Integrating Dynamics GP with a CRM: Dynamics 365 Sales and Salesforce Options

In many organizations, the sales team lives in the CRM and the finance team lives in Dynamics GP. Each system works well on its own. The trouble starts in the gap between them.

A salesperson promises a delivery date without knowing the customer is on credit hold. Finance re-keys a new customer from an email. An order is entered twice, once in each system, and the two copies drift apart. None of this is dramatic, but over a year it costs real time, money and customer goodwill.

Integrating GP with your CRM closes that gap. In this article, we will explain what is worth connecting, the main options for Dynamics 365 Sales and Salesforce, and how to plan an integration that stays reliable.

Why Integrate Dynamics GP and Your CRM?

A good integration gives each team the information it needs, without leaving its own system:

• Sales sees financial context: account balances, overdue invoices, credit limits and order history, directly on the customer record.
• Finance gets clean customer data: new customers created once in the CRM flow into GP with the right details.
• Orders move without re-keying: a won opportunity or a CRM order can become a GP sales order automatically.
• Management gets one version of the truth: pipeline and actual revenue can be compared with confidence.

We would emphasize one point before going further: integration is not about copying everything everywhere. It is about deciding which system owns which data, and moving only what each team genuinely needs.

Step One: Decide Which System Owns What

Before choosing any tool, agree on the “system of record” for each type of data. A typical arrangement looks like this:

When both systems are allowed to change the same field, conflicts follow. Clear ownership is the single biggest factor in a stable integration.

How Data Gets In and Out of Dynamics GP

It helps to recognize how Dynamics GP itself accepts and shares data, because every integration tool relies on these methods:

• eConnect: Dynamics GP’s integration interface for creating and updating records. It applies GP’s business rules, so data enters as if a user had keyed it.
• SQL views and queries: for reading data out of Dynamics GP, such as balances, invoices and items.
• Integration Manager: an older Dynamics GP tool for batch imports, useful for one-off loads but not ideal for ongoing, automated integration.

A well-built integration writes to GP through eConnect and reads from GP through SQL. Writing directly into GP tables bypasses its validation and should be avoided.

Option 1: Integrating GP with Dynamics 365 Sales

Dynamics 365 Sales is Microsoft’s own CRM, so many Dynamics GP customers assume the two connect out of the box. They do not. GP and Dynamics 365 Sales were built separately, and Microsoft’s older connector between them is no longer a sensible choice for new projects. An integration tool or a custom build is needed.

Common approaches include:

• eOne SmartConnect: a well-established Dynamics GP integration product with connectors for Dynamics 365 Sales. It is popular with GP customers because it understands GP’s structure and can run scheduled or real-time integrations.
• KingswaySoft SSIS Integration Toolkit: adds Dynamics GP and Dynamics 365 connectors to SQL Server Integration Services. It suits organizations with in-house SQL skills.
• Custom integration with Power Automate or Azure: Dynamics 365 Sales works naturally with Power Automate and Azure services. Combined with eConnect and an on-premises data gateway, this can work well, but it needs development effort and ongoing ownership.

The advantage of Dynamics 365 Sales is the wider Microsoft ecosystem: Outlook, Teams, Power BI and Copilot all work closely with it. And, looking ahead, it integrates natively with Business Central, which matters for GP customers planning their next step.

Option 2: Integrating GP with Salesforce

Salesforce is a very common CRM among GP customers, particularly in distribution, manufacturing and professional services. The integration principles are the same; only the tools differ.

Common approaches include:

• eOne SmartConnect: also offers Salesforce connectors, so one tool can serve both CRMs.
• KingswaySoft: provides Salesforce and GP toolkits within SSIS. Typical flows include customers from Salesforce to GP, sales orders into GP, and invoices, payment status and pricing back to Salesforce.
• Specialist ERP–Salesforce connectors: several vendors offer pre-built GP–Salesforce products that display GP data inside Salesforce screens. These are quicker to set up but less flexible.
• Middleware platforms: general integration platforms can connect both systems, usually with more setup and higher ongoing costs.

With Salesforce, pay particular attention to API limits. Salesforce restricts how many API calls your organization can make each day, depending on your edition and licenses. A poorly designed integration that syncs too often can use up that allowance.

Comparing Your Options

There is no single right answer. The best option depends on your volumes, how real-time the data needs to be, your in-house skills, and how long you expect to remain on GP.

Licensing and Cost Considerations

When budgeting, remember that an integration usually involves several license costs:

• The integration tool: most are licensed annually, sometimes by number of connections or records.
• CRM licenses: API access may depend on your CRM edition.
• GP components: eConnect and related services must be installed and configured on your GP environment.
• Hosting: a server or cloud service to run the integration.

Then add the implementation effort and ongoing support. A simple customer and invoice sync is a modest project; a full order-to-cash integration is significantly larger.

Planning a Reliable Integration

From our project experience, these steps make the difference between an integration that runs quietly for years and one that needs constant attention:

• Start with a clear scope: Begin with two or three high-value flows, such as customers into GP and balances back to the CRM.
• Map every field: Document how each CRM field matches a GP field, including customer IDs, address formats, payment terms and tax settings.
• Agree on IDs: Decide how customer and item numbers are created and kept consistent across both systems.
• Clean your data first: Remove duplicate customers and inactive items before the first sync.
• Handle errors properly: Every integration will meet a record it cannot process. Make sure someone receives a clear alert and knows how to fix it.
• Test with real scenarios: Include credit notes, returns, multiple addresses and multi-currency customers if you use them.
• Document everything: Record the mappings, schedules and any customization, so your team is not dependent on one person.

Analyzing your current processes before building is time well spent. Integration often exposes inconsistencies, such as different customer naming in sales and finance, that are best fixed at the start.

Thinking Ahead: GP, Business Central and Your CRM

With GP product support ending on 31 December 2029, it is worth considering how long your integration needs to last. If you plan to move to Dynamics 365 Business Central within a year or two, a lighter integration may be the sensible choice now.

Business Central offers a standard, built-in integration with Dynamics 365 Sales, covering customers, contacts, items, prices, sales orders and invoices. For Salesforce users, Business Central’s modern APIs also make integration far simpler than with GP. Our Dynamics GP to Business Central migration team can help you plan both moves together.

How Nevas Technologies Can Help

Nevas Technologies has worked with Dynamics GP since version 7.0 and has delivered integrations between GP and a wide range of systems. We can:

• Review your sales and finance processes and design the right integration scope
• Build and support GP integrations through our Dynamics GP support services
• Upgrade GP so it supports current integration tools with a Dynamics GP upgrade
• Advise on Dynamics 365 and connect it to your ERP
• Plan a future-ready setup with our Business Central consultants

Summarizing the Key Points

• Decide ownership first: which system owns customers, items, orders and invoices.
• Use the right GP methods: write through eConnect, read through SQL.
• Dynamics 365 Sales has no built-in GP link; SmartConnect, KingswaySoft or a custom build are common choices.
• Salesforce has similar options; watch your API limits.
• Plan for the future: Business Central integrates natively with Dynamics 365 Sales.

A well-planned integration gives your sales and finance teams the same, accurate picture of every customer.

If you would like help connecting Dynamics GP with your CRM, contact Nevas Technologies and our team will assess your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dynamics GP integrate with Dynamics 365 Sales out of the box? No. Although both are Microsoft products, they need an integration tool or a custom build to work together.

Can Dynamics GP integrate with Salesforce? Yes. Tools such as SmartConnect and KingswaySoft, as well as specialist connectors, can sync customers, orders, invoices and balances.

What data should we integrate first? Most organizations start with customer accounts from the CRM to GP, and balances and invoices from GP back to the CRM.

Is it worth integrating GP if we plan to move to Business Central? It depends on your timeline. If the move is close, a light integration is often enough. Business Central has a built-in integration with Dynamics 365 Sales.