The verdict in three sentences
A mid-sized company in Dublin handling 1,500 contracts a year without tooling can build a custom workflow for drafting, approval and signature for 30,000 to 75,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026. Signing runs through the Yousign or Docusign API, billed at 1 to 3 EUR per envelope, or 1,500 to 4,500 EUR a year at that volume. Compared with an off-the-shelf CLM at 20,000 to 60,000 EUR a year, custom pays back in 18 to 36 months and fits the company's own approval chains better.
Why a mid-market legal team switches in 2026
In a company of 500 to 2,000 employees, contracts come from everywhere: procurement, sales, HR, real estate, IT. Without tooling, lawyers receive requests by email, hunt for templates in a shared folder, send crossing Word versions, then chase signatories. Typical outcome: 8 to 15 days from request to signature, missed tacit renewals and no view of the portfolio.
The target workflow covers five building blocks: request form per contract type, generation from approved templates and clauses, conditional approval chain (amount, duration, non-compete clause), electronic signature, then a repository with expiry alerts.
| Functional block | 2026 budget (EUR excl. VAT) | Expected gain |
|---|---|---|
| Request forms and triage by type | 3,000 - 7,000 | No more incomplete email requests |
| Template and clause library | 5,000 - 12,000 | First draft generated in 10 minutes |
| Conditional approval chain | 6,000 - 15,000 | Finance, CEO, DPO approval by rules |
| Signature integration (Yousign or Docusign API) | 3,000 - 8,000 | Signed in 1 to 3 days instead of 8 to 15 |
| Repository, search and expiry alerts | 5,000 - 13,000 | Zero unwanted tacit renewals |
| SSO, ERP, document management integration | 4,000 - 12,000 | Up-to-date supplier and client data |
| Legal department dashboard | 4,000 - 8,000 | Lead times, volumes, bottlenecks per team |
Order of magnitude: 30,000 EUR excl. VAT for a simple core, 50,000 to 75,000 EUR with ERP, document management and advanced reporting.
Custom build or off-the-shelf CLM: the comparison
| Criterion | Custom workflow | Off-the-shelf CLM (Juro, Ironclad, Hyperlex...) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 30,000 - 75,000 EUR | 5,000 - 20,000 EUR deployment |
| Annual cost | 3,000 - 9,000 EUR (maintenance + signing) | 20,000 - 60,000 EUR in licences |
| 5-year cost (1,500 contracts/year) | 45,000 - 120,000 EUR | 105,000 - 320,000 EUR |
| Fit with internal approval chains | Full | Configuration limited to the vendor model |
| Data hosting | Your choice, Ireland or EU | Often EU, sometimes outside |
| Time to go live | 4 to 6 months | 2 to 4 months |
| Ownership of code and data | Company | Vendor, export to negotiate |
A CLM remains relevant for a company that wants to start fast with standard processes. Custom wins when approval chains are specific (subsidiaries, delegations of authority, multiple thresholds) or when volume makes per-user licences explode.
Electronic signature: levels and cost per envelope
The eIDAS regulation, which applies in Ireland, defines three levels. A simple signature is enough for most commercial contracts, an advanced signature secures high-stakes contracts, and a qualified signature has the same legal value as a handwritten one.
| eIDAS level | 2026 API cost per envelope | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | 1 - 1.50 EUR | NDAs, purchase orders, amendments |
| Advanced (SMS and ID verification) | 1.50 - 3 EUR | Supplier contracts, leases, client contracts |
| Qualified (certificate and strong verification) | 5 - 15 EUR | High-stakes deeds, share transfers |
| Flat API subscription | 2,000 - 6,000 EUR / year | Beyond 2,000 envelopes |
Mini case study
Claire, general counsel of a 900-employee industrial company near Dublin, runs a team of 4 lawyers and 1,500 contracts a year. Each contract currently takes on average 3 hours of lawyer time excluding negotiation (finding the template, versions, chasing, archiving).
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- Current time: 1,500 x 3 h = 4,500 hours a year.
- With the workflow, she targets 1.5 hours per contract: 2,250 hours freed.
- At a loaded hourly cost of 55 EUR, the gain is 123,750 EUR a year, the equivalent of one and a half lawyers redeployed to negotiation.
- Investment: 55,000 EUR + 4,000 EUR a year for signing and maintenance. An equivalent CLM was quoted at 42,000 EUR a year.
Over 5 years, the gap with the CLM exceeds 130,000 EUR. Illustrative persona, recalculate with your own volumes.
FAQ
How long does it take to deploy a custom contract workflow?
Plan 4 to 6 months for a full core: 4 weeks of approval chain scoping, 10 to 16 weeks of development, 3 weeks of acceptance testing with lawyers. A first release (request and signature) can run from month three.
Yousign or Docusign?
Yousign is EU-hosted and often costs 1 to 2 EUR per envelope via API, Docusign is more widespread internationally. The workflow can integrate both and choose per contract.
Can we import the 5,000 contracts already signed?
Yes, through bulk import with metadata extraction (parties, dates, amount, expiry). AI-assisted extraction costs around 0.10 to 0.50 EUR per document, plus human review.
Is a simple electronic signature valid for a supplier contract?
Yes, it is admissible under eIDAS, but the advanced signature at 1.50 to 3 EUR provides better evidence in a dispute. For contracts above 100,000 EUR, advanced is recommended.
Who maintains the tool after go-live?
The provider runs a maintenance contract, usually 10 to 15% of the initial budget per year. Code and data remain the company's property.
Let's scope your project. Share your contract volume, approval chains and current tools, and we will price a core build and a 4 to 6 month roadmap. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
