The Future of Dynamics GP FAQ

NOTE: Since this blog was published, Microsoft has announced their end of mainstream service for Dynamics GP, which might impact your timeline and decisions going forward. You can read about that here.

Dynamics GP clients have many questions surrounding the future of Microsoft ERP and where Dynamics GP fits into that picture. We’ve put together some FAQs to help organizations understand the context of Microsoft’s messaging and give them the information they need to make informed decisions about their long-term ERP solution.

Is Dynamics GP going away?

No, Dynamics GP is not going anywhere. Microsoft will continue to support the later versions of Dynamics GP for years to come.

Starting in 2019, Microsoft began releasing yearly updates to Dynamics GP instead of bi-annual releases. The latest release, Dynamics GP October 2020 Release, includes a small number of enhancements to finance and distribution. The release also includes system updates, form updates, and bug fixes. Future yearly releases will include limited updates as Microsoft has moved away from active development on Dynamics GP.

What is the timeframe for end of support for Dynamics GP?

As part of their commitment to annual releases starting in 2019, Microsoft has communicated annual October updates through 2024 with additional releases to be determined. This means Dynamics GP will be supported through at least 2024.  Syvantis plans to supporting Dynamics GP will be supported for several years beyond 2024.

While support will continue for at least the next few years, Dynamics GP customers can expect limited additional features and minimal system updates with these annual releases.

What Versions of Dynamics GP are supported?

Currently, Microsoft supports Dynamics GP 2016 and later. If you are on a previous version of Dynamics GP like 2013 or 2015 R2, you will need to upgrade before applying a year-end update or receiving security updates. Below are the dates for end of support of current versions.

Dynamics GP 2016: 7/13/2021

Dynamics GP 2016 R2: 7/13/2021

Dynamics GP 2018: 1/10/2023

Dynamics GP 2018 R2: 1/10/2023

What is Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Dynamics 365 Business Central is Microsoft’s premiere, mid-market, cloud-based ERP application built on the codebase of Dynamics NAV. From a functionality perspective, Business Central includes full mid-market ERP capabilities and enhanced customization features for developers. For Dynamics GP users, Business Central can do everything Dynamics GP can and more, just not in the same way.

The Business Central interface has been completely reimagined to create a modern interface that Dynamics GP and Dynamics NAV users will find refreshing. As part of the Dynamics 365 ecosystem, Business Central includes single sign-on and integrates with Office 365 and other Dynamics 365 applications like Dynamics 365 Sales or Dynamics 365 Project Operations.

Why Did Microsoft choose Dynamics NAV over Dynamics GP to be the base of Business Central?

Microsoft has long pushed more and more of their business towards the cloud. Whichever mid-market ERP system they chose to move forward with, it needed to transition easily to the cloud. It turns out that the Dynamics NAV codebase was easier to transition than the Dynamics GP codebase, thus NAV was chosen to be the base of Business Central.  In additional NAV is a pure online processing system, which means that there are no hung up batches, no required checklinks and reconciles, and series post is not required.

To get the full story on Microsoft’s path to Business Central from the beginning to the end, check out our blog series on the topic here.

Why is Microsoft Pushing Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Microsoft sees Dynamics 365 Business Central as the future of its mid-market ERP space. The reason Dynamics GP is now receiving only minor updates is because Microsoft has moved most development away from Dynamics GP and into Business Central.  Because Microsoft has been doing so much development on Business Central over the past several years, it is now quite a bit more user friendly and feature rich than Dynamics GP.

Are there licensing offers available if we do want to switch to Business Central?

Yes, Microsoft is offering special licensing for Business Central to attract Dynamics GP customers to migrate from Dynamics GP to Business Central. For on premise customers, Microsoft is offering 3 Business Central licenses for every Dynamics GP license upon upgrade. Alternatively, you can get special pricing on the online version of Business Central.