Creating Contract Templates

Required Permission

Manage Company Settings - You must have the Manage Company Settings permission to access this setting.

A contract template defines the structure, wording, and terms of every contract created from it. This page covers what a template is made of and how to add a new one. To change an existing template, see Editing a Template.

What a Template Is Made Of

Part	What it controls	Where you change it
Template Name	Internal name shown in the Contract Templates list	Click the name in the template header
Client Title	The title printed at the top of the contract the client sees	Click the title in the template preview
Logo	The image in the contract header	Edit Template mode
Sections	The blocks of content that make up the contract body, in order	Manage Template > Sections
Fields	The fields shown in the panel beside the contract	Manage Template > Fields
Settings	Signed-PDF folder, signature request message, project duration fields	Manage Template > Settings

Templates You Already Have

Every company starts with four templates, created automatically the first time the Contract Templates list is opened:

• Project Proposal
• Design Service Agreement
• Deposit Agreement
• Change Order

These are built-in templates. They can be edited freely but cannot be deleted. In most cases, editing one of these is what you want — you only need to add a template when you need a contract these four do not cover.

Adding a Template

1. Go to Settings > Projects > Contract Templates
2. Click Add Template
3. Fill in the dialog:

Field	Description	Required
Client Title	The title the client sees at the top of the contract	Yes
Template Name	Internal name, shown in the templates list	Yes
Custom Type	The behavior this template should follow when a contract from it is signed	No

4. Click Add Template

The new template opens immediately so you can start editing it.

Custom Type

Templates you add are custom templates. The Custom Type dropdown tells the system which built-in behavior the new template should follow when a contract created from it is signed:

Custom Type	Use for
None	A standalone document with no signing behavior attached
Project Proposal	Full scope, pricing, and production dates — behaves like the built-in Project Proposal
Deposit Agreement	Early commitment and deposit terms
Design Services Agreement	Design phase scope and terms
Substantial Completion	Sign-off that the work is substantially complete

See Contract Types for what each type does on signing.

note

Only custom templates can be deleted. The four built-in templates can be edited but not removed.

Sections a New Template Starts With

A new template is created with a standard set of sections, most of them turned on:

Section	Enabled by default
Primary Language	Yes
Secondary Language	Yes
Area Summary	Yes
Work Scope	Yes
Allowances	Yes
Contract Options & Addons	No
Payment Schedule	Yes
Terms and Conditions	Yes
Signature	Yes

Substantial Completion templates are the exception — they start with only Primary Language, Terms and Conditions, and Signature enabled, since the other sections do not apply.

Turn sections on or off, reorder them, and add your own from Manage Template > Sections. See Template Sections for what each section type does.

Primary and Secondary Language

Primary Language and Secondary Language are ordinary content sections placed at the top of the contract. Use them for introductory wording, a project overview, or a second language version of your opening terms. On built-in templates they arrive pre-filled with standard wording you can edit.

Best Practices

Keep Templates Focused

Create separate templates for:

• Different contract types (proposal vs. change order)
• Different project types (remodel vs. new construction)
• Different complexity levels (simple vs. comprehensive)

Use Consistent Formatting

• Same fonts and sizes across all templates
• Consistent heading hierarchy
• Standard spacing between sections

Review Legal Content

• Have legal counsel review terms and conditions
• Update templates when laws or regulations change
• Keep liability and warranty language current

Test Before Using

Before using a new template in production:

1. Create a test contract on a real or test project
2. Check the formatting in the client view
3. Confirm all sections appear as expected
4. Verify the payment schedule displays correctly

Related Topics

• Editing a Template - Change content, sections, fields, and settings
• Template Sections - Configure scope and terms sections
• Managing Templates - Rename and delete templates
• Payment Schedule Templates - Configure payment structures
• Project Proposal - How system fields work on contracts