Supplier Management: A Key Role in Modern Contracting
Anyone who wants to conduct business responsibly and with a focus on the future today cannot do without professional supplier management. This term stands for much more than simply selecting the cheapest providers: it is about the strategic development, ongoing evaluation, and targeted advancement of all supplier relationships. Supplier management forms the backbone of a robust procurement strategy—and is closely intertwined with contract law. Ultimately, it is the supplier contracts that play a major role in determining how securely, flexibly, and competitively a company can operate in the market.
What Is Supplier Management?
The term supplier management (also referred to as Supplier Relationship Management, SRM, or Vendor Management) encompasses all measures a company uses to optimize collaboration with external partners. The goal is clear: best quality, attractive prices, on-time deliveries, and the flexibility to confidently respond to short-term market changes. Risk minimization plays just as much a role as fostering innovation and consistently adhering to compliance requirements—a balancing act that is hardly manageable without systematic processes.
Structures, Processes, and Legal Foundations
At the heart of successful supplier management are three main tasks: selecting, evaluating, and developing suppliers. While this might sound dry at first, in practice it is a multifaceted process. Who should become a new supplier? What criteria are used for the decision? And how is quality measured on an ongoing basis—using key performance indicators such as the complaint rate, on-time delivery performance, or the development of purchase prices?
Contracts are probably the most powerful control instrument in this regard. Framework agreements, quality management provisions, and the socially and environmentally required standards arising from supply chain due diligence laws are deliberately incorporated into contracts. Typical contract clauses regulate prices, delivery deadlines, liability, penalties, and clear procedures for the event of performance disruptions. Especially in globally operating companies, this often means balancing the requirements of different international legal systems with the company’s own aspirations for transparency and reliability.
Supplier Management in Everyday Contract Practice: More Than Just Administration
Professional supplier management goes far beyond just filing contracts. The central administration of all supplier contracts brings transparency to the contractual jungle, while standardized contract templates and digital review mechanisms accelerate negotiations and minimize legal risks. Early identification of potential issues—be it looming supply bottlenecks, quality problems, or impending compliance violations—enables the company to take proactive measures.
However, as the global network expands, so do the challenges: different legal norms, complex supply chains, and constantly changing legal requirements make efficient and legally sound management indispensable. This also means continuously adapting the organization to new demands—from IT to procurement.
Digitization and Best Practices: The Path to Modern Supplier Management
Today, modern software solutions offer enormous relief: automating supplier evaluations, deadline controls, and the centralized documentation of all relevant contract data have become standard. Smart digitization not only streamlines processes but also frees up valuable capacity for the strategic development of your supplier base.
A key success factor is the regular execution of audits and the early involvement of legal expertise—especially with complex or internationally oriented contracts. Equally important is the close integration of all relevant departments: procurement, quality management, legal, and IT should operate seamlessly together to nip sources of error or legal pitfalls in the bud.
Interfaces to Related Disciplines
Supplier management does not stand alone, but is closely intertwined with other key areas of contract management. Whoever wants to keep track of deadlines and obligations must establish efficient deadline management. Solid contract management forms the foundation for steering all contract documents throughout their lifecycle. Automated approval processes or the use of central contract repositories ensure transparency and control.
Additionally, active risk management helps to identify possible weaknesses in the supply chain early on and to respond proactively. Technical concepts such as conditional logic—automated decision rules when drafting contracts—also help to prevent errors and facilitate quick decisions.
Conclusion: Supplier Management as a Competitive Factor
Effective supplier management today is much more than just an administrative side process. Those who act wisely here gain real competitive advantages—from the first discussions with potential suppliers to the legally compliant execution of complex, international contracts. It is therefore worthwhile to also consider related topics such as supplier qualification, contract monitoring, or service level agreements. Only in this way does classic contract management become a living tool for steering long-term business success.
Interview with Leonid Mechik, CFO and co-founder of Inhubber
Introduction
The responsibilities of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) extend far beyond accounting and budget monitoring. In today’s business environment, the CFO also takes on strategic, analytical, and technological duties. Especially in high-growth technology companies, the CFO plays a central role in maintaining financial stability and enabling scalability.
Leonid Mechik, CFO and co-founder of Inhubber, the company’s own platform for intelligent contract management, explains how the perception of the CFO role is shifting with the advancement of technology and why contract management has become an essential part of financial strategy.
The role of the CFO in a modern tech company
As the CFO of a technology company, I see my responsibilities as going far beyond the traditional scope of financial management. It is not enough to simply know the numbers. I need to fully understand the product, analyze the underlying unit economics, and work closely with development, sales, and operations. Only in this way can I correctly interpret the economic context and make well-founded strategic decisions.
My role includes ensuring cash flow and liquidity in often volatile market conditions, managing budgets with flexibility, and identifying financial risks and inefficiencies at an early stage. Legal and operational risks are also part of my area of responsibility, along with ensuring compliance and audit readiness.
Having structured access to legally relevant information is particularly important to me. Contracts are not just legal documents. They form the foundation of our financial obligations and revenue models. That is why effective contract management is just as essential to me as access to traditional financial metrics. Only those who monitor both can lead a modern technology company holistically in the role of CFO.
Key challenges for CFOs today
In my daily work, I regularly encounter five common challenges that, from my perspective, affect many CFOs, especially in technology-focused and fast-growing companies.
1. Dispersed and isolated data sources
Contract documents, budget files, and financial reports are often stored in completely different systems and formats. Contracts may arrive as email attachments, budgets are kept in Excel files on network drives, and reporting is done using various BI tools. A unified platform that consolidates all decision-relevant information is usually missing. This not only creates extra work in daily operations but also makes it much harder to develop a strategic understanding of the overall financial situation. As a result, decisions are often made based on incomplete rather than consolidated and reliable data.
2. Lack of transparency in contract terms
Contracts are often complex, and that complexity represents a significant risk. Renewal clauses, automatic extensions, termination deadlines, or penalty provisions are frequently hidden in the fine print and easily overlooked in day-to-day business. This can lead to contracts being terminated too late, incorrectly budgeted, or unintentionally renewed. As CFO, I consider it my responsibility to identify such financial risks at an early stage. Without intelligent tools for contract analysis, however, this is difficult to achieve.
3. Disconnect between planning and actual commitments
In many companies, budgets are still created based on assumptions rather than actual contract data. This often leads to discrepancies, unnecessary provisions, and liquidity bottlenecks. I believe it is essential to link financial planning with the operational reality of contracts. Only when there is clarity about which payment obligations exist and when they occur — whether from supplier contracts, service agreements, or licensing deals — can budgets be developed realistically and with foresight.
4. Audits are time-consuming and stressful
Every audit, whether internal or external, requires significant effort if there is no centralized contract archive in place. Auditors need access to documents, deadlines, permissions, and proof, which often have to be gathered manually from different sources. This causes unnecessary stress for the team, consumes valuable resources, and creates uncertainty. A structured and audit-proof contract archive makes it possible to prepare for audits in a more efficient and transparent way.
5. Growth increases complexity
As a company grows, the number of customers, projects, and partners increases as well. This leads to a sharp rise in the volume of contracts. Without clearly defined processes and digital support, this growing complexity becomes almost impossible to manage. It is easy to lose track of obligations, deadlines, responsibilities, or escalation procedures. From my own experience, I can say that only automation combined with centralized platforms makes it possible to align sustainable growth with operational control in a meaningful way.
How technology helps manage the contract load
In the past, it was common for CFOs to rely on large teams consisting of analysts, controllers, and assistants. Today, however, the reality looks quite different. The level of responsibility has remained the same or even increased, while the available resources per decision-maker have become more limited. At the same time, a wide range of specialized tools is now available to make individual processes more efficient. The main challenge is to connect these digital tools intelligently and integrate them into a unified and controllable system landscape.
A modern CFO works daily with tools from various functional areas, including:
ERP and accounting systems used for financial reporting and liquidity planning
Business intelligence platforms that support data-driven decision-making
Budgeting and forecasting tools for strategic resource allocation
Compliance and risk management solutions that help meet regulatory requirements
CLM systems (Contract Lifecycle Management) which cover a critical but often underestimated area: contracts
Contracts form the foundation of financial obligations. Whether supplier agreements, license contracts, service contracts, or partnerships are involved, they define what a company must pay, when it can expect revenue, and what legal conditions must be met. This is exactly where our use of Inhubber begins.
Inhubber serves as our central solution for managing all contracts. The platform helps to bring structure to unorganized documents, automatically extracts key information such as deadlines, amounts, and renewal clauses, and transforms it into a structured and audit-ready data foundation. This not only reduces manual work and potential errors, but also creates a new level of transparency in managing contractual obligations. At any given moment, I have a reliable overview of all commitments, how they affect our financial planning, and where potential risks may arise.
For me, Inhubber is more than just a digital management system. It is an essential component of our financial strategy. Especially in an environment with complex supply chains and numerous external partners, an intelligent CLM system offers a clear strategic advantage. It connects operational processes with financial oversight and enables proactive and forward-looking contract management.
Analyzing contract risks with AI
In a modern company, contracts serve not only a legal purpose. They represent binding financial obligations that have a direct impact on liquidity, planning reliability, and the overall risk profile. For this reason, systematic analysis of contractual risks is not optional but absolutely essential. In practice, however, this process is still carried out manually in many organizations. It is often performed by legal departments or internal compliance teams working under significant time pressure and with limited resources.
Before we implemented Inhubber, identifying contract risks involved considerable effort. Each clause had to be read individually, legally assessed, and interpreted in the context of the business operations. In the case of complex, multilingual, or technically detailed contracts, this analysis could take several hours per document. For a growing company, this would have meant assigning an entire team to focus exclusively on risk analysis in order to meet the demands.
With Inhubber’s AI-powered risk detection, our approach has fundamentally changed. Instead of spending hours manually reviewing contracts, it is now sufficient to upload the document to the system. Within seconds, the artificial intelligence identifies critical clauses such as automatic renewals, unilateral termination rights, unusual payment terms, or liability exclusions. This allows me to immediately see where action is required and to consult directly with the legal or compliance teams.
What I find especially impressive is that the system improves continuously with each analysis. The more contracts we review, the better the AI becomes at recognizing company-specific risks, such as recurring contract structures or wording patterns that are particularly relevant to our business model.
For me, this functionality is a true productivity booster. It not only saves time, but also reduces the risk of overlooking important sections. At the same time, it enables early identification and prioritization of potential risks, allowing us to manage them proactively before they result in financial or operational consequences.
Extracting contract data for invoicing and reporting
When it comes to invoicing, speed and precision are crucial. Inhubber automatically extracts all relevant information from the contract, including amounts, payment terms, customer data, and time frames.
In addition, we have defined custom data fields to differentiate revenue types or to link contracts to specific budget items and projects. In this way, each contract becomes a structured data source that we can purposefully use for reporting and financial planning.
Structured and traceable document storage
In every growth-oriented company, a large volume of contract documents accumulates over time. These documents are often distributed across various teams, storage locations, formats, and versions. Without a centralized and structured system, this inevitably leads to delays, duplicate work, or even legal risks. This is especially critical in the finance department, where deadlines, obligations, and documentation must always be accessible.
Whether it is about quickly reviewing payment terms, verifying contract status before an audit, or locating a specific supplier agreement, we need to access the right information within seconds. Traditional folder structures, email inboxes, or SharePoint directories quickly reach their limits in this regard.
That is why the structured and traceable storage system provided by Inhubber offers a significant advantage for us. We not only store all contracts in one central location, but also organize them by team, project, contract type, department, or business partner. Each document is enriched with metadata, all versions are traceable, and the complete history is fully documented.
For me, this means full transparency at all times, clearly defined responsibilities, and the ability to respond quickly and accurately. This applies equally to communication with executive leadership, to inquiries from investors, or in the context of a compliance audit. The tedious task of manually gathering documents is a thing of the past. Today, we operate on a reliable and fully digital foundation.
How we intelligently connect contracts, data, and tools
As CFO, my goal is to ensure that all systems work together seamlessly. Only in this way can we gain a complete and controllable view of our overall financial position. Contracts are not an isolated element but rather a central data point that must be integrated into our system landscape from the moment they are signed through to payment.
For this reason, we connected Inhubber directly with our accounting software and CRM system. This allows us to monitor payment obligations in real time and receive automatic reminders for deadlines and key contract events. In addition, we transfer contract data to our business intelligence applications. This enables us to create cash flow forecasts, analyze revenue structures, and plan budgets based on reliable and contract-driven data.
One of the biggest advantages is Inhubber’s open API structure. It allows us to flexibly link the platform with existing ERP systems, CRM solutions, and planning tools. This eliminates data silos and significantly reduces manual work. As a result, our reporting processes are more structured, faster, and more accurate, especially in areas where precision and timely responses are critical.
Through this comprehensive integration, Inhubber has become more than just another contract management tool. It is now an essential part of our financial architecture and delivers real value both strategically and operationally.
Improved budget control through real-time contract data
As CFO, my goal is to ensure that all systems work together seamlessly. Only in this way can we gain a complete and controllable view of our overall financial position. Contracts are not an isolated element but rather a central data point that must be integrated into our system landscape from the moment they are signed through to payment.
For this reason, we connected Inhubber directly with our accounting software and CRM system. This allows us to monitor payment obligations in real time and receive automatic reminders for deadlines and key contract events. In addition, we transfer contract data to our business intelligence applications. This enables us to create cash flow forecasts, analyze revenue structures, and plan budgets based on reliable and contract-driven data.
One of the biggest advantages is Inhubber’s open API structure. It allows us to flexibly link the platform with existing ERP systems, CRM solutions, and planning tools. This eliminates data silos and significantly reduces manual work. As a result, our reporting processes are more structured, faster, and more accurate, especially in areas where precision and timely responses are critical.
Through this comprehensive integration, Inhubber has become more than just another contract management tool. It is now an essential part of our financial architecture and delivers real value both strategically and operationally.
Managing contracts proactively instead of just archiving them
In many companies, contracts are properly signed and filed but are quickly forgotten afterward. Deadlines pass unnoticed, automatic renewals take effect, and termination opportunities are missed. This is not due to negligence but rather to the lack of clear structures. From the very beginning, I wanted to avoid this situation at Inhubber.
From my perspective as CFO, deadlines, responsibilities, and workflows are not peripheral legal matters. They are concrete risk factors within day-to-day operations. That is why we use Inhubber’s integrated deadline management consistently. This allows us to centrally capture, monitor, and control all important dates. I can set personalized reminders and assign tasks to specific roles or teams, such as procurement, controlling, or external advisors.
As a result, each contract becomes an active part of our daily operations. When a cancellation window approaches or a payment is due, the responsible person is informed at exactly the right time. There is no longer any need for manual tracking or follow-up.
What I especially appreciate is the ability to maintain an overarching overview without having to intervene in operational processes. I can immediately see which deadlines are coming up, where tasks remain open, and use that information to set strategic priorities. This not only reduces operational risks but also introduces a new standard in contract management. We no longer act reactively but manage proactively and with foresight.
Separate workspaces for teams and partners
As CFO, I am responsible not only for financial matters but also for establishing clear structures and well-defined responsibilities across the organization. This is particularly important in a growing environment like Inhubber, where we work with various partners, external service providers, and multiple internal teams. In such a setup, it is essential to manage data access with precision and to control sensitive information in a targeted way.
We make extensive use of Inhubber’s capability to create separate workspaces. For each of our core departments — including finance, legal, sales, and product development — we have set up dedicated areas with specific documents, roles, and responsibilities. Additionally, we create separate workspaces for larger strategic initiatives or individual partner companies, with access granted only to authorized users.
This approach offers several advantages. We prevent unauthorized access to confidential contracts, manage permissions with precision, and still maintain a centralized overview of all contracts across the company. From a controlling perspective, this means I can clearly see where financial obligations arise, where payments are planned, and which teams are currently managing contracts, without having to be involved in every operational detail.
Especially in an international context where different data protection requirements apply, this model has become a key component of our governance strategy. It promotes transparency, reduces friction, and allows for secure and scalable collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders.
Personal recommendations for fellow CFOs
If I were to offer advice on how to meaningfully digitize the finance function within a company, my first recommendation would be this: start with the contracts. Contracts are the foundation of every financial obligation. They govern revenues, expenses, payment terms, risks, and many other critical aspects. Creating transparency at this level lays the groundwork for informed decisions in both controlling and corporate management.
From my own experience, I can say that it is worthwhile to gradually build a system that links contract data with budgets, payments, and tasks. Customizable data fields are especially helpful in extracting and analyzing the information that is most relevant to the business in a structured way.
Even simple automations, such as automatic reminders or standardized approval workflows, can significantly reduce the day-to-day workload. The goal is not to change everything all at once, but to take small, focused, and effective steps.
Another point I would like to emphasize for all CFOs is the following: evaluate whether your contract platform truly goes beyond purely legal use. In our case, Inhubber has evolved into a central tool — not only for managing contracts but also for cross-functional collaboration, planning, and operational controlling. This added value is what turns a contract management tool into a true strategic lever.
Conclusion
The modern CFO is no longer responsible solely for figures or budget control. Today, this role includes acting as an integrator who connects systems, teams, and processes. To make informed and reliable decisions, a CFO needs a consistent overall view that goes far beyond traditional financial metrics. This includes not only accounting data and forecasts but also legal obligations, contract terms, deadlines, and risks — in short, everything that shapes the financial reality of a company.
For me, the key was to connect what had previously been isolated information silos. At Inhubber, our approach was to closely integrate contract data with our financial systems, planning tools, and analytics platforms. Inhubber has become more than just a typical CLM system for us. It has evolved into an integral part of our financial strategy and now serves as a tool that enables fast, precise, and data-driven decision-making.
What we have gained goes beyond increased efficiency or automation. We have reached a new level of transparency, risk awareness, and decision-making capability. Today, I can, with a single click, understand which contracts are tied to which payment obligations, how those obligations affect our cash flow, and where action is needed. This applies whether the next step involves a negotiation, renewal, or cancellation.
At a time when CFOs face intense pressure to maintain control while also supporting growth, this is a crucial advantage. We work with a platform that does not operate in isolation but intelligently connects financial strategy, contract logic, and operational processes. That is why, for me, Inhubber is not just a tool — it is a trusted partner in financial leadership.
An Expert Interview with Inhubber’s Founders: CTO Andre Sokolov and CEO Dr. Elena Mechik.
Introduction
Cyber threats are an ever-present and escalating challenge for enterprises worldwide. The increasing sophistication of cybercriminals, coupled with the growing dependency on digital infrastructures, has rendered conventional security measures inadequate. According to a recent BCG report, “90% of organizations worldwide have been affected by cyberattacks”.
However, what if a breach resulted in no exploitable data? What if even a successful cyberattack yielded nothing but irretrievable encrypted content? Inhubber, a pioneering secure contract management platform, addresses these challenges through state-of-the-art blockchain encryption. In this in-depth discussion, Andre Sokolov, CTO and architect of Inhubber’s encryption framework, and Dr. Elena Mechik, CEO and cybersecurity expert, provide expert insights into the evolving threat landscape and Inhubber’s robust security model.
Understanding the Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape
Q: The frequency and severity of cyberattacks are increasing. What are the primary risks organizations face today?
Dr. Elena Mechik: “The underestimation of cyber threats remains a fundamental issue. Just last week, I spoke with two organizations that had experienced ransomware attacks. Their most sensitive documents were stolen, and they were extorted to pay for their recovery. In one case, the data was published on the dark web, triggering severe contractual penalties and legal repercussions. This is not a theoretical risk—it is a widespread and growing problem.”
Q: What are the primary attack vectors cybercriminals exploit?
Andre Sokolov: “Attackers target high-value data assets—classified contracts, financial records, and customer information. Once they gain unauthorized access, they either encrypt the data and demand ransom or sell it on illicit markets. Even with firewalls and multi-layered authentication, vulnerabilities persist. The critical question organizations should ask is: how can we ensure that, even in the event of a security breach, the attacker gains nothing?”
Inhubber’s Approach to Absolute Data Security
Q: What distinguishes Inhubber’s security framework from conventional encryption methods?
Andre Sokolov: “Inhubber adopts a fundamentally different approach to security. We implement end-to-end encryption in conjunction with blockchain technology to safeguard all documents. Our encryption framework ensures that even if an attacker were to access our infrastructure, they would be unable to decrypt any information. Unlike traditional systems that store decryption keys in a centralized location—potentially exposing them to compromise—Inhubber eliminates this risk by ensuring that only the document owner holds the decryption keys.”
Q: Can you elaborate on blockchain’s role in securing sensitive business data?
Andre Sokolov: “Blockchain represents a paradigm shift in digital security. Rather than storing encryption keys in a conventional database, which introduces a single point of failure, we leverage the Ethereum blockchain to generate and manage cryptographic identities for each document. This mechanism significantly enhances security, rendering brute-force attacks infeasible.”
“Beyond document security, we regard blockchain encryption as a countermeasure to the expanding data mining and AI-driven analytics landscape. By ensuring cryptographic protection at the document level, Inhubber guarantees that sensitive business data remains inaccessible to external AI models designed for large-scale data exploitation.”
Q: Many organizations struggle to balance security and operational efficiency. How does Inhubber address this challenge?
Dr. Elena Mechik: “Security should not impede efficiency. Our platform is engineered to facilitate seamless collaboration while maintaining stringent data protection standards. Users can securely access and share encrypted documents with precisely defined access permissions, ensuring compliance with security policies. Additionally, our AI-driven assistant optimizes contract searches without exposing sensitive data. Inhubber provides enterprises with a solution that simultaneously maximizes security and usability.”
Q: How does Inhubber’s security model align with GDPR compliance?
Dr. Elena Mechik: “Regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) establish stringent data protection requirements, emphasizing security-by-design principles. The regulation states that ‘personal data shall be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security, including protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage, using appropriate technical or organizational measures’. Inhubber’s architecture exceeds these requirements by ensuring that, even in the event of unauthorized access, the data remains encrypted and unusable to attackers.”
Cybersecurity Economics: The Cost of Prevention vs. the Cost of a Breach
Q: What financial risks do organizations face if they fail to implement robust cybersecurity measures?
A recent BCG report highlights that “companies failing to protect their digital assets face financial damages in the millions due to regulatory penalties, litigation, and reputational harm”.
Dr. Elena Mechik: “The economic consequences of cybersecurity negligence are severe. Data breaches not only incur immediate financial losses but also erode long-term trust. Organizations subjected to regulatory fines, contractual penalties, and legal actions often struggle to recover. By contrast, investing in a resilient, blockchain-based document management solution like Inhubber mitigates these risks and ensures sustained business continuity.”
Andre Sokolov: “Our blockchain-based encryption framework is not merely a response to market trends—it adheres to the fundamental principles of blockchain security. This is not about speculative cryptocurrency markets; rather, it is about creating a verifiable, end-to-end secure environment for critical documents. The focus is on tangible, real-world security applications.”
Key Insights & Strategic Recommendations
Traditional security paradigms are insufficient – Password protection and conventional firewalls cannot prevent breaches from exposing sensitive data.
The cyber threat landscape is evolving – Organizations must proactively adopt robust security frameworks to mitigate risk.
Inhubber ensures uncompromised data security – End-to-end encryption guarantees that, even in the worst-case scenario, attackers cannot access stolen files.
Blockchain represents the future of secure document management – Eliminating centralized decryption keys removes single points of failure.
GDPR compliance is a legal imperative – Inhubber’s encryption framework exceeds regulatory requirements, ensuring optimal data protection [2].
Investment in cybersecurity is essential – The financial and reputational risks of data breaches far outweigh the cost of preventive measures.
Q: Where can organizations find more information about Inhubber’s security model?
Cyber threats will continue to escalate in sophistication, but organizations need not remain vulnerable. Inhubber’s innovative approach, combining blockchain-based encryption with AI-assisted document management, provides an unmatched level of security. As Dr. Elena Mechik aptly states, “Cybersecurity is not an optional feature—it is a fundamental necessity for modern enterprises. Organizations that fail to prioritize security today will face severe consequences tomorrow. Inhubber ensures they never have to.”
Up to
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less search effort during contract audits
Thanks to centralized storage, structured metadata, and powerful full-text search with Inhubber.
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faster document access
Thanks to centralized digital storage, contracts and key documents can be found within seconds – especially helpful during audits and year-end reviews.
About Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH
Digital transformation is no longer a topic exclusive to the private sector – the public sector, too, is searching for solutions to make administrative processes more efficient, transparent, and secure. A successful example of implementing such technologies is the use of Inhubber by Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH. This case study shows how Inhubber helped both organizations revolutionize their contract management and drive digital transformation forward.
Initial Situation: Outdated Processes and Lack of Digitalization
Lisa Köhler, Managing Director of Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH and Head of HR and Administration at Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH, describes the situation before the introduction of Inhubber:
“At Hafenbetriebe, a large portion of our contracts still existed in paper form – many dating back to the 1950s or 1960s. There was no centralized digital storage, which made searching for and managing documents extremely difficult.”
Hafenbetriebe Worms operates the port of Worms, where cargo is handled both via waterways and the rail network. Despite having a relatively small team – six employees in operations and two in management – the contracts governing these activities are often long-term and complex.
The situation at Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH was slightly better:
“We had already digitized our contracts, but the existing tools were not designed for contract management. In particular, deadline tracking and task management couldn’t be handled efficiently,” Köhler explains.
For both organizations, it was clear: a comprehensive solution was needed to optimize administrative workflows and achieve long-term efficiency gains.
The Decision for Inhubber: Flexibility and Security
After evaluating several software solutions, the decision was made in favor of Inhubber – not only because it is a web-based platform that can be accessed from anywhere, but also due to its high flexibility in structuring contracts.
“We wanted the ability to organize our contracts in clearly defined categories and sections that fit our organization exactly,” says Köhler. “Inhubber offered exactly those customization options.”
Another key factor was security. As a municipal company, Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH is subject to strict data protection regulations.
“Since I also serve as our data protection officer, it was important to me that we work with a German provider that meets the highest security standards,” explains Lisa Köhler.
Inhubber convinced the team with its blockchain-based end-to-end encryption, which securely and immutably stores all data.
Implementation and Initial Results: Streamlined Processes and Faster Access
The implementation of Inhubber went smoothly, and the first positive effects became apparent shortly afterward.
“The biggest improvement was that we now have all contracts digitally and centrally recorded. I know exactly where to look and can find the information I need with just a few clicks,” explains Köhler.
Inhubber offers Hafenbetriebe Worms and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH not only a powerful full-text search across all documents but also a structured view of contract information using custom fields.
“We set up the contract information in a way that fits our needs perfectly. The search function makes our work so much easier – especially when dealing with contracts that have been around for many years,” adds Köhler.
Expansion to Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH: A Success That Set an Example
After Hafenbetriebe Worms was fully convinced by Inhubber, Lisa Köhler decided to introduce the solution at Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH as well.
“We were already using a project management tool, but it didn’t offer the necessary functions for contract management. With Inhubber, we can store contracts centrally, extract relevant information, and set up automated deadline tracking – something the previous system couldn’t do,” she explains.
The standardization of processes and the ability to manage contracts efficiently across institutions led to further efficiency gains.
Close cooperation between the two organizations also made implementation easier.
“I was able to give my colleagues tips during the rollout that I had already learned from the Hafenbetriebe implementation. That accelerated the process significantly,” says Köhler.
Efficiency Gains and Benefits of Using Inhubber in Public Administration
The introduction of Inhubber at Hafenbetriebe Worms and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH led to significant efficiency gains and a noticeable improvement in contract management. Especially in the public sector – where many contracts are long-term and often tied to complex conditions – digitalization enabled substantial process optimizations.
Centralized Digital Contract Management
Before the introduction of Inhubber, many contracts at Hafenbetriebe Worms still existed in paper form. Some dated back to the 1950s or 1960s and were difficult to locate — a centralized digital archive was completely lacking. With the implementation of Inhubber, this issue was resolved immediately: all contracts were digitized and stored in a central location. As a result, search times were significantly reduced. Today, users can quickly and efficiently access the required documents — either via full-text search or through targeted navigation in clearly structured folders.
Deadline Tracking: Saving Time Through Automation
The digital storage of contracts in Inhubber offers the additional benefit of automating previously manual processes. In particular, automated deadline tracking significantly relieves staff workload. In the past, contract deadlines had to be monitored manually – a time-consuming process prone to oversights. As a result, important deadlines could be missed, or price negotiations might not be initiated in time.
“Without automated deadline tracking, we would have missed important adjustments, which could have had a negative financial impact,” explains Köhler.
Today, automated reminders and transparent tracking ensure that relevant deadlines are met on time and contract terms can be adjusted accordingly. Especially in public administration, where long-term contracts are common, this type of automatic monitoring proves especially valuable.
E-Signature: Greater Efficiency and Transparency
In addition to improved clarity and structure, the integrated e-signature feature plays a key role in increasing efficiency and significantly accelerating the entire contract process. Before the introduction of Inhubber, contracts had to be printed, manually signed, and then sent by post or internal mail to the relevant parties — a time-consuming workflow that often caused delays. With Inhubber, signatures are now fully digital and legally compliant. Contracts can be forwarded immediately to the responsible individuals for processing. This has not only drastically shortened turnaround times but also greatly improved collaboration between departments and subsidiaries.
More Transparency and Traceability
In addition to saving a significant amount of time, Inhubber also brought considerably more transparency to contract management. Thanks to structured storage and the ability to view all relevant contract information at a glance, previously overlooked contracts and untapped potential were identified. This proved especially beneficial for Hafenbetriebe Worms — some contracts hadn’t been reviewed in decades. Thanks to Inhubber’s systematic organization and categorization, these contracts were reintegrated into the administrative workflow, leading to a noticeable improvement in contract oversight and control.
Security Advantages Through Blockchain-Based Encryption
Data security was a key factor in the decision to choose Inhubber. As municipal organizations, both Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH are subject to strict data protection regulations.
“Since I also serve as the data protection officer, it was important to me that we work with a German company that meets high security standards,” explains Lisa Köhler.
With Inhubber’s blockchain-based end-to-end encryption, all sensitive contract data is securely protected and immutably stored at all times. This gave both organizations the confidence to digitize even highly confidential contracts — without compromising on data security.
Scalability for Future Needs
Another advantage that Lisa Köhler emphasizes is the scalability of Inhubber. Because the solution is web-based and can be flexibly adapted to different requirements, it was easy to expand the system from Hafenbetriebe to Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH.
“The expansion was seamless — that’s exactly how modern software should work,” says Köhler.
This flexibility also makes Inhubber an ideal solution for other public institutions looking to implement their digitalization strategies gradually and in line with their specific needs.
Conclusion: Digitalization as the Key to Greater Efficiency and Security
The implementation of Inhubber at Hafenbetriebe Worms and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH clearly demonstrates how essential modern, digital contract management is — especially in the public sector, where long-term contracts and complex structures are part of everyday operations. Inhubber has not only significantly streamlined workflows, but also increased transparency, traceability, and security.
“I would recommend Inhubber to any public institution at any time,” says Lisa Köhler in conclusion. “It offers all the features that modern contract management requires — from deadline tracking and e-signatures to a secure digital archive. And best of all: it’s accessible from anywhere.”
Inhubber has proven itself in practice and is the ideal solution for public institutions seeking to modernize their processes while maintaining the highest security standards.
With Inhubber, other public institutions can also benefit from the advantages of digital contract management and sustainably increase the efficiency of their workflows — securely, flexibly, and future-ready.
“The introduction of Inhubber has revolutionized our workflows. What used to take hours or even days — like searching for contracts or manually tracking deadlines — we can now do with just a few clicks. What impressed us most is the combination of flexibility, security, and ease of use. With Inhubber, we’ve found a solution perfectly tailored to the needs of public administration. I can wholeheartedly recommend it to any institution looking for a modern and secure way to manage contracts.” — Lisa Köhler, Managing Director of Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH and Head of HR and Administration at Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH
Hafenbetriebe Worms GmbH and Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH have been committed to efficient and future-oriented public administration for many years. While Hafenbetriebe oversees cargo handling at the Worms port, Stadt Worms Beteiligungs-GmbH is responsible for managing the city’s stakes in commercial enterprises. Both organizations consistently rely on digitalization and modern administrative processes to ensure transparency, efficiency, and data security in the public sector. By implementing digital solutions like Inhubber, they are actively driving digital transformation forward.
