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6 steps to consider before transitioning from Dynamics GP to Business Central

Making the transition from one ERP system to another requires significant thought, planning and resources.

If your business is thinking about making the move from Dynamics GP to Business Central, the transition and effort can be much easier with professional guidance and advance planning.

At Joesoftware, we support organizations of all sizes in their transition to Business Central. There are several best practices we recommend our clients embrace before they make the move.

Our team would like to share 6 best practices that will minimize disruptions to your operations during the transition and allow your organization to get the most out of Business Central.

1. Evaluate and understand the setup of your current Dynamics GP system.

It is important to review and fully understand your current Dynamics GP system before you move to Business Central. Joesoftware recommends that you identify and document the functionality, customizations, integrations and reports in GP that are essential to your organization. This evaluation will also help you identify any gaps that could be addressed in Business Central.

2. Engage employees and establish clear objectives.

When you involve key employees from various departments or lines of business in discussions about the transition, you will better understand their needs and expectations. This can help you ensure Business Central works for your entire operation. It is also important to establish clear objectives and goals for the transition, as this builds a shared vision of what’s possible and fosters engagement and support before, during and after the transition.

3. Review and reflect on current business processes and seize new opportunities.

This is the time to review and determine what’s working well and where there are opportunities to improve. Take advantage of the capabilities that Business Central offers to streamline workflows, eliminate inefficiency and duplication, and embrace greater automation.

4. Have a data migration plan.

You must determine what data that needs to migrate from Dynamics GP to Business Central, and what can be archived for future reference. Make the effort to clean up any duplicative, outdated or inaccurate data before the migration as it will make the post-transition time period much easier. Consider whether you should renumber the master file identifications for customers, vendors and inventory items. It’s at this stage when you may want to engage professional experts who can support your business with data mapping, transformation and testing to minimize any potential data integrity issues.

5. Plan for resource engagement.

Determining what team members need to be involved and when is critical at various design and implementation points during the transition. Joesoftware has found that key employees can invest anywhere from 1/3 of their time in the planning phase, up to 100% of their time during the actual transition. With this level of time commitment, it is important to plan ahead so employees have back-up support so they can continue to perform their duties during the transition.

6. Provide comprehensive training.

While Business Central has many similarities to GP given that both are Microsoft products, there are enough differences with Business Central that some training is required. It is important to train employees in the new features, functionalities and navigation.

Joesoftware can help your business transition from GP to Business Central. We are a trusted partner that provides responsive, ongoing advice and support. And for a limited time, GP customers can transition their licensing and receive a 40% discount on Business Central for 3 years! Contact us for more details.

If you are thinking about Business Central and want to better understand what the transition might look like, and the benefits of Business Central, we’d love to talk with you.