Will the Cloud Bring a Revival of Microsoft Dynamics GP Functional Consultants?

The need for technical knowledge has increased significantly as Microsoft Dynamics GP has improved and integrated more with the Microsoft stack. Installation of the base product is deceptively simple but when you throw in SQL Server, SQL Server Reporting Services, eConnect, web services, Management Reporter, internet connectivity and security it can be hard to ensure that all of the pieces are working together and working together securely.

This complexity has led to an increase in technical consultants. I commented on this trend last year in the article "Where have all the accountants gone?". Now I'm wondering if the cloud going to change this.  Are we going to see a revival of the functional consultant?

My premise is that if the migration of ERP to the cloud occurs in significant numbers,  the technical aspects of setting up GP will be the provider's responsibility. Providers will naturally need technical talent, but the basics of setting up a new GP instance should be blandly routine for them. Whether we are talking about hosting with Microsoft on Azure or partners with SQL Server, the provider controls the environment making it easier to deliver a consistent experience.

It's been a long time since being solely a GL/AP/AR consultant was a lucrative endeavor so consultants have had to adapt with many of them taking on more technical knowledge. Such a large part of an ERP implementation was invested, from both a budget and attention span perspective, in the technical build out that optimization of features, functions, and work flows lost their glow. Based on what looks like an early trend, it may be time to put back on the green eye shades...figuratively of course.

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