Prime Contract
Set up the owner contract, build its schedule of values, manage contract terms, and track the revised contract sum as change orders are approved.
Updated June 1, 2026Who this is for:
Open in SyntectonProject Manager
Accountant
Project Admin
The Prime Contract represents your agreement with the project owner. It holds the original contract sum, a schedule of values (SOV), the contract terms, and a running revised contract sum that updates as prime change orders are approved.
Set up the prime contract
1
Create the contract
Go to Financial Control → Contracts → Prime Contract and create the contract. Enter the owner, contract number, and original contract sum.
2
Build the schedule of values
Add SOV lines that break the contract sum into billable items. Each line maps to a cost code so billing ties back to the budget.
3
Capture contract terms
Record key terms — retention percentage, billing cycle, and any special conditions. These drive defaults on pay applications.
4
Execute the contract
Mark the contract executed once signed. Change orders and pay applications can only proceed against an executed contract.
Revised contract sum
As prime change orders are approved and posted, the Revised Contract Sumupdates automatically. The contract view shows original, approved changes, and revised totals side by side.
Troubleshooting
I can’t start a pay application
Confirm the contract is executed and that at least one SOV line exists to bill against.
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Related articles
- Create a Change OrderDocument a scope or cost change against a project contract, route it for approval, and post it to the budget.
- Pay ApplicationsBill the owner against the prime contract schedule of values each billing period, apply retention, and produce the owner pay application.
- Contracts (Subcontracts & Purchase Orders)Create commitments — subcontracts and purchase orders — against the budget, manage their lines and change orders, and track committed cost.