Microsoft Dynamics GP Upgrade 2026 - Modified Dictionary Upgrade

Hello Microsoft Dynamics GP Community!

As we continue through the Microsoft Dynamics GP 2026 Upgrade Blog Series, it's time to talk about an important step that is often overlooked during upgrades: Modified Forms and Reports Dictionaries.

If you've customized Microsoft Dynamics GP using Modifier, Report Writer, VBA, or third-party products, you'll want to pay close attention to this part of the upgrade process. Microsoft frequently makes table and application changes between releases, and those changes can impact modified forms, reports, and customizations.

The good news? With a little preparation, upgrading your dictionaries is usually straightforward and can help prevent issues after the upgrade.

🚨 Before You Begin

Before upgrading your modified dictionaries, Microsoft recommends:

✅ Backing up all Forms and Reports dictionaries

✅ Exporting all modified forms and reports to a package file

✅ Performing the process in a test environment first

✅ Verifying the paths in your Dynamics.set file

Having a backup and package file gives you multiple recovery options if something doesn't upgrade as expected.

💾 Back Up Your Dictionaries

Before running the dictionary upgrade process:

• Make a copy of all modified dictionary files.
• Export modified reports and forms to a package file.
• Store backups in a secure location.

The default Microsoft Dynamics GP dictionary files are:

You can export modifications from:

Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Customize > Customization Maintenance

🔍 Verify Your Dictionary Paths

Open the Microsoft Dynamics GP launch file (Dynamics.set) and verify the paths pointing to your modified dictionaries.

For example:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics\GP\Dynamics.dic

\\Server\DictionaryShare\FORMS.DIC

\\Server\DictionaryShare\REPORTS.DIC

If your dictionaries are on a network share, confirm that the workstation performing the upgrade can access those locations.

⚙️ Start the Dictionary Upgrade

Launch Microsoft Dynamics GP Utilities.

When prompted:

1. Click Next until you reach the Additional Tasks window.
2. Select Update Modified Forms and Reports.
3. Click Process.

You'll then see the Locate Launch File window.

📂 Select the Launch File

Browse to and select your Microsoft Dynamics GP launch file:

Dynamics.set

Click Next.

The Update Modified Forms and Reports window appears.

🧩 Select Products to Upgrade

Select Microsoft Dynamics GP and any products that contain modified forms or reports.

Common examples include:

• Microsoft Dynamics GP
• Human Resources
• Payroll
• Manufacturing
• Third-party modules

For each product:

1. Click Details
2. Open the Product Details window
3. Select the original dictionary from the previous release

Examples:

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Browse to the previous version's:

Dynamics.dic

Human Resources

Browse to the previous version's:

HR.dic

Click OK and repeat for all products being upgraded.

🚀 Upgrade the Dictionaries

Once all products and dictionary locations have been specified:

1. Click Update

GP Utilities will begin upgrading the modified Forms and Reports dictionaries.

📝 Review the Upgrade Report

After the process completes, GP Utilities generates:

Update.txt

and

Update.log

These files are typically located in the GP Data folder.

The Update.txt report contains details about:

• Modified forms upgraded
• Modified reports upgraded
• Upgrade warnings
• Upgrade failures

Review these files carefully before moving forward.

✅ Validate Your Modifications

Completing the dictionary upgrade does not mean you're finished.

After the dictionaries have been upgraded:

Test Modified Forms

• Open modified windows
• Verify layouts
• Confirm custom fields display correctly

Test Modified Reports

• Run all critical reports
• Verify report layouts
• Validate calculations and totals

Test Security

Verify:

• Alternate forms assignments
• Alternate reports assignments
• Security task access

Test Business Processes

Have users validate any process that relies on modified forms or reports.

🔧 Helpful Microsoft Articles

If you need to rebuild dictionary files, Microsoft provides the following documentation:

📄 Re-create the Reports.dic file in Microsoft Dynamics GP

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/dynamics/gp/how-to-re-create-the-reports-dot-dic-file

📄 Re-create the Forms.dic file in Microsoft Dynamics GP

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/dynamics/gp/re-create-the-forms-dot-dic-file

🎯 Final Thoughts

Modified dictionary upgrades are a small part of the overall upgrade process, but they can have a big impact if skipped or rushed.

Taking the time to:

✅ Back up dictionaries

✅ Export package files

✅ Upgrade dictionaries correctly

✅ Validate customizations

✅ Test with users

can make the difference between a smooth upgrade and a frustrating one.

⏭️ Up Next

Microsoft Dynamics GP Upgrade – Upgrade Troubleshooting

We'll review common upgrade failures, where to find the relevant logs, and the troubleshooting steps that can help get your upgrade back on track.

Happy upgrading!

Angela Eckman
Microsoft Dynamics GP Support Team