Career Spotlights:
Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant
Whatever the Microsoft Cloud role, use our guide to benchmark your salary or contact rate, or to uncover what you should be paying employees in your team.
How much do Dynamics 365 Functional Consultants make?
United States ($)
| First quartile | Median | Third quartile | Contract (Hourly rate) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | 100,000 | 156,000 | 180,000 | 130-200 |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | 107,000 | 144,500 | 176,500 | 112-148 |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | 100,000 | 130,500 | 153,500 | 120-168 |
United Kingdom (£)
| First quartile | Median | Third quartile | Contract (Daily rate) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | 58,000 | 74,000 | 91,000 | 605-805 |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | 51,250 | 69,500 | 92,000 | 520-840 |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | 60,000 | 72,000 | 85,000 | 550-800 |
United States ($)
First quartile
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Median
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Upper quartile
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Contract (Hourly rate)
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
United Kingdom (£)
First quartile
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Median
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Third quartile
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Contract (Daily rate)
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations | |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement | |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | |
Lower quartile
Lower quartile
82%
of D365 Functional Consultants are happy with their job, up from 77% in our last survey
67%
of D365 Functional Consultants are satisfied with their salary, up from 50% last time
43 hours
Permanent D365 Functional Consultants work an average of 43 hours per week
36 hours
Freelance D365 Functional Consultants work an average of 36 hours per week*
* A limited number of freelance Functional Consultants participated in our survey, so results are indicative only.
What factors impact your earning potential as a Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant?
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years of technical experience with Microsoft products | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Exposure to large projects | 87% | 10% | 3% |
| Specific vertical industry experience | 82% | 15% | 3% |
| Years of experience in IT | 69% | 28% | 3% |
| Microsoft certifications | 64% | 28% | 3% |
| Working with AI | 42% | 44% | 14% |
| College/University degree(s) | 33% | 38% | 28% |
Years of technical experience with Microsoft products
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 0% | 0% |
Exposure to large projects
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 87% | 10% | 3% |
Specific vertical industry experience
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 82% | 15% | 3% |
Years of experience in IT
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 69% | 28% | 3% |
Microsoft certifications
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 64% | 28% | 8% |
Working with AI
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 42% | 44% | 14% |
College/University degree(s)
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant |
|---|---|---|
| 33% | 38% | 28% |
What steps should you take to become a Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant?
Education
In terms of what you might need, 84% of Dynamics 365 Functional Consultants hold at least a Bachelor’s degree. However, only 33% consider that a degree is important for working with Microsoft Cloud, despite another 33% believing a degree to be an important factor when it comes to increasing earning potential.
Certification
Over three-quarters (77%, up from 66% from in our previous study) of Dynamics 365 Functional Consultants are certified, and 43% (down from 47%) of those have undergone certification renewal to maintain their Microsoft Certified status. This trend of prioritizing the initial cert over renewal can also be seen in our wider sample (see here for more information). Meanwhile, 70% (up from 67%) of certified consultants believe certifications add value to a candidate’s profile.
For those pursuing a career as a Functional Consultant, there are two initial certification paths you can take. At the foundational level, Microsoft currently offers two certifications that validate essential Dynamics 365 knowledge. These are the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) and Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) certifications, each of which focus on specific products within either the ERP or CRM areas.
If you’re already at an associate or mid-level, there are eight certifications available that are directly aligned with the Functional Consultant role. Each certification concentrates on a particular product within the Dynamics 365 or Power Platform suite, supporting your career development by enabling you to specialize or address any knowledge gaps.
For seasoned Functional Consultants who want to advance further or transition into more technical roles, Microsoft provides three expert-level certifications, which are the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert, Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert, and Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert. These three certifications represent the highest level of credentials within Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 certification pathway.
Top Microsoft certifications held by Dynamics 365 Functional Consultants
| Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant Associate | 30% |
| Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) | 30% |
| Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) | 17% |
| Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert | 17% |
| Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert | 17% |
| Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals | 17% |
Paths to becoming a Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant
There’s no specific pathway to becoming a Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant, but experience in IT infrastructure is a plus. Dynamics 365’s broad product range attracts professionals from diverse backgrounds, including those who have used a Dynamics 365 CRM product in other roles, worked as consultants in different application ecosystems, or simply excel at finding effective business solutions.
Common starting roles for these professionals include, but are not limited to:
Business Analyst: Experience in gathering and analyzing business requirements, as well as identifying process improvements, makes you well-suited to transition into a Functional Consultant role
CRM/ERP Administrator: Knowledge of CRM or ERP systems and user support translates well to configuring and maintaining Dynamics 365 solutions
Systems Analyst: A background in technical troubleshooting and understanding how systems interact is helpful for configuring and optimizing Dynamics 365
Support Analyst: Familiarity with end-user needs and troubleshooting helps understand and support business applications like Dynamics 365
Accountant: A solid understanding of workflows, financial reporting, and budgeting, which are core components of Dynamics 365, helps to translate business requirements into functional specifications that drive process improvements
What skills and experience should Dynamics 365 Functional Consultants have?
- Proficiency in data migration processes
- In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with Dynamics 365 solutions
- Familiarity with related technologies, such as SQL and Microsoft Power Platform
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly present and explain technical concepts to stakeholders at various levels
- Strong problem-solving abilities and innovative approach to solution development
- Experience conducting user acceptance testing (UAT)
- Skill in performing functional gap analysis, gathering requirements, and translating business objectives into technical solution designs
- Capability to advise clients on areas like reporting, administration, and ongoing support
- Expertise in project documentation, including specifications, test plans, training materials, user guides, and entity relationship diagrams
- Strong project management skills, including budget control and scope management
