Contracts represent the relation between body corporates in all stages of proceeding. Contracts include licences for content, with licences presenting the commercial basis of the scheduling process as they determine how often content may be scheduled and broadcast (linear content) or viewed on demand (VOD content). A window, on the other hand, is a time period subordinate to a license.

Both contracts, licences and windows are managed in the License App. Thus, these three topics form the main articles, along with jobs and exports. The following article explains how contracts can be created and edited, searched and filtered and managed (in terms of folders, favorites, deleting and in relation to licenses, windows, content and other item types).

1 How to create and edit contracts

Creating and editing contracts are the steps to get started in the License App. Both features apply the same dialog.

The dialog for editing and creating contracts is accessed in the Contracts tab (1) under Home (2).  By clicking the New contract button (3), a new contract can be created. The context menu (4) allows to edit existing contracts (5).

Another option to enter the dialog is via the Dashboard, where most recently edited and created contracts are listed.

The dialog consists of five tabs, including Contract (1), Pricing (2), Content (3), Licences (4) and Windows (5).

Related topics:

• Dashboard

1.1 Contract tab

The Contracts tab is where basic information, partners, references and different kinds of extra information and attachments are managed. The positions of those sections and of a few other features will be shown in the following two screenshots.

1. Edit mode

2. Save button

3. Exit button 

4. Basic information

5. Partner

6. References

7. Additional partners

8. Description

9. Documents

10. Text

11. Comments

12. Attributes (1)

1.1.1 Adjust sections in the edit mode

Before getting started, users can adjust sections in terms of visibility, size and position using the edit mode (see Edit mode).

1.1.2 Save information and exit the tab

Since saving information and exiting the dialog is relevant in all stages of the contract creation and editing, these two functions are briefly explained beforehand: see Save and exit button.

1.1.3 Define basic information

Basic information includes the type, number, category, begin date, end date and signing date of a contract. 

Defining these pieces of information is the first step of creating or editing a contract.

1 Type: There are different kinds of contracts that can be created in the parameters. They are selected via a drop-down menu.

2. Number: When creating a new contract, it will be assigned a number by the system. This number can be changed as wished. It allows to find a contract in the search (see Search, sort and filter items).

3. Category: Like contract types, contract categories are created in the parameters. A drop-down menu allows to select one.

4. Begin, 5. End and 6. Date: A contract can have a begin (4) and end date (5), but does not have to since the begin and end date are often defined by the license. However, a contract always has a signing date, which can be indicated under date (6).

1.1.4 Add references

Another section in the Contracts tab is References. 

This section allows to link framework agreements with the respective contracts. In addition, purchase and selling contracts can be connected.

For this purpose, there are two buttons:

1. Add framework agreement

2. Add purchase contract

By clicking Add framework agreement, this dialog opens:  

Here, a particular contract can be entered into the search bar (1) and be selected (2). 

Then, it can be applied (3).  There is also the option to continue without selection (4).

By clicking Add purchase contract, this dialog opens:

Here, From this dialog, purchase contracts are selected the same way as framework agreements are, following the steps and options from 1 to 4 (see previous screenshot).

After being added, the framework agreement and purchase contract will appear here. By clicking  (1 and 2), the framework agreement (1) and the purchase contract (2) will open in the editing dialog for contracts (see chapter 1) in a new tab.

Related topics:

• Creating and editing contracts: chapter 1.
• Read this article to see how table columns are adjusted: Adjust table columns.

1.1.5 Add partners

Partner is the section where contract partners, including the licensor and the licensee, can be defined.

Both the licensor (1) and licensee (2) are selected via drop down menus.

Since the number of companies is too high to be contained in a drop-down menu, both the licensor (1) and licensee (2) have to be typed into a search bar (3). They are selected by clicking on the corresponding search result (4).

Licensors and licensees are managed in the Content App:

By clicking the button above named Create company (1), the dialog shown in the next screenshot opens.

By clicking the Open content button (1), the Content App opens to manage licensors and licensees in a new tab

There is also a checkbox named Do not show again (2). If this checkbox is ticked, the dialog will no longer appear and the Content App will open immediately in a new tab.

This is the dialog in the Content App where companies are created.

1.1.6 Add additional Partners

This section allows to add additional partners to a contract.

This is where the button for adding partners (1) is located.

After clicking this button, additional partners can be selected via a drop down menu (1) where they have to be typed into the search (2), like the licensor and licensee.

By clicking on the corresponding search result (3), the selection of the partner is confirmed.

Then, the type of the additional contract partner can be selected via a drop-down menu (1), as well. In this case, no typing is necessary.

1.1.7 Add descriptions, documents, texts and comments

Contracts can be provided with a description, texts, comments and documents. In addition, there are customer-specific attributes.

The following article deals with adding these kinds of extras and attachments: see Extras and Attachments.

1.2 Pricing tab

The Pricing tab contains different sections, which will be shown in the following screenshot:

1. Save button

2. Exit button

3. Price

4. Due date

Like all tabs, the Pricing tab is equipped with a save and an exit button. The two buttons are explained in the following chapter: Save and exit button. 

1.2.1 Manage prices

In this section, information regarding the price can be determined.

First, a contract currency (1) and price (2) can be determined. 

For converting the price into a local currency, an exchange rate (3) has to be determined, with the inverse exchange rate being displayed below. The local currency (4) is selected by a drop-down menu, like the contract currency. The system will calculate the local amount (5) based on the exchange rate (3).

A minimum guarantee can be defined in this dialog, as well. Again, a drop-down menu allows to choose the currency (6). The amount (7) can be entered into the field next to it.

1.2.2 Manage due dates

In this section, due dates can added, edited and deleted.

By clicking Add due date (1), a new due date can be created.

The context menu (2) allows to edit existing due dates (3).

1. Position: A due date can be provided with a position. If there is more than one due date, it determines where a due date is shown in the list.

2. Company: This is where the company paying the price is indicated. Companies, including licensors and licensees, are managed in the Content App.

3. Cost unit: The cost unit of the payment is defined in this drop-down menu.

4. Due Date: This field allows to specify the due date of the payment.

The date when the price or a part of it has to be paid at the latest can be determined in a field called At latest (5).  This date can be further specified by the checkbox next to it.

6. % of total price: In this field, the percentage of the total price that has to be paid is indicated. 

7. % of minimum guarantee: The percentage to be paid can also be calculated from the minimum guarantee instead of the total price. 

Based on the share of the total price (6) or minimum guarantee (7), the amount will be calculated and indicated in the amount field (8), along with a currency. Note that that either a share of the total price or of the minimum guarantee can be considered for the amount to be paid, but not both at the same time.

Based on the exchange rate (9), the local amount will be calculated and displayed in this field (10), along with a currency.

11. Comment: It is also possible to leave comments.

If the amount (8) has already been paid, the payed button (12) must be activated to specify the numbers.

The amount that has already been paid is indicated in this field (13). Based on the paid amount, the open amount (14) is calculated.

Regarding pay dates, the day when payment was performed can be selected in the field named payday (15). The date when payment was actually handed over can be defined in the Handover date field (16).

The invoice can be specified in terms of invoice number (17) and invoice date (18).

19. Save button: To confirm all data, the save button has to be clicked.

After being created, the due date will appear in this overview. The information about the due date is displayed in different columns. This article explains how to adjust them: Adjust table columns. 

The context menu (1) allows to delete (2) the due date.

1.3 Content tab

The Content tab provides an overview of all contents of a contract that have obtained one or multiple licenses yet. As soon as a license for a content has been created, the respective content will appear here.

After providing an overview of the Content tab and the columns of the overview table, this chapter will deal with the following topics

• View and edit licenses
• Adjust table columns

In the following, there is an overview of the Content tab:

1. Overview table (framed):  This table provides an overview of all contents that have obtained licenses yet.

2. Search bar: This is where to search particular content.

3. Number of contents per page: Here, the number of contents to be displayed on one page can be selected (Select number of items and page).

4. Page selection (framed): This is where the page of the overview table can be selected (Select number of items and page).

5. Save button: see Save and exit button.

6. Exit button: see Save and exit button.

Those are the columns of the overview table:

The information about the contents is divided into various columns.

1. Number

2. Content type

3. Content title

4. Content original title

5. Content number

6. Content serie title

7. Content original serie title

8. Content serie no.

9. Duration

10. Link to licenses

1.3.1 View and edit licenses

The licenses of the contents can be viewed and edited in the overview table.

If a content cannot be found in the overview table at first glance. The search bar is where particular contents can be found. The following types of information can be entered into the search bar (1) to find a content, including:

• content type (2)
• content title (3)
• content original title (4)
• content no. (5)
• content serie title (6)
• content original serie title (7)
• content serie no. (8)

By navigating to the column named Link to licenses column (1) and clicking the attached license button (2), a separate dialog opens where the licenses linked to the respective content can be viewed and edited.

In this dialog, the information about the attached licenses can be viewed in various columns, including:

1. Content title

2. Content no.

3. License begin

4. License type

5. License category

6. License end

By clicking a specific license, it can be edited (see create and edit licenses).

1.3.2 Adjust table columns

The following article (Adjust table columns) will deal with the functions that can be performed in the overview table, including:

• Adjust column width
• Add and hide columns
• Adjust the positions of columns
• Sort contents within a column

1.4 Licenses tab

After defining the contract and pricing details and deciding what contents should be included in the contract, the next step is to manage licenses, which are necessary to purchase content.

This article covers the following main topics:

• Create and edit licenses
• Search and find created licenses
• Copy and delete licenses
• Manage relations of licenses
• Check availability of licenses

1.5 Windows tab

In order to schedule the contents purchased with licenses, windows have to be managed.

This article covers the following main topics:

• Create and edit windows
• Search and find windows
• Delete windows
• Manage relations of windows

2 How to find contracts

After being created or edited, contracts can be found in the stock (Contracts tab) using the general search and filter options or the SmartSearch. In addition, they can be found in the Dashboard tab.

2.1 Using general search, sort and filter options

Using the general search, sort and filter options, contracts can either be searched, sorted and filtered in the Contracts tab (Search, sort and filter items).

2.2 Using the SmartSearch

Since the SmartSearch is integrated in the License App, it offers an alternative option to search and filter contracts in the Contracts tab.

2.3 Find recently edited or created contracts

Contracts most recently created or edited are displayed in the Dashboard tab.

3 How to manage contracts

Contracts can be managed in a variety of ways, including:

• Being added to folders
• Being added to favorites
• Being deleted
• In terms of relations to licenses or windows
• In terms of relations based on contents

3.1 Add contracts to folders

Folders allow to centrally manage contracts (see Folders).

The following article explains how to manage folders, including:

• Create, edit and delete folders
• Add items to folders and remove them

3.2 Add contracts to favorites

In order to find frequently used contracts easier, it may make sense to add them to favorite contracts.

This article explains how to add items to favorites: Favorites.

3.3 Delete contracts

If contracts are no longer needed, they can be deleted.

The following article explains how this is done: Delete items.

3.4 Manage relations 

Contracts are associated with different types of items. Those relations can be managed in the Relations and Rights tab.

3.4.1 Relations tab

As mentioned, relations to different types of items can be managed in the Relations tab based on contracts, licenses and windows, including:

• Relations of contracts to licenses, windows, assets, programs, texts and persons
• Relations of licenses to contracts, windows, programs, sequences, series, texts and trailers
• Relations of windows to contracts, licenses, programs and versions

3.4.2 Rights tab

The Rights tab, in turn, allows to manage the inclusion of content rights (programs, series and sequences) in contracts, licenses and windows and the accounting of licenses.