Set up contract categories
Contract categories classify the contracts in your Contracts register, give each one a colour, and control who can see restricted ones. You create, rename, and delete them in Settings > Contracts on the Categories tab. When you save a contract, AI suggests a category based on the contract, so well-written categories keep classification accurate.
Who can manage categories
You need the Manager or Admin role in Contracts to create, rename, or delete categories. Members can open the Categories tab and see the list, but "New Category", edit, and delete controls are disabled. If you have no Contracts access at all, the tab is hidden and Contract Settings shows You don't have permission to view contract settings. Please contact your administrator.
Open the Categories tab
Open Settings.
Select Contracts. The page opens as Contract Settings with the Categories tab shown first.
Choose Categories if the Options tab is showing instead.
The tab is headed Contract Categories, described as "Configure and manage contract categories for classification and organization."
Add a category
On the Categories tab, click New Category.
Enter a Name. It is required: leaving it blank shows "Category name is required".
Optionally pick a Color from the colour picker. The picker starts on blue (#3b82f6) and shows the selected hex code beside it.
Optionally enter a Description.
Click Create Category.
Help AI classify contracts
The AI Description field on the category form tells AI what belongs in the category. Its helper text reads "This description helps AI classify contracts into the correct category." A category with a clear AI Description helps AI suggest the right category when a contract is saved.
Open the category form by clicking New Category, or click the category's edit control to update an existing category.
In AI Description, describe the kinds of contract that belong in the category.
Click Create Category or Save Changes.
Rename a category
Renaming a category updates the contracts that use it, so you never need to re-categorise contracts one by one.
On the Categories tab, click the category's edit control.
Change the Name and any other details.
Click Save Changes.
Delete a category
Deletion is blocked while contracts still use the category: you must reassign those contracts first.
On the Categories tab, click the category's delete control.
If the category has no contracts assigned, confirm the deletion. The dialog warns "This action cannot be undone." Click Delete Category.
If contracts are assigned to the category, a "Cannot Delete Category" dialog lists how many contracts block it and tells you to reassign those contracts to a different category before deleting.
Restrict who can use a category
By default every Contracts user can see and use a category. Turn on Restrict Access to Specific Groups on the category form to limit it to chosen groups, then pick the groups under Allowed Groups. A user can see and use a restricted category if they belong to at least one selected group. Assigning a contract to a category you cannot access fails with "You don't have access to this contract category".
Where categories appear
The contract form has an optional Category field, with "Select a category" as its placeholder and a "No Category" option when a contract does not need one. The Contracts register has a Category filter, defaulting to "All Categories", so you can narrow the register to one category. For how categories and tags compare across modules, see Use categories and tags to organize records.
Where to go next
With your categories in place, add contracts to the register (see Create a contract) and track renewals, notice deadlines, and coverage gaps in Use Contracts Insights. The Options tab of Contract Settings holds module-wide settings; its details are covered in Configure contract settings.