Summary:
The article serves as a comprehensive user guide for the Catina Platform, detailing its features and functionalities. It covers topics such as getting started with Catina, system requirements, and the organization of the digital platform. The guide also includes instructions on creating projects, managing documents, and utilizing custom templates. This resource is designed to help users effectively navigate and utilize the Catina Platform for managing AIA Contract Documents.
Table of Contents
Getting Started –Introducing Catina Platform
What is AIA Contract Documents powered by Catina?
Catina is a secure, digital platform that streamlines the process to create and manage AIA Contract Documents, the industry’s most trusted and recognized templates to protect against project disputes, misunderstandings, and delays.
Catina offers a number of benefits over using traditional methods of contract management, including:
- Accuracy and consistency: The platform ensures that all documents are created and edited using the most up-to-date templates and language. This helps to avoid errors and inconsistencies that can lead to disputes and delays.
- Access: The platform makes it easy to access documents from the web. This can save time and improve efficiency.
- Version control: The platform keeps track of all changes made to documents, so users can always revert to a previous version if needed. This is important for ensuring that the correct version of a document is always being used.
- Document management: The platform provides a central place to store and manage all project documents. This makes it easy to find the documents you need when you need them.
- Security: The platform uses industry-standard security measures to protect your data. This includes encryption at rest and in transit, as well as access control and audit logging.
System Requirements:
Basic requirements for AIA Contract Documents include:
- A high-speed internet connection. The minimum connection speed for the AIA Contract Documents online service is 512kbps; connection speeds of 1000kbps or higher are recommended.
- A current web browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, IE, or Edge)
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 or higher
- If choosing to edit offline, a current version of Microsoft® Office: 2008 (Mac), 2010, 2013 or 2016 is required
Organization of Catina Digital Platform:
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Projects tab
The project tab allows you to see all documents within a project and track project activity. Here, documents are organized by team member, allowing you to easily define relationships with project counterparties.
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Documents tab
The Documents board tracks documents across all projects. It provides a step-by-step workflow for completing a document. Easily monitor any recent activity and progress of documents with a quick glance. Your documents will be grouped in Draft, Review or Sign listings.
Users will have access to migrated ACD5-finalized versions in Catina to reference as needed.
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Address Book tab
Catina allows you to add the organizations and contacts you are using in a project. For your convenience, the information is saved in the Address Book, ready to use on any future projects. The Address Book board is a central place to manage your contacts.
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Custom Templates tab
AIA Contract Documents provides you with the ability to customize templates with your standard edits and then use those customized templates as the basis for your draft documents. You can access custom templates that you have created in the Custom Templates board.
Catina How-Tos:
Create a Project:
In the Catina digital platform, documents are stored by project.
To create a new project, go to the projects tab and click New Project. That will prompt you to enter basic information about your project. Fill in this information as completely as you can to save time when creating documents later on by reducing manual data entry.
When finished, click next, and it will take you to the Documents page. From here you can add organizations and contacts that are participating in the project by simply clicking the Organization button at the top of the page.
Create an Organization or Contact
Catina allows you to add the organizations and contacts you are using in a project. For your convenience, the information is saved in the Address Book, ready to use on any future projects.
To add an Organization from the Address Book, click the +Add Contact button at the top of the page, and then Add New Organization.
From here, the Add Organization screen will appear, and you can begin inputting organization details. You can select organization data available from the Address Book or create new data by clicking the Add New Organization button.
Here, you will be prompted to enter information about the organization. Begin by selecting their role in the project, (Owner, Architect, Contractor, etc.). Once selected, their information will auto-populate into any documents you configure the contact to. At this stage, you should also enter the organization’s address and contact details. This saves you the trouble of manually entering it later in your documents.
Catina gives you the freedom to enter multiple organization contacts simultaneously. For example, if you need to add a second contractor to a project, simply click Add Contact and the fill points will appear, prompting you to enter their information.
Once you are finished, click Continue to save the contacts and add them to the project. At this point, you will see your contact listed by role. You can add additional contacts if necessary or if your project team is complete, you can begin creating and editing documents within the project.
Find the Right Document:
AIA Contract Documents publishes over 270 templates of construction contracts and are organized by series or family of documents. To find the document you need, first go to the Projects board. Click New Project and enter your project details. Once you’ve completed entering your project data, you will click +Organization to add your project team. Once you have entered and saved the organizational data, you are able to click +Document and search AIA templates or your own custom templates and begin editing a draft. You can add more documents by clicking the New Document button from the Documents tab at any time.
Create an Agreement:
Agreements can be edited using the online editor within the Catina platform or offline using Microsoft Word.
Working Online:
To edit an agreement using the online editor, click New Document from your project. Search and select your desired agreement and click Configure. Complete the fields and click Create Document.
The agreement will then open in the online editor. The Document Status bar to the left will guide you in the appropriate workflow: Draft, Review, Sign and Completed.
Draft:
There are two options when editing your document in the online editor Edit Document or Edit Variables. Edit Document is where you can edit all aspects of your document, including editing variables, font, sizing, and adding or deleting the standard AIA Contract Document text. Edit variables is a power entry mode, where you can quickly enter any fill points throughout your document. You can toggle between these options at any time during the editing process.
While editing you have the option to save the document to another project, organization, or as a customer template. To access these features, click the Save As icon on the upper right toolbar. You can choose to save the document to a project or as a custom template. If saving to a project, enter the appropriate project, organization, and reference name in the specified fields. If saving the draft as a custom template, select Custom Template and name it before clicking Save.
Review:
Once you are finished editing your draft, select Configure Signature or click Next on the toolbar to the left. You will then configure your signature page. First, select how you want your document to be signed. You can select eSignature or Ink Signature.
If choosing eSignature, you will enter signer names and email addresses in the appropriate fields. The signer will receive a DocuSign link to complete their signature and you'll be notified when the signing process is completed.
Once you’ve finished entering the signature data, click Review Document. Once you’ve reviewed your document, you will click Finalize Document.
Working Offline:
To edit an agreement offline in Microsoft Word, click +Document from your project. Search and select your desired agreement and click Configure. Complete the fields and click Add Document.
The agreement will then open in the online editor in Draft mode. Click the Offline Editing icon on the upper right-hand toolbar. Offline editing is supported in .docx format only. Once the document has been downloaded, it cannot be edited online again. Acknowledge this in the dialogue box by clicking Yes, convert to offline.
Your draft will then open in Microsoft Word. Save the draft to your computer and make your edits. When your edits are complete, upload a copy and finalize your document. Make sure your file is closed before attempting the upload.
Create a Form:
Forms can be edited using only the online editor in the Catina platform. To create a form, click +Document from your project. Search and select your desired form and click Configure. Complete the fields and click Add Document.
The form will then open in the online editor. The Document Status bar to the left will guide you in the appropriate workflow: Draft, Review, Sign and Completed.
Draft:
You will begin editing your draft by entering line items. Once you’ve entered your data in the appropriate fields, click Editor on Document Status bar on the left to continue editing your draft. Your work will automatically be saved.
Review:
Once you are finished editing your draft, select Review on the toolbar to the left. You will then configure your signature page. First, select how you want your document to be signed. You can select eSignature or Ink Signature.
If choosing eSignature, you will enter signer names and email addresses in the appropriate fields. The signer will receive a DocuSign link to complete their signature and you'll be notified when the signing process is completed.
Once you’ve finished entering the signature data, click Review Document. Once you’ve reviewed your document, you will click Finalize Document.
Sign:
You will see your pending signatures and status at the top of the screen. You can click Revert this document to Draft status if needed at the bottom of the screen.
Once the finalized document has been signed, you can access it under Completed in your Document Status bar.
Customize a Template:
AIA Contract Documents provides you with the ability to customize agreement templates with your standard edits and then use those customized templates as the basis for your draft documents. You can also create custom templates from draft agreements and share them with other users in your company. Standard and custom templates can also be added to your list of favorites for easy access when creating documents.
You have two options for creating a custom template, you can select +Custom Template on the Custom Templates board or you can open an existing document and choose to Save As a custom template.
Finalize a Document:
When you are ready to finalize your document, you will click on the Configure Signature button under the review step in your document status bar.
Here you will have the option to choose between eSignature or Ink signature based on your signing preferences. You can quickly configure your signature by filling out the signing party’s information. If you need to add additional signers, click the Red Plus Sign next to the specific role.
When complete, click Review Document to take you to the Finalize document screen.
Administrator Role for Multi-User Accounts
When you purchase two or more unlimited annual accounts for company staff, you can designate a license administrator on behalf of the multi-user account to oversee the licenses. Administrative users have the capability to manage existing users, including modifying user settings and permissions. They are also empowered to invite new users to the system and deactivate current users as needed.
You can designate up to two administrators who are non-license holders. In this case, the Administrator(s) can monitor and manage the users on the subscription, invite users, without occupying a seat on the license.
Lastly, one user may act as the billing administrator. This person will have all of the same capabilities as a basic administrator and can upgrade the tier or number of seats on the license at any time.
Digital Signatures:
There are two signing options within Catina, ink signature and eSignature, both fully configurable before finalizing your document.
We have streamlined the digital signature process by providing an eSignature via Docusign. You simply define your signers by providing their name and email, and we do the rest. You can track where your documents are in the signing process and easily send reminders all within Catina.
You can also use Ink Signature, which allows you to enter the signer names and download a PDF of your document to collect the signatures. Once signed, you can upload the signed PDF to complete the process and store your document within Catina.
Live Training:
Attend a free, 60-minute webinar where a training expert will guide you through all of the features and capabilities of Catina. From setting up a new project, to document editing, and building customized templates, you’ll walk away equipped to begin editing and finalizing your documents. Register Today - Catina Basics Training
Learn More:
The AIA Contract Documents Learn page is a comprehensive, user-friendly website that offers design and construction professionals with high-quality contract documents and risk management related education programs and materials.
Users of the site can access free live training, webinars, on-demand courses, and an extensive library of articles, e-books and guides. Most courses are eligible for continuing education credit from the AIA, as well as other professional organizations.
Visit https://learn.aiacontracts.com/ for more information.
Product Support:
Need assistance? Whether it’s guidance selecting the right document, questions about the Catina Platform, or a sales-related inquiry, we’re here to help.
Technical/Catina Platform Support
Email: support@aiacontracts.com
Toll Free: 1-800-942-7732 (choose option 1)
Document Questions
Email: docinfo@aiacontracts.com
Toll Free: 1-800-942-7732 (choose option 2)
Sales and Subscription Questions
Email: sales@aiacontracts.com
Toll Free: 1-800-942-7732