Requests
A request allows members of Fabasoft Contracts to communicate without administrators of contracts folders or legal areas without media disruption. This may be useful if members only have restricted access to contracts manager lists and wish to create requests in contract or legal files.
If the corresponding setting is active, a member can create request in a contract folder or legal area (see chapter “Allowing Requests“).
Note: Requests, contracts and legal files are also called “contract manager files”. Similarly, contract folders, legal areas and configuration lists are summarized by the umbrella term “contract manager lists”, and both terms are frequently used throughout this document.
Areas
Requests are divided into the following areas:
- Contributor
Contains the contributor of the request. - Description
Contains the text of the request. - Documents
Displays the documents available in the documents. - All Documents
Displays the documents of the current request without folder hierarchies. - History
Displays the changes made to the metadata of the request.
Actions
You can perform the following actions:
- Open Request
Opens the properties of the request in a split (two-part) view.
In this view, the properties of the request are displayed alongside the PDF preview of documents contained in the request, given that at least one document exists. If there are several documents, you can switch between them via a button. - Manage Assignments
Opens a list of available assignments to assign the request to them.
Note: This action is only visible if the contract folder or legal area of the request manages or uses at least one assignment. - Create Contract
Creates a contract from a request, allows to define its properties and upload documents.
Note: This action is only visible if the request is stored in a contract folder. - Create Legal File
Creates a legal file from a request, allows to define its properties and upload documents.
Note: This action is only visible if the request is stored in a legal area. - Start Process
Defines and starts adhoc process, and also offers the option to execute a pre-defined BPMN process. - Set/Remove Legal Hold
Sets or removes a legal hold for the current request. - Add Remark
Adds a remark to the request. In the dialog, you can also paste shortcuts to documents or upload them from the file system. - Add Internal Remark
Adds an internal remark to the request. This remark is not visible to members holding restricted access in the superordinate contract manager list. In the dialog, you can also paste shortcuts to documents or upload them from the file system. - Properties
Opens the properties of the request.
Properties
In the properties of a request, you can specify the following:
Tab “Request“
- Type of Request Folder
Contains the types of contract manager lists wherein requests are allowed.
Note: This field is only visible in the create dialog. - Request Folder
Contains the contract folder or legal area wherein the request is stored. - Reference Additional Request Folders
If this option is active, you can add further contract folders or legal areas in the field Additional Request Folders to reference the request therein. Members holding access rights to these additional contract manager lists are then granted access to the request in said additional contract manager lists if they also hold at least restricted access in the contract folder or legal area wherein the request originates.
Note:- This field is only visible if there is at least one more contract folder or legal area.
- If you assign a request to additional contract folders or legal areas, it is displayed there in the area “Referenced Requests”.
- Additional Request Folders
Defines additional request folders in which the request should be referenced.
Note: This field is only visible if the setting Reference Additional Request Folders is active. - Year
Contains the year when the request was created. - Ordinal
Contains the ordinal that the request was assigned upon creation in the contract manager list. - Processing State
Defines the processing state of an existing request.
Note: If the field does not display any initial value, click on “Search more entries”, enter an asterisk (*) and press the Return key. - Request Type
Defines the request type.
Note: It is recommended to create request types in accordance with the instructions in chapter ”Contract Manager File Types“ in case you may need a new request type. - Subject
Contains the subject of the request. - Description
Contains the text of the request. - Terms
Defines terms for tagging the request.
If there already are terms, you can select them. You can also create new terms that are stored in the default thesaurus (see chapter “Default Thesaurus“). - Choose Terms
Opens a dialog to select terms from the default thesaurus to tag the request (see chapter “Default Thesaurus“). - Contributor
Defines the member contributing the request.
By default, the creator of the request is pre-filled. Another member can be selected, though. - E-Mail Address
Defines the e-mail address of the contributor. - Internal Editor
Defines a member as an internal editor for the request. The internal editor receives change access to the request and its documents. Furthermore, reminder e-mails are sent to the internal editor by default.
Note: The member defined in the field Internal Editor must be assigned a role in the contract manager list of the request. - E-Mail Address
Defines the e-mail address of the internal editor. - Internal Purchaser
Defines a member as an internal purchaser for the request. The internal purchaser receives change access to the request and its documents. Furthermore, reminder e-mails are sent to the internal editor by default.
Note: The member defined in the field Internal Purchaser must be assigned a role in the contract manager list of the request. - E-Mail Address
Defines the e-mail address of the internal purchaser. - Internal Responsible
Defines a member as an internal responsible for the request. The internal responsible receives read access to the request and its documents. If there is no member defined in the field Internal Responsible, reminder e-mails are sent to the internal responsible by default.
Note: The member defined in the field Internal Responsible must be assigned a role in the contract manager list of the request. - E-Mail Address
Defines the e-mail address of the internal responsible.
Note: Some of these properties are only available in an existing request.
Tab “Assingments“
This tab contains a list of all available assignment targets. By default, you can select one entry each (see chapter “Assignment Targets“).
Note: This tab is only visible if at least one assignment is managed in the superordinate contract manager list.
Tab “Documents“
This tab contains a list you can add documents to the request.
Tab “Remarks“
- Enter Remark
Allows adding remarks. - Add Attachments
Allows adding attachments.
Tab “Internal Remark“
- Enter Internal Remark
Allows adding internal remarks. - Add Attachments
Allows adding attachments.
Tab “Canceled Documents“
This tab contains a list of all canceled documents in this request. It is only visible if there are canceled documents in the request.
Allowing Requests
In order to create requests, the corresponding option must be activated in the concerned contracts folders and/or legal files.
To check or define this setting, proceed as follows:
- Navigate into the desired contract manager list.
- Click on “Properties“.
- Check or activate/deactivate the setting Allow Requests.
- Click on “Next“.
Note:
- In some contract manager lists, the setting Allow Requests is explicitly deactivated (e.g. due to the organization structure or the lines of communication agreed upon). Given these circumstances, the setting should not be changed without urgent need.
- Depending on the activation of the setting, the creation dialog of a request offers the current contract manager list.
- If the current contract manager list is the first list wherein this setting is activated, the contract manager dashboard now displays the action “Create Request”.
Creating a Request
In order to create a new request, proceed as follows:
- In the contract manager dashboard, click the “Create Request” action.
Note: This action is only visible if the option Allows Requests is active in at least one contract folder or legal area. - If there are templates available for this object type, a selection dialog is displayed. Select the desired entry from the list.
Note: Check the settings of the contract folder or legal area if you cannot find a template that you need (see chapter “Restricting Templates“). - In the field Type of Request Folder, select the desired contract manager list type.
Note: The field Request Folder displays all available contract folders and legal areas if no selection has been made in the field Type of Request Folder. If your organization manages a great number of contract manager lists, it is recommended to use this field to make a preselection. - Optionally, select a request type.
Note: Selecting a (custom-made) request type may cause changes to and/or add further tabs to the current dialog (see chapter “Contract Manager File Types“). - Enter your request into the field Description.
- Optionally, tag the request by selecting entries in the field Terms or via the button Choose Terms.
Note: This field and button are only visible if at least one term is available in the default thesaurus (see chapter “Default Thesaurus“). - Add any further desired metadata.
Note: Depending on the settings defined in the contract folder (see chapter “Settings“) or legal area (see chapter “Settings“), further fields may be required or hidden. These settings can be overwritten, depending on the properties of a request type (see chapter “Contract Manager File Types“). - Click on “Next”.
Note: If you have configured the use of structural thesauri in the contract manager configuration, this may change the create dialog. Further information can be found in chapter “Structural Thesauri“.
The request will be automatically given a name that contains the ID of the contract manager list, the year of creation, a sequential number, and (if available) the subject of a contract (does not apply to legal files).
Note:
- You can directly create a request in a contract or legal file as well. Navigate into the desired contract manager file and click the action “Create Request“. In this case, the create dialog will already display a reference to the contract manager file of origin.
- You can create a request from a document intended to be registered.
Further information can be found in chapter “Registering a Contract Manager File in the Background“. - By default, members with restricted access or read access cannot create requests. However, this setting can be activated in the corresponding contract folder (see chapter “Creating a Contract Folder“) or legal area (see chapter “Creating a Legal Area“).
Managing Requests
The management and handling of request can differ widely from one organization to another due to, for example, different structures, needs and processes. This chapter intends to present you with a couple of options regarding requests and how to work with them.
Request vs. Support Request
In contract to support requests, which are meant to be a bidirectional means of communication, requests in a contract manager context are not – at least not from the get-go. Whatever happens following the creation of a request and what its creator learns of its state is heavily dependent on how your organization uses and defines the processes involved and/or if the responsible member informs you about the state.
Use Cases
After its creation, a request appears in the contract manager list that it was assigned to. From that point onward, the request could be handled in the following ways:
- A request starts a process that was defined in the request type selected during creation that immediately forwards it to a recipient (or group thereof) for further processing.
- A request is assigned a background task that was defined in the request type selected during creation that is executed upon fulfilling a certain condition.
- A request appears in the contract manager list and is analysed by the member in charge who then
- manually starts an appropriate process (adhoc or BPMN process),
- manually assigns a background task to the requests,
- creates a corresponding follow-up,
- cancels the request, or
- creates a new contract or legal file from the request (see chapter “Creating a Contract/Legal File From a Request“).
Depending on how exactly requests and/or request types are modeled/configured and which processes are used in your organization, there are even more possibilities regarding the management of requests.
Further information on processes and background tasks can be found in the White Paper “Model-Based Customizing: new window“.
Defining an Assignment
Defining an assignment for requests is equivalent to contracts (see chapter “Defining an Assignment“).
Restricting Templates
Restricting templates for requests is equivalent to contract folders (see chapter “Restricting Templates“).
Managing Retention
Setting or removing a legal hold and defining a retention period for requests is equivalent to contracts (see chapter “Managing Retention“).
Adding a Document
In order to add documents to the request, proceed as follows:
- Navigate into the desired request and then into the area “Documents”.
- Add documents by uploading them into the list (e.g. via drag-and-drop).
- Alternatively, you can directly create a document in a request by clicking “Add entry”.
Note: If there is a selected entry in the field Default Document Category for Documents in the “Administration” tab in the contract manager list, said category is added during this action.
Adding a Remark
Adding a remark in requests is equivalent to contracts (“
Adding an Internal Remark
Adding an internal remark in requests is equivalent to contracts (“Adding an Internal Remark“).
Creating a Contract/Legal File From a Request
Once it has been decided that a new contract or legal file should be created from the request, you can perform the action. Proceed as follows:
- Navigate into the request and click the action “Create Contract” or “Create Legal File”.
- If necessary, follow the instructions in chapters “Creating a Contract“ or “Creating a Legal File“.
- Some metadata is already prefilled in the create dialog. The contributor of the request is automatically defined as the internal responsible of the contract or legal file.
- Enter all further metadata as required.
- Click on “Next” to create the contract or legal file.
If the request already contains documents that you would like to keep, or if you would like to add further documents/files upon creation, proceed as follows:
- Switch to the “Documents” tab before creating the contract or legal file.
- Click the button “Search and Add”.
- Enter the name of the desired document.
- Select the desired documents or files.
- Click on “Next“.