You’ve no doubt heard the news: Microsoft will end new Dynamics GP sales in 2025 and 2026. Dynamics GP has also ceased to receive feature enhancements after its October 2022 release. All signs are pointing to Dynamics GP eventually phasing out and businesses needing to find different enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions.
We understand your reticence to consider Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as your next solution. After all, for a while it was true that Business Central did not have the same features and functionality of Dynamics GP. But Microsoft has made many investments in the tool and spent quite a bit of time and money elevating Dynamics 365 Business Central to make it the system of choice for businesses migrating from Dynamics GP.
If you’re on the fence or have questions about what such a migration would look like, check out these FAQs.
Do I have to migrate away from Dynamics GP ASAP? (Is the solution going away soon?)
It depends, but for the most part, no. Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy governs the current version of Dynamics GP (version 18.x). Customers take at least one of three Dynamics GP updates released each year in order to stay current, and these updates include relevant regulatory updates, hotfixes, and tax updates. If your solution is under Modern Lifecycle Policy, there’s no technical rush.
If your solution is older, then it’s governed by the Fixed Lifecycle Policy which has end dates for many product versions. Extended support runs for these product versions into 2028 depending on what version you have.
Despite the time frame you may have on Dynamics GP support, the longer you wait to migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central, the more time you spend missing out on the benefits of the cloud.
I’m concerned I’ll lose functionality in a migration. What features come with Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has been specifically designed to help small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) enjoy the feature-rich experience they’re used to in Dynamics GP. Intercompany transactions, multi-company management, statistical accounting, and much more have all been enhanced in Business Central. Users can access everything from analysis views on ledger entries to bank management capabilities to 1096 tax processes.
And if you’re worried about losing tools from your favorite independent software vendors (ISVs), most of them have become available in Business Central.
What are other SMBs seeing after a move to Dynamics 365 Business Central?
As a cloud-based solution, Dynamics 365 Business Central also delivers flexibility and scalability, and it is the most cost-effective option for businesses migrating away from Dynamics GP to another ERP solution. A Forrester Total Economic Impact study found that businesses saw a return on investment of 162% over three years using the solution. They also reduced the requirement for so much finance and operational staff hires, improved operational flow, and avoided costs of third-party reporting.
Dynamics 365 Business Central offers better data security and compliance with Microsoft’s renowned security infrastructure. It centralizes your data for better reporting and insights, and it integrates AI-enabled business intelligence tools. Automatic updates twice a year mean you no longer have to devote staff to manually updating your solution—or disrupting your business to do so.
Curious About a Move to Dynamics 365 Business Central?
It’s smart to start the conversation today about how you’ll migrate away from Dynamics GP eventually. DSWi is a Microsoft MVP for Business Central, and we specialize in helping SMBs make of the most of their investments in this powerful cloud solution.
Reach out anytime, we’d be happy to learn about your business needs and answer your questions.
