Three Things I Wish I Knew before Purchasing a VMS for Higher Education

In Higher Education institutions, managing your contingent workers is highly important. With many contract positions continuously being created due to the seasonality of higher education, it’s imperative that these institutions constantly know who is working for them, what each worker is doing, how much they are being paid, and whether they are delivering the expected results. With vendor management systems offering an easy solution to procure, manage, and interact with contingent workers all in one central software system, it’s no surprise that it is a very helpful tool for colleges and universities. However, when looking to purchase a VMS, there are several things to consider about as you weigh your options, starting with these three questions. 

How customizable is the software? 

It is highly important to consider whether the VMS you’re purchasing has the capability to adapt to your specific needs. Ask each vendor to answer these questions and verify their responses through references. 

• Can the VMS company work with you to create an implementation timeline that works with your schedule?  
• Can they configure the system so that your policies and processes are enabled, or are you expected to change the way you do business to align with the VMS system?  
• Can the system handle workers under different work agreements, including hourly workers and individuals such as adjunct professors who are paid a fixed fee?  Can it accurately manage different benefit plans by worker type and location? 
• Can they gather and visualize your employee data in easy-to-read reports for you?  
• Can the VMS scale if your organization grows or your needs change? 

How fluid is the user experience? 

Vendor Management Systems are all built differently, so it’s imperative to ensure that the program you’re interested in is intuitive and easy to use. See if the VMS has visual demonstrations of the platform online or contact the company directly to get a test demo. While you review the software for usability, make sure to check if the navigation is straightforward, if the data reporting is easy to understand without additional support, and if the interactive functionalities are not too complicated to learn.  Can the onboarding experience be streamlined for different worker types?  Is training available?  In what form?  Will documentation specific to your instance of the software be available, and will it be updated as your needs change? 

How well will the VMS integrate with existing systems? 

When you’re introducing a VMS into your institution’s infrastructure, you will need to consider how it can and should integrate with other systems. Having the VMS integrated with existing HRIS and ERP systems can help the vendor management system provide you with accurate data and adapt more quickly to suit your institution’s needs. Be sure to ask the VMS provider what their integration capabilities look like before you agree to purchase, and what the integration timeline would look like. 

When building an effective workforce management program that includes contingent personnel, take a holistic approach that begins with consideration of people and process needs, then determine the VMS technology that will enable you to conduct business the way you want.  A contingent workforce management provider can help you every step of the way from program design through implementation and ongoing program operations.  To learn more about how nextSource can help, contact us.