Implementing an ERP system requires specific configuration with the integration of the right tools required by the company. An ERP consultant helps with this configuration and integration. An ERP consultant makes sure all the ERP components run smoothly to streamline the operational tasks.
Now, what ERP consultants generally do can be further divided into specializations. Just like doctors, ERP consultants specialize in certain areas, Some ERP consultants specialize in technical aspects, while others focus more on user-focused functionalities. Both types of specialist ERP consultants need to have a strong understanding of how ERP systems function.
Likewise, in the NetSuite ERP space, businesses need the help of a NetSuite technical consultant or NetSuite functional consultant based on their implementation needs. Businesses, for their NetSuite implementation, often need a mix of both technical and functional ERP consultants.
Overview of NetSuite Functional & Technical Consultants
The role of the functional consultant is important at the start of a NetSuite ERP project; at the beginning of the project, they need to evaluate the functional needs of the client. To decide the functionalities, they need to understand the operational issues faced by the client. They need to understand the specific NetSuite features and functions the client needs. This stage is mostly about setting the right stage for a successful implementation.
After the NetSuite ERP features and functionalities are decided, the role of technical consultant begins. Based on the plan and the detailed blueprint of required features and functionalities, the technical consultant starts working on the technical aspects. Their role is to understand technical requirements and plan system configuration and integration accordingly.
When the NetSuite ERP implementation is finally done, the technical consultant still needs to stick around. They need to ensure that the new system functions without technical glitches and make certain adjustments as and when needed. They are also responsible for timely updates and value additions.
Functional Consultant
The Functional consultant focuses on the user-centric functionalities that a business needs through ERP implementation. By taking into account the respective business processes and organizational objectives, they create a plan for the ERP functions.
They also set a few functional benchmarks for the ERP implementation. They create the implementation plan by discussing it with the business leaders and main stakeholders within the organization.
In short, Functional Consultant is responsible for the following:
- Find typical functional solutions to address system issues
- Plan new functions and integrations as per the business objectives
- Create benchmarks and performance standards for the system
- Make detailed reports mentioning crucial requirements
- Plan budget for the ERP implementation
- Document the ERP implementation plan
Technical Consultant
A technical manager, generally a programmer or system administrator, is responsible for dealing with the technical side of the implementation. They are generally seasoned software developers. However, their official designation often varies from one company to another.
The technical consultant takes care of the required system configuration, system updates, and seamless performance of the system. They also need to fix the bugs and system glitches from time to time to ensure streamlined performance. On top of all, they are also troubleshooting experts who are called whenever the system faces any performance issues.
In short, technical NetSuite consultants are responsible for the following:
- Configure and deploy the systems
- Make sure that new software modules are correctly installed and configured
- Roll out technical updates to improve performance
- Fix bugs and security glitches
Primary Difference Between Functional and Technical Consultants
Functional and technical ERP consultants have a distinct role to play in an ERP implementation project. Let’s summarize their roles here.
Functional ERP Consultant:
- Business Alignment: Functional consultants, based upon the specific business processes, plan the ERP system functions.
- Deciding the Modules: They decide the required ERP modules and prioritize their configuration based on business requirements.
- Training, Support & Reporting: They create detailed ERP implementation reports, provide training to business users, and offer support.
Technical ERP Consultant:
- Customization and Integration: Technical consultant deals with the customization of the ERP system, building new functionalities, and integrating with existing systems.
- Data Architecture: They also look after the database architecture and optimize the database for desired ERP output.
- Troubleshooting and Maintenance: They also resolve technical glitches, address performance issues, and ensure minimal downtime.
Detailed Comparison of NetSuite Functional vs Technical Consultants
Now that we have explained the roles and operational areas of both types of NetSuite ERP consultants let’s understand what exactly they do and the qualifications or skills they require.
NetSuite Functional Consultant Job Role
- They evaluate, understand, and validate specific requirements for NetSuite implementation, configuration, and customization.
- They do the quality analysis for custom NetSuite services.
- They create test plans with important metrics for testing both the native and custom NetSuite processes.
- They carry out a gap analysis between processes before and after Netsuite implementation.
- They create documentation of users’ implementation of NetSuite functions.
- They do scope analysis for further system enhancement, functional upgrades, and customization.
- They leverage NetSuite ERP functions like NetSuite Custom Records, Role and Permission management, Workflow, Forms, Segments, Fields, Saved Search, etc., for different business-focused tasks.
Required Qualifications and Skills
- They must be experienced in working with businesses to implement all different NetSuite modules.
- They must have domain expertise and knowledge of operational verticals in leading business domains.
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science and a few high-level NetSuite Certifications are expected.
- They must be excellent in business communication and have credible experience in project coordination and planning.
- Most jobs for functional consultants require complete life cycle experiences in ERP implementation projects.
NetSuite Technical Consultant Job Role
- They work closely with the functional consultant to address customization and integration needs.
- They write the script for custom features using mostly JavaScript and NetSuite’s modules.
- They leverage their experience in working with the SuiteCloud environment.
- They leverage their technical knowledge and expertise with NetSuite SuiteBuilder, SuiteFlow & SuiteAnalytics, SuiteTalk, and SuiteScripts.
- They create detailed technical documents elaborating on the implementation, customization, and integration processes.
- They create detailed specification manuals elaborating the use cases, workflow processes, test cases, test results, troubleshooting, and exception handling.
- Customize NetSuite features by writing custom code using SuiteScript.
- Code testing and debugging.
- They integrate third-party or legacy applications with NetSuite as per the implementation plan.
- They provide valuable advice on performance optimization or further customization needs.
Required Qualifications and Skills
- At least a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science.
- A NetSuite Foundation certification is often expected.
- SuiteCloud Developer I certification is often required by employers.
- Relevant NetSuite development experience, particularly with SuiteScript 2.0, is important.
- Technical NetSuite consultants should know leading database technologies such as Oracle and SQL.
- Technical consultants should be versed in Javascript and HTML and should know how to use methodologies like DOM, CSS, and OO.
- For integration, they should also have sound experience in web service technologies such as XML, SOAP, WSDL, etc.
- As for documentation, they should be skilled in using documentation tools such as MS Projects, Visio, Word, Excel, and Google Suite.
- Solution design, script testing & debugging skills are a must.
- As for soft skills, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are highly expected.
Salary, Job Market & Educational Background
When comparing the roles of NetSuite technical and functional consultant, we must have a look at their salaries, job market, and educational background.
Salary and Job Market
Technical consultants in the job market get higher pay than functional consultants. The technical consultants get an annual median pay of $89,290. For functional consultants, the annual pay is $85,317. The hourly rates amount to $42.93 and $41.02, respectively, for technical consultants and functional consultants. The annual growth estimate for both consultants in the job market is 9%. The job opportunities for technical consultants are comparatively bigger. There are 173,374 and 51,066 jobs available, respectively, for technical consultants and functional consultants.
Educational Background
The educational qualifications for both types of consultants are quite similar. A majority (66%) of both technical and functional consultants hold a bachelor’s degree. The common significant specializations of both consultants are computer science, IT, and business management.
How NetSuite Functional and Technical Consultants Get Trained
Since the responsibilities and working roles of functional and technical consultants are different, they work in different environments. They use different tools in the field of their activity. While the functional consultant works in the front office and directly works with business stakeholders, the technical consultant works mainly in the back office and deals with technical aspects of the system.
Functional consultants, besides being qualified in computer science, generally have degrees in functional subjects such as business management, finance, accounting, Human Resources, etc. The technical consultants, on the other hand, have degrees in computer science and specialized ERP certifications.
Benefits of Working with a NetSuite Consultants
NetSuite consultant plays a crucial role in the successful implementation and ease of utilization of the NetSuite ERP platform. With their specialized knowledge of all the domain-specific functional and technical requirements, they can help an organization get the most out of the NetSuite ERP.
Leveraging Expertise and Best Practices:
- Tailored Solutions: Consultants, by analyzing your business needs closely, can tailor functionalities that are ideal for your business processes.
- Industry Expertise: They can also leverage their domain knowledge and best ERP implementation practices.
Fast and Seamless Implementation and Integration
- Quick Deployment: Experienced in similar projects, they can quickly put things in motion with minimum disruptions to your existing operations.
- Seamless Integration: Consultants also focus on the smooth integration of NetSuite with existing and legacy systems to ensure minimal downtime and disruption.
Training and Support:
- User Training: They also download their expertise to bridge the knowledge gap with business users. Through comprehensive training and documentation, they ensure user proficiency with the new system.
- Continuous Support: After successful implementation, consultants continue to provide support for resolving issues and rolling out system updates and value additions.
Actionable Insights:
- Data Utilization: Consultants also help enterprises stay ahead of the competition through actionable insights generated by NetSuite’s data analytics tools.
- A Future-Ready Solution: Consultants also help identify new opportunities for custom enhancements from time to time.
Choosing the Right Consultant for Your Business
Now you have a fair idea of the huge role NetSuite Functional and Technical Consultants play. But how do you choose the right consultant who can meet your ERP implementation objectives and specific business requirements? Below, we provide a few invaluable tips on how to find the ideal professionals to work with for your NetSuite implementation project.
- Insist on certifications: To find a NetSuite Technical Consultant, it is always advisable to focus first on relevant certifications and training they received from NetSuite. The certifications talk of their expertise and skills more candidly than other considerations. Check for recent certifications that ensure that they are versed with the latest features and best NetSuite implementation practices.
- A decent track record: As for finding functional consultants, focus expressly on their track record and experience. Check industry references and case studies of their previous successful projects and find out their deliverables for those projects. Similarly, for technical consultants, you should also go deeper into their track record and experience.
- Check with a test project: This is particularly important for hiring technical consultants. Based on the skills they mentioned in their resume, give them some test tasks around custom programming or integration. Choose the test tasks around modules that you need for your project.
- Don’t forget to assess soft skills: Soft skills are critical for both functional and technical consultants, Communication and collaboration skills are important for both, and particularly how functional consultant can convey their findings to stakeholders is extremely important. For technical consultants, problem-solving skills are extremely important.
Conclusion
Getting onboard the right NetSuite Functional or Technical Consultant goes beyond just filling a role. By hiring them, you make a vital investment in your company’s operational excellence. Besides making successful ERP implementations, both technical and functional consultants help optimize the system as per evolving needs. When an enterprise faces the complexities of ERP integration, an expert consultant can make things easier by setting the right priorities. What appears to be an intimidating task can be turned into a strategic advantage by the best NetSuite consultants.
