---
title: Requiring Vendors to Accept Agreements
description: "VendorHearth Pro can require vendors to review and accept your organization's agreements as part of the vendor workflow. This helps ensure that required policies and terms are presented to vendors before they complete the applicable process. ## How Agreement Requirements…"
url: "https://vendorhearth.com/docs/requiring-vendors-to-accept-agreements/"
updated: "2026-09-23"
category: "Agreements & Documents — agreements, acceptance records, document requirements/uploads"
---

# Requiring Vendors to Accept Agreements

VendorHearth Pro can require vendors to review and accept your organization's agreements as part of the vendor workflow.

This helps ensure that required policies and terms are presented to vendors before they complete the applicable process.

## How Agreement Requirements Work

Your organization creates the agreements that vendors need to accept.

These may include:

- Vendor Agreement
- Code of Conduct
- Marketplace Standards
- Application Certification

When an agreement is required, VendorHearth presents it to the vendor and records the vendor's acceptance.

## What the Vendor Sees

When a vendor reaches a point where an agreement is required, they are given the opportunity to review the applicable agreement.

The vendor must actively accept the agreement.

Organizers should not accept an agreement on a vendor's behalf simply to move the vendor through the system.

## Acceptance Is Recorded

When a vendor accepts an agreement, VendorHearth maintains an acceptance record.

This provides a historical record showing that the vendor accepted the applicable agreement.

The acceptance record is separate from simply having an agreement stored in VendorHearth.

## Required Agreements Should Be Current

Before opening applications or registrations, verify that the agreements being presented to vendors are the versions you intend to use.

Check:

- Agreement name
- Agreement content
- Season or year
- Policies
- Important dates
- Organization information

This prevents vendors from accidentally accepting outdated terms.

## Do Not Pre-Accept Agreements

VendorHearth should not be used to create false agreement acceptances.

For example, when importing an existing vendor or application, VendorHearth does not automatically fabricate an agreement acceptance simply because the vendor is marked as previously approved or paid.

If there is no legitimate acceptance record, do not create one simply to make the vendor's record appear complete.

## Existing Vendors May Need New Agreements

A returning vendor may have accepted your organization's agreement in a previous season.

That does not necessarily mean the acceptance applies to a new agreement.

If you create a new agreement for the upcoming season, the vendor may need to review and accept the new version.

This allows the historical acceptance of the older agreement to remain intact.

## Agreements and Applications

Agreement requirements can be part of the overall vendor application and participation process.

However, application approval and agreement acceptance represent different information.

A vendor being approved does not mean an organizer should assume every required agreement has been accepted.

Review the vendor's actual agreement records when necessary.

## If a Vendor Has Not Accepted an Agreement

If a required agreement is still outstanding, have the vendor complete the appropriate VendorHearth workflow.

Avoid manually changing records simply to bypass the requirement.

If the vendor cannot access the agreement, verify:

- The vendor is using the correct account.
- The vendor is signed in.
- The appropriate agreement is active.
- The correct VendorHearth page is being used.
- The agreement requirement is configured correctly.

## Changing an Agreement After Vendors Accept It

Use caution when editing an agreement after vendors have already accepted it.

If the change substantially alters the terms, consider creating a new agreement rather than rewriting the agreement associated with existing acceptance records.

This helps maintain a clearer history of what each vendor actually accepted.

## Keep the Process Clear for Vendors

Agreement titles should clearly tell vendors what they are accepting.

For example:

**2027 Vendor Agreement**

is clearer than:

**Document A**

Clear naming also makes it easier for organizers to review acceptance records later.

## Next Step

Continue to **Understanding Agreement Acceptance Records** to learn how VendorHearth preserves agreement history and why acceptance records should not be altered or fabricated.