From DOS to the Cloud: How Payroll is Changing and Why that is a Good Thing

If you’re worried about where your accounting and payroll software is going to fit in with the new push to the cloud, I have a little story to tell that might calm your fears.

Remember this?

Remember when the business world switched from DOS to Windows? Anyone? Well, I admit it, I was there. And it was a huge deal. There was a lot of fear and uncertainty! How would businesses cope? How would people learn this crazy new concept? Major technological changes were pushing organizations to implement not just new software and hardware, but entirely new processes and procedures. Many companies felt pressured to change from perfectly functional practices to the big new thing. A lot of people were just unsure what to do.

You may not have experienced the switch from DOS to Windows, but you can probably understand it in light of software solutions moving to the cloud today as well as a major shift in the labor force being on the horizon. Here we are again - a lot of people are just unsure what to do.

I started Integrity Data in 1996 with the intent of helping customers solve business problems by making Great Plains accounting software even better than it was out of the box. We made it our mission to learn about what companies need, and then find or create the best solutions to meet those needs. As our company grew in the late 90s and early 2000s, so did our reputation for solving human resources and payroll concerns. During this time, we have helped customers through many changes that have created that same fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Here are a few of the major changes we’ve tackled over the years:

The Great Plains to Dynamics GP Transition

In 2001, Microsoft acquired Great Plains and Dynamics GP was born. We worked closely with Microsoft to help them and our customers transition our payroll and human resources solutions to Dynamics GP (and continue to make GP Payroll better, faster and easier).

The Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Next, along came the Affordable Care Act in 2010. This legislation created a mandate for employers that caused an excessive amount of work and uncertainty. Nobody knew how to manage it, so we rolled up our sleeves and got to work to solve the issue. We created a robust, state-of-the-art cloud solution and services to help streamline that complex and time-consuming effort for our customers. Our ACA compliance and reporting solution remains a key part of our offerings.

The Workforce Evolution

Today, businesses are saying that recruiting and retaining good employees is their biggest challenge. The baby boomers are retiring and employers do not know how to engage the late Millennials and Gen Z workforce. Integrity Data helps our customers address these changes by finding innovating solutions and services that engage employees and strengthen employer/employee relations.

The Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Transition

On top of all this, the introduction of Microsoft Dynamics 365 has many businesses wondering what will happen with their Dynamics GP ERP. Should you stay or should you go? What happens to your GP payroll?

Here is why this is all a good thing – you don’t need to worry

Technology changes are inevitable and a way of life – Windows, the Internet, Wi-Fi, Smart Phones, Cloud – our commitment is to help our customers transition their HR and Payroll world by leveraging these changes in a way that ultimately benefits them. Each organization is different and will adopt new technologies at different times and for different reasons. The important thing to know is that we have seen it before and successfully helped our customers through it.

Knowing what to do with Cloud or Dynamics 365 Business Central can be difficult to understand. Let us help! It is not our first rodeo as they say, and it certainly is not mine. If you have ANY questions about a Dynamics GP payroll transition to Dynamics 365 Business Central, please do not hesitate to contact us. After all, conversations like these are why we like coming to work every day!