This chapter describes the steps to set up the Contract Repository.
This chapter covers the following topics:
Since the release of Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Contracts has provided the ability to author and maintain contract terms in buy-side and sell-side Oracle applications. For example, contract terms can be added to purchase agreements that are created in Oracle Purchasing, or to quotes that are created in Oracle Quoting.
Oracle Contracts enables you to create miscellaneous contracts such as license agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and merger agreements, which are not specifically related to the functionality of other Oracle applications. You can also create purchase or sales agreements for miscellaneous items that are outside the normal purchasing or sales flows, for which full execution capabilities are not required.
These types of contracts are stored in the Contract Repository, and are called repository contracts. Each repository contract will have a user-defined contract type, unlike the contracts that are created in other Oracle applications, which have system-defined contract types.
You can relate an existing repository contract to other repository contracts and to purchasing documents using the Add Related Contracts page. Relating these documents to each other enables contract administrators to track documents that are important for managing the existing contract. For example, you might include exhibits, contracts for related commodities, subcontracts, and governing agreements, and contracts that preceded or succeeded the contract. When you add a related contract, you must select a Related By value, which describes the relationship between the contracts. For more information about Related By values, see the Relationship Types.
Repository contracts are integrated with Contract Terms Library to enable Structured Terms Authoring. A repository contract can include supporting documents and amendments, deliverables with notification capabilities, and risk information. Repository contracts support a flexible approval and signature process, and a bulk import process is available for loading legacy contracts into the system.
You can define user attributes or commonly referred to as the user defined attributes, which are used to obtain and save additional information for a contract. Before you can define a user attribute, an attribute group must be created. For example, attribute groups defined as lines can be used to provide line details for a specific contract type. You can edit the attribute group in any of the following contract statuses: Draft, Pending Approval, Approved, Pending Signature, Signed, Terminated, and Canceled.
The contracts workbench administrator can define attribute templates, attribute groups, functions, and value sets using the User Attributes Setup tab. A single or multiple attribute template can be associated with a single contract type. Attribute groups are added to the attribute template. The attribute template name must be unique. You can freeze only one template for the combination of effective dates, operating unit, and contract type or deliverables. The header region of a contract contains the following subtabs: Notes, Controls, and a tab for each attribute page created using the User Attribute Setup tab.
Content Search enables you to search for words or phrases in contracts and in text contained in the attached contract documents. You can search for words or phrases both in structured content, such as contract number, and in unstructured text, such as content contained in attached contract documents.
Limitations of content search are that you cannot search for:
Special characters such as -, =, (, and so on
Stoplists containing words that are not indexed such as, a, and, and so on
Image files
For more information about special characters and stoplists, see Oracle Text Reference.
The content search feature uses Oracle Text indexing and requires certain concurrent programs to be run periodically. To perform the content search, first you must run the Create Contract Content Search concurrent program. Then, based on your requirement, you must run the following concurrent programs periodically:
Synchronize Contract Content Search Index
Optimize Contract Content Search Text Index
Content Search: Generate Draft Attachments
To search for a word or phrase in contracts and in the attached contract documents:
On the Contracts Content Search page enter the word or phrase and, optionally, enter additional search criteria.
The following table maps the Status Group LOV and what it means for a contract in the contract repository, in a purchasing document, and in a sourcing document:
| Status Group Value | Contract Repository | Purchasing Document | Sourcing Document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Approved Signed |
Approved Reserved Open |
Active |
| Draft | Draft Pending Approval Pending Signature |
Incomplete In Process Pre-Approved Requires Re-approval |
Preview |
| Inactive | Canceled Rejected Terminated |
Rejected Returned Hold Frozen Cancelled Not Reserved Closed |
Closed Awarded Canceled |
Click Go. View the search results on the same page.
Click the icon in the Contract File column. The Contract File page opens. This page lists the document names as links that can be downloaded.
Expand the Details column to view snippets containing the word or phrase that you have searched for.
To use the Contract Repository, define your operating units in Oracle Human Resources. For more information, see the Oracle Human Resources User's Guide. If you are implementing the Contracts Repository as a standalone implementation, then you should set up the operating units. However, if you are implementing the Contracts Repository as part of Procurement or Sales Contracts, the operating units may already have been set up as described in the Setting Up Contract Terms Library chapter.
The Multiple Organizations (Multi-Org) access control feature enables you to define the operating units within a specific responsibility that users can have access to. With the latest release of Oracle Contracts, you can set up Multi-Org access control in the Contract Terms Library. This feature enables users to access multiple operating units from a given responsibility. In the previous release of Oracle Contracts, access to an operating unit through a responsibility was controlled using the MO: Operating Unit profile option. Users could define this profile option and access the library for the specific operating unit.
Defining Security Profiles
To define security profiles:
Log in to the Human Resources responsibility.
Open to the Profile page.
Navigation: Security > Profile page
Provide a name for the profile.
Select a business group to which all the operating units belong. If you have not defined your own business groups, select the default business group.
In the Security type field, select the “Secure Organizations by organization hierarchy and/or organization list” option from the list of values.
Navigate to the Organization Security tab. At this stage, you can select one of the following options:
Navigate to the Classification region and provide a list of operating units and their names. This will be the list of operating units under the security profile.
Select an organization in the Organization Hierarchy field. To use this option, you must first set up an Organization Hierarchy. For more information, see the Setting Up Organization Hierarchy section.
Save your work.
Run the Security List Maintenance program.
You should select the One Named Security Profile option as the value for the Generate Lists for parameter and then provide the value of the security profile that you just created.
If you have multiple security profiles, you can run this program as many times as necessary. Also, you must run this program after you update the security profile definitions.
Setting Up Organization Hierarchy
To set up an organization hierarchy:
Log in to the Human Resources responsibility.
Open the Organization Hierarchy page.
Navigation: Workstructures > Organization > Hierarchy
Provide a hierarchy name.
Save your work.
Provide the version number and start date.
Save your work and close the window.
Query the hierarchy that you just created.
Navigate to the Subordinates region.
If you receive a warning message that indicates “The organization is not current as at the start date,” ignore it and provide the list of operating units that you want to include in the hierarchy.
Save your work.
Set up the following profile options:
MO: Operating Unit (Responsibility Level): If you do not plan on using the Multi-Org Access Control feature for your organization to implement Contracts Repository, you can use this profile option to determine the operating units that should have access to the Contracts Repository responsibility.
MO: Security Profile (Responsibility Level): Use this profile option to determine which operating unit or group of operating units have access to the Contracts Repository responsibility. To set up this profile option, you need to first implement the Multi-Org Access feature. For more information, see the Implementing Multiple Organizations Access Control section.
MO: Default Operating Unit (Responsibility Level): Optionally use this profile, in conjunction with the MO: Security Profile, to set a default operating unit for creating contracts in Contract Repository. The value of this profile must be one of the operating units in the MO: Security Profile.
Copy all Contract Documents (Site Level): If this profile option is set to Yes, the system will copy all the contract documents attached to the current version of the source contract to the target contract. If you set the profile option to No, the system will copy contract document categories of Contract or Supporting Document only. By default the value of this profile option is No.
Contract Repository Auto-Numbering Enabled (Site Level): If this profile option is set to Yes, the system will assign numbers to the new contracts automatically. If you set the profile option to No, the application users must enter contract numbers manually. Contract numbers must be unique across all manually and automatically generated numbers.
You can enable this profile at the OU level to configure numbering at the operating unit.
Contract Intent Access Control (Site, Responsibility, User Levels): When you define a contract and indicate the contract type, the system derives the contract's intent, which is an indication of whether the contract is buy-side, sell-side, or neither. Each contract type can be associated only with one intent. The possible values for Intent are Buy, Sell, and Other. This profile option restricts the users when that are creating or viewing Repository contracts, and when they are using the Contracts Workbench. The possible values of the profile option are Buy, Sell, Buy-Sell, Other, Buy-Other, Sell-Other, and Buy-Sell-Other.
If this profile option is not set, the user will have access to all three intents.
Integration of Oracle Contracts with Oracle Approvals Management, a self-service Web application, enables you to define business rules governing the process for approving Repository contracts. You can define simple or complex rules, which allow approval based on your defined conditions and attributes. For Repository contracts, Oracle Contracts enables the configuration of the list of approvers. Oracle Approvals Management determines who needs to approve the contracts. These rules can be customized to meet your business needs. You can also add approvers and resequence the list to meet specific needs. For more information, see the Implementing Oracle Approvals Management Guide.
Define approval hierarchy and approval rules through the Oracle Approvals Management. You can define the rules around the following specific attributes for Repository contracts:
| Attribute Name on Oracle Approval Management | Field Name in Oracle Contracts | Description | Values / Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONTRACT_AMOUNT | Amount | The monetary value of the contract. | The numeric amount. For example, you can set up a rule that would apply only to the Repository contracts in which the contract amount is more than $1,000,000. |
| CONTRACT_AUTHORING_PARTY | Authoring Party | The party that authored the contract terms. | For example: INTERNAL, EXTERNAL. |
| CONTRACT_CURRENCY | Currency | The short code for the contract currency. | The three-letter currency code. For example, USD. |
| CONTRACT_INTENT | Intent | The Intent indicates the nature of the transaction between the parties in a contract. The possible values for Intent are Buy, Sell, and Other. | The possible values are B (buy), S (sell), and O (other). |
| CONTRACT_OVERALL_RISK | Overall Risk | The overall risk level that is assigned to the contract by the contract administrator. | The possible values are 1_Very_ Low, 2_Low, 3_Medium, 4_High, and 5_Very High. |
| CONTRACT_TYPE | Type | The contract type. For more information, see Obtaining Contract Type Codes. | In this field, you need to enter the Contract Type Code. For example, "REP 1000". |
| PARTY_ID | Party ID | The Party ID for the contract party. | HZ_PARTIES.PARTY_ID, PO_VENDORS.VENDOR_ID |
| TRANSACTION_ORG_ID | Transaction Organization ID | The ID for the operating unit that the contract belongs to. For more information, see Obtaining Operating Unit Identification Number. | Operating unit ID number |
| TRANSACTION_REQUESTOR_PERSON_ID | Transaction Requester Person ID | The person ID for the person who submits the contract for approval. | Person ID from the PER_ALL_PEOPLE_F table. |
You can obtain the ID number of your operating units from the Find System Profile Values window:
Steps
Log in to the System Administrator responsibility.
Navigate to the Find System Profile Values window.
Navigation: Profile > System
In the Organization field, enter the name form the operating unit.
Click the Find button to view the ID number.
To obtain the Contract Type Codes from the Contract Types Summary page, you must have the Personalization privileges.
Steps
Log in to the Contracts Workbench Administrator responsibility.
Open the Navigate to Contract Types Summary page.
Select the Personalize Summary Table for Repository Contract Types.
Select the Personalize icon for the Contract Type Code.
Set the Rendered attribute to True for the desired scope, for example, Function, Site, Organization, or Responsibility.
Apply the changes and navigate back to the Contract Types Summary page to view the Contract Type Codes.
Refer to the Look Up Codes appendix to identify the lookup codes that you must define for your implementation. Use the Application Object Library Lookups window to define the lookup codes.
The following table displays the Descriptive Flexfield for Contract Repository.
| Title | Technical Name | Description | Table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repository Contract Additional Information | OKC_REP_CONTRACTS_ALL_DFF | Repository Contract Additional Information | OKC_REP_CONTRACTS_ALL |
| Repository Contract Document Number | OKC_REP_CONTRACT_DOC_NUM_DFF | Used for manually numbering contracts, implementers can configure the segments in this DFF | OKC_REP_CONTRACTS_ALL |
To use the Descriptive Flexfield for Repository Contract, first you need to enable appropriate segments as required for your implementation. For more information, refer to the Oracle E-Business Suite Flexfields Guide.
After completing the definition of the Descriptive Flexfield and enabling it for use, you need to bounce the Apache Server for the changes to take effect in the Contract Repository. Similarly, if you update the Descriptive Flexfield definitions, perform the Apache Server bounce.
Use the Contract Repository Auto-Numbering Enabled profile option to set the numbering option for Contract Repository. For more information, see the Setting Up Profile Options section.
To start numbering Repository Contracts follow the following steps:
Set the Contract Repository Auto-Numbering Enabled profile option to Yes. In this case, you can use one of the following options:
The system uses a simple sequence (starting with number 1) to generate contract numbers.
Configure the OKC_REP_NUM_HOOK.GET_REP_CONTRACT_NUMBER code hook to set the numbering of contracts.
Set the Contract Repository Auto-Numbering Enabled profile option to No. In this case, you can use one of the following two options:
Manually enter numbers for the contracts.
Configure the Repository Contract Document Number descriptive flexfield (DFF) to set the numbering sequence. The DFF must be set up at the contract type code and organization ID level. During import only the concatenated value (contract type code and organization ID) of the DFF is accepted. If REP_10001 is the contract type code of the contract type Collaboration Agreement and 204 is the ORG_ID of the OU Vision Operations, the segments should be setup for REP_10001_204.
The system verifies autonumbering value at the contract type, then from the Auto-Numbering Enabled profile option and operating unit. If not set at this level, system uses the value set at the site level.
Note: The AutoNumbering option for Contract Repository is separate from the AutoNumbering for clauses in the Contract Terms Library. The AutoNumbering option for clauses and Contract Repository must be set up separately. Repository does not use the AutoNumbering process that can be set up for clauses in the Contract Terms Library where you can set the starting number, prefixes, and so on.
Function security provides control over the access of users to certain functions in the repository. A user can have View-Only, Authoring, or Administrator responsibility.
Note: Oracle Contracts provides the following seeded responsibilities:
Contracts Workbench Administrator: This responsibility has control over the setup features of the Contract Repository, such as defining contract types and risks.
Contracts Workbench User: You can use this responsibility to create and manage repository contracts as well as view Procurement and Sales contracts.
To define a view-only responsibility for the users in your organization, you must create your own responsibilities by using the seeded menus and adding or removing the appropriate functions listed in the following table.
The following table displays the functions that each responsibility has access to:
| Function | View-Only Responsibility | Authoring Responsibility | Administrator Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| View contract | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Create and update contract | No | Yes | Yes |
| Change status from Approved to Signed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Manage deliverables | No | Yes | Yes |
| Manage risk | No | Yes | Yes |
| Terminate contract | No | Yes | Yes |
| Update contract administrator of a contract | No | No | Yes |
| Import contracts | No | No | Yes |
| Use Repository Setup tab | No | No | Yes |
When users create Repository contracts in Oracle Contracts, they must select one of the user-defined contract types, such as Non-Disclosure Agreement and Partnership Agreement, to the contract. You must define the contract types in advance. User can enable contract terms for Structured Terms Authoring. In repository contracts you can also setup User Attributes commonly referred to as the user defined attributes that are used to obtain and save additional information for a contract.
Log in to the Contracts Workbench Administrator responsibility.
Click the Contract Types link. The contract types that you define should be unique across all operating units within the company. Note: For your reference, the Contract Types page displays the list of seeded and current user-defined contract types.
Click the Create Contract Type button. The system displays the Create Contract Type page.
In the Name field, enter a unique identifier for the contract type.
Enter a Description for the contract type.
Select Intent from the list of values. Depending on the nature (Intent) of a contract, the contract could be buy-side, sell-side, or neither. Each Contract Type should be associated with an intent. The possible values for Intent are Buy, Sell, or Other. If the Contracts Intent Access Control profile option is used, this selection will limit which users will be able to select this contract type.
Important: If you select Intent as Other, in Enable Subentities, the Contract Terms is disabled.
Select a start date. This is the date that the contract type becomes available.
Optionally, select an end date for the contract type. After the end date has passed, when creating new contracts, users will not be able to select this type.
Optionally, you can enable the following subentities: Parties, Contract Terms, Deliverables, Documents, Relationships, Risks, Notes, and Controls.
Optionally, in the Document Controls section, you can select the following:
Approval Workflow: Select the workflow used for approval. The process that needs to be triggered here should be mentioned in the code hook.
Signature Workflow: Select the workflow used during the signing process. The process that needs to be triggered here should be mentioned in the code hook.
Layout Template: Select the layout template used to print the contract PDF.
Data Template: Select the data template as the Data Definition file for the Layout Template in the XML Publisher.
Autonumbering: Specify the numbering to be used for this contract type.
Allow Approver to Edit Document: Select the check box to allow approver to edit the contract.
Display in Contracts Workbench: Select this check box to display the contracts in contract workbench.
Click the Apply button.
When users create Repository contracts in Oracle Contracts, they can select multiple risks associated with these contracts. Examples are partner bankruptcy, nonperformance of a deliverable, noncompliance with nondisclosure terms, loss or infringement of intellectual property, and damage to property or humans.
In Contract Repository, risks are driven and managed as a manual process. The user-defined risks serve only as a tool to assess and monitor risks on contracts that are created in the repository. These risks cannot be associated or managed in the context of Procurement or Sales contracts.
Log in to the Contracts Workbench Administrator responsibility.
Click the Risks link.
Note: For your reference, the Risks page displays the list of all user-defined risks. Oracle Contracts does not provide seeded risks.
The risks that you define should be unique across all operating units within the company.
Click the Create Risk button. The system displays the Create Risk page.
In the Name field, enter a unique identifier for the risk.
Enter a description for the risk.
Select a start date.
Optionally, select an end date for the risk. After the end date has passed, the risk cannot be selected on a contract.
Click Apply to save the risk.
The contact role indicates the responsibility or function of different people in a contract. For example, an employee (internal contact) can be assigned the role of Purchasing Manager in a contract. No seeded contact roles are available. You can define an unlimited number of contact roles. These roles will be available to users when they are adding internal or external contacts to a party on a Repository contract.
Log in to the Contracts Workbench Administrator responsibility.
Click the Contact Roles. For your reference, the Contact Roles page displays the list of all user-defined roles. The roles that you define should be unique across all operating units within the company.
Click the Create Contact Role button. The system displays the Create Contact Role page.
In the Name field, enter a unique identifier for the role.
Enter a description for the role.
Select a start date.
Optionally, select an end date for the role. After the end date has passed, the role cannot be selected on a contract.
Click Apply to save the role.
Attribute Group is used to define a set of attributes for a contract. Attribute Group Templates are used to define which attribute group is available for a specific Contract Type or a combination of Contract Type and Operating Unit. Based on this template definition the attribute groups are displayed as tabs on the Contract UI.
Use this setup to create attribute groups and attribute templates for repository contracts.
Defining Attribute Groups
You need to set up the attribute group by performing the following steps:
Navigate to Contracts Workbench Administrator responsibility, Contracts, User Attributes Setup, and then Attribute Groups.
Click the Create button. Enter the Internal Name and Display Name. Click the Apply and Add Attributes button.
Click Apply to save the attribute group.
Defining Attribute Templates
You need to set up the attribute template by performing the following steps:
Navigate to Contracts Workbench Administrator responsibility, Contracts, User Attributes Setup, and then Attribute Templates.
Click the Create Template button. Enter the Template Name and Start Date. Select a Contract Type.
Click Save.
On the Update Attribute Template page you can do the following:
Click the Add Associations button. On the Attribute Group Associations page you can select an attribute groups and view the description. From the Contract Status you can select the status of the contract in which you would like to edit the attribute group.
Click the Add Pages button. On the Attribute Pages button click the Create Page button to specify a display name, internal name, sequence, and add attribute groups. Click Apply.
The display name of the page specified here is displayed on the tabs in the contract. The tabs are displayed in the contract in the order of this sequence from low to high.
Click the Freeze Template button to apply the attribute template to the contract. After freezing the template, in order to edit the template, click the Revise Template button. You can freeze only one template for the combination of effective dates, contract type, and operating unit.
Click Save.
As the Repository contract administrator, you can use the Access Control list to restrict access to the contracts to a list of internal users (employees or groups of employees). Also you can grant View Only or Update access to these users. Only internal users can be on the Access Control List.
To add users to the Access Control list:
Define employees as users in Oracle Human Resources. For more information, see the Oracle Human Resources User's Guide.
Create application users for the employees. For more information, see the Oracle E-Business Suite Setup Guide.
Import the employees into CRM Resources and synchronize their user names. For more information, see the Oracle CRM Application Foundation Implementation Guide.
Contract Repository enables users to add customers and partners as parties to a contract. You can create the parties in Oracle Customers Online. For more information, see the Oracle Customers Online User Guide.
Contract Repository enables users to add suppliers to a contract. You can create your suppliers in Oracle Payables. For more information, see the Oracle Payables User Guide.
To enable some of the features of Contract Repository, you need to run the appropriate concurrent programs.
For more information, see the Concurrent Programs appendix.
This section covers the following topics:
A single view of all enterprise contracts is essential for effective management of contract activities and for reporting and analysis of outstanding supplier, customer, and partner commitments. Oracle Contracts provides a centralized Contracts Workbench that gives access and visibility to all contractual agreements in the enterprise. Contracts Workbench enables contract administrators to see which contracts require attention, provides extensive search capabilities, and provides shortcuts to common tasks such as creating or approving a contract. A flexible security model ensures that contracts can be viewed or updated only by authorized users.
Contracts Workbench provides a single view of the following types of contracts:
Procurement and Sales contracts: Contracts that are created in buy-side and sell-side of Oracle applications, such as purchase orders, purchase agreements, negotiations, orders, quotes, and sales agreements.
Repository contracts: Oracle Contracts provides visibility to all enterprise contracts, including procurement and sales contracts, from a common workbench. Oracle Contracts also allows authoring of standalone contracts, such as partnership agreements, that are not part of a sales or purchase order. These types of contracts are stored in Contract Repository and are called Repository contracts.
Oracle Framework includes the OA Personalization Framework, which enables you to personalize the appearance of Contracts Workbench without modifying any underlying code.
The following are the most common ways to personalize Contracts Workbench:
The default bins for the Contracts Workbench are:
Notifications
Recent Contracts
Expiring Contracts
Contract Deliverables
Contracts at Risk
You can use the personalization option to add the Bookmarks bin, remove any of these bins, or change the order in which the bins are displayed.
The default columns for the Advanced Search Results page are:
Contracts Number
Contract Name
Operating Unit
Party Name
Contract Type
Intent
Status
Effective Date
You can use the personalization option to remove any of these columns, change the order in which the columns are displayed, or add any of the following columns:
Contract Administrator
Overall Risk
Version
Expiration Date
Termination Date
Amount
Currency
Authoring Party
The personalization also impacts the Export option. After performing a search, you can export the search results to a Comma Separated (CSV) file. The exported file will include only the columns that are shown on the screen. After personalization, columns that are available for personalization but not selected will not be included in the CSV file.