Accurate dates are among the most critical data points on an agreement record. Cayuse Agreements stores dates as typed records, allowing you to distinguish between different kinds of date milestones. This article explains the four primary date types, how to add or edit them, and why they matter.
The Four Primary Date Types
Effective Date
The date on which the agreement's terms take effect — that is, when the rights, obligations, and restrictions described in the agreement begin. This is not necessarily the date the agreement was signed; an agreement may be signed in March but have an effective date of January 1 (retroactive) or July 1 (future).
Execution Date
The date on which all parties have signed the agreement. This is the date the agreement became legally binding. For agreements with multiple signatories, the execution date is typically the date the last required signature was obtained.
Expiration Date
The date on which the agreement naturally ends according to its terms. After this date, the agreement is no longer in force unless it is renewed or extended. The expiration date is the primary trigger for renewal workflows and expiration reports.
Termination Date
The date on which the agreement was ended early — before its scheduled expiration. Not all agreements have a termination date. This field is completed only when an agreement is ended by mutual agreement, breach, or other early-termination event. A termination date indicates the agreement ended before it would have otherwise expired.
How to Add or Edit a Date
- Open the agreement record.
- Navigate to the Dates section. This may appear as a dedicated tab, a panel on the main record page, or within a summary section depending on your institution's layout.
- To add a date, click Add Date or the equivalent, and select the Date Type (Effective, Execution, Expiration, or Termination).
- Enter the date using the date picker or by typing the date in the required format.
- Save the entry.
- To edit an existing date, locate it in the Dates section, select the edit option, update the value, and save.
Some institutions allow multiple entries of the same date type to track amendment-related changes (for example, a new expiration date after an extension). Check with your administrator about your office's convention for handling amended dates.
Why Accurate Dates Matter
- Reporting — the effective date and expiration date are used in AUTM reporting, internal dashboards, and portfolio analyses. Inaccurate dates produce inaccurate reports.
- Renewals and alerts — expiration dates drive automated notifications that alert managers when agreements are approaching their end date. If the expiration date is missing or wrong, your team may miss renewal deadlines.
- Compliance — auditors and compliance reviewers rely on dates to confirm that agreements were active during the periods when related research or transfers occurred.
- Milestone tracking — the execution date documents when an agreement became binding, which is sometimes required for sponsored project activation or grant compliance.
Date-Based Notifications
Cayuse Agreements can be configured to send automated notifications when an agreement is a specified number of days away from its expiration date. These alerts are set up by your Cayuse administrator and may vary by agreement type. If you are not receiving expected expiration reminders, confirm that the expiration date is entered on the record and contact your administrator to verify notification settings.
Tips
- If an agreement has not yet been executed, leave the execution date blank rather than entering an estimated date. Enter it only when the actual signature date is confirmed.
- If a termination date is entered, update the agreement status to reflect that it is terminated so it does not continue to appear as active in reports.
- For amendments that extend an agreement's term, update the expiration date and note the prior expiration in a document upload or description field to preserve the history.