Who: Contract owner or permitted writer; approval/signature actions need their own authority. Entry: Registers > Contracts.
- Create a contract or open one and choose Edit.
- Under Overview, enter the title, type and description. Under People, select Responsible owner, business unit, signed-by account and delegated authority where applicable.
- Under Key dates, record start, end and signed dates, automatic renewal information, notice period and the actual renewal notice deadline. A manually entered notice deadline is preserved when the term changes; review it deliberately after a variation.
- Enter counterparty details, base total/annual values, liability information and governance declarations where applicable.
- Attach the executed document and other evidence, select their evidence references, then save and check the detail page.
- Ask the access administrator to set the formal unit/programme responsibility when needed. Selecting an owner does not grant access.
Complete when: The People and Key dates areas show the intended data, evidence opens, and totals match the source.
The normal contract path is Draft → In review → Awaiting signature → Active. Approval records review; the Sign action records a completed signature event. It does not provide an electronic signature service. Expiring/expired states depend on dates and configured processing. Renewals must be supported by corrected dates or an approved variation, not simply a changed badge.