The main component of a clause is the text, either entered directly in the clause, or referenced from an alternative source.
You can add "placeholder" variables to the clause, and place them in the text, where they are filled in subsequently for specific contracts or contract situations.
Navigate to the Create Clauses page
Navigation: Library (T) Clauses (B) Create Clause
Enter the following parameters:
Operating Unit: Select an operating unit from the list of values.
Number: This field can be manually entered or automatically generated. To automatically generate the number, see Setting Up AutoNumbering.
Clause Title: Enter a title for the clause. The clause title is unique within an operating unit.
Display Name: Optionally, enter the display name for the clause. The system uses the display name on a printed contract field. If you leave this field blank, the Clause Title is used as the display name.
Intent: Select the intent of the contracts that can use the clause. Select the Buy or Sell option from the list of values.
Based on the value of the profile option OKC: Clause Intent for OKC: Clause Intent, users can create clauses for buy, sell, or both intents. This profile option also governs other features in the Library, including contract templates and variables.
Type: Use the Type field to classify the clause according to the business purpose. For example, General or Payment terms. Select a clause type from the list of values. For more information, see Setting Up Lookup Codes.
Default Section: Optionally, select the default section from the list of values.
The Default Section is used in Contract Expert. When you run Contract Expert, and the system selects clauses, it first tries to place each clause in the Additional Section Mapping, then the default section provided for the clause in the Library. If no such default section exists for the clause, the system places the clause into the Default Section provided for the contract template.
You can optionally assign multiple sections to a clause based on an attribute. For example, if the Variable Name attribute is Format, which is Uniform Contract Format (UCF), then you can assign Section A to the clause.
For more information, see Managing Sections in the Library.
Description: Optionally, enter a description for the clause.
Status: This field is controlled by the system. During the creation process, the clause is in Draft status.
Version: The version number is generated by the system.
Start date: Accept the default or change the start date.
The start date should be greater than or equal to the current date.
End date: Optionally, enter an expiration date for the clause. The expiration date cannot be earlier than the current system date.
Provision: Provisions are used in negotiation documents in Oracle Sourcing only. If applicable, select the Provision check box.
If the first version of a clause is a Provision, all subsequent versions of the clause will be Provisions. You cannot update this attribute on subsequent versions.
Protect Text: To prevent modification to the clause text in documents, select the Protect Text check box.
Global: To make the clause available to all operating units, select the Global check box. This field is only available in the Global operating unit and cannot be updated on future versions of the clause. For more information, see Managing Clauses Across Operating Units.
Text: Enter the necessary text for the clause. Clause texts can include variables. For more information on embedding variables, see Managing Variables.
Also, you can use the Copy and Paste operation to copy tables within the clause text.
In the Text area you can choose one of following modes:
Rich Text: The Rich Text editor provides special formatting of the text that is driven by business and legal requirements. The Rich Text editor provides a Tool bar and a Text area. You can format the text by choosing one of the standard word-processing icons on the Tool bar (when you hover your mouse over an icon, the appropriate Help text appears): Cut, Copy, Paste, Bold, Italic, Underline, Align Left, Align Center, Align Right, Number Order List, Bulleted List, Decrease Indent, Increase Indent.
Text: The Text mode provides a plain text area only. If you use the Rich Text mode to enter the clause text and then toggle to the Text mode, the system displays the HTML source for the text you have entered. However, the system will print the clause using the Rich Text features even if you have toggled to the Text mode.
Preview: The Preview button is available only for the contract authoring flows. This provides a preview of the clause content in the PDF file format.
Import: The Import button enables you to import clause information, from a document created in any version of MS Word but stored in MS Word 2003 XML format, to the text area. Formatting of the document is retained while importing content.
Clauses authored in rich text editor can be exported to MS Word.
Export: The Export button enables you to export clause information from the text area to a document in MS-Word. Formatting of clause text is retained while exporting content.
Add Variables: Click the Add Variables button to search for available variables. The Add Variables page appears. From this page you can search for available variables, then click the Insert icon to add the variable that you want into your text, at the location of the cursor within the text area. In the clause text, variables are displayed as tags in the format [@Variable Name@].
If you do not use the Rich Text editor to author clause text, the system inserts the variables at the end of the text instead of where the cursor is located. You can use the Cut and Paste operation to move a variable tag, within the clause text, to the appropriate location.
You can use the Rich Text feature to format variable values. For example, the Payment Terms variable tag can be formatted to Bold mode, so on a printed document the Net30 value appears in bold within the clause text.
Instructions: Optionally, enter instructions on how and when to use the clause in a contract template or business document. You can view these instructions when you add the clause to a contract template or business document.
Allow Include by Reference: Select the check box to replace the clause text with the Reference Text when the clause is used in a contract.
Enter the following information:
Note: The Reference Source and Reference Text fields are optional, except if you selected the check box Allow Include by Reference, in which case you must enter text in the Reference Text field.
Reference Source: When appropriate, use this field to refer to the original source of the clause. The text of the original source is not displayed when the contract is previewed or printed.
Reference Text: Enter the reference text in this field. This is printed instead of the clause text on a printed contract.
Reference Text is mandatory, if you select the Allow Include by Reference option.
If applicable, select one of the following buttons:
Submit: To submit the clause for approval, click this button.
Apply and Add Details: Click this button to save your work and move to the Update Clause page. The Update Clause page includes the following subtabs:
General: Use this subtab to update general information discussed in the previous steps.
Related Clauses: Refer to Defining Related Clauses in the Library for detailed information.
Clause Folders: Refer to Assigning Clauses to Folders in the Library for detailed information.
Version History: Use this subtab to display the history of the clause versions.
Apply: Click the Apply button to save the clause and close the Create Clause page.
Cancel: Click the Cancel button to close the Create Clause page without saving the clauses.