> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.spacebaseapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Critical date categories

> Add recurring date fields to lease abstracts without entering them from scratch on every lease.

Critical date categories define the events your team tracks, such as an annual insurance certificate deadline. Create a category once, then enter the date that applies to each lease.

Open **Company > Company Settings > Custom Critical Date Categories** to manage both your custom categories and the standard categories supplied by Spacebase.

## Add a date your team needs to track

1. Click **Create Category**.
2. Enter a name that identifies the event, such as **Insurance certificate due**, and a description explaining what date to enter.
3. Select **Automatically add this date when creating a new lease** if the event belongs in your standard lease abstract.
4. Select **Add this date to existing draft leases** if leases already being abstracted also need the field.
5. Save the category.

The first checkbox applies to future leases. The second adds the category to current drafts that do not already have it; it does not add it to published leases.

These options add a date field, not a deadline. Your team still needs to enter the actual date on each lease. Creating an **Insurance certificate due** category, for example, does not calculate an annual due date from commencement.

## Change which dates appear by default

Select an existing custom category to edit its name, description, or inclusion settings. The **Added to New Leases** column shows which categories are included automatically.

The **Default Critical Date Categories** table contains Spacebase's standard categories. **Commencement**, **Expiration**, and **Possession Date** are included by default. Select an editable category to change whether it is added to new leases or current drafts.

To enter dates, configure notices, or track options on an individual lease, see [Lease Management](/leases/management).