Why Should I Upgrade Microsoft Dynamics GP System?

Is your Microsoft Dynamics GP system working well for you? Great.

You should still consider an upgrade.

We know it is tempting to stay with what you have as long as there are no significant problems. But it is smart to ask yourself:

• Are we making the most of our GP investment?
• Could we optimize our resources to be more efficient?
• Will our decision not to upgrade cause issues in the future?

As a Dynamics GP user, you should know that you are entitled to system upgrades from Microsoft if you already pay for annual GP maintenance (through the Enhancement Plan, Advantage Plan, or Advantage Plus Plan). However, you still need to budget for the cost of the upgrade services from your Dynamics GP Partner.  So we understand that it is still an important decision.

Here are a few of the reasons why we feel it makes smart business sense to upgrade your Dynamics GP solution:

1. Remain compliant with critical regulatory updates 

The latest version of Dynamics GP gives you access to critical regulatory updates, including payroll tax table changes. The latest updates with those changes are only available for supported versions of Dynamics GP. 

2. Get support and upgraded security

After five years, each version of Dynamics GP moves to Microsoft’s Extended Support plan. At this time, Microsoft is no longer testing if this version of GP is compatible with new releases of Windows or SQL Server.

While you will get security updates, your software may be at risk if you haven’t installed the latest product releases and service packs. You are less likely to experience a security breach or software corruption on a GP version under Mainstream Support. You’ll get more support for less money with a current version. 

Example: Last year, there was a critical template issue and black box printing error due to a Microsoft Windows update. This is out of the control of the Dynamics team, even though it impacts their users. Plus, there were new requirements for 1099-NEC. If Microsoft does a Windows update (usually due to security), that can impact Dynamics GP in a negative way. To solve the problem, they have to release a fix or an update. If you are running on Dynamics GP 2016 or older, you will not get that update.

More about Mainstream support: Fixed Lifecycle Policy - Microsoft Lifecycle | Microsoft Docs

This is the current lifecycle: Software lifecycle policy - Dynamics GP | Microsoft Docs

3. Future savings 

Skipping regular GP upgrades will not save you money. Indeed, it will probably cost you more in the long run. It’s less complicated (and therefore less expensive) to make small, regular upgrades between versions than to jump two or three versions at once. For instance, going from GP 2013 to GP 2015 is simple. But jumping from GP 2013 to GP 2018 is more complex. It could be tempting to skip an upgrade or two, but it will cost more overall. Because smaller upgrades are faster, with fewer changes for users to adapt to, your staff can get back to their critical tasks sooner, with less training required.

Make the most of your Microsoft Dynamics GP investment. Allow the software to serve you to the best of its ability.

4. Take advantage of new features and functionality 

Each new Microsoft Dynamics GP release includes new features that will enhance your user experience with the software. New functionality might eliminate tedious steps and allow users to work faster and more efficiently.

Also, an upgraded Dynamics GP system means access to upgraded 3^rd party solutions and all their new functionality.

To reinforce the point, here is an outline of the risks of not upgrading.