Is It Time to Upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018?

You may not realize the extent to which your outdated ERP system is holding you back. Perhaps you’ve been putting off upgrades for several reasons: you wonder if you will like the new features and if your team will adjust; you worry about the cost; maybe you think it will take too much time and disrupt your business. If you are considering an upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018, it’s important to know what to expect.

Why you should upgrade and what to expect

• New features - Based on customer feedback, as well as market research, Microsoft has added tons of new capabilities; new HRP features, workflow enhancements, HTML 5 web client, BI and distribution improvements, and much more.
• Support – After five years, each version of Dynamics GP is moved from Mainstream Support to Extended Support. With Extended Support, you will be required to pay for product releases and service packs. Mainstream Support for Dynamics GP 2010 ended in 2015 and support for Dynamics GP 2013 ended in April of this year.
• Costs - Of course, there are costs associated with But there are also cost savings associated with streamlining your existing software environment. Your software partner will be able to help you determine the cost of the upgrade by taking into account such factors as licensing changes, new hardware or migration to the Cloud, desired customizations or third party applications, training, and support. Also, in the long run, it will cost less to keep up with regular upgrades rather than trying to catch up several versions later.
• Timing – The time it takes to upgrade to Dynamics GP 2018 will depend on the complexity of your business processes, any necessary customization or third-party applications, and the amount of IT support you require. Generally, we estimate six weeks for the entire process, but after discussing your particular needs, we can give you an accurate and detailed timeline.
• Test Upgrade - A test upgrade provides an exact mirror of your production system while leaving your system unchanged. Your team can continue their daily work in production while using GP 2018 on separate servers without the fear of affecting production data. Test upgrades also give us an opportunity to identify issues before they impact production, minimizing the risks associated with an upgrade.

What Does Velosio Do During an Upgrade?

You may wonder if you can perform the upgrade yourselves. What does your partner actually do?

Here are the tasks we handle during a typical upgrade project:

• Backups (initial round and checkpoint)
• FRx, Integration Manager, Dynamics GP, Management Reporter, etc
• Checkpoint backups throughout the upgrade process for fall-back
• Install GP 2018 with the latest Hotfix in your test environment
• Copy and upgrade your GP databases
• Install & update 3rd party (ISV) modules
• Upgrade custom code
• Update modified forms & reports
• Update integrations
• Update or redirect custom reports
• If using FRx, upgrade you to the latest version of Management Reporter
• If moving to a new server – re-map shared files, set up database maintenance and backup plans

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018, there is a lot to be excited about. Would you like to know more about Dynamics GP 2018 ’s new features and capabilities and how they can enhance your business processes?  Contact our experts at Velosio.

By Velosio, www.velosio.com