Who Gets Credit? How Analysts Get the Right Attribution (and How an RMS Makes It Happen)

Great investment ideas are rarely in short supply. What’s harder is keeping track of where those ideas came from, how they evolved, and who should get credit.

For analysts, attribution impacts compensation and career growth. For PMs, it’s about knowing who’s consistently adding value. And for operations and technology leaders, it’s about supporting a system that brings structure to an often-messy process.

But without the right tools, attribution often lives in fragmented notes and disconnected email threads.

Attribution Without a System Is Shaky at Best

In theory, attribution should answer:

• Who originated the idea?
• What was the thesis at the time?
• Was it implemented?
• What was the outcome?

In practice, it’s not so simple. Research often unfolds across shared coverage. Ideas evolve. Valuable contributions get missed or misattributed when records are scattered or incomplete.

RELATED: How PMs Stay On Top of Process & Portfolio With VerityRMS

What an RMS Does Differently

A modern research management system (RMS) helps bring transparency and structure to the research process. It doesn’t force rigid workflows — it supports the way teams actually operate while creating a consistent, searchable record of analyst contributions.

Here’s what that looks like:

Timestamps & Ownership

Notes, models, and thesis documents are automatically linked to their author. That gives teams a clear trail of what was said — and when.

Tagging for Better Traceability

Research can be tagged by ticker, theme, or idea type (e.g., long, short, catalyst). PMs and team leads can trace decisions and results back to the original thinking.

Visibility Across the Team

Work from junior analysts or cross-functional contributors doesn’t get buried. Everyone’s input is captured in one place and easy to reference.

Clarity During Performance Reviews

When comp discussions roll around, analysts can quickly pull a record of their ideas, updates, and impact. PMs and COOs get a clearer view without digging through inboxes.

Take an Interactive Tour

There are many ways to track & report on ideas in a modern RMS. Walk through a company tearsheet example to see how notes, theses, and research updates get connected — making it easy to see who contributed, what was said, and how it all played out.

Bottom Line

Attribution isn’t just about credit — it’s about clarity. Clarity on who’s delivering. Clarity on how decisions are made. And clarity on what kind of research actually drives performance. An RMS doesn’t just organize information. It creates a foundation for better recognition, faster decisions, and stronger accountability across the team.

See How Analysts & PMs Work Together in VerityRMS

See why VerityRMS is the modern research management system trusted by global asset managers. Get your 1:1 demo to explore the possibilities VerityRMS can bring to your process, workflows, and decision-making.