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Contracts: terms your users accept

A contract is a set of terms people must accept before they use your site. Write it (or let the site draft it), publish it, and switch contracts on: visitors then get it with an accept and a deny button.

Watch it done: a short silent video with captions · 4:22. The steps below show the same thing picture by picture.

Before you start

  • Log in as the site owner.
  • Open ADMIN › Contracts.

Add a contract

Step 1. Read the note at the top: when you publish a new contract, all users must accept it (or deny it) the next time they visit the site.

Step 1: Read the note at the top: when you publish a new contract, all users must accept it (or deny it) the next time they visit the site.

Step 2. Click Add New Contract.

Step 2: Click Add New Contract.

Step 3. Title (required).

Step 3: Title (required).

Step 4. Text: the terms themselves, written in the usual editor.

Step 4: Text: the terms themselves, written in the usual editor.

Step 5. Accept Button Text: the words on the accept button. If you leave it empty, the button says "I Accept. Let Me In."

Step 5: Accept Button Text: the words on the accept button. If you leave it empty, the button says "I Accept. Let Me In."

Step 6. Accept Button Url: where the accept button takes people. Select a page from the list, or type an address in the box below it. If you leave it empty, they stay on the same page.

Step 6: Accept Button Url: where the accept button takes people. Select a page from the list, or type an address in the box below it. If you leave it empty, they stay on the same page.

Step 7. Deny Button Text and Deny Button Url do the same for the other button. Left empty, it says "I Deny. Let Me Out." and takes people out of the site.

Step 7: Deny Button Text and Deny Button Url do the same for the other button. Left empty, it says "I Deny. Let Me Out." and takes people out of the site.

Step 8. Click Save.

Step 8: Click Save.

Save and publish

Step 9. "Changes Saved Successfully". The contract is listed with its CREATED date. It has no PUBLISHED date yet: it is saved but not published.

Step 9: "Changes Saved Successfully". The contract is listed with its CREATED date. It has no PUBLISHED date yet: it is saved but not published.

Step 10. When it is ready, click Publish. (Here Publish was not pressed for this contract, and it was deleted afterwards.)

Step 10: When it is ready, click Publish. (Here Publish was not pressed for this contract, and it was deleted afterwards.)

Step 11. A published contract shows its PUBLISHED date and a star ("Currently binding contract"): it is the one in force. A published contract can no longer be edited or deleted, so publish only the final wording.

Step 11: A published contract shows its PUBLISHED date and a star ("Currently binding contract"): it is the one in force. A published contract can no longer be edited or deleted, so publish only the final wording.

Draft it from a description

Step 12. Instead of writing it yourself, you can let the site draft it: click Create from Description.

Step 12: Instead of writing it yourself, you can let the site draft it: click Create from Description.

Step 13. Describe what you want, in a sentence or two.

Step 13: Describe what you want, in a sentence or two.

Step 14. Click Create.

Step 14: Click Create.

Step 15. After a few seconds a preview appears. Read it. Re-create writes another version; Use this takes it.

Step 15: After a few seconds a preview appears. Read it. Re-create writes another version; Use this takes it.

Step 16. Click Use this.

Step 16: Click Use this.

Step 17. The contract window opens with the title, the text and the button words filled in. Read and correct it, then click Save. (Cancelled in this demonstration.)

Step 17: The contract window opens with the title, the text and the button words filled in. Read and correct it, then click Save. (Cancelled in this demonstration.)

Switch contracts on: what visitors see

Step 18. Open the Settings tab.

Step 18: Open the Settings tab.

Step 19. Enable Contracts: while it is No, no contract is shown to anyone, even a published one. Choose Yes to put the published contract in force.

Step 19: Enable Contracts: while it is No, no contract is shown to anyone, even a published one. Choose Yes to put the published contract in force.

Step 20. Click Save Settings.

Step 20: Click Save Settings.

Step 21. Visitors now see the contract over the page, with its title, text and your two buttons, before they can go on. (You, logged in as the owner, don't get it.)

Step 21: Visitors now see the contract over the page, with its title, text and your two buttons, before they can go on. (You, logged in as the owner, don't get it.)

Step 22. To stop showing it, choose No and click Save Settings. (In this demonstration contracts were switched on for about a minute and then off again.)

Step 22: To stop showing it, choose No and click Save Settings. (In this demonstration contracts were switched on for about a minute and then off again.)

Check it worked

Open your site in a private window after switching contracts on: the contract appears over the page. Switch them off again with No if you were only testing.

Good to know

  • A draft written from a description is a starting point: read every line and make sure it is true for your site before you publish it.
  • A published contract cannot be changed or deleted: publish only the final wording.
  • Enable Contracts decides whether anyone sees it: keep it on No until your contract is final.

Related help

Shown on the 2026 version of the SoNET Web Engine. Last checked 22 October 2026. Something different on your screen? Tell us through the Contact page.