VMS (Vendor Management System) concepts are similar to HRIS concepts, but deal primarily with EW (External Workers). There is software like SAP Fieldglass, Workday VNDLY and Beeline, but you can also explore the data directly.
| Category | Subcategory | Concept | Description | Shortcode Equation | Use Case | Keywords | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | System Definition | VMS (Vendor Management System) | Software platform for managing external/contingent workers — contractors, temps, freelancers, consultants — outside the core HRIS | Central system for sourcing, onboarding, tracking, and offboarding non-employee workers | contingent workforce, external workers, vendor management, non-employee | |||
| Foundation | Worker Types | Contingent Worker | Any worker engaged by an organization who is not a direct W-2 employee — includes temps, contractors, SOW workers, and independent consultants | Workforce composition analysis, total workforce reporting, co-employment risk management | contractor, temp, freelancer, non-employee, contingent labor | |||
| Foundation | Worker Types | Statement of Work (SOW) | A contract defining a specific deliverable, timeline, and cost — worker delivers an outcome rather than hours | Project-based engagements, IT implementations, consulting projects | SOW, project-based, deliverable, fixed price | |||
| Foundation | Worker Types | Independent Contractor (IC) | Self-employed individual engaged for specific work — not employed by a staffing agency | Specialized skills, short-term projects, cost-effective resource augmentation | 1099, IC, independent, self-employed | |||
| EW Workforce Metrics | Headcount | External Worker Headcount | Total count of active non-employee workers engaged at a point in time | [COUNT of Active External Workers] | Total workforce visibility, budget planning, co-employment threshold monitoring | contingent count, contractor headcount, non-employee census | ||
| EW Workforce Metrics | Headcount | Total Workforce (HRIS + VMS) | Combined count of internal employees and external workers for a complete workforce picture | [HRIS Headcount + VMS Headcount] | Executive reporting, workforce planning, capacity analysis | total workforce, blended headcount, combined labor | ||
| EW Workforce Metrics | Spend | Contingent Labor Spend | Total cost of external workers including bill rates, agency fees, and expenses | [SUM of (Hours * Bill Rate) + Expenses] | Budget management, cost optimization, make vs buy decisions | contractor spend, labor cost, bill rate, contingent budget | ||
| EW Workforce Metrics | Spend | Spend by Supplier | Total contingent labor spend broken down by staffing agency or supplier | [SUM of Spend grouped by Supplier] | Supplier consolidation, preferred vendor management, rate card compliance | supplier spend, agency cost, vendor performance | ||
| Compliance | Classification | Worker Classification | Proper categorization of workers (employee vs contractor) per IRS and labor law guidelines | Co-employment risk mitigation, legal compliance, audit readiness | worker classification, co-employment, IRS rules, misclassification | |||
| Compliance | Tenure | Contractor Tenure Limits | Maximum duration a contractor can engage before triggering co-employment risk (typically 18–24 months) | [Days Since Engagement Start] | Risk management, engagement extensions, conversion-to-hire decisions | tenure limits, engagement duration, co-employment threshold | ||
| Compliance | Onboarding | Credential Verification | Validation that contractors hold required certifications, background checks, and work authorization before starting | Compliance onboarding, audit readiness, background screening | credentials, background check, I-9, work authorization | |||
| Lifecycle | Onboarding | EW Onboarding | Process of engaging a new external worker — requisition, supplier selection, offer, background check, system access | Standardized contractor onboarding, time-to-start tracking | onboarding, contractor start, access provisioning | |||
| Lifecycle | Offboarding | EW Offboarding | Process of ending an external worker engagement — access removal, final timesheet approval, PO closure | Risk management, access control, financial closeout | offboarding, termination, engagement end, access removal | |||
| Lifecycle | Time & Expense | Timesheet Approval | Weekly review and approval of contractor hours by hiring manager before invoicing | Payroll accuracy, billing validation, labor cost control | timesheets, hours approval, contractor time, billing | |||
| Performance | Supplier | Supplier Performance | Measurement of staffing agency performance on metrics like fill rate, time-to-fill, and quality of candidates submitted | [(Filled Reqs / Total Reqs) * 100] | Preferred supplier program, vendor scorecard, agency consolidation | supplier scorecard, fill rate, agency performance, vendor quality | ||
| Performance | Worker | Contractor Performance Rating | Evaluation of individual contractor performance by hiring manager at end of engagement or on a periodic basis | Extension decisions, conversion-to-hire eligibility, quality tracking | contractor evaluation, performance rating, extension | |||
| Analytics | Reporting | EW Dashboard | Visual display of key contingent workforce KPIs — headcount, spend, tenure, compliance status, and supplier performance | Executive reporting, program oversight, compliance monitoring | VMS dashboard, contingent reporting, workforce analytics | |||
| Analytics | Risk | Co-Employment Risk Report | List of contractors approaching or exceeding tenure thresholds that require immediate action to avoid legal exposure | [Days Active > Threshold] | Legal risk mitigation, proactive engagement management | co-employment, tenure alert, risk report | ||
| Integration | Systems | HRIS-VMS Integration | Data connection between VMS (Beeline/Fieldglass) and HRIS (Workday/Oracle) for unified total workforce reporting | Total workforce view, single source of truth, consolidated analytics | system integration, data bridge, unified workforce | |||
| Integration | Systems | ERP Integration | Connection between VMS and ERP (Oracle/SAP) for purchase order management, invoicing, and financial reporting | Financial controls, PO management, invoice reconciliation | ERP, Oracle, SAP, purchase order, invoicing | |||
| Category | Subcategory | EW Query | Description | Use Case | Excel Formula | DAX Query | Oracle SQL Query | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | Active Count | Active External Worker Count | Count of all currently active contractors and temps | Workforce planning, co-employment monitoring, total workforce reporting | =COUNTIF(EW_Status,"Active") | Active EW = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), ExternalWorkers[Status]="Active") | SELECT COUNT(*) AS active_ew FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' | active contractors, contingent headcount, EW count |
| Headcount | By Supplier | EW Count by Supplier | Count of active external workers grouped by staffing agency | Supplier consolidation, preferred vendor tracking, spend allocation | =COUNTIFS(EW_Status,"Active",Supplier,@Supplier_Name) | EW by Supplier = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), ExternalWorkers[Status]="Active", ALLEXCEPT(ExternalWorkers, ExternalWorkers[Supplier])) | SELECT supplier_name, COUNT(*) AS ew_count FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' GROUP BY supplier_name ORDER BY ew_count DESC | supplier count, agency headcount, vendor workers |
| Headcount | Total Workforce | Combined HRIS + VMS Headcount | Total of internal employees plus external workers for a complete workforce picture | Executive dashboards, capacity planning, workforce strategy | =COUNTIF(Employees_Status,"Active")+COUNTIF(EW_Status,"Active") | Total Workforce = [Active HC] + [Active EW] | SELECT 'Internal' AS type, COUNT(*) AS count FROM employees WHERE status = 'Active' UNION ALL SELECT 'External', COUNT(*) FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' | total workforce, blended headcount, combined labor count |
| Headcount | By Department | EW by Department | Count of active external workers by the internal department they support | Resource planning, department cost allocation, manager oversight | =COUNTIFS(EW_Status,"Active",Department,@Dept_Name) | EW by Dept = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), ExternalWorkers[Status]="Active", ALLEXCEPT(ExternalWorkers, ExternalWorkers[Department])) | SELECT department, COUNT(*) AS ew_count FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' GROUP BY department ORDER BY ew_count DESC | department contractors, contingent by dept, external workers per team |
| Spend | Total Spend | Total Contingent Labor Spend | Sum of all costs for external workers in a period including hours, bill rates, and expenses | Budget tracking, cost management, program ROI | =SUMPRODUCT(EW_Hours*Bill_Rate)+SUM(Expenses) | Total EW Spend = CALCULATE(SUM(ExternalWorkers[Total_Cost]), ExternalWorkers[Status]="Active") | SELECT ROUND(SUM(hours_worked * bill_rate) + SUM(expenses), 2) AS total_spend FROM ew_timesheets WHERE timesheet_date BETWEEN :start_date AND :end_date | contingent spend, labor cost, contractor cost, bill rate total |
| Spend | By Supplier | Spend by Staffing Agency | Total spend per supplier for period — fees, hours, and expenses combined | Supplier negotiation, preferred vendor management, rate card compliance | =SUMIFS(EW_Cost,Supplier,@Supplier_Name,Date,">="&@Start,Date,"<="&@End) | Spend by Supplier = CALCULATE(SUM(ExternalWorkers[Total_Cost]), ALLEXCEPT(ExternalWorkers, ExternalWorkers[Supplier])) | SELECT supplier_name, ROUND(SUM(hours_worked * bill_rate), 2) AS total_spend FROM ew_timesheets t JOIN external_workers e ON t.ew_id = e.ew_id GROUP BY supplier_name ORDER BY total_spend DESC | agency spend, supplier cost, vendor billing |
| Spend | Monthly Trend | Monthly Contingent Spend Trend | Month-over-month contingent labor spend for trend analysis and budget variance | Budget variance, cost forecasting, seasonal pattern identification | =SUMIFS(EW_Cost,Month,@Month_Value,Year,@Year_Value) | Monthly EW Spend = CALCULATE(SUM(ExternalWorkers[Total_Cost]), DATESMTD(Calendar[Date])) | SELECT TRUNC(timesheet_date,'MM') AS month, ROUND(SUM(hours_worked * bill_rate), 2) AS monthly_spend FROM ew_timesheets GROUP BY TRUNC(timesheet_date,'MM') ORDER BY month | spend trend, monthly cost, contingent budget, cost over time |
| Compliance | Tenure Tracking | Contractors Approaching Tenure Limit | List of contractors within 60 days of reaching their maximum engagement duration | Co-employment risk management, proactive extension or offboarding decisions | =IF((TODAY()-@Start_Date)>=(Limit_Days-60),EW_Name,"") | Tenure Alert = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), DATEDIFF(ExternalWorkers[Start_Date], TODAY(), DAY) >= ExternalWorkers[Tenure_Limit] - 60) | SELECT ew_id, ew_name, start_date, tenure_limit_days, (SYSDATE - start_date) AS days_active FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' AND (SYSDATE - start_date) >= (tenure_limit_days - 60) ORDER BY days_active DESC | tenure alert, co-employment risk, engagement limit, contractor duration |
| Compliance | Tenure Exceeded | Contractors Exceeding Tenure Limit | External workers who have surpassed the maximum engagement duration and require immediate action | Immediate risk mitigation, audit compliance, legal exposure reduction | =IF((TODAY()-@Start_Date)>@Limit_Days,EW_Name,"") | Tenure Exceeded = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), DATEDIFF(ExternalWorkers[Start_Date], TODAY(), DAY) > ExternalWorkers[Tenure_Limit]) | SELECT ew_id, ew_name, start_date, ROUND(SYSDATE - start_date, 0) AS days_active, tenure_limit_days FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' AND (SYSDATE - start_date) > tenure_limit_days ORDER BY days_active DESC | tenure exceeded, co-employment violation, overdue review |
| Compliance | Credential Check | Expired Credential Report | External workers with certifications or background checks expiring within the next 30 days | Compliance maintenance, audit readiness, contractor management | =IF((@Credential_Expiry-TODAY())<=30,EW_Name,"") | Expiring Creds = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), DATEDIFF(TODAY(), ExternalWorkers[Credential_Expiry], DAY) <= 30) | SELECT ew_id, ew_name, credential_type, credential_expiry FROM ew_credentials WHERE credential_expiry BETWEEN SYSDATE AND SYSDATE + 30 ORDER BY credential_expiry | credential expiry, certification lapse, background check, compliance alert |
| Lifecycle | Onboarding | Time to Start | Average days from requisition approval to contractor first day on site | Onboarding efficiency, supplier SLA tracking, hiring velocity | =AVERAGE(@First_Day_Date - @Req_Approved_Date) | Avg Time to Start = AVERAGE(ExternalWorkers[Days_to_Start]) | SELECT ROUND(AVG(start_date - req_approved_date), 1) AS avg_days_to_start FROM external_workers WHERE start_date IS NOT NULL | onboarding speed, time to start, contractor onboarding, supplier SLA |
| Lifecycle | Offboarding | Upcoming Engagement Ends | External workers with scheduled end dates in the next 30 days requiring action | Resource planning, knowledge transfer, backfill preparation | =IF((@End_Date-TODAY())<=30,EW_Name,"") | Ending Soon = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), DATEDIFF(TODAY(), ExternalWorkers[End_Date], DAY) <= 30) | SELECT ew_id, ew_name, department, end_date FROM external_workers WHERE status = 'Active' AND end_date BETWEEN SYSDATE AND SYSDATE + 30 ORDER BY end_date | engagement end, upcoming terminations, offboarding pipeline |
| Performance | Supplier | Supplier Fill Rate | Percentage of submitted requisitions successfully filled by each supplier | Preferred supplier evaluation, agency scorecard, program optimization | =(COUNTIFS(Supplier,@Name,Status,"Filled")/COUNTIFS(Supplier,@Name))*100 | Fill Rate = DIVIDE(CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Requisitions), Requisitions[Status]="Filled"), CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Requisitions), ALLEXCEPT(Requisitions, Requisitions[Supplier])))*100 | SELECT supplier_name, ROUND((COUNT(CASE WHEN status = 'Filled' THEN 1 END) / COUNT(*)) * 100, 2) AS fill_rate FROM requisitions GROUP BY supplier_name ORDER BY fill_rate DESC | fill rate, supplier performance, requisition fulfillment |
| Performance | Worker | Contractor Extension Rate | Percentage of contractor engagements extended beyond the original end date — signals quality | Contractor quality signal, manager satisfaction, conversion-to-hire indicator | =(COUNTIF(Extended_Flag,"Y")/COUNTA(EW_ID))*100 | Extension Rate = DIVIDE(CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers), ExternalWorkers[Extended]="Y"), COUNTROWS(ExternalWorkers))*100 | SELECT ROUND((COUNT(CASE WHEN extended_flag = 'Y' THEN 1 END) / COUNT(*)) * 100, 2) AS extension_rate FROM external_workers WHERE start_date >= :period_start | contractor quality, extension rate, engagement renewal |
| Analytics | Reporting | EW vs Internal Ratio | Ratio of external workers to internal employees by department for workforce mix analysis | Workforce balance, dependency risk, insourcing/outsourcing strategy | =(COUNTIF(EW_Status,"Active")/COUNTIF(Emp_Status,"Active"))*100 | EW Ratio = DIVIDE([Active EW], [Active HC])*100 | SELECT department, SUM(CASE WHEN worker_type = 'External' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS ew_count, SUM(CASE WHEN worker_type = 'Internal' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS emp_count, ROUND(SUM(CASE WHEN worker_type = 'External' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) / NULLIF(SUM(CASE WHEN worker_type = 'Internal' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END),0) * 100, 2) AS ew_ratio FROM total_workforce GROUP BY department | workforce mix, EW ratio, contingent dependency, make vs buy |