What Is Great Plains Software, and What Replaced It?
If you have worked with business accounting or ERP software for any length of time, you may have encountered the name Great Plains software. Many businesses still use the term today, even though the product has changed names, ownership and technology significantly over the years.
So, what exactly is Great Plains software? Is it still supported? And what should businesses currently running Great Plains or Microsoft Dynamics GP be considering for the future?
Here is what you need to know.
What Is Great Plains Software?
Great Plains software is the former name associated with the business management and accounting software that ultimately became Microsoft Dynamics GP.
Originally developed by Great Plains Software, the platform became part of Microsoft following Microsoft’s acquisition of the company. Over time, the product was rebranded and became part of Microsoft’s Dynamics family of business applications.
This is why terms such as Great Plains software, Microsoft Great Plains Dynamics, Great Plains Accounting and Dynamics GP are often used to describe versions or generations of the same product family.
Today, the Microsoft product is known as Dynamics GP.
What Is Microsoft Dynamics GP?
Microsoft Dynamics GP is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system designed primarily for small and midsized organisations.
Over its long history, businesses have used Dynamics GP to manage functions such as:
Financial management
General ledger
Accounts payable and receivable
Purchasing
Inventory
Sales processing
Reporting
Payroll and human resources
Fixed assets
Supply chain processes
For many organisations, GP became a core business system and accumulated years, or even decades, of financial information, customisations, integrations and business processes.
That longevity is one reason so many organisations continue searching for Great Plains software and GP support today.
Is Great Plains Software Still Available?
The answer depends on what is meant by “Great Plains”.
The original Great Plains-branded products are legacy software. Their successor, Microsoft Dynamics GP, remains in use by organisations around the world, but Microsoft has announced the end of the product’s support lifecycle.
Microsoft currently states that product enhancements, regulatory and tax updates, and technical support for Dynamics GP will end on 31 December 2029. Security updates and patches, if required, are expected to remain available until 30 April 2031.
There is an important additional consideration for organisations running older GP releases. Specific versions can reach the end of their individual lifecycle earlier. For example, Dynamics GP 2018 and GP 2018 R2 reach the end of support in January 2028.
Businesses should therefore establish exactly which version they are running before making assumptions about their remaining support period.
Is Microsoft Discontinuing Dynamics GP?
Yes, but not immediately.
Microsoft has confirmed that it is ending Dynamics GP product support as it increases its focus and investment in cloud-based Dynamics 365 solutions.
The key dates are:
31 December 2029: End of product enhancements, regulatory/tax updates and technical support for the current Dynamics GP product.
30 April 2031: End of security updates and patches, if needed.
Microsoft has also announced that from 30 April 2031, Dynamics GP Service Plan coverage will end and certain subscription licences will no longer be renewable.
This provides existing GP customers with time to plan—but businesses should avoid treating 2029 or 2031 as the date on which migration planning needs to begin.
ERP migrations can involve significant preparation, particularly when an existing GP environment contains custom development, third-party applications, integrations and many years of business data.
What Replaced Great Plains Software?
There is not a simple one-for-one product rename that replaces every Dynamics GP implementation.
However, for many small and midsized organisations, Microsoft’s strategic cloud ERP platform is Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Business Central provides modern financial and business management capabilities in a cloud-based environment and continues to receive Microsoft’s ongoing product development and innovation.
Microsoft specifically identifies Dynamics 365 Business Central as a migration option for Dynamics GP customers and describes it as a modern cloud ERP foundation for organisations moving from legacy Dynamics solutions.
Depending on the size and complexity of an organisation, other Dynamics 365 applications may also need to be considered.
The right destination therefore depends on your current environment and future requirements—not simply on the name of the software you currently use.
Why Are Businesses Moving From Dynamics GP to the Cloud?
For many organisations, the conversation is about more than the end of GP support.
Moving from a traditional on-premises ERP platform to a modern cloud environment can create opportunities to modernise the wider business.
Potential considerations include:
Reduced Infrastructure Dependency
Cloud ERP reduces the need to maintain much of the traditional on-premises infrastructure associated with legacy ERP environments.
Easier Access
Cloud applications can provide secure access to business information from different locations and devices, supporting increasingly distributed workforces.
Integration Across Microsoft Technologies
Dynamics 365 applications can form part of a broader Microsoft ecosystem incorporating Microsoft 365, Power BI, Power Platform and other cloud services.
Continuous Innovation
Modern cloud services receive ongoing functionality and platform improvements rather than depending primarily on major traditional upgrade projects.
AI and Automation
Microsoft continues to expand AI-assisted functionality and automation across its Dynamics 365 cloud portfolio.
For organisations still running Great Plains or Dynamics GP, migration therefore provides an opportunity to reassess how ERP supports the business rather than simply replacing an ageing application.
How Much Does Great Plains Software Cost?
Searches for Great Plains software cost can be misleading because there is no single current price that applies to every Great Plains or Dynamics GP environment.
Costs depend on factors including the version and licensing model, number of users, modules, maintenance agreements, hosting environment, customisations, third-party products and support requirements.
For organisations considering the future of GP, a more useful calculation is often the total cost of continuing with the existing environment versus the cost and long-term benefits of modernisation.
That assessment should include infrastructure, maintenance, support, integrations, custom development and the potential cost of remaining on unsupported technology.
Should You Migrate From Dynamics GP Now?
Not every Dynamics GP customer needs to migrate immediately.
However, every organisation using GP should now have a documented roadmap.
Start by answering five questions:
Which Dynamics GP version are we currently running?
When does support for that specific version end?
Which integrations and third-party products depend on GP?
Which customisations are genuinely still required?
What should our ERP environment look like three to five years from now?
The answers can help determine whether the best approach is to maintain GP for the short term, upgrade the existing environment, begin preparing for Dynamics 365 Business Central or consider another migration path.
Start Planning Your Dynamics GP Future
Great Plains software has played an important role in business management for decades, and Dynamics GP continues to support many organisations today.
But Microsoft’s roadmap is now clear.
With mainstream Dynamics GP product support ending on 31 December 2029 and security updates ending by 30 April 2031, organisations have a defined window in which to assess their existing environment and develop a sensible modernisation strategy.
4Sight can help you assess your existing Dynamics GP environment, identify dependencies and explore the Microsoft Dynamics 365 migration options that best fit your business.
Speak to our Dynamics specialists to start planning your Dynamics GP roadmap.