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Contracts Overview
Construction projects run on contracts — between principals and head contractors, head contractors and subcontractors, consultants and clients, suppliers and builders. Keeping track of contract details, parties, key dates, and values across multiple projects is essential, and spreadsheets are not up to the job. Contracts in Pasco Cloud give every agreement a structured record linked to your projects and teams.
![[Screenshot: Contracts list page showing contracts with different statuses — draft, active, on-hold, complete — with contract references, counterparty names, values, and status badges]](/images/placeholder.png)
What Is a Contract in Pasco Cloud?
A contract in Pasco Cloud is a reference record for a real-world agreement. It captures the key details — parties, dates, value, type, and status — and links them to your projects. Think of it as a structured contract register that lives alongside your project data.
Each contract has:
- A contract reference — your internal reference number or code.
- A title describing the agreement.
- A type — head contract, subcontract, consultancy agreement, supply agreement, and more.
- A status tracking the contract's lifecycle.
- A counterparty — the other party to the agreement.
- Key dates — execution, commencement, planned completion, and actual completion.
- A value with currency.
- Linked projects — one or more projects the contract relates to.
- Comments for discussion and correspondence tracking.
- Attachments for contract documents.
ℹ️ Did you know?
Contracts are a foundation feature. Pasco Cloud's contract management currently tracks contract details as a structured reference. Advanced features like variations, progress claims, extensions of time, and payment schedules are planned for future releases. The current foundation gives you a central register that integrates with your project data.
Contract Lifecycle
Contracts have a flexible five-status lifecycle:
| Status | Colour | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Grey | Contract is being prepared, not yet executed |
| Active | Green | Contract is signed and in effect |
| On Hold | Amber | Contract is suspended or paused |
| Complete | Blue | All work under the contract is finished |
| Terminated | Red | Contract has been terminated early |
Unlike issues and tasks, contracts allow any-to-any status transitions. This reflects the unpredictable reality of construction contracts — a terminated contract can be reactivated, a complete contract can go on hold during a defects liability dispute, and a draft can be terminated before execution.
Contract Types
The contract type field is freeform — you can enter any type that fits your agreement. Pasco Cloud suggests common types to help you get started:
- Head Contract — the primary agreement between principal and contractor.
- Subcontract — an agreement between the head contractor and a subcontractor.
- Consultancy Agreement — engagement of a consultant (architect, engineer, surveyor).
- Supply Agreement — procurement of materials or goods.
- Service Agreement — engagement of a service provider.
- Design Agreement — specific design services engagement.
- Joint Venture Agreement — partnership between two or more parties.
You are not limited to these suggestions — type any contract type that suits your situation.
Counterparties
Every contract has a counterparty — the other party to the agreement. The counterparty is defined with:
- A name (required) — the organisation or individual you are contracting with. This is freeform, so it works even if the other party is not a Pasco Cloud user.
- An optional linked organisation — if the counterparty is a registered organisation in Pasco Cloud, you can link them for data enrichment.
The freeform approach is deliberate — not every party you contract with will be on the platform, and you should not be blocked from recording a contract because the other party has not signed up.
Project Relationships
Contracts can be linked to one or more projects, with a relationship type describing how the contract relates to each project:
- Parent Project — the contract governs this project overall.
- Delivery Project — the contract delivers work on this project.
- Related — a general association.
- Custom — enter any relationship description that fits.
A single contract can span multiple projects (for example, a consultancy agreement covering a firm's engagement across several sites), and a single project can have multiple contracts.
Sharing and Visibility
Contracts use the same group-based visibility model as issues, tasks, and reports. Share contracts with specific users, groups, or make them public. The creator always has access.
Mobile Support
Contracts are available as a read-only feature on the Pasco Cloud mobile app. You can browse the contract list, view contract details including all sections (overview, counterparty, project relationships, attachments, comments), and search by title or reference. Creating and editing contracts is done on the web app.
What's Next?
- Ready to manage contracts? Read Managing Contracts for the full guide.
- First time? Follow the Tutorial: Linking Contracts to Projects for a hands-on walkthrough.
- Looking for issue tracking? See the Issues Overview.
- Need task management? See the Tasks Overview.