Procurement has long been measured by its ability to cut costs. But in 2025, value creation has overtaken cost savings as the true measure of success.

Across both the public and private sectors, procurement professionals are expected to deliver efficiency, resilience, sustainability and innovation, all while managing growing risk and regulatory pressure.

The question is no longer how much can we save? but how much more value can we deliver?

To answer that, organisations are turning to integrated contract and supplier management strategies, underpinned by powerful source-to-contract software like Atamis.

In this article, we’ll explore how effective contract and supplier management, supported by modern SRM software and contract management software is helping UK procurement teams maximise value, mitigate risk and strengthen their supply chains for the long term.

The link between contract and supplier management

Contract management and supplier management are often treated as separate functions, managed by different teams or systems.

But in reality, they’re two halves of the same whole.

Contracts define the expectations, obligations and performance measures of your supplier relationships while supplier management ensures those commitments are actually met.

When these processes are disconnected, with contract details stored in one system and supplier data in another the result is inefficiency, missed opportunities and elevated risk.

Modern contract management software and SRM software solve this by integrating the two disciplines, creating a single, connected ecosystem that drives accountability, visibility and performance across the supplier lifecycle.

This shift is enabling procurement teams to move from reactive administration to proactive value creation.

Why procurement value depends on visibility

Visibility is the foundation of strategic procurement.

Yet, many organisations still struggle to see the full picture. Contracts are scattered across shared drives and email inboxes. Supplier information sits in spreadsheets or legacy systems. Performance data is incomplete, and risk signals are often missed until it’s too late.

Effective contract and supplier management, powered by digital tools, changes this dynamic entirely.

By centralising data through contract lifecycle management (CLM) solutions and vendor management software, procurement teams can see exactly what’s been agreed, who’s responsible and how suppliers are performing against those commitments in real time.

This level of visibility empowers procurement to make better, faster, more confident decisions.

The role of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) software

At the heart of effective contract management lies CLM software or contract lifecycle management solutions.

These platforms do far more than store documents; they automate, streamline and enhance the entire contract process from creation through to renewal.

Here’s how CLM technology delivers measurable value:

1. Streamlined creation and negotiation

Pre-approved templates and clause libraries reduce drafting time while maintaining compliance. Automated version control ensures all stakeholders are aligned and e-signature capabilities speed up approvals.

2. Centralised visibility

Every contract (active or expired) is stored in a single, searchable repository, eliminating the chaos of shared drives. Procurement can instantly access terms, obligations and renewal dates, reducing risk and administrative overhead.

3. Automated alerts and renewals

Missed renewals or unmonitored expiries are a thing of the past. CLM software sends automatic alerts ahead of key dates, ensuring opportunities for renegotiation and value optimisation are never missed.

4. Data-driven insight

With contracts digitised and structured, procurement teams can analyse spend, compliance and performance trends across categories and suppliers, enabling truly strategic decisions.When CLM software is integrated with SRM software and broader procurement software, organisations gain an end-to-end view of supplier performance and contractual health. This unified perspective is the key to driving continuous value.

Supplier Relationship Management: the other half of the value equation

While CLM software strengthens control over contracts, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) software focuses on performance, risk and collaboration once the contract is live.

An effective SRM solution transforms how organisations engage with suppliers from transactional oversight to strategic partnership.

1. Continuous performance monitoring

SRM software tracks KPIs such as delivery times, quality metrics and service levels. This data is visualised in configurable dashboards, giving procurement teams instant insight into supplier performance and potential issues.

2. Risk management and compliance

Automated alerts flag changes in supplier risk profiles, certifications or regulatory compliance. By integrating external risk feeds, SRM platforms help organisations stay ahead of geopolitical, financial and operational risks.

3. Collaboration and innovation

Strong supplier relationships go beyond governance. SRM tools enable collaboration on sustainability initiatives, process improvements and innovation projects, aligning suppliers with your long-term goals.

4. Supplier segmentation and development

Not all suppliers are equal. Modern SRM systems allow teams to segment suppliers based on strategic importance, performance or spend. This ensures the right level of engagement and investment for each supplier category.

Ultimately, SRM software helps procurement teams shift from policing to partnering, from chasing compliance to building capability and mutual value.

The power of integration: one connected ecosystem

Procurement teams have long suffered from fragmented systems, contract management here, supplier data there, risk dashboards somewhere else.

This fragmentation costs time, accuracy, and opportunity.

A source-to-contract (S2C) software solution like Atamis brings all these elements together into a single connected platform, uniting contract management, supplier management and procurement analytics under one digital roof.

When contract data, supplier performance metrics and risk indicators flow together, procurement gains full lifecycle visibility, from sourcing through to renewal.

This integration delivers several tangible benefits:

  • Fewer manual processes: Automated data exchange reduces duplication and administrative burden.
  • Improved compliance: Linked contracts and supplier records make it easier to demonstrate due diligence.
  • Faster decision-making: Unified dashboards show performance and risk in one view.
  • Stronger supplier engagement: Centralised communication channels foster transparency and accountability.

In short, integration turns data into action and procurement into a truly strategic business partner.

Unlocking hidden value through analytics

Data is the lifeblood of modern procurement. But without the right tools, it’s often trapped in disconnected spreadsheets and systems.

Procurement software that includes advanced analytics capabilities enables teams to uncover hidden opportunities, whether that’s consolidating spend, renegotiating underused contracts or identifying suppliers with untapped potential.

By analysing trends in supplier performance, pricing and risk, procurement can make evidence-based decisions that deliver measurable impact.

For example:

  • Analysing delivery data might highlight a supplier that consistently exceeds performance metrics – a potential partner for strategic innovation.
  • Examining contract renewal patterns might reveal categories ripe for re-tendering.
  • Tracking ESG data might identify which suppliers are best aligned to corporate sustainability targets.

The insights are there, the right procurement software simply makes them visible.

Reducing risk and ensuring resilience

Risk remains one of the top concerns for UK procurement professionals. From geopolitical disruption to cyber security and compliance obligations, the modern risk landscape is vast.

Vendor management software plays a pivotal role here, providing the oversight needed to protect against disruption and reputational harm.

By maintaining accurate, up-to-date supplier records and automating compliance tracking, vendor management tools ensure that every supplier engagement meets internal and external requirements.

When integrated with contract management software, this becomes even more powerful, enabling procurement to instantly identify which contracts may be impacted by a supplier risk event and act accordingly.

Resilient procurement isn’t about eliminating risk; it’s about understanding it, monitoring it, and being ready to respond. And that requires continuous visibility – something only achievable through digital transformation.

A smarter way to manage resource

Rather than expanding headcount, more organisations are realising that technology can do the heavy lifting.

Contract management solutions and SRM software automate many of the manual tasks that drain procurement time, from chasing documents to tracking performance data, freeing teams to focus on strategic work like supplier collaboration and category development.

In other words, it’s not just about doing the same work faster; it’s about transforming how procurement adds value to the business.

Why the right software partner matters

Technology alone won’t solve procurement’s challenges but the right partner will help you harness it effectively.

Choosing a procurement software provider should be about more than features and pricing. It’s about finding a partner who understands your goals, your constraints and your operating environment. A partner who works alongside you to achieve transformation is the keystone procurement need to drive change.

A good software partner provides:

  • Implementation expertise tailored to your organisation.
  • Ongoing configuration support as your needs evolve.
  • Access to best practice and innovation from across industries.
  • Strategic guidance to help you extract maximum value from your investment.

Procurement leaders should expect their software providers to act as an extension of their team, helping not just to digitise processes, but to redefine what’s possible.

Looking ahead: the future of value-driven procurement

As we move further into the digital era, procurement’s role will continue to evolve, from cost controller to value architect.

Effective contract and supplier management supported by a tailored source-to-contract solution like Atamis, is at the heart of that transformation.

The organisations leading the way are those embracing:

  • End-to-end visibility across supplier lifecycles.
  • Continuous performance management and risk monitoring.
  • Collaboration with strategic suppliers to drive innovation and sustainability.
  • Data-driven decision-making enabled by automation and analytics.

By combining people, process and technology, procurement can deliver not just savings, but measurable, sustainable business value.

Final thoughts

The path to maximising procurement value isn’t about doing more with less. It’s about doing better with insight.

Integrated contract management solutions and SRM software provide the foundation for resilience, efficiency and strategic growth.

By uniting contracts, suppliers and data within a single source-to-contract platform, procurement gains the visibility and control it needs to deliver long-term value for the business as well as for the communities and economies it serves.

The next generation of procurement leaders will be those who harness technology not just to manage contracts and suppliers, but to unlock the full potential of their entire supply ecosystem.