How Microsoft 365-Based CLM Makes Life Easier for GCs

By Sreeram K G

The role of general counsel has really transformed over the years.

It's a role that used to be strictly legal but now combines risk management, compliance, and strategy, all while helping the business move forward.

That's a lot, and honestly, it can feel pretty overwhelming.

That is why more and more legal teams now adopt a contract lifecycle management (CLM) system to address the constant flow of contracts.

Not all systems, however, are built the same.

So, let's discuss why CLM built on Microsoft 365 is making life easier for GCs and their teams.

The Modern Day GC - Wearing Many Hats

Being a GC today means you’re doing a lot more than just handling legal matters.

You’re part of the team making big decisions, weighing business goals against potential legal risks, and making sure everything runs smoothly.

You’re not just reviewing contracts, you’re negotiating deals, keeping the company in compliance, and sometimes even leading the way in shaping the company’s values and ethics.

It isn't surprising that the traditional practices related to managing contracts, emails regarding drafts, tracking of manual version history, or chasing for signatures are not suitable in modern times.

You need to stay streamlined to manage all things on your plate.

Why Microsoft 365-Based CLM Feels Different

We all use tools like Word, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint every day, right?

Now imagine managing all your contracts within those very same tools, no need to learn a whole new system.

That’s exactly what a Microsoft 365-based CLM gives you. It’s something you’re already familiar with, so it just clicks. Here’s why it changes the game:

Collaboration That Just Works

A Microsoft 365-based CLM let's make edits in real time.? And one can share updates directly across to SharePoint, and update folks automatically on the status through Microsoft's email client, Outlook, through which everything flows along and together.

Compliance Simple

With Microsoft 365, you get built-in security and compliance features that extend to your contracts. It's like everything is organized in one spot, with the right controls, audit trails, permissions, and workflows so you can rest easy knowing nothing will slip through the cracks.

Data That Actually Makes Sense

With Microsoft 365, you can quickly pull up the data when needed such as the number of contracts in process, where delays are occurring, or what value a particular deal represents. With Excel and Power BI, you can pull that in a few clicks without all that back-and-forth. You'll be able to focus on the things that really matter to you.

One of the best things about using a system like this is that it saves you so much time.

You're not spending hours looking for a clause in a stack of documents or manually chasing approvals; you can spend that time on the bigger, more strategic work.

The repetitive stuff will be handled by smart search, automated workflows, and reusable templates.

This gives you time to focus on what matters the most: managing risks, setting strategies, or just taking a breath when things get hectic.

From Bottleneck to Business Enabler

Legal teams, generally, get a bad reputation for slowing things down.

But here is the thing: in a Microsoft 365 CLM, you can have things the other way around.

When contracts are tracked easily, edited easily, and approved easily, nobody considers you the bottleneck, but a key partner to ensure smooth things happen.

With the speed and transparency these systems bring, other departments will start seeing legal in a whole new light. Suddenly, you’re the team that gets things done and keeps things running.

Dock 365: Built for Your Workflow

Since it's built on Microsoft 365, it fits perfectly into the tools you already use every day—Word, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint.

There's no new system to learn, and you won't waste time getting frustrated with complicated software. It's familiar, and it just works.

It makes it easy for teams to adapt to Dock. Whether in the legal, sales, or any other department, everybody can get on board without a hitch.

Not to mention, with Microsoft's enterprise-grade security, you know your contracts are in safe hands.

Your Next Step

Microsoft 365-based CLM systems, such as Dock 365, are more than tools; they are a difference-maker that helps GCs focus on what truly matters.

It is saving time, enhancing collaboration with other teams, or extracting insights to guide business decisions that are reshaping the game of what it means to lead in a legal role.

So, what's next? If you're already on Microsoft 365, you've got that part covered.

Why not take it the next mile and see how a CLM like Dock 365 can change how you work?