Top 10 Alternatives to SAP Ariba: Leading Contract Lifecycle Management Software Solutions

While Ariba covers most aspects related to contract, from requesting of materials required to initiate the creation of contracts to managing and optimizing contract terms and conditions via renegotiations, the massive amount of details might overwhelm companies that do not really need that volume of data. For example, a company into software development might only need a CLM tool that delves deep into the finer aspects of contracts with partners and clients specific to its industry. More encompassing CLM software could mean paying for features that you don’t really need, so pricing and feature match-up count a lot when you consider purchasing a new CLM software or migrating to a new one.

In this article, we will look into CLM applications that you can consider aside from Ariba. We will highlight their unique features and the pricing which should be relevant to your business operations and budget. Look for the ones with features that would really impact your organization immediately, but with a pathway for scaling ahead once you’re looking at expansion of your operations.

Contract lifecycle management software systematizes the often complicated process of negotiating contracts between two parties, such as buyers and suppliers. It provides solutions to efficiently manage workflows. It streamlines the processes for professionals in legal, finance, sales, and procurement operations. Utilizing it gives the user full control of the contractual process during its entire lifecycle starting from the initial request for proposal (RFP) to its renegotiations.

Source: Apptus.com

This solves the potential risks previously faced by contract managers. They used to note dates and key terms on the physical documents. These are kept in file cabinets. Spreadsheets are also maintained to track the agreements between entities. This type of filing is exposed to human errors like misplacement and loss. Eighty-five percent of companies are still using a manual process in managing their contracts. With this time-consuming method, 65% of legal professionals reveal the time lost is their largest problems.

Contracts are one of the most important aspects of a company. An organization is governed by agreements which are administered with contracts. These are crucial to run a successful operation. It can be achieved by maximizing the tools and features of a contract lifecycle management software (CLM). It will trim costs and boost efficiency for your company’s operations. In fact, businesses using the system receives 90% contract renewal rate. The contract approval time is also reduced to 82% which frees up time for employees to take care of other important administrative tasks.
There are many CLM solutions to choose from. In this article, you will know the leading products for both small and midsize businesses. Understanding the features, market trends, and deployment models are essential before making a purchase to ensure you get the best value for your investment.

What is SAP Ariba?

SAP Ariba is one of the world’s leading cloud-based procurement solutions for businesses. From its foundation in 1996 to its rebranding in 2016, it has helped businesses of all sizes to grow and be more efficient in all relevant aspects of their operations. They provide both businesses and suppliers with tools to make processes such as procurement, fulfillment, and financial supply chain simple and easy.

Likewise, users get essential insights into building and keeping relationships with partners. The transactions are also automatically guided by your preferences and qualities to ensure it is efficient and error-free. The intelligent tech removes the complexity of handling contracts and payments using its end-to-end automated CLM system. Moreover, it is designed for multiple types of goods and services. Hence, you’ll surely get the right features, apps, and extensions you need for your business.

Key SAP Ariba Features

1. Supplier Management. Supplier information, lifecycle, performance, and risk is managed in one place. It reduces supplier risk with the use of significant segmentation and qualification integrated into the procurement procedures.
2. Strategic Sourcing. Finding qualified and reliable suppliers is achieved using simple steps. Easy-to-use tools are available for sourcing, contracting, and spend analysis processes.
3. Supply Chain. Solution for direct spend management. This provides a timely response when there are changes in supply and demand while guaranteeing profitability and shareholder value increases.
4. Procurement. Cuts costs and risks of the buying and settlement operations.
5. Financial Supply Chain. Transforming liabilities into payables and strategic assets to improve cash flow.
6. Platform Solutions. Innovative services to enhance user experience in navigating through the platform.
7. Integration Systems. Maximize your return on investment (ROI) with back-end solutions and enterprise resource planning (ERP).
8. Services for Buyers. Assistance for change management, connectivity, and adoptions with the help of a customer engagement executive (CEE) to stimulate and optimize dynamic business commerce.

SAP Ariba is a reliable digital marketplace and B2B network. However, if it’s not what you’re looking for or if you’re interested to look at other options available, we gathered top 10 alternatives to SAP Ariba to guide you in choosing one that matches your preferences and business needs. These are some of the leading products in the niche with useful, effective features and tools.

Top 10 Alternatives to SAP Ariba

1. PandaDoc

PandaDoc is a cloud-based document management software that experts and users alike agree to be a great choice for document management. It enables users to create new documents and to share them with their colleagues. On top of that, PandaDoc offers support for electronic signatures, allowing offices to switch to green transactions.

One of the things that makes PandaDoc an attractive choice is that it can work with multiple document types. Anything from Word documents to PDFs. Thus, there is no need for users to convert existing files just to work with them on the platform.

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If you are not convinced about this application, you can compare it with PandaDoc alternatives.

Why choose PandaDoc over SAP Ariba?

1. It has the approval of both experts and long-time users.
2. It enables offices to switch to paperless processes with its esignature capability.
3. It can work with a wide range of document types.

2. ContractWorks

ContractWorks is a user-friendly contract management software that has artificial intelligence under the hood. Because of that, it can offer state-of-the-art automation capabilities. As a result, an office’s work processes can become more streamlined. What’s more, the solution has a searchable contract storage system. This means that with a quick search, users can find the files they need, leading to faster workflows.

ContractWorks also ensures that the security of your data is top-notch. You can also further strengthen it by setting permissions for every user. You can do this for as many users you need to have on board.

You may also compare the features of this application against other ContractWorks alternatives to expand your options.

Why choose ContractWorks over SAP Ariba?

1. It has powerful automation features that reduce the administrative load of users.
2. Its entire storage system is searchable so users can find the data they need with ease.
3. Administrators can set unique access permissions for each user.

3. ManageEngine ServiceDesk

ManageEngine ServiceDesk is a help desk and asset management software. It provides IT solutions to deliver excellent customer service and deal IT issues in a timely and efficient fashion. It is one of the best-ranking CLM software because of its superior features in handling management-related matters in your business operations.

One of its main purposes is to make sure IT contract renewals are processed on time through streamlining the entire contract management processes. Determine a new and a renewed contract is made simple while you and your clients are given notification alerts for contracts that are expiring. You may have a primary contract where you can establish a parent-child relationship to it and its sub-contracts. Various types such as a lease, maintenance, warranty, and support are available to cover your IT and non-IT assets and licenses.

You can also match this solution with other ManageEngine ServiceDesk alternatives for a more in-depth analysis.

Why choose ManageEngine Service Desk over SAP Ariba?

1. It gives you quick visuals of your IT assets, making it easy to manage and track them over time.
2. It’s built specifically for managed service providers, backed by ITIL compliance to ensure you are using industry-recognized best practices.
3. It lets you manage your asset lifecycle completely.

4. Icertis

Icertis is a contract lifecycle management software that provides ease of use, deployment, and adaption for various types of contract that can be viewed anywhere, anytime. Over 1 million users trust the software for solving their CLM needs where they manage over 3.5 million contracts. It is widely available in across 90 countries in more than 40 languages.

Driving commerce to the business is a significant aspect. The system addresses this need by providing innovative approaches to transform contracts into business assets. This can give different types of businesses the accelerate revenue, manage potential risks and control costs. The platform streamlines all contract and associated documentation. Some of its key features include contract analysis, intelligent contract authoring, collaboration and negotiations, risk management and compliance, and more. 

For more options, you can check Icertis alternatives and see which one fits your needs to a tee.

Why choose Icertis over SAP Ariba?

1. It is easily customizable, which allows you to fit the application to your existing workflows. It’s designed for quick adoption and implementation.
2. It gives you access to the Microsoft ecosystem, since it is built on Microsoft Azure. It also provides a slew of useful integrations.
3. Built entirely on the cloud, it makes the most of modern design principles so you can get running with the application in no time.

5. IBM Emptoris

IBM Emptoris is a web-based contract management tool helping businesses around the world to manage the entire lifecycle of contracts. It combines the power of IBM Emptoris Contract Wizard and Microsoft Word Integration to create contracts in a hassle-free and timely manner. At the same time, you are given complete control over the terms, agreements, approvals, and operations to be included in the legal contract. Completed and existing documents are organized and compiled in a repository for easy retrieval in the future.

The app consists of various types and categories of the contract. Users have specific roles that determine their definitive permissions in opening, handling, and completing various tasks in the system. Some of its key features include contract components, lifecycle, summary, locks, multi-party contracts, interview wizards, and more. 

If you want you can compare this software with other IBM Emptoris alternatives and see how it performs better.

Why choose IBM Emptoris over SAP Ariba?

1. IBM Emptoris handles everything related to contracts, from creation, negotiations, approvals, execution and review and renewal or amendment of contracts.
2. It guides you draft contracts that conform to industry standards and best practices, streamlining your processes and minimizing operational costs and risks.
3. It lets you automate all essential contract-related activities and provides easy-to-grasp visuals for better insights.

6. Accelo

Accelo is included in the top 10 alternatives to SAP Ariba because of its easy-to-use and customizable features for automating business operations. The cloud-based software provides business solutions for project collaborations, customer relationship management (CRM), and client service. When it comes to contract management, they have pre-paid, post-paid, hybrid, fixed price, unlimited hours and more service contracts that are highly customizable and flexible. This allows on-going services to your clients in real-time.

Tracking is made easy with replicable templates and automated triggers for recurring contracts. It helps manage contracts effortlessly through features like usage tracking based on hours or budget, communications tracking, automate recurring tasks, timesheets, and notifications, client portal for clients to view contracts, and more. 

Not sure about this software? You have plenty of  Accelo alternatives to choose from.

Why choose Accelo over SAP Ariba?

1. For all contract lifecycle management activities, Accelo provides convenient CRM and project management tools to ensure contract negotiations conclude as you planned.
2. It provides forecasting and billing tools, essential to having key insights and saving time and cost of acquiring additional software for those functions.
3. It also provides a ticketing system and a client portal, providing electronic convenience for clients who like to see their contracts instantly.

7. Concord

Concord claims to be the only contract management platform that boosts business growth and maintains compliance by efficiently managing the contracts’ entire lifecycle, speeding up the processes and risks compliance. Moreover, using the software removes potential risks so you can scale faster in a more sustainable way. One platform collects each person, process, and document for easier retrieval and filing.

Intuitive features let users negotiate and edit contracts online, approve workflows, receive alerts for deadlines with security. Other features include legally binding e-signature, workflow management, compliance and coordination with various types of contracts. Concord is used by over 100,000 companies from independent contractors to small and medium-sized businesses.  

If you think this software doesn’t fit your needs, try other Concord alternatives.

Why choose Concord over SAP Ariba?

1. Deadline alerts and summary sheets are strong features that make it easy to follow through your contracts.
2. You get unlimited storage for all your contract and other documents at no extra cost.
3. For contract collaboration, real-time editing is provided online, making lengthy email exchanges a thing of the past.

8. SAP Sourcing CLM

SAP Sourcing CLM helps you take full control, automate and simplify governance over your sourcing, procurement and contract procedures. It lets you improve bidding processes by hosting auctions, formulate industry-standard contracts with centralized storage, and integrate these with your backend systems. You may opt to implement the application as an on-premise installation or choose instead to go with a hosted configuration via the vendor’s certified partner.

The powerful application lets you gain efficiency by promoting transparent transaction activities and stringent compliance with existing contracts. This easy, comprehensive control over sourcing and contract transactions helps boost productivity and brings the total cost down.

You can compare this application with more SAP Sourcing CLM alternatives for more insight into the industry.

Why choose SAP Sourcing CLM over SAP Ariba?

1. Streamlined procurement system allows easy management of requests, be it about quotations or proposals.
2. Managing contract is easier by creating, negotiating and managing any procurement contract through a fully searchable central location.
3. It’s easier to track and repeat sourcing projects when uniform standards and complete visibility are applied.

9. Conga

Conga, formerly Octiv, is a contract lifecycle management system that provides one platform for creating, sharing, signing, storing, analyzing, and handling all important documents of your business, especially contracts. Simplifying the process of signing contracts is achieved with the use of automation. This involves authoring, negotiating, reporting and completion of the agreements. Pre-built templates for agreements, contracts, and offers are customizable with your existing data. Inserting the appropriate legal clauses used to be a meticulous and time-consuming task, but the system offers situation-specific content to match your needs.

Likewise, negotiating is tracked with notifications whenever changes are made. There is an easy viewing of the contract’s status, save and share new versions, and view the update history of the document. It provides a single, private URL for more secure viewing of the contract. Clients can remotely view and sign contracts on any device with its cloud-based contract repository. 

Unhappy about this software? You can try other Octiv alternatives.

Why choose Conga over SAP Ariba?

1. You can easily set up Conga to automate the creation, sending and tracking of documents.
2. You can access your documents via your desktop or mobile devices anytime and anywhere.
3. Extensive integration means you can configure Conga to work with any of your other applications.

10. SpringCM

SpringCM is one of the leading cloud-based document management platforms. Manage contract renewal and regeneration in a timely manner using the system. Getting a contract signed and completed immediately equates to more revenue and reduced operating costs. This drives productivity, reduces risk, and streamlines crucial business processes. A central repository lets you share, store, and search for contracts easily.

Tracking and reporting tools abolish bottlenecks, determine problems, generate contracts faster, and prepare for audits. Pre-approved templates are available which can be updated and customized quickly to prevent delays in the generation process. Reviewing the contract is streamlined by identifying each change and action done. This increases visibility for reviewers in every stage of the audit. 

For a more in-depth review, compare this software with other SpringCM alternatives.

Why choose Spring CM over SAP Ariba?

1. It specializes in document collaboration and management, which should allow you to automate many of your processes.
2. It handles folders efficiently, treating them as would any network systems. Controls are provided via permissions, to ensure only authorized team members have access rights to crucial documents.
3. It provides multiple reports, which allows you to analyze the health of your business from many angles.

Which SAP Ariba alternative is best for you?

While still continuously evolving with mergers and arrival of new players, the contract lifecycle management software industry is proving to be a useful tool in terms of making it easier more than ever to manage the creation, negotiation, and review of contracts, while minimizing risks and costs by providing strong industry guidelines and best practices for all parties involved.

PandaDoc takes our experts’ nod in its current form, but it shouldn’t stop you from assessing and choosing the software that is the perfect fit for your unique business needs. Again, there is no substitute for real-time, firsthand experience, so we suggest you avail of any free trial time provided by LCM software vendors.

By Daniel Epstein

Daniel Epstein is a senior financial research analyst at FinancesOnline and the architect behind our Fintech and ERP content division. His main areas of expertise are blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies, and the use of biometrics in fintech solutions. His work has been frequently quoted by such publications as Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, and LA Times. With more than 1,800 solutions scrutinized in the last 5 years spent on our team he always prioritized offering readers an unbiased perspective on modern financial technologies.