With technology rapidly changing around us, you — like most business owners — are regularly faced with the tough decision of sticking with the older technology you know or upgrading to state-of-the-art systems. At this point, Microsoft Dynamics GP is falling behind in the races, with Microsoft Dynamics Business Central taking the clear lead. Don’t get left behind when it comes time to decided to fork out the cash to upgrade your on-premise system or head for the cloud.
The reality is that your current Microsoft Dynamics GP has limitations that are going to start impacting your bottom line and your growth rate. Microsoft Dynamics Business Central is the next iteration of the company’s cloud-based business applications. What Microsoft has rolled out with Dynamics 365 Business Central gives you all the tools you need to improve your business’s performance. However, it is entirely understandable to approach the decision with caution on the onset, as migrating from an on-premise system to a cloud system is a huge undertaking.
Cutting Costs in the Cloud
At a glance, the cost of switching from on-premise enterprise resource planning to the cloud doesn’t make any sense — the cost of the subscription service for the cloud is hefty. However, when you start breaking down the numbers and looking at all the expenses that are associated with your on-premise ERP system, you’ll begin to understand why so many companies are moving to the cloud as a way to save money.
There are five key costs that take a toll when you’re running an on-premise ERP system. These costs are the annual maintenance, support services, upgrades, hardware, and full-time IT staff. On the flip side, if you’re migrating to Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, you’ll find that you need significantly fewer dedicated IT staff, all upgrades and updates are included in your subscription, and your costs per year will be more stable and easier to predict. All very good things for your bottom line.
Focus on Features
The other primary reason companies are switching from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics Business Central is because of access to more useful features. The system includes built-in intelligent business apps that will allow you and your team to connect and share data about sales, inventory, and more. If your company is already operating Office, Microsoft Dynamics Business Central is a game-changer. It creates a seamless integration between the ERP and the entire Microsoft stack. Just one of the many possibilities this creates is for your sales team to create sales orders in the ERP via their email.
The system also offers industry-specific tools that will allow you to take full advantage of the flexibility of Microsoft Dynamic Business Central. Part of this increased flexibility is your team’s ability to effortlessly tap into data and access resources from mobile devices — allowing you and your employees to work on the run. Of course, the reality is that there are so many more features to the system, including charting financial performance in real-time, end-to-end view across operations, and the ability to adapt to regulatory discrepancies between the various states and countries you operate in.
Final Thoughts: Is it Time to Upgrade ?
Having all your systems integrated into a single platform via Microsoft Dynamics Business Central will provide essential insights into the well-being of your company and will allow you to generate the reports you need to make smart business decisions.
Though migrating from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central will begin saving you money within a couple of years and offers a host of powerful features, the decision to make the move should not be made lightly. If you think that Microsoft Dynamics Business Central is the right fit for your company, reach out to the experts at Qixas Group before you take the plunge.
