Creating Child Agreements and Amendments

A child agreement is an agreement record that is formally linked to a parent agreement, representing a modification, extension, or related instrument that flows from the original deal. This article explains what child agreements are, when to create one, and how to do it.

What Is a Child Agreement?

A child agreement is any agreement that is subordinate to and derived from a parent agreement. Common examples include:

• Amendments — formal changes to the terms of an existing agreement (modified payment schedules, changed field of use, updated IP ownership language)
• Extensions — agreements that extend the term of an existing agreement beyond its original expiration date
• Statements of Work (SOWs) — specific project scopes that operate under a master agreement framework
• Related instruments — side letters or other documents that supplement but do not replace the parent

Child agreements are stored as their own agreement records in Cayuse, linked to the parent through the agreement hierarchy.

When to Create a Child Agreement vs. a New Standalone Agreement

Create a child agreement when:

• The new instrument modifies, extends, or supplements an existing agreement
• The parties and the fundamental relationship are the same as the parent
• You want the modification to be clearly traceable to the original agreement in reports and audit trails
• The new instrument would not be meaningful on its own without context from the parent

Create a standalone agreement when:

• The new agreement involves a different technology or substantially different scope from any existing agreement
• The counterpart relationship is new and unrelated to existing records
• The agreement stands fully on its own terms and has no dependency on a prior agreement

If you are unsure, check with your supervisor or technology transfer manager. Consistent use of parent-child relationships is important for clean reporting.

How to Create a Child Agreement from Within a Parent Record

1. Open the parent agreement record.

2. Locate the Child Agreements section. Select the dropdown arrow.

   

3. Click the Add button or Create Amendment button (the label may vary by institution).

   

4. Search for and select the Agreement name. Click Ok.

   

   The child agreement is linked to the parent.

The Amendment Agreement Type

The amendment agreement type is specifically designed for modifications to executed agreements. When you create an amendment:

• Link it as a child of the original agreement
• Upload the signed amendment document in the child record's Documents section
• Update the parent agreement's terms (such as the expiration date or financial terms) if the amendment changes them — the amendment record documents the change, but the parent record should reflect the current, operative terms
• Note what the amendment changes in the child agreement's description field

How the Parent-Child Hierarchy Is Displayed

Once a child agreement is linked, both records show the relationship:

• On the parent record, the Related Agreements or Child Agreements section lists all child records with their name, type, and status.
• On the child record, the parent agreement is identified (usually shown as "Parent Agreement" with a link to the parent record).

You can navigate between parent and child records using these links. For complex hierarchies with multiple amendments or SOWs, see Setting Up Parent-Child Agreement Relationships.