If you are looking for a CEMAR alternative, start with what prompted the search, then test any option against that on a live contract. A review driven by cost, by a contract renewal or by a gap in forms covered leads to different comparisons, and a fair one needs your own scenarios rather than a list of features.
First, a point on names. At the time of writing (October 2026), Thinkproject's website says CEMAR contract management software has been renamed Thinkproject CONTRACTS, and that it supports NEC, including NEC3 and NEC4, as well as JCT and FIDIC contracts. So you may see either name. We haven't tested that product and make no claims about how it works; ask its supplier directly about anything below. This page is part of the NEC contract management software guide.
Start with why you are looking
| Your reason | What to compare first |
|---|---|
| The renewal or the price | Total cost over the contract's remaining life, including other parties' access and the cost of moving |
| Forms covered | Each form and edition you actually use, and whether it is fully supported or only labelled |
| How much use it gets | Whether site teams and the other side would really use the replacement. Try it with them |
| Reporting | The exact reports you make now, and how each would be produced |
| Client requirement | What your contract's Scope says about the system to use. You may not be free to choose on that contract |
| Wanting to move on without knowing why | Write down three specific problems first. If you can't, a change may not solve them |
A new system won't always fix the third row. Low use often comes from how the tool was rolled out, so ask what would be different this time.
What to test
Run the same scenarios on your current system and on the alternative, so that you compare what you saw, not what you remember:
- A late quotation. Let a reply lapse and see the route through the failure notice under 62.6.
- A programme with no answer on NEC4. Deemed acceptance under 31.3 should appear only on that edition.
- A Z-clause period. Change one period on one contract and check every affected date.
- A notice letter. Look at the clause number, the parties and whether your wording comes through.
- Monday morning. Ask what a commercial manager sees across all contracts.
A fuller set is in the buyer's checklist.
Where Contract Status fits
Contract Status is built around NEC contracts. It has a register for each NEC process and gives every record the same path: draft, submit, reply, history. Due dates come from each contract's periods, the Action List shows whose turn it is, and clause numbers come from your own clause library for each contract's NEC3 or NEC4 version.
If you need JCT or FIDIC contracts in the same system, raise it at the start. Thinkproject lists those forms; what we describe here is NEC. That may be the deciding point, and it is better found on the first call than the fourth. The NEC4 software page and the page on subcontract management give more detail on specific needs.
What moving really involves
The software is often the easy part. The questions that take time are these:
- Contractual: does your contract's Scope name the system? If so, moving may need agreement or a change, and you should take advice on how.
- Timing: moving between projects is much easier than moving mid-contract. Consider starting new contracts on the new system and letting others finish where they are.
- History: how do you get your records out, in what format, and for how long can you still get to them? Check your current agreement before you give notice.
- In-flight records: open compensation events, quotations with running dates and the current Accepted Programme need to be right on the day you change.
- Other parties: the other side will have to change too, and they may have their own views.
If you do move a live contract, avoid a date with replies about to fall due, and keep an export of the old records somewhere both sides can rely on. Keeping an NEC audit trail covers what you should retain.
To compare on your own terms, book a call and bring one of your live contracts.
Related guides
- NEC Contract Management Software
- Why Use NEC Contract Management Software?
- The Benefits of NEC Contract Management Software
- Do We Actually Need NEC Software?
- NEC Software vs Spreadsheets
- How to Choose NEC Contract Software
See how this works in practice
Click through Contract Status with sample contracts: raise the notice, reply to it, and watch both sides of one record.
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This guide is general information in our own words, not legal advice. Your contract and its Contract Data always govern. NEC, NEC3 and NEC4 are trade marks of Thomas Telford Ltd; Contract Status is not affiliated with or endorsed by NEC.