Why stay on Dynamics GP in 2022 vs Business Central

Why stay on Microsoft Dynamics GP in 2022 vs. Business Central

To start off, we Love Dynamics GP, and are thrilled with the updated roadmap and commitment from Microsoft to 2028+ and beyond.  Although our parent, Endeavour has expanded to include a team of Business Central consultants, we remain committed to helping our GP clients make their business better.  For many of them, that includes staying on Dynamics GP, as their business case doesn’t support a move or migration to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

The following are 10 reasons to stay on Dynamics GP (Great Plains)

1. Dynamics GP has an updated roadmap to 2028+ and beyond. The platform is used by tens of thousands of small and mid-sized organizations across North America and is expected to be supported both by Microsoft and a mature partner network for many years to come. Microsoft Proof and Lifecycle

2. Migration from GP to Business Central takes effort. Although Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a viable cloud-based ERP worthy of consideration as a replacement to Dynamics GP, there are a number of costs related to business process changes, Chart of Account changes, reporting changes, integration changes, and new end-user training that may become cost-prohibitive. https://www.gpsupportnorth.com/gp-to-business-central/

3. Dynamics GP provides the visibility of Debits and Credits on-screen information relating to transactions and GL distributions. Within Business Central, such balancing entries are done behind the scenes in sub-ledgers. For many long-time Dynamics GP users, this lack of instant visibility requires additional training and change management as a significant mind-shift mindset may be needed before they become comfortable and proficient in a new system. https://www.gpsupportnorth.com/gp-training/

4. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is based on Dynamics NAV (Navision), a completely separate ERP architecture from Dynamics GP (Great Plains). Dynamics GP uses account strings and a strong Chart of Accounts. In contrast, the Business Central platform uses reporting dimensions for reporting across modules. The flexibility within these dimensions also poses a risk if misconfigured resulting in inconsistent reporting and analysis.

5. Dynamics GP has a rich ecosystem of embedded and add-on 3rd party applications for additional functions unique to specific industries or business processes. Business Central follows a similar model of supporting 3rd party add-on applications with many of the Dynamics GP and Dynamics NAV ISV application providers creating similar versions for Business Central. Although some of these add-ons are from proven providers, the add-ons themselves are typically less than 3 years old given the 2019 re-architecture of Business Central for the cloud.  https://www.gpsupportnorth.com/partners/ 

6. Dynamics GP upgrades are recommended every year or so to stay on the most current version, however, there is flexibility for clients to delay upgrade for 2 or 3 years or longer. Delayed upgrades provide a certain level of stability and consistency for users and business processes. This level of convenience needs to be balanced with the business’s need for security updates and interoperability (integration) requirements. With Business Central as a SaaS Cloud ERP, many updates are released and pushed out monthly, with two major updates each year in April and October. Although updates can be applied automatically, it is recommended that each be tested within a sandbox environment prior to release to production to prevent any stoppage of customizations, end-user screen personalization, and 3rd party ISV add-ons.  https://www.gpsupportnorth.com/gp/the-new-gp/

7. Advanced automation is similar between different ERP applications when using best of breed 3rd party cloud applications and portals. These apps often use a web-based user interface unique to their application with integration back into the ERP applications. The user experience, workflow approvals, and remote access are the same regardless of using Dynamics GP or another system. From an advanced automation perspective, there is no added benefit in considering other ERPs as they would potentially also leverage the same 3rd party systems. Examples include 3rd party application for advanced Invoice and AP automation, Financial Planning & Analysis with budgeting workflow, Purchase Order automation, Expense Management, Online billing portals, AR automation, as well as eCommerce sites that can all be integrated to ‘augment’ Dynamics GP with additional cloud apps and capabilities.

8. GP Cloud Hosting is an option worth considering if your on-premise infrastructure is aging and your costs for monitoring and cyber security are continuing to escalate. GP Cloud Hosting is essentially a third-party datacenter where your users would access the Dynamics GP client app via Microsoft Remote Desktop Services. For many clients, this type of remote access is the same approach used in supporting hybrid work from home and remote offices. GP Cloud Overview Video

9. Dynamics GP Smart Lists and Management Reporter are both licensed and included with Dynamics GP at no additional charge. Most GP clients rely on these applications for daily operations and analysis. Although there are 3rd party reporting tools available to replicate these valuable functions, they each require an additional purchase or software subscription for named users. The majority of Endeavour’s clients who have moved from Dynamics GP to Business Central have elected to purchase additional 3rd party reporting tools to meet their needs.

10. Endeavour Solutions and our GP Support North teams are here to help support you and your team. We are continuing to invest and expand our support capabilities for Dynamics GP, providing consulting services for clients using Dynamics GP including upgrades, 3rd party applications, integration, training, and support.

www.endeavoursolutions.ca / www.gpsupportnorth.com

About GP Support North

GP Support North is a large team of Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) consultants at Endeavour Solutions, dedicated to supporting clients using Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) ERP.  We are your safe-haven for long-term GP support and consulting services.  We will not force you to change platforms, but if and when you are ready, we can help migrate you to the cloud.

2022: Our focus is on providing a "Safe-Haven" for Microsoft Dynamics GP users to gain access to expert GP support, GP training, GP upgrades, and consulting services for Microsoft Dynamics GP for the next 10+ years.

We love Dynamics GP (Great Plains) and have more than 550 active clients across North America predominately in the USA and Canada. We believe that GP has a long and prosperous future, and we are here to support you and your team.  Need a new GP partner?

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