Accepting a quote doesn't create a contract by itself. Once a quote is accepted (and signed, if it went through signing), open it and click "Convert to contract." Navigate to CRM > Contracts to see every contract this way, with its customer, status, and effective and end dates.
A contract is active, renewed, expired, or terminated. Contracts with an end date expire on their own once it passes. To end one early, open it and use the termination form - it asks for a reason, takes effect immediately, and voids any invoices already drafted for time after that date.
When an active contract's scope or value needs to change, click "Create change order" on the contract page. This opens a new quote draft carrying over the contract's current line items and sections, edited and sent through the same approval and acceptance flow as any quote. Once the customer accepts it, the contract's terms update to match. Only one change order can be in progress at a time.
As a contract's end date approaches, EmpireVault can draft a renewal automatically, or you can click "Generate renewal" yourself. A renewal is a fresh quote built from the current terms; once accepted, a new contract begins the day after the old one ends and runs for the same term length, and the original is marked renewed. Contracts with no end date aren't eligible for renewal.
For retainer contracts, the contract page includes a usage ledger where you log time or units drawn down against the retainer, each with a date and optional notes. The page also shows a running balance for the current period - what came in, what's been used, and what rolls over or expires - so you always know where the retainer stands.
Invoices are generated automatically as each billing or retainer period closes, and you can send, mark as paid, or void them from the contract's invoices list, with a downloadable PDF for each one. Marking an invoice paid records the amount and how it was received, once you've been paid outside the app.
Was this article helpful?