Die drei Hauptphasen des Vertragsmanagements - SAM Contract Management Training von COMPLION

Effective contract management is essential to minimize risks, exploit opportunities and maximize value from these agreements.

COMPLION's SAM (Software Asset Management) Contract Management Training addresses, among other things, the three main phases of contract management, which are organized along the lifecycle of each contract: Contract Creation, Contract Monitoring & Governance Contract Termination/Renewal.

In the following blog post - which reflects a small excerpt from the content of the SAM Contract Management Training - the three main phases of software contract management are described and the most important results and documents of each phase are summarized.

The first and probably most decisive phase is the preparation of the contract. It begins as soon as a specific need is identified and ends with the successful signing of the contract. The first step is to precisely define the specific IT requirements. These requirements are categorized and an initial negotiation strategy is developed. An important step is to obtain approval for the planned procurement. The invitation to tender and the evaluation criteria for the bids are then drawn up. Once the invitation to tender has been published or tenders have been obtained, they are evaluated. The negotiation strategy can be adapted if necessary and the actual negotiations are conducted. The aim is to produce a draft contract that has undergone a final review. Before the contract can enter into force, the necessary approvals must be obtained and the contract signed. A thorough contract analysis with regard to risks, rights and obligations is also an important part of this phase. The contract is categorized and the contract data is documented centrally. Finally, the contract is operationalized and the processes for controlling, claim and change management are initialized.

Important results and documents from this phase are:

Once the contract has been concluded, the second main phase of contract monitoring & control begins. This is about ensuring compliance with the agreements and reacting to changes. A central aspect is the monitoring of contract fulfillment and requirements. This includes monitoring contract risks and observing contract fulfillment and deviations. Any deviations identified are evaluated and categorized in legal, technical and financial terms. We also keep an eye on the development of requirements in order to identify potential changes and evaluate them legally, technically and financially. If claims arise during the term of the contract, claim management comes into play. This includes submitting or defending against claims, negotiating an agreement, obtaining approval for the agreement, handing over the agreement to the organization and reporting on the claim status, including document filing. Change management includes submitting and approving change requests, negotiating the change, obtaining approval and signing the change, documenting the change history, submitting the change to the organization and reporting on the change status and associated document filing.

Important documents in this phase are:

The third main phase comprises the activities surrounding the end of the contract or a possible extension. Timely planning is crucial here. First of all, the contract expiration date and possible renewal dates must be monitored. The status of current claims should also be kept in view. An analysis is carried out for a possible extension, taking into account legal, technical and financial aspects as well as possible alternatives. In the event of an extension, the relevant documents are created and the contract is extended. The document repository is maintained accordingly and the result is sent to the organization. In the event of termination, the necessary steps are initiated. A confirmation document can be created and approved regarding the complete fulfillment of the contract, payments made and the completion of all claims. It is important to document lessons learned and archive the contract and all relevant documents. Uninstallations, data exports and the implementation of the exit are also part of this phase.

Important documents in this phase are:

Structured contract management based on these three main phases enables companies to manage their contracts effectively, minimize risks and get the most out of their agreements. From careful drafting to active monitoring and conscious decision making at the end of the contract, each phase contributes to making contracts a valuable tool for business success.

COMPLION's SAM Contract Management Training provides comprehensive training in the various aspects of IT contract management and software asset management. The focus of the content can be tailored to your company's individual needs. In addition to this specific training, COMPLION also offers in-house training on various other topics. If you are still looking for a suitable training course for 2025 and the content has piqued your interest or you have questions about the training, please do not hesitate to contact us (mail@complion.de).