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Via the contracts 'Period schemes' tab, the period schemes can be managed:
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The period scheme consists of a couple of settings which eventually determines the contracts period or duration:
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No: Automatic generated number or reference for each period scheme within the contract, 01, 02, 03, etc.
Start date: This is either the start date of the contract (if this is the first period scheme) or the date after the previous period scheme ended. From this date, the period scheme applies to the contract until the end of the contract or until the next period scheme starts.
Duration: The duration of every renewal when this period scheme applies.
Term of notice: The term of notice period of every renewal when this period scheme applies. Until the term of notice period is reached, the contract can be terminated without the contract being renewed anymore. After the term of notice period the contract will be renewed with one duration again.
Renewal after the end of the previous period: With this field it can be determine how the contract should be renewed:
- Automatic: As soon as the term of notice period is reached, the contracts period is automatically extended with the period schemes duration or the next period schemes duration (if applicable).
- Possible: As soon as the term of notice period is reached, the contracts period is not automatically extended. The contracts parties can determine if the contract needs to be renewed or not. If the contracts period needs to be renewed, the end date of the period can be manually extended.
- None: As soon as the term of notice period is reached, the contracts period will not be extended. This means that the contract is ending, without it being terminated in advance.(s) can be managed:
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It is possible to have one or multiple period schemes within a contract. Multiple period schemes are used if a contract period needs to be renewed with different periods (e.g. the first contract period is 5 years, then it will be renewed with 2 years and then the contract period will be renewed every year).
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So one or more period schemes are used to automatically determine the contracts period. There is always one contract period which corresponds with one or more contract period schemes.
1.2 Contract items
Financial A contract usually consists of financial obligations for one of the contract parties. Via contract items these financial obligations can be registered as in the contract items in the contract via the ‘Contract items' tab. This tab shows some details about the contract period (price period, invoice period, total amount of all contract items within the period, etc.). This include also shows all contract items which are divided over several includes:. Contract items are created to get insights on the total contracts value and to be able to invoice these contract items. More information on contract invoicing in one of the chapters below.
Within the contract there is a distinction between active-, historical- and future contract items. These contract items can be managed via the corresponding overviews to prevent all contract items being in one whole list and the user needs to search for the active contract items.
Active contract items: Contract items currently active.
Historical contract items: Contract items ended in the past.
Future contract items: Contract items with startdate in the future.
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Via the 'Active contract items' include, new contract items Contract items can be added .
Adding contract items can be done with a few options. Below each of the options are described.
1.2.1 Generic item
When in a few different ways:
Add generic contract item: the user adds a
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blank contract
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1.2.2 Add asset
When the user selects 'Add asset' a list of assets is shown where the user can select the assets associated with the contract. For each selected asset, a contract item will be created. This is useful if a particular maintenance contract only consists of several assets. It will be clear that the linked assets are part of the maintenance contract. From the asset it will also be possible to see all contracts where that particular asset is linked to.
1.2.3 Add area
Before the user can add areas as a contract item, use types need to be available first. Use types are pre defined contract components which apply when linking areas to a contract. These pre defined contract components are used to be able to easily add different contract components per linked area with specific details automatically taken over (e.g. quantity, price, occupancy, etc.).
Some examples of use types:
Rent
Service costs
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Use types can be registered via 'Module settings' → 'Contracts' tab → 'Use types' include:
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In a use type, it can be defined what the default price, vat rate, unit and price period is. Also it can be defined if the use type influences the occupancy of the area. For example, when adding the ‘Rent' component of an area to a contract means that the area is occupied. Adding the 'Cleaning’ component of an area to a contract does not mean the area is occupied.
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If an area has deviating settings for a specific use type, ‘Services’ can be added to that specific area. A service (ObjectService) is a combination of a use type and an area. When adding an area with services to a contract, the specific service settings are taken over to the contract instead of the general use type settings.
Via the 'Services' tab of an area, the administrator and contract manager can manage the services for the area:
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1.2.4 Add building
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items, where all details need to be filled in by the user. A generic item is used if the user does not need to link any objects to the contract.
Add asset contract item: if the user also has assets registered in Workplace Management, the assets can be directly linked to contract items. This way there is always a link from the contract to the asset and visa versa.
Add area contract item: if there are financial obligations which involve specific areas, the user can link the relevant areas to a contract item. General or area specific contract components (e.g. rent or service costs) can be registered to determine the occupancy of the area for example. More on these contract components in one of the chapters below.
Add building contract item: buildings can be directly linked to contract items. This way there is always a link from the contract to the building and visa versa.
1.3 Contract reminders/notifications
Via ‘Module settings’ → ‘Contracts’ tab it is possible to set the default contract notification settings. These default settings are automatically taken over to every new contract.
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Contract reminders/notifications are used to inform the applicable contract manager and possible additional users about a contracts term of notice period. The contract manager can decide to renew the contract or maybe renegotiate or terminate the contract in time before it is (automatically) renewed.
The contracts notification settings, schedules, additional notification receiver(s) and the notifications already send or waiting to be send, can all be found on the ‘Notifications’ tab of the contract:
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If notificaties are enabled for the contract, a notification schedule is automatically created. This notifcation schedule contains the notification which will be send based on the term of notice period and X days before the notification needs to be send.
For example:
Contract startdate: 01-01-2024
Contract duration: 1 year
Term of notice period: 1 month
Notification: 60 days before
The term of notice date for the current period: 30-11-2024 (1 month before the end of the period 31-12-2024)
The notification will be send: 01-10-2024 (60 days before 30-11-2024)
If additional notifications need to be send, notification schedules can be added manually with an own cycle, for example, an additional notification 90 days before the term of notice date or a notification every 3 months from a specific date, etc.
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1.4
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Indexing contract items
1.4.1 General
Indexing is used to update (usually increase in price) the contract items over time. The indexing of the prices is usually done once per year and the payable contract party is informed in advance. These indexes or price changes need to be registered in the contracts to have up-to-date prices available.
If the client is the payable party of the contract registered in Workplace Management, the receivable party will inform the client of the upcoming price changes. These new prices can be manually registered in the contract. A new contract item is added with a startdate from when the new prices apply and the old/current contract item will get an enddate from when the contract items does not apply anymore.
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If the client is the receivable party of the contract(s) registered in Workplace Management, an indexation of the prices is usually done in bulk (for example, from 01-01-2025 all contracts will be indexed with 1,5%). Indexing all or a selection of contracts can be done via a few different ways.
Price changes
Indice with percentages
Indice with values
Indice with fixed values
1.4.2 Price changes
Via the price changes option, the desired contract items can be indexed from a specific date via one of three The easiest option to index is the 'Price changes' option. This option is used to quickly index the prices of the desired contracts without the need to create and maintain indices (or index table). There is also no need to configure the indexation per contract and per contract item.
A price change can be applied with one of the following options:
Percentage: Change the price with a percentage (e.g. the price is increased by 1,5%)
Fixed price: Change the price to a fixed value (the new price is 1000)
Price change: Change the price and add a value (the new price is the old price + 100)
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1.4.3
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Indexation via indices
Next to price changes, it is also possible to index via an index table or indice. With an An indice is a list of percentages or values which are used to determine the indexation percentage. Usually these indice values or percentages can be specified with a date. The indexation process will do the rest and calculates the correct percentage to index with from the specified dateare provided by a government or specific authority. An example: Consumer price indexes (CPIs) are index numbers that measure changes in the prices of goods and services purchased or otherwise acquired by households.
These indices need to be manually created and maintained in Workplace Management. If a specific indice is applicable for a contract item, it can be linked to the contract item and will automatically be taken into account when the actual indexation is executed.
Indices can be managed via the menu option ‘Contracts' → 'Indices’:
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After the receivable contracts have been indexed, a indexation letter can be generate to forward to the contract party about the (upcoming) indexation. Via the menu option ‘Contracts' → 'Generate indexation letters’ the indexed contracts can be search to generate a indexation letter for.
After the index letters are generated, they can be viewed via the menu option ‘Contracts' → 'Index letters to be processed’. Depending on the delivery method registered on the contract, the index letter can either be send via email, printed out to send via mail or not send.
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The last index letter is linked in the contract on the 'Indexing' tab:
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In the index letter the current price, new price and index percentage is included so that the contract party is completely aware of the indexation.
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Using index letters can be enabled via the module settings for 'Contracts'.
1.5 Contract invoicing
Via As the contract 'Invoicing' tab the contracts invoice settings can be determined, like for example the date from which the contract needs to be invoiced, the invoice period, etc. Via this tab it is possible to generate a period invoice or manually create a invoice for the specified contract items.
Period invoice: determine a period for which an invoice needs to be generated, all contract items not yet invoiced and within that period are taken into account.
Manual invoice: the user manually selects the period and the contract items to be invoiced.
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Contracts can also be invoiced via an invoice run. An invoice run is a periodic process where all contract items to be invoiced are searched and invoices are generated. This process can be completely manual or automated.receivable party of a contract it is important that the payable contract party is aware of the amounts that needs to be payed for which period. With contract invoicing it is possible to manually create or (automatically) generate periodic (monthly, quartly, yearly, etc.) invoices which can be send to the payable contract party.
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Using contract invoicing can be enabled and invoice run setttings settings can be determined via the module settings for 'Contracts'.
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By default contracts are created in one default category. If the client wants to distinguish between different types of contracts, contract types can be used. Via ‘Module settings' → ‘Contracts’ → 'Contract types’ inlduceinclude, the contract types can be managed.
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VAT tables can be created and managed via ‘Module settings' → ‘Contracts’ → 'VAT Tables’ include. A VAT table consists of the applicable VAT rates within a country and can be used to select the relevant VAT rate within the contract items.
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1.6.3 Use types
Before the user can add areas as a contract item, use types need to be available first. Use types are pre defined contract components which apply when linking areas to a contract. These pre defined contract components are used to be able to easily add different contract components per linked area with specific details automatically taken over (e.g. quantity, price, occupancy, etc.).
Some examples of use types:
Rent
Service costs
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Use types can be registered via 'Module settings' → 'Contracts' tab → 'Use types' include:
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In a use type, it can be defined what the default price, vat rate, unit and price period is. Also it can be defined if the use type influences the occupancy of the area. For example, when adding the ‘Rent' component of an area to a contract means that the area is occupied. Adding the 'Cleaning’ component of an area to a contract does not mean the area is occupied.
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If an area has deviating settings for a specific use type, ‘Services’ can be added to that specific area. A service (ObjectService) is a combination of a use type and an area. When adding an area with services to a contract, the specific service settings are taken over to the contract instead of the general use type settings.
Via the 'Services' tab of an area, the administrator and contract manager can manage the services for the area:
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2. Automatic emails send in the workflow(s)
Contracts do not work with a workflow, but there emails involved within this module. As mentioned in the chapter 1.3 Contract reminders/notifications, emails can be send as soon as a contracts term of notice period is getting closer.
Email content | When is it send | Send to |
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A reminder that the contracts term of notice period is getting closer. | X days before the term of notice period (depends on the contract setting) |
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3. General contract module settings
To navigate to all the general Contract module settings, go to Module settings → Contracts tab. Hover over the available settings to get more information about a specific setting:
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4. Additional information on this module
More information on the Contract module can be found via the following related articles:
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