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STOP! Are you sure you want to migrate from Microsoft Dynamics GP (GP) to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC)?  Are you absolutely sure? We feel obligated to tell you that it will definitely not be easy to move back to GP if you change your mind after migrating to BC. It might even be impossible to do so. But, candidly, we have never encountered that situation, so we cannot really say one way or another.

One thing is certain. We do not want you to have buyer’s remorse. That would not be good for you, your team, your company. Neither would that be good for us at Strategic Systems Group (SSG) as your trusted Microsoft partner.

The odds are that we have spoken to you at some length regarding the benefits of migrating from GP to BC. And the benefits are many. But that still does not mean it is the best course for everyone. There are situations where staying on GP might make the most sense. We want to be sure that you are really ready to take the plunge.

That is why we have developed a list of reasons for NOT migrating to BC. That is why, before you begin the process of migrating from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, we entreat you to look at…

10 Reasons NOT to Migrate from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Business Central

Do not simply look at the below list. Stop and think about it, too. Give some thought to each of the 10 reasons below. Do any, some, most, or all of them apply to you? Do the reasons NOT to migrate outweigh the reasons TO migrate?

Ask yourself the tough questions that relate to our “reasons not to migrate” list. For example, perhaps some items apply to you, but do they apply to the rest of your team? To all the users? To your CEO? Have you, in fact, asked them?

Maybe you need to share our “reasons not to migrate” with everyone. Take a poll. Get a consensus. Yes, all of that might delay your migration to BC, but again, we do not you have buyer’s remorse. We would much prefer to take the extra time to make sure that in your case, for your company, the reasons to migrate outweigh the reasons not to migrate.

Finally… Here’s our top 10 list…

  1. It is probably too expensive.
  2. You and your team do not have the time to embark on a migration.
  3. You have always used Microsoft Dynamics GP. It is, so to speak, the devil, you know.
  4. Your users love Dynamics GP, and they do not love change.
  5. Microsoft will continue to support GP for at least the next five years.
  6. Microsoft Dynamics GP supports your current business processes sufficiently well.
  7. It is possible that the 3rd party tools you need will not integrate with Business Central.
  8. Business Central is a different product; migration to BC will require more than a GP upgrade.
  9. Things may change, internally in our business, or externally in the industry, in the world
  10. You do not need to migrate now; you may consider a BC migration in the future.

Wow. A lot of good, solid reasons to stick with GP. So if you read the list and say: “Yup. That’s us!”, then we will happily work with you to keep your Microsoft Dynamics GP software running smoothly for as long as possible. Indeed for the next five years, while GP is still covered, my Microsoft support, but potentially beyond that as well. Many of our manufacturing and wholesale distribution clients run Dynamics GP and have been running Dynamics GP for decades. GP is also a favorite for some of our financial services clients. We also continue to implement GP ERP for new clients too. In short, we know GP like the back of our hand!

Devil’s Advocate

I have a confession to make. Although I am the person who came up with the list of 10 reasons NOT to migrate from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, I happen to love playing the role of Devil’s Advocate. I could accomplish this in two ways:

  1. I could offer rebuttals to some or all the ten reasons NOT to migrate, OR
  2. I could offer ten reasons why you should migrate.

Perhaps I would most enjoy doing a little of both. Starting with…

5 Great Reasons to Migrate Your ERP from GP to BC

  1. Business Central is a native cloud solution.
  2. Moving your ERP to the cloud is an integral, critical step in your Digital Transformation journey.
  3. Cloud ERP eliminates the high costs of purchasing servers, maintaining them, and the cost of the space required to house them.
  4. BC includes functionality that was purpose-built for manufacturers and distributors instead of functionality that was added to the original GP accounting software.
  5. BC provides seamless integration with Microsoft’s Office 365 Platform AND the Microsoft Power Platform.

Hmmm…. Those are five pretty good reasons for migrating to BC. But I will nonetheless take the next step and rebut some of those top 10 reasons NOT to migrate.

5 Great Reasons NOT to Migrate from GP to BC: Rebuttals

I think the best way to accomplish this is with a chart, with 5 of the reasons from the original list above.

Reasons NOT to Migrate from GP to BC Rebuttal
It is probably too expensive. If you consider the cost of purchasing and maintaining servers, plus the cost of the space to house them, you may find that BC is less expensive than GP.
You have always used and loved Dynamics GP. We get that. But if you have been in the industry as long as I have, then you will remember that GP once stood for Great Plains, but users called it Great Pains! If you were to give BC a chance, you might find that it is actually easier to use than GP.
Your team does not like change. Change is hard for a lot of people. But, change is the way we progress. In this case, moving your ERP to the cloud offers so many benefits that perhaps it is time to ask your team to support change for the good of the company.
Business Central is a different product. Yes, thanks goodness! BC is a more modern product than Dynamics GP. It incorporates modern features such as BI (Business Intelligence) and AI (Artificial Intelligence. As well as a modern UI (User Interface).
You do not need to migrate now. Would you really prefer to wait until you have to migrate?

In Conclusion

I think I have made a good case for and against the migration from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. We are not weighing in on one over the other. That is up to you.

Take the Next Step…

Either way, you are welcome to contact Strategic Systems Group (SSG) for more information. We can be reached at (310) 539-4645 or via our contact form.

You can also down our Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central One-Pager to learn more about BC.

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