Create or edit a contract

Can I do this task?

You can edit an existing draft contract, but not invoiced or active contracts.

Note

Although it is possible, creating a contract from an account is not recommended. The contract does not associate to the account correctly and allotments are not recorded.

1. In the Navigation Pane, click Service, and then click Contracts.
2. Use one of the following procedures:

   Start a contract from a template

   The contract template determines the the allotment type A unit of service, such as a case or a range of coverage dates, specified in a service contract that indicates how much access a customer has to customer service. (minutes or cases), billing frequency A pre-defined period of time that specifies how often a customer should be billed. Common billing frequencies are monthly, quarterly, and annually., discounts Reductions in the selling price of products or services. Discounts are usually offered by the seller when the buyer agrees to meet specific conditions., and the day and times service is available; however, with the exception of allotment type, this information can be changed in the contract.

   1. In the Records group, click New.
   2. In the Template Explorer dialog box, select the template you want to use, and then click OK.
   3. In the contract form, in the Contract Name box, type a unique name for the contract.

      For example, Adventureworks - technical support for wireless network.

   Start a new contract by copying an existing contract

   Microsoft Dynamics CRM creates a copy of the contract with a unique ID number. Any changes you make to this copy do not affect the original contract.

   1. From the list, open the contract you want to copy.
   2. In the Contract form, in the Actions group, click Copy Contract.
   3. In the Create From Existing Contract dialog box, clear Include canceled contract lines unless you want to keep them, and then click OK.

      In the original contract, contract lines were canceled when they expired or the allotment is exceeded. If you want to reuse the contract lines, do not clear the check box.

3. On the General tab, you must enter information in the following boxes:
   • Contract Name
   • Customer

     Select the customer covered by this contract. You can click the Lookup button to search for and select records.

   • Contract Start Date
   • Contract End Date

     When you save the contract,Microsoft Dynamics CRM automatically assigns the Contract ID and calculates the Duration in Days based on the contract start and end dates. A contract address is required to change the status of the contract to invoiced.

     In the Billing Information area, Microsoft Dynamics CRM autmoatically completes the fields when the corresponding Heading area fields are entered; however, you can change or enter the information as required. Bill To Address is required to change the status of the contract to invoiced.

     In the Pricing area, the amounts are read-only, and are calculated based on the pricing and discounts entered in the contract lines. To change the pricing, update the contract lines. To recalculate the amounts, in the Actions group, click Recalculate.

4. On the Details tab, enter additional information about the contract.

   In the Contract Type area, you can change the discount A reduction in the selling price of products or services. Discounts are usually offered by the seller when the buyer agrees to meet specific conditions. and service level The type of service specified in a contract. The default levels are gold, silver, or bronze. Like medals in a competition, gold denotes the highest level of service and bronze the lowest. The organization determines what each service level offers. Some common differentiations between levels include response time and access to specialists.. Discounts for contract lines are given the same discount type that you select here. Service levels are defined by your business's guidelines.

   In the History area, the following fields are automatically completed when the contract was created.

   • Originating Contract

     The contract that the current contract was copied from. This field cannot be changed.

   • Owner

     By default this is set to be the creator of the record. Click the Lookup button to search for other records.

   • Contract Template

     You can change the contract template, if the contract status is draft.

5. Under Information, click Notes and Activities. In the Notes section, click Add a new note, and add the information that applies to your record.
6. Click Save or Save and Close.

Notes

• The contract becomes active once it is invoiced and the start date is reached. For more information, see How contracts progress through the life cycle.
• You must define at least one contract line A line item in a contract that describes the service support to be provided. A contract line often includes pricing information and how support will be allotted. for the contract before you can change the status of the contract to invoiced. You can define several contract lines for each contract; for example, one for parts and another for maintenance. You cannot delete a contract line once it is active; instead, you can cancel it.
• The default days and hours of service are defined in the contract template. To change the days and hours of service, in the Actions group, click Set Calendar.
• You cannot edit an active contract, but you can cancel it or put it on hold. A canceled contract can be renewed and then edited. When a contract is on hold, no cases can be opened against the contract. For example, you might choose to put a contract on hold if there is an invoicing dispute, and then release the contract when the dispute is resolved. In the Actions group, click Hold Contract or Release Hold. To view a list of contracts on hold, in the View list, click Contracts On Hold.