How to Become an Odoo ERP Consultant: A Step-by-Step Guide
Being an Odoo ERP Consultant is rewarding both financially and career wise. Most of Organizations have an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementation in place. These companies need regular Application & Production Support, Maintenance, Upgrades, Migrations, Minor or Major enhancements to the systems and much more. There are still numerous growing organizations which are going for a full end-to-end ERP implementation to support their business growth.
This clearly indicates that a career in ERP Consulting is only going to get bigger and better.
Since you are here to read about becoming an ERP (functional & Technical) Consultant, you
would certainly want to know the basics of ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning. So let us
touch upon the very basic fundamentals of what an ERP system is all about
What is an ERP?
(Enterprise Resource Planning)
ERP systems are a set of integrated business applications or modules which are mapped to common business functions like finance, payroll, sales & distribution, etc. in real time with a common database.
The basic utility of an ERP system is to track & maintain transactional records, generate business critical reports and maintain overall visibility & transparency across the organization. You can find a complete blog to understand the basics of ERP so we will not go deeper into explaining it here.
It is now widely used across industries - production, manufacturing, logistics, airline, shipping, retail, medical, education, media, tourism, hospitality, transportation and banking services.
No wonder the opportunities for professionals trained in
ERP is witnessing rapid growth and most often it doesn’t require complex technical
or computer knowledge to be certified as an ERP professional . This is because ERP
implementation is more of understanding a business process rather than software
–hardware implementation and managing databases.
Build a Career in ERP As A Consultant
Here are three broad areas to build a career in ERP Firstly let
us understand the role of an ERP consultant. An ERP consultant is instrumental in ERP
Planning, Selection and Implementation of ERP System and helps to align the business
processes to the ERP modules. ERP Consultants are required right from design phase to the
post-implementation and support phase.
Type Of Consultant:
Odoo ERP Functional Consultant
Functional consultants are a key link in
the ERP chain- they are drawn from various specialties such as Human Resources, Sales and
Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Material management and Inventory.
They understand the client’s business processes, suggest improvements and map the requirements onto the ERP system like Odoo ERP. In one word, they act as an interface between the end user / client and the ERP. They work to provide the as-Is and To-Be State of the business processes, project blueprints, prepare workflows, configure global project settings, end user trainings and much more.
Functional Consultants are experts in their particular area of business. They usually have worked in core business functions for a good period of their career.
Now that we have covered the basics of what the
roles of an ERP Consultant are, let’s learn some more about the actual actions
one can take to become an ERP consultant -
For those who are in Human Resource
Profession
Human Resources (HR) consultants usually have an MBA
background in HR and undergo a course in Human Capital Management (HCM), HR
module of Odoo ERP. Human Resource is responsible for maintenance of payroll,
recruitment, compensation, training and administration. These topics are covered
in HCM packages and managers have the freedom to specialize in area for training
purpose. HR ERP consultants are responsible for defining the structure, data
requirements, configuration, processes and operations in HR module that is
implemented as part of ERP.
For those who are in Financial Profession
Those with MBA in Finance or having a bachelors/masters degree
in commerce can opt for Financial Accounting module, CO –Controlling (Management
Accounting). There are two components in finance- one is maintaining accounts
and second is controlling costs. The Finance Department is responsible for cash
management, maintaining ledgers, bank accounts, taxation, asset management,
balance sheets, profit and loss (PL) statement and related tasks. The CO module
is more attuned to manufacturing department where they have to control costs,
assess the costs and work with marketing teams to improve profitability in
regions where performance is lower.
For those who are in Marketing and Sales
Profession
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) modules are meant for solution providers. They need to have a basic understanding of order fulfilment, sale and business processing. The content convers sales, marketing, web channel, field applications, analytics, customer interaction and so on. Once a student completes training, he or she may be eligible for appearing in the global certification. HR consultant be employed full time in a company or work as independent consultants or trainers.
In logistics, for marketing and sales professionals, there is
the sales and distribution module. This is an important function in an
organization which involves sending quotations, creating sales orders, billing,
and integration with inventory, finance and other departments. They are more
closely integrated with Materials Management and Production Planning. Some of
the functional features in SD are pricing, taxation, credit management, product
availability, output determination and so on. The module is suited for MBA
marketing professionals, sales executives and related professionals.
Some common facts about Functional Consultants
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Career Path for Functional Consultants:
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Start as a Trainee, then progress to Associate Consultant, Consultant, Senior Consultant, Team Leader, and Project Manager.
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Work for different clients throughout your career, either full-time with a company or in a consulting firm.
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Key Skills for Functional Consultants:
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Domain knowledge, understanding of business processes, strong configuration skills, teamwork, and good communication.
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It's not just about a degree; hands-on experience and knowledge of ERP systems are crucial.
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Role of Functional Consultant:
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Configure ERP modules by mapping business processes to ERP standards.
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Requires deep understanding of the organization’s business processes and how ERP modules align with them.
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Education and Certification:
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Functional consultants can pursue ERP certification alongside regular degrees like MBA, BBA, MCom, or BCom.
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These programs help students gain certification by graduation, preparing them for a career in ERP consulting.
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Odoo ERP Technical Consultant
Functional consultants focus on defining business processes, gathering requirements, and configuring ERP systems like Odoo. They ensure the software aligns with business needs. Technical consultants, on the other hand, handle the programming and technical aspects.
An ERP system consists of three key layers:
- Presentation Layer: The Graphical User Interface (GUI), which enables end users to input data, view reports, and access outputs. This is the user-facing layer.
- Application Layer: The core layer where programming and customizations take place. It includes tasks like automating workflows, integrating with other systems, and ensuring business logic is properly implemented.
- Database Layer: This layer stores all business data and allows real-time access. It ensures data is organized and can be retrieved when needed.
These layers work together to provide an integrated and efficient ERP solution, with each consultant focusing on different aspects of the system's development and implementation.
Some common facts about Technical Consultants
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Background of Technical Consultants:
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Typically from an engineering or technical programming background.
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Role of Technical Consultants:
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Provide technical solutions by customizing ERP systems to meet business needs.
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Develop, customize, maintain, and support ERP applications.
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Key Responsibilities:
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Take functional specifications from users or functional consultants.
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Support and troubleshoot forms, reports, and database issues.
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Design database structures and create SQL packages, functions, and procedures.
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Handle ERP integration and interfacing tasks.
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The programming part of ERP is done in Object Oriented Programming language.
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Importance of Training:
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Rigorous training programs enhance technical or functional skills.
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Employers value the knowledge gained from such training.
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Career Benefits:
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Improved credibility boosts chances of landing your dream job.
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Well-developed skills make you a more marketable candidate.
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Competitive Advantage:
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Preparedness allows you to excel when new tasks arise.
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Gives you an edge over peers, helping you stand out and advance faster.
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Techno-Functional Consultant
So far we found two watertight compartments in ERP- technical and functional consultants. But there is a third category of professionals who are called techno-functional consultants in ERP who perform both technical and functional roles in an organization.
Technical consultants working on various modules such as HRM, Sales, CRM, FRM, SCM, PRM, etc., gradually understand the business processes involved and this helps them map the scenarios apart from doing the programming part which they are already skilled at.
With changing technologies
including different types of ERP implementation processes, consultants in those
specific skills both in techno-functional areas are in huge demand, according to
analysts.
How can you become an ERP Consultant?
- Learn the Basics of ERP Just get the basic fundamentals right. Try to learn how and why companies need ERP and what the business results are. Get an overview of the different ERP modules and what business functions they map onto.
- Get Assignment / Live Project Experience Working on live projects and
hands-on experience is crucial right from the early stages of your ERP
consulting career. Programs like Train and Deploy help candidates get
employed directly after completing course and dive into real world client
assignments. The more projects you undertake, the more confident and skilled
you become to face even greater challenges.
Conclusion:
ERP is about understanding of business processes and how it integrates with various solutions developed by vendors. Understanding the business processes and its requirements are paramount to success of ERP implementation and hence the demand for good quality functional consultants. On the other hand, much of the technology side work is done by Technical people who handle a variety of tasks and responsibilities. Programming skills required in ERP is limited to Object Oriented programming and hence engineering graduates may not have great opportunities unless they combine functional skill as well.
There is a latent demand for good quality trainers and hence many consultants are also being hired for training by consulting companies. Part-time and freelance opportunities are also being advertised across India and various emerging nations.
The world of ERP Consulting is vast and still evolving with
new solutions and platforms. Hence, professionals need to keep updating their
skills frequently to stay on top. Keep taking refresher courses to sharpen your
skills and test them on the field. With technology advancements, ERP systems
will keep evolving. As an ERP Consultant, you need to be on your toes all the
time to ride this wave of change and emerge as a successful ERP Consultant.
Frequently Asked Questions
While being a developer is not required, having technical understanding of Python, XML, and Odoo's architecture is advantageous, particularly for Odoo technical consultants who are responsible for customisation and integration work. Functional consultants are primarily focused on the business side and are not necessary to have coding skills, however some technical knowledge might be useful.
The demand for Odoo consultants is increasing, especially as more firms switch to ERP systems to improve operational efficiency. Consultants can operate as freelancers, for Odoo partner organisations, or as independent Odoo solution suppliers. Career advancement can lead to positions such as project manager, Odoo team leader, or even creating your own Odoo consulting firm.
While academic skills such as a degree in computer science, business administration, or information systems may be useful, hands-on expertise with Odoo and ERP systems is frequently crucial. Certifications in Odoo (such as Odoo Functional or Technical Certification) are also beneficial.
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