Managing contracts effectively is one of the most critical workflow of legal teams. Between tracking deadlines, juggling multiple versions, and ensuring compliance, legal professionals often find themselves spending more time managing administrative tasks.
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A contract management system software streamlines how teams draft, organize, and oversee contracts from start to finish all in a centralized platform. It minimizes mistakes, improves efficiency, and simplifies the entire workflow for both legal and business departments.
Signs Your Legal Team May Benefit from a Contract Management System Software
Keeping track of contracts is essential for any organization but doing it without proper tools can make the process unnecessarily complicated. Many legal teams still manage contracts using spreadsheets emails and shared folders. This may work in the beginning, but it often gets harder as the number of contracts increases. A report by the World Commerce and Contracting Association found that in 40% of organizations it is often unclear who oversees each contract. This can result in missed deadlines, project delays, and potential compliance issues.
1. Contract Ownership Is Unclear
When contracts involve different teams like sales finance or legal it can be hard to know who is responsible for each part. Without a well-defined contract lifecycle management process, important details can easily be overlooked or forgotten.
A contract management system software gives clear roles and tracks all actions, so everyone stays on the same page.
2. Difficulty Accessing the Right Documents
If your team spends a lot of time searching for the latest version of a contract it may be time to make things easier. A contract management system software keeps all your contracts centralized, allowing authorized team members to access and update them quickly and efficiently.
3. Important Dates Get Missed
Missing a renewal date or deadline can cause problems or lost chances. Teams often rely on spreadsheets or manual reminders, but these methods are prone to being overlooked. A good contract management tool can send alerts, so your team does not miss anything important.
4. Growing Contract Volume Is Hard to Track
As your company grows you will deal with more contracts. Tracking all of them by hand can take a lot of time and cause confusion. It helps sort contracts by client or team and shows progress in one place. A reliable system makes it easier to stay on top of everything.
5. Too Much Time Goes to Routine Work
5 Best Contract Management System Software in 2025
Contracts are a core part of business operations, yet many teams still rely on outdated, manual processes. In 2025, modern contract management system software helps simplify workflows, reduce risk, and improve team collaboration.
Here are five top tools that stand out for their features, ease of use, and real business impact.
1. CLM 365
CLM 365 is a reliable contract management system software built for legal teams that want flexibility and full control. It is built on Microsoft Ecosystem, and it integrates with SharePoint, MS Teams, Outlook and MS Word. It offers powerful automation and AI features while remaining simple to use. With strong integrations and customizable workflows, CLM 365 fits well into enterprise-level operations.
Key features
- Easy contract creation with smart templates
- Role-based access to improve security
- AI-based clause suggestions and risk alerts
- Centralized dashboard to manage workflow
- Automated approval and signature workflows
- Real-time contract tracking
- Custom alerts for renewals and key dates
- Draft comparison
- Generate custom contracts
Best known for: Deep Microsoft ecosystem integration and workflow customization. A great fit for businesses that already use Microsoft tools and need a flexible and scalable contract management system.
Rating
G2: 4.8
Capterra: 4.8
Microsoft AppSource: 4.9 (79 reviews)
Our Pricing: CLM 365 makes contract management easier and faster for businesses. It starts at just $29.99 per user.
2. Zoho Contracts
Zoho Contracts is part of the Zoho suite and offers a simple yet feature-rich contract solution for small to medium businesses. It’s known for its intuitive interface and easy setup, making it a great option for growing teams.
- Pre-built contract templates
- Approval workflows with status tracking
- E-signature support built-in
- Centralized contract repository
- Audit trails for every action
- Renewal reminders and date alerts
- Clause library for faster drafting
- Seamless integration with Zoho CRM and other tools
Best known for: Ease of use and tight integration with the Zoho ecosystem. Perfect for small to mid-sized teams seeking an easy-to-use and budget-friendly contract management solution.
Rating
G2 Review: 4.5
Capterra: 4.4
3. ContractWorks
ContractWorks focuses on speed and simplicity. Designed for quick setup, it allows teams to hit the ground running without lengthy training or complicated onboarding. It’s especially popular among legal teams that want fast deployment and essential features without overpaying.
- Quick setup with minimal training
- Drag-and-drop contract upload
- Secure cloud storage with permissions
- Smart document tagging and search
- Built-in e-signature tools
- Custom alerts for deadlines
- Audit logs for compliance
- Simple pricing model
Best known for: Fast implementation and user-friendly design. A strong choice for teams that want a straightforward tool that just works without overcomplicating the process.
Rating
G2 Review: 4.8
Capterra: 4.8
4. Juro
Juro is designed for in-house legal teams that want to manage contracts end to end in one platform. It brings contract creation, negotiation, and management together in a single collaborative space, reducing back-and-forth between tools.
- Browser-based contract editor
- Internal and external collaboration tools
- Real-time contract version tracking
- Clause control and smart templates
- Integrated e-signatures
- Approval workflows built-in
- Automatic renewal tracking
- CRM and Slack integration
Best known for: Collaborative contract workflows in one platform. It is a perfect fit for legal teams looking for a modern all-in-one platform that supports fast contract cycles and teamwork.
Ratings
G2 Review: 4.6
Capterra: 4.8
5. Ironclad
- Workflow designer for custom processes
- AI contract data extraction
- Advanced analytics and dashboards
- Version control and collaboration
- Native e-signature support
- Clause library with compliance controls
- Auto-reminders for renewals and tasks
- Enterprise-grade security and permissions
Benefits of Using a Contract Management System Software
Contracts are at the heart of every business deal. Whether it’s onboarding a new vendor, renewing a service agreement, or closing a partnership, every step involves terms, timelines, and approvals. But when handled manually, the process becomes slow, confusing, and costly.
With the help of Contract Management System Software, legal and business teams can transform how they handle contracts bringing in speed, clarity, and control.
Here are 10 real-world benefits of using a modern contract management system:
1. Save Time on Every Contract Cycle
Drafting, reviewing, and approving contracts by email or spreadsheets takes hours sometimes days.
A contract management system software automates routine steps like template selection, approval routing, and e-signatures. This allows legal teams to stop wasting time tracking down paperwork and start focusing on higher-value strategic work.
2. Reduce Contracting Costs
According to research by World Commerce and Contracting, the overall cost of contracting can range from 2% to 11% of the contract’s total revenue especially when delays, errors, or legal risks are involved.
A contract management system software helps reduce these costs by streamlining the process, preventing missed obligations, and avoiding unnecessary rework.
3. Improve Visibility and Accountability
When contracts are stored across inboxes or desktops, it’s hard to know who’s working on what. The system brings everything into one shared space.
This gives everyone clear visibility into contract stages, assigned tasks, and upcoming deadlines reducing confusion and delays.
4. Minimize Human Error and Risk
Manual processes are more prone to mistakes like using outdated clauses, missing key terms, or forgetting renewal dates. With built-in templates, approval checkpoints, and automated alerts, the system reduce human error and improve compliance.
5. Make Contracts Easier to Understand
Almost 90% of business users find contracts ‘difficult or impossible to understand’.
Good contract management tools promote clarity by encouraging the use of approved clause libraries and plain language templates
6. Enhance Team Collaboration
Legal teams often work with sales, procurement, and finance during the contract process.
With shared access, comment threads, and version tracking, contract software makes it easy for all teams to collaborate without endless back-and-forth emails.
7. Never Miss a Renewal or Deadline Again
Missing a renewal date can lead to lost revenue or unintentional auto-renewals. Contract management system software send smart reminders for key dates like expiries, reviews, and renewals ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks.
8. Keep Everything Secure and Organized
Contracts are sensitive documents. A contract management system ensures they’re stored securely in the cloud with access control, encryption, and audit trails.
Teams also get the benefit of structured folders, tags, and search tools to find what you need in seconds.
9. Scale Your Contract Operations as You Grow
As your business expands, the volume of contracts grows too. Managing them manually becomes harder with every new deal.
A contract management system is built to scale whether you’re managing 10 contracts or 100 without adding extra manual work.
10. Empower the Workforce
Key Features Legal Teams Should Look for in Contract Software
- The ability to create contracts quickly using pre-approved clauses so legal teams don’t have to start from scratch every time
- A smart search function that helps legal teams find the exact clause or document you need in just a few seconds
- Easy contract collaboration management that let legal teams and stakeholders leave comments, suggest edits, and work on the same contract without endless email threads
- Real-time tracking that shows where a contract is in the approval process, so nothing gets stuck or forgotten
- Automated alerts for renewal dates, upcoming expirations, or important contract milestones that keep the team on track
- A clear audit trail that logs every action taken so compliance and accountability are never in question
- E-signature integration that allows contracts to be signed securely and legally without printing or scanning
- Permission controls that make sure only the right people can view or edit sensitive contract information
- A central storage space where every contract is organized and secure so there’s no more searching through folders or inboxes
- Built-in analytics that offer insights on contract turnaround times, common bottlenecks, and opportunities to improve the workflow
How to Implement Contract Management System Software in Your Legal Workflow
Adopting a contract management system software is a smart move but how businesses implement it makes all the difference. Here is a simple step-by-step guide to help businesses get started.
1. Understand Current Process
Before introducing any software, take time to map your current contract lifecycle. Identify where delays happen, what tasks are manual, and which teams are involved.
This will give business clarity on what needs to change and what you want to improve.
2. Get Buy-In from All Stakeholders
Legal teams does not function alone. Contracts typically touch multiple departments, including sales, procurement, human resources, and finance. Bring these teams into the discussion early.
Explain how the system will benefit them faster turnarounds, fewer errors, easier tracking and address any concerns they might have.
3. Choose the Right Tool for Your Needs
Not all contract management system software are the same. Pick software that fits your company size, team structure, and workflow needs. Look for features like templates, e-signatures, reminders, approval flows, and search tools without overcomplicating things.
5. Train Teams and Start Small
Starting with a single department or contract type allows for a smoother transition to the new system.
Teams can be gradually introduced through brief how-to guides and ongoing support.
Gathering feedback along the way helps create a more efficient and user-friendly process for everyone involved.
6. Monitor, Improve, and Scale
Conclusion
Implementing a contract management system software is not just a technology upgrade it’s a shift toward a more efficient, transparent, and collaborative way of working.
The right system helps reduce risks, save time, and keep your team focused on high-value legal work. For businesses seeking a secure, simplified, and effective way to manage contracts, CLM 365 is the perfect solution.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does CLM 365 support electronic signatures?
Yes, it includes built-in e-signature functionality or integrate with popular signing tools.
Can contract performance be tracked?
Yes, key metrics like turnaround time, renewal rates, and value can be tracked.
How does CLM 365 help in analytics and reporting?
CLM 365 integrates with Power BI to deliver real-time insights, custom dashboards, and detailed reports for effective contract performance tracking and analysis.
Does CLM 365 offer a clause library?
Yes, it includes a centralized clause library for consistent and compliant contract drafting.
Does CLM 365 allow role-based access control?
Yes, access can be restricted by role to ensure security and proper document handling.
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