Should you Upgrade from Dynamics GP to Business Central?

If you are a Dynamics GP user and you are here, then probably you are thinking about shifting to Business Central. As a GP user, you are aware of the software lifecycle policies and you are confused to make the right call. For the foreseeable future, Microsoft has committed to providing bug fixes, security updates, and some restricted new capabilities for GP. They will, however, no longer offer substantial technological or functional advancements, and there will never be a real cloud version of the product. That's why, even if you're not quite ready yet, it's critical to begin planning for relocation to Business Central today. Business Central, a comprehensive business management solution for small and medium-sized businesses. Here’s a roadmap to analyze your decision.

Evaluate the Future of Dynamics GP

The first step before updating your current ERP solution of Dynamics GP is to understand its current condition. It is necessary to evaluate the future of your Dynamics GP solution, you need a clear picture of what are your future business plans and assess if Dynamics GP can support your elaborate proposition. Dynamics GP started in the 1990s as an accounting solution, with which various other modules like supply-chain, payroll, HR were added over time. If you're an SMB, Dynamics GP might work for you now, but will it work for your future goals, 5 years down the line? Microsoft has released that they will be updating Dynamics GP every year till 2024. These releases will consist of ongoing development, Intelligent Edge enhancements, and the top features requested by the GP community. What happens next? What happens when you expand and outgrow your business solution?

Here are the basic differences between Dynamics GP and Business Central to help you make better decisions.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central - Ideal Upgrade

Understanding the need for a Cloud-based ERP system, it is time to consider which would be your investment. In a market full of Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Acumatica, what is the benefit of choosing Dynamics 365 Business Central? There are numerous benefits to staying with Microsoft, including the ability to make use of the Microsoft Azure and Power Platforms' capabilities, as well as pricing incentives for existing Dynamics clients. The benefits of Business Central's full connectivity with other Microsoft products including the productivity suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc. ), Teams, and SharePoint are the most compelling reason to continue with Microsoft. Microsoft also provides tools to help you migrate your Dynamics GP data and transaction history to Dynamics Business Central online's current version (SaaS). Here are some of the top management features of Business Central shown for your better understanding.

Business Central is ideal for SMBs to enjoy a wide range of add-on business modules at a less price. The most important features of Business Central are as follows:

• Flexible and Customizable: Business Central provides a graphical drag-and-drop interface that allows users with no programming skills to adapt the software using no-code/low-code alternatives to fit their business needs. Business Central's logic may be simply tweaked to conduct more complex functions for more advanced modifications. Between software updates, all of these modifications are kept.
• Support both On-Premise and Cloud Platforms: Users do not need to run their applications in the cloud to use Business Central. For commercial or regulatory reasons, Business Central can also be installed on-premises. If and when users are ready, Business Central can be moved to the cloud.
• Easily integrates to external applications: Business Central includes native connectors with a variety of popular third-party cloud apps. If integration to an application you're using isn't available, you can create one using Business Central's development environment. Corporate Central may now connect to HCM, CRM, Payroll, and a variety of other modern business apps.
• Includes better manufacturing and distribution capabilities than GP: Production orders, bills of materials, warehouse and inventory management, supply chain management, lot and serial tracking, barcoding, and other complicated tasks may all be easily extended with Business Central.
• Unique Features: Microsoft (Office) 365 connectivity, dimensions, a built-in CRM, and extensive financial reporting capabilities are all included in Business Central.
• Leverage the capabilities of Microsoft Power Platform: The Power Platform is a collection of programs that make information more accessible to non-technical users. Connect Business Central to other apps using the Power Platform, such as Microsoft (Office) 365, Azure services, and a variety of third-party applications. The Power Platform includes the following components:

1. Power BI: By gathering data from Business Central and other business systems in real-time and using it for proactive insights and decision making, you may get useful business intelligence.
2. Power Automate: Create workflows to automate repetitive tasks and processes for your business.
3. Power Virtual Agent: Build chatbots to engage with customers with no coding required.

“Dynamics 365 Business Central helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) connect their financials, sales, service, and operations to streamline business processes and improve customer interactions”

-Mayher Al-Khaiat,

 Business Applications Director, Microsoft MEA Emerging Markets

Create a Plan to Migrate

By now it is clear for Dynamics GP users that moving from GP to Business central is a matter of when not if. And choosing to shift from your business application is like moving into a new house, there is a lot of things to consider and process.

Create Timeline: To figure out when you'll make the switch, look at your company's roadmap, short- and long-term goals, significant initiatives, and resources. You'll need an aggressive timeline if it's six months from now. If you're planning on starting two years from now, you can schedule your evaluations, identify resources, and start making financial arrangements for the desired start date.

Evaluate products and partners: It will take time to conduct due diligence in terms of researching and examining solutions as well as determines the best partner. They each makeup half of a complete answer, so don't choose one without the other. To define your requirements, observe demos, evaluate possible goods, and develop a shortlist of possibilities, you'll need to assemble a project team. Talk to us, to make this transition easier.

Budget Accordingly: Changing your ERP, regardless of the solution you choose, will be a new implementation. Staying in the Microsoft family will make the transfer easier, but you should understand the costs of the software and services you'll need for a successful go-live. Make sure you account for unexpected extra expenses in your budget. Consider having a third-party firm or business analyst analyze your business processes and determining the need for add-on items to satisfy your specific sector needs.

The reality is there is no one-size-fits-all ERP solution. You have to analyze your need and available resources to move forward accordingly. To keep up with changing market structure, there is no room for making mistakes. To stay ahead of the curve, be prepared with Business Central which is economical, easy to use, and packed with modern features. If you're not sure where to begin, you can look to the Tier 1 Microsoft CSP and Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics Consultant at Tech Falcon to assess your present accounting system and recommend the best course of action for your company.