Integrating Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems with other essential business platforms—such as ERP and financial systems—has left teams with some battle scars in government contracting. Despite the clarity of the objective—to create a seamless operational framework—achieving this integration often proves to be a frustrating and time-consuming task.
Here are five common pitfalls GovCons encounter when integrating systems into their CLM:
- Lack of a uniform approach
- Integrating for today without considering tomorrow
- Using old methodologies for new platforms
- Addressing workflow changes after integration is complete
- Settling for duplicate data entries and manual intervention
The good news is that learning from these oversights can pave the way for a smoother integration journey. Let’s dive into each a bit more:
Check out the infographic here
1. The Quest for a Standardized Approach
The lack of a consistent methodology for system integration is a significant challenge. Government contractors embarking on integration efforts frequently find themselves without a clear roadmap, leading to confusion, project delays, and unexpected costs. This challenge is as much about strategy as technology, requiring a systematic approach that considers the organization’s unique operational needs.
2. Building with Tomorrow in Mind
Scalability should be considered from the start. The current market is saturated with many off-the-shelf integration solutions that fail to consider future growth. As government contractors expand, these static solutions can become more of a hindrance than a help. The key lies in identifying or developing integration capabilities that are robust, adaptable, and capable of evolving alongside the business as well as its future technical requirements.
3. New Features, New Problems
The shift to more advanced platforms necessitates careful data management and system compatibility checks to ensure uninterrupted business operations. For instance, transitioning to a modern ERP will offer new features and enhancements but will require a well-thought integration strategy to safeguard existing data, processes, and current or future data integrations.
4. Worrying about Workflows Later
Significant system integrations invariably lead to changes in business processes and workflows, often meeting resistance from those entrenched in familiar routines. Effective change management, clear communication, and comprehensive training are vital to navigating this transition smoothly, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned with new operational protocols.
5. There will always be some data duplication and manual intervention, right?
When the project is past its due date, and organizations want to move on, they tend to give in to the “little things.” A primary goal of integration—to streamline operations and minimize manual input—can be undermined if not fully realized. Settling for solutions that don’t fully address data duplication and require manual intervention can negate the benefits of system integration—ultimately defeating the purpose.
Learning from Mistakes
As past government contractors and experienced integration partners, the Unison CLM team has lived through these challenges. Our experience has informed the design of our software and processes and helps our customers to circumvent these common pitfalls. By offering out-of-the-box APIs and well-documented integration protocols, we provide clear, efficient pathways for integrating systems into a GovCon CLM—eliminating much of the ambiguity and speeding up the integration process.
Unison CLM is flexible and platform agnostic, allowing for seamless integration across all CRMs and ERPs—with no need to build on third-party platforms. It offers both pre-built and customizable integrations to meet your unique needs. We always ensure smooth workflow transitions and collaboration by prioritizing effective change management and stakeholder involvement. This ensures your systems evolve seamlessly with your business, enhancing efficiency and fostering seamless platform connectivity.