Businesses will get intro contracts regularly either with suppliers, buyers, and the workforce. Since the tasks are frequent, there is a need to manage them effectively. The management of ventures cutting across all industries should understand the stages that contracts go through.
Contracts are legal documents, and it is critical to be cautious about how you handle them. Failure to understand the contract lifecycle will bring administrative and financial implications. It can lead to expensive lawsuits that may take an enterprise out of business. Also, the performance of business processes will suffer due to poor contract management, which may lead to conflicts with suppliers and other stakeholders.
Therefore, ventures must understand the principles of effective contract management and develop strategies to help with the lifecycle. Businesses should invest in online contract management software due to the amount of work from managing numerous contracts. There will not be any need to increase the workforce even with the increasing tasks.
The Contract Lifecycle Management
Below are the various stages to contracts and ways to manage each step;
1. The Preparations
Since contracts are legal agreements, it is critical to prepare for them in the best way possible. A business should assign the necessary resources to succeed; it includes finances and human resources. With an objective to why the venture is entering into the contract, the management can benefit from the agreement in the long term.
It is vital to analyze the various risks that may arise immediately, and in the future with the contract a business wants to engage in. The information should influence the terms of the contract. It would be advisable to use a legal expert in the preparation process. They can help identify any legal gaps and risks from what the agreement has.
2. Contract Drafting
The legal expert should be more prominent with the contract drafting. Experienced professionals in the field may have a template you can adopt and customize depending on the company’s objectives. An attorney can help you with the terms and clauses necessary for the agreement.
The words in a contract matter, and it is why you want a lawyer to help with the legal implications of the writings. Even the punctuations matter, and it is crucial to use the proper wordings when drafting the contract.
3. Management Approvals
The senior management will have the final say in every contract that a company should give. It helps with compliance and accountability since there are implications to every agreement. When the management approves, the contract moves to the negotiation process.
4. The Negotiation
The negotiation process needs to be transparent to build trust with the other party. Undertaking the stage will be simpler if the company gets background information about whom they are dealing with. It helps with the rapport and knowing what the other party needs.
Contract management can be ideal for each entity in managing and editing the documents as necessary. It will be cumbersome to be sharing hard copy documents while they can engage digitally. Also, it ensures accuracy and accountability.
5. The Signing
After agreeing on the nitty-gritty about the contract, it is time to sign the document. Parties can sign the documents digitally. Even though they will not meet physically, the document will be legally binding. However, it is crucial to use accepted electronic signatures.
6. Amendments
Contracts are likely to change over time, and it is crucial to amend the agreement accordingly. Altering the hardcopy records can be tasking and challenging to track. However, a digital platform can include the changes seamlessly. It is why businesses need a contract management application to make the process easier.
The digital applications will record the changes and indicate the party amending the contract. Before any amendments, ensure every party knows and agrees to it to avoid legal action.
7. Auditing
Companies need to audit their contracts regularly. It continues after the signing stage to the lifetime of the contract. Monitoring helps with keeping up with the timelines and obligations of each party towards the signed agreement. It enables every party to achieve the objectives they were looking for when signing the contract without fail.
Therefore, it is critical to flag for the vital milestones to ensure the company does not miss any important event. A business can lose the chance of renewing a contract in time and end up losing the client. The continuous auditing of the contract portfolio enables quick and planned decision-making towards the arrangements a venture signs.
A party in a contract will appreciate the initiative to talk about a renewal before the expiry date. It shows that the other party values the relationship and is reliable in how they operate.
Conclusion
It takes time to manage the entire contract lifecycle. However, investing in contract management software will help manage the whole process effectively. It is a valuable investment as it streamlines the processes and ensures accuracy.
