2024 April Release

SignatoriesPermanent link for this heading

Fabasoft Contracts does not only come with an array of tools to manage contracts, but also considers the management of signatories and their data. The current chapter illustrates various ways to do so.

Note: The app allows parallel use of all the methods of signatory management laid out in this chapter. Hence, make sure to use the correct columns in an Excel worksheet if you decide to import contract metadata (see chapter “Importing a Contract/Legal File via an Excel“).

Standard Signatory ManagementPermanent link for this heading

Using the data of signatory objects requires the definition of standard signatories. Those can either be assignment instances or objects from the contact management app (i. e. objects of the types “Contact Person” and/or “Organization”).

The decision for or against standard signatories can be made per individual contract folder.

Managing Signatories via Contact ManagementPermanent link for this heading

This method of signatory management uses the connection to the contact management app. Given the proper configuration, contact persons and/or organizations are supplied to the Fabasoft Contracts.

This method is recommended to new customers in particular because the contact management can import data from external sources (e.g. SAP) and thus avoid redundancies and overhead in the data administration.

Note:

  • Make sure that the contact management has been activated in your organization settings and that you have the proper license if you want to make the following settings. If necessary, read the chapter ”License Management: new window“ in the document ”Administration Help Fabasoft Cloud“.
  • If necessary, read the complementing chapter ”Contact Management: new window“ in the document ”User Help Fabasoft Cloud“.

Defining a Default Contact RoomPermanent link for this heading

A contact room houses objects whose metadata contain contact information. Such a room can be defined in the contract manager configuration, which makes the contact information of the room’s subordinate objects available to all contract folders. With this setting made, a default contact room can also be defined per individual contract folder. Up next, both options are explained.

Contract Manager Configuration

In order to manage contact data from the contact management in the contract manager configuration, proceed as follows:

  1. Navigate to “Home”.
  2. Navigate into the contact management dashboard.
  3. Click the action “Create Contact Room”.
  4. Enter the desired name of the contact room.
  5. Click on “Next“.
  6. In the context menu of the new contact room, click the action “Copy”.
  7. Navigate to “Home” and back into the contract manager.
  8. Navigate into the contract manager configuration.
  9. Click the “Settings” action.
  10. Switch to the tab ”Administration“.
  11. Right-click into the field Default Contact Room in order to open the context menu and click the entry ”Paste: Contact Room <name of copied contact room>“.
  12. Click on “Next“.

Contract Folder

In order to manage contact data from the contact management in a contact folder when a contract room is already defined in the contract manager configuration, proceed as follows:

  1. Create a new contract room, copy it, and navigate back into the contract manager (see previous set of instructions).
  2. Navigate into the desired contract folder.
  3. Click the “Settings” action.
  4. Switch to the tab ”Administration“.
  5. Navigate to the field Standard Signatories and activate the option Contact Person and/or Organization in order to make the field Default Contact Room visible.
  6. Right-click into the field Default Contact Room in order to open the context menu and click the entry ”Paste: Contact Room <name of copied contact room>“.
  7. Click on “Next“.

Note:

  • When a new contact for a contract is created and a default contact room has been defined, the “Contact Room” field will be prefilled with this default contact room.
  • By making this setting in the contract manager configuration or in the contract folder, instances of both the object types “Contact Person” and “Organization” in the linked contact room are assigned the default category “Contractual Partner”. This category regulates the connection of the new object to the contract manager (see Contract Room > action “Settings” > tab “Default Values” > field “Default Categories”).
  • The category “Contractual Partner” creates the area “Contract Documents“ which is also visible (as “Signatory Documents”) in a contract having a contact person or an organization for a standard signatory (see chapter “Areas”). The area can be used manage all relevant signatory documents in one place, for example certifications, documents, and attestations. Furthermore, the category "Contractual Partner" also creates the area "Further documents", in which documents can be managed, which are not to be stored directly on the contract, but are still relevant for the contract partner.
  • If you define an existing contact room as the default contact room in the contract manager configuration and said room already contains contact objects, these objects must be assigned the category “Contractual Partner” manually. Otherwise they cannot be made available in the contract manager.
  • In order to use contact objects in the contract manager, all members allowed to create contracts must at least hold read access to the corresponding contract room as well.
    Note: In the interest of complying with General Data Protection Regulation guidelines, contact rooms and members granted access to said rooms must be configured so that only the contact objects relevant to the appropriate contract folders are available.

Creating a Contact ObjectPermanent link for this heading

In order to create a new contact person or organization, proceed as follows:

  1. Create a new contact person or organization.
    If necessary, follow the instructions in the chapter ”Contact Management: new window“ in the document ”User Help Fabasoft Cloud“.
  2. Before clicking the “Create” button, switch to the “Permission” tab and enter the desired members in the field Signers.

Defining a Standard SignatoryPermanent link for this heading

In order to define standard signatories, proceed as follows:

  1. Navigate into the desired contract folder.
  2. Click the action “Settings”.
  3. Switch to the tab “Administration“.
  4. In the field Standard Signatories, activate the desired signatories (Contact Person and/or Organization).
  5. Click on “Next”.

Managing Address DataPermanent link for this heading

This chapter is relevant if the following applies:

  • The contact management receives contact data from an external source but are not restored to said source.
  • The members only have read access to their respective contact rooms.

In any case, changing the contact data via the contract manager or the contact management would be without effect or impossible to do directly.

The instructions in this chapter are meant to illustrate a couple of ways to tackle this potential problem.

Note: The following instructions must not be implemented without prior consultation with the contract manger administrator and the members in charge of the previously mentioned data source in order to prevent data loss and/or administrative overhead.

Immutable Address Data

In order to make the address data of contact object immutable, proceed as follows:

  1. Navigate into the desired contract folder.
  2. Click the action “Settings”.
  3. Switch to the tab ”Administration“.
  4. Activate the option Address Data not Changeable for Contact Management Objects.
  5. Click on “Next“.
  6. Repeat this procedure in every contract folder using standard signatories.

Instigating Changes

In order to change the address data of signatories, choose one of the following options:

  • Define a BPMN process that informs the members in charge of the data source of your change request.
  • Convey your change request via the support button to the support team who then relay the change request to the members in charge.
  • Send your change request to the members in charge via e-mail.

Note: The options mentioned are only a few of the possibilities and raise no claim to completeness. The concrete implementation within your organization may, however, be completely different from any of the suggestions presented here.

Managing Signatories via Assignment InstancesPermanent link for this heading

Not only can you employ assignment instances to keep your contracts well-organized but you can also add address data and make them usable as signatories.

In order to make the necessary settings, proceed as follows:

  1. Add the address data to the desired assignment instance or change existing data.
    If necessary, follow the instructions in chapter ”Defining Address Data“.
  2. Define those assignment targets as standard signatories whose instances you want to use as signatories.
    If necessary, follow the instructions in chapter ”Defining a Standard Signatory“ and select the desired assignment targets instead of contact objects.

Further information can be found in chapter ”Assignments“.

Manual Signatory ManagementPermanent link for this heading

In Fabasoft Contracts, names and contact data of signatories must be entered manually by default.

Upon creating a new contract, at least the name of signatory must be provided, while all other metadata can be added later on (see chapter ”Creating a Contract“).

Note: This method of data management is mostly common during the trial period when new members and interested users familiarize themselves with the functionals of Fabasoft Contracts. After that, it recommended to use a different method of signatory management.