Underwhelming. Pressure. Security.
Those were the three words that headline predictions for Microsoft Dynamics GP for the year 2018. Certainly not words that you might expect to hear from a long-time proponent of Dynamics GP, but maybe these are the times we live in now. This post and more include the most prolific proponents of Dynamics GP questioning Microsoft’s direction and potential prospects evaluating multiple solutions.
The first 40 days of 2018 have actually given us three major, interesting Dynamics GP news items. For months now, many partners and insiders have wondered what effect Dynamics 365 would have on the existing product bases, including Dynamics GP and SL. Founded or unfounded, those fears have left doubt in some people’s minds at a time when the cloud is picking up steam for accounting and finance professionals. More and more end users are asking for cloud solutions, so they can focus on their business, not their servers. Could Microsoft be heading in that direction as well?
Public-facing champion gone
First, let’s examine the latest news item, the termination of Pam Misialek. Pam was the Product Marketing Manager for Dynamics GP but her employment was terminated by Microsoft on January 21, 2018. Her responsibilities will be absorbed by Gordon Macdonald, the current Marketing Manager for all of Dynamics. Layoffs happen all the time, but in one single move, Microsoft has eliminated the single biggest, public-facing champion for Microsoft Dynamics GP and put the job in the hands of a person already managing other products.
Product development behind the curve
Second, consider that – as Mariano Gomez exposed – Microsoft Dynamics GP is still dependent on TLS 1.0. TLS 1.0 is a technology that has been mandated by PCI compliance authorities to be deprecated in favor of newer versions. To be fair, Microsoft has now stated that they are working on a fix but won’t commit to a timeline other than by June 30, 2018 – the mandated deadline. Even if they make the fix in time for the PCI mandated deadline (already delayed two years), what does it say about product development that the ERP system has not already met the standard?
Only non-accounting features generating buzz
And last, but not least, the blog post from early 2018 in which Marc Polino lamented on the underwhelming feature set of Dynamics GP 2018. Even msdynamicsworld.com editor, Jason Gumpert, noted reaction from many partners is good, but that it seems more iterative than anything else. Only the non-accounting features like Azure, Power BI and Workflow are generating buzz. It’s also relevant to note that Polino predicts the pressure around Dynamics 365 will shift from customers to partners by offering partners incentives to get customers to transition. But, how good is the transition? Time will tell.
Impact of change
A new year typically brings new possibilities, but for Dynamics GP, it only seems to bring questions. How will product direction change with the loss of its greatest public champion? Will other issues like TLS 1.0 that have yet to be uncovered be exposed? And, will predictions ring true to the extent that the real buzz around Dynamics GP is not Dynamics GP at all, but other products that make up for GP shortcomings? Only time will tell.
You have a lot to consider
You might be concerned about what all of this means for you. If you are interested in talking to us about your instance of Dynamics GP we’d be happy to help you assess the situation. We can help itemize the risks and benefits of solution options for you. If current developments have you more strongly considering the cloud, we’d especially recommend a consultation. We have helped many companies move from Dynamics GP to cloud-based, AICPA-endorsed Sage Intacct. Don’t hesitate to contact us: we’ll be happy to assess your situation for free.
Need Some More Convincing?
Check out our free white paper “9 Reasons Why Sage Intacct Beats Dynamics GP” to see why a cloud-based ERP software might be the best solution for the future of your business.
