Making changes to Dynamics GP while prepping for a future move: Credit card processors

Microsoft support for Dynamics GP is scheduled to phase out at the end of 2029, and many organizations are already planning for what comes next. While the need for a full ERP migration may still be a few years away, now is the perfect time to start modernizing the Dynamics GP processes that are causing you the biggest headache.

One of the simplest places you can start is credit card processing. If you're still manually processing customer payments in Dynamics GP, implementing an external credit card processor can streamline your current workflows and help your organization prepare for the eventual move to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Check out our full Dynamics GP blog series to learn more about making the move from GP to BC.

For many Dynamics GP users, accepting customer payments remains a highly manual and time-intensive process. Without any integrations, a typical credit card processing workflow in Dynamics GP often goes something like this:

1. Create and post a sales document

2. Use the sales document to generate an invoice

3. Send the invoice to your customer

4. Keep track of the payment you receive from them

5. Match and apply the payment to the corresponding invoiec

6. Reconcile the transaction in your financial records

Each of these steps creates another manual touchpoint that consumes valuable staff time and increases the risk of errors, delays, and discrepancies. As transaction volumes grow, these inefficiencies can become even more difficult to manage.

For organizations already reviewing their Dynamics GP processes, now is an ideal time to evaluate modern payment processing solutions and begin planning for a future transition to Business Central.

Increased sales should be a cause for celebration, not a source of strife due to the additional administrative work required to process an influx of payments.

You may have outgrown the base functionalities of Dynamics GP credit card processing if:

• Your accounting team spends a significant amount of time manually applying and reconciling payments
• Accounting staff are frequently overwhelmed and frustrated during month-end close
• Customer payments are often delayed or incorrect 
• Payment errors require additional reconciliation work
• You need stronger security around payment information and transactions

With Business Central, you can get paid faster and close more invoices thanks to the platform’s automations, integrations, and customizations. We delve into the details of these benefits below. 

Business Central can accept a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, ACH transfers, and subscription billing via integrated payment solutions. This flexibility makes it easier for customers to settle invoices using their preferred payment method.

By offering customers more payment options, businesses can reduce payment delays, enjoy a steadier cash flow, and improve customer experience.

Business Central is designed to comply with Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards, so it provides an encrypted payment portal where customers can safely submit invoice payments online. Sensitive customer information is protected throughout the transaction, which limits your business’s liability. You and your customers can rest assured that transactions are always secure. 

Business Central automates many payment processes that previously required manual entry and reconciliation. This reduces your finance team’s administrative workload and frees up their time to focus on more strategic initiatives. Here are just a few of Business Central’s automations:

• Invoices automatically generate for customers on recurring payment plans
• Payment reminders are automatically sent to customers with open invoices
• Cleared payments post automatically to your accounts receivable and general ledger

As a cloud-based ERP platform, Business Central gives users secure access to financial data and business processes from virtually anywhere. Whether you're in the office, working remotely, or managing operations on the warehouse floor, you can view information, process transactions, and stay connected in real time.

Business Central is also accessible across desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices, so teams can work efficiently wherever business takes them.

Business Central offers a flexible and highly customizable interface. Users can personalize pages, rearrange fields, and tailor workflows to match their specific roles and business processes. In addition to these built-in customization options, Business Central also supports a wide range of extensions that can add new functionality and integrate with other systems.

Our Syvantis consultants can guide you every step of the way to implementing Business Central->

Many organizations are implementing external credit card processing solutions now to eliminate the burden of manual payment workflows. Rather than maintaining inefficient processes until a future ERP migration, businesses can begin realizing these benefits immediately.

Credit card processing solutions like EBizCharge integrate with both Dynamics GP and Business Central, making them a practical bridge between the two platforms. By connecting an external payment processor today, you can streamline operations in your current environment while laying the groundwork for a smoother transition to Business Central in the future.

This approach offers several advantages:

• Improve payment processing immediately while remaining on GP (for the time being)
• Allow customers to pay via credit, debit, or ACH
• Implement stronger payment security measures right now with an encrypted payment portal
• Reduce manual data entry and reconciliation
• Familiarize employees with new credit card payment workflows before migration
• Eliminate one major hurdle when it comes time to transition to Business Central

Read more about our finance software partners, including EBizCharge->

Credit card processing alone may not be the reason your organization decides to leave Dynamics GP. But it is one of the simplest opportunities to improve efficiency today while laying the groundwork for tomorrow.

With Dynamics GP retirement approaching, organizations that begin modernizing key processes now can reduce disruption, spread out their change management, and position themselves for a more successful transition to Business Central.

At Syvantis, our consultants help organizations:

• Evaluate their current processes
• Implement modern payment solutions
• Build a roadmap for moving from Dynamics GP to Business Central

Ready to start preparing for Dynamics GP's retirement? Contact our team to discuss your options and take the first step toward a smoother transition.