u/SlappyBlunt777

Currently a Director of FP&A for a small food company TC 180k. Built up to this point from analyst 5 years ago. I’ve always taken the resourceful mindset to solving business problems with good ol sql server at my disposal. Along the way I’ve developed all the FP&A skills and I’m thankful but I’ve ultimately taken a step in a direction that I’m not happy with. I’ve done consulting work for a company that needed my understanding of a certain ERP connected to databricks. I’m a big fan of Databricks but only scratched the surface. I’m considering taking Zach Wilson’s course on DB but before I pull the trigger, curious to get the communities opinion on a) my career positioning and desire to pivot and b) Wilson’s course…. Thanks in advance, happy to answer questions

Our Microsoft partner hosts our erp database on a dedicated sql server with replica enabled, and we have basic sql server access to said replica db. We then connect to this via out internal on prem sql server and data warehouse from there. The physical server that we have in house is a mess and our stored procedures fail non stop.

I need a quick move to something modern. I know this page hates fabric, but given the simplicity and small amount of data <50gb, is this a case where fabric can win?? I’ve worked with databricks and seems like major over kill. Maybe snowflake is the happy medium? I need something quick that will work. My concern is that fabric will feel quick at first then break for unknown reasons.

I’m currently a Director of BI making 180k but reality of the situation is I am a Director of FP&A who is strong in erp systems and sql / power BI + understands the business. My job right now is to manage the hell out of sales forecasting while wearing 10 other hats. Small food company that is struggling to survive. It’s a mess. Anyway, I need to set my career on a sustainable path and I am considering leaning into DE via Zach Wilson’s boot camp OR leaning into D365 Business Central ERP consulting. Every time I scan DE jobs it seems to be incredibly impacted with a lot of upside for the right company otherwise declining salaries. Meanwhile BC ERP consulting seems to have a waning supply of consultants / analysts / developers. Salaries here are generally lower but stable and the more experience you have the more rare you become to charge a greater hourly rate. Plus with erp consulting there is this sort of irreplaceable human to human interaction required to get the job done. I also feel like the biz analyst nature of it could translate well into the future of automating workflows with agentic AI.

DE Reddit, what are your thoughts here? Should I lean into DE or lean out to this other erp option??

Landed a new job paying 180k and working in Santa Ana! Family of 4, wife is SAHM for the near future. My oldest child will be in 1st grade and my youngest will be in preschool or stay home one more year.

Being from super conservative Central Valley we are not interested in reliving this. We are looking for diversity in our neighborhood. For context we love Berkeley but happy living some where not as wild. We will probably be here for two years so we just want to find the right place to rent ideally at or under 3k, with reasonable schools. Also the goal is to stay as close as possible between work and the apartment. Assuming it would be an apartment since renting a house seems outrageous. Any recommendations?

Just hit 5 years with a food ingredient manufacturer and was promoted to Director of BI. In reality I function like a Director of FP&A despite coming from a SQL data analyst background. I am really good with ERP systems and manufacturing operations / financials, but now my SQL/data career growth is becoming secondary. I am under 30 and feel like I am in an awkward golden handcuff situation. I haven’t even found the time or good reason to work with python all these years. If the grass isn’t greener I will shut up, but I strongly feel like I am missing out on the chances to work for tech companies or anywhere that is more cutting edge. I make $175k per year. Small town California.

My gums are receding and I am big time cutting out cigarettes and starting to phase out joints. Pax mini is on the way. Curious if you feel like your gums / lungs feel better switching to dry herb vaporizer? I’m reading the heat comparison is basically 400F versus 900F with a joint.

I have a job offer in sac with starting salary of $170k my wife and I are young parents with two little ones (6yo and 2yo) I make the same pay in Tulare county right now which is lucky wages around here. Wife is SAHM and would like to have the luxury of keeping it that way at least while our youngest is not in school.

We are under 30 and despite rapid career growth, it’s been a decent financial struggle (was making minimum wage 6 years ago). We don’t have a whole lot saved up.

Rent here for a 3b2 home is 1900 per month in the best school district. Seems like comparable rent out there for school district and home size will require a 1k premium.

Then there is the home buying goal. You can buy a home in Tulare County in the 300k range still and be generally fine with the purchase. New homes start at 400k. Meanwhile in Sac, it seems like there is a +200k -300 premium.

We have lived in and love the Bay Area which is what makes Sacramento appealing. I just feel crazy for even bothering to try. It feels like I should just accept that I am living in the last frontier of California home affordability and hold it down in Tulare county. My oldest is already six!! What would you do??

For the record, Tulare County is in between Fresno and Bakersfield. Strong ag industry, lots of Mexican culture. Hot, dusty, but it is home. Sequoia national park to the east. Very pretty but not accessible the way Tahoe is.

Who here has worked a DE job with D365 F&O at the heart? What challenges did you face? What tools helped you succeed (or failed you)?

I joined the firm as the SQL analyst and became the ERP guy along the way. Then cost accountant, then FP&A, and at this point I’m presenting in front of the BoD in the finances of this business. I can ask for Director of FP&A or not at this point and would still be responsible for all of the above.

I am under 30 and have grown my salary from 70k to 170k in 5 years. I’ve learned a lot along the way. In a perfect world I would be Director of Analytics and have the budget to upgrade to Business Central and Azure DataBricks. Not happening. The business is fragile and needs FP&A mgmt more than anything.

Would you take on the challenge? I am in talks with a company looking to do an enterprise upgrade.

I joined the firm as the SQL analyst and became the ERP guy along the way. Then cost accountant, then FP&A, and at this point I’m presenting in front of the BoD in the finances of this business. I can ask for Director of FP&A or not at this point and would still be responsible for all of the above.

I am under 30 and have grown my salary from 70k to 170k in 5 years. I’ve learned a lot along the way. In a perfect world I would be Director of Analytics and have the budget to upgrade to Business Central and Azure DataBricks. Not happening. The business is fragile and needs FP&A mgmt more than anything.

Would you take on the challenge? I am in talks with a company looking to do an enterprise upgrade.