What is Salesforce Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)
Navaid Ahmed
Director Of Engineering at Folio3 Software | Head of Product Management
Although Salesforce Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) is not the most attractive step in the sales process, it is critical to the overall profitability of the firm. Contracts that are immediately updated, based on solid information, and properly maintained benefit both the business and the client. Contract lifecycle management software is an important tool that may help you streamline the process, satisfy the needs of your clients, and produce more cash for your organization.
The Fundamentals of Salesforce Contract Lifecycle Management
The contract lifecycle is a multi-step process that includes a variety of tasks. The contract’s creation procedure could result in anything from a simple, one-page agreement to a comprehensive list of needs and changes. Then comes the negotiating and approval process. The post-approval step, which often comprises contract management, adherence to terms, and data reporting, must also be managed appropriately.
It will be difficult to manually optimize each of these procedures separately. When you add them all up, it’s clear that any firm would struggle to handle them without the assistance of a complete software solution.
Why Do Salespeople Need CLM in Businesses?
Some business owners may argue that if their product provides value to clients and is reasonably priced, the contract details will take care of themselves, justifying their decision to forego CLM software. This is an overly simplistic perception of what contracts mean to a firm, and it can be harmful to a sales unit.
The contract is a critical component of the sales process. They clarify how value is transmitted from the client to the firm, significantly reduce risks for both parties, and function as living contracts, defining the terms of a commercial partnership. When they are poorly handled, the organization frequently confronts increased costs, unnecessary legal and financial risks, and a greater likelihood of failure to collect successfully.
CLM Software Solutions
Cutting-edge CLM software solutions allow you comprehensive control over the contract management in the salesforce, whether you manage one contract or hundreds at once. With a solid CLM plan in place, your company can maximize the value of each stage of the contract lifecycle. It will also help you control your risk and improve your customer relationships by leveraging the power of centralized information and better efficiencies.
CLM software assists you in attaining these goals by utilizing a number of capabilities such as dynamic databases, automated processes, and advanced reporting. These solutions provide new potential for controlling the entire contracting process, allowing your salespeople to focus on creating valuable connections with clients.
Keeping an Orderly Contract Hub
Every phase of the sales process that includes connecting with clients requires access to multiple sources of contradictory information, and this is especially true for the Salesforce Contract Management process. In larger firms, the sales team frequently receives executed papers from a variety of sources via a variety of distribution techniques. Organizing all finished and continuing contracts is a difficult undertaking in and of itself without a single digital repository.
These concerns are no longer valid with CLM software. Contracts and accompanying papers can be easily organized into a single, searchable area. Anyone with database access can see and modify the most recent versions of the documents from any location, and offer customers accurate responses based on current information.
Stages of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)
Standardizing the Contract Creation Process
When it comes to complex contracts, the negotiation process often requires many rounds of revisions as well as the obligation to compare previous iterations of the documents to the current one. Prolonged negotiating sessions are one of the most common causes of prolonged contract lifecycles, which can lead to the reduced contract value.
If you want to retain an accurate record of modifications and changes that occurred during the negotiation phase, you’ll need specialized CLM software that streamlines the process. With the right CLM system, you may access precise modification and amendment records, providing you with a complete picture of the whole negotiating process. You may also arrange the changes into a simpler format so that both clients and salespeople understand the intricacies of the agreements quickly.
Managing Negotiation Edits and Changes
Many organizations regard contract writing as a technique that many regards inherently difficult. It typically involves the distribution of contracts among multiple parties, each with its own set of processes and ideologies. If you don’t have a dependable and consistent method in place for drafting contracts, you risk providing clients with contracts that appear to be a patchwork of unrelated terms rather than a coherent statement.
Even if the contract is in the hands of multiple parties, contract lifecycle management software has the tools to build a standardized contract drafting apparatus and maintain the contract’s integrity. It also helps sales teams streamline their process by guiding customers through contract options and allowing them to respond quickly and competently when time is of the essence.
Automation of the Approval Process
Many aspects of contract lifecycle management can benefit from automation, but one of its major strengths is the approval process. This is because agreements can still be broken even after all adjustments have been made and negotiations have concluded. When everything is done manually, actual documents must be moved multiple times, formatting must be changed, and the approval chain may vary depending on the situation.
CLM software automates the aspects of the approval process that make the most sense. When a document is ready for review by approvers, this information can be automatically emailed to them. Contracts may be rapidly formatted into the proper file type, which speeds up the process. Some high-end CLM software packages also have a dynamic approval mechanism that automatically updates the chain of approval as changes occur.
Maintain Data Integrity During Contract Negotiation and Execution. Contract Administration Management
Every sales manager understands that the contract lifecycle does not end once it has been accepted and finished. Monitoring milestones, gathering and analyzing data from the entire process, and tracking and enforcing agreements are all required.
Because of the contract management process capabilities of CLM software, you can handle all aspects of contract administration using a single system. The system enables you to easily manage the responsibilities on both sides of the contract, allowing you to send reminders and prepare for any required collection activities. You may also configure the solution to alert stakeholders automatically when certain milestones are met.
Contract Evaluation and Reporting
Contract lifecycle reporting includes numerous separate categories, making it difficult to manually follow each phase of the process and compile the data at the end. Consolidation is difficult since fresh data points are constantly arriving throughout the contract’s lifespan and are usually spread across several business units.
The CLM program has advanced reporting features and the ability to follow the progress from one cycle end to the other. Leaders can rapidly access dashboards and high-level data to get a quick overview of performance results. Platforms also summarise more granular data that is tailored to certain stakeholders. You receive access to comprehensive reporting and data analysis tools with an advanced contract lifecycle management solution, which assists with ongoing process improvement and contract value enhancement.
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Navaid Ahmed
Director Of Engineering at Folio3 Software | Head of Product Management
Navaid Ahmed is a Seasoned Salesforce CRM expert, who brings a wealth of experience in optimizing sales processes, enhancing customer relationships, and driving business growth. With a deep understanding of Salesforce's capabilities, Navaid specialize in crafting tailored solutions that empower organizations to streamline operations, boost productivity, and achieve their sales objectives.
