Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) is the discipline and set of tools that manage a contract from initial drafting through negotiation, approval, signature, and post-signature storage. CLM focuses on the workflow of getting agreements signed and organized.
What CLM covers
Typical CLM capabilities include template libraries, redlining, approval workflows, e-signature, and a searchable repository. Enterprise CLMs also add clause libraries, obligation tracking, and integrations with document storage.
Where CLM stops and CPM begins
CLM manages the contract through signature. It does not typically reconcile the contract's economic terms against live ERP transactions - that is where CPM starts. In a mature stack, CLM and CPM sit alongside each other, with CLM owning pre-signature and CPM owning post-signature performance.
