Is Microsoft Dynamics GP being discontinued?

Previously known as Great Plains, Microsoft Dynamics GP is a standalone ERP system designed for small-to-medium-sized businesses. Its core features include financial management and accounting, inventory management, operations, sales, service, HR, payroll, and reporting. Dynamics GP is a widely used and trusted enterprise resourcing planning solution that can support the long-term growth of companies. With Microsoft’s focus being directed towards Dynamics 365 in recent years, many clients have begun to wonder what the future of Dynamics GP would look like and if this reliable system would be discontinued.

Microsoft has officially announced Dynamics GP will be discontinued, providing a detailed roadmap that outlines its end of life schedule. On April 1, 2025, sales of new perpetual licenses will end, though subscription licenses will remain available for one more year. By April 1, 2026, sales of new subscription licenses will also cease, leaving existing customers able to add users but unable to purchase new GP instances. The final year-end update for Dynamics GP is scheduled for December 2028, with product enhancements, regulatory updates, service packs, and technical support ending on September 30, 2029. Finally, all updates and support for Dynamics GP will conclude on April 30, 2031, marking the system’s official end of life. These milestones underscore the importance of businesses planning their next steps to mitigate risks and ensure continuity.

Versions of Dynamics GP prior to October 2019 are on a Fixed Lifecycle policy, which means the product support has a definitive end date. There are different phases of support under the Fixed Lifecycle policy. The first phase of this policy is Mainstream support and includes hotfixes, payroll updates, tax updates, and year-end updates for five years. After that time, Extended support is available for another 5 years which offers more limited support from Microsoft for issues that are security related. After Extended support has ended, clients are not able to receive product support from Microsoft. Mainstream support has ended for all version of Dynamics GP on the Fixed Lifecycle policy.

In October 2019, Microsoft transitioned Dynamics GP to its Modern Lifecycle policy, ensuring regular updates for newer versions of the system. Under this policy, customers receive support, hotfixes, feature updates, and tax updates three times a year. However, Microsoft has provided a clear timeline for the eventual end of life for Dynamics GP:

• December 2028: Final year-end update for Dynamics GP.
• September 30, 2029: End of product enhancements, regulatory updates, service packs, and technical support.
• April 30, 2031: End of security updates and the official end of life for Dynamics GP.

With Microsoft’s announcement of discontinuing new sales of Dynamics GP, GP users have a couple of options on how to move forward with their system.

Migrate to a new ERP system

If you are concerned about the end of life of Dynamics GP or GP is no longer a good fit for your organization, you may be interested in migrating to a new ERP system that aligns better with your needs. By moving to an ERP like Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, or NetSuite, you can ensure continuation of improvements in the product, unlock additional features and capabilities as well as benefit from a cloud-based solution.

Stay on Dynamics GP

For businesses committed to staying on Dynamics GP, it’s important to understand the growing risks. As the platform approaches its end of life, support and resources will dwindle. Fewer partners, consultants, and third-party vendors will focus on GP, making it harder to maintain or customize your system. Meanwhile, competitors adopting modern ERP solutions with AI and automation will gain significant advantages in efficiency, innovation, and security, leaving GP users at a disadvantage.

Hosting Dynamics GP in the cloud on Azure may provide temporary benefits like improved accessibility and security, but it’s only a short-term fix. After 2028, critical tax and regulatory updates will stop, and security vulnerabilities will increase. Staying on GP is a decision to remain tied to outdated technology, which can hinder compliance, competitiveness, and long-term growth.

Want to learn more about the discontinuation of Dynamics GP and what it means for your business? Rand Group is an experienced Microsoft and Oracle NetSuite partner that has assisted companies for two decades with supporting the health of their systems and attaining their organizational goals. Whether you are ready to migrate to another system or want to stay on GP, we can help. Contact our team of experts today.