How Bell Partners Centralized 2,200+ Contracts with Contracts 365 and Microsoft 365 

Case Study Summary: 

Moving from an "off-the-shelf" on-premises solution to a modern SaaS-based CLM platform.

Bell Partners, one of the largest apartment investment and property management companies in the United States, selected Contracts 365 to modernize contract lifecycle management (CLM) across more than 220 properties nationwide. By replacing a legacy on-premises contract management system with a cloud-based Microsoft 365 contract management solution, Bell Partners improved contract visibility, reporting, compliance, and operational efficiency while creating a centralized repository for more than 2,200 agreements.
 

Bell Partners Contract Management: Key Facts

• Industry: Property Management & Real Estate
• Properties Managed: 220+
• Units Managed: 63,000+
• Contract Platform: Contracts 365
• Technology Stack: Microsoft 365 & SharePoint
• Contracts Centralized: 2,200+
• Deployment Timeline: 5 Weeks
• Primary Outcomes: Improved Visibility, Reporting, Compliance, and Operational Efficiency
  
  

Key Results

• Deployed contract management across 220+ properties
• Centralized more than 2,200 contracts in five weeks
• Improved visibility into contract obligations and renewals
• Reduced reliance on spreadsheets and email tracking
• Enabled enterprise-wide reporting from a single source of truth
• Leveraged existing Microsoft 365 and SharePoint investments
• Established foundation for eSignature, workflow automation, and contract templates
  
  

About Bell Partners

Established in 1976, Bell Partners Inc. is a privately held apartment investment and management company. Focused on creating communities that residents are proud to call home, the company manages approximately 63,000 units and is one of the largest apartment operators and renovators in the United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, Bell Partners offers extensive and full-service support, including expertise in real estate acquisitions and dispositions, construction, financing, property operations, accounting, risk management and other related functions.

Business Challenge  

Bell’s Procurement Team was historically responsible for the contract management function within Bell which they managed with an inherited “off-the-shelf’ on-premises solution. Unfortunately, this solution supported a minimal number of users. Its lack of flexibility also forced Bell to adopt several inefficient processes. For example, to load contracts into this system, employees had to copy or scan them into a folder. An associate with system access then moved these contracts from the folder into the platform.

As more contracts were loaded, the solution operated more slowly. With Bell rapidly growing and evolving, Ashley Cook, Director of Procurement, and David Dorich, Manager of Procurement, recognized the need for a system upgrade. It was imperative for Bell Partners’ 220+ communities to store, track and report on various property-level contracts such as landscaping, pest control, fire life safety, elevators, etc. Additionally, though each community manager is responsible for their property-level agreements, the corporate stakeholders wanted a flexible way to store, access and process new requests for property-level agreements. They also needed a way to increase visibility into various departmental corporate agreements, and quickly access contract values, expirations, and renewal requirements.

Why Bell Partners Selected Contracts 365 

The Procurement Team evaluated a wide variety of solutions, many which were geared towards contract managers, and accommodated a limited number of users at substantial price points. As a growing real estate company, Bell Partners requirements were specific. Their criteria included:

• Enterprise functionality – that would accommodate many distributed users
• Low maintenance and ease of use – making it easy for employees to learn and maintain
• Vested partner – that would be committed to mutually successful outcomes with solid support, professional services and direct access to executives
• Integration with existing platforms – to leverage the company’s current investment in their customized SharePoint based file sharing solution along with Microsoft 365
• Security and Storage – housing all records in their environment ensuring consistent data security and portability
• Affordability – a solution that fit within their budget constraints

It was clear that Contracts 365 was their best option.

Results: Centralizing 2,200+ Contracts in Five Weeks 

The implementation plan included a phased approach to ensure a successful ramp-up and roll-out. By first piloting with users to capture an initial 200 corporate contracts in the system, Ashley and David enhanced their training tools and flattened the learning curve. After the 2020 leasing season, they then launched the initiative to over 220 properties. Within five weeks, they had captured over 2,200 agreements in the system. Now, Bell Partners has all contracts and associated documents stored in one place, a single source of truth, with easy access and robust search tools. Contracts 365’s ease of use and intuitive interface helped drive the company’s adoption and user engagement. With greater visibility, they can generate reports for various stakeholders within minutes, a previously cumbersome process consisting of spreadsheets, emails and inconsistent data.

Future Plans for Contract Lifecycle Management 

With the initial roll-out completed, Ashley and David are moving ahead with phase II of their project plan, including contract signatures via eSignature and templates designed to accelerate contract completion and drive consistency across the portfolio. Further, they are enhancing their implementation of workflow approvals, redlining and reporting. The team is particularly excited about the Contracts 365's newest industry solution, Contracts 365 for Property Management and Real Estate. This offering will give real estate companies the ability to manage a collection of contracts, streamline property acquisition and compress sales processes. Best of all, they will be able to manage contracts at a corporate and property level and create “watch lists” for confidentially flagging properties up for sale, plus much more. These new features will help Bell Partners continue its growth trajectory.

Why Contract Management Matters for Property Management Companies

Real estate and property management organizations often manage thousands of vendor agreements across multiple locations, including landscaping, maintenance, pest control, security, fire safety, elevator services, and construction contracts. Without centralized contract management software, organizations can struggle with contract visibility, renewal tracking, compliance, and reporting.

Contracts 365 helps property management companies standardize contract processes, improve operational oversight, and gain greater control over contract risk while leveraging Microsoft 365 and SharePoint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Bell Partners replace its legacy contract management system?

Bell Partners needed a scalable solution that could support hundreds of users across more than 220 properties. Their legacy on-premises system was difficult to maintain, supported limited users, and lacked the flexibility needed to support company growth.

How many contracts did Bell Partners migrate to Contracts 365?

Bell Partners initially loaded approximately 200 corporate contracts during a pilot phase and expanded to more than 2,200 agreements across its property portfolio within five weeks of deployment.

How does Contracts 365 help property management companies?

Contracts 365 provides a centralized repository for vendor, property, procurement, and corporate agreements while improving contract visibility, reporting, renewal management, workflow automation, and compliance.

Why was Microsoft 365 integration important to Bell Partners?

Bell Partners wanted to leverage its existing Microsoft 365 and SharePoint investments while maintaining control of contract data, security, and storage within its own Microsoft environment.

What types of contracts does Bell Partners manage in Contracts 365?

The company manages property-level contracts such as landscaping, pest control, elevator maintenance, fire and life safety agreements, along with corporate procurement and operational contracts.

What business benefits did Bell Partners achieve?

Bell Partners gained a single source of truth for contracts, improved reporting capabilities, increased visibility into contract obligations and expirations, and reduced manual processes involving spreadsheets and email.

Is Contracts 365 designed for real estate organizations?

Yes. Contracts 365 includes capabilities specifically designed for real estate companies, including property-level contract management, acquisition support, workflow automation, reporting, and contract visibility across distributed portfolios.

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