The Contract Template feature will allow you to create multiple Templates for you to use to create your own Contract Documents.
The feature uses the Clause Library to enable you to add Clauses to your Template in the order you wish to have them.
Placeholder functionality can be used to allow you to mark up where common values will appear which can be replace with valid values when generating the Document from the Template.
When generated, your Contract Document will pull the layout of your Contract Template including your Clause information.
Value Sets
There are three new Value Sets associated to the Clause Library, they can be found in the Configuration area.
Navigate to: Configuration => Define Value Sets = > Clause Library
Fig 1 - Clause Library Value Sets
Here you can define the values you wish to appear whilst using the Clause Library tools.
Clause Type: To define the Types of Clauses you have
Contract Template Category: Define the Category of Contract Templates you can create
Placeholder: Set default Placeholders that can be selected when you are creating a Contract Template
The system will not provide any default values for these sets, so these first must be created.
Once your Value Sets and Clauses have been created you can start to build up your Contract Template
Creating a Contract Template
Navigate to: Configuration => Clause Library => Contract Templates
Fig 2 - Contract Template Summary screen
The Contract Template screen will list all existing Templates that have been created, to create a new Template press [New]
Fig 3 - New Contract Template header
Give your Contract template a 'Name' and then choose a 'Category' for your Template - the drop down list for the Category field is populated from the 'Contract Template Category' value set as detailed above.
At this point you can [Save] this record as it is and complete the Block section later, or you can continue and complete the Block section now
Blocks
The Block section is where you can select any Clause created in your Library and add them your your Template.
Every Block section will have an 'Intro' and 'Outro', this is where you could have standard introduction and conclusion text.
The Intro and Outro values are identified when you create a Clause, they have a unique Classification to identify them in the Clause screen when they are created. If a Clause is classified as 'Intro' then only these Classification of Clauses will be offered when the [Select Intro] button is pressed. The same for Outro.
Intro
Click on the [Select Intro] button. Here you will be presented with a pop up of all your 'Intro' Clauses. The Clause you have set as default will be identified.
Fig 4 - Intro Clause
You can click on the name of the Clause and the pop up will expand to show you the text so you can check your are selecting the correct one.
Fig 5 - Preview of the Clause
Select the Intro Clause you require by pressing [Insert] - the pop up will close and the text will populate in the Block.
Fig 6 - Intro Block populated
Clause
Click on the [Insert Clause] button button. Here you will be presented with a pop up for you to select the Type of Clause you require. The drop down list of Types is populated from the 'Clause Type' Value set as detailed above.
Fig 7 - Clause Type drop down List
Select the Type you require and you will be presented with all the Clauses you have created of that Type. The Clause you have set as default will be identified. Again, you will be able to see a preview of the text by clicking on the Clause Name.
Fig 8 - Clause Preview
Select the Clause you require by pressing [Insert] - the pop up will close and the text will populate in the Block, underneath the Intro Block.
As you add more Clauses you will see the ability to add further Clauses either above or below others that have been selected using the [Insert Clause] buttons.
Fig 9 - Clause Block populated
Outro
Click on the [Select Outro] button. Here you will be presented with a pop up of all your 'Outro' Clauses. The Clause you have set as default will be identified.
Fig 10 - Outro Clause
You can click on the name of the Clause and the pop up will expand to show you the text so you can check your are selecting the correct one.
Fig 11 - Preview of the Clause
Select the Outro Clause you require by pressing [Insert] - the pop up will close and the text will populate in the Block. The Outro Clause should always be the last Block.
Fig12 - Outro Block populated
Block Adjustments
The Clause Text within the Block can be adjusted as you see fit, the Editor can be used to adjust the formatting and also can be used to select pre defined Placeholder values if required.
If you do make any adjustments to any of the Clause Blocks, either adjusting/adding text, formatting or adding Placeholders then these will only be applicable for this Template.
The original Clause text and formatting will remain as it has been entered in the Library.
If you wish to permanently adjust a Clause then this must be done in the Clause screen. All existing Templates that have used this Clause in the past will NOT reflect the update, you will need to refresh the Clause in your Template for the updated Clause to populate.
Overriding a Block
If you do adjust a block in any way then on the top right of the block the icon will adjust to allow you to see that is has been overridden.
Fig 13 & 14 - Overwriting a Block
Deleting a Block
If you wish to remove the Block then click on the red Remove icon.
Fig 15 - deleting a Block
Moving a Block
You can move the Block around using the block icon on the top left of each Block, just drag and drop the Block into the new position.
Fig 16 - Moving a Block
Editor
Each Block provides you with an Editor field for you to adjust the Content if required.
You can enter the text you desire, format it as required, and add tables/hyperlinks/bullet points to make the content exactly how you wish to see it.
Fig 17 - Block Editor
Restore System Default
The Restore System Default template button will revert the content of your Block to the original value for the Clause, any manual adjustment will be removed.
The Restore System Default option can also be used to restore the content back to the original at any time. For example, if you think you have made a mistake and want to start again, you can press the button and your current content will be replaced with the original Clause text again.
The system default can also be used to update an existing Template Clause if it have been adjusted in the main Library, pressing restore will replace the existing value with the latest version held within the Library - please note any manual adjustments made to the block previously will be removed.
Placeholders
Placeholders are inserted to display common data that may change depending on the Document in question. For example, you can add the placeholder of [[END DATE]].
When the Contract Document is generated, you can replace this placeholder value with an actual End Date value. Throughout your document wherever you have entered the placeholder of [[END DATE]] then this will be updated with the date you supply.
This allows the Template to be generic and to correctly populate relevant data based upon the values you enter when generating the Contract Document.
The values are displayed in alphabetical order, and there is a Search function that you can use.
Fig 18 - Placeholders
The Placeholder values in the drop down list are populated from the value set 'Placeholder' as detailed above. If you wish to have more values appear in this drop down then add them to the Value set.
If you wish to add a Placeholder to the clause but do not wish to update the value set then this can be done by entering the text enclosed in two square brackets [[EXAMPLE 1]], the brackets allow the system to recognise this this is a Placeholder so when you generate a document from this Contract Template it will ask you what value you want to replace this Placeholder with.
Fig 19 - Manual Placeholder Prompt
You can have as many Placeholders as you wish.
Once your have completed all your Blocks and have adjusted if required, press [Save] to complete your template.
Preview
Once you have completed your Contract Template and have saved you can generate a preview for review. When the record is saved you will see a 'View template preview' option in the block section.
Fig 20 - Preview option
Click here and a read only preview of your created template will be displayed for you to view.
Fig 21 - Preview display