Updating Clauses

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to modify clauses in the Clause Library.

Clause Updates

Over time, administrators might need to change clause verbiage or structure. Such updates can be made directly in the Clause Library, thus ensuring that new projects will include the updated clause text as soon as the new clause version is published. The change is not propagated to documents in existing projects.

Procedure

Follow the steps below to modify clauses in the Clause Library.

  1. Locate the clause in the Clause Library.
  2. Select the clause and choose Actions→Download.
  3. Open the document on your system using Microsoft Word or any other OpenXML editor.
  4. Edit the text and save the document.
  5. Drag and drop the updated document into the drag-and-drop area in the top left corner of the Documents screen or upload it into the application.

Keep the following in mind when editing clauses in the Clause Library:

  • An update to a clause in the Clause Library will not be inherited by contract workspaces or published contracts. To update a clause in an existing contract workspace you will need to amend the contract first, and then locate the clause, update it and republish the workspace.

    Note

    Contract workspaces in Draft status will have the updated language only if you substitute or add the updated clause.
  • If you update a clause in the Clause Library and publish it, all templates containing that clause automatically use the new clause version for all contract workspaces created using that template.

    Note

    Unless an approval is required, there are no system notifications sent when a change is made in the Clause Library.

Additionally, changes can be made to clause attributes and parameters via the Clause Library user interface. To do so you can select the clause name and choose Edit Attributes from the drop-down menu. The next screen allows you to change fields such as:

  • Clause Type
  • Owner
  • Editor
  • Approval Options
  • Access Control
screenshot of the SAP Ariba Contracts UI when editing the attributes of a clause. Fields such as those mentioned above are editable. The user has the option of saving a new version of the clause or save the current changes and then continue editing the current version of the clause.

Clause Versioning

Each time you edit and republish a clause, SAP Ariba Contracts automatically creates a new version. This preserves a complete history of changes, supporting transparency and strong contract governance.

Versioning occurs automatically and cannot be disabled. Every published update results in a new version number that is assigned sequentially, for example, Version 1, Version 2, Version 3.

Users with access can view the full version history to track how a clause has evolved over time. However, only the most recent published version is available when assembling new contract documents, ensuring that contracts always reflect the latest approved language.

Lesson Summary

  • Updates in the Clause Library apply to new projects, but not to existing documents or contract workspaces.
  • To amend clauses in existing contracts, update the contract workspace and republish it with the new clause.
  • Clause Library changes automatically update templates, ensuring new contract workspaces use the latest clause version.
  • Clause attributes and parameters can be edited directly in the Clause Library for enhanced customization and control.
  • Each clause update generates a new version, preserving a history of changes and supporting contract transparency.

Learning

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