Administrative Guide
Lock & Key Procedures, Workflow Management & Authorization Checkpoints
Access & Security Requirements
Secure Login & Credentials
Access to Lock & Key requires individual authentication with role-based authorization:
Required Authentication Elements
- • User ID
- • Password (never stored in readable form)
- • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) where enabled
User Profile Information Maintained
- • Employee/contractor identification
- • Corporate entity & division
- • Position & authorization level
- • Assigned authorization keys
- • Account status (active/inactive)
- • Date authorized & date deauthorized
- • Complete login audit trail
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Access is controlled by role-based access control. Users can access only functions and documents aligned with their authorization keys.
Contract Selection Workflow
Administrators guide authorized users through systematic contract selection using the Contract Builder:
Corporate Entity
Identify the contracting corporate entity (main company, division, subsidiary, sole proprietor, LLC, etc.)
Division
Select applicable division for operational tracking
Imprint
Identify applicable imprint or publishing brand
Author/Originator
Select or register the author/originator
Producer
Identify the producer or originating party
Negotiator
Designate the authorized negotiator (if applicable)
Product Type
Specify the product/project type
Genre
Select primary genre (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, etc.)
Service Type
Identify applicable services (Publishing, Distribution, Design, etc.)
Format
Specify format(s) (Print, Digital, Audio, etc.)
Rights
Define rights to be granted (Exclusive, Exclusive to Territory, Limited, etc.)
Territory
Specify geographic territory of rights
Language
Identify language(s) of publication
Website/Digital Rights
Specify digital and website availability
Financial Terms
Input compensation structure and royalty rates
Term
Specify contract term duration
Jurisdiction
Identify governing jurisdiction
Required Schedules
Attach required exhibits and schedules
Generate Transaction Draft
System generates customized transaction from master template
Master Template vs. Editable Transaction
Lock & Key maintains strict separation between protected master agreements and negotiated transaction versions:
MASTER TEMPLATE
Status
Attorney-approved institutional standard
Protection
Protected—cannot be modified by standard users
Purpose
Source template for contract generation
Versioning
Complete revision history maintained
Modification
Only authorized attorneys can modify
TRANSACTION VERSION
Status
Specific contract for individual transaction
Modification
Negotiable and customizable
Purpose
Active working document for this deal
Independence
Does not modify the master template
Protection
Changes do not become standard for future authors
Key Benefit: This separation prevents one author's negotiated provision from unintentionally becoming the standard for every future author.
Negotiation Center
Each transaction receives a dedicated negotiation workspace tracking proposals and approvals:
Tracked Negotiation Elements
- Initial proposal
- Publisher proposal
- Author proposal
- Counter-proposals
- Redlines and revisions
- Attorney comments & exceptions
- Paralegal notes
- Negotiator notes
- Business approvals
- Legal exceptions
- Final approved version
Contract Closing Center
The Closing Center verifies that an agreement is ready for completion by checking required information:
Required Closing Information
Identification
Bibliographic Information
Intellectual Property
Contract Terms
Approval & Signatures
File Format Management
Lock & Key supports multi-format storage, allowing authorized personnel to access and export contracts in multiple formats:
Word Document (.docx)
Editable format for negotiation and internal revision
Professional distribution format for final agreements
Digital Masters
Archival format for permanent record maintenance
Administrative Best Practices
Documentation
Maintain complete documentation of all negotiations, approvals, and modifications. The system retains this history automatically.
Verification Checkpoints
Do not advance transactions past pipeline stages without completing required verifications in the Closing Center.
Template Protection
Only modify master templates through authorized attorney access to prevent unintended changes to institutional standards.
Authority Linkages
Ensure all bibliographic, copyright, ISBN, and trademark information is entered into Authority Records before closing.
Version Tracking
Always document version numbers and revision dates for all contracts. The system tracks this automatically.
Access Control
Grant only necessary authorization keys to each user. Regularly audit access and deactivate accounts for departing staff.
Need User Support?
This guide provides administrative procedures. For user-level guidance on contract selection, see the User Guide.