Contracts and sub-agreements are form templates that include e-signature support, so your clients can review and sign your agreements electronically. This guide walks you through creating a contract or sub-agreement template in the form builder — from setting up the template to adding signature fields, smart fields, and saving your work.
Create a contract or sub-agreement template
To create a new contract or sub-agreement template, go to Forms ➔ Form Templates and click New Form Template.
In the modal, select either Contract or Sub-agreement as the form type, then click Create Template. The form builder opens with a blank template and a title field at the top — give your template a name before you start building.
For guidance on when to use a contract versus a sub-agreement, see Contracts vs. sub-agreements.
Each project can have only one contract. If you need multiple signed agreements on the same project, use sub-agreements instead.
Once your template is ready, see Send a contract for instructions on sharing it with a client.
What to include in your contract or sub-agreement template
Contracts and sub-agreements support all the standard form elements available in the form builder — text boxes, images, containers, and more — plus two elements that are exclusive to these form types: Signature field and Initials field. These are what make contracts and sub-agreements different from every other form in Dubsado.
Below is a breakdown of the key elements and features you'll want to use when building your template. A typical contract includes an introduction or terms section, relevant clauses with initials fields, payment or invoice details, and a signature block at the end — but you should structure your template to fit your business and the agreements you use.
Signature and initials fields
Signature and initials fields are what give contracts and sub-agreements their e-signature capability. You'll find both in the element panel on the left side of the form builder.
Adding a signature field:
In the element panel, click Signature field or drag it onto the form canvas to place it.
The field appears on the form with a default label. You can edit the label in the element settings panel.
By default, the This signature field is for setting is configured for The client — meaning your client will sign that field when they receive the form.
Adding an initials field:
In the element panel, click Initials field or drag it onto the form canvas.
Initials fields let your client initial specific clauses or sections of your agreement. You can place multiple initials fields throughout the document wherever you want acknowledgment of a particular clause.
Use a Container element to place an initials field side by side with a text block, so clients can initial directly next to the clause they're acknowledging.
Or, use multiple text box elements to split up your terms, and add an initial element underneath each text box so clients can initial directly under the clause(s) they're acknowledging.
Setting up a countersignature (your signature):
To add a signature field for yourself — so you can countersign the agreement after your client signs — add a second Signature field to the form. In the element settings panel, change This signature field is for from The client to You (the owner). This tells Dubsado that this particular field is reserved for your signature, not your client's.
Your client signs first when they receive the form. After they sign, you'll countersign from within the project. For the full countersigning workflow, see Countersign a contract or sub-agreement.
For a complete reference on configuring signature and initials fields — including styling, required fields, and advanced settings — see Add signature and initial fields to your contract.
Smart fields for client information
Smart fields are dynamic placeholders you can insert into a Text Box element. When the contract is applied to a project, those placeholders automatically fill in with the actual data from that project — things like your client's name, their email address, the project name, or the event date.
To insert a smart field into a text box:
Add a Text Box element to your form canvas.
Click into the text editor to place your cursor where you want the smart field to appear.
Click the Smart fields button in the text editor toolbar.
Select the smart field you want to insert from the dropdown.
The placeholder appears in the text box and will auto-fill when the template is used in a project. For a full list of available smart fields, see Personalize form templates with smart fields.
When you preview a template from the Form Templates page, project- and client-specific smart fields won't populate — the template isn't attached to a project, so there's no data to pull from. To preview the contract with smart fields filled in, apply the template to a project first, then preview it from the Forms tab inside that project.
Invoice smart fields
You can also include invoice-related information in your contract using invoice smart fields. These pull data from the primary invoice attached to the project, such as the total invoice amount, payment plan installments, or due dates.
To add invoice details, insert a Text Box element and use the Smart fields toolbar button to select from the available invoice smart fields. For step-by-step instructions on setting this up, see Autofill invoice details in a contract.
Save your template
The form builder does not auto-save, so make a habit of saving as you work.
Click Save form to save your changes at any point. Click the dropdown arrow next to Save form for two additional options:
Save and close — saves your work and returns you to the Form Templates page.
Save and duplicate — saves your work and creates a copy of the template. This is useful when you want to create a variation of an existing template without starting from scratch.
Click Preview at any time to see how the form will appear to your client. Keep in mind that project- and client-specific smart fields won't populate in the preview when you're editing a template outside of a project.
FAQ
What happens when I update a contract or sub-agreement template?
When you add a contract or sub-agreement to a project, Dubsado creates a copy of the template for that project. Updating the original template does not affect copies that are already attached to projects. Changes to the template only apply to projects you create going forward.
Do I need to create a new template for every client?
No. Because each project gets its own copy of the template, you can customize the copy within a specific project without touching the base template. Smart fields also auto-fill client-specific details automatically, so in many cases you won't need to do any manual customization at all.
Can I edit a contract or sub-agreement after it has been applied to a project?
Yes, as long as the contract or sub-agreement hasn't been signed yet. There are two ways to open it for editing:
Go to the project and click the Forms tab. Select the contract or sub-agreement, then click the pencil icon to open it in the form builder.
Find the Project info card in the project sidebar. Click the dropdown next to the contract and select View in forms to be taken to the Forms tab, where you can click the pencil icon to edit.
Why can't I edit a signed contract or sub-agreement?
Once a contract or sub-agreement is signed, it locks to preserve the terms your client agreed to. To make changes after signing, remove the signed document from the project and apply a fresh copy of the template. Your client will need to review and sign the new version. If you need to amend specific terms without replacing the whole document, you can create a sub-agreement with the updated terms instead.
Why can't I add HTML or custom code to my contract or sub-agreement?
HTML blocks are not available for contracts or sub-agreements. This restriction ensures that contracts remain legally sound and enforceable. HTML blocks are available on lead capture forms, questionnaires, and proposals.