There’s a lot to be said for sticking with something that works. If a product has more than 40,000 loyal users, generates over $100 million in annual maintenance revenue, and fits perfectly into the business processes of countless organizations, you’d think that continuing to let it run its course would be a no-brainer, right?
Yet, Microsoft decided to end Dynamics GP. And the question many of us in the GP community are asking is simple: Why? Why now? And why at all?
The Easier Path: Do Nothing
Let’s be real for a moment. Microsoft could have done absolutely nothing. Dynamics GP has been a dependable workhorse for decades. Tens of thousands of businesses rely on it every day to run critical operations. The product works, it generates revenue, and it serves a dedicated user base. Why mess with that?
The truth is, Microsoft had the option to just let it ride. Allow new customers to buy GP if it’s a fit for their needs. Let existing customers continue using it for decades more. Collect the maintenance fees—those sweet, sweet annual payments that roll in while the costs to maintain the product are likely a fraction of that revenue. Simple, right?
Microsoft could have done absolutely nothing—and yet they chose to end Dynamics GP, leaving loyal users frustrated.
But instead of doing the easy thing, Microsoft has chosen to expend significant energy to stop this moving train. Ending a product’s lifecycle isn’t a passive decision. It requires enormous effort—managing customer outrage, fielding complaints from partners, and probably more meetings than anyone wants to attend. Yet they’ve decided to expend all that energy to actively kill something that they could have let live prosperously for decades. And that’s where the frustration sets in.
Why Declare an End of Life to Dynamics GP When it Still Works?
To say it’s bewildering feels like an understatement. Why would Microsoft want to ruin something that still has more than 40,000 businesses running their operations on it? We’ve all heard the corporate line—“strategic focus,” “future investments,” and of course, “cloud-first.” But let’s be honest: Dynamics GP isn’t broken. It isn’t obsolete. In fact, for many companies, it’s still the perfect fit, seamlessly integrating into their operations with ISV solutions and customization that they’ve spent years perfecting.
Why expend so much energy ending a product that’s still vital to 40,000+ businesses?
Sure, we get it. Microsoft wants customers to move to Dynamics 365 Business Central. But the reality is, many GP users simply don’t want to make that move. Business Central lacks the rich ISV community that GP has nurtured for decades. The user experience is different, and many customers just don’t want another Microsoft product after feeling burned by how they have been treated. So, if the GP community isn’t flocking to Business Central, why disrupt their lives by forcing them into a corner? How does this benefit Microsoft?
Why Now, Microsoft?
Perhaps the most frustrating part is the timing. Microsoft has promised GP support through 2028 and beyond. We’ve all seen the roadmaps. We had confidence that GP was still part of the picture for the foreseeable future. But now, that “and beyond” is starting to feel like it was a bit of a bait-and-switch. Who decided that “and beyond” would only be three months? Who thought their loyal customer base would be mollified by “three months”? Who convinced other Microsoft executives that this would be the best way to engender trust in their community and convince their GP customers to do what they want (move to their other product)?
Microsoft could have let GP quietly run in the background. They could have given customers the freedom and latitude to run a Microsoft supported GP for as long as it met their business needs. Instead, they’ve put their thumb on the scale, making it feel like they’re pushing people off the platform rather than inviting them to explore new solutions at their own pace.
And the most confounding part? Ending GP doesn’t seem like it’s going to significantly boost Business Central adoption. The numbers don’t lie—many GP customers who leave aren’t choosing BC. In fact, of those that do try Business Central, a notable percentage fail in their implementations. Many GP customers are turning elsewhere, exploring non-Microsoft alternatives because they’ve lost trust in Microsoft.
A Frustrating Choice with No Clear Gain
We can’t help but ask, what’s the real gain here? Dynamics GP is still a vital part of many businesses, and Microsoft is walking away from a product that continues to make money. It’s hard to see the logic in a move that intentionally upsets so many loyal customers, particularly when there doesn’t seem to be a significant payoff. Sure, Microsoft is banking on cloud revenue, but that could have happened anyway—slowly, organically, with customer goodwill intact.
It’s as if Microsoft is willing to throw away decades of trust, all for the slim chance of a cloud conversion that might never come. And we, the customers and partners who’ve built our businesses on GP, are left shaking our heads.
What Now for the GP Community?
So, what’s next for those of us in the GP world? The end of life doesn’t necessarily mean the end of GP. There are still many companies using Great Plains Accounting, Dynamics SL, FRx and Management Reporter years after their end-of-life announcements. GP customers are resourceful, and many will keep running their businesses on the software they know and trust for another 10 or even 20 years.
Dynamics GP isn’t dead to us, and we’re here to make sure it keeps thriving, no matter what Microsoft says.
But the message from Microsoft is clear: they’re done with us, and it feels like a heavy-handed dismissal of our loyalty.
At Njevity, we remain committed to Dynamics GP and the community that loves it. While Microsoft may be moving on, we’re not. We continue to support, enhance, and host GP because we believe in its value—and we believe in our customers. GP isn’t dead to us, and we’re here to make sure it keeps thriving, no matter what Microsoft says.
In the end, the question remains: Why did Microsoft choose to expend so much energy on this? The vastly easier choice would have been to let it be, but here we are. And frankly, it’s hard not to feel a little bit frustrated and bewildered by that.
