Contract Management administration

Contracts are agreements that describe contract terms, the method by which contract payments are calculated, and payment due dates. Administrative tasks include setting up contract profiles, calculating payments and payment dates, posting payments, and providing balance information for the duration of the contract.

Contract Management environment record

The Contract Management environment record defines options affecting basic Contract Management functionality for all users. Service Manager provides you with a default Contract Management environment record that you can modify for your system. The Contract Management environment record allows administrators to enable or disable access for all operators to Contract Management functionality with or without having a related Contract Management profile record. The Contract Management profile record specifies the activities or operations allowed for contracts such as adding, updating, canceling, or renewing contracts.

Configure the Contract Management environment

The Contract Management environment record defines options that enable or disable Contract Management application functionality for all Contract Management users. The Contract Management environment record provides default out-of-box settings. You can customize these settings to meet your specific business needs.

To configure the Contract Management environment settings, follow these steps:

1. Click Configuration Management > Administration > Contract Management Environment.
2. Select new options or clear default options. Your changes redefine the Contract Management environment for all users.
3. When you finish making your changes, click Save.
4. Click OK.

Contract Management profile records

After you modify the operator record to give a user Contract Management rights, you must add a Contract Management profile for that user. Service Manager provides a default series of profile records, which is based on user roles. The DEFAULT profile sets permissions for users who are not defined by any other profile record. Users can access Contract Management by using this profile only if you select the Allows Access Without Profile Record option in the Contract Management environment record.

Add a Contract Management profile

Contract Management profiles enable administrators to selectively assign access and security to users through the interaction of user roles and profiles. You can add Contract Management profiles to the out-of-box profiles.

To add a new contract security profile, follow these steps:

1. Click Configuration Management > Administration > Contract Management Profile.
2. Type the name of the new profile in the Profile Name field.
3. Select the applicable profile elements: Threading, contract, software counter, payment, asset allocation, terms and conditions, and general privileges options for the profile.
4. Click Add.

To add a new profile by using an existing profile , follow these steps:

1. Click Configuration Management > Administration > Contract Management Profile.
2. Use search or advanced search to find one or more records.
3. Select the profile from the list that most closely matches the profile you want to add.
4. Type the name of the new profile in the Profile Name field.
5. Add or change information on the form to select the applicable contract elements: Threading, contract, software counter, payment, asset allocation, terms and conditions, and general privileges options for the new profile.

6. Click Add.

   Caution Make sure that you do not click Save because doing so will replace the existing profile with the new profile you are attempting to add.

Creating a contract

You can create a variety of contract types using the forms provided in the Configuration Management application. Information is entered into the selected form and that information models the specifics for the contract. Some forms provide multiple sections that contain information fields. For example, if you choose lease, the Lease Contract Information form opens. This form contains several sections that apply specifically to leased configuration items (CIs).

Create a contract template

Contract Management tracks each service contract between a customer and service provider. Configuration Management enables you to create contracts from contract types or user-defined templates.

To create a contract template, follow these steps:

1. Click Configuration Management > Contracts > Contracts.
2. Use search or advanced search to find one or more records.
3. Select a contract to use as a template.
4. Click More or the More Actions icon.
5. Choose Create Template.
6. Type the name of the new template in the Name field.
7. Add or change information on the form to select the applicable contract, lease, financial, terms and conditions, and other information to ensure the contract template is standardized for all related contracts.

8. Click Add.

   Caution Make sure that you do not click Save because doing so will replace the existing contract with the new contract you are attempting to create.

Add a contract

Contract Management enables you to track service contracts between customers and service providers. You can add new contracts from contract types or user-defined templates.

To create a new contract, follow these steps:

1. Click Configuration Management > Contracts > Contracts.
2. Click New to start the Add New Contract wizard.
3. To create a contract by type, follow these steps:
   1. Choose Create what type of contract?, and then select a contract type from the list of records.
   2. Click Next. Configuration Management displays the contract form with the applicable fields to enter information about the contract. The form may have multiple sections with multiple information fields. For example, if you choose lease, the Lease Contract Information form opens. It has several sections that apply to leased assets.
4. To create a contract from a user-defined template, follow these steps:
   1. Choose Create a contract from which template?, and then choose a template from the list of records.

      Note If there are no contract templates available for selection, you need to create one or more first.

   2. Click Next. Configuration Management displays the contract template form in which to enter information about the new contract. The form may have multiple sections with multiple information fields. For example, if you choose the Software template, the Software Contract Information form opens.
5. Type a ID in the Contract ID field.
6. Choose a date in the Start Date and Expiration Date fields.
7. Complete the remaining fields, as required.
8. Provide as much information as possible in each of the sections.

9. Click Add. The contract record is added and the status is noted as a draft.

   Note You can delete a contract only while it is in draft status. When the contract term begins on the start date, the status of the contract changes to current.

Contract Management schedule records

Service Manager uses a background scheduler (called Contract) and the information in the schedule record (called Contract Status) to check for start date, expiration date, and status to determine whether contract updates are required.

Currency conversion utility

By using the Contract Management currency conversion utility, you can automatically convert national currencies, depending on the exchange rates at the time you initiate the contract. Contract Management manages all currencies in compliance with European Union currency regulations. By default, it uses the fixed inter-European exchange rates. You can enter daily exchange rates into the system to ensure accurate rate conversions.

Access a currency definition record

Contract Management enables you to automatically convert between national currencies, depending on exchange rates at the time you initiate the contract. You can view a currency definition record to make sure it is current.

To access a currency definition record, follow these steps:

1. Click System Administration > Base System Configuration > Currencies.
2. Use search or advanced search to find one or more records.
3. Click a record to view it in the Currency Information form.
4. Edit information about the currency as necessary.
5. Click Save.

Set daily currency exchange rates

Contract Management provides a currency conversion utility that automatically converts national currencies, depending on exchange rates at the time you initiate the contract. You can enter daily exchange rates into the system to ensure accurate rate conversions.

To set daily currency exchange rates, follow these steps:

1. Click System Administration > Base System Configuration > Conversion Rates.
2. Use search or advanced search to find one or more records.
3. Click a record to view it in the Conversion Rate Information form.
4. Update the Date and Exchange Rate fields with the daily exchange rate information.
5. Click Save.