Should you migrate from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central? Here are some benefits you could leverage if you decide to make the move.
If your organization is currently using Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (GP), you may be wondering if it is time to start planning a migration to Dynamics 365 Business Central. While Microsoft has committed to supporting Dynamics GP through 2024, it's no secret that they are also encouraging current customers to take advantage of their cloud-based solution, Dynamics 365 Business Central and are offering special promos and incentives to make the move. And while GP can now be hosted in the cloud and accessed through a web server, it is not really designed for the cloud. If you're debating a move and looking to learn more about the advantages of a migration to Business Central, we've rounded up the top 11 business benefits below.
What is Business Central, again?
Dynamics 365 Business Central is an ERP solution designed for small and mid-sized organizations and offers a more modern user experience than GP. It is a 'true cloud' ERP solution as it is licensed as a SaaS and hosted on Microsoft Azure. With two licensing options to choose from, essentials and premium, Business Central delivers flexible and customizable functionality to meet the needs of your business, whatever your industry.
Migrating from GP: The Cloud ERP Benefits
By moving to the cloud-based Business Central from on-premises GP, you'll be able to future-proof your business and reap the many benefits of cloud ERP. These include:
Easy automatic updates
When you deploy to the cloud, automatic upgrades are included in your subscription cost. This means your system is always up the date, and you'll have access to all the latest features with minimal effort on your part.
Lower costs
Costs are lower with cloud ERP as you don't have to invest in any hardware and infrastructure. You save money by not having to run and maintain servers. Deployment times are reduced. Plus, it's easier and cost-effective to scale your operations up or down.
Increased security and privacy
Cloud-based ERP solutions like Dynamics 365 Business Central have in-built security protections to safeguard your data, and you share the responsibility of data protection and cybersecurity with Microsoft. You get enterprise-grade security and compliance tools. With on-premises solutions, your organization must manage data security and disaster planning on its own.
More collaboration and accessibility
You can access Business Central and all its features from wherever you are, on any device, if you have an internet connection. This increased accessibility lets your employees work from home and on the go. Remote or mobile employees can easily make critical decisions to respond to any changes in operations.
Migrating from GP: The D365 Business Central Benefits
Here are some product-specific advantages Dynamics 365 Business Central can offer your organization, should you choose to migrate from GP:
More in-built features, including an integrated CRM
There are a lot more features in-built in Business Central compared to GP. For instance, you'll get standard budgeting capabilities, financial reporting options, automated reconciliations and cash flow projections, Microsoft 365 integration, and more right out of the box. Dynamics 365 Business Central also has an in-built CRM with relationship management features to help you manage and support your sales efforts.
More features for manufacturing and distribution
Manufacturing and distribution companies will find more in-built capabilities if they migrate to Business Central from GP. The manufacturing and supply chain modules offer complex functions, including production orders, bill of materials, supply and capacity planning, inventory management and forecasting, lot and serial tracking, and lots more.
Flexibility and ease of customization
Business Central makes it easy to customize your software without needing coding experience, as it has a drag-and-drop interface. You can also easily extend the capability of your solution through custom apps available in Microsoft AppSource or through extensions.
Advanced integrations
The cloud-based Business Central lets you easily tailor the software to your needs by making it simple to integrate with the Microsoft Power Platform. You can collect actionable insights with Power BI, make no-code custom applications with Power Apps, and create automated workflows for repetitive tasks with Power Automate. It also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365.
Easier to conduct analysis
Business Central has dimension accounting which makes analyzing your records much easier. Dimensions allow you to define analysis categories and 'tag' your data so you can quickly find what you're looking for and review data across several different departments.
Out-of-the-box dashboards
Business Central has preconfigured dashboards that are available right out of the box. These can be modified and customized by users so they can track the data they need with ease.
Easier migration path compared to other ERP solutions
Another benefit to consider with Business Central is that Microsoft has developed new tools and paths to make it easier to migrate your Dynamics GP data to Business Central.
Unsure If You Should Migrate? Schedule a Business Central Assessment
Microsoft's Dynamics 365 Business Central is a true cloud-based ERP and offers numerous benefits for your small or mid-sized business, and enables you to transform your business with the cloud. It offers distinct advantages over Dynamics GP and allows you to make the most out of its advanced features, modern user experience, integration, and AI capabilities.
If you're trying to figure out whether a migration to Dynamics 365 Business Central from GP makes sense for your organization, sign up for our free, no-obligation Business Central assessment that will give you a deeper understanding of Business Central and the process of migration, along with the costs and timeline.
