How do I set up contract hierarchies?

What's in it for you

Without a hierarchy, contracts that belong together sit side by side with nothing connecting them — anyone looking for the full picture has to click through them one at a time. With contract hierarchies you can see at a glance which attachments belong to which master contract, jump straight between them, and expand or collapse the whole structure in a tree view. That saves real time during audits, handovers and renewals.

How it works

A hierarchy is built from two pieces: the Type field („Art") marks a contract's role, and the Parent contract field („Übergeordneter Vertrag") creates the actual link.

1. Set the role with the “Type” field

The predefined list field Type („Art") decides what role a contract plays in the hierarchy. It offers two values:

Master contract („Hauptvertrag") — the parent contract
Attachment („Anlage") — a contract assigned beneath it

You can set the value straight from the contract list: double-click the cell in the Type column and the picker opens — no need to open the contract itself. The field can be adjusted in the contract field builder (Settings → Field builder → Contract field builder) if you need different values.

2. Link contracts via “Parent contract”

The link itself is made through the Parent contract field („Übergeordneter Vertrag"):

Open the contract you want to file under a master contract and click Edit („Bearbeiten").

Click into the Parent contract field and pick the right master contract from the list.

Save. It helps to keep the master contract open in a separate tab so you're sure you're picking the right one.

3. Check the hierarchy in the “Linked” tab

The Linked tab („Verknüpft") in a contract's right-hand sidebar lists every linked contract. Use the + icon to add further links directly from there.

4. See the structure in the tree view

In the contract list, switch between simple view („Einfache Ansicht") and tree view („Baumansicht") at the top left. In the tree view, attachments appear indented under their master contract and each node can be expanded or collapsed. The simple view doesn't show the hierarchy, but it does let you sort and filter across all contracts.

Common questions

Which field actually creates the hierarchy — “Type” or “Parent contract”?
They work together. Type marks the role (master contract or attachment); Parent contract creates the connection. The assignment itself happens through Parent contract.

Can I change the hierarchy directly in the list view?
The Type field is editable inline by double-clicking in the list. Parent contract is shown as a column too, but you change the actual assignment in the contract's edit mode, not inline.

Can an attachment have attachments of its own?
Yes. The Parent contract field lets you nest contracts across several levels, and the tree view renders the whole structure indented.

I can't see the “Type” column in the list.
Switch it on via select columns („Spalten auswählen") on the right-hand edge of the contract list.

Good to know

Type is a predefined list field with the values master contract and attachment. You can adapt it in the contract field builder.
The contract list offers two relevant columns: Type (editable inline) and Parent contract (shows the assignment).
The tree view is the only view that renders the hierarchy visually.
Linking changes nothing else: all contract data, comments and activity stay intact — nothing is copied and nothing new is created.

Updated on: 09/04/2026

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