If you’ve ever lost a deal to a bottlenecked contract, struggled to find the latest NDA, or watched a sales rep fumble a renewal because of missing terms, you know contract management isn’t just “ops”—it’s the backbone of a real GTM (go-to-market) engine. This guide is for B2B leaders, ops folks, and anyone tired of spreadsheets and legal chaos. We’ll cut through the hype and look hard at Agiloft, one of the most talked-about contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms out there for growing companies.
If you’re considering Agiloft—or you just want to know what actually works in contract management for scaling B2B teams—let’s dig in.
What Is Agiloft, Really?
At its core, Agiloft is a contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform. It claims to automate everything from contract requests and approvals to storage and renewals. The pitch is clear: free your GTM team and legal from busywork, get contracts done faster, and never lose track of what you’ve signed.
But here’s the real story: Agiloft is best known for its flexibility. It lets you build pretty much any workflow you like, with lots of options to customize fields, templates, and automations. This sounds great, but it means setup can be a project in itself.
Who’s it for? - Growing B2B companies, especially those with complicated sales or partner deals. - Teams that have outgrown Google Drive, email threads, and “version 17 FINAL.docx” chaos. - Legal, sales ops, and finance teams who want to control risk but don’t want to slow deals down.
Who should skip it? - Tiny startups with a handful of contracts a month. You’ll spend more time setting up than you’ll save. - Teams who want something dead-simple, right out of the box.
The Real Pros (And Cons) of Agiloft
Let’s cut to it: What does Agiloft actually do well, and where does it fall flat?
What Works
- Serious Customization: You can configure almost anything—fields, approval flows, alerts, templates. This is great if your contracts aren’t cookie-cutter.
- Strong Workflow Automation: Automate approvals, reminders, escalations, even redlining. This keeps deals from stalling in someone’s inbox.
- Audit Trails: Every change is logged. You’ll know who touched what, when—a must for compliance-heavy industries.
- Integration Options: Connects with Salesforce, DocuSign, Office 365, and more. (Though “integration” can mean plenty of admin time.)
- Search That Works: Full-text search, custom filters, and metadata tagging make it easy to find contracts—if you set things up right.
What Doesn’t
- Steep Learning Curve: The flexibility comes at a cost. Non-technical users will need real training, and setup isn’t quick.
- Clunky UI: It’s...fine, but not modern or pretty. Expect some grumbling from sales reps used to slick SaaS apps.
- Implementation Time: This isn’t plug-and-play. Expect weeks (if not months) to get it dialed in.
- Pricing Transparency: You’ll need to talk to sales for a real quote. Prices can add up fast, especially with integrations and extra modules.
Pro Tip: Don’t buy on demos alone. Ask for a sandbox, load in some of your real contracts, and see how your team actually uses it before you commit.
How to Set Up Agiloft for GTM Contract Management (Without Losing Your Mind)
Getting value from Agiloft means setting it up with your GTM flow in mind—not just “installing software.” Here’s the honest roadmap.
1. Map Your Real Contract Process
Before touching Agiloft, diagram how contracts actually move in your company: - Who requests contracts? (Sales? CS? Partners?) - What approvals are needed (Legal? Finance? Execs?) - What templates do you use? (NDAs, MSAs, Order Forms, etc.) - Where do contracts live today? (And what’s missing when deals stall?)
Don’t skip this. Automating a broken process just makes the pain go faster.
2. Get Buy-In from Legal, Sales, and Finance Early
Agiloft lives or dies on cross-team buy-in. If legal wants a 15-step review for every NDA, but sales wants “click to send,” you’ll need to hash that out now.
- Hold one (short) workshop with key stakeholders.
- Decide on must-haves vs. nice-to-haves.
- Assign an owner for each process stage.
3. Start Simple—Automate the Basics First
Resist the urge to automate everything. Here’s what most B2B teams should do first: - Centralize all templates and executed contracts in Agiloft. - Set up automated alerts for renewals and expirations. - Build a basic approval workflow (e.g., sales → legal → finance).
Save fancy integrations, clause libraries, and AI stuff for later. Get the basics working, then layer on complexity.
4. Train Your Team—And Expect Some Pushback
People like their old shortcuts. Expect some eye-rolling when you roll out another new tool. Short, focused training helps: - Quick videos or cheat sheets for each user type. - Clear “what’s in it for me” for sales reps (e.g., faster deal cycles, less emailing legal). - Set up a “contract help” Slack channel for the first month.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on adoption. If people are still emailing contracts around after two weeks, dig in and ask why—before bad habits get cemented.
5. Monitor, Adapt, and Don’t Be Afraid to Scrap What Doesn’t Work
You won’t get it perfect on day one, and that’s fine. Agiloft is flexible, so use it: - Review approval times, bottlenecks, and user feedback after 30/60/90 days. - Adjust workflows, fields, and alerts based on real use—not what sounded good in meetings. - Kill unused features. Complexity is the enemy of adoption.
A Skeptical Look at Agiloft’s “AI” and Automation Claims
Every CLM platform in 2024 shouts about AI-powered contract insights and automation. Here’s what’s real (and what isn’t):
What’s Useful
- Automated Reminders: No more missed renewals or auto-renew traps.
- Clause Library: Build and reuse standard clauses, which helps with compliance and speeds up drafting.
- E-signature Integrations: DocuSign, Adobe Sign, etc.—these are table stakes now.
What’s Still Hype
- AI Risk Analysis: Yes, Agiloft can flag “risky” clauses, but it won’t replace a lawyer. Treat these as suggestions, not gospel.
- Automated Redlining: Helpful for basic changes, but don’t expect it to handle nuanced negotiations or legal language.
- “Smart” Reports: The dashboards look nice, but you’ll spend time tuning them to show what you actually care about.
If someone promises you “AI that closes deals faster”—be skeptical. Use these tools to support your team, not replace judgment.
Agiloft vs. The Alternatives
No CLM tool is perfect. Here’s how Agiloft stacks up against the usual suspects:
- vs. Ironclad: Ironclad is prettier and more user-friendly, but less customizable and often pricier for mid-size teams.
- vs. DocuSign CLM: DocuSign is easier to start with, especially if you’re already using their e-signature, but can get expensive and less flexible.
- vs. ContractWorks or Concord: These are simpler and cheaper, but you’ll hit limits fast if you need workflow automation or integrations.
- vs. Building in Salesforce: Native Salesforce flows are fine for the basics, but managing amendments, renewals, and clause libraries is a pain.
Bottom line: Choose Agiloft if your process is unique and you need deep customization. If you want something fast and dead-simple, look elsewhere.
Quick Tips for Better Contract Management (Whatever Tool You Use)
- Centralize Everything: One source of truth. No more “which folder is it in?”
- Automate Reminders: Expiration dates, renewals, and key obligations shouldn’t live in someone’s calendar.
- Template Everything: Standard docs = less risk and faster turnaround.
- Require Metadata: Make contract owners fill in key details up front; it’ll save you hours later.
- Review Regularly: Contracts, like processes, get outdated. Schedule a quarterly review of templates and workflows.
The Bottom Line
Agiloft is powerful, flexible, and made for teams that outgrew email and spreadsheets a long time ago. But don’t expect magic. You’ll get out what you put in—so start small, build what you actually need, and don’t be afraid to cut features that add friction.
Keep it simple, focus on what matters, and iterate. Contract management isn’t sexy, but done right, it’ll save you money, headaches, and deals down the road.