How to Create and E-Sign Contracts in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Overview
Contracts in CrmLeaf hold the signed agreement behind the work: a client contract or a vendor contract, created from a reusable template, with a value and a date range. The contract is shared as a signable public link, and both the client and your company sign it. Renewals and threaded discussions keep the agreement history in one place.
How It Works
An Administrator sets up contract types and templates. A User creates the contract, shares the signable link, and both parties sign. When the term ends, the contract is renewed rather than rewritten.
Set up types & templates → Create contract → Share signed link → Client signs → Company countersigns → Renew
- Each contract has a type, a client or a vendor, a value and start and end dates, plus the contract body.
- The contract is shared on a signable public URL, so the other party does not need a login.
- Both parties sign: the client signs first and your company countersigns. Signatures are stored either as a drawn signature or as an uploaded image.
- A renewal creates the next term with new dates and preserves the original values.
- Threaded discussions and file attachments sit on the contract record for collaboration.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Configure contract types and the reusable contract templates for each type.
- Countersign contracts on behalf of the company.
- Configure the contract settings area for your account.
User
- Create a contract from a template for a client or a vendor.
- Share the signable public link and track whether it has been signed.
- Renew a contract and take part in the contract discussion.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- At least one contract type and one contract template must exist.
- The client or vendor record must exist.
- Currencies must be configured so the contract value can be recorded correctly.
For Administrators
Step 1: Configure contract types and templates
What to do: Create the contract types your business uses, then create a reusable template for each type containing the standard contract body. Select Save.
What to verify: Each type is available when creating a contract, and each template loads the expected body text.
Step 2: Countersign on behalf of the company
What to do: Open a contract the client has already signed and add the company signature, either by drawing it or by uploading a signature image.
What to verify: The contract shows both the client signature and the company signature.
For Users
Step 1: Create the contract
What to do: Select Add. Choose the contract type, select whether the contract is for a client or a vendor, and select that party. Enter the contract value and currency, the start and end dates, and the contract body. The template for the selected type provides the standard wording, which you can adjust. Select Save.
What to verify: The contract record shows the correct party, value and date range.
Step 2: Share the signable link
What to do: Share the contract's public signed URL with the other party so they can review and sign it without logging in.
What to verify: The contract record reflects the client signature once it has been captured.
Step 3: Collaborate on the contract
What to do: Use the contract's threaded discussion to agree changes, and Upload any supporting files to the contract record.
What to verify: The discussion thread and the attached files appear on the contract.
Step 4: Renew the contract
What to do: When the term is ending, renew the contract and enter the new dates. The renewal preserves the original values, so you do not re-enter the commercial terms.
What to verify: The renewed contract carries the new dates and the original values are intact.
Field and Option Reference
| Field / Option | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Contract type | Classifies the contract and selects the reusable template. | Yes |
| Client or vendor | The other party to the contract. | Yes |
| Contract value | The agreed value of the contract, in the selected currency. | Yes |
| Start and end dates | The contract term. | Yes |
| Contract body | The agreement text, pre-filled from the template for the type. | Yes |
| Signature | Captured as a drawn signature or an uploaded signature image, from both parties. | Yes |
Expected Result
The contract is saved and appears in Contracts with its type, party, value and dates. Once both parties have signed, the contract holds a client signature and a company signature, and renewals continue the agreement with the original values preserved.
Why This Matters for Service Organisations
Service revenue usually rests on a signed agreement that outlives any single invoice: a master service agreement, an annual retainer, a managed service term. The practical problems are proving both parties executed it, and noticing before a term lapses that a renewal is due. Contracts hold the value, the term and both signatures in one record, with renewals kept as a continuation rather than a rewrite.
How It Supports Professional Services
- Both parties sign — the client on the public link and the company countersigning — so a retainer or master service agreement is only treated as executed when it genuinely is.
- A renewal takes new dates and preserves the original values, which fits an annual retainer or an AMC-style support agreement that continues on the same commercial terms.
- A value and a currency on the term give a firm a record of what was committed, against which invoices raised over the period can be reviewed.
- Threaded discussions and attachments keep the negotiation history with the agreement, which matters when a scope dispute is settled years later.
- Contracts can be raised against a vendor as well as a client, so subcontractor and associate agreements sit on the same screen as client agreements.
Typical Service Workflow
Proposal → Contract → Signatures → Project → Billing → Renewal
The contract is the commitment behind the whole delivery and billing cycle. It does not generate an invoice, and it is not linked to the project that delivers it, so a service organisation typically raises a recurring invoice for a retainer term or invoices milestones as they complete, and tracks the relationship between the agreement and the work as practice.
Other Product-Type Use Cases
The same record covers supply agreements, distribution terms and maintenance contracts, so a manufacturer or an installer manages both its customer and its supplier paperwork here.
Related PSA Capabilities
- How to Set Up Recurring Invoices — how a retainer term is actually billed period by period.
- How to Create and Send Proposals — the won document a contract usually formalises.
- How to Add Vendors and Vendor Price Lists — the other party on a subcontractor agreement.
- How to Manage Clients and the Client Portal — where the client organisation reviews its contracts.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- A contract is only fully executed when both the client and your company have signed. A single signature is not enough.
- Contracts can be raised for vendors as well as clients, so the same screen covers both sides of an agreement.
- A contract does not create an invoice. Bill against it using an invoice or a recurring invoice.
Common Scenarios
Example: an annual service agreement. You create a 12-month client contract from the service template, both parties sign the public link, and at the end of the term you renew it with new dates while keeping the agreed values.
Example: a vendor agreement. A supplier needs a signed supply agreement. You create the contract against the vendor, share the link, and countersign once the vendor has signed.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| The contract still shows as unsigned | Only one party has signed - the company countersignature is missing | Ask an Administrator to add the company signature to the contract. |
| No contract template loads | No template exists for the selected contract type | Ask your Administrator to create a template for that type in the contract settings area. |
| The other party cannot open the link | The signable public link was not shared, or an outdated link was used | Share the contract's current public signed URL again. |
| Renewal values are wrong | The contract values were edited after the renewal was created | Check the renewed contract against the original record and correct the values. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the client need a CrmLeaf login to sign?
No. The contract is shared as a signable public link.
Can a signature be uploaded instead of drawn?
Yes. Signatures are stored either as a drawn signature or as an uploaded signature image.
Do I have to re-enter the terms when a contract renews?
No. A renewal takes new dates and preserves the original values.
Can I keep the negotiation history with the contract?
Yes. Each contract supports threaded discussions and file attachments.
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