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Why Move GP to BC

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The Sun is Setting on Great Plain

We all know what a great platform Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains has been, it has a fantastic legacy and one of the most loyal User bases of any ERP platform in the last 20 years.

But no matter how much you loved Great Plains (GP), you can’t escape the fact that the sun is setting on this wonderful platform and Microsoft have made it very clear that it doesn’t feature in any of its future plans!

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What’s the current state of play?

Microsoft formally announced that Dynamics GP support will end in 2029. In the meantime, GP users will not see any new features introduced and only limited, must have security updates being released.

If you are on GP 2016 R2 or older then all mainstream and extended support has already ended. GP 2018 and 2018R2 will see extended support end in January 2028 and security updates will end for every version by April 2031.

 The implications for GP Users include: 

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    No new innovations.

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    An increase in security and compliance risk.

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    A shrinking partner ecosystem.

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    Increased costs for consultancy, support and maintenance.

What to do next?

Microsoft have been investing heavily in Microsoft Dynamics Business Central (BC) ensuring there is a comparable, modern platform for GP users to migrate to. Every customer and project will be assessed for its level of qualification for the offers, but Microsoft have sent a very clear message: they acknowledge the loyalty of the GP community and want to support them financially when choosing BC as their next platform.

Free Assessments
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Free/Subsidised Assessments where partners offer complimentary assessments, via Microsoft, to help map out the migration.

BTTC3 Offer
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The Bridge to the Cloud 3 (BTTC3) promotion offers GP users migrating to BC a 30% discount for 3 years on their new BC subscription licence, while allowing the continued use of GP.

User Discounts
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Under BTTC3, you may also be entitled to free users for a period of 2 years, depending on your current Enhancement plan value and the order value of the required BC users.

Migration Funding
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Migration Vouchers are available, offering financial support in relation to the cost of the consultancy to carry out the migration. The value of this voucher varies by project up to a maximum of $150,000 (circa £115,000).

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What will BC give me?

There is so much we can talk about here, features, functions, futures - it’s fair to say that Microsoft have not scrimped when it comes to building a world class, cloud based, AI enabled, fully integrated platform. So, let’s try and pick out some of the highlights for you:

 Continuous updates

In the Software as a Service (SaaS) world, continuous updates have to be one of the biggest and most obvious benefits. They ensure you are always up to date with the latest features and innovations, while avoiding the costly and disruptive upgrades often associated with version changes, which can consume employees’ time, increase company costs and cause system downtime.  

 Scalability and lower IT overheads

 Being a cloud-based platform, unlike GP, there is no need for servers, SQL licensing, backups and complex disaster recovery programs. BC runs on Microsoft Azure and can be scaled up or down as required, so not only does it save IT money, it reduces risk associated with owned infrastructure (especially security and availability) but can react to customer demands so much quicker. 

 Integration across the Microsoft 365 and Power Platform

On a monthly basis Microsoft release closer ties to their wider portfolio with native integration into products like Power BI, Teams or Microsoft 365 (Excel, Outlook, Word), as well as AI-assisted insights and automation and tools enabling modern API integration technology.  

 The partner network

The partner channel has grown significantly over the last 10 years, which in turn has created a rich pool of experienced and talented consultants. You certainly won’t struggle to get access to the people you need to help implement, evolve and support your BC platform! There are partners specialising in just about every industry and a wide range of extensions to enhance your BC experience via the AppSource Marketplace, meaning in a lot of cases you no longer need bespoke development to achieve your business goals.  

Functionality

There is also a range of inherent functionality in BC that is frankly, just better than what you can currently get out of your GP platform. Whether that’s enhanced Reporting and Analytics, improved integration and automation, ability to manage multi-entity and intercompany, greatly enhanced inventory and manufacturing features as well as a more modern User Experience, BC won’t leave you wanting!

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What if I stay on GP?

At the end of the day, no one can force you to move. It’s your choice, but you must understand the risks of lingering too long on an end-of-life platform. If you stay on GP, you can expect:

Increased security vulnerabilities

Higher support costs

Fewer consultants to help you out

ISV addons to plug the gaps

No innovation or new features

Forced to do a rushed migration at a later date

Meet the Experts

Toni Hamblett

Retail Delivery Director

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Rudolf Liebenberg

Head of Retail Support

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Sarah Bennett

Product Owner

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Tom Bevan

Presales & Technology Director

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How can Node4 help?

First of all, we’d love to have a chat, see where you are on your journey, investigate what support you can get from Microsoft and carry out a free assessment to help you understand what needs to be done to move you off GP and on to BC.

We’ve been working with Dynamics for decades, in all its forms, so we have the breadth and depth of knowledge across our team of 370 people to ensure you have a successful migration and continue to have the support you need, not just on a day to day basis, but also in terms of helping you plan and adopt the ever changing landscape of modern ERP platforms.

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Ryan

Ready to Switch?

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