Shifted from headcount billing to outcome-based hours across 80 languages
Vendors approve invoices in anaplan, eliminating disputes and manual work
Accurate forecasting and planning cut spend significantly across operatio
YouTube's Support Ops and Trust & Safety teams faced a critical challenge: managing $600-700 million in vendor labor across 80 languages and 100 countries using disconnected spreadsheets. Each team had different versions, creating endless debates over whose numbers were right.
The platform operated on a headcount model, paying vendors for 300 heads regardless of actual work performed. With growth slowing and efficiency becoming critical, YouTube needed precision.
Enter Anaplan: within two years, they achieved 12% labor cost savings, reduced invoice processing from 22 days to 10, and shifted to outcome-based billing where vendors are paid for specific hours by activity type—not just headcount.
