Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) has become a key governance, operational efficiency, and risk management issue for companies of all sizes and in all industries. In the face of increasingly complex commitments, faster-paced transactions, and mounting regulatory pressure, Deloitte conducted an in‑depth study in 2025 of 49 groups—primarily French, but with international representation as well—to provide an objective overview of CLM practices and expectations.
A representative and diverse panel of companies
The 49 respondents are split between a majority of French groups and several international groups (based in the United Kingdom, India, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, as well as some binational groups).
The respondents also report into a wide variety of functions: legal, procurement, operations, finance, IT, as well as more specific roles (sales, project management, executive management, contract management, in‑house counsel, etc.).
Lastly, the study draws on broad sector coverage, with 23 industries represented. The main ones are energy (23%) and technology, media & telecommunications (13%), but financial services, logistics, transportation, and others are also included.
Contract volumes and organizational models
The diversity of respondents and their challenges is also reflected in the range of contract volumes they handle.
At group level, only 19% of respondents sign more than 10,000 contracts per year. Most departments manage fewer than 1,000 active contracts, and 31% do not know the exact number.
At department level, 48% sign fewer than 100 contracts per year, 29% between 100 and 500, and 13% between 1,000 and 5,000.
This dispersion in volumes and the lack of visibility over them illustrate how difficult it is for many organizations to effectively steer their contract portfolios.
Persistent challenges in contract management
The study highlights several major pain points reported by respondents:
- Manual processes and lack of suitable tools, leading to document sprawl and poor traceability (lengthy processes, risk of duplication, lost contracts);
- Difficult tracking of key dates and insufficient visibility over contractual obligations;
- Complex collaboration between stakeholders;
- Compliance risks and a general lack of anticipation regarding disputes.
In a broader context, the growing volume of contracts, legal complexity, and the multiplicity of stakeholders increase the risk of errors, information loss, and non‑compliance with commitments.
Strong expectations around centralization, automation, and visibility
In response to these challenges, the study reveals strong expectations around a robust functional foundation, with the following key features:
- Centralized and secure document repository (82% of respondents expect centralized storage);
- Contract creation, management, execution (including signature), and tracking (73%);
- Management of revisions, negotiations, and approvals (64%);
- Analytical tracking of obligations and reporting (55%).
To meet these requirements, automation and artificial intelligence are viewed as real accelerators, for example by enabling clause analysis and comparison, redline summarization, obligation monitoring, automated draft generation, extraction and classification of key information, and negotiation support.the risk of errors, information loss, and non‑compliance with commitments.
Selection criteria and major concerns during implementation
The main concerns of respondents when selecting a CLM solution relate to the cost of the solution and its ability to generate a measurable return on investment (25%), followed by integration with existing systems (19%), and the complexity and duration of implementation (13%).
Responding companies therefore express concerns regarding change management and the availability of internal and partner capabilities to successfully deliver the project, while also stressing the need to avoid over‑customization in order to stay within budget.
Key success factors and causes of failure
Respondents already equipped with a CLM solution identified several critical success factors:
- Clearly defined objectives and requirements (90%);
- Strong sponsorship and commitment from senior management (70%);
- Selection of a fit‑for‑purpose solution (60%);
- User training and support (50%).
Conversely, the main pitfalls encountered during deployments include insufficient communication, excessive customization, lack of internal expertise, under‑budgeted projects, and neglected change management.
Lack of stakeholder engagement and integration issues with other tools can also hinder adoption and reduce the effectiveness of CLM.
Adoption, satisfaction, and outlook
While only 36% of companies not yet equipped with CLM plan to invest in a solution, current users report high satisfaction: 94% do not intend to replace their existing system, which indicates a clearly perceived added value. The few contemplated replacement decisions are mostly driven by usability concerns or limited adoption by teams, underscoring the importance of user experience.
Finally, almost all respondents consider CLM to be essential to improving contract management and compliance within their organization.
Conclusion: CLM as a driver of overall performance and sustainable transformation
The study shows that the success of a CLM program does not boil down to selecting a high‑performing technology solution. It primarily depends on a nuanced understanding of each organization’s specific challenges, strong alignment among stakeholders, and rigorous, fit‑for‑purpose project management over time.
Experience indicates that support from specialized advisors—able to structure the journey, secure deployment, and drive change management—can be a decisive accelerator of success.
At the intersection of technology, consulting, and change management, CLM, when well selected and properly integrated, becomes a powerful lever to secure commitments, better manage risk, and optimize overall contract performance.