ERP-style software, typically produced by a third-party vendor, that is specifically designed to manage the full procure-to-pay process within the contingent labor spend category exclusively. Typical features of a VMS include supplier management, order distribution, consolidated billing, risk mitigation, headcount tracking, and reporting. VMS platforms can be either independent (e.g., Beeline, SAP Fieldglass) or created/owned by a staffing firm. Most are provided on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis. The two major independents tend to dominate the market. However, a variety of staffing firm-created VMS or VMS-light remain in utilization today.
