Moving your business from an on-premise system to the cloud is a complex decision with many variables, such as timing, choosing a platform, and the necessary human and financial resources.
But given the fast pace of technology innovation and the need to remain competitive, that decision is no longer a matter of if but when.
Meet Peter, the CFO of a mythical mid-sized healthcare company.
His days consist of battling an ancient on-premise accounting system, which he swears takes joy in making his life difficult. Each morning, he braces himself for the usual error messages, system crashes, and spreadsheet gremlins with their frequent data corruption shenanigans.
“Today will be different,” Peter tells himself, always the optimist.
Yet system failures and endless calls to IT support continue to impact both his time and the company’s competitive edge.
But there is hope for Peter.
Migrating from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central offers cloud-based, transformative benefits for executives and accounting departments, including automatic updates, enhanced security, and real-time access to financial data from anywhere, at any time.
This blog is your guide to embracing the future with Dynamics 365 Business Central so you can experience the transformative power of cloud accounting.
Pain Points of Not Moving to the Cloud
As daunting as moving to the cloud may seem, focusing on the pain points of inaction can be your guiding motivation.
Competitive Disadvantage: Customers now expect the latest features and seamless service. Using outdated systems today is like trying to sell a flip phone in the age of smartphones—nobody is buying. Not transitioning to the cloud means falling behind competitors who leverage cutting-edge technology to gain an edge.
Operational Inefficiency: Becoming ultra-efficient allows you to achieve more with the same staffing level. Instead of spending hours manually entering data and fixing errors, your team could focus on strategic initiatives that drive growth.
Customer Service Impact: Calculating the actual cost to your business when customer service is compromised is an eye-opener. A system crash during a crucial transaction is a sure path to losing customer trust and patience, resulting in negative reviews and reputational damage. Like a leaky faucet, those drips add up to a flood of lost revenue over time.
Why Choose Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?
According to Gartner research, by 2025, over 95% of businesses will use cloud computing and 95% of data workloads will be hosted in the cloud.
For companies still relying on on-premise software, this shift highlights an urgent need to modernize – or risk being left behind.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a cloud ERP solution that meets these growing demands.
With powerful financial management and operational efficiency features accessible from any device with an internet connection, your business can stay competitive and agile as markets evolve.
Benefits of Cloud Accounting with Business Central
Remember VHS tapes?
Think about how different TV and movie viewing options are now with streaming services like Netflix or Apple TV – access to the most up-to-date content, infinite viewing options, and your viewing history updated across any device, no matter where you are.
Adopting Dynamics 365 Business Central is similar to that transition – your business gains instant access to up-to-date capabilities, greater flexibility, access from anywhere and any device, and an infinitely more user-friendly experience.
Below are some of the powerful benefits of this ERP cloud solution and how it can help you stay ahead of the curve while keeping your operations running smoothly and efficiently.
Automatic Updates: With Business Central, you’ll continually operate on the most current version, with automatic updates, backups, disaster recovery, and 99.9% uptime.
Cost Savings: The on-premise IT support costs and infrastructure investments bogging your company down can now be in your rearview mirror. Moving to the cloud means you can reduce spending on physical servers, maintenance, and the team required to manage them.
Scalability and Security: Whether you're expanding rapidly or adjusting to seasonal fluctuations, Business Central grows with you. And with Microsoft's robust security protocols, your data is protected by the best in the business.
Access Anytime, Anywhere: No matter where your employees work, they can stay connected and make informed decisions, making collaboration easier and productivity soar.
A solid plan to migrate Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central will simplify your IT landscape and empower your business to be more agile, efficient, and secure.
It’s hard to not get excited about a solution that keeps you ahead of the competition and frees you from the ball and chain of traditional on-premise systems.
9 Best Practices for Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Migration
“The hardest thing about getting started is getting started.” -Guy Kawasaki
Careful planning and structured execution are crucial for a smooth transition to Dynamics 365 Business Central.
To avoid analysis paralysis, here’s a list of best practices for migrating from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365:
Assessment and Analysis: Start by thoroughly assessing your current systems and processes to identify pain points and areas for improvement to set you up for success and ensure the new system meets your business needs.
Strategic Planning: Develop a detailed GP to Business Central migration strategy. Outline objectives, timelines, and resource allocation – every aspect of the transition should be planned out and accounted for.
Data Migration: All necessary data must be accurately transferred to the new system without loss or corruption. Careful planning and execution will ensure data integrity throughout the transition.
System Configuration: Customize Dynamics 365 Business Central to fit your business requirements, configuring user roles, permissions, and integrations with other systems to optimize functionality and security.
Training and Support: Comprehensive training and ongoing support will ensure your users are comfortable and proficient with the new system and that any questions or issues are immediately addressed.
Change Management: Effective change management strategies are essential to ensure all stakeholders are on board with the transition. This should include addressing concerns and promoting the new system's benefits.
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Testing and Validation: Before going live, thoroughly test the new system to validate that all processes work as expected and any issues are identified and resolved early.
Go-Live and Post-Implementation Support: Careful planning for a smooth go-live process is crucial for minimal disruption to business operations, and post-implementation support can address any issues and ensure continuous improvement.
Migrating to the cloud can save companies 15-40% on infrastructure costs based on reduced hardware, maintenance, and IT support expenses.
But transitioning to cloud accounting is about more than cost savings – it’s a strategic move that enhances efficiency, scalability, and security.
By embracing Dynamics 365 Business Central, businesses can stay competitive, improve customer satisfaction, and support remote work with real-time data access.
Don’t lose customers or jeopardize customer service and opportunities for cost efficiencies, increased productivity, and collaboration.
Modernize with anytime, anywhere access and advanced features and functionality.
Knaster provides a tailored approach to implementing Dynamics 365 Business Central, ensuring your company’s unique needs are met. By developing customized strategies and workflows, we help businesses optimize their processes and maximize efficiency.
If you’d like to learn more about migrating from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central, reach out anytime.
About the Author
With a background as a CPA and Certified Information Technology Professional, Barry Knaster has made it his mission to provide customers with innovative, effective solutions that redefine the way they manage their finances.
Knaster Technology Group provides expertise in leveraging top-notch platforms like Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Dynamics GP.
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