If you’re considering migrating from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central, you’re not alone.
Many organizations are making the switch to leverage modern cloud capabilities, streamline operations, and prepare for future growth. However, transitioning to Business Central is more than a technical upgrade—it’s a strategic transformation. To help you navigate this process, we’ve outlined seven essential steps to ensure a successful migration.
Steps for migrating Dynamics GP to Business Central
Validate the business case for migration.
Before embarking on a migration, building a solid business case for the switch to Business Central is crucial. This step involves assessing the reasons why migrating is necessary. Apart from Dynamics GP's end of life in September 2029, start by identifying your business challenges and highlighting the inefficiencies and limitations in Dynamics GP that Business Central can address. This can highlight where your business can benefit mainly from Business Central, whether from cloud accessibility, modern interfaces, built-in analytics, cost savings, improved productivity or scalability perspective.
Conduct a comprehensive requirements assessment.
This phase ensures the new system will align with your business operations. Key areas to evaluate:
Chart of Accounts (CoA). Review how your CoA in GP will translate to Business Central, considering reporting and dimensional analysis.
Customizations. List and evaluate all GP customizations to determine if they’re still required or if out-of-the-box Business Central features suffice.
Business Processes. Map out unique workflows and validate how they can be implemented or improved in Business Central.
3rd-Party Applications. Assess ISV solutions or add-ons currently used in GP and determine their compatibility with Business Central.
Integrations. Document and evaluate existing integrations, such as payroll, CRM, or e-commerce, to ensure they will work post-migration.
Specialized Modules. Complex modules like Project Accounting or Field Service may need additional planning, as they are non-standard in Business Central.
Wish List Features. Include desired features or functionalities that could be enabled in the new system.
Explore deployment options.
Business Central offers flexible deployment options - whether cloud or on-premises. Cloud is best for cost savings, automatic updates and scalability whereas on-premises is ideal for businesses with strict compliance or data sovereignty needs, though it's less common today. Per experience, most of our clients choose cloud-based implementation.
Develop estimates and project plans.
Proper planning minimizes surprises during migration. At Systema Solutions, we have experienced project managers who will assist you with:
Scope definition to outline the migration scope, including modules, data, and integrations.
Cost estimates including licensing, implementation, add-ons if any, and ongoing support.
Project timeline, setting realistic milestones for your data migration, system configuration, testing, and go-live.
Risk management to identify potential challenges, such as data quality issues or end-user resistance, and develop mitigation strategies.
Execute the data migration.
Data migration is a critical and resource-intensive step. However, using our proven methodology delivered by our team of Business Central experts, we will help you seamlessly execute a successful data migration through:
Data Cleansing. Audit GP data to remove duplicates, obsolete records, or inaccuracies.
Mapping. Map data fields from GP to Business Central to ensure a smooth transfer.
Migration Tools. Use specialized tools or methods like Microsoft’s Data Migration Framework or solutions from experienced partners.
Testing. Validate data accuracy by running tests and reconciling migrated data with GP records.
Configure Business Central and integrate add-ons.
This is where we will set up Business Central to align with your specific needs, whether to configure workflows, approval hierarchies, or business rules within Business Central or install and configure any necessary add-ons for industry-specific or advanced functionality. We will then perform rigorous User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to ensure the system performs as expected.
Implement change management and end-user training.
Adopting a new system requires buy-in and preparation from your team, and you don't need to do this alone. At Systema Solutions, we have an approach to make change management successful by helping you communicate the benefits of the migration and preparing your teams for the transition with:
Training Programs. We can help you develop role-based training to equip employees with the skills they need for Business Central.
Documentation. We will provide you with clear documentation and guides for processes within the new system.
Support Resources. We will ensure your users can access ongoing support post-go-live to address questions or challenges. Best of all, your users can have access to 24x7 phone and email support.
Ongoing support and optimization.
Even after the migration, the success of your project depends on proactive support. At Systema Solutions, we will continuously monitor your Business Central's system performance and resolve any issues, help you take advantage of Business Central’s bi-annual updates to stay current, and regularly review processes and system usage to ensure maximum efficiency.
By following these steps in detail, businesses can ensure a smooth, efficient migration from Dynamics GP to Business Central, resulting in a more modern, scalable solution that enhances operational efficiency and drives business growth.
Ready to make the leap? Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your Dynamics GP migration to Business Central.
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