Why and how to dematerialize your contracts?

Processes must be optimized

Are you a contract manager (responsible for contracts) in your company and want to streamline contract management processes ? Yes ?

Then you should seriously consider going paperless !

We know how complex and time-consuming contract management can be , requiring close attention to detail.

This is how dematerialization, that is to say the digital transformation of paper documents , comes into play!

Simplification of management, increase in efficiency, security of operations… the benefits are multiple. But you still have to know “how to do it?” ".

The challenges of contract management are real

89% of companies are faced with managing a large volume of simple
3 out of 4 companies say they are facing increased demands for transparency in contracts
50% of companies do not have a defined process for storing contracts after execution
90% of contracting professionals believe that it is difficult to find a specific
40% of contract losses can be attributed to poor management

source: contractsafe

Why dematerialize your contracts?

Saving time and efficiency

Traditional processes often involve physical handling of documents, handwritten signatures and paper records. Long and laborious, they only waste time and efficiency. On the other hand, by digitizing contracts, companies significantly optimize their work process. Contracts can then be created, approved and signed electronically, reducing processing time and freeing up teams to focus on higher value-added tasks.

Cost reduction

By accumulating contracts in paper format, processing (printing) and storage costs can quickly rise for the company. The dematerialization of the latter makes it possible to eliminate paper , and thus, reduce the costs of the past. This also makes it possible to avoid the risks of loss or deterioration of contracts which are sometimes the cause of additional costs (reconstitution of files).

Strengthening security and compliance

The advantage of dematerialization lies in the possibility of protecting contracts encryption technologies backup systems . Digitizing your contractual documents also makes it easy to meet legal and regulatory requirements for conservation and traceability of modifications . Contract compliance is increased by 55% when they are digitized (source contractsafe).

Improved collaborative work

With an efficient and secure internet connection, dematerialization allows parties to a contract to easily access the contract remotely , thus simplifying the development and contracting: revisions, comments, electronic signature, etc.

This ultimately leads to greater transparency in the contractual process.

Environmental sustainability

For any company committed to a CSR approach, dematerialization is a fundamental project to carry out. Removing paper from contracts directly contributes to protecting our environment, since it means less deforestation . Dematerializing its business processes allows the company to improve its brand image with its customers and partners.

Dematerialize your contracts in 5 steps

Evaluate your needs

Any dematerialization project requires assessing the needs that must be met: what types of contracts are managed by the company? what is the volume of documents to be processed? how will contracts be stored? What classification and indexing of digital files should we do? Do I need an electronic signature module? etc.

Identify your resources

It is important to identify internally which person or group of people is capable of leading this dematerialization project. If you do not think you have the skills in-house, it will then be preferable to contact ESNs (digital service companies) specializing in the implementation of dematerialization projects such as Belharra Numérique .

Choose your tool

The market offers numerous technological solutions to dematerialize your contracts. Contract Management Systems are among the first that businesses turn to.

However, the management of contractual documents is now closely linked to Electronic Document Management and therefore to so-called EDM solutions. Choosing a GED solution means strengthening the efficiency of your overall contract management system via various functionalities:

Secure centralization of your key documents such as employment contracts, sales contracts, supplier contracts, etc. This functionality facilitates research and allows you to generate a real contract library.
Collaborative processing, monitoring and validation of your documents This allows you to follow the evolution of files and manage the different versions.
An alert and notification system for payment or termination deadlines. A secure online payment module can also be considered.
An electronic signature functionality for contracting (87% adoption by companies at present – source contractsafe) to ensure the continuity of operations regardless of where your users are located.

It is also essential to ensure that the chosen solution will be compatible with your existing information systems (IS) . At Belharra Numérique, we support companies in implementing the DocuWare EDM , an interoperable solution with more than 500 applications & ERP, accounting software, etc.

Digitize and migrate your existing contracts

One of the steps that will not be easy to do will be to scan your existing contracts in paper format . It will then be necessary to import them into your EDM solution . Be careful to organize documents logically to make them easier to find in the future. This step requires, depending on your volume, a lot of time, but we can assure you with certainty that it will save you a lot of time later!

Employee training and awareness

Your employees need to find meaning in their work, and the same goes for processes. It will therefore be important to train and raise awareness among your teams about dematerialization and the benefits provided to the company but especially to the teams themselves.

This is also a strong value at Belharra Numérique . During the production phase of the EDM solution, our team supports your future users through practical training so that they become familiar with the platform and are operational once the project is finalized.

What to remember about dematerialized contracts

The key figures at the start of the article demonstrate the extent to which the dematerialization of contracts, particularly via EDM, is becoming a necessity for those responsible and managers of business contracts.

Simplification of contract searches, centralized archiving, compliance, reduction in processing costs... the advantages of dematerialization are no longer in doubt and will continue to grow with new technologies.

AI offers many benefits in particular through the automation of recurring tasks such as automatic data entry, classification of documents in the right directories, and extraction of important clauses.

So don't wait any longer to take the plunge and revolutionize your contract management!

Belharra Numérique, your trusted DocuWare integrator partner

Belharra Numérique is the leading DocuWare production capacity in France, with a team of 17 certified consultants, 150 active clients and more than 200 projects over the last few years.

Belharra, Platinum Partner DocuWare, supports you in your dematerialization projects.

National presence
Networking
Certified team
Continuous innovation approach

Why and how to dematerialize your contracts?

Processes must be optimized

The challenges of contract management are real

Why dematerialize your contracts?

Dematerialize your contracts in 5 steps

What to remember about dematerialized contracts

Belharra Numérique, your trusted DocuWare integrator partner

Let's talk about your project

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