What is a NetSuite Consultant

NetSuite is the world’s leading cloud ERP software that was founded in 1998 in Austin, Texas (click here to learn more about what an ERP is). The Oracle Corporation acquired NetSuite in 2016. Oracle is a larger cloud infrastructure developer that provides software products, services, systems, etc. If we look at their customer base globally, NetSuite reports there are as many as 28,000 companies from as large as Zendesk Inc, Bodyarmor, Doordash, and such to smaller-scaled companies, start-ups, and Non-Profits as well.

Now that we have established the surface level of NetSuite’s presence, let’s talk about NetSuite Consultants, who they are, what they do, and why they’re essential. ZipRecruiter tells us that the nationwide average salary for a NetSuite consultant is $114,830, with salaries reaching as high as $205,500. The highest paying area for these professionals is in San Francisco, CA, where the annual salary could be around $141,000 or $68 hourly wage. However, working with a recruiter will increase the hourly rate by about 20% on average so make sure that you’re budgeting for more if you plan to seek assistance in staffing. The purpose of a NetSuite implementation is to increase a company’s productivity while providing them with a suite of products that are customizable to their business’s needs and scalable to their growth potential.

 So, let’s say a company has decided they would like to implement NetSuite; this is where a NetSuite consultant comes in. Once a company is ready to start the development life cycle of NetSuite, they will hire a consultant that will oversee implementation strategy, lead projects, provide risk management, customize the software to the company’s requirements and work with the company’s existing support or teams to analyze client needs and respond to them accordingly. This software system is an investment, and it is crucial that consultants can communicate with businesses about their clientele and requirements to make the best of NetSuite.

 It’s important to note that there are a few different types of NetSuite consultants, and you don’t need to be in the midst of an implementation to work with a consultant. Functional NetSuite consultants (sometimes referred to as an Admin) provide front-end optimizations/customizations, user experience, project management, workflow assignment, and perform various other duties. A Technical NetSuite consultant (also sometimes called a developer) often focuses on hands-on implementation work, backend optimizations, customizations, integrations, automations, and more. Bridging these two related skillsets creates what is widely known as a Techno-Functional consultant, meaning that they have experience with both ends of the platform and can usually perform any task within the NetSuite space specific to the modules and industries that they are most familiar with.

To make this whole process easier for you, Gaggle Social provides an environment that companies can leverage to identify professionals in the enterprise application space including NetSuite consultants and channel partner that specialize in NetSuite implementations or ongoing support, advisement, & helpdesk. On the flip side, Gaggle’s community welcomes NetSuite consultants of every skill level to join the network and identify new opportunities, network, learn, grow, and share helpful information with others in the community.

 NetSuite offers the NetSuite Consulting Bootcamp to start the training process for those interested in becoming a consultant. The Bootcamp is a three-week program designed to provide the basics and core knowledge of what will be required to be considered proficient. NetSuite then lists Step 2 as getting hands-on experience of real-life implementations of varying scales to understand what would be needed on the job by applying Bootcamp knowledge, these are going to be anywhere from five to ten medium-scaled and two to three enterprise NetSuite ERP implementations, and this takes up around two years. Once these steps have been achieved, a consultant will take the NetSuite ERP Consultant Exam, which costs $250 to register for and $150 per retake. The exam gives you 120 minutes to complete 80 questions in the multiple-choice and matching format. The exam covers the following areas: Data Strategy, Platform. ERP, OneWorld, and Analytics. It should be noted that the certification is made up of two exams: the SuiteFoundation Exam and ERP Consultant Exam. The completion of both is what makes one a Certified ERP Consultant.

NetSuite also has study resources available, linked below resources for anyone interested or just looking to become informed. Gaggle will continue to research all things enterprise application-related and more to give you the peace of mind of being in the “know.” We have you covered while you uncover the many possibilities and opportunities all around you to become the best professional you can be. We will always be back with more informative pieces curated for our talented audience.