Tell us what you think

We want to create the best possible experience for our learners. Your feedback helps us to improve the experience for everyone.

Exploring Document Properties

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to define the document properties with examples.

Preparing the Main Agreement

Document Properties

Document Properties are fields that can be inserted into a Microsoft Word contract document which will then dynamically update when the fields in a contract workspace are updated.
Document Properties can be added to clauses in the Clause Library and those will dynamically update when used in a contract.
Document Properties include fields like:
- Buyer and Supplier organization information
  - Address (Lines, City, State, Postal Code)
  - Organization name
- Contract Workspace information
  - Effective and Expiration Dates
  - Contract ID (CW#)
  - Region and Commodity

Document Properties can be set up in either an SAP Ariba Contracts template or a contract workspace. It is more common that document properties are set up in templates. Use of document properties can be included in clauses stored in the Clause Library. Simply upload a contract document (e.g. the main agreement or contract addendum) with clauses that contain document property fields, and then publish these clauses to the Clause Library. Whenever a contract author uses one of these clauses from the library, it will include the document property. The resulting contract will automatically include values pulled from the Overview section of the contract workspace.

Document Property Types

Read Only Property

The system only reads the contract attribute values to set the document property values. The contract attribute values are not affected by any document changes.
Microsoft Word Term: Custom Field
Property can be used multiple times in a contract document.

Read Only Document Properties are only updated in the contract document when the corresponding field is changed in the contract workspace. Changing these in the contract document will not update the contract workspace.

Editable Property

The system can read and modify the contract attribute values using the document property values. Changing the field value in the document also changes the corresponding contract attribute value.
Microsoft Word Term: Form Field
Property can be used once in any given contract document.

Editable Document Properties may only be used once in any given contract document, and MUST appear in any document they are enabled for.

Document Property Examples

Read Only Property

Use of the supplier information in the Main Agreement document.

Since the supplier identity in the workspace is linked to a complete profile in the database, by adding Read Only properties to the document, it is possible to pull the supplier name, address and other contact information directly from the database rather than having to type it into the document. This is especially useful for the supplier name as it may appear in multiple places in the same document.

Use Read Only document properties to insert information directly from the database into different places in the contract document.

Editable Property

Use of effective and expiration dates in the Main Agreement document.

These are set up as form fields in the document and mapped to the corresponding fields in the workspace. This allows changes made in the Word document to automatically update the dates in the workspace.

Use Editable properties as a mechanism for updating workspace header information directly from contract documents.

Document Property Set-Up in SAP Ariba Contracts

From the Outline View of the document, click the Actions button and select the option to Set Up Document Properties.

Set Up Document Properties option is highlighted.

The set-up area of Document Properties is separated into two sections:

Read Only Document Properties
Editable Document Properties

Select the items on the right side and click on the arrow buttons to move them to the Available for Use in Microsoft Word side.

Click Ok and download a copy of the document to work with in Microsoft Word.

Document Property Set-Up in Microsoft Word

When you insert properties for the first time, the system doesn’t have any values to use, so the Word document will only have a space and you may not know where your document properties are.

As a workaround best practice:

Go to File → Options → Advanced.
In the Show Document Content area, check the box for Show field codes instead of their values, and set Field shading to Always.

Note

After you have downloaded the document, follow the above steps again to uncheck the Show Field codes instead of their values box. This will allow you to see the actual values instead of the field codes.

In Word Options, under Advanced, Show document content and Show field codes instead of their values are highligted.

Show Values:

Show Field Codes:

Next, access the Insert tab → click Quick Parts → select Field.
Under the Field Names section, select DocProperty.
In the Property area, select the document properties that you set up previously in the SAP Ariba Contracts system.
Click OK.

Note

Before inserting a DocProperty, place your cursor in the spot you want it to be inserted in the document. If not, you will have to cut and paste it after it has been inserted.

Screenshot of Microsoft Word's toolbar under the Insert tab, highlighting Quick Parts and Field options, with visible styles pane on the left.

Field page is displayed. DocProperty, caSupplier and OK button are highlighted.

Document Property Example

Insert Document Properties

After completing this activity, you will be able to:

Select Document Properties in SAP Ariba Contracts
Insert Document Properties in Microsoft Word
Create a Test Project to verify that field values populate in the Main Agreement

ExerciseStart Exercise

Next lesson