Contract Management Software 101
So let's look at Contract Management Software, why it is so important, and what makes up a good system.
Contract Management Software is, as the name suggests, software designed to manage contracts. Some vendors call their software contract management software, but it is actually software that is designed to do something else, like manage documents, or workflow. Real contract management software is built from the ground up to manage contracts.
The primary goal of contract management software is to set-up visibility of agreements within your organisation. The whole point of efficient procurement is setting up useful contracts and purchasing arrangements for the organisation. If your staff do not know about the agreements, then you need not bother.
Number two is turning your management of agreements from re-active to pro-active. This means having a system that can provide advance warning of impending events, so that you can take pre-emptive action where appropriate, to prevent issues before they occur.
Contract Management Software should operate in a browser environment to facilitate use by staff across your whole business network. A central repository is no good if users cannot share information. Staff need access to the system also, either full access or read access, as is appropriate for each role.
Good contract management software facilitates automation of your agreements via business process workflow. Creating corporately standard processes for everyday tasks is vital to good contract management. A system that can enforce these processes helps staff get things done, and it provides accountability and auditability of tasks having been completed.
Probity of contract management sourcing processes such as tendering and quoting can be controlled using contract management software that automates pre-contract or preliminary tasks.
One key thing to remember about a contract management software system is to get a vendor with good references; on-time, on-budget implementations are not a thing of fantasy. Ask for references, and call them to find out for yourself. Some contract management software companies, such as Open Windows have a lot of experience, and others are just jumpimg on the bandwagon.
About the Author:Adam McInnes is the CEO of Open Windows Contracts, a leader in contract management software. Open Windows offers a trial of their contract management software and additional material that you may be interested in.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Contract Management Software 101