Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains
10-5,000 Employees
$5-500M Revenue
✅ Cloud
✅ On-Premise
43,000+
WHAT IS NETSUITE ERP?
Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) is accounting and modular enterprise resource planning software specifically designed for small and medium sized businesses.
Beyond accounting, it offers full support for finance, distribution, HR, and manufacturing.
Dynamics GP runs in a Windows environment and a .NET framework. It also can be integrated with a host of 3rd party apps.
The last update of Dynamics GP arrived in October 2021. Support for the product will be discontinued in different phases.
Microsoft has several different ERP systems available, under the Dynamics umbrella including Dynamics 365 and Business Central.
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MODULES & FEATURES
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PROS & CONS
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INDUSTRY FIT
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HISTORY
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DEPLOYMENT
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FAQ
Modules & Features List
Microsoft Dynamics GP comes in different configurations, called 'Packs' which include different functionalities. Here is what features and functions are included in the packages:
Starter Pack:
Financial Management & Accounting
Microsoft Dynamics GP manages payables and receivables, complete with automation features. It features fixed asset controlling and works with multiple locations and currencies.
Features include:
General Ledger
Bank Reconciliation
Multicurrency Management
Cash Flow Management
Inter Company Processing
Payment Document Management
Fixed Asset Management
Analytical Accounting
Receivables
Payables
Supply Chain Management
Microsoft Dynamics GP enables managing returns and has a Concur Expense Integrator. The solution offers Sales Order and Purchase Order processing, complete with Invoicing and Inventory Control.
Features include:
Field Service Return Management
Concur Expense
Sales Order Processing
Purchase Order Processing
Invoicing
Inventory
Project Accounting
Administration
Cost Management
Billing Guide
HR
Microsoft Dynamics GP features complete HR management, company setup, organizational structure, employee records, and Position Control.
Features include:
Organizational Structure
Position Control
Advanced HR
Payroll
Business Intelligence and Reporting
Microsoft Dynamics GP lets you manage budgets easily. The Executive Center provides an overview of key metrics, but it has hundreds of built-in, customizable Excel report sheets. Its predictive modeling capabilities enable you to identify patterns and hidden relationships.
Extended Pack:
Manufacturing
A notable feature of the Microsoft Dynamics GP Extended Pack is that it offers complete solutions for organizing and tracking the manufacturing process on an smb scale.
Features Include:
Bill of Materials
Order Processing
Quality Assurance
Customer Relationship Management
Microsoft Dynamics GP includes a CRM system, with Contract Administration, Service Call Management, Depot Management, Preventive Maintenance
The solution comes with further customization opportunities and integrations.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Microsoft backing means widespread usability, easy integration, and wide-ranging support
- Handles role-based permissions very well
- Flexible and robust
- It's still great for Accounting, users also highlight its Employee Management capabilities
Cons:
- Being a full-fledged ERP, the learning curve might prove a bit too steep in a small business environment
- A bit clunky, and the UI is old school
- Not the cheapest solution in its category
- Microsoft Dynamics GP is not cloud-based by default, which crucially means that official updates are not downloaded automatically. If you are not investing in the latest version (currently 18.4), upgrades could be even more difficult and time-consuming to perform
Industry Fit
Netsuite ERP is used by companies in various industries, including:
Professional Services
Oracle NetSuite offers a lot of functionality that can help professional services firms including integrated financial management & accounting, deep project management, billing, customer relationship management and more. This is provided via one of Oracle NetSuite's early acquisitions, OpenAir for Professional Services Automation.
Ecommerce & Online Retail
With integrated sales, marketing, stock and financials, Oracle NetSuite ERP has proven to be popular with many small and growing e-commerce businesses. Oracle NetSuite even offers an integrated commerce portal or can easily be integrated with common eCommerce platforms such as Shopify or Magento.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
Oracle NetSuite's core products were built alongside the success ofOracle NetSuite itself, one of the first SaaS companies in the world. As such it provides strong capabilities for billing, revenue recognition and professional services automation. This allows SaaS businesses to manage the whole quote to cash process as well as project fulfilment.
History
Great Plains was a Software Developer company founded back in 1981. They created one of the most well-known Accounting software at the time, which has become the core of Microsoft Dynamics GP. Microsoft acquired Great Plains in 2001.
Dynamics GP is written in a language called Dexterity. All new versions use Microsoft SQL Server databases.
There are several other similar systems within the Microsoft Dynamics family (SL, C5, AX or NAV). Most of the variants have migration paths to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Deployment Options
Microsoft Dynamics GP can be deployed On-Premises or Hosted.
On-Premises means installation on a local server, obviously, the client company is responsible for all maintenance.
Some providers offer remote hosting for a monthly fee, which offers professional security, but the connection requires internet access at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Microsoft Dynamics GP being discontinued?
No. Contrary to widely available information on the internet, Microsoft is not planning on shutting down GP at all. The false information pinpoints 2028 (some sources say 2025) as an end date for the official support for Microsoft Dynamics GP. This is due to a misunderstanding or misrepresentation.
Microsoft only announced that the older versions of GP will not be supported beyond a certain point in their lifecycle. For example, the support for Dynamics GP 2016 has a Mainstream End Date of Jul 13, 2021, and an Extended End Date of Jul 14, 2026.
There is no intention of shutting down development for the different versions of Microsoft Dynamics, including GP, SL, C5, or 365 Business Central. All of these cater to different audiences and cover different business needs.
However, no one can predict what will happen in 5 years in Software Development. It is safe to assume though, that regularly updated business software will be supported by Microsoft indefinitely.
Is Microsoft Dynamics GP cloud-based?
Microsoft Dynamics GP is not cloud-based, although the latest versions enable cloud usage through hosting in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. It does require some workarounds and extra tasks to operate GP in the cloud.
What are the System Requirements for Microsoft Dynamics GP?
The System Requirements vary from version to version. The latest version has the following requirements:
OS: Windows 11
Processor: 2.6 GHz
RAM: 2 Gb
Refer this table for more detailed information.
How much does Microsoft Dynamics GP cost?
The typical retail price of the Starter Pack is $5,000, for 3 concurrent users. Additional users cost $3,000 each, read-only users cost $600 each, and self-serve users (limited personal information access and purchase requests for employees) are around $60- $150 each.
The Extended Pack costs $10,000
Customization Pack: $6,000
Extended Human Resources & Payroll Pack: $7,000
Consult the Modules section for an overview of what each Pack contains.
What does Microsoft Dynamics GP stand for?
GP stands for Great Plains. GP is based on an accounting software called Great Plains that existed for a very long time, and got acquired by Microsoft, similar to SL and C5, which are other members of the Dynamics software family.
Who are the Microsoft Dynamics GP competitors?
We commonly see customers evaluating other Cloud ERP solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Oracle Cloud ERP, Sage Intacct, Acumatica, SAP Business One, or QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, alongside Microsoft Dynamics GP.
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