Pushing the Boundaries of Tax Technology – Together at Vertex Exchange

How far can tax technology go? 

It’s a bold question, and one we’re exploring in depth this week at the Vertex Exchange in Austin. As we gather with customers, partners, and industry leaders, we’re not just talking about what’s next – we're building it.

In the past year, we’ve taken our longstanding customer relationships and ecosystem partnerships to new levels. Together, we are expanding the traditional boundaries of tax technology and empowering our customers to stay ahead of rapid changes in digital commerce and global e-invoicing. We’re also advancing our capabilities in AI and data management to drive greater efficiency and support intelligent decision-making in response to a rapidly evolving market. 

Many of the presentations at this year’s Exchange spotlight the innovations our customers are driving within their organizations. From reimagining workflows to transforming how tax supports business growth, these stories reflect the agility and ambition of tax teams navigating today’s complex landscape.

Business growth and tax compliance are difficult hurdles to clear today, given the accelerating speed of global commerce’s transformation, the rising intensity of regulatory demands, and the profound ways in which technology reshapes how tax teams work. 

These shifts bring new pressures, but even greater possibilities. Leveraging those possibilities involves addressing three pervasive challenges: 

• The data dilemma: As organizations have become data-driven, tax data qualifies as a strategic asset that’s used not only for tax data analytics but also to support financial planning and customer experience initiatives. The difficulty is that fragmented, inconsistent data located in multiple ERP, procurement, and e-commerce platforms disrupts the tax department’s ability to maintain a clear view of the organization’s tax positions. Vertex innovations enable faster closes, fewer manual reconciliations, and real-time decision-making. But solving the data dilemma requires more than technology, it demands ecosystem coordination and partners who understand the urgency of innovation and the complexity of omnichannel commerce.
• Speed and scale enabled by a connected global platform: Transformation in tax doesn’t happen in silos, it happens when speed and scale are unified across a connected ecosystem. Vertex Cloud brings together global tax content and AI-driven capabilities into one cohesive platform, enabling tax teams to operate with agility and precision across every jurisdiction. We’ve embedded agentic AI directly into compliance workflows to eliminate the late-night scramble tax teams know all too well. These intelligent agents act as digital teammates by automating rule creation and providing monthly data updates. They also help to streamline reconciliation and accelerate month-end close cycles. The result being a smoother path from calculation to compliance, with fewer fire drills and more confidence.
• The future-ready tax team: Business leaders often require tax teams to do more with less while maintaining greater precision and foresight. To help customers stay ahead of constant regulatory change, our AI agent simplifies monthly updates, making them faster and easier to manage. We’ve also expanded our certification and training programs so teams can unlock more value from our technology, quickly and confidently. Our Global Partner Program has been enhanced as well, ensuring partners are equipped to accelerate time-to-value and provide deeper support across every stage of the customer journey.

We’re honored to have those partners on hand at Exchange to discuss how we work in lockstep to ensure seamless tax compliance is a reality for our customers. We’re also equally honored to listen to our customers’ accounts of their innovations. Together, we’re discovering precisely how far tax technology can expand – and how much value it can add.

As I reflect on how far we’ve come (and how far we’re pushing the boundaries of tax technology together), it feels especially meaningful to be writing this during a time of transition. With deep pride and optimism, I’m preparing to pass the baton to Christopher Young, who will soon become Vertex’s next CEO. Chris is a customer first leader who brings a sharp focus on AI, a deep understanding of enterprise transformation, and a passion for innovation that will carry Vertex forward. I’m confident that Vertex is well-positioned to keep advancing — with the right leadership, the right technology, and the right team to build what’s next in service to our amazing customers and partners.