For several decades, Vendor Management Systems (VMSs) have been the core technology to procure and manage staffing services. In recent years, VMSs have not only enhanced the core technology’s features and functionalities, but also expanded the scope of services delivered to other areas within Contingent Workforce Management (CWM). In response to the evolving market trends, VMSs are developing and enhancing capabilities to emerge as end-to-end systems for managing all contingent workforce categories, including temporary labor, services procurement / Statement of Work (SOW), independent contractors, and freelancers / gig workers. This paper looks at the emerging themes in the VMS market and provides an overview of the capabilities and functionalities that enterprises can expect from VMS providers in the future. Scope Industry: VMS Geography: global Contents In this paper, we summarize the key shifts that VMSs are undergoing. These include shifts with respect to: Technology capabilities and infrastructure Breadth and depth of capabilities Stakeholder focus Reporting and analytics Next-generation technology leverage Membership(s) Contingent Workforce Management Sourcing and Vendor Management

The COVID-19 pandemic caused multiple disruptions across global supply chains, including production disruptions and supply discontinuities, thereby exposing multiple shortcomings in traditional Supply Chain Management (SCM) practices. These weaknesses include a fragmented technology architecture, inefficient capacity/resource utilization, and unstructured risk and compliance management. While supply chain leaders across organizations are working on overcoming these shortcomings, the pandemic has made it clear that uncertainties and disruptions are likely to become frequent in SCM, and supply chain leaders need to future-proof their SCM practices against any impending disruptions. This viewpoint outlines the factors necessary to build resilience and agility for future-proofing SCM and harnessing digital technologies to accelerate this journey. It analyzes aspects such as the pandemic’s impact on global supply chains, key shortcomings in traditional SCM practices, emerging changes in business models in light of the pandemic, characteristics of a future-proof supply chain, the role of digital transformation in future-proofing SCM, elements of successful digital transformation, and the role of service providers in driving digital transformation. Scope SCM processes including make/manufacture, deliver, and after-sales services All geographies and industries Contents In this viewpoint, we study the following topics: The impact of COVID-19 on global supply chains and emerging changes in business models Key characteristics of a future-proof supply chain The role of digital transformation in future-proofing supply chains and elements of successful digital transformation The role of service providers in driving digital transformation and associated benefits Membership(s) Procurement and Supply Chain Sourcing and Vendor Management

On January 19, Everest Group hosted a webinar titled, "How is Finance & Accounting Outsourcing Evolving to Support CFOs in Future-Proofing Their Organizations?" Finance and accounting is not new to business process outsourcing. Not only is it growing at a steady pace, but it is evolving as organizations aim to use it more strategically. Everest Group speakers Shirley Hung, VP, Michel Janssen, CRO, and Vignesh Kannan, Practice Director, discuss critical trends in Finance & Accounting Outsourcing (FAO), including the role of data and analytics in building business resilience. They also touch on key findings from Everest Group’s recent Global CFO Survey, which reveals the current mindset of finance leaders as they help their businesses emerge with momentum from the global pandemic. Key takeaways: The CFO’s view on business imperatives, changes in operating models, and how the role may evolve Adoption drivers and trends that are shaping the FAO service provider landscape How FAO service providers can deliver value through data and analytics We answer the following questions: What are the key short- and long-term business imperatives according to CFOs? How will the CFO role evolve due to an ongoing environment of extreme uncertainty? What changes are expected in finance and accounting operating models? What are the key adoption drivers for FAO? What key trends are shaping the FAO service provider landscape? How are FAO service providers delivering value through data and analytics?

The Vendor Management System (VMS) market is growing at a strong rate, as an increasing number of enterprises realize that VMS is a useful technology solution for enterprises globally. It is experiencing widespread adoption across industries and geographies, as more enterprises leverage contingent workers as part of their workforce and need a technology solution to manage the entire contingent workforce management life cycle. In recent years, VMSs have not only enhanced the features and functionalities of core technology, but have also expanded the scope of services delivered to other areas within Contingent Workforce Management (CWM). The increasing services scope has helped evolve the vendor landscape, with many technology vendors building capabilities to cater to unique client needs across geographies and industries. Providers are increasing the breadth and depth of their functionalities/offerings by making investments to enhance the solution’s User Interface / User Experience (UI/UX) and providing mobile-enabled solutions. They are building additional capabilities to enhance compliance management, talent pool creation, and vendor and candidate sourcing. It is a burgeoning market, rapidly evolving in terms of product features, deployment options, product architecture, training and support, and partner ecosystem. This report leverages Everest Group’s proprietary PEAK Matrix® framework to evaluate 18 VMS technology vendors’ capabilities across two key dimensions – market impact and vision & capability. Scope Industry: Vendor Management System (VMS), Contingent Workforce Management (CWM) Geography: Global Contents This report looks at: Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix® evaluation of VMS technology vendors and their categorization into Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants Competitive landscape of the VMS technology vendor market Key strengths and limitations of each VMS technology vendor Membership(s) Contingent Workforce Management Sourcing and Vendor Management

The Vendor Management System (VMS) – Technology Vendor Profile Compendium is a companion to Everest Group’s recently published Vendor Management System (VMS) Products PEAK Matrix® Assessment with Technology Vendor Landscape 2021 report. The compendium provides comprehensive and fact-based snapshots of 18 VMS vendors, with each profile providing an overview of the technology vendor’s company and product, key clients and partnerships, and client portfolio across geographies, industries, and buyer size, along with product capabilities and key developments. In addition, each profile provides the technology vendor’s positioning on the Everest Group PEAK Matrix and offers an analysis of its capabilities. The compendium will enable technology vendors to benchmark their capabilities against competitors and assist buyers in assessing the vendors on their desired set of capabilities. Scope Industry: Vendor Management System (VMS), Contingent Workforce Management (CWM) Geography: global Content Each technology vendor profile includes the following details: Company and product overview Recent investments and announcements Market adoption and partnership overview Client portfolio mix Partnerships Product features and functionalities, and key enhancements Measure of capabilities across PEAK Matrix® dimensions Key areas of strength and limitations Membership(s) Contingent Workforce Management Sourcing and Vendor Management

Record-to-Report (R2R) is a complex F&A process area that not only provides critical insights into a company’s strategic, financial, and operational business performance to relevant stakeholders, but is also the custodian of all organizational data. As CFOs and finance teams work toward becoming strategic advisors to the business, many are short on time and resources when managing their R2R processes manually. They often struggle with disparate data, manual spreadsheets, localized processes, and multiple legacy systems that lack automated processes. Even for companies that have digitized their data, lack of proper information-sharing leads to poor process visibility and limits the ability to generate holistic insights. In today’s competitive business environment, amid market and economic volatility and a changing regulatory environment, complexities for the R2R function are growing. Hence, finance leaders are under increasing pressure from internal and external stakeholders to address these pain points through increased and efficient technology intervention. In this report, we discuss the R2R technology landscape and embedded next-generation technologies such as RPA, advanced analytics, and blockchain, as well as their role in future-proofing the R2R function. We also examine the major R2R technology categories – treasury management systems, financial controls & automation suites, Corporate Performance Management (CPM), and business intelligence & analytics. Scope: All industries and geographies Contents: Drawing insights from our extensive research, this study addresses the following topics: The current R2R landscape and challenges within R2R R2R technology framework, key categories, and embedded advanced technologies Emerging themes and key adoption criteria in R2R R2R BPO market trends and evolving talent considerations Membership(s)Finance and Accounting Sourcing and Vendor Management

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are increasingly expecting procurement to drive business outcomes such as risk management, innovation, working capital optimization, and spend visibility, in addition to the function’s more traditional cost-saving responsibilities. Procurement Outsourcing (PO) service providers have played a crucial role in supporting enterprises to maintain the business continuity of procurement operations through their domain expertise and digital capabilities. They are fast becoming strategic partners, helping enterprises transform their procurement operations and driving the adoption of advanced digital technologies such as advanced analytics and RPA by leveraging in-house capabilities, partnership ecosystem, and targeted investments. In this research, we present detailed assessments of 19 PO service providers featured on the PO Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2021. Each assessment provides a comprehensive picture of the service provider’s market success, vision and strategy, service focus and capabilities, digital and technological solutions, domain investments, and buyer feedback to assist buyers in making sourcing decisions. Scope All industries and geographies The assessment is based on Everest Group’s annual RFI process for the calendar year 2021, interactions with leading procurement service providers, client reference checks, and an ongoing analysis of the PO services market Contents This report examines: The PO Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2021 Key insights into PEAK Matrix® dimensions Strengths and limitations of individual service providers Enterprise sourcing considerations Overview of top PO providers across geographies and industries, along with their respective market shares Membership(s) Procurement Outsourcing (PO) Sourcing and Vendor Management

On August 17, 2021, PRO Unlimited, a leading vendor neutral Managed Service Provider (MSP) / Contingent Workforce Management (CWM) solutions provider, acquired Workforce Logiq, another leading vendor neutral MSP/CWM solutions provider. This acquisition makes good sense given their synergies – both vendor neutral providers leverage an integrated, platform-driven MSP/CWM approach with solutions spanning the entire contingent spectrum. It also comes at an important time for the industry, as the MSP/CWM market is changing significantly, triggered by the pandemic. With this acquisition, PRO Unlimited has taken a big step to becoming one of the strongest providers in the industry, with end-to-end integrated platform-driven capabilities. We believe that this acquisition has the potential to disrupt the contingent workforce management space, with implications for all major constituents in the market – competitors, enterprises, and, of course, these two companies. In this report, we explore the acquisition objectives, analyze the key drivers and rationale behind it, and discuss the major implications and considerations for all market stakeholders. Scope: Contingent Workforce Management (CWM) / Managed Services Provider (MSP) Industry:All Geography: Global Contents: In this report, we explore: PRO Unlimited’s stated acquisition objectives, as outlined by Kevin Akeroyd, CEO of PRO Unlimited Major drivers behind this acquisition Key implications, considerations, and outlook for market stakeholders Membership(s) Contingent Workforce Management Sourcing and Vendor Management

Despite the pandemic, the global multi-process Finance and Accounting Outsourcing (FAO) market continued to grow at a steady rate of 5-7% in 2020. While transaction volumes and large-scale initiatives, especially in heavily impacted industries, shrank for about two quarters in 2020, huge demand for digitalization, cost takeout / cash unlock, and the need for Business Continuity Planning (BCP), agility, and resiliency drove growth in 2020, a trend which continues in 2021. Increased openness among organizations to engage with third-party Finance and Accounting (F&A) service providers, digital transformation efforts, an increasing number of first-time outsourcers (especially in the SMB and mid-market segment), and rising demand for next-generation technology and high-end F&A work from mature outsourcers is expected to continue to drive market growth in 2021. Some of the key means by which providers are differentiating themselves are end-to-end transformative solutions, combined with domain and industry expertise, a design-thinking approach, transformation frameworks, and next-generation innovative offerings leveraging automation and analytics. This research studies and assesses FAO service providers based on their vision and capabilities, and market impact, and categorizes them as Leaders, Major Contenders, Aspirants, and Star Performers based on their market performance. Scope Geography: global Services: FAO Contents In this research, we focus on: Everest Group’s Services PEAK Matrix® evaluation, a comprehensive assessment of 28 FAO service providers 2021 FAO PEAK Matrix and Star Performers Service provider capability assessment FAO service provider landscape Key strengths and limitations of each FAO service provider Membership(s) Finance and Accounting Sourcing and Vendor Management

On September 21, Everest Group hosted a webinar titled, "5 New Ways to Drive Strategic Results from Procurement Outsourcing." In recent years, procurement has evolved from predominantly focusing on savings and operational excellence to a more strategic focus on end-to-end category management and supplier relationship management.</pP This progression has increased enterprises’ focus on strategic engagements, including how best to drive business results from their procurement outsourcing models and extract the most value from their engagements across delivery models, pricing structures, governance and performance, talent management, digital transformation, and more. Watch this webinar to discover ways that leading procurement service providers are delivering differentiated value in these areas for their clients. What questions does the webinar answer for the participants? What are the key components of an effective procurement outsourcing model? What are typical engagement structures between service providers and enterprises? How does outsourcing drive digital transformation in procurement processes? What is needed for a robust governance and performance model to manage your procurement outsourcing partnerships? What is the latest on the procurement outsourcing service provider landscape?