Challenges

Unstructured filing

Before ContractHero was introduced, contracts were stored physically—spread across different folders and locations. This made it considerably more difficult to search for documents, deadlines, or contact persons. Information often had to be compiled manually.

Error-prone and inflexible manual processes

Contract management was carried out using Excel lists. Despite regular maintenance, these lists were prone to errors and did not offer automatic updates or links to other data sources. As a result, they were only as up-to-date as the last manual entry. The effort involved was high and flexibility was low—a risk in project-based day-to-day business.

Lack of deadline control and unclear responsibilities

Contract terms, notice periods, or automatic renewals could easily be overlooked—which in some cases had financial consequences. Responsibilities were not clearly defined, and reminders depended on individuals.

Lack of financial transparency

One of the biggest pain points: a lack of overview of contractually bound costs. Which contracts cause ongoing expenses? Which ones can be optimized or terminated? Without a central database, reliable liquidity planning was hardly possible.

Solutions with ContractHero

Central & structured filing

With ContractHero, MMB manages all contracts digitally and centrally via a cloud-based platform. Full-text search, central storage, and structured recording make the previously scattered contract landscape accessible anytime and anywhere—whether on a desktop in the office or on a tablet in production. The tool meets high security requirements: ContractHero is ISO 27001 certified, as are the data centers used. All data is transmitted in encrypted form and hosted within Germany in compliance with the GDPR. 

A central element here is structured storage: with the help of ContractHero's field construction kit, MMB can define its own data fields – for example, for project numbers, contact persons, or time quotas – without any programming effort. This means that contracts are not only stored, but also made available for specific contextual use.

Automated processes: Contract analysis, import & export

Automated workflows analyze contracts directly upon upload, extracting relevant information and storing it in a structured manner. MMB uses these functions to minimize manual work steps: contract data is captured automatically, and import and export functions ensure seamless system integration. This saves the team time and reduces transcription errors.

Automatic deadline & task management

ContractHero automatically recognizes all relevant deadlines—from termination dates to renewal cycles—and converts them into specific tasks with deadlines. Responsibilities can be clearly assigned using the integrated rights and role management system.

Leon Jakupi and his team receive automatic notifications by email or directly on the platform. This means that critical deadlines are always kept in view – and decisions such as termination, renewal, or renegotiation can be made early and on a sound basis. This automation is a decisive advantage, especially in the dynamic project business: it reduces the administrative burden and at the same time protects against costly omissions.

Power BI Integration: Data-based control

The greatest leverage for MMB lies in the integration of ContractHero into the existing Power BI landscape. Contract data is synchronized in real time via API and is immediately available for reporting.

Insights at the touch of a button
The data flows automatically into interactive dashboards that have been specially designed for liquidity management. They enable: monthly, quarterly, and annual cost overviews, categorization by contract partners and cost types, drill-down to the contract level, including payment terms, filtering by time periods, amounts, and responsibilities.

20 % cost savings

One of the most important findings after the introduction of ContractHero was that many current contracts were causing unnecessary expenditure. With the new overview, MMB was able to specifically analyze which contracts were really necessary - and act accordingly. Contracts were shortened, paused or renegotiated - not on instinct, but on the basis of sound data. In total, around 20% of running costs were saved.

100% contract overview

What used to be spread across multiple folders, Excel lists, and various responsibilities is now fully digitized. Over 570 contracts—including deadlines, contact persons, and cost structures—are centrally recorded and available at the touch of a button. This gives MMB a complete, structured overview of its contracts for the first time—a plus in transparency that, according to Leon, is crucial in everyday life: "When a decision needs to be made today, I can find the relevant information in seconds—without long searches or queries."

30% less administrative work

In addition to clarity, efficiency in day-to-day business has also improved noticeably. Deadlines and tasks are automatically recognized and assigned, eliminating the need for manual maintenance. This has reduced administrative costs by around 30%—time that is now available to the team for more important tasks.

25% more precise liquidity planning

The link to Power BI has a particularly strong impact. Contract data flows automatically into reporting and can be analyzed in detail there—for example, by cost type, contract partner, or time period. Drill-downs and the connection to project-related performance data have also enabled MMB to significantly optimize its financial planning. The accuracy of liquidity forecasts is now around 25% higher than before the introduction of the system – a noticeable improvement in an economically challenging environment.

Conclusion: More than just contract management

MMB Maschinenbau has developed contract management from an administrative task into a strategic management tool. ContractHero forms the digital basis for this - with a central data structure, automated processes and deep integration in Power BI. Contract data is no longer isolated, but flows directly into financial planning, enabling well-founded decisions and creating new transparency about costs, deadlines and responsibilities.

In conjunction with reporting in Power BI, ContractHero makes a decisive contribution to improving liquidity management - through real-time analyses, more precise forecasts and the ability to simulate developments at an early stage. Contract data thus becomes a planning-relevant resource and creates measurable added value in terms of efficiency, controllability and profitability.