If you’re an organization running Microsoft Dynamics GP, you might be wondering what the splash of Microsoft’s new Dynamics 365 Business Central (365BC) brings to the table. After all, GP is a long sustaining enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution developed in 1993 while Business Central is new SaaS cloud solution. However, it’s no secret that Microsoft is going all-in with Business Central as the leading business process management offering for small to mid-size businesses. So what’s the buzz, and how does it compare to GP?    

First and foremost, it’s best to reference the capabilities and benefits of Business Central’s cloud deployment because the purpose of Microsoft’s next wave of Dynamics 365 ERPs is to meet the exponentially growing demand for flexible, accessible, and mobile business applications. Even companies that may initially deploy Business Central on-premise are likely selecting the solution due to its ability to provide a cloud-ready, and cloud-built, migration down the road.        

How Microsoft Dynamics GP and 365 Business Central different? What are the pros and cons of each when it comes to accounting function and operational management? In other words – which one is right for you? In this article, we are going to examine GP and Business Central side-by-side as it relates to Licensing and Hosting.

At the surface, both products are aimed at small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) and are built to administer the finances of an enterprise along with core operational areas such as manufacturing and field service. However, there are differences in all the elements listed above that are important to consider, especially if you’re contemplating upgrading from Dynamics GP to Business Central.  

So now onto the more critical questions, such as how Microsoft Dynamics GP and 365Business Central different? What are the pros and cons of each when it comes to accounting function and operational management? In other words – which one is right for you?

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ADD-ONS:

GP‍

The Starter Pack of Microsoft Dynamics GP includes core financial and distribution capability. Then, three additional ‘Packs’ are available to extend functionality for manufacturing, services,customizations, and advanced payroll/HR. A large network of Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) have built add-ons specifically for GP to cover needs in everything from barcoding, business intelligence, credit card processing, advanced manufacturing, and more. Of course, these add-ons, while integrated and highly valuable, have different back-end development and must be managed separately and often with diverse expertise. Be aware the addition of new add-ons for GP are slowing down in favor of development for Microsoft’s newer ERPs. ‍

        Pros: Includes the functionality many businesses need with Starter Pack, flexible and robust network of add-ons to fill gaps

       Cons: No consistent platform to access add-ons, new add-on market for GP is slowing down and the ‘latest and greatest’ offers are for Microsoft’s 365 line only

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365BC

Business Central’s extended functionality and add-ons are roughly equivalent to GP’s above, but with some notable differences. The variations are mainly around the pace and breadth at which new, more innovative technology becomes available to integrate. The Essential and Premium licensing, the later which adds services and manufacturing,determines the native capability inclusions. Then, ‘3rd Party Apps’ are available through a centralized platform, Microsoft AppSource. Microsoft has made building add-ons for Business Central easier than its more disparate, legacy systems like GP and NAV. For that reason, companies who are enhancing and developing them are concentrating on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for the foreseeable future.

        Pros: Simplicity and consistency of two functionality types across the organization, fastest-growing add-on availability, consistent platform for accessing 3rd Party Apps in AppSource

      Cons: Some add-ons are available but not yet listed on AppSource and found separately

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ROAD MAP:    

While there are pros and cons to each solution – it must be transparent that Business Central is essentially the future of Microsoft’s SMB business application movement. Business Central will ultimately get the largest apportion of resources, development, and attention. While GP isn’t going away, there are few who wouldn’t admit that in order to obtain innovative features and the benefit of evolving cloud technology, updating to Business Central is the surefire way of getting there. Dynamics GP long-term (5-10 year) road map is uncertain, whereas Business Central is a solid bet in terms of an indefinite and sustainable investment.    

SUMMARY COMPARISON:    

Many organizations currently running Microsoft Dynamics GP are looking at their options to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. That motivation comes in the way of cost savings, accessibility, eliminating complex upgrades, long-term viability, and consistently evolving features that automate and streamline many operations.    

In particular, if you relate to any of the following, chances are you need to discuss how to transition to Business Central with an expert:     

• You believe that the hardware and server maintenance, resource requirements, along with the yearly enhancement fees for Dynamics GP are growing too expensive
• You would like to mitigate data loss risks and infrastructure costs by obtaining a real cloud and SaaS solution
• You are managing too many disparate add-ons so Dynamics GP can meet your business needs
• You need more robust financial and operational reporting, including better data analysis and the ability to easily deploy Power BI
• You would like to be less reliant on external consultants long-term for configuring, updating, and managing your business process management system/ERP
• You need mobility, with the ability to access data and be productive from anywhere

There may be other considerations that it’s time to migrate to Microsoft’s next-generation ERP platform, and at QBIX we are here to help guide your company to the right decision. We support both continued upgrades of your existing GP solution, as well as provide a risk-free, fast, and comprehensive migration to Business Central that won’t disrupt your business and will set you up for success in years to come.    

Contact us today to discuss what solution and upgrade is best for your organization’s needs.    

916.212.4230 | info@qbixllc.com    

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