In Oneflow, it is possible to create contracts with the following durations:
- No duration
- Single period
- Recurring
- Recurring with two periods.
When the contract is signed, it gets a secondary lifecycle state.
The lifecycle state keeps track of the contract status: awaiting, active, or ended. There are also composite states, or substates, for canceled (for active) and terminated (for ended).
In this article, we will consider all the contract duration settings combinations and their impact on the contract lifecycle.
NOTE Depending on the selected contract duration, settings marked as not allowed in the tables below will be disabled in the Oneflow application UI. However, when setting parameters that are not allowed for this type of contract using the API, the system will generate an error 400 (bad request). |
No duration
A typical case of a contract with no duration is an employment contract in which only a start date can be set:
Available settings
The table below shows all the settings allowed for a contract with no duration in the Oneflow application UI:
| Allowed | Description | |
| Duration | ❌ | This setting is not allowed for contracts with no duration. |
| Notice period | ❌ | This setting is not allowed for contracts with no duration. |
| Start date | ✅ | You can set the start date. See more in the Contract start date options chapter. |
| End date | ❌ | This setting is not allowed for contracts with no duration. |
| Initial duration | ❌ | This setting is not allowed for contracts with no duration. |
Impact on the contract start and end
For contracts with no duration, the following combinations of the contract settings are possible:
| Combo | Start date | Contract starts | Description |
| A | ✅ | On the start date | The contract with a start date will start according to the start date specified in the contract. |
| B | ❌ | At the time of signing | The contract with no start date specified will start only when the contract is signed. |
Lifecycle development
Depending on the settings combinations described in the table above, the contract lifecycle state will change accordingly:
| Combo | Awaiting | Active | Ended | Description |
| A | Before start date | Never* | Never* | When a start date is specified, the contract will be in the Awaiting state before the start date and will get neither Active nor Ended status. |
| B | Never | Never | Never | Contracts with no start date will always be Active. |
NOTE Contracts with no duration and no start_date are similar to not adding the duration box. |
Single period
A single-period contract is a contract that is valid between a specific start and an end date or a period after the start date:
Available settings
The table below shows all the settings allowed for a contract with a single period in the Oneflow application UI:
| Allowed | Description | |
| Duration | ✅ | You can set the contract duration. |
| Notice period | ❌ | This setting is not allowed for contracts with a single period. |
| Start date | ✅ | You can set the contract start date. |
| End date | ✅ | You can set the contract end date. |
| Initial duration | ❌ | This setting is not allowed for contracts with a single period. |
Settings combinations
| Duration | Start date | End date | Description | |
| - | ✅ | ❌ | For a contract with a specified duration, it’s possible to set a start date, whereas the end date option will be unavailable. | |
| Start date | ✅ | - | ✅ | For a contract with a specified start date, it’s possible to specify the duration or the contract's end date. |
| End date | ❌ | ✅ | - | For a contract with the specified end date, it is only possible to select a start date, whereas the duration option will be unavailable. |
Impact on the contract start and end
For contracts with a single period, the following combinations of the contract settings are possible:
| Combo | Duration | Start date | End date | Contract starts | Contract ends | Description |
| A | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | At the time of signing | Signing time + duration | The contract with only its duration specified will start when the contract is signed and will end when its duration is over. |
| B | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | On the start date | Start date + duration | The contract with the specified duration and the start date will start on the start date and end when the duration is over. |
| C | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | On the start date | On the end date | The contract with the specified start and the end dates will start and end accordingly. |
| D | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Immediately after signing the contract | On the end date | The contract with a specified end date but no duration or start date will start when the contract is signed and will end on the end date. |
Lifecycle development
Depending on the settings combinations described in the table above, the contract lifecycle state will change accordingly:
| Combo | Awaiting | Active | Ended |
| A | Never | Immediately after signing the contract. | After the contract duration has elapsed or if the contract is manually terminated. |
| B | Before the start date | After the start date, until the duration has elapsed. | After the contract duration has elapsed or if the contract is manually terminated. |
| C | Before the start date | After the start date, until the end date. | After the contract end date or if the contract is manually terminated. |
| D | Never | Immediately after signing the contract, until the end date. | After the contract end date or if the contract is manually terminated. |
NOTE Only the owner-side party can manually terminate the contract. |
Recurring
Recurring contracts automatically renew once the contract period is over unless the contract is canceled during the notice period.
Available settings
The table below shows all the settings allowed for a recurring contract via the Oneflow application UI.
| Allowed | Description | |
| Duration | Required | The duration setting is mandatory. |
| Notice period | Required | The Notice period is mandatory. |
| Start date | ✅ | You can set the contract start date. |
| End date | ✅ | You can set the contract end date. |
| Initial duration | ✅ | You can set the initial contract duration. |
Settings combinations
NOTE The Duration and Notice period settings are not shown in the table as they are mandatory and should always be used. |
| Start date | End date | Initial duration | Description | |
| Start date | - | ✅ | ✅ | For a contract with a specified start date, it’s possible to set the end date and the initial duration. |
| End date | ✅ | - | ✅ | For the contract with the specified end date, it’s possible to set the start date option, whereas the initial duration option will be unavailable. |
| Initial duration | ✅ | ❌ | - | For the contract with the specified initial duration, the end date option will be unavailable. |
Impact on the contract start and end
NOTE The Notice period always works the same regardless of other settings. |
| Combo | Duration | Start date | End date | Initial duration | Contract starts | First period ends | Subsequent periods length | Description |
| A | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | At the time of signing | Signing time + duration | Duration | The first period of the contract with only its duration specified will start when the contract is signed and will end when its duration period is over. The subsequent periods are equal to the specified duration. |
| B | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | On the start date | Start date + duration | Duration | The first period of the contract with the specified duration and the start date will start on the start date and end when the duration period is over. The subsequent periods are equal to the specified duration. |
| C | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | On the start date | On the end date | Duration | The first period of the contract with the specified duration, start, and end dates will start and end accordingly. The subsequent periods equal to the specified duration. |
| D | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | At the time of signing | On the end date | Duration | The first period of the contract with a specified duration and the end date but no start date will start when the contract is signed and will end on the end date. The subsequent periods are equal to the specified duration. |
| E | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | At the time of signing | Signing time + initial duration | Duration | The first period of the contract with the specified duration and initial duration but no start or end date will start when the contract is signed and will end when the initial duration is over. The subsequent periods are equal to the specified duration. |
| F | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | On the start date | Start date + initial duration | Duration | The first period of the contract with the specified duration, start date, and initial duration will start according to the start date and will end when the initial duration is over. The subsequent periods are equal to the specified duration. |
Lifecycle development
Depending on the settings combinations described in the table above, the contract lifecycle state will change accordingly:
| Combo | Awaiting | Active | Ended |
| A | Never | Immediately after signing the contract, until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| B | Before the start date | After the contract start date, until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| C | Before the start date | After the contract start date, until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| D | Never | Immediately after signing the contract, until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| E | Never | Immediately after signing the contract, until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| F | Before the start date | After the contract start date, until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
Contract termination
If a recurring contract is terminated, the following applies:
- Notice period always works the same, regardless of other settings.
- If a contract party cancels the contract before the notice period, there will be no new periods, and the contract will expire at the end of the current period.
- If a contract party cancels the contract after the start of the notice period, there will be another period after which the contract will end.
- If the owner-side party manually terminates the contract, it ends immediately.
Recurring with two periods
Recurring contracts with two periods are only valid for two periods. When the first contract period is over, the contract is automatically renewed unless the contract is canceled during the notice period. After the second period, the contract is no longer renewed.
Available settings
The table below shows all the settings allowed for a recurring contract with two periods via the Oneflow application UI.
| Allowed | Description | |
| Duration | ✅ | You can set the contract duration. |
| Notice period | Required | The notice period setting is required for recurring contracts with two periods. |
| Start date | ✅ | You can set the contract start date. |
| End date | ✅ | You can set the contract end date. |
| Initial duration | ❌ | The initial duration setting is unavailable for recurring contracts with two periods. |
Setting combinations
NOTE The Notice period setting is not shown in the table as it is mandatory and should always be used. |
| Duration | Start date | End date | Description | |
| Duration | - | ✅ | ❌ | For the contract with the specified duration, it’s only possible to set the start date, whereas the end date option will be unavailable. |
| Start date | ✅ | - | ✅ | For the contract with the specified start date, it is possible to set the contract duration and the end date. |
| End date | ❌ | ✅ | - | For the contract with the specified end date, it’s only possible to set the start date, whereas the duration option will be unavailable. |
Impact on the contract start and end
For recurring contracts with two periods, the following combinations of the contract settings are possible:
| Combo | Duration | Start date | End date | Contract starts | First period ends | Second period length | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | At the time of signing | Sign time + duration | Until terminated | The first period of the contract, with only its duration specified, will start when the contract is signed and will end when its duration period is over. The second period is not limited to any date and will last until terminated. |
| B | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | On the start date | Start date + duration | Until terminated | The first period of the contract with the specified duration and the start date will start on the start date and end when the duration of the first period is over. The second period is not limited to any date and will last until terminated. |
| C | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | On the start date | On the end date | Until terminated | The first period of the contract with only the start and end dates specified will start and end accordingly. The second period is not limited to any date and will last until terminated. |
| D | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | At the time of signing | On the end date | Until terminated | The first period of the contract with only the end date specified will start when the contract is signed and will end on the end date. The second period is not limited to any date and will last until terminated. |
Lifecycle development
Depending on the settings combinations described in the table above, the contract lifecycle state will change accordingly:
| Combo | Awaiting | Active | Ended |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Never | Immediately after signing the contract. | When the contract is terminated. |
| B | Before the start date | After the contract start date until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| C | Before the start date | After the contract start date until its termination. | When the contract is terminated. |
| D | Never | Immediately after signing the contract. | When the contract is terminated. |
Contract termination
If a recurring contract with two periods is terminated, the following applies:
- Notice period always works the same, regardless of other settings.
- For the initial period:
- If a contract party cancels the contract before the notice period, there will be no new periods, and the contract will expire at the end of the first period.
- If a contract party cancels the contract after the start of the notice period, the contract will be renewed for the second period.
- For the second period:
- If a contract party cancels the contract during the second period, the contract will be active during the time equal to the notice period, after which the contract will end.
- If the owner-side party manually terminates the contract, it ends immediately.