When you’re a Salesforce® Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Consultant working as an independent contractor, it’s important to protect your legal rights with a professional written Salesforce consulting contract.
Popular Salesforce Consulting Services
Common Salesforce consultant responsibilities include one or more of the following tracks:
- Administrator
- Platform App Builder
- Architect (App, System, Technical, etc.)
- Consultant (Cloud, Marketing, Pardot, etc.)
- Developer (Commerce Cloud, Platform, etc.)
- Specialist (CPQ, Marketing Cloud Email and Social, Pardot, etc.)
Experienced consultants typically are certified for the type of work they do for clients. Note that it’s common for consulting to cover more than one of these areas in a single contract.
Is There A Standard Salesforce Consultant Agreement?
No. Although an experienced business contracts lawyer who understands technology can prepare a template agreement that meets your needs based on the services you provide, you will want to customize your contracts with each client to reflect your responsibilities.
Master Services Agreement Versus Per-Project Contract?
Multiple Salesforce Consulting Projects For Same Client
If you’re going to provide Salesforce consulting on an ongoing basis for a client that covers multiple projects (e.g. a one-year consulting gig), it may make sense to set up your consulting contract with a Master Services Agreement (MSA) that contains key terms and conditions that apply to all projects you’ll do. Written work orders and change orders can be used to customize terms for each project done under the MSA.
Single Project Consulting
If you’re only doing one project for the client (e.g. simple app development), an MSA isn’t needed. Instead, you’ll want a written Salesforce consulting contract that covers all of the important terms and conditions for that specific project. If there’s a good fit, at some point the client may want to have a longer term relationship that covers Salesforce consulting on multiple projects over a longer period of time. That’s when an MSA is something you’ll want to consider.
7 Important Issues To Cover In Each Salesforce Consulting Services Contract
Although there will be additional terms and conditions in a professional Salesforce consulting contract (confidentiality, dispute resolution, etc.), here are seven essential issues to address in your agreements whether they’re set up on a per-project basis or as an MSA with project work orders and change orders.
1. Parties. This includes the names of your consulting business and the client’s name.
2. Scope of Work (SOW). Your consulting agreement should be limited by a detailed SOW that both describes the work you’ll be doing and specifically excludes work that is beyond the scope of your agreement. For example, if the client wants you to do only app development, you should specifically exclude doing other Salesforce work (e.g. technical architect) to avoid misunderstandings as to what the client is actually paying you to do.
3. Compensation. What will you be paid, when will you get paid, and what’s the method of payment?
4. Independent Contractor Status. You’ll want to make it clear that you’re an independent consultant instead of the client’s employee.
5. Contract Beginning And End Dates. When will the consulting commence and when will it terminate? If there’s an MSA in place, can it be renewed for additional terms? If so, when and how does renewal take place?
6. Warranties. What type of warranties are you giving the client for your work and what warranties are you specifically excluding?
7. Intellectual Property (IP) Ownership. If you’re creating intellectual property (e.g. an app), you’ll want to make it clear who owns the IP. In some cases, this means retaining ownership but licensing it to the client (via a written software license). In other instances, you won’t be able to transfer ownership or license IP to the client because you don’t own the IP rights to begin with (e.g. the work is done using open source code or IP licensed from a third party).
How To Get A Salesforce Consulting Contract Prepared For Your Business
Whether you have an existing contract that needs to be revised or need a new one prepared, Business Contracts Lawyer Mike Young has experience with Salesforce consulting services agreements. To get started, set up a phone consultation with him today using our firm’s online booking system.
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