An ERP Business Analyst is a professional who bridges the gap between technology and business needs within an organization's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. These individuals play a pivotal role in analyzing business processes, identifying opportunities for improvement, and implementing solutions through the ERP platform. In this blog post, we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for ERP Business Analysts.

Get market insights and compare skills for other jobs here.

Main Responsibilities of an ERP Business Analyst

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of an ERP Business Analyst:

Act as

Act as a liaison between business users and technical teams.

Analyze

• Analyze and design business requirements on current, legacy, and acquired applications.

• Analyze and resolve system integration issues with other enterprise systems.

• Analyze business processes for alignment with ERP system capabilities.

• Analyze business requirements and translate them into ERP system configurations.

• Analyze Tier 1 & 2 business requirements.

Articulate

Articulate technical knowledge in language that is understandable and appropriate for users.

Assist in

• Assist and promote a respectful environment for all members of the Corporate Services Group.

• Assist in developing procedures to ensure integrity of ERP system and databases.

• Assist in the configuration and deployment of new modules / functionality in ERP.

Build

Build and foster professional relationships.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate with external consultants and vendors as needed.

• Collaborate with IT teams to prioritize and implement system enhancements and upgrades.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather and document functional specifications.

Communicate

Communicate software updates and changes to affected stakeholders.

Conduct

• Conduct gap analysis to identify discrepancies between business processes and ERP capabilities.

• Conduct post-implementation reviews to evaluate project success and identify areas for improvement.

Configure

Configure ERP modules to meet business needs and process workflows.

Contribute to

Contribute to process improvement and company knowledge base.

Coordinate

• Coordinate user acceptance testing and sign-off processes.

• Coordinate with the support resource to improve support and manage user support.

Create

• Create and develop reporting and analytics that supports the business operations overall.

• Create test plans and test scripts to ensure functionality is fully tested and documented.

• Create working procedures, build-up knowledge databases and functional documentation.

Customize

Customize reports and dashboards to provide actionable insights for decision-makers.

Develop

• Develop and deliver end user training materials as well as document solution.

• Develop and implement project plans for ERP functional support tasks.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of business requirements.

• Develop and maintain data governance policies and procedures.

• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across departments.

• Develop effective implementation strategies.

• Develop test cases and scripts for system testing and user acceptance testing (UAT).

• Develop Test Plans, Test Cases, and Test Procedures.

Document

• Document and track issues and resolutions in ERP system tickets.

• Document applications and provides cross-functional training as needed.

• Document business processes, system configurations, and user manuals.

Educate

Educate workers and develop training for process improvements and the use of ERP features.

Ensure

• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.

• Ensure data integrity and security within the ERP system.

• Ensure projects are on time and on budget.

• Ensure quality and timely delivery of application support to end users.

Facilitate

Facilitate workshops and training sessions for end-users on ERP functionalities.

Formulate

Formulate systems to parallel overall business strategies.

Identify

• Identify and implement improvements in business processes.

• Identify opportunities for cost savings and efficiency gains through ERP optimization.

• Identify opportunities for process automation and workflow improvements.

• Identify the sources of problems during implementation and design solutions either IT or procedural.

Implement

• Implement, configure and optimize the ERP to meet business needs.

• Implement enhancements, change requests, break-fixes, patches and updates.

Lead

• Lead and manage operational / business aspects of ERP.

• Lead requirements gathering sessions and workshops with business stakeholders.

Manage

• Manage change requests and assess their impact on existing configurations.

• Manage the financial and operational aspects of our recently implemented ERP.

Mentor

Mentor colleagues and provide support and guidance.

Monitor

Monitor system performance and recommend optimizations for efficiency.

Oversee

Oversee and assist with the gathering and documentation of requirements.

Participate in

• Participate in initiatives that integrate ERP with other systems.

• Participate in periodic Oracle change control meetings.

• Participate in the updating of operational processes and procedures.

Perform

• Perform data analysis and data migration tasks during ERP implementations.

• Perform data analysis and integration with Oracle Applications.

Plan

Plan projects, then direct and monitor execution.

Promote

Promote teamwork and collaboration.

Provide

• Provide assistance and training to testers.

• Provide end user training and support.

• Provide ongoing support and troubleshooting for ERP system issues.

• Provide Oracle product support to all functional business areas.

• Provide support to business users to address critical issues in the production environment.

• Provide technical and strategic support to our customers.

• Provide training and support to super-users and system administrators.

Pursue

Pursue new knowledge on a continuous basis and implement best practices of the profession.

Review

Review, analyze, and evaluate business systems and user needs.

Share

Share accountability for the quality of deliverables of the team.

Stay updated on

Stay updated on ERP trends, best practices, and new technologies.

Track

Track issues and risks, communicate status / updates to the Executives and escalate issues.

Train

• Train and mentor junior team members.

• Train and support users when implementing the ERP.

Troubleshoot

Troubleshoot application software and database problems on a timely basis.

Understand

Understand the needs and perspectives of both internal and external customers.

Work with

• Work closely with business during User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

• Work closely with the conveyor system vendor to integrate D365 to the conveyor system software.

• Work effectively with stakeholders to capture business requirements for product enhancements.

• Work with developers to ensure optimal solution delivered.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of an ERP Business Analyst:

1. Proficiency in ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.

2. Knowledge of ERP modules including Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources.

3. Experience with ERP implementation methodologies (e.g., Waterfall, Agile).

4. Skill in ERP configuration and customization using tools like SAP Customizing Guide or Oracle Application Express.

5. Familiarity with ERP reporting tools such as SAP Business Objects or Oracle BI Publisher.

6. Understanding of SQL for data querying and manipulation within ERP databases.

7. Experience with data migration and integration techniques in ERP environments.

8. Knowledge of ERP security models and role-based access controls.

9. Familiarity with ERP system architecture and infrastructure components.

10. Ability to analyze complex business processes and translate them into system requirements.

11. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis and reporting.

12. Understanding of business intelligence concepts and data visualization tools.

13. Knowledge of project management methodologies and tools.

14. Experience with system testing and quality assurance processes.

15. Skill in process modeling and workflow automation techniques.

16. Familiarity with cloud-based ERP solutions and SaaS models.

17. Understanding of enterprise integration patterns and APIs.

18. Knowledge of IT governance frameworks and compliance standards.

19. Experience with change management processes and techniques.

20. Ability to troubleshoot technical issues and propose solutions in ERP environments.

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of an ERP Business Analyst:

1. Effective communication skills for facilitating workshops and presentations.

2. Collaboration and teamwork across diverse business and technical teams.

3. Problem-solving and analytical thinking to address complex business challenges.

4. Adaptability to changing project requirements and priorities.

5. Time management and organizational skills to meet project deadlines.

6. Attention to detail in documenting requirements and system configurations.

7. Empathy and customer focus in understanding end-user needs and perspectives.

8. Leadership and influence in driving consensus and decision-making processes.

9. Conflict resolution and negotiation skills in managing stakeholder expectations.

10. Positive attitude and resilience in navigating project complexities and setbacks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the role of an ERP Business Analyst is pivotal in orchestrating the seamless integration of technology and business processes within an organization's ERP ecosystem. Beyond the technical intricacies of system configurations and data migrations, these professionals serve as architects of efficiency, driving operational excellence and strategic decision-making.