6 Answers to the Most Asked Questions for Dynamics GP

With so much of Microsoft’s recent attention on Business Applications on Dynamics 365, it’s easy to forget that the Dynamics family encompasses much more than this current generation.

Dynamics GP is a complete ERP platform that has reliably serviced tens of thousands of organizations for many years and continues to be a solid favorite in the ERP ecosystem.

While it may not be getting the same cloud-first treatment as other Dynamics siblings, Dynamics GP is worth continuing to use if you have the correct support partner.

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Contact TruNorth Dynamics today to discuss how your organization can upgrade before losing any functionality in October 2022 and avoid the looming direct email outage from Dynamics GP with Office 365 Outlook.

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1. What is Microsoft Dynamics GP?

What is Microsoft Dynamics GP
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Microsoft GP is a small-to-medium-sized business financial accounting software solution. Microsoft Dynamics GP is preferred by growing businesses in the educational and healthcare sectors and eCommerce, retail, wholesale, construction, and other manufacturing industries.

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains, or Microsoft Dynamics GP as commonly abbreviated, is a well-known ERP solution from Microsoft. When Microsoft originally entered the ERP market, it purchased smaller, well-established enterprises.

Great Plains Software was one of those companies, with its high-end accounting and financial software gaining a reputable client base. Great Plains has been combined under the Dynamics Business Solutions brand and widely embraced by small and medium-sized organizations worldwide since its acquisition by Microsoft in 2000. Other solutions, such as Epicor’s Prophet 21, use it as the accounting and finance center.

Great Plains Software, based in North Dakota, developed this Microsoft Great Plains Software, which Microsoft ultimately acquired in 2001. Microsoft Dynamics Accounting offers a variety of applications for financial management, human resources management, manufacturing planning, supply chain management, field service, business intelligence, collaboration, compliance, and IT management.

Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) is a modular ERP solution. ERP software includes inventory management, supply chain, project management, project accounting, manufacturing, operations, sales and service (including field service), human resources and payroll, and business intelligence and reporting. Enterprise resource planning stands for enterprise resource planning.

Microsoft Dynamics GP is a piece of business software program that assists firms in managing back-end processes like accounting that keep them running daily.

Business intelligence, warehouse management, financial management, retail and e-commerce, inventory management, project management, service management, human resources, manufacturing, and distribution are just a few of the sectors covered by Dynamics GP. It provides certain sales and service skills, although it does not have all of the characteristics of a complete CRM.

Dynamics GP swiftly extended across enterprises and industries as one of Microsoft’s earliest ERP systems, finding success with manufacturing and field-service organizations because of Microsoft’s high reputation and easy connectivity with the rest of their stack.

2. Who uses Dynamics GP?

Small and medium-sized organizations use the Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP solution. Professional services, manufacturing, distribution, software and technology, eCommerce and retail commerce, construction, financial services, education, and government are among the industries that use Microsoft Dynamics GP. Businesses widely use Microsoft Dynamics GP in other sectors.

Microsoft Dynamics GP is used by businesses that require supply chain management, inventory management, advanced manufacturing, project accounting, field service operations, commerce, and human resources management. Since 1993, when the software was first released as Great Plains, established organizations in need of an ERP system have used Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Microsoft Dynamics GP is a sophisticated ERP and accounting system that handles numerous business operations. Microsoft Dynamics CRM, used for customer resource management, may be combined with Microsoft Dynamics GP using Connector. In 2001, Microsoft purchased Great Plains.

Financial management is handled using Microsoft Dynamics GP accounting software, including cash flow management, accounts receivable, inventory, fixed assets, accounts payable, chart of funds, and general ledger. Integrations with third-party software streamline procedures.

Dynamics GP, known for its outstanding financial management, is typically utilized by larger enterprises than Dynamics NAV, with a $3-5 million turnover. It is trendy among distribution companies.

Dynamics GP is typically utilized by companies that aren’t “IT-driven,” meaning they aren’t constantly changing, don’t want or require cutting-edge features, and are content to continue with what works for them.

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3. What are the main benefits of using Dynamics GP?

What is Microsoft Dynamics GP
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There are numerous reasons why a company in need of an ERP system could choose Dynamics GP. To begin with, it’s a tried-and-true product that has been in use since the early 2000s. It also benefits from Microsoft’s well-known brand and the look and feel of other Microsoft products.

Another benefit of GP’s longevity is that it has developed a strong network of partners and specialists who can assist organizations in realizing their ERP strategy. These partners have developed a wide range of solutions to meet specific industry requirements.

Dynamics GP is a powerful system that offers a lot of capabilities straight out of the box, with minimal customization. Those who want to expand its capabilities can do so quickly with the help of the API.

The platform may also be used in various ways, offering organizations more options for storing Dynamics data and gaining access to the system. GP can be accessed via the web, a SharePoint portal, or a standard desktop computer, allowing office and remote personnel to complete business operations anytime they need.

Dynamics GP’s business intelligence capabilities enable customers to be proactive in their financial management, allowing firms to solve problems and prevent them from developing in the first place.

Because of GP’s natural connectivity with Microsoft Office and other widely used corporate technologies like SharePoint and Outlook, businesses can more easily centralize and collaborate.

4. How can Dynamics GP help businesses grow?

Businesses can’t expand their operations until they can correctly examine how they work now. Dynamics GP enables firms to gain internal insight and a complete picture of their processes and pinpoint areas where they can improve. Businesses can use real-time analytics to discover trends in their data to adapt fast to market developments and generate projections to guarantee they’re always ready to meet demand.

Using an intelligent ERP like GP improves record accuracy, ensuring that every user has access to the correct information the first time, which saves time and improves the quality of a company’s engagement with its customers and clients, helping to boost customer satisfaction and long-term cement relationships.

Dynamics GP is also scalable, meaning it can be flexible to meet increased demand without sacrificing performance or significantly increasing the initial expenditure.

Dynamics GP provides customers with an innovative, versatile solution that allows them to be proactive and productive, allowing staff to focus on the things that will help them go forward and stay ahead of the competition.

Additionally, Dynamics GP’s RapidStart implementation capabilities aid in the quick and easy deployment of the system. The technology is also simple to understand and use, allowing organizations to accelerate adoption and get the system up and operating with minimal downtime.

How does GP help my business grow?
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Dynamics GP is a full-featured Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution for small and mid-market companies. Dynamics GP helps you manage your Financials, Inventory, and operations. It works well in a variety of industries and is available in the Cloud.

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5. What are the functions of Microsoft Dynamics GP

Project Management

Project management

Microsoft Dynamics GP’s project management can be smoothly connected with third-party accounting software and apps. These third-party programs can also be integrated with inventory management, financial management, and accounting management. You can manage and track your business initiatives with all of these extra connectors. In Microsoft GP’s project management, you may plan, review, and approve your business projects using timesheets and analytical tools.

Accounting

Accounting Management

Dynamics GP Software gives you access to a General Ledger account in accounting management. With its great features and modules, the General Ledger account is an analytical instrument that will make the entire analytical procedure simple. With its productivity systems, this General Ledger also aids in the efficient management of your duties. Budgets and financial data collected across your entire organization can be tracked with Microsoft Dynamics Accounting. This information can be integrated to create a centralized accounting management system. These figures can help you enhance your business by identifying areas for growth and profit zones.

Management of Human Resources

Dynamics GP allows you to manage all of your monthly or yearly data. It then is filtered and validated with the use of a filter. You can eliminate the need for physical documentation when analyzing your company’s success this way.

Bank

Bank Management

You can link an unlimited number of checkbooks to your bank account using Microsoft Dynamics GP Software. You can also use a mobile phone or a computer to electronically connect your checkbooks to your bank account. You can withdraw or make payments more quickly using these checkbooks. All of your bank account management transactions and reconciliations can be automated. This allows you to handle your bank account effectively and safely.

Supply Chain Management

Dynamics GP allows you to keep track of your inventory stock levels and costs. You can establish prices for your products and stock in the inventory using Dynamics GP Software. This pricing can be set per customer to ensure that your consumers get the best deal on their products. You may automate the manual pricing process by updating and matching your products according to their prices. Customers can customize the pricing automation process by adding flexible price alternatives and unique regulations.

Manufacturing Management

Manufacturing management in Dynamics GP takes advantage of your Manufacturing Suite for planning and operating sales predictions. You may also keep track of the entire processing cycle as your product is made. This allows you to manage raw materials and other product components more profitably. Dynamics GP additionally aids in designing individual items per sale through automation.

Dynamics GP is a full-featured Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution for small and mid-market companies. Dynamics GP helps you manage your Financials, Inventory, and operations. It works well in a variety of industries and is available in the Cloud.

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6. How is Dynamics GP deployed?

Until recently, Dynamics GP was only offered on-premises hosted on the user’s servers. GP is not available as a SaaS product like some other Dynamics products; however, there are a few methods to deploy it through Microsoft partners:

On-Premises

Users purchase the software and install it on their server, either on individual workstations or remotely via a Terminal Services or Citrix connection. On-premises users have complete control over their data and are not reliant on an internet connection. All server maintenance, backups, and other IT services are the responsibility of the users.

Hosted

Users acquire the software and pay a monthly subscription to run it on shared or dedicated servers in a secure data center. After then, the software is accessed through a fast internet connection.

Users own the software, but they don’t have to buy or maintain the hardware infrastructure. An internet connection is required for access.

Cloud

Users pay a monthly fee to access an online version of Microsoft Dynamics GP that is entirely cloud-based and accessible via a secure internet connection. Users do not own the software, but their data can be readily transferred to their server if they purchase it later.

Users who wish to reduce their total cost of ownership by eliminating hardware costs, have remote access to Dynamics GP, or need a quick installation can choose to deploy in the cloud.

Dynamics GP is not a cloud-ready product like Dynamics 365 apps, although it can be hosted in the cloud through a Microsoft partner, either on Microsoft’s Azure platform or on a private cloud network.

Users may use Azure-based applications and services like Power BI and Office 365 without investing in new hardware, infrastructure, or re-implementation fees by deploying in the cloud.

Bonus question – When is a good time to upgrade to Dynamics 365 from Dynamics GP?

For every business platform, there is a time when either your company has outgrown it, your business has new requirements, or the software developer no longer supports it. While we cannot answer which is right for your business, Microsoft has announced there will be an end to Dynamics GP. See their message here – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics-gp/terms/lifecycle.

There is no direct upgrade path from Dynamics GP to the Dynamics 365 ERP solutions. While migrating from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 would be relatively inexpensive in terms of the license, the new system would be pricey to implement.

Looming Direct Email Outage from Dynamics GP with Office 365 Outlook

Looming Direct Email Outage from Dynamics GP with Office 365 Outlook

On October 1, 2022, Microsoft will release changes to email security for Office 365. This security change will prevent your organization’s Microsoft Dynamics GP from using email and workflow functionality within your system. If your system is not on the most current version of Microsoft Dynamics GP – 18.4, you can expect significant email outages.

Although there is a Data Conversion utility for transferring data from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365, GP is a different product from the other Dynamics ERP software, and migrating to Dynamics 365 would be no different from switching from GP to NetSuite or any other standalone product. Switching to Dynamics 365, despite the connector, is no easier than switching to any other Microsoft or non-Microsoft program.

Upgrade your Dynamics GP Today!

Contact TruNorth Dynamics today to discuss how your organization can upgrade before losing any functionality in October 2022 and avoid the looming direct email outage from Dynamics GP with Office 365 Outlook.

Upgrade your GP today!

Ready to Grow your business with Dynamics 365 Business Central?

If you need help migrating from existing systems or maximizing your onboarding success, TruNorth Dynamics can help you adapt Dynamics 365 applications and services for your organization. Our extensive services, centralized project management, and expert consultants simplify your business transformation as a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner in Dynamics. We can help you make the right choices about business solutions, develop the processes that best support your goals, and roll out smoothly across your entire organization. Contact us today to start your Dynamics journey.

TruNorth Dynamics can assist you in maximizing the capabilities of Dynamics 365 and other Microsoft apps by examining the specific requirements of your company, customers, and workers. To get started, get in touch with our Dynamics 365 team today.

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