ERP Software for Consulting Firms
Consulting firms operate on the currency of billable hours and project outcomes. From proposal to final invoice, every engagement must be tracked, resourced, and billed with precision. Purpose-built PSA and ERP systems replace fragmented spreadsheets and disconnected tools with a single platform that connects pipeline management, project budgeting, resource scheduling, time capture, and financial reporting — giving managing partners real-time visibility into firm-wide profitability.
Compare ERP Systems for Consulting Firms
Select up to 4 ERP vendors to compare side by side. Filtered to show systems with strong consulting firms capabilities.
Key Challenges for Consulting Firms
Tracking billable hours accurately across multiple concurrent client engagements and projects
Managing resource utilization and avoiding both over-staffing and costly bench time
Recognizing revenue correctly under ASC 606 for mixed time-and-materials and fixed-fee contracts
Producing accurate project P&L reports that reflect true costs including allocated overhead and subcontractor spend
Managing multi-phase, multi-year consulting engagements with milestone billing and contract modifications
Integrating CRM pipeline data with project budgeting to improve proposal accuracy and win rates
Consolidating financial reporting across multiple practice areas, offices, or legal entities
Best Consulting Firms ERP for SMBs
Recommended for companies with $10M–$250M revenue and 10–200 employees.
Deltek Vantagepoint
mid-rangePurpose-built for project-based professional services firms with deep project accounting, resource management, and CRM capabilities aligned to consulting workflows.
Best for: Mid-size consulting firms with complex project structures
NetSuite
mid-rangeUnified cloud ERP with OpenAir PSA integration covering CRM, project management, financials, and revenue recognition in one platform with strong multi-entity support.
Best for: Growing consulting firms needing a scalable all-in-one ERP
Sage Intacct
mid-rangeAICPA-preferred cloud financial platform with strong project accounting, multi-entity consolidation, and dimensional reporting favored by professional services finance teams.
Best for: Consulting firms prioritizing financial rigor and CFO-level reporting
Mavenlink / Kantata
mid-rangePSA platform built for professional services with resource management, project financials, and business intelligence tightly integrated with Salesforce CRM.
Best for: Salesforce-centric consulting firms seeking best-of-breed PSA
FinancialForce / Certinia
mid-rangeNative Salesforce platform combining PSA, ERP, and customer success management for firms that want a single CRM and back-office system on the Salesforce ecosystem.
Best for: Consulting firms running Salesforce who want a fully native PSA/ERP
BigTime
budgetCloud PSA with intuitive time and expense tracking, WIP reporting, and invoicing built for professional services firms that need strong billing automation at mid-range price points.
Best for: Small to mid-size consulting firms focused on billing efficiency
Best Consulting Firms ERP for Enterprise
Recommended for companies with $250M+ revenue and complex multi-site operations.
SAP S/4HANA
enterpriseComprehensive enterprise ERP with professional services industry add-ons supporting complex project accounting, multi-currency billing, and global consolidation for large consultancies.
Best for: Global consulting firms with multi-country operations and high transaction volumes
Oracle ERP Cloud
enterpriseFull-suite cloud ERP with project financial management, advanced revenue recognition, and AI-driven analytics suited to large management consulting and professional services organizations.
Best for: Large consulting firms undergoing cloud transformation with complex revenue recognition needs
Microsoft Dynamics 365
enterpriseModular enterprise ERP and CRM platform with Project Operations module providing project scheduling, resource management, and financials tightly integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Best for: Consulting firms standardized on Microsoft technology seeking unified project and financial management
Unit4 ERP
enterprisePeople-centric ERP built specifically for professional services, public sector, and non-profits with deep project accounting, self-service HR, and rapid configurability.
Best for: Mid-to-large consulting organizations seeking a people-first ERP with strong project financials
Essential ERP Capabilities for Consulting Firms
Project-based time and expense capture with mobile and offline support
Resource management with skills-based matching and utilization dashboards
Project budgeting and earned-value analysis against original contract value
Multi-method billing including time-and-materials, fixed-fee, and milestone invoicing
Revenue recognition automation compliant with ASC 606 and IFRS 15
Work-in-progress (WIP) tracking and write-up/write-down management
CRM pipeline integration for proposal-to-project handoff
Multi-entity and multi-currency consolidation for global practices
Practice area and partner-level profitability reporting
Subcontractor and third-party cost management with purchase order controls
Consulting Firms ERP Cost Ranges
SMB
$15,000 – $60,000
5–50 users
Implementation: $10,000 – $50,000
Mid-Market
$60,000 – $300,000
50–250 users
Implementation: $75,000 – $400,000
Enterprise
$300,000 – $2,000,000+
250–2,000+ users
Implementation: $500,000 – $3,000,000+
Implementation Considerations
Define your billing models (T&M, fixed-fee, retainer, milestone) in detail before system configuration — billing complexity is the leading source of consulting ERP customization cost
Map your revenue recognition policies to ASC 606 performance obligations early to avoid costly rework during or after implementation
Plan integration with CRM and proposal tools from day one to ensure seamless pipeline-to-project data flow
Involve project managers and practice leads in UAT — finance-only implementations consistently miss operational requirements
Establish a data migration strategy for historical project actuals, open WIP, and outstanding AR before go-live
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important ERP feature for consulting firms?
Project accounting — specifically the ability to track revenues, costs, and WIP at the individual project level — is the single most critical capability. Without project-level P&L visibility, managing partners cannot identify which engagements are profitable and which are eroding margin before it is too late to course-correct.
How does Deltek Vantagepoint compare to NetSuite for consulting firms?
Deltek Vantagepoint is purpose-built for project-based professional services with deep resource management and government contracting support, making it ideal for engineering and management consulting firms. NetSuite offers broader ERP functionality — CRM, e-commerce, multi-entity financials — making it a better fit for consulting firms that also have product or SaaS revenue streams alongside services.
Should consulting firms use a PSA tool or a full ERP?
Firms with straightforward billing and fewer than 50 staff often succeed with a focused PSA like BigTime or Harvest connected to QuickBooks or Xero. As headcount grows past 50–100, the gap between disconnected systems becomes costly and firms benefit from a unified platform like NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or Deltek Vantagepoint that combines project operations with the general ledger.
How do consulting ERP systems handle subcontractor billing?
Consulting ERP systems manage subcontractors through purchase orders tied to specific projects, with approved costs flowing into project actuals alongside internal labor. When billing clients, the system can mark up subcontractor costs at a configured rate or pass them through at cost. Vendor portals in platforms like Deltek and Unit4 allow subcontractors to submit timesheets and invoices electronically for streamlined approval.
What utilization benchmarks should consulting firms target?
Management and strategy consulting firms typically target 65–75% billable utilization for senior staff and 75–85% for junior consultants. Technical consulting firms often target 75–85% across all levels. ERP and PSA dashboards surface real-time utilization by individual, team, and practice area so leaders can rebalance workloads before utilization falls below breakeven thresholds.
Can consulting ERP systems support government contracting and DCAA compliance?
Yes. Deltek Vantagepoint, Deltek Costpoint, and Unanet are purpose-built for government contractors with DCAA-compliant timekeeping, indirect rate management, FAR-compliant project cost accounting, and CPSR audit support. General ERP platforms like NetSuite and SAP require significant configuration and add-on tools to meet DCAA requirements.
How does ASC 606 affect consulting firm billing and revenue recognition?
Under ASC 606, consulting firms must identify distinct performance obligations within each contract and recognize revenue as each obligation is satisfied. For T&M contracts, revenue is typically recognized as hours are worked. For fixed-fee contracts, firms must apply an appropriate measure of progress — cost-to-cost, milestones, or output-based — and recognize revenue accordingly. ERP systems with native ASC 606 modules automate these calculations and generate the required contract asset and liability disclosures.
What integrations should a consulting firm prioritize for their ERP?
The highest-value integrations for consulting ERP are: (1) CRM (Salesforce or HubSpot) for pipeline-to-project continuity, (2) project management tools (Jira, Smartsheet, or MS Project) for task-level tracking, (3) payroll and HRIS for labor cost accuracy, and (4) expense management apps (Concur, Expensify) for automated expense capture. Most major PSA/ERP platforms offer pre-built connectors for these systems.
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