Microsoft has officially announced the end-of-life for Dynamics GP (Great Plains) updates and support by 2029. Although this plan has been in discussion for years, Microsoft has now set a clear timeline, giving businesses ample time to plan their next steps. While there's no immediate urgency, businesses should plan their ERP transition in the next few years.  

Previously led by future governor of North Dakota and presidential candidate, Doug Burgum, Great Plains grew from its founding in the '80s to a public company, and eventually was acquired by Microsoft in 2001. It has served as the backbone ERP for over 100,000 companies. It has been an incredible run for the technology product…

Now is the time to explore alternatives to Microsoft Dynamics GP

While GP is still functional, it has significantly fallen behind technically, and this announcement signals the need for companies to explore modern alternatives. Since there is no direct “upgrade” path from GP, it’s a pivotal moment for businesses to carefully assess what their next ERP solution should be. Here are some options:

1. Migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central: The planned successor to Dynamics GP, Business Centeral (rooted in Dynamics NAV/Navision) has steadily improved, incorporating features from GP and integrating with the Power Platform, making it a strong candidate for many businesses
2. Migrate to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations: Based on Dynamics AX/Axapta, this is a robust, feature-rich ERP,  but is generally evaluated in larger clients or more complex Dynamics GP environments.   
3. Switch to a Non-Microsoft ERP: There are a number of modern cloud applications that will serve as the replacement for GP, such as Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intaact, Workday, or a niche, industry-specific solution. These can be evaluated against a company's requirements, with each option bringing different strengths based on industry, global footprint, integrations, connected app footprint, and scalability.