Create Contract

Create a New Contract

Summary: Generate professional, legally-sound contracts to formalize agreements with clients and protect your business.

Overview

Contracts are essential for formalizing business relationships and protecting both you and your clients. growlio's contract system provides professional templates that you can customize with client information, terms, and digital signature capabilities. This guide shows you how to create and configure a new contract.

Prerequisites

An active growlio account
At least one client added (recommended)
Clear understanding of the agreement terms
Contract template selected or terms prepared

How to Create a New Contract

Step 1: Navigate to the Contracts Page

Click Contracts in the main navigation menu. This opens your contracts dashboard where you can see all existing contracts organized by status.

Step 2: Click "Add New Contract"

In the top-right corner, click the blue Add New button to open the contract creation modal.

Step 3: Choose a Contract Template

growlio provides several professional contract templates to get you started:

Service Agreement: General services contract for freelancers and agencies

Covers scope of work, deliverables, payment terms
Best for consulting, design, development, or marketing services

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): Protects confidential information

Mutual or one-way confidentiality
Ideal for new client relationships or sensitive projects

Independent Contractor Agreement: For hiring contractors or being hired

Defines contractor relationship, not employment
Includes IP rights, payment, and termination clauses

Master Service Agreement (MSA): Framework for ongoing relationships

Establishes general terms for multiple projects
Reduces paperwork for repeat clients

Retainer Agreement: For monthly recurring services

Defines scope, hours, and monthly fee
Perfect for ongoing support or marketing retainers

Select the template that best matches your needs. You can customize every section after selection.

Tip: If unsure which template to use, start with Service Agreement. It's comprehensive and covers most standard business scenarios.

Step 4: Enter Contract Basics

Fill in the fundamental information:

Required Fields:

Contract Title: Descriptive name (e.g., "Website Development Agreement" or "Q1 2024 Marketing Services Contract")
Client: Select from your existing clients
Effective Date: When the contract starts
Expiry Date: When the contract ends (if applicable)

Optional Fields:

Contract Value: Total value of the agreement
Template Name: Auto-populated based on your selection
Theme Color: Brand color for the contract document

Step 5: Customize Contract Content

growlio's templates include standard clauses and sections. Customize these to match your specific agreement:

Parties Section: Automatically populated with your company and client information from profiles

Services or Deliverables: Edit to describe exactly what you're providing

Be specific about scope
Include measurable deliverables
Define what's NOT included to prevent scope creep

Payment Terms: Modify the payment structure

Specify amounts and schedule
Define payment methods accepted
Include late payment terms

Timeline and Milestones: Set key dates

Project start date
Milestone dates
Final delivery date

Intellectual Property: Clarify ownership

Who owns final work
Licensing terms
Usage rights

Termination Clause: Define how either party can end the agreement

Additional Clauses: Add any industry-specific or project-specific terms

Tip: Use clear, simple language. Avoid legal jargon where possible. The goal is mutual understanding, not confusion.

Step 6: Add Signature Fields

Specify who needs to sign the contract:

Your Signature: Automatically includes your organization's authorized signer

Client Signature: Add recipient email addresses

Enter client contact email
Add additional signers if needed (multiple stakeholders)
Each signer receives their own signature request

Tip: Verify email addresses are correct. Signature requests can't be resent to different addresses without creating a new contract.

Step 7: Configure Contract Settings

Adjust additional settings:

Status: Choose the initial status

Draft: Still working on it (not sent)
Sent: Ready to send for signatures
Signed: All parties have signed (use this if signing offline)
Active: Contract is in effect
Expired: Past the end date
Cancelled: Agreement terminated

Notifications: Enable email notifications for signature events

Access Controls: Determine who can view the contract

Step 8: Review and Save

Before saving your contract:

Read through all sections carefully
Check that dates make sense
Verify client information is accurate
Ensure all critical terms are included
Review payment terms and amounts

Click Create Contract to save. The contract remains in Draft status until you're ready to send it.

Step 9: Send the Contract for Signature

When ready to send:

Open the contract from your Contracts list
Click the Send for Signature button
Choose delivery method:

Email directly from growlio with embedded signing
Generate a shareable link
Download as PDF for offline signing

Recipients receive an email with a secure link to review and sign the contract digitally.

Digital Signature Process

growlio's digital signature feature allows:

Legally binding electronic signatures
Signature tracking and timestamping
Automatic status updates when signed
Downloadable signed PDFs

Both you and your client can sign from any device with an internet connection.

Tips and Best Practices

Have a lawyer review your templates: Before using contracts, have an attorney review your templates to ensure they're legally sound for your jurisdiction.

Use contracts for every client: Even small projects benefit from clear terms. Contracts prevent misunderstandings and establish professional boundaries.

Send contracts early: Don't wait until work is about to start. Send contracts as soon as terms are agreed upon.

Keep contracts simple: Use the simplest contract that protects both parties. Overly complex contracts slow down the signing process.

Set reminders for expirations: Add calendar reminders for contracts approaching their end date so you can renew or renegotiate in time.

Store signed copies securely: growlio automatically stores signed contracts, but also maintain your own backup copies.

Review before copying: When duplicating contracts for similar projects, always review and update specific terms rather than blindly reusing.

Troubleshooting

Issue: I can't find the right template for my needs.

Solution: Start with the Service Agreement template as it's the most flexible. Customize sections to match your requirements. For highly specialized needs, consult with a lawyer to create a custom template, then save it in growlio for reuse.

Issue: The client didn't receive the signature request email.

Solution: Check the spam/junk folder. Verify the email address is correct in the contract. Ask the client to whitelist emails from growlio. If the issue persists, try sending via the shareable link option instead.

Issue: I made a mistake in a sent contract.

Solution: If the contract hasn't been signed yet, you can recall it, make edits, and resend. If already signed, you'll need to create an amendment or new contract version. Never edit contracts after they've been signed—this invalidates signatures.

Issue: The contract value doesn't match our actual agreement.

Solution: Edit the contract before sending. If already sent, communicate changes to the client in writing. Create a new contract version or amendment with correct values. The contract value field is for record-keeping; ensure it matches what's stated in payment terms.

Issue: My client says they can't sign on mobile.

Solution: growlio contracts are mobile-responsive and should work on all devices. Ask the client to try a different browser or clear their browser cache. As a backup, you can download the PDF and use a third-party signature tool.