This is an article I wrote for the recently released Fido magazine. The magazine was published in time for Community Summit 2025 in Orlando by Fidesic, who offer Payables Automation solutions for Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Go visit them at booth 1545 for the full magazine.
Thanks to Carl Robinette from Fidesic who reached out and offered the opportunity to write an article for the magazine, and to my wife, Jennifer, who helped me with multiple rewrites. 🙂
A summary of available options, associated risks, and recommended actions.
Introduction
Microsoft Dynamics GP was first released in February 1993 by Great Plains Software under the name: Dynamics. It was planned as a Graphical User Interface based replacement to the existing text based Great Plains Accounting product. When planning this next generation product, the developers looked for an environment that could offer independence from both operating systems and database platforms as well as providing flexible customization and extension capabilities, and easy language translation. When they found that no suitable option existed at the time, they decided to create their own development environment … Dexterity.
Using the Dexterity environment to build Dynamics has enabled the product to remain current by adapting to new technologies over time, incorporating support for SQL Server, Visual Basic for Applications, COM, .NET, Web Client, and Service Based Architecture, among others. This forward-thinking approach, including sharing Dexterity externally, has resulted in 38 releases of Dynamics GP so far (up to v18.8) and enabled substantial growth in the surrounding ecosystem, supporting numerous partners, consultants and independent software vendors (ISVs) for more than three decades.
GP is Dead, Long Live GP
The writing had been on the wall for a long time, so the discontinuation of support for Microsoft Dynamics GP was not a surprise. In fact, publishing a date has removed the uncertainty that existed. I have been working with Dynamics GP since 1994 when I learnt Dexterity in Melbourne, Australia (the first time the training was presented outside of Fargo, ND). I have worked as both a selling partner and as an ISV. In 2001, Microsoft purchased some of my software products to add to GP and hired me. During the hiring negotiations, I was told that GP would be going away and my future prospects were better as an employee inside Microsoft. So … when support finally ends in 2031, it will be 30 years after I was first told that GP is dead.
Microsoft’s latest announcement on the Microsoft Dynamics GP Product Lifecycle timeline (available online) states that mainstream support will cease on 31st December 2029, with security updates until 30th April 2031.
End of Support is not End of Life
End of support does not mean end of life for Microsoft Dynamics GP. The product will continue to function as it always has. What end of support does mean is that Microsoft will no longer provide:
- Direct product support through support cases, forums or blogs.
- Bug fixes, new features or product enhancements.
- Updates related to legislative and taxation changes.
- Security and compatibility patches (after April 2031).
Dynamics GP is a mature and stable product, and development has already slowed to bug fixes, minor enhancements and fine tuning of existing features. With all the knowledge available in the GP community, end of support and feature updates is not really concerning.
Changes to meet legislative and taxation requirements are critical but will only affect specific regions and there are already partners and ISVs that have committed to supporting GP customers affected by these payroll and taxation changes.
The primary concern is maintaining compatibility with integrating Microsoft products such as Windows, Office, Exchange, and SQL Server. While Microsoft has a good track record with backwards compatibility, there is a risk that a future change might break something. This risk can be mitigated as Dexterity’s flexible architecture allows partners and ISVs to create fixes for issues even after Microsoft discontinues support.
Recommended Actions for Customers
Customers currently using Dynamics GP should plan proactively to avoid disruption. With several years remaining before support concludes, there is ample opportunity to assess options:
- Take no action and hope that nothing will go wrong (Not Recommended).
- Stay with GP, update to the latest code and seek assistance from partners and ISVs for ongoing support.
- Transition to another Microsoft ERP solution.
- Migrate to an ERP system from a different vendor.
Risk Assessment
Every option carries risk, especially in the fast-moving Information Technology world with cyber security attacks becoming more common.
Remaining stagnant and taking no action exposes organizations to potential system failures which could cause significant and costly harm to business operations. Just because it works well now is not good enough.
Continued use of Dynamics GP is feasible if all components are kept up to date and remain supported by the partners, consultants and ISVs who are also committed to the long term future of Dynamics GP. Testing of updates before live deployment can help mitigate potential issues.
Switching to a new ERP system, from Microsoft or another vendor, will be a full reimplementation and requires significant planning, customization, staff training, and business process review. Having a good relationship with a trusted and experienced partner along with a commitment from all stakeholders to the project is vital to ensure success. Finally, selecting an ERP vendor must be based on product suitability and long-term commitment and not just initial pricing incentives or deals.
Benefits of staying with Dynamics GP
Provided all products, customizations and integrations are current and supported for the long term, the advantages include:
- Continued use of a reliable and stable system.
- Ease of customization and integration.
- Ongoing support through 2029/2031, with community resources extending thereafter.
- Minimal disruption to business operations.
- Preservation of existing integrations and customizations.
- Access to a vibrant ISV community who are still developing new features.
- Availability of cloud-based Dynamics GP services from select partners.
Essential Steps for all Customers
Regardless of the path chosen, the following steps are highly recommended for all customers:
- Update all software and ISV products to the latest versions.
- Utilize all available features and invest in role-specific training, documenting processes and training materials.
- Audit current modules and practices, with comprehensive documentation of workflows.
- Cleanse data regularly for enhanced system performance (and simplified migration).
- Secure source code and development tools for any customizations and ensure internal capability and, if necessary, development training to maintain them.
- Develop, implement, and routinely test backup and disaster recovery protocols.
- Foster strong relationships with partners, ISVs, and consultants aligned with your strategic objectives.
Conclusion
The end of support for Microsoft Dynamics GP marks a pivotal moment for customer organizations. By approaching this change strategically—evaluating risks and opportunities, preparing teams, and seeking out qualified expertise—businesses can modernize their operations, mitigate disruption, and position themselves for sustainable growth. Acting now ensures continued compliance, security, and competitiveness in an evolving technological landscape. Whether your company decides to continue using Microsoft Dynamics GP depends on whether the perceived risks are deemed acceptable.
About the Author
David Musgrave has contributed to the Great Plains Dynamics and Microsoft Dynamics GP community for over three decades, with experience as a partner, an ISV and a Microsoft employee (14 years). He has developed many products and features both within core Dynamics GP and as addon products. He has received recognition as a Microsoft MVP (11 years), a GPUG All Star and a Dynamics Communities Summit Legend. As Managing Director of Winthrop Development Consultants in Perth, Australia – a Dynamics GP only ISV – he remains committed to supporting his products and the wider GP community. Check out the WinthropDC.com website and blog to stay up to date.
Hope you found this article helpful.
Attached below if the article as published in the magazine and the full magazine.
If you are at Community Summit, come say “Hi” at booth 310.
David
26-Oct-2025: Added links for downloading the article or full magazine.
This article was originally posted on http://www.winthropdc.com/blog.
2 thoughts on “#MSDynGP Support for Microsoft Dynamics GP is Ending – What now?”