an optional feature that is available for your organization to use if needed.
Next Steps:
In the project plan provided by your implementation specialist or in the spreadsheet attached to this page, plan the types and fields required for your agreements.
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