From Familiar to Future-Proof: Planning Your Move from GP to Business Central

For many companies, Microsoft Dynamics GP has been the trusted foundation of financial operations for years. It’s familiar, reliable, and deeply embedded in the day-to-day work of finance, operations, and accounting teams. But as Microsoft shifts its innovation focus toward cloud-based technologies, a natural question arises. Is it time to move to Business Central?

Why GP Users Are Moving to the Cloud

While GP remains supported through 2029, it’s clear that new features, modern integrations, and automation tools are being built for Business Central. Over time, continuing to run GP may feel like maintaining a classic car – functional, yes, but increasingly out of sync with today’s traffic.

At the core of the difference between GP and Business Central is architecture. GP is an on-premise system, requiring local servers, manual upgrades, and IT overhead. Business Central, in contrast, is built for the cloud. It runs securely in Microsoft’s Azure data centers, integrates natively with the Microsoft 365 suite, and offers real-time access from any device. For teams accustomed to VPNs and remote desktop logins, the shift to Business Central often feels like a leap in flexibility.

What Happens to Your Data? (Spoiler: You Keep It)

Still, concerns about migration are common and valid. One of the biggest is data – what happens to the years of transactions, customer records, and historical reports stored in GP? The good news is that Microsoft offers built-in tools that migrate core records like the chart of accounts, customers, vendors, inventory items, and open transactions. For companies that need deeper history, there are options to store GP data in Azure Data Lake or use the “Historical Snapshot” feature in Business Central to retain important context without cluttering the new system.

What Took Five Plugins in GP Is Built In with Business Central

Equally important is the question of customizations. Many businesses have built their own workflows in GP or rely on third-party add-ons. Business Central doesn’t replicate every customization out of the box, but it offers powerful alternatives. Microsoft’s AppSource marketplace includes hundreds of vetted extensions, many from the same vendors GP users already know. Others find that Business Central’s built-in tools and low-code capabilities reduce the need for custom development altogether.

Say Goodbye to Surprise IT Bills

Cost, too, plays a role in the decision. Business Central moves away from perpetual licenses and instead operates on a predictable subscription model, available monthly, annually, or in longer commitments of 2 or even 3 years. That shift can feel like a tradeoff at first, but the savings in hardware, maintenance, upgrades, and security infrastructure often balance it out over time. For many companies, moving to the cloud turns capital expenses into manageable operating costs, without the surprise IT tickets.

Take What Works, Leave What Doesn’t

The migration process itself is often less painful than expected, especially with proper planning. The first step is usually a full audit of your current system. Understanding what’s in place, what’s essential, and what can be improved. From there, businesses map out how existing GP elements (like account segments) will translate into Business Central’s dimensions and permissions. Training is a key part of the process, and so is testing.

Many companies choose to run a pilot migration in a sandbox environment before going live. What surprises many teams is how much of the transition is an opportunity rather than a chore. GP systems often carry years of old setups, manual workarounds, or legacy reports. The move to Business Central allows companies to clean up their data, streamline workflows, and build a system that fits today’s operations and not just yesterday’s habits. Instead of trying to copy everything as-is, successful migrations take the time to rethink what’s truly needed.

When You’re Ready to Move, We’re Ready to Help

Ultimately, moving from GP to Business Central is less about abandoning the past and more about preparing for the future. It’s a way to simplify IT, improve reporting, and connect your business in real time. Most importantly, it gives you a platform that can evolve as your company grows. Whether you’re ready to migrate now or just exploring the idea, the best step you can take is to start mapping out a plan – and that’s exactly where we come in.

At On Point, we help businesses make smart moves without the stress. No pressure, no cookie-cutter solutions, just clear advice and real answers. Ready when you are.