The LBMC team recently returned from the Microsoft Community Summit and had a great time attending and leading break-out sessions as well as the opportunity to meet with and collaborate with many of our Microsoft Dynamics customers. It is at these types of events, where we can be together in person again, that we are reminded of the great customers we have and the value of the relationships that we enjoy together as we jointly work to maximize your investment in Microsoft’s solutions both now and into the future.

As is most often the case at these events,

Following the Microsoft Dynamics Community Summit last October, many Microsoft Dynamics customers were surprised to hear Microsoft’s announcement regarding continued support of GP. Microsoft has since stepped-back their position and according to their latest announcements. While Microsoft will cease new investments and version of GP (as outlined in the tables below), Microsoft will continue to provide support Microsoft Dynamics GP for several more years. Beyond that, as your Microsoft Dynamics partner, LBMC Technology Solutions will continue to fully-support all our Dynamics GP clients, ensuring you are getting the most from your ERP and taking advantage of new features, applications and capabilities.

In the coming weeks and months, you might start receiving alarming information from other vendors or software publishers claiming GP is going away and you must move to a new ERP immediately. This messaging could be considered misleading and as your trusted Microsoft partner, we’ve compiled all the information currently available so you can get a clear picture and make the best decision for you and your organization. Whether you are currently seeking a new solution or plan to stay with Dynamics GP for 10+ years, LBMC Technology Solutions is here to support you. Let’s start this cloud journey together.

there were general sessions related to each of the Microsoft Dynamics product lines where information was shared related to the future of each of these solutions.

Is Microsoft Dynamics GP Going Away?

The first question clients asked after Summit was, “Is Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains going away?” In summary, Mike Morton, VP with Microsoft and responsible for Microsoft’s SMB Business Applications (including GP, SL, and BC) provided an update that “Microsoft is fully committed to supporting our Dynamics GP customers. This will include new releases (e.g., 18.6, 18.7, 18.8, …) for the foreseeable future on the same timeline and schedule as we have done in the past several years, as outlined in the GP Modern Support Lifecycle.” You can read Mike Morton’s complete message here: Microsoft VP Mike Morton’s Announcement About GP.

So, what does this mean for our Dynamics GP customers?

This means that current Dynamics GP users will include minor updates and new releases in the near future. New releases will contain regulatory (tax), security updates, and hotfixes, ensuring GP remains up to date. According to Microsoft, new releases will also include updates in usability, reliability, addressing top customer issues, and other areas that are critical in ensuring businesses run successfully on GP. You can see the full lifecycle plan here: Microsoft Lifecycle Management Dynamics GP.

While this is great news for current GP users, Microsoft also announced that users should not expect significant new capabilities in Dynamics GP, such as new modules. This signals that Microsoft’s major investments and innovations will be in other Dynamics 365 offerings such as Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 Finance + SCM will see the majority of Microsoft’s investments in ERP.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics-gp/terms/lifecycle

Dynamics GP Support with a Microsoft Partner

It is very important that all Dynamics GP customers are on a supported version of Dynamics GP that is part of GP’s Modern Support Lifecycle (i.e., GP 18.x and higher). This ensures that you will have access to the updates provided by Microsoft in June, August, and December of each year which will include your regulatory, security and hotfixes. LBMC’s ability to provide support to you and your company can be significantly impacted if you are not on a current version of Dynamics GP.

Mainstream support for the following versions of Dynamics GP has ended or will end soon. This means that if for any reason your version of GP is no longer supported and there is a critical system or software issue related to your Dynamics GP system, Microsoft support is not available, and LBMC’s ability to support you would be severally limited or not available.

ProductMainstream Support
Dynamics GP 2013 and GP 2013 R2Ended April 4, 2018
Dynamics GP 2015 and GP 2015 R2Ended April 14, 2020
Dynamics GP 2016 and GP 2016 R2Ended July 13, 2021
Dynamics GP 2018 and GP 2018 R2Ended January 10, 2023

Based upon Microsoft’s announcement that no new significant capabilities will be added to Microsoft Dynamics GP, we recommend that every customer is proactively considering and planning for the future of their ERP solution and the industry’s move to cloud-based ERP solutions. For those customers who are on a supported version of Dynamics GP, Microsoft’s Modern Life Cycle policy does provide our customers the time required to consider what is best for your company.

 

What is after Dynamics GP?

 

From Dynamics GP to the Cloud: Many paths for success

 

So Dynamics GP is running well for you, but you are ready to move to the cloud – What can you do? Most Dynamics GP users will benefit greatly from a move to the cloud. For starters, maintenance and hardware costs are eliminated. So what are your options to move your GP accounting system to the cloud? There are several options to choose from.

Move Dynamics GP to Azure

This option is basically renting server space in the Microsoft Cloud. Your IT team will still manage the software (such as connecting a printer, adding a new user, and the like.)

Move Dynamics GP to a Hosting Provider

With a full-service hosting provider like LBMC, you’re still moving to the cloud, and you’re also paying someone else to give you full, 24/7 support. On average, a company using Dynamics GP already has someone on staff in IT that can handle the basic system administration. Whereas before they supported the system on-premises, now they will administer the system remotely in the cloud.

At LBMC Technology Solutions, we follow the best practices for the Azure environment. Just as your IT staff now needs to stay up-to-date on security for an on-premises implementation, they will need to learn Azure security best practices as well. The user experience is really not that different from a local on-premises installation of Dynamics GP, because most users today already use Terminal Services or Citrix to connect to Dynamics GP while working from home.

Does Migrating Dynamics GP to the Cloud Work for my Business?

Its been said “Dynamics GP is old technology; it wasn’t built for the cloud.” While its technically true that Dynamics GP is not built for the cloud, it doesn’t mean it won’t work in the cloud. We’ve successfully helped dozens of clients migrate their GP systems to a hosted environment.

With cloud hosting, you save the cost and risk of upgrading your servers every 2–3 years. Cloud hosting also provides superior security and easier remote work options. Your Dynamics Partner may also offer additional cloud perks such as 24-hour monitoring, weekly server updates, break-fix support, and automatic backups.

However, companies that have special data regulations or that are located in areas with weak Internet connectivity may find the on-premise option better suited to their needs.

Dynamics GP has strong business rules and a very intuitive interface. It’s simple and follows best practices from a business or finance perspective, especially for traditional businesses. It also offers a wide variety of options from many ISV providers for additional functionality. This is what makes — and will continue to make — Dynamics GP such a valuable tool.

As your Microsoft partner, our team will look at the whole picture when developing a technology roadmap with our clients. If everything else is already in the cloud, and Dynamics GP is the only on-premises holdout, then a move to a cloud-hosted service is a cost-effective, minimally-invasive option to achieve the desired result. You can even schedule the migration for when you’re performing a system upgrade, to minimize disruption to your company’s activities.

Why Are Dynamics GP Clients Transitioning to Cloud-based Applications?

Some of the main reasons Dynamics GP clients are transitioning to cloud ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Sage Intacct:

  • Always on the latest version of the solution
  • No more infrastructure management
  • Security managed by Microsoft team
  • Seamless integration with other Microsoft products
  • Work from anywhere, on any device
  • Gain features in Dynamics 365 Business Central
  • Centralized data
  • Predictive analytics, AI, and data visualizations
  • Be ready for the future and what’s next

Predictable and flexible Cost

Predictable and flexible cost means that there is a predictable monthly price that includes maintenance and infrastructure costs. There are no more surprise upgrade costs. Customers can scale license types for current business needs, which means you can add or remove users as needed.

Always on the latest version

Always on the latest version of the solution, because two major updates are automatically pushed out during the year for Dynamics 365 Business Central, one in the spring and one in the fall. This eliminates the need to upgrade, which is something that costs additional time and expense in Dynamics GP.

No More Infrastructure Management

No more infrastructure management with cloud-based solutions like Sage Intacct and Dynamics Business Central. With cloud technology, you’ll never have to manage or purchase new infrastructure and you’ll never have to upgrade or patch your ERP solution.

Security managed by Software Publisher

Security managed by software publisher teams because your sensitive business data is stored in highly secure state-of-the-art data centers that are owned and managed by either Sage or Microsoft. With a cloud solution, security monitoring and threat management are handled by the software publisher’s team. This allows your business’s IT resources to focus their efforts elsewhere. There is peace of mind that your data will be there when you need it thanks to a 99.9% uptime service level agreement.

Powerful ERP and CRM Integrations

Integrations with other business applications such as Excel, Outlook, Word, Microsoft Teams, Power BI and the rest of the Power Platform, and other Dynamics 365 solutions such as Sales or Customer Service.

Work from anywhere on any device

Work from anywhere, on any device. This empowers a mobile workforce with access to the same tools found in desktop application versions. The user experience is consistent and secure across all devices and operating systems (Android, iPhone, etc.).

Centralized Data

Centralized data from accounting, sales, purchasing, inventory, and customer interactions to give an accurate end-to-end view of your business, spot trends, and deliver better customer experiences.

The beauty of technology is that it is constantly changing to stay relevant for your industry or vertical. LBMC is always available to assist you with navigating the future of your financial reporting needs. We offer experience with many financial reporting packages that are compatible with Dynamics GP or Dynamics SL. Depending on your needs, it may be a good idea to invest in one of these solutions to bring enhancements and additional functionality to your Dynamics ERP system.

No matter where you are on your Cloud ERP Journey, LBMC Technology Solutions is here to help. With experts ERP design and configuration, implementation and ongoing support, we can help you navigate your cloud journey every step of the way. If you aren’t sure what next steps are right for you, reach out to us and we can help at info@lbmctech.com