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Who uses Microsoft Dynamics GP, and for what?

Since 1993, small and medium-sized companies (SMBs) have used the Microsoft Dynamics GP (short for Great Plains) ERP solution in various industries as an accounting software package. The latter includes professional services, manufacturing, distribution, software and tech, eCommerce, retail commerce, construction, financial services, education, government – you name it. 

In short, the Dynamics GP theme is helping businesses effectively manage their supply chain, inventory, advanced production, IT expenditure, project accounting, field service operations, HR investments, and more. It’s one of the Microsoft brand’s signature product offerings, from a beginner’s starter pack to covering one’s entire ERP system. Over the thirty years since its launch, Microsoft introduced new editions (upgrades) with the date attached (e.g., Microsoft GP 2015) but stopped doing that in 2019.

Changes are in the wind. Microsoft GP is Being Discontinued

Customers acquiring the Microsoft Dynamics GP software with a date attached have lost or are due to lose the company’s dedicated support, starting in 2020 (for GP 2010 version users) and stretching to 2028 (for customers with 2018 vintage purchases). Why? The company is phasing the platform out, and these time-centric milestones represent two notable dynamics:

1. The gradual dilution of essential support and expertise availability
2. Simultaneous fee increases if you want to access (1) above. 

Of course, Microsoft’s alternatives appear not to leave their brand loyalists high and dry, revolving around the following:

• New Dynamics GP customer sales (on a perpetual license system) that ends on April 1, 2025, when it shifts to subscription licensing 
• An extended support phase: The gist of this is that existing customers will receive security updates free of charge. Still, everything else (i.e., all non-security items and support) involves fees, and, like it or not, user design changes (or new feature requests) are out of the picture.​ 

As shown above, the maximum time frame for these changed arrangements extends to 2028, but many will feel the effects earlier.

Let’s look at the bigger picture.

When you boil it down, customer retention is all about users’ feelings. Nothing is more true as users face these latest Microsoft bulletins and alerts. Emotions range from “Ho-hum, so what!” to “panic stations and alarm bells.” Indeed, we uncovered users who believe dissolving support amounts to snipping off the business’ essential, life-giving umbilical cord. Neither extreme is true, with reality somewhere in the middle. 

However, there’s no denying the warning signals (loud and clear), irrespective of sentiments around the imminent changes. This is an ideal opportunity to reappraise how well Dynamics GP ranks versus the competition (which has gained extraordinary market momentum after the Microsoft launch). It involves a two-tier analysis to understand:

1. New touchpoints ahead if one elects to stay aboard the GP bandwagon.
2. The best opportunity is available to those considering jumping off today or at a future station.

First, the obstacles Dynamic GP die-hard loyalists must face

1. The platform’s place in the ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) arena is “iffy” at best. Why? 
   • Inadequate analytics.
   • Failure to transition to a cloud-based format (which everyone wants).
   • It’s missing numerous typical ERP features.
2. Based on the inadequacies in (a) above, one may conclude that the Microsoft brand image is offsetting startling defects customers would be less tolerant of in a relatively unknown market option.
3. Next, when the product you knew and loved changes character on the support side, it’s generally never cosmetic or insignificant. Adding addendums to make up for the change is like warming up cold soup: it never tastes quite the same. For example:
   • Updates and New Features: These will diminish as a natural consequence of the strategic shift, resulting in a creeping incompatibility with modern systems and falling short of evolving business challenges.
   • Security Vulnerabilities: No matter what Microsoft says, vigilance in this arena will suffer in an era where cybersecurity threats, ransomware, and hackers are coming at us left, right, and center. Moreover, the platform’s disconnect with the cloud puts users at a severe disadvantage when considering a protection strategy.
   • Compliance Issues: With updates (see above) on the chopping block, it opens another Pandora’s box. How? New laws and standards frequently throw unaware stakeholders under the bus, with compliance regulators governing financial reporting and data protection. These create unexpected and finable pressures.
4. Items (a) to (c) above are only the tip of a massive iceberg, waiting patiently for a Titanic-like collision bound to occur. So, what other parts of the Microsoft brand disinvestment scenario can’t we see? Here are other threats lurking beneath the surface:
   •  Inability to integrate with other software and services: You should be concerned about this hampering operational efficiency from every angle. 
   • The increased costs of maintaining the software: 
     • Microsoft has telegraphed that support costs should rise substantially, a side effect of limited supply. 
     • It’s especially the case with custom support requirements and troubleshooting non-security issues. 
   • Migration Challenges: Users will likely migrate to a new platform in droves by 2030 (at the latest)—an enormously complicated exercise revolving around time-consuming, burdensome staff training and adaptation. This type of software doesn’t turn on a dime:

• Time investment and team cooperation are crucial to making it a success. 
• Losing data during the transition should be a top-of-mind concern. It is a risk one must take seriously when it impacts financial stability, cash flow, and customer identities.

• Dependency on Third-Party Solutions: Dynamic GP users who depend on third-party add-ons are in for disruption second to none as these vendors decide to abandon the Microsoft ship. This will leave businesses with head-scratching compatibility and support issues throughout the show.

Switching today is a no-brainer if you can find a compelling alternative.

Competitors haven’t been sitting on their hands. They’re vying for customer dollars, especially with Microsoft’s ground shifting and coming away at the seams. CFOs are responsible for assessing new options in a virtual era where startups deploying AI and ML-driven innovations disrupt monopolies (even Microsoft), pushing them aside like Skittles in a bowling alley.

The one we know best as an example of progression is Xledger, a software alternative that has anticipated this moment. How? By equipping its technology framework to provide a seamless Microsoft Dynamics GP transition at a reasonable cost.

Xledger – transitioning you to a more sustainable solution. How?

As a Dynamic GP user, cloud integration (or lack thereof) probably consumed your thoughts for years. Xledger removes that worry in one fell swoop. Say goodbye to weak links that downgrade operational efficiency to the lowest denominator. 

• Xledger provides a unified finance solution constructed in the “true cloud,” – kicking third-party integrations to the curb. 
• The software package comes fully integrated and tested to function as a uniform whole system with seamless communication between its vital components. 

In short, the Xledger finance SaaS value proposition sits in the cloud (a stark contrast to Dynamic GP). It covers everything from core accounting and procurement to digital workflows and project management. It introduces you to the age of “integration-less” (or “add-on-less”) finance administration systems. 

Thus, transformations from any other platform to Xledger are more straightforward than anyone would expect, freeing up your bookkeeping/finance team from armchair decision-makers and by up to 75% of manual processes with the industry’s most advanced business intelligence (BI) toolset. What does this provide? Financial management capabilities scaling without limits on one interface without additional support. The latter covers:

1. Core accounting.
2. Billing. 
3. Projects.
4. Workflow.
5. Donor arrangements.
6. Payment processing and collection.
7. Integration of (a) to (f) above via a single source.

To conclude, kill two birds with one stone and come out smiling. 

This article represents that the Xledger solution will transition you out of the potential mess Dynamics GP is pushing you toward in the blink of an eye. Simultaneously, we’ll move you just as fast to a secure cloud platform without missing a beat – doing everything you were doing, except better, faster, and less expensively. Moreover, expanding your operations at a clip is our forte, not a handicap. Grow as fast as you want; the Xledger unified system is up for the challenge, matching your pace precisely without hassle.

Imagine never having to customize or pay for upgrades again. Our intermittent new releases and system-wide security patches are seamless and minimally disruptive, allowing confident, flexible navigation no matter how volatile the environment around us becomes. Moreover, our SaaS solutions undoubtedly deal with your most sensitive data fields. Indeed, we take that responsibility to the nth degree, ultimately protecting your financial health in a fully unified and ISO 27001-certified cloud platform.

From the first day of the changeover, discover:

• The symmetry of seamless data flows between core functional areas.
• The peace of mind with fewer vulnerable integrations in the mix.
• The fantastic versatility of anytime-anywhere access to a full range of financial management tools.
• The most robust BI tools in the industry, managing real-time data for increased efficiency, reduced load times, and streamlined integrations via a range of protocols.

In summary, replace outdated solutions with groundbreaking upgrades, drawing from a budget where wasted expense isn’t in the equation. So, switch to Xledger and see the difference. Contact us today to learn how to get started.