Microsoft Announces End of Support for Microsoft Dynamics GP: What’s Next?

We’ve known since around 2015 that Microsoft would eventually end support for Microsoft Dynamics GP.? They hinted at this and sometimes said it when Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central was launched in 2018.? So, after all of these years of waiting, it was not a surprise but almost a relief to finally know the magical date of September 30, 2029, is the date that Microsoft will end product support and updates for Dynamics GP.? This journey began with Project Madeira, which evolved into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC) in 2018.? A few years ago, when we all knew the “end” would eventually come, we all went through the grief process and had thoughts like “just breathe”, “change is good”, “nothing lasts forever”, “I can learn a new software”.??? After going through the torment of not knowing what to tell clients, I am glad we now have a firm date.?? But besides a firm support end date, did anything really happen??? We still have five years to plan and make the right decision of whether you need to look at migrating to another system.?? Would I recommend waiting five years to decide when is the right time to move to another ERP system?? No – I would definitely recommend going through the process now to decide if and when is the right time to move forward with a replacement for our beloved GP.??? If GP is serving you well and after your due diligence, you decide to stay with GP, DLD will still support you.

Do I Stay with GP or Migrate to BC (or Another Business Management Software Solution)?

As an early adopter of BC, I attended several training sessions on the initial versions of Project “Madeira” and later on Dynamics 365 Business Central. Despite this, I didn’t immediately push for existing GP clients to transition to BC. There were a few reasons for this hesitation: BC initially felt “weird” to me, the terminology was different, and it lacked features like SmartLists. My primary reason, however, was my deep affection for GP, which I’ve worked with since 1999. With GP sitting on a SQL database and with the help of eOne’s SmartList Builder, and SSRS reports, I could provide any data that a client requested.? My familiarity with GP allowed me to tailor it to fit pretty much most client’s business requirements seamlessly.? (Ok to come clean, back in 1999, I also thought GP had some “weird” terminology and some “weird” processes.? I definitely did not think it was intuitive.? But after a while, the petty terminology and a few other things did not matter to me anymore…Only the rich features that I took advantage of for several years!).

The challenge initially with BC was my “book” knowledge versus lack of practical experience. Until I handled some smaller BC implementations back in 2020 and then graduated to more complicated implementation back in 2022, I didn’t feel comfortable recommending it to our existing GP clients. As consultants, we’re used to being “experts” in our field. About three years ago, I stopped griping about BC and started embracing it, even growing to love it. I began reaching out to other BC partners to begin collaborating.? It is wonderful to be part of a BC community that helps each other!?? I love that I can call on others including several MVPs (Shannon, Tanya, Steve, Shawn, Kerry, Dave, and others) and they are willing to share their knowledge.? Now, in return, I love paying it forward to other GP partners that have recently taken on BC.? Microsoft’s continuous investment in BC, including adding reporting options similar to GP’s SmartLists and revamping the price list functionality, impressed me.? Microsoft is really showing the love for BC. Once I got used to BC’s terminology and different ways of handling certain processes (like drop ship orders), I realized its power and the potential to transform business processes. BC is a modern Accounting/ERP system ideal for growing companies with complex business requirements. It integrates seamlessly with other MS 365 products, doesn’t require expensive upgrades, is more secure than on-premise servers, includes a light CRM, and has a service module with the premium license.? Since I was honest above that I did not love GP initially either back in 1999, I will go ahead and admit with all of BC’s powerful functionality, that one of the reasons I finally embraced BC a few years ago was that it just works!?? Emailing invoices? That is no problem with BC!?? Virtually no setup or troubleshooting where unfortunately, my beloved GP did require more setup and troubleshooting.?? What “small” feature do you love about BC that turned you into a believer in its value?

Start Planning Now!

After working with BC since 2018 and fully embracing it over the past three years through several implementations and GP migrations, I truly believe BC is a better solution for most companies. I still love GP, and our company will continue to support it for at least ten more years. I’m not suggesting a hasty decision to move away from GP. Microsoft will continue to support GP for at least five more years, and DLD will continue to support it for several years beyond that. However, transitioning from GP to BC can be a positive change, especially if you enjoy working with Microsoft 365 products, Power Automate, and Power BI. Every company’s journey is unique. Is it time for your company to consider moving to BC or another Business Management Software solution? Let us share our journey and, more importantly, listen to your story. ?Let us help guide you through this process.

I unapologetically love both GP and BC!

By Dennis Day, CPA, CITP, DLD Business Solutions, Inc.? www.dldbsi.com

This article originally published on ERP Software Blog https://erpsoftwareblog.com/2024/10/microsoft-announces-end-of-support-for-microsoft-dynamics-gp-whats-next/