The One Most Important Skill For An ERP Career - 5 Expert Tips

While there are many skills needed to be successful while working on ERP, technical and software skills are not everything. It is important to be skilled in multiple areas as every work day brings different challenges that usually need customized training to that are brought to the project by the implementation team.
The One Most Important Skill For An ERP Career - 5 Expert Tips


What is the most important skill for an ERP career?

While there are many skills needed to be successful while working on ERP, technical and software skills are not everything. It is important to be  skilled in multiple areas   as every work day brings different challenges that usually need  customized training   to that are brought to the project by the implementation team.

How can I learn SAP? The best way to learn SAP is to register to an online learning path and follow the courses to get the corresponding ERP career skills necessary

What are ERP skills?

When working at a company that uses a software to manage some or all of its internal processes, such as  plan buy pay process   for procurement, it will most likely use a software called an Enterprise Resource Planning system or ERP, that already includes the industry best practices.

By having ERP skills, the ERP experts can then use this software in any company, and are usually rewarded by the employers for possessing these skills and being able to work with these systems.

But what are the ERP skills to posses in order to work as an ERP expert? This question has many answers, and there are many skills depending on the exact business and industry in which you are working.

Acquire skills for ERP professionals

The skills for ERP professionals to acquire are for example  Ariba SAP   usage for procurement professionals such as industry buyers, or  Financial Accounting   if you are dealing with invoices or monetary reporting.

The best way to find out what are the ERP skills to possess for a particular domain, is to follow the training path that will let you acquire all the skills for ERP professionals that are required in order to become of the ERP experts in the field by getting an  SAP professional certification   that corresponds to that specific learning path.

By registering to the right learning path, and passing all the corresponding online courses, you will not only get the right skills for ERP professionals that are required for the corresponding job that you are targeting, but you will also get a completion certification and become an ERP experts for these specific ERP skills and take your ERP career to the next level!

However, we asked the community of experts for their skills that are, in their opinions, the most important to a successful ERP career and the answers are surprising. We were expecting to hear about technical skills such as  SAP Implementation steps   for project management, or personal ones like flexibility for project consultants - but these insights might lead your training choices and ultimately your career in a different direction!

What is in your opinion the ONE most important skill needed for a successful ERP career (either consultant, end-user or manager), and why?

Imani Francies: an ERP consultant should have communication skills

The most important skill an ERP consultant should have is communication skills. It is the most important skill because  teamwork is important   in this field. This is so because ERP Consultants provide help to the function of a businesses' software.

This individual ensures that the software is operating properly and if it is not, it is his or her job to provide a solution to any error that arises. The consultant needs to be able to productively and clearly communicate these errors to others in the corporation.

Outside of making sure the software is operating smoothly, the ERP Consultant is also tasked with developing and combining their client’s ideas with the functionality of the software. If need be, they assist with making decisions for resource-planning. One cannot fulfill this task if they are not able to communicate well with the client.

ERP Consultants' primary goal is to assist the company's software in every single way possible. To do this, their most honed skill has to be communication. Though the primary role is to monitor the software and its integration with other areas of the company, it is also important for these consultants to effectively communicate and keep all levels of a company informed on the software processes.

Imani Francies writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, USInsuranceAgents.com. She studied business consulting at Georgia State University.
Imani Francies writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, USInsuranceAgents.com. She studied business consulting at Georgia State University.

John Howard: they should have conflict resolution

We all need a person who can integrate and manage essential parts of the business. We all want full control of our business from profits to logistics. And this is where an ERP Consultant comes in. I have worked with one before. An ERP Consultant integrates planning, purchasing inventory, sales, marketing, finance, and human resources, almost all facets of the business put into one system. He is in charge of gathering all the information from all departments and merging them to get all the necessary data to run the company more efficiently. He is also in charge of setting up the system so that all departments can run their systems at home or remotely.

The number one skill that I think they should have is conflict resolution. Of course, it’s very difficult to merge systems into one and also getting it online. This is so that when they talk to all the supervisors and department heads and explains to them what they intend to do and then ask them for suggestions on how to integrate each branch of the company into one system, he’ll be able to do it correctly.

According to the survey, 53 percent of ERP projects exceeded their budget: Regarding schedule, 61 percent of respondent ERP projects went beyond the planned time duration. The survey shows a significant problem with respect to realizing benefits from the ERP implementation.

Source
I am John Howard founder and CEO at Coupon Lawn - a coupon code website, where I’ve been sharing my insights about finances, SEO, content marketing and other related topics.
I am John Howard founder and CEO at Coupon Lawn - a coupon code website, where I’ve been sharing my insights about finances, SEO, content marketing and other related topics.

Michael D.Brown: the most important skill is conflict resolution

I think the most important skill needed for a successful ERP career is conflict resolution. I agree that it is in sharp contrast with the generality of people that would hurriedly prescribe software skills for ERP professionals.

One thing is sure in the course of ERP projects, there must be disagreements. It is very rare that the whole team will consistently be on the same page especially given the plurality of perspective and abundance of bias (or subjectivity) that washes the workplace.

This is why coming QUICKLY and EFFICIENTLY to consensus is a very important ERP sill for me. It is unsurprising therefore that project managers are in extremely high demand in the ERP niche.

A good ERP manager equipped with excellent crisis resolution skills can manage a heterogeneity of talents and even cultural backgrounds. They have an excellent ability to bring the team to a common ground leveraging their exquisite communication skills.

This team leader consolidates the ethical values (like respect and empathy) in the team that are paramount for fluidity in operation even in the face of a crisis. Of course, he must build his reputation without compromise and enable his team to accept his authority.

This way, his directions are most times unquestioned and his team finds no problem in his crisis navigation techniques especially for instances where he has to pick what to integrate and what to discard, who to speak first in a crisis resolution meeting and who to come next.

I am Michael D.Brown, Director of Fresh Results Institute. I am a Global Management expert known for driving results through (and with) companies, organizations, and academia.
I am Michael D.Brown, Director of Fresh Results Institute. I am a Global Management expert known for driving results through (and with) companies, organizations, and academia.

Pushpraj Kumar: Good Communication Skills

The abilities to read, write, and speak clearly and effectively are very important for a successful ERP career. Communication is a vital part of an ERP project implementation. To be a good communicator means recognizing that it’s a two-way street. Even a good plan can fail if you have not communicated properly. Communication on the ERP project needs to be clear and complete. Communication helps ERP individuals to overcome resistance from the people who will be using the ERP project.

A good communicator establishes a schedule early in the ERP project because it helps to build community and that builds confidence in the project.

Communication helps in maintaining close contact constantly with the other members of the ERP implementation team at all levels. Communicating the message doesn’t mean to over-promise which builds the disappointment later.

Good communication helps ERP professionals to announce milestones in a way that people not familiar with the project but they can understand easily.

The ERP professional’s goal is to keep everyone in the loop so they can understand and feel positive about your ERP efforts.

Pushpraj Kumar, Business Analyst, Custom Software Development Company, iFour Technolab Pvt. Ltd.*.
Pushpraj Kumar, Business Analyst, Custom Software Development Company, iFour Technolab Pvt. Ltd.*.

Andrei Vasilescu: An ERP Manager must posses Decision making ability

A running project often requires different improvisations and change of plans at different stages of the project. These on the go decisions made by the ERP manager ascertain the success of the project. So an ERP manger must have the ability to take instant decisions when the situation demands.

There always remain some hidden elements and issues which cannot be seen during the planning period of any project. These elements surface at different times when the project is on process. Quick thinking and taking instant decisions are essentially required to tackle these unforeseen issues. An ERP manages must have the ability to measure the depth of the situation at a glance in order to find all the possible ways to neutralize the issue. At the same time, the ERP manger should have the subtlety of finding the best solution in shortest time. Then only the right decisions can be made to ensure the success of any project. A good ERP manager must posses the power of quick thinking and must have the ability to take instant right decisions at the right moments.

The author, Andrei Vasilescu, is a renowned Digital Marketing expert and CEO at coupon website in the name of DontPayFull. He is providing cutting edge digital marketing service to various international companies and different online coupons of various brands for years.
The author, Andrei Vasilescu, is a renowned Digital Marketing expert and CEO at coupon website in the name of DontPayFull. He is providing cutting edge digital marketing service to various international companies and different online coupons of various brands for years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important skill for a successful career in ERP, according to experts?
The most important skill for an ERP career is the ability to understand and integrate complex business processes with ERP software, a skill that requires both technical knowledge and business acumen.

Yoann Bierling
About the author - Yoann Bierling
Yoann Bierling is a Web Publishing & Digital Consulting professional, making a global impact through expertise and innovation in technologies. Passionate about empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital age, he is driven to deliver exceptional results and drive growth through educational content creation.



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