Contract Management Software

Assess your organization's current status to determine its contract management software needs Consultation and information are available online to help you assess your company's current practices and determine how much you might benefit from the right contract management application.

I recommend:  Selectica, Nextance and Ecteon, maker of the Contraxx contract-management system, all offer help assessing your company's business contracts software needs. Nextance also provides guidance in choosing a vendor.

Compare available contract management solutions through product-comparison websites Many websites have already done all the work for you, collecting information about the most popular and effective contract management systems so you can compare and choose which software you're interested in pursuing further.

I recommend:  Capterra, KnowledgeStorm, The Software Network and Best of the Web Verticals provide a wealth of information about many different manufacturers and their specific contract management software offerings. Information provided includes demos, reports, website links and more.

Delve more deeply into the contract management systems that appear to be most appropriate for you You may be sure you'll find a great deal of information about the contract management tools that interest you most, including online demos, webinars and the like. Take advantage of these convenient ways of making your product research easier. Use them to guide you in making a decision about which of your narrowed-down list of contract management solutions would likely be best for your company.

I recommend:  Both Procuri and NextPage offer demos of their contract management systems, and Nextance and Ecteon offer informative webinars to help make your search for the right contract management application an easier one.

Consider various types of contract management solutions before making your final decision In addition to contract management software purchased pre-packaged or available for download, web-based contract-management tools and services such as SaaS (Software as a Service) are options you should be aware of before making your final decision.

I recommend:  PROposalKit Contract Pack Professional and Business-in-a-Box are examples of pre-packaged business contracts software. A few SaaS offerings are Mumboe (formerly FineTooth), Selectica and Procuri, which offers info on how to distinguish a true on-demand (SaaS) solution from the rest.

Stay 'in the know' about contract management software, even after making your decision Seek opportunities for continuing education, which can further develop your facility with your software, increasing its effectiveness for your company. It can also improve your skill in managing contracts.

I recommend:  If you aren't already a member, The National Contract Management Association, or NCMA, offers many membership benefits, including e-courses, audio seminars and professional certification programs, which can help equip you to make the best use of contract management. NCMA's Leadership Development Program also provides "an intensive year-long educational experience" designed to train sub-management level candidates who are at the beginning of their careers.