Microsoft Great Plains, a flagship ERP solution that has served businesses for decades, is being phased out by Microsoft. Originally developed by Great Plains Software in the early 1990s, this robust financial and business management software became part of Microsoft’s portfolio in 2001. Renamed Microsoft Dynamics GP, it gained widespread adoption for its user-friendly interface, integration capabilities, and flexibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, in recent years, Microsoft has shifted its focus toward cloud-first solutions like Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365 BC) and Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain management (D365 F&SCM), signaling the gradual deprecation of Dynamics GP.
If you’re a current Dynamics GP user, here’s what you need to know about the transition and what it means for your business.
Why Is Microsoft Deprecating Dynamics GP?
The decision to phase out Dynamics GP stems from several factors:
- Cloud-first Strategy:
Microsoft has aggressively pivoted towards cloud-based offerings with Dynamics 365. Unlike Dynamics GP, which is primarily on-premises, both D365 BC and D365 F&SCM operate seamlessly in the cloud, aligning with modern business needs for scalability, remote access, and automatic updates.
- Market Trends:
Businesses increasingly prefer Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions to reduce infrastructure costs and improve agility. Dynamics GP, despite its strengths, cannot compete with the real-time analytics, AI capabilities, and automation offered by modern cloud-based ERP systems.
- Innovation Focus:
Maintaining two parallel ERP ecosystems—on-premises (GP) and cloud (Dynamics 365)—splits resources and innovation. By focusing on a single, cloud-native platform, Microsoft can concentrate on delivering cutting-edge features.
What This Means for Dynamics GP Users
- Support Timeline
While Microsoft has not abruptly ended support for Dynamics GP, it has announced the transition to its Modern Lifecycle Policy. Under this policy:
• April 1, 2025: No new Perpetual Dynamics GP licenses will be issued.
• April 1, 2026: No new Dynamics GP subscription licenses will be available.
• September 30, 2029: Microsoft will release the final product enhancements and end support for Dynamics GP.
• Updates will primarily focus on regulatory compliance, tax updates, and critical fixes.
• Feature updates will be minimal.
• End-of-life dates may vary depending on your version.
Given these timelines, it’s essential to create a clear roadmap for transitioning to a modern ERP solution before support concludes. Users should collaborate with their current Dynamics partner to confirm the specific support timeline for their GP version. Additionally, they should explore tailored options to ensure continuous support while planning a transition strategy that aligns with their timeline, budget, and digital transformation objectives.
- Migration Opportunities
As highlighted earlier, businesses migrating from Dynamics GP to a leading Microsoft Dynamics solution, such as Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365 BC) or Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management (D365 F&SCM), have two primary options to evaluate. Below are key considerations to help determine which path best aligns with your organization’s digital transformation goals. Both are excellent choices, however, offer unique differences to consider. Both offer opportunities to take advantage of Microsoft offered licensing discounts migrating from Dynamics GP.
Dynamics 365 Business Central
Migrating to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides companies with a modern, cloud-based ERP solution designed to streamline operations and drive efficiency. Tailored for small and medium-sized businesses, Business Central offers comprehensive functionality across finance, sales, supply chain, and project management, all integrated within the Microsoft ecosystem. With real-time insights, automation capabilities, and scalable infrastructure, it enables organizations to adapt quickly to market demands while reducing IT overhead. Its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with familiar tools like Dynamics GP and Office 365 make the transition smoother, empowering businesses to achieve their digital transformation goals and position themselves for sustainable growth. Enhanced functionality, including real-time analytics, AI-driven insights, and seamless integrations with the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Dynamics 365 Business Central offers:
• A familiar interface for GP users, making the transition less daunting.
• All-in-One Solution: Simplifies operations with integrated tools for finance, sales, supply chain, and project management, tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
• Scalable and Flexible: Grows with your business, offering scalability to handle increased complexity while adapting to changing operational needs.
• Seamless Microsoft Ecosystem Integration: Works effortlessly with Office 365, Teams, and Power BI, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity through familiar tools.
• Lower cost and timeline for deployment.
Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management
Enterprise organizations or those with aggressive growth, acquisitions, or global needs should consider migrating to Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management (F&SCM) . This cloud-based ERP offers advanced features like real-time analytics, AI-driven insights, and automation to streamline operations and drive growth. Seamlessly integrating with the Microsoft ecosystem, it unifies data, enhances collaboration, and supports scalability for domestic and global expansion. With built-in compliance tools and reduced IT overhead, Dynamics 365 F&SCM empowers businesses to stay agile, secure, and competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP offers:
• Comprehensive Enterprise Functionality: Streamlines complex operations across finance, supply chain, retail, and manufacturing with advanced features like AI-driven insights, automation, and real-time analytics.
• Global Scalability and Compliance: Supports growth with multi-entity management, global capabilities, and built-in compliance tools tailored for diverse regulatory environments.
• Seamless Integration: Integrates effortlessly with the Microsoft ecosystem, including Office 365, Power BI, and Power Platform, to enhance collaboration and unify data across the organization.
• Cloud-based Agility: Reduces IT overhead with automatic updates, robust security, and the flexibility to adapt to evolving market needs, enabling businesses to innovate and stay competitive.
- Continued support from Microsoft Partners such as SIS Global.
For organizations not yet ready to transition to the cloud, third-party solutions and partners can provide extended support and customizations for Dynamics GP. At SIS Global, with over 20 years of experience deploying both Dynamics 365 Business Central (D365 BC) and Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management (D365 F&SCM), we remain committed to supporting customers who wish to migrate from Dynamics GP while continuing to support the current Dynamics GP solution. We are here to assist customers in evaluating their options and are dedicated to providing ongoing support until they are ready to make the transition. If you’re a Dynamics GP user considering your next steps, we welcome the opportunity to be your trusted advisor and partner throughout this journey.
How to Prepare for the Transition
- Evaluate Business Needs:
Assess current business and future business requirements to determine the long-term digital transformation goals to meet the needs of your customers and employees.
- SIS Global Analysis365
At SIS Global, we understand the importance of getting a trusted and expert evaluation of requirements and needs to ensure you get the most of your IT investments. That’s why we’re proud to introduce AnalySIS 365 – a comprehensive low-cost business application assessment service designed to understand your business requirements and help shape a transformational plan, cost and timeline and recommendation for your business.
AnalySIS 365 offers:
• Thorough Evaluation – Gain insights into your current and future business requirements, identify opportunities for transition to the cloud, and streamline your business with Microsoft Dynamics processes for maximum efficiency.
• Expert recommendations – Receive personalized recommendations from our team of experts on how to determine required system functionality, usability, and scalability.
• Future-proofing – Provide a clear and transparent view of the future of ERP with recommendations on the latest technologies in AI and automation, and how they can integrate seamlessly into your digital roadmap.
• Platform neutral – The assessment serves as a crucial tool for gaining a clear understanding of business needs, enabling informed and confident decision-making regardless of the ERP solutions under consideration.
- Planning and executing the migration:
• Comprehensive Planning – Led by a strategic partner such as SIS Global. Work collaboratively to develop a clear migration roadmap that outlines objectives, timelines, resource allocation, and potential risks. Ensure alignment with business goals and stakeholder expectations to avoid disruptions.
• Thorough Data Preparation – While transitioning from Dynamics GP to a Microsoft Dynamics solution like D365 Business Central or D365 Finance & Supply Chain Management is streamlined using standard migration tools, it’s essential to include a data transformation effort as part of the process. Standardizing data elements and cleaning up legacy data ensures a smooth migration. Perform thorough data cleansing and validation to maintain accurate, high-quality information. Additionally, establish clear data mapping and transformation rules to align legacy data with the structure of the new ERP system.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Training – Involve key stakeholders from the start to ensure buy-in and alignment. Provide extensive training and support to users, ensuring they understand and are comfortable with the new system.
• Partner with SIS Global – Partnering with an experienced Microsoft partner like SIS Global, with over 20 years of expertise in Microsoft business applications, is crucial for a successful migration. With a proven track record and deep understanding of industry nuances and business requirements, SIS Global ensures a seamless process by guiding the migration, maintaining quality, and adhering to timelines and budgets. Their expertise maximizes the use of standard functionality, leverages innovative Microsoft Dynamics features, and provides effective troubleshooting to address any challenges that arise.
• Phased Approach and Testing – Use a phased migration strategy, if possible, to minimize business disruption. Rigorously test the new system, including integrations, workflows, and data integrity, before going live to ensure a smooth transition.
• Budget planning – Migrating to a new system involves costs for Microsoft Dynamics licensing and cloud environments, implementation, and ongoing post-go-live support. Additionally, it’s important to account for internal costs, such as allocating IT and business resources to support the transition. Partnering with SIS Global can help you navigate licensing discount opportunities for Microsoft Dynamics GP migrations, manage implementation expenses, and ensure a smooth transition that stays on budget and on schedule.
Conclusion
The deprecation of Microsoft Great Plains marks the end of an era for a trusted ERP solution. While this change may be challenging for long-time users, it opens the door to more advanced and future-proof ERP systems. Migrating to Dynamics 365 BC or Dynamics F&SCM can provide businesses with the tools needed to thrive in an increasingly digital and data-driven world.
For companies still running on Dynamics GP, now is the time to explore your options and prepare for the next chapter in your ERP journey. With the right planning and guidance, you can turn this transition into an opportunity to modernize and streamline your operations.
Need help migrating from Dynamics GP? Contact SIS Global here for a consultation.
