What is ERP consulting?
ERP consulting is an advisory service that helps businesses achieve strategic objectives through the use of ERP technology. Specific initiatives often include:
- Consulting on whether the current ERP system is still a good fit.
- Scoping, planning, and implementing a new ERP system.
- Scoping, planning, and implementing configuration changes in the existing ERP system.
- Integrating ERP with other technologies like EDI, CRM, and so on.
Why choose an ERP system?
Every organization needs a backend system that serves as “one true truth” for their business data. An ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution solves this problem.
ERPs are powerful, highly configurable systems that can cover every aspect of your business:
- Financial data
- Customer data
- Product data
- Orders and shipments
- Supply chain processes
- Internal operational processes
- And much more
While separate solutions exist to cover many of these things, an ERP brings all your data together under one roof. This makes it possible to maintain a clean data environment, where it’s easy to find one true answer to any question about your business.
While modern ERP systems are incredibly powerful, some organizations choose to use specialized third-party systems to cover some functions. For example, a highly sales-focused organization might use a separate CRM (customer relationship management) solution to empower their reps to sell better. Ideally, this separate CRM solution should integrate fully with the company’s ERP for a clean, trustworthy data landscape. The same is true of WMS (warehouse management), SCM (supply chain management), and other specialized backend systems.
What are the benefits of ERP consulting services?
ERP consulting services help organizations select, implement, optimize, and support enterprise resource planning systems so they align with business goals, scale effectively, and deliver measurable value. By combining technical expertise with process and change-management knowledge, ERP consultants reduce implementation risk, accelerate time to value, and ensure the ERP platform supports operational efficiency and informed decision-making.
Key benefits of ERP consulting services
- Expert system selection: Objective guidance to choose the ERP platform that best fits business requirements, industry needs, and growth plans.
- Faster, lower-risk implementations: Proven methodologies that minimize delays, cost overruns, and operational disruption.
- Process optimization: Mapping and improving business processes to reduce inefficiencies before and during ERP deployment.
- Customization and integration: Configuring the ERP to fit real-world workflows and integrating it with existing systems and data sources.
- Improved data accuracy and visibility: Establishing consistent data models and reporting for better insights and decision-making.
- Change management and user adoption: Training and adoption support to help teams effectively use the system from day one.
- Scalability and future readiness: Designing the ERP environment to support growth, acquisitions, and new capabilities over time.
- Ongoing optimization and support: Continuous improvement services that ensure the ERP evolves with the business rather than becoming a constraint.
What should I look for in an ERP consulting company?
Look for a consultancy that meets your needs in five essential ways:
- The right experience, expertise, capabilities, and services as it relates to your chosen ERP solution.
- Has a strong foundation in data integration.
- Has a strong foundation in EDI solutions (if you use EDI).
- Has a strong foundation in cybersecurity.
- Acts like a true partner (easy to work with).
All five components are critical. An ERP consultancy can be experts in your technology stack, but if they’re a real pain to work with, the relationship may cause more headaches than it’s worth.
On the other hand, a partner could be great to work with—but if they don’t have deep expertise in your technology stack, then things still aren’t working.
In terms of finding a provider who acts as a true partner, look for these characteristics:
- Capable of implementing your new cloud strategy or turning things over to your team
- Approachable, professional, and empathetic
- Has a “can-do”attitude
Here at Corsica Technologies, we’ve got it all covered. From comprehensive capabilities to a “can-do” company culture, we’re making life easier for the people we serve. Contact us today, and let’s explore the next step in your ERP journey.
Does Corsica Technologies offer ERP implementation and support, or just consulting?
We are implementors and expert ERP technicians as well as seasoned consultants. If you work with us for a consulting engagement, our team is happy to implement, or we can turn things over to your team, whatever works best for you. At the end of the day, we’re here to see you succeed.
How can I integrate EDI with existing ERP systems?
Integrating your EDI system to your ERP system is a critical step in establishing smooth, automated workflows for EDI processing. However, keep in mind that an EDI integration is not a “set it and forget it” solution. It will need regular preventative maintenance and occasional break/fix support to keep it running smoothly.
That said, here’s what it takes to integrate EDI to an ERP system.
- A functional map of all EDI document types and their fields, both sent and received, and how they should be mapped within your ERP system.
- An understanding of your options for supporting your EDI-ERP integration.
- Integration specialists who know your EDI system, your ERP system, and how to build and maintain a great integration.
An experienced ERP and EDI consultancy can help you answer questions, align with an expert integration team, and integrate EDI with your ERP system.
How should we approach ERP migration?
An ERP migration is one of the most complex undertakings in the technology world. The right approach will look different for every organization, which is one of the biggest reasons to get outside consulting for an ERP migration. Broadly speaking, here are the principles that we advocate with our cloud migration clients.
- Get a full understanding of your current ERP configuration.
- Get a full understanding of your current operational processes. What’s working? What should be adjusted as you migrate to a new ERP?
- How many functions can you keep inside the ERP rather than integrating to additional systems?
- Take stock of your EDI needs, if any, both today and in the future. How will you get EDI data to and from your ERP?
- Understand best practices in your industry. Are your processes aligned with them? If not, is there a compelling reason for doing things in a non-standard way? What benefits could you gain by aligning with best practices and out-of-the-box ERP functionality?
These questions are just the beginning. Contact us today to learn more about ERP migrations.
How is Corsica Technologies different from other ERP consulting companies?
Great question!
Two things set us apart:
- We bring together business strategy and ERP expertise under one roof for a truly holistic approach.
- Our data integration team covers every major technology commonly used by businesses today.
In other words, we’re a true one-stop shop for all things strategy, technology, and data integration. From consulting to implementation and support, we’ve got you covered. Our team is composed of career experts in :
- Business strategy
- Business transformation
- AI
- IT infrastructure
- Hardware (including HaaS)
- VoIP
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud systems
- Data integration
- EDI
- ERP
- CRM
We already have an ERP team. Can you work alongside us?
Absolutely! Our ERP consultants aren’t here to disrupt your team. We’re on your side, and we work collaboratively with you and your staff to achieve great results.
When it comes to our ERP managed services, we’re flexible. We can cover all your needs in a “fully managed” scenario—or we can act as an extension of your staff in a “co-managed” scenario. It all comes down to what resources you have today, what you need, and where your gaps and goals are.
When should we engage an ERP consulting firm?
There are 5 major scenarios that typically require ERP consulting.
- Implementing your first ERP system. If your organization has never used an ERP, it’s important to get that first implementation right. You want to take your existing processes, optimize them to align with best practices, and model those processes in your ERP configuration. And that’s just the beginning—before you get to building, testing, and launching the system.
- Optimizing your existing ERP system. Your ERP requirements may change over time—or perhaps your system wasn’t implemented properly in the first place. Whatever the reason, streamlining and improving your ERP system often requires input from expert consultants.
- Upgrading your ERP system. If you’re running a specific version of your ERP software, and it’s time to upgrade to the latest version, you’ll want to engage ERP consulting services. Testing, preparation, and refinement will ensure that all your workflows translate properly in the new version.
- Migrating to a new ERP system. Perhaps you’ve outgrown your ERP—or maybe you need to move from an on-premises system to a cloud solution. ERP migrations are incredibly complex, and consulting services ensure that you transition smoothly to a system that’s properly fitted to your needs.
- Integrating an acquired company. If you’re going through an M&A process, how will the new company merge into your backend processes? What will that look like in terms of an ERP system (or systems)? ERP consulting services can help you identify the right path to a smooth transition.
- Integrating your ERP with other systems. While ERP systems are designed to be the backbone of your business, your organization has numerous software solutions that partly overlap with the functions of an ERP. In some cases, these functions should be moved to the ERP, and the redundant systems should be retired. In other cases, you should retain the system and integrate it with your ERP. Solutions like EDI, CRM, WMS, SCM, and others often require consulting services to get them properly integrated with your ERP.
What should we expect from an ERP consulting firm?
The best ERP consulting firms put their clients first. They won’t steer you toward a solution that’s not in your best interests; rather, they work closely with you to determine what’s right for your organization. Then they bring a proven framework for implementing and integrating your ERP.
Here’s what you should expect from an ERP consulting company.
- An empathic approach. ERP consulting isn’t about selling you the most expensive thing on the market. It’s really about listening. The best consulting companies use a highly collaborative approach to uncover your needs, align potential solutions, and incorporate feedback every step of the way.
- Technical command of your ERP system. Every ERP platform has its strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. Your ERP consultants should know your chosen platform inside and out.
- A proven framework. The complexity of ERP systems requires a flexible implementation methodology. But you don’t want to start with a blank slate. That’s why the best ERP consultants come with proven processes—yet they also maintain flexibility to adapt to your situation.
- An emphasis on cybersecurity. As the home of critical business data, your ERP will be targeted by cyber criminals. The right consulting services should include a strong focus on ERP security.
How long does an ERP implementation take with a consultant?
For most organizations, an ERP implementation is one of the biggest projects they will ever undertake. An ERP system touches every part of the business, every department, and (theoretically) every datapoint that the organization generates or consumes.
ERP implementations vary greatly in their complexity. Smaller companies with simpler processes and technology environments won’t take as long to implement ERPs as larger companies.
Here are the time ranges that we typically see with our ERP consulting clients.
- Small businesses: 3-6 months
- Midmarket companies: 6-12 months
- Enterprises: 9-24 months
How much does ERP consulting cost?
ERP consulting services are typically billed on an hourly basis. The exact cost will depend on the consultancy’s billing rates (usually $100 – $300 per hour) and the complexity of the project.
Here’s a table with three sample project sizes and estimated ERP consulting costs.
| $100/hour | $200/hour | $300/hour |
Simple project (300 hours) | $30,000 | $60,000 | $90,000 |
Intermediate project (3,000 hours) | $300,000 | $600,000 | $900,000 |
Complex project (10,000+ hours) | $1,000,000+ | $2,000,000+ | $3,000,000+ |
Can a consultant help compare cloud ERP vs. on-premises ERP?
Yes! ERP consultants should be familiar with cloud vs. on-premises options for ERP systems. They can help you evaluate your options in several ways.
- Cost analysis. Ultimately, which will cost more—a cloud-hosted ERP or an on-premises ERP?
- Support burden. In your context, which system will require more support?
- Integration capabilities. Which option has simpler integration capabilities with your other essential systems?
The exact comparison of cloud ERPs vs. on-premises will depend on your requirements. Get in touch with us today to start comparing these ERP hosting models for your organization.
How do ERP consultants help with vendor selection?
ERP consultants usually engage in a discovery process to understand your organization’s operational challenges and ERP requirements. The findings of this process allow a consultancy to recommend specific platforms, hosting models, and integrations to meet your company’s needs.
ERP consultancies typically partner with one or more ERP platform providers. Look for a consultancy that works with more than one platform. These providers are more likely to recommend a vendor that’s aligned with your interests, since they have multiple partners to choose from.
Can a consultant integrate ERP with my existing systems (CRM, EDI, etc.)?
Yes! ERP integration projects are incredibly common in the ERP consulting world. The right consultancy can help you with:
- Ecommerce integration
- CRM integration
- EDI integration
- WMS integration
- SCM integration
- MRP integration
If you need any form of ERP integration, you should look for a consultancy that can implement and support your integrations—not just consult on them. Ideally, you want one cohesive team handling this from start to finish to ongoing support.
Can a consultant fix or optimize a failed ERP implementation?
Yes. The best ERP consultancies can take a dysfunctional ERP environment and make it work for your organization.
The question is how much work is required—and whether the value is there.
Some problematic ERP implementations are worth fixing. The cost can be justified by the value delivered.
In other cases, it may be more cost-effective (and less disruptive) to migrate to a new ERP system.
The answer depends on many factors such as operational friction, cost of data errors, required timeline, and the organization’s willingness to invest in a fix. An ERP consultancy can help you determine the best path forward in your situation.
Do ERP consultants provide support after go-live?
The answer depends on whether your provider offers managed services in addition to consulting.
If your provider is strictly a consultancy, without managed services, their support will most likely end after hypercare (usually a two-week period following go-live). In this case, you’ll have to support your ERP system in-house or work with a different provider for managed services.
If your provider offers managed services in addition to ERP consulting, then you can also engage them for ongoing ERP support. That’s our model here at Corsica Technologies. We can support your ERP needs all the way from scoping to implementation and ongoing support.
ERP user adoption depends on two factors:
- Value to internal users
- Communication with internal users
By default, a new ERP system should provide plenty of value to your internal users. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t undertake a costly implementation.
The key, then, is to communicate that value to internal users. You want to do it consistently, and you want to make it relevant to users in specific departments. For example, the finance department will require different communication than the operations team. And the content that you share with each department will depend on your unique processes and their intended execution in your new ERP system.
ERP consulting services can help you design and implement this communication. Expert consultants have seen ERP implementations in many contexts. They know the pitfalls, and they know how to deal with roadblocks to adoption.
