What Is Great Plains Software? What It’s Called Now and Where It Stands

If you have worked in finance or operations at a mid-sized company at any point in the last twenty-five years, there is a good chance you have heard the name Great Plains. Many accounting teams still use it in daily conversation, even though the product has carried a different name for almost two decades.

So let us clear it up properly. In this article, we will explain what Great Plains Software is, what it is called today, and, most importantly, where it stands in 2026. By the end, you should have a clear picture of the options in front of your organization and what each one involves.

Where Great Plains Software Began

Great Plains Software started in Fargo, North Dakota, in the early 1980s as an accounting software company for small and growing businesses. Its main product, Great Plains Dynamics, was released in 1993 and was one of the early business accounting systems designed for Microsoft Windows.

What made it popular was not only the depth of its accounting. Great Plains gave companies a structured way to manage the general ledger, payables, receivables, inventory and payroll from one system. It also allowed a good level of customization through its own development tools, so the software could follow the way a company already worked instead of forcing the company to change its processes.

In 2001, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Great Plains Software. This was a significant step, because it gave Microsoft a direct entry into business software for small and mid-sized companies.

What Is Great Plains Called Now?

After the acquisition, the product was sold for a short time as Microsoft Business Solutions – Great Plains. Around 2005, Microsoft brought its business applications under one family name, and Great Plains became Microsoft Dynamics GP. The letters “GP” simply stand for Great Plains.

In other words, when someone says “Great Plains” today, they are almost always talking about Microsoft Dynamics GP. The two names describe the same product line. Only the branding changed.

Over the years, Microsoft released several major versions, including GP 10.0, GP 2010, GP 2013, GP 2015, GP 2016 and GP 2018, followed by yearly updates under the 18.x version numbers.

It helps to recognize this naming history. Older user manuals, third-party add-ons and even internal process documents often still say “Great Plains” or “GP Dynamics”. They all refer to the same system, which matters when you are reviewing contracts, support agreements, or vendor quotes.

What Does Dynamics GP Actually Do?

Dynamics GP is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system built for small and mid-sized businesses. Summarizing its main areas:

• Financial management: General ledger, accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliation, fixed assets and budgeting.
• Supply chain and distribution: Inventory control, purchasing and sales order processing.
• Project accounting: Tracking costs, revenue and billing against individual projects.
• Human resources and payroll: Employee records, payroll processing and benefits.
• Reporting and analysis: SmartLists, financial reporting tools and Power BI connections.

One feature many users value highly is SmartList. It lets staff build their own lists and queries on transaction data without needing a developer. For finance teams who spend a large part of their week analyzing balances, open invoices and vendor activity, this has been one of the strongest reasons to stay with GP for so long.

Where Dynamics GP Stands in 2026

This is the section business owners and finance leaders should read carefully. Microsoft has now set out the final stages of the Dynamics GP lifecycle in clear terms.

The Lifecycle Policy

In 2019, Microsoft moved Dynamics GP to its Modern Lifecycle Policy. Systems running version 18.5 or later receive updates under this policy until the final end date. Older versions, such as GP 2016 and the original GP 2018 releases, stayed on the Fixed Lifecycle Policy, which has its own and earlier deadlines.

The Key Dates

A short note on dates: When Microsoft first announced the end of Dynamics GP in September 2024, it gave 30 September 2029 as the end of product support. The date now published by Microsoft and its partners is 31 December 2029, so please use that date in your planning.

What This Means for Your License

If your organization holds a perpetual license, the software will not suddenly stop working after 2029. You can legally continue to run it. However, we must emphasize that running unsupported financial software carries real business risk:

• No tax or regulatory updates: Payroll and year-end reporting changes will no longer be released by Microsoft.
• No technical support from Microsoft: If a month-end close or payroll run fails, there will be no fix from the publisher.
• No security patches after April 2031: This is a serious concern for any system holding financial and employee data.
• A shrinking pool of experts: With no new customers buying GP, fewer consultants and add-on vendors will continue to invest in it.
• Limited growth: Adding new users or modules to existing GP environments becomes more restricted as the end dates approach.

Your Options: Stay, Stabilize or Move

There is no single answer that suits every business. In our experience, companies usually fall into one of three groups.

1. Stay and stabilize for now.
   If your system is stable and a move is planned for 2027 or 2028, the sensible step is a Dynamics GP upgrade to the latest 18.x release, backed by reliable Dynamics GP support. This keeps you compliant and protected while you prepare.
2. Move to Dynamics 365 Business Central.
   This is Microsoft’s recommended path for GP customers. Dynamics 365 Business Central is a cloud ERP with regular updates, built-in Microsoft 365 integration and Copilot features. Microsoft has also been bringing well-known Dynamics GP strengths, such as SmartList-style queries, statistical accounts and multi-company reporting, into Business Central, which makes the change easier for long-time Dynamics GP users. You can review the Business Central pricing and licensing against your current GP costs.
3. Review your wider ERP needs.
   Some organizations use this moment to rethink their processes completely, especially if the business has changed a great deal since GP was first installed.

Analyzing Your Customizations Before You Migrate

Most Microsoft Dynamics GP systems that have been running for ten years or more carry a lot of history: custom Dexterity code, modified reports, VBA scripts, third-party add-ons and integrations with banking, payroll or e-commerce platforms. This is where a migration either saves money or becomes expensive.

Before you move, we recommend a structured review of every customization:

1. List everything: Record each customization, add-on and integration, and who uses it.
2. Ask if it is still needed: Many customizations were built for processes that no longer exist.
3. Check the standard features: A good share of older GP customizations are now covered as standard in Business Central.
4. Plan the remainder as extensions: Anything still required can usually be rebuilt as a clean Business Central extension, which is far easier to maintain during future updates.
5. Decide on data history: Choose how many years of transaction history to bring across and how to keep older records accessible.

Doing this work early gives you a realistic budget, a clear timeline and fewer surprises once the project starts.

How Nevas Technologies Helps GP Customers

Nevas Technologies has worked with Dynamics GP since version 7.0, supporting end clients, ISVs and partners across the USA and Asia Pacific. Because we work closely with both Microsoft Dynamics GP and Business Central, we can give you an honest view of which path suits your business and when.

Our GP-related services include:

• Ongoing Dynamics GP support and maintenance.
• Version upgrades to keep you on the Modern Lifecycle Policy.
• Dynamics GP training for new and existing users.
• Licensing guidance, including Dynamics GP pricing reviews.
• Full Dynamics GP to Business Central migration, from assessment to go-live.
• Business Central implementation and post-go-live support.

Summarizing: What You Should Take Away

Great Plains Software is now Microsoft Dynamics GP. It has served thousands of businesses well for more than thirty years, but it is now in its final chapter. New license sales have ended, product support finishes on 31 December 2029, and security updates stop on 30 April 2031.

The businesses that handle this change best are the ones that start planning early, while experienced consultants are still easily available and there is time to test properly. Whether you choose to stabilize on Dynamics GP for a few more years or move to Business Central now, the important thing is to make a planned decision rather than a forced one.

If you would like a clear assessment of your current Microsoft Dynamics GP system, contact Nevas Technologies or schedule a demo of Business Central with our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Great Plains the same as Microsoft Dynamics GP?
Yes. Great Plains was renamed Microsoft Dynamics GP after Microsoft acquired the company. “GP” stands for Great Plains.

Can I still buy a Dynamics GP license?
Not as a new customer. Sales of new perpetual licenses ended on 1 April 2025, and all new customer sales ended on 1 April 2026. Existing customers can generally still maintain their current environments.

Will Dynamics GP stop working after 2029?
No. Perpetual license holders can keep using it, but Microsoft will no longer provide updates, tax changes or technical support, and security patches end in April 2031.

What is the natural replacement for Dynamics GP?
Microsoft recommends Dynamics 365 Business Central, which keeps you within the Microsoft ecosystem and already includes many features GP users depend on.