Beyond the Job Description: Data Conversion Specialist

Sometimes it is hard to really explain a position with just one page of a job description. There is so much more to our roles at Deacom than what can be told with a few bullet points and a list of requirements. So, we decided to dive a little deeper into our openings to share what they are really all about and what type of people would find great success and value in joining the teams.

To kick off this new blog series, we wanted to feature our Data Conversion Specialist role, which is a critical piece to the success of our implementations and customers’ future. Many of our customers have been in business for years – some almost 200 years. Just think about all that data that defines these companies’ history when it comes to accounting information, product formulation, inventory levels, and customer contact details. Now if a company wanted to start new and from scratch, they wouldn’t need our data conversion team’s help at all. But let’s face it, that is just not realistic as most companies rely on history to predict the future.

The Day-to-Day

When a manufacturing or distribution company signs on with Deacom, they are making the decision to move away from a software environment that often consists of a combination of home-grown systems, Access and Excel programs, and/or other independent pieces of software. Our data conversion specialists assist our customers with transferring all of their legacy data into the DEACOM platform by extracting and mapping it into DEACOM.

But this is not your traditional data position in which you are simply staring at a screen all day analyzing random bits of data. Rather, this position allows you to collaborate daily with our customers to solve large-scale data migration puzzles. This role combines the use of deep hands-on technical data conversion work, with the interpersonal side of consulting on projects within the scope of manufacturing environments.

Making an Impact on Deacom’s Business

In order for our ERP software to be effective, all of the data needs to be accurate. The implementation process cannot move forward unless the data is complete and accurate on the backend.

The data conversion team is critical to the progression and success of all of our implementation projects. Our CEO, Jay Deakins, said it himself in a recent State of Deacom talk: “All of our customers come to us with data in multiple systems and it is an extreme challenge to take all that information and normalize it into the DEACOM system. Everybody in our data conversion group deserves a medal.”

Drop what you’re doing and apply now because you’re going to love it here if…

A screen of jumbled data makes you say, “Bring it on!”

The concept of solving a puzzle is what this job is all about – plus, you will be getting paid for it. Our customers will send you a large amount of data from multiple sources (legacy ERP software, Access, Excel, you name it!). It will be your responsibility to have it all make sense.

You enjoy learning about what makes different types of businesses tick.

Although Deacom operates in a niche market (companies in the manufacturing and distribution space), there are many types of businesses within these industries that you will be working with. Everything from thriving breweries and snack food manufacturers, to cutting-edge pharmaceutical and chemical companies, and that’s just to start. All of our clients produce amazing products and operate very differently from one another. No day, company, or process is the same.

You are confident and even look forward to getting on the phone with customers.

Although this role is heavily dependent on the technical aspect of data, a big portion of your daily responsibility will be interacting with our clients on implementation projects. From phone calls and emails, to virtual meetings, managing client relationships is very important. You will be constantly collaborating with customers on ways to improve data mapping and understanding the complexities of their business.

The sheer idea of a messy desk gives you anxiety.

While they may seem like generic terms used in most job descriptions, a strong attention to detail and organizational skills are an absolute necessity for this position. A single decimal point being off or a seemingly minute detail being overlooked, can lead to major issues down the line. When dealing with accounting data or product formulations, everything needs to be exactly on point.

This may not be your dream job if…

You have never heard of SQL.

Although being a SQL expert is not a required skill, having an understanding of relational databases is. The process of mapping over customer data and creating a cohesive database requires you to be able to write SQL queries and use other ETL techniques. SQL skills can be taught, but if you do not have a passion to learn it, then this may not be the right position for you. 

You like to do the same thing day-in and day-out.

The person that is in this role will be working with multiple clients on a daily basis. Given that no two customers are the same, each will have their own business process, data sets, and people on the other end of the line. The ability to quickly and effectively jump from one task to the next happens very often.

BONUS POINTS

You have dabbled in development in a previous life.

This is not a development role by any stretch. That said, if you have written code and understand the logic of SQL query writing, cleaning up the data will be a bit more intuitive.

ERP software, manufacturing, or accounting background is somewhere on your resume.

Deacom is an ERP provider built for those in the manufacturing industry and accounting principles is a large part of it. Therefore, experience in any of these areas can give you the ability to quickly and easily identify potential discrepancies in data sets. Knowing what our customers go through each and every day will help you relate to them on your calls.

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