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# How do I link attachments to a contract?

In ContractHero, contracts don't just sit side by side in a flat list — they can be nested: one **parent contract** with one or more **sub-contracts**.

> **A note on the word "attachment":** a sub-contract doesn't have to be an attachment in the narrow sense. **Any** contract can be linked — an amendment, a renewal, an individual order under a framework agreement, a side letter, or a classic annex. What matters isn't the type of document, but that it belongs underneath another contract.

The link can be created from **either direction** — from the parent contract or from the sub-contract. The result is identical.

## What's in it for you

Related contracts stop being scattered across the contract list and bundle up under the parent contract. One click shows you every annex, renewal and side agreement — which matters in audits, handovers and reporting. And you avoid uploading the same PDF twice (think general terms that apply to several contracts): upload once, file it properly.

## When do you need this?

* A contract was uploaded **without its attachment** — the document is being added later.
* An amendment, renewal or individual order should sit **under the original contract**.
* A contract was **uploaded as a standalone** by mistake and actually belongs under another one.
* You are **restructuring an existing hierarchy** and moving sub-contracts to a different parent.

## Which route fits?

| Your starting point | Route |
| --- | --- |
| You have the **parent contract** open and want to nest something under it | **Route 1** — the "Linked" tab |
| You have the **sub-contract** open and want to file it | **Route 2** — the "Parent contract" field |
| The PDF is **not in ContractHero yet** | **Route 1**, option "Add sub-contract" (upload included) |

## Route 1: from the parent contract — the "Linked" tab

### 1. Open the parent contract

In the contract overview, open the contract that should become the **parent** — the one the others belong under.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/1/2/5/2/12522a019f980500/contracts_a2vb4e.png)

You'll see the contract detail view with category, status and master data, plus a right-hand sidebar with several tabs (Documents, Summary, Tasks, Signature, Approval, Linked, Activity).

### 2. Open the "Linked" tab

In the right-hand sidebar, click the **"Linked"** tab („Verknüpft" in the German interface).

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/1/2/5/2/12522a019f980500/related_1eu20k6.png)

This lists every contract already connected to this parent — right after creating a contract the list is empty apart from the contract itself.

### 3. Create the link — two options

Click the **"+" icon** in the top right of the Linked tab. A small menu opens with two options:

* **"Add sub-contract"** („Untervertrag hinzufügen") — you upload a **new PDF**, which is created as a sub-contract of the current parent automatically. Just like a regular upload, you can pick the **OCR language** here.
* **"Link contract"** („Vertrag verknüpfen") — you connect a contract that **already exists** in ContractHero as a sub-contract of the current parent. This is the right option when the PDF is already somewhere in ContractHero.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/1/2/5/2/12522a019f980500/link-contractattachment_2nxh2f.png)

### 4. Pick the existing contract (option "Link contract")

The dialog explains that the contract you select will be assigned as a sub-contract of the current parent. Use the search field to find it.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/1/2/5/2/12522a019f980500/choose-contractdoc_1pkfo1q.png)

Only contracts that are **not currently part of another link** can be selected — anything already linked won't show up in the list at all.

Click **"Save"**. The link appears in the Linked tab immediately, and the previously standalone contract now sits as a sub-contract of the parent.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/1/2/5/2/12522a019f980500/save_10b1tmo.png)

## Route 2: from the sub-contract — the "Parent contract" field

Sometimes you don't have the parent contract open but the attachment — for instance because you've just noticed it's filed in the wrong place. You don't need the detour via the parent.

**1. Open the sub-contract and switch to edit mode**

Open the contract you want to file and switch from **"View"** („Einsehen") to **"Edit"** („Bearbeiten") at the top.

**2. Fill in the "Parent contract" field**

Directly below category and status sits the **"Parent contract"** field („Übergeordneter Vertrag"). Click into it, type the name of the parent contract you want, and pick it from the list.

![Contract edit view showing the Parent contract field below category and status](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/1/2/5/2/12522a019f980500/uebergeordneter-vertrag-feld_6nd3ab.png)

**3. Save**

The assignment takes effect immediately. The contract appears indented under its parent and can be expanded and collapsed via the arrow to the left of the parent.

Use the same route to move a sub-contract to a **different** parent, or to make it standalone again — just change or clear the entry in the field. The full walkthrough is in [Reassigning a contract attachment to a master contract](https://support.contracthero.com/en-us/article/reassigning-a-contract-attachment-to-a-master-contract-1nuwta2/).

## Common questions

### Does a sub-contract have to be an attachment?

No. Any contract that belongs under another one can be linked — amendment, renewal, individual order, side letter or classic annex. The structure reflects the hierarchy, not the document type.

### What's the difference between "Link contract" and "Add sub-contract"?

**"Link contract"** connects an **existing** contract — no new upload, the PDF is already in ContractHero somewhere. **"Add sub-contract"** **uploads a new PDF** and creates a new contract that is linked automatically.

### Route 1 or Route 2 — does it make a difference?

Not to the result. Both create the same link. Take whichever is fewer clicks from the screen you're on. Only if the PDF isn't in ContractHero yet do you need Route 1 with "Add sub-contract".

### Can a contract be linked to several parent contracts?

No. Every contract has at most **one** parent. Contracts that are already linked therefore don't appear in the selection dialog in the first place.

### How do I undo a link?

Either way works: from the parent contract → **"Linked"** tab → select the sub-contract and remove the link — or from the sub-contract → **"Edit"** → clear the **"Parent contract"** field. The contract is standalone in the list again afterwards.

### Can I assign the same PDF attachment to several contracts?

Not through linking — each sub-contract has exactly one parent. If the same terms-and-conditions file needs to sit on several contracts, attach the PDF via the **Documents** section of each contract instead.

### Link or document on the contract — when do I use which?

**Documents** on a contract are files belonging to the **same** contract record (signed versions, scanned originals). **Linked sub-contracts** are **separate** contract records with their own master data and AI analysis — the right choice when the document is a contract in its own right (renewal, side agreement, separate terms).

## Good to know

* **Linking shows up in the tree view.** In the contract list you'll see an expand arrow under the parent contract — the **tree view** lets you click through every hierarchy at a glance.
* **Existing master data survives.** Linking does **not** overwrite the sub-contract's categories, tags, fields, comments or signatures — it keeps its own profile and is simply assigned to a parent now.
* **No re-upload needed.** Re-filing is purely a change of assignment. Deleting and re-uploading would be the wrong move — you'd lose master data and history.
* **Clear naming saves searching.** With a lot of terms files or side agreements, a descriptive name ("Supplier T&Cs v3 2026") makes the selection dialog much faster.
* **Permissions still apply.** Anyone who can't see the parent contract can't see its sub-contracts either — linking never bypasses a team or role permission.
* **Maintain contract families centrally.** For attachments used repeatedly (licence agreements, for example), it pays to create a single "master" contract and link all dependent contracts underneath it.

## Related articles

* [Reassigning a contract attachment to a master contract](https://support.contracthero.com/en-us/article/reassigning-a-contract-attachment-to-a-master-contract-1nuwta2/) — Route 2 in detail
* [How do I set up contract hierarchies?](https://support.contracthero.com/en-us/article/how-do-i-set-up-contract-hierarchies-1v4gkp5/)
* [How do I add documents to an existing contract?](https://support.contracthero.com/en-us/article/how-do-i-add-documents-to-an-existing-contract-1h3nl9n/)