Puolanka Municipality Unlocks 30% Efficiency Gains With Mercell Contract Management
Mercell supports all Puolanka's contracts
"Mercell handles all our contract needs helping us cut down tedious work and save 30% on resources," says Mayor Harri Peltola. "It lets us focus on what really matters."
With just under 2,500 residents and just one resident every four kilometres, the Municipality of Puolanka may be smaller in scale than many Finnish municipalities, yet it shares the same administrative responsibilities.
Guided by a commitment to providing high quality public services to its residents and efficient use of resources, Puolanka operates with about 100 employees and has made digital transformation a priority. For the past 7 years, the municipality has relied on Mercell’s all-in-one tendering and contract management platform to streamline its operations.
Leaving manual tracking and Excel Spreadsheets behind
Before Mercell, managing contracts required extensive manual tracking, primarily done using Excel spreadsheets. Employees had to log deadlines, updates, and renewal dates individually—a time-consuming process prone to human error. Today, the Mercell platform manages over 300 contracts across various departments, enabling efficient, nearly effortless contract management and improving the overall procurement process.
Through Mercell’s contract management solution, Puolanka not only digitised its contract database but also established seamless integration between its Tendering and Case Management systems. This automation allows information to flow automatically, removing the need for staff to switch between platforms or duplicate work.
“With Mercell, we no longer need separate staff hours dedicated to tracking contracts,” says Mayor Peltola. “Our office staff can now focus on higher-value tasks rather than updating Excel sheets, and we avoid unexpected surprises like unplanned price increases or contract expirations.”
Effortless Contract Management: Timely Renewals and 30% Resource Savings
For Puolanka’s small administrative team, Mercell has removed much of the burden and guesswork associated with contract renewals and deadlines. Automated notifications ensure that no key milestone is missed, keeping the municipality on top of renewals and option periods. “Starting a new tender on time is no longer left to chance,” says Mayor Peltola. “Once a procurement decision is made, the contract is ready, and work can start the next day. It’s faster, easier, and more reliable.”
In addition to a 30% resource savings, which frees up staff time for higher-priority tasks, Puolanka has been able to create dozens of contract templates within Mercell’s platform. This flexibility to quickly generate and adapt standardised contracts has simplified the management of various suppliers, tenants, and partnerships. Mayor Peltola notes, “We can easily adjust contracts and terms with each partner, and the electronic signature process from Mercell has sped up our completion timelines significantly.”
Building a Future-Ready Municipality
Puolanka’s choice to implement Mercell’s digital solutions reflects the municipality’s broader commitment to digitalization.By making Mercell’s tendering and contract management solutions a cornerstone of its operations, the municipality has laid a foundation for sustainable growth and more efficient service delivery.
For Puolanka, the impact is clear: a centralised system that saves time, reduces human error, and allows staff to focus on initiatives that truly benefit the community—an approach that will continue to drive Puolanka’s digital journey well into the future.