Outsourced vs Full-Time NetSuite Administrator: Benefits, Costs & Risks

Most executives assume the “serious” option is hiring a full-time NetSuite Administrator. After all, why trust such a critical system to anyone outside your payroll? 

But here’s the twist: for many mid-market companies, keeping NetSuite in-house creates more risk, and more cost, than outsourcing ever would.

This article unpacks the real trade-offs between outsourcing and hiring full-time, with five areas every CFO or COO should weigh before making the decision.
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What Does a NetSuite Administrator Really Do?

A NetSuite Administrator is responsible for keeping your ERP system running smoothly, secure, and aligned with business goals. 

The NetSuite Administrator job description typically includes:

• Assigning and managing user roles and permissions
• Customizing workflows, dashboards, and reports
• Ensuring data integrity for finance, sales, and operations
• Testing system updates and troubleshooting issues
• Providing training and support to end users

The job is critical, but the workload isn’t constant. 

Some weeks demand heavy reconfiguration during an update, while others might only involve resetting a few passwords or generating month-end reports. 

That variability is exactly why the full-time vs outsourcing decision matters.
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Full-Time NetSuite Administrator vs. Outsourced NetSuite Administrator

When weighing whether to hire in-house or outsource, executives often boil it down to cost. 

But the differences run deeper—from the range of expertise to how much risk you’re willing to carry if someone leaves. 

Below are five key areas to compare before making your decision.
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1. Is a full-time salary worth it?

Hiring a U.S.-based NetSuite Administrator can easily cost $100k to $140k a year in base salary. Once you add benefits, equipment, and training, the real cost often reaches $160k. 

That number might make sense in a Fortune 500 finance department, but for most mid-market companies, it’s a major overhead burden.

• Full-time NetSuite Administrator: You’re paying the same salary even in a quiet month when the biggest task is updating a saved search for finance. Payroll is predictable, but it’s fixed whether the workload is 5 hours or 50.
• Outsourced NetSuite Administrator: With outsourcing companies in the Philippines, you can secure certified NetSuite Administrators for a fraction of U.S. salaries. More importantly, you’re not locked into 40 hours a week. Picture paying for 40 hours during a busy NetSuite upgrade, then scaling back to just 10 hours of monitoring once things stabilize. Instead of a fixed burn rate, you’re only paying for what you need.
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2. Can one NetSuite Administrator cover everything your business needs?

NetSuite isn’t just about finance. It touches CRM, supply chain, HR, reporting, and integrations. No single administrator can be a true expert in all of those areas.

• Full-time NetSuite Administrator: Your employee might be excellent at SuiteAnalytics and reporting, but struggle with supply chain workflows. When a new requirement pops up in a module they’re unfamiliar with, you’re forced to either invest in expensive training or bring in outside contractors.
• Outsourced NetSuite Administrator: Outsourcing gives you access to multiple specialists. For example, you could have one administrator fine-tuning Advanced Financials while another optimizes warehouse management workflows. You’re not limited to one person’s skill set. That range of expertise is especially valuable if your business pivots or expands into new functions.
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3. Do you need someone embedded in your team every day?

An in-house employee blends into your culture. They join team meetings, learn your quirks, and adapt to how your managers like to work. 

That closeness can be helpful, but it can also create blind spots.

• Full-time NetSuite Administrator: They’ll know your exact processes, but that’s also their only frame of reference. If your sales team insists on a clunky approval workflow, your in-house admin might just maintain it rather than suggest an alternative.
• Outsourced NetSuite Administrator: Outsourced administrators bring an outside perspective. Having supported manufacturing firms, SaaS companies, and retailers, they’ve seen dozens of ways to solve the same problem. That experience means they can recommend simplifying workflows instead of propping up inefficiencies. Think of it less like “outsider vs. insider” and more like having a consultant built into your support model.
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4. What happens if your administrator quits?

Turnover is one of the biggest risks in ERP staffing. Skilled NetSuite Administrators are in demand, and recruiters are always reaching out with new opportunities. 

When they leave, the gap can be costly.

• Full-time NetSuite Administrator: Imagine your only admin resigns right before year-end close. Not only do you lose daily support, but you also lose institutional knowledge: why certain workflows were set up, what exceptions finance relies on, and how permissions are structured. Rehiring can take months, during which your system is left vulnerable.
• Outsourced NetSuite Administrator: The right outsourcing partner guarantees continuity. If one administrator rolls off, another steps in with documentation and knowledge transfer already in place. You don’t start from scratch, and you’re not left scrambling. That kind of stability is often worth more than the perceived loyalty of a single in-house hire.
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5. Do you really need 40 hours of NetSuite support every week?

Many companies assume NetSuite requires constant attention, but once your system is stable, the workload often drops to just a few hours a week. A full-time hire still sits on payroll whether they’re busy or not.

• Full-time hire: You’re paying more than $10,000 a month even in weeks when the biggest task is resetting a password. For most mid-market firms, that’s a poor return on investment.
• Outsourcing: Outsourced support scales with demand. Imagine running a major integration project in Q2 where you need full-time coverage. By Q3, the system stabilizes and your workload drops to 8 to 12 hours a week. Outsourcing lets you adjust without awkward conversations about cutting someone’s hours. You’re always paying for actual demand, not an arbitrary 40-hour schedule.
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When Does a Full-Time Hire Still Make Sense?

Outsourcing makes sense for most mid-market businesses, but there are scenarios where a full-time admin is still justified:

• Large enterprises with heavy daily ticket volume and highly customized setups.
• On-site compliance requirements where remote access isn’t sufficient.
• Extensive integrations that require constant attention across multiple teams.

If your environment truly demands constant NetSuite attention, a full-time administrator can be worth the investment. 

But for the majority of businesses, outsourcing delivers more flexibility and value.
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How to Choose the Right Outsourcing Partner (Checklist)

Picking the wrong partner can leave you with the same problems you were trying to avoid: slow response times, limited expertise, or high turnover. 
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Use this checklist to evaluate whether an outsourcing company is truly equipped to support your NetSuite environment.

The right partner should check every box. If they don’t, you risk trading one staffing headache for another.
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Your “Safe” Hire Is the Risky One

It feels safer to put a full-time NetSuite Administrator on payroll, but safety is an illusion. You carry the overhead, you risk turnover, and you often overpay for idle time. 

Outsourcing, on the other hand, gives you stability, scale, and expertise that won’t vanish when your admin takes another offer.

If you want predictable results, not predictable costs, it’s time to rethink the “safe” option. Atticus makes outsourcing the smarter, lower-risk move. 

Book a call with Atticus today and see why your safest bet is actually outside your payroll.