These days, ERP consultants are being opted by huge numbers of business establishments and big organizations across the globe. The ERP System is created industry specific and adapted to the business process of the customer. ERP system’s demand has enhanced over time the requirement for system implementation of ERP consultants. The business process as well as how the ERP system’s regular functioning is to be managed is to be understood by the consultant. The consultants may act as technical and functional consultants. Business process knowledge along with knowing the different modules and its functionality is to be understood well by the functional consultants. On the other hand, technical support is to be provided by technical ERP consultant for evaluation, after sales and implementation to the client. For the purpose of maintaining the ERP system, for implementing, designing and conceptualizing, both Technical and Functional consultants are required. They are known to have well defined responsibilities and roles and are required to have their expertise offered to the projects. It is before the initiation of implementation phase that the functional and technical ERP consultant’s services are required. The business function scope is to be outlined by the professional that needs to be implemented within the ERP system. The problems, which occur at the time of addressing the issues and implementation phase is to be identified by the consultant. Rather, it is as an advisor that he acts and offers tips to make improvements within the customer’s existing business process. Communication held between core team members are to be taken care by him. The client’s needs are to be mapped and appropriate solutions suggested by him as deemed necessary. It is during the pre-implementation phase that all such steps are to take place and then as the customer gets satisfied, the implementation phase begins. Documents are to be prepared by the Functional consultant with regards to the provided solutions and needs. Such documents are to get the client’s approval and the project manager accordingly goes ahead with GAP analysis. Interaction and coordination between technical and module consultants are to be handled by him. The Technical ERP consultant is known to have different set of responsibilities and roles when compared to that of the functional ERP consultant. It is necessary for the technical consultant to have in-depth knowledge of the state-of-the-art technologies, programming work and the system’s coding aspects. He is also required to have the errors troubleshooted and bugs if present to be fixed in the system. It is with the starting of the implementation that the Technical consultant becomes active and not during the pre-implementation stage. Direct interactions may not be there with the client, however, the consultant would be needed to get in touch constantly with the project manager and financial consultant for having them updated on the customization progress. The modification procedure related to the application is looked after by the technical consultant depending upon the client’s requirements. It is not simply possible to state as to who is all the more important to the business process – Technical ERP consultant or Functional ERP consultant as both play pivotal roles. Sound coordination is necessary between them for the project to run smoothly and to be completed within the deadline.
