End of Support Announced for Dynamics GP
Microsoft has announced the end-of-support dates for Dynamics GP. Businesses still using the system must take action to avoid increased security risks, rising maintenance costs, and compliance challenges. This blog explores the impact of Dynamics GP’s end of support and the best options for ensuring business continuity.
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Microsoft has recently announced that they will end product support and updates for Dynamics GP on the 31st of December 2029, with security patches ending on the 30th of April 2031. This update follows Microsoft’s announcement in 2023 that new customer sales of Dynamics GP would cease in April 2026. As support gradually phases out, businesses still using Dynamics GP must take action to avoid security vulnerabilities, compliance risks, and operation disruptions. In today’s blog, we will break down what this means for your business and the available options for moving forward.
How Will This Impact Your Business?
When Microsoft ends support for a product, it means that it will no longer release new features or enhancements as well as no new security updates or patches. It also means limited or no direct support from Microsoft and potential compatibility issues with modern systems. The end of support for Dynamics GP can have a big impact on any business still using the platform. Some key implications are listed below.
Increased Security Risks
Without new security updates, your ERP system can no longer be protected from new cyber security threats or data breaches which leaves your organisation in a vulnerable position.
Rising Maintenance Costs
Maintaining an outdated system can become costly, as integrations or customisations may fail over time. Additionally, third-party support can be harder to find as fewer businesses use the system and hiring talent that is skilled in an outdated system will become increasingly difficult. As IT professionals prioritise upskilling in more modern software.
Compliance Challenges
Using an unsupported ERP system can make it difficult to meet your regulatory compliance regulations, which can lead to legal risk. While this differs across different industries and countries, most require businesses to use a solution with ongoing support and continuous security updates.
Integration Issues
As other business solutions continue to evolve and improve, it will become increasingly difficult to integrate Dynamics GP with modern software. This means that your organisation will have to create workarounds that can lead to wasted time and inefficiencies that slow down operations.
Lack of Innovation
If your business continues to rely on a legacy system that no longer releases updates, you may limit your growth potential and miss out on taking advantage of emerging technologies such as things like automation, AI and modern reporting tools.
What Are Your Options?
If your business relies on Dynamics GP, there are two main paths forward.
1. Migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central
For many organisations, migrating to Microsoft’s cloud-based ERP solution, Dynamics 365 Business Central is the obvious next step. Business Central offers modern functionality and seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. Further, as a cloud-based solution, businesses can benefit from reduced costs, automatic updates and heightened security. This option offers a future-proof solution for organisations looking to modernise and scale efficiently.
2. Stay on Dynamics GP with Third-Party Support
Some organisations may choose to continue using Dynamics GP until the Microsoft end-of-support date is reached and then look at updating the system. While others may stay using Dynamics GP with third-party providers that are offering extended support for GP. This approach comes with risks, including higher cost of support and security risks. However, if your organisation still needs to retain access to historical data on GP, it is important to plan for archiving and potentially migrating data in the future. Solutions like Azure can be useful here.
If your organisation is still using Dynamics GP and wants to start planning your transition to Business Central, then get in touch to speak to one of our experts or check our client success story from CCS Cleaning who successfully transitioned from Dynamics GP to Business Central to streamline processes, deliver time-savings and enhance operational efficiency.
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