Linking a contract

Linking a contract to a pipeline tells VendorGate how to validate the files it collects. A pipeline can have one contract for single files, or one contract per sheet in a workbook pipeline.

Why link a contract

A contract tells VendorGate what a valid file looks like. When a file is checked against the contract, invalid rows are flagged before delivery, so downstream systems receive only clean data.

How to link a contract

1. Create or edit a pipeline.
2. In the contract section, choose an existing contract.
3. Optionally select a specific contract version. If you do not select a version, VendorGate uses the latest published version.
4. Save the pipeline.

Validation outcomes

When a file is checked against the contract, each rule produces one of three outcomes:

• Pass: the file meets the rule.
• Warn: the rule was violated, but the severity is set to warn.
• Fail: the rule was violated and the severity is set to fail.

The pipeline uses decision rules to turn these outcomes into a run status. Decision rules define which severities cause a failure (fail_on) and which cause a review (review_on). You can also set a fail threshold so that a run only fails when the error count or percentage exceeds a limit.

• Passed: the file is delivered through the on_pass destination.
• Review: the file needs human review and is delivered through the on_review destination if configured.
• Failed: the file is not delivered and the run details show the violations.

Contract versions

Contracts are versioned. When you publish a new version, you can choose whether linked pipelines should continue using the old version or switch to the new one. This lets you test contract changes without affecting production pipelines.

Best practice

Test the contract against sample files before linking it to a pipeline. A contract that is too strict will cause unnecessary failures; one that is too lenient will let bad data through.