> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://meganharrisonconsulting.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Create a Prime Contract > Create the owner contract that anchors billing, change orders, and contract reporting for a project. A Prime Contract records the agreement between the project and its owner. It is the ***financial starting point for the owner-facing construction lifecycle.*** The prime contract will be used to define the agreed scope and value, bill against that value, then manage approved changes without losing the original agreement history. Before approving a contract or sending an owner invoice, review every SOV line and its permissions. Your organization may restrict edits after approval or billing; the exact lock behavior depends on your configured workflow and permissions. ## Create the prime contract In the project, open **Prime Contracts** and select **Create**. The **Create Prime Contract** form opens with **General Information** visible. The Create Prime Contract form with General Information visible Enter a **Contract #** that the team can recognize later, a clear **Title**, and the default **Retainage** when it applies. These values identify the agreement in owner billing and reporting. Contract number, title, and retainage fields on the Create Prime Contract form Open **Owner/Client** to review the companies available to the project, then select the party executing the owner-facing agreement. Choose the actual funding or contracting party, not a subcontractor or internal company. Open Owner Client menu showing available project companies Owner Client selected on the prime contract Open **Status** to review the available lifecycle states, then select the state that reflects the agreement today. Use **Draft** while the SOV or supporting information is still under review. Move the agreement forward only when it is ready for your approval and billing controls. Open Status menu on the prime contract form Add a concise **Description** so the project team understands the owner-facing purpose and scope. Then enter the **Start Date** and **Estimated Completion Date**. These dates establish the agreement timeline; use your team's actual contract record for other milestone dates. Description field populated for the prime contract Start Date and Estimated Completion Date fields on the prime contract In **Schedule of Values**, add a line. The SOV is where contract scope and value become billable structure. Each line should represent scope that the owner can review and that the project can report consistently. New Schedule of Values line with Budget Code, Description, and Amount fields Open **Budget Code**, search for the code that owns this scope, and select it. Then enter a clear line **Description** and **Amount**. If the budget came from the estimate, use the same structure so the budget, contract total, and owner invoices remain aligned. Open Budget Code menu filtered to a cost code Selected budget code, SOV description, amount, and total Record **Inclusions** and **Exclusions** when the agreement needs explicit boundaries. This prevents scope assumptions from being confused with contracted work when invoices or changes are reviewed later. Inclusions and Exclusions fields populated on the prime contract Turn on **Private** when only project admins and specifically allowed non-admin users should access the contract. Leave it off only when the project team's normal access model is appropriate. Private contract setting enabled with non-admin access control available Select **Create Prime Contract**. The saved agreement opens on its detail page. Confirm the contract identity, owner/client, status, dates, SOV total, scope notes, and privacy setting before it enters approval or invoicing. Saved Prime Contract detail page showing the contract summary and Schedule of Values total ## After you create it * Keep the agreement in **Draft** until the details and SOV are complete. * Review the SOV total against the signed agreement before any owner invoice is created. * Route new approved scope or value through change management so the original contract and billing history remain traceable. * Recheck access whenever the contract becomes sensitive or the project team changes. ## Manage the contract after creation The contract header shows the owner/client, original contract value, approved change-order value, revised contract value, effective and execution dates, retainage, and schedule details. Use it as the owner-facing record throughout the project. ### Maintain the Schedule of Values The SOV is what owner pay applications bill against. Each line carries an original value, approved changes, and billed-to-date value. Open the saved contract and select **Schedule of Values** to add, edit, or remove lines while your workflow permits changes. If the project team uses an Alleato estimate workbook (`.xlsm` or `.xlsx`), import its approved owner-SOV rows rather than re-entering them: 1. On a new contract, open **Actions** in the SOV section and select **Import Excel SOV**. On an existing contract, open the **Schedule of Values** tab, then select **Add** > **Estimate Workbook**. 2. Upload the workbook and review the preview. Select only the lines that belong in the owner contract. 3. Resolve any unmapped or invalid budget-code rows before importing. Rows with a zero amount are flagged for review. 4. Import the selected lines, then verify the SOV total before approval or billing. ### Track approved changes and contract files Approved change orders appear as contract modifications and update the revised contract value. Store the executed agreement, exhibits, insurance certificates, and bonds in **Attachments** so the record and its supporting documents stay together. ## Related tasks * [Create an Owner Invoice](/invoicing/create-an-owner-invoice) * [Create a Prime PCO](/change-orders/create-a-prime-pco)