---
key: create-an-agreement
title: Create an agreement
audience: staff
section: agreements
routes: ["/agreements"]
permissions: ["agreements.create"]
features: ["agreements.core"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Start a new agreement for a customer to sign, either built from a template inside Nova, from a PDF you already have, or from a reusable PDF packet, and link it to the customer's record.
keywords: [contract, sign, signature, e-sign, service agreement, work authorization, upload PDF, new agreement, terms]
related: [find-an-agreement, track-agreement-signing, create-an-agreement-template, create-an-account]
---

In the sidebar, open **Agreements**, then **All Agreements**. The page address is `/agreements`. An agreement is a document a customer signs: a service contract, a work authorization, terms for a maintenance plan. Start with **New agreement**, or use a PDF already saved in Nova.

## Before you start

- Your role needs permission to create agreements. Without it **New agreement** is missing.
- To start from a template, someone has to publish one first: see [[create-an-agreement-template]]. To send a PDF you already have, you need nothing else.

## Steps

1. Press **New agreement**. The **Start a new agreement** drawer opens with up to three cards. Pick one: **Authored agreement** builds the document from a template and clauses inside Nova; **Upload PDF for signature** takes a PDF you already have and lets you place signature fields on it; **Reusable PDF packet** starts from a PDF template your company published, with the signer roles and fields already placed.
2. For **Authored agreement**: type an **Agreement title** (required). Optionally pick a **Template version**, an **Internal owner**, the **Kind of agreement**, **Effective at** and **Expires at** dates, and a **Signing mode**, **Remind signers**, **Approval mode** and **Provider preference** if the defaults are not right. Press **Create authored draft**. The new agreement opens on its own page.
3. For **Upload PDF for signature**: drop the file on **Drop one PDF here** or browse for it. Optionally set the **Agreement title** (Nova uses the file name otherwise), an **Agreement type** and **Operator notes**. Press **Create draft and open editor**. The signing PDF editor opens so you can add signers and place fields.
4. For **Reusable PDF packet**: choose a published packet under **Reusable uploaded PDF template**, optionally set the title, type and notes, then press **Create draft and open editor**.
5. To tie an authored draft to the customer, press **Link record** under **Related records** on the agreement's page. In the **Add linked record** drawer, choose the **Record type**, search for the record and set its **Relation**. Turn on **Add primary contact as signer** to add the customer's main contact, then press **Add linked record**. A draft you start from a customer's own page is linked already.

## Start from a saved PDF

1. Find the PDF in an account, work order, another record's files, or the file library. Open its three-dot menu and choose **Make agreement**. You can also choose **Make agreement** while previewing the PDF; on a phone, open the preview's three-dot menu.
2. Review the **Agreement title** and linked records in the drawer. Nova keeps the account or work order where you started. If no account is linked, you can choose one or leave it blank.
3. Press **Create draft**. The signing PDF editor opens so you can review the PDF, choose who signs, and place signature fields.

Your original file stays where it is. The agreement uses its own copy. Creating the draft does not send anything to a customer. The action is available when your role can create and edit PDF agreements and you can download the file. A PDF still being checked or blocked by NovaScan cannot be used yet.

## What you see

- **Agreement ID** is your own reference number. Leave it blank and Nova assigns the next one. If you type one already in use, Nova offers the next free number.
- On the agreement's page, **Edit agreement details** opens the draft again. There, under **Agreement content & auto-fill details**, an authored draft shows the document itself. Fill in each detail in the left panel and the document updates as you type. Anything the template requires is flagged before you can send.
- **Advanced settings** hold extra structured details and signing rules; most agreements never need them.
- After creation, the new agreement opens on its own page as a draft.

## If something looks different

- Only one or two cards appear: your role or plan does not include the other ways to start.
- **Template version** offers nothing: no template is published yet.
- The **Agreement ID** you typed is refused with **Agreement ID unavailable**: accept the number Nova suggests or type another.
- You want to see where a sent agreement stands: see [[track-agreement-signing]].

[[route:/agreements|Open All Agreements]]