You can make clauses in your X-Author clause delete read-only. You can use a delete-only clause to restrict a user from editing the clause after a document is generated. You cannot edit a delete read only clause in a generated document , but can only delete the clause. Please note enabling the XA_UnlockReadOnlyClause custom permission will also not allow editing a delete read only clause.

Delete-Read-Only clauses have the following characteristics:

  • Any clause can be made read-only if a user selects delete-read only as the clause behavior. 
  • A delete read-only clause cannot be made smart.
  • A delete read-only clause can only be defined during clause creation and not inside template.
  • A delete read-only clause shows a content control boundary in the generated contract document.
  • A delete read-only clause can be deleted in the generated contract document. 
  • The value of the  delete read-only clause cannot be edited in the generated contract document.
  • When you make a clause delete read-only, the smart fields or delete read-only fields inside that clause lose their smartness or delete read-only property and become plain-text fields.

Delete Read-only clause characteristics apply to clauses that are selected as delete read-only during clause creation and apply to clauses inserted from the Clause Library after generating the contract.


To make a clause delete read-only in a template

  1. Open Microsoft Word and log in to X-Author for Contracts Advanced.
  2. Go to Templates > Create New
  3. Select Create New Clause
  4. In the clause creation panel, select Delete Read-Only for the clause behavior. 
  5. Add your clause content and check-in the clause.
  6. Check-out using an existing template. 
  7. In Contracts pane, click the Home icon () and select Templates.
  8. In the Templates pane, go to Work >Clauses.
  9. The Clauses pane lists all the clauses present in your template. Select a clause from the list and click the Settings icon () next to the clause name .
  10. In the Properties pane, verify that the Read-Only property is checked and cannot be changed. 

Your template clause will now have delete read-only properties. 

  • Clauses become uneditable after you insert them into a template. 
  • You can only delete Delete Read-Only clauses through the Doc Clauses tab