Major GP Lifecycle Announcement from Microsoft!

Microsoft GP Support Ending in 2031

October 2024 – After selling and supporting Microsoft Dynamics GP for over 25 years, we at CSSI Technologies are saddened to report that Microsoft has just announced a multi-year timeline for ending its support of GP in 2031. Let us begin by saying that CSSI remains committed to supporting our Dynamics GP customers. The same is true for the industry partners and add-on developers who make GP such a great product.

The most important message is: Don’t panic! There is plenty of time to think about any ‘next steps’, and we must also note that Microsoft has repeatedly tried to end GP in the past, only to fail because the 40,000+ companies (in the US alone!) which use GP refused to move to what they perceived as substandard products. This history may again repeat itself.

Microsoft’s Timeline for Ending GP Security Updates

Below is Microsoft’s official timeline for the sunsetting of Dynamics GP:

  • April 1, 2025: No new sales of Perpetual licenses. New Subscription licenses continue for 1 more year.
  • April 1, 2026: No new customer sales for any type of license (Perpetual or Subscription).
  • September 30, 2029: End of product enhancements, regulatory (tax) updates, service packs and technical support.
  • April 30, 2031: End of security updates.

What to expect in the leadup to 2029?

Microsoft’s development and support of GP will continue through Sept. 2029.

GP remains business-as-usual until then. You can still submit and vote for product suggestions for features you would like to see added in the next few years. There are hundreds of ideas here, grouped into 30 categories.  Vote on existing suggestions and/or submit your own.

What happens in Sept. 2029 and beyond?

After product support and enhancement stops in September 2029, the only Microsoft support available with be specifically for security updates and hotfixes. Microsoft will end security updates and fixes in April 2031.

But wait… that doesn’t necessarily mean the end.

GP is very mature and stable. Even after Microsoft’s technical support ceases, GP will continue to be a very functional system for those customers who wish to keep using it.

As time goes on after 2031, it is possible that changes in the Windows and Windows Server operating systems, SQL Server, Exchange Server and Microsoft Office platforms may cause problems. However, we are seeing some early indications that members of the GP ecosystem may step in to play a role and resolve these problems. We will keep you posted as we learn more.

What are Microsoft’s intentions?

Microsoft has made announcements like this before, and each time, the Dynamics GP community has continued to thrive.  CSSI uses Dynamics GP itself, so we understand its importance to you.  Your GP system is more than just software—it’s the backbone of your business.  It’s where your finances, operations, and decision-making converge. We know that many of you rely on a mix of third-party add-ons and customizations to run your business.

Microsoft is going to try to convince GP users to quickly ‘migrate’ to Business Central, its newer subscription-only product. Microsoft loves the subscription model, since once your business is committed to Business Central, you will be defenseless against any and all future subscription price increases.

We advise caution for now, for these reasons:

  1. Business Central is hard-pressed to replace the stability and deep, vertical functionality that GP and its community of ISV Solutions has come to offer over years of maturation. If GP is working well for you, be cautious about moving to software which may not work as well for your business.
  2. We are concerned that Microsoft is downplaying the complexity and expense of a Business Central implementation, particularly for heavily-customized GP users. The time and expense of moving should be closely examined and reality-checked by anyone considering a move.
  3. Be aware that Microsoft has a history of attracting users to new software platforms with low pricing, and then increasing the price once customers face barriers to exit. Once you are locked into the subscription model, you will largely be at Microsoft’s pricing mercy.

CSSI Technologies will continue to support GP

If you’re worried that this announcement marks the definitive end of GP, don’t panic.  We’ve been through these waves of uncertainty before when Microsoft tried to convince GP users to migrate to other systems. However, GP customers have continued to use and depend on their systems for 5, 10, even 15 years after Microsoft’s previous “end-of-life” dates.  It is possible that this pattern may continue well past 2031.

CSSI remains committed to supporting Dynamics GP.

With a runway of 7 years, you don’t need to feel pressure to take hasty action. As we learn more about this developing situation, we will keep you informed. So please watch our monthly GP newsletters for updates.

Please let the team at CSSI Technologies know if you have questions!

GP Tip – Excluding Inactive Customers/Vendors from GP Lookups

Here’s a time-saving GP for you. Do you have many inactive customers and vendors the clutter up your lookup windows? You can easily exclude them by following these steps:

  1. In the lookup window, click on the drop-down to the left of View
  2. Select “Exclude Inactive Customers” (or Vendors)
  3. Click on the drop-down again
  4. Select “Set as Default View”
exclude inactive customers

Need GP Support?

If you need GP training or GP technical support, please contact CSSI for help!

GP Tip: Wondering How To Reset Your Next Check #?

When printing checks, is your starting check number always wrong? To reset the Next Check Number, go to Financial > Cards > Checkbook. Select the Checkbook ID. Change the Next Check Number field then click on Save.

reset-next-check-number

Need GP Training or Support?

CSSI offers friendly GP support. Please contact us if you have a need!

Keep Track of Unused Check Numbers

Many times, check stock will be forgotten in the printer and then printed on by accident. If you would like to keep track of wasted, unused check numbers in GP, here is a simple method.

  1. Go to Financial > Transactions > Bank Transaction Entry
  2. Option: Enter Transaction
  3. Type: Check
  4. Select the Checkbook ID
  5. Enter the Check Number
  6. Enter something descriptive in the Paid To field
  7. Leave the Amount set to zero
  8. You do not need to add another distribution account since it’s a zero transaction
  9. Click on Post

Your zero check will now appear in the Checkbook.

Need GP Technical Support?

If you need more Dynamics GP tech support, please contact CSSI for help. We can help with troubleshooting, training, customizations, and 3rd party app support.

Here’s a new Dynamics GP feature which was added in the GP 18.4 release – how to save inquiry window sort options.

This option is available in the following windows: Receivables – Transaction by Customer, Receivables – Transaction by Document, Sales Item, Payables – Transaction by Vendor, Payables – Transaction by Document, Bank Reconciliation – Checkbook Register, Checkbook Balance.

Select your default Sort by option then click on View > Save Window Preferences.

In addition to the sort options being saved, the “Include” Type (Work/Open/History) will be saved, along with the size of the window if you change it.

save-inquiry-window

These saved default settings are per individual user and are system wide, so the saved setting will default for any company that user logs into.

Need More Help with GP?

Hope that learning how to save inquiry window sort options is helpful for you! For GP technical support or help with upgrades, please contact CSSI.

GP Tip: Find Amounts in GP with GL Transaction SmartList

Here is an easy way to find everywhere that a particular dollar amount posted in GP.  Maybe an aging report doesn’t tie out to the corresponding GL account.  If you’re lucky, the amount of the difference could be one transaction.  Look for that amount with another Financial Accounts Transactions SmartList.

Open SmartList and expand the Financial folder then the Account Transactions folder.

Start with an existing list that contains the columns you want displayed in this new list. 

Click on the Search button. Filter on Debit Amount or Credit Amount. Add a Date Range filter, if needed. If you first searched on Debit Amount and didn’t get any results, try searching on Credit Amount next.

Click on OK to view results.

Remember, you can always double-click on a row to drill-down to the transactions.

Click on Favorites to save the new list with a new name.

Need GP Support?

If you need Dynamics GP support, or if you are ready to upgrade GP, we can help! Contact CSSI for help with GP.

GP Tip: Disabling GP Posting Journals

Ever wonder how to turn off those pesky Posting Journals that no one ever looks at, … or that you print to the screen or cancel?

Here’s how to do it!

  • Go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Posting > Posting
  • Select a Series and an Origin
  • The list of Reports that appear will all be related to whatever Series and Origin you select
  • Uncheck in the Print column to not print the report at all
  • Or choose an option in the Send To columns to set a default destination
  • The question mark column means to Ask Each Time
  • The column with the monitor icon means to always print to the screen
  • The column with the printer icon means to always print to the printer
  • The file folder icon means to always print to a file.  If you choose this option, you will then choose Type of File, File Location and Append or Replace the file.  (Tip:  this is not usually a very helpful option as most GP reports do not look in any of these formats.)
  • NOTE:  Be careful not to change any of the other options in this window as this will affect how transactions post to the general ledger!
  • Click on Save when finished
disable posting journals in GP

That’s it!

Need Help with Dynamics GP?

CSSI’s team of GP experts are available to help you troubleshoot or upgrade your GP installation. Please contact us for help with GP.

GP Tip: Protecting Your Control Accounts

Do you know how to tighten the reins on what can post where in GP?

A control account is an account within the general ledger that corresponds to a subsidiary ledger, such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Cash and Inventory.  Normally, general journal entries should not be posted to these accounts because then they will no longer tie out to subsidiary reports.

You can prevent users from posting to these accounts by going to Financial > Cards > Account and unchecking the “Allow Account Entry” checkbox.

Protect control accounts in gp

If a user tries to post a journal entry to this account, they will get the message below.

microsoft gp control account tip

These accounts can still be posted to through the subsidiary module. And you can go back to Account Maintenance and temporarily recheck that box as needed.

Need Microsoft GP Support

Do you need technical support or consulting for GP / Great Plains? The team at CSSI is here to help. Contact us to get started with GP help.

Removing Discontinued Inventory Items

Do you have inventory items that you would like removed? Did you know that there is a process to accomplish this in Dynamics GP? Here’s how:

You can start preparing items to be removed during the year-end process by changing the item type to Discontinued. Go to Inventory > Cards > Item. Change the Type to Discontinued.

GP remove discontinued inventory items 1

Items are tracked the same as Sales Inventory items in that you can still sell Quantities On Hand. You can also enter adjustments for the item and can delete the item when the quantity reaches zero.

You can also remove Discontinued items during the Inventory Year-End process.

GP remove discontinued inventory items 2

Mark this option to remove the records for discontinued items that have been completely sold.  Items assigned the discontinued item type will be removed from the item records during the year-end closing process, unless there are quantities of the item, or one of the following is true:

  • The item does not exist on an open transaction (sales document, purchase order, unposted inventory transaction).
  • The item is assigned to a kit.
  • The item is a component of a bill of materials.
  • The item has one or more bills of materials of its own.

Need More GP Help?

Please contact CSSI for more GP help. We’d be glad to help with your questions, and provide Great Plains support.

Register now for a great CSSI webinar on Nov. 11….

There is a tremendous amount of vital operational data locked away in your GP databases that traditional reporting does not and cannot analyze. Harnessing this underutilized and constantly growing data is absolutely critical to your decision-making process and means the difference between success and failure for your organization.

Webinar Registration: Learn About Power BI Report Pack For GP

Join us for a webinar on Nov 11, 2021 at 11:00 AM EST. Attendance is limited so register now to assure your seat at the Power BI table. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.


What is Power BI Report Back For Dynamics GP

The Power BI – Report Pack for Dynamics GP is an affordable Data Analytics and AI reporting product containing 100+ pre-built dashboard reports. These pre-built Dashboard Reports surface all of your GP data spanning GL, AR, AP, Sales, and Revenue Analysis, Inventory, and Purchasing. The Report Pack will give you a real 360-degree view of your entire operation using data analytics and AI enabling your decision makers to make quicker and more data-driven decisions for your organization. There is no other pre-built Power BI solution on the market and CSSI Technologies has this solution.