How to secure CLM buy-in across finance, IT, sales and procurement

From sales to IT, most departments in a business work with contracts – so who wouldn’t want quicker, simpler contract processes that make the whole system more streamlined?

Simplifying and accelerating contract lifecycles with contract lifecycle management (CLM) technology makes a big difference – in fact, automating contract processes using a CLM can reduce cycles by up to 50%!

But before you even start thinking about implementing legal tech, it’s vital that you get more than just your legal team onboard.

This is because 77% of CLM implementation projects never actually get over the finish line. There are various factors as to why, but we find at Summize that the most successful CLM projects – all the way from building a business case, to ensuring the software is rolled-out and adopted across the organization – happens when all stakeholders from IT, finance, sales, procurement and your board are aligned and understand the value and benefits CLM brings to their department.

Who needs to buy into a CLM investment?

When identifying who your CLM stakeholders will be, start by focusing on their roles and motives. Those who influence the approval of your CLM project will also use the software day-to-day, so your case needs to show both business value and how it reduces friction for their team.

Board and executive leadership

When engaging executive leadership, focus on enterprise-level impact.

• Top-level ROI numbers – for example, tech unicorn Matillion achieved 4000% return on investment following their CLM implementation

• Revenue protection – poor contract management can erode up to 9% of annual revenue

• Faster revenue realization through shorter contract cycles

• Reduced enterprise risk through stronger governance and visibility

• Ongoing executive visibility through real-time reporting on pipelines, renewals, bottlenecks and cross-functional performance

Position CLM as much-needed infrastructure for revenue and risk management, not just a legal system upgrade. When leadership can see a measurable impact across risk, revenue and efficiency, CLM becomes a strategic asset to the business.

Finance

When speaking to finance, the case needs to be structured and evidence-based.

• Clear ROI assumptions in terms of reduced external counsel spend, faster time to contract revenue, and less time spent on manual tasks

• Cost avoidance from missed renewals or untracked obligations

• Improved audit readiness and reporting accuracy

• Reduced exposure and more consistent payment and liability terms

• Ongoing financial visibility through structured contract data that supports forecasting and renewal planning

Focus on predictability, control and measurable outcomes. When finance can see reliable reporting and fewer late-stage surprises, they move from sign-off gatekeepers to long-term advocates.

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Sales and commercial teams

Sales might not always approve the budget, but they will determine whether the system succeeds – 80% of B2B sales teams process 500+ contracts each month, which makes them one of the biggest beneficiaries of a CLM solution. If CLM deals slow down, adoption will falter.

The case for sales should focus on speed and autonomy:

• Faster turnaround through pre-approved templates

• Reduced back and forth with legal

• Clear escalation routes for exceptions

• Visibility into contract status during negotiations

• A simpler, faster workflow than email or messaging tools, with self-serve clauses and real-time updates

Procurement

Procurement teams are responsible for vendor relationships and commercial consistency, so they often feel the downstream effects of non-standard terms. Research shows that organizations can experience up to 11% value erosion in procurement contracts, reinforcing that contracting is a direct driver of commercial performance for procurement teams.

Procurement will want assurance that CLM:

• Enforces standard supplier terms

• Improves vendor due diligence processes

• Reduces commercial risk exposure

• Supports scalable contract governance

• Gives them central visibility and automated renewals that prevent lost contracts and reactive firefighting

Framing CLM as a control and oversight mechanism will resonate with procurement teams. For example, at Gamma, the procurement team were struggling to find contracts when they needed them. With CLM, contracts are easy to locate and manage.

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IT and security

Early involvement for IT is really important, as they will have questions about the data you’re inputting into your CLM software. Conversations should focus on:

• Security certifications and data protection controls

• Role-based access and permissions

• Integration capability with CRM, ERP and identity systems

• Implementation scope and resource requirements

• Reduced system sprawl through embedded governance, fewer workarounds and tighter data control

The goal is to position CLM as part of the ecosystem, rather than a siloed tool. If IT gets fewer shadow processes and better system discipline, they also get fewer support issues.

CLM isn’t just a legal tool – it touches multiple teams across the business. When contracts are managed in a structured, central system, every department can operate more efficiently and make better decisions. At Riverside Insights, Summize gives teams this kind of visibility and influence:

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Next steps: what should a CLM business case include?

Stakeholder mapping is just one part of building your CLM business case. The next step is to translate those conversations into a clear, structured proposal.

A strong business case typically includes:

1. Baseline analysis – your current cycle times, legal review hours, error rates, number of exceptions and manual touchpoints.

2. Quantified benefits – estimated reductions in cycle time, external counsel spend, administrative workload and the cost of risk events.

3. Qualitative gains – improved compliance, greater visibility across the contract portfolio, better stakeholder experience and reduced friction between departments.

4. Risk mitigation – Reduced exposure from expired renewals, inconsistent liability terms, untracked obligations and audit gaps.

5. Roadmap and governance – a phased implementation plan, defined ownership, integration requirements and clear KPIs to measure success.

If you’re ready to move on from stakeholder mapping to building a structured case for investment, our full guide to building a CLM business case walks through each of these elements in detail – including how to quantify ROI and present it to executive leadership.