Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains Software Review: Is MS GP Good?

If you're in the market for an ERP system, make sure to read our Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains Software review!

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (MS GP) is a well-established enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that has been helping businesses manage their financials, operations, sales, and customer relationships for over 30 years. 

Over the years, MS GP has evolved to include a range of features and functionality and in this Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains Software review, we'll take an in-depth look at GP software and answer the question of whether it is a good solution for your business. 

Let's get started!

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains Software review 2023: Is the Great Plains ERP system any good?

According to this Microsoft Dynamics GP review, GP is a very good enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for small to mid-sized businesses. Many users have found it to be a robust and flexible solution that can help manage financials, supply chains, and operations effectively. But, there’s more!

In addition to financial management, GP also offers modules for supply chain management, project management, and human resources. The system has a user-friendly interface and is easy to customize and integrate with other business systems, making it one of the best accounting software options for 2023 as well.

The supply chain management features in GP include inventory control, purchase order management, and sales order management, while the project management features support project budgeting, time and expense tracking, and job cost accounting. GP also provides human resources and payroll functionality, including employee benefits administration, payroll processing, and compliance reporting.

These modules, along with the financial management module, provide a complete and integrated solution for managing the various aspects of a business. The ability to customize and integrate with other systems, along with the user-friendly interface, make GP a popular choice for small to mid-sized businesses looking for a comprehensive ERP solution.

However, as with any software, the value of GP depends on the specific needs and requirements of a business, so it's essential to thoroughly evaluate it against other ERP systems before making a decision. In general, GP is a good choice if you’re looking for a comprehensive, scalable, and customizable ERP solution.

Microsoft Dynamics GP pricing plans

First of all, how much does Great Plains software cost? Let’s first review Microsoft Great Plains price points:

How much does GP accounts software cost for nonprofits?

Non-profit organizations that want to buy Microsoft Dynamics GP must pay the full price of the software. 

Are there any MS Dynamics GP coupon codes or promo discount vouchers?

We did the research, and it seems there are no Microsoft Dynamics GP coupon codes or discount vouchers at this time.

MS Great Plains free vs paid: what’s the difference?

MS Great Plains doesn't have a freemium version of its software. There are two types of licensing options: perpetual and subscription-based. Perpetual licensing means you'll own the license permanently, while with subscription licensing, you pay monthly to use the software. 

In terms of hosting options, you can either manage your own servers or have a third-party provider manage your servers through Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas).

With perpetual licensing, you pay a lump sum of $5,000 for a license for three users. This also requires an annual maintenance fee to Microsoft, starting at 19% in the first year and 17% in subsequent years. On the other hand, subscription licensing offers more flexibility by avoiding the initial capital expense.

Cloud hosting saves on server upgrade costs and offers better security and remote work options. Your Dynamics Partner may also provide additional benefits such as 24-hour monitoring, weekly server updates, break-fix support, and automatic backups. However, for companies with specific data regulations or weak internet connectivity, on-premise hosting may be a better option.

Great Plains accounting software overview: what is Microsoft Dynamics GP & what is Great Plains software used for?

The short answer to what is Dynamics GP is this:

Microsoft Dynamics GP is an enterprise resource planning solution.

The long answer to what is Microsoft Great Plains is:

Microsoft Dynamics GP is an enterprise resource planning solution that provides financial management and accounting, human resources and payroll, supply chain management, reporting, and more.  

The financial and accounting module is among the strongest modules in the ERP suite, with a rich set of features. It offers budgeting that allows you to track multiple budgets in multiple fiscal years. With custom views and forecasting tools, cash flow management is easier to control, predict, and monitor. Other features include:

• Payables and receivables management.

• Fixed asset management.

• Multi-currency management.

• Analytical accounting.

• Customer and vendor consolidation. 

With Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains, you'll get an Inventory control tool that will help you monitor stock levels and costs. The tool provides you with multiple costing methods, lets you enter tiered pricing, and add alternative suppliers. You can track assets by serial numbers and lot numbers and use tracking codes for transfers and cycle counts for more accurate inventory. 

Other core features include a bill of materials, a purchase order generator, purchase order processing and receiving, requisition management, and sales order processing.

You can always extend the module with advanced tools like Available to Promise, which uses purchasing, inventory, and sales data to predict when inventory will be available to sell. 

Another impressive feature of Microsoft Dynamics GP is its HR and payroll module. You can manage employees with a great amount of information that can be entered into the system. It also provides you with tools for attracting and hiring the best candidates with custom processes, scheduling, and performance evaluation tools. 

Other tools include automated payroll processing, payroll through an automated clearing house, self-service employee profile updates, and position control to manage labor budget and staff movement across the organization. Benefits management is a custom tool that you can add to the HR module. It tracks the well-being of your employees and ensures government compliance. 

Great Plains software history

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (GP) is a mid-market enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that went public in 1997. It was originally developed by a company called Great Plains Software, which Microsoft later acquired in 2001.

Since its acquisition by Microsoft, GP has been a key part of the Microsoft Dynamics product line, which includes a range of business software solutions for small to mid-sized businesses. GP has evolved over time, incorporating new features and functionality and integrating with other Microsoft technologies and products, such as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Azure.

GP is now available as an on-premise and cloud-based solution that provides businesses with a comprehensive suite of tools to manage financials, operations, sales, and customer relationships. It's used by thousands of companies worldwide and is known for its ease of use, flexibility, and integration with other Microsoft products and technologies.

In recent years, Microsoft has continued to invest in GP, releasing new versions and updates that improve the system's functionality and performance and make it easier for businesses to integrate with other systems and technologies. The latest version of GP is Microsoft Dynamics GP 2022, which was released in late 2021.

Microsoft GP software features list

The main features of Great Plains accounting software are:

• Accounting management 

• Bank management

• Asset management

• Inventory management

• Project management

• Supply chain management

• Human resource management

• Manufacturing management

• Automation 

1. Accounting management

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (GP) has robust accounting management features as part of its financial management module. GP provides a range of tools for managing financial transactions, tracking budgets and actual expenses, generating financial reports, and more. 

The accounting management features include accounts payable, accounts receivable, Great Plains general ledger, cash management, and fixed asset management. The accounts payable and accounts receivable modules allow businesses to manage vendor and customer transactions, respectively. 

The general ledger provides a central repository for recording financial transactions and generating financial reports, while the cash management module helps businesses track cash flow and manage bank reconciliation. The fixed asset management module helps businesses track and depreciate fixed assets.

These features, combined with the ability to customize and integrate with other systems, make GP a powerful tool for managing accounting information and informed decision-making.
 

2. Bank management

The bank management features in GP include cash management, bank reconciliation, and electronic banking, among others. 

The cash management module allows businesses to manage and forecast cash balances, while the bank reconciliation module supports the reconciliation of bank statements. 

The electronic banking module supports the integration of bank data and transactions into GP, allowing businesses to manage bank information and transactions directly from within the system.
 

3. Asset management

The asset management features in GP include fixed asset tracking, depreciation calculation, and barcode scanning, among others. The fixed asset tracking module allows businesses to manage and track their fixed assets, including purchase information, depreciation schedules, and maintenance history. 

The depreciation calculation module supports the calculation of depreciation based on various methods, and the barcode scanning module allows businesses to use barcodes to track and manage assets quickly.
 

4. Inventory management

The inventory management features include inventory control, purchasing, sales order management, and warehouse management, among others. 

The inventory control module allows businesses to manage inventory levels and track inventory movements, while the purchasing module supports the management of purchasing processes, including purchase order creation and vendor management. 

The sales order management module helps manage customer orders, and the warehouse management module supports the management of warehouse operations, including shipping and receiving.
 

5. Project management

The project management features in GP include project tracking, time and expense tracking, job cost accounting, and project billing. 

The project tracking module allows businesses to set up and track project budgets, while the time and expense tracking module helps businesses track project hours and expenses. 

The job cost accounting module is great for tracking the cost of labor, materials, and overhead for each job, and the project billing module can be used to invoice customers for completed projects.
 

6. Supply chain management

The best supply chain management features in GP include procurement, inventory management, sales order management, and warehouse management. 

The procurement module supports the management of purchasing processes, including purchase order creation and vendor management. The inventory management module is created to help manage inventory levels and track inventory movements. 

There’s a neat sales order management module that can help businesses manage customer orders, and a warehouse management module that supports the management of warehouse operations, including shipping and receiving.
 

7. Human resource management

The human resources management features in GP include employee information management, payroll management, benefits administration, and compliance reporting. The employee information management module can be used to store and manage employee information, while the payroll management module supports payroll processing and tax calculation. 

Companies can manage employee benefits with the benefits administration module, while the compliance reporting module provides companies with the tools to meet regulatory reporting requirements. All of these features support effective and efficient management of human resources information and processes. 
 

8. Manufacturing management 

GP manufacturing management includes production planning, job cost management, and materials management. The production planning module facilitates the scheduling and planning of production, including capacity planning and material requirements planning. 

The job cost management module enables businesses to monitor and control costs associated with specific jobs. The materials management module helps manage materials and components used in production.
 

9. Automation

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (GP) offers a good selection of automation features that allow businesses to streamline various workflows and reduce manual data entry. GP provides tools to automate tasks such as data entry, great plains reports generation, and more, which can help businesses save time and improve accuracy.
 

10. Add-ons

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains has a good selection of integrations and add-ons available. Some popular integrations include Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, and various shipping and payment gateways. Additionally, there are a variety of third-party add-ons and extensions available, such as those for payroll, inventory management, and e-commerce.

GP accounting software pros and cons

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the Great Plains accounting system:
 

Great Plains system advantages

Efficient financial management: With Microsoft Great Plains Software, you can efficiently handle even the most challenging tasks of your business by managing all finances in one place and avoiding errors. Its advanced features allow you to tackle tough business tasks with ease. Additionally, this software provides access to powerful AI-driven applications and software to meet your business needs.

Strong banking tools: One major pro of Great Plains is that the bank reconciliation tools are easy to use. You can create and manage reconciliations from your checkbook ledger to your bank’s account of records automatically with a single action. Dynamics GP also has some other cash book bank management and electronic banking tools to automate and reconcile transactions. 

Intelligent reporting: This ERP solution comes with hundreds of built-in Excel reports. The report builder lets you connect directly to the data source, and you can refresh it to show the latest data over the network or through a SharePoint connection. Ready-to-use dashboards are accessible through the Power BI desktop, or you can create and share your own executive dashboards using an app available in the Office 365 store.

Integration: Microsoft Dynamics GP integrates with a variety of other Microsoft software, including Office and SharePoint, making it a streamlined solution for companies that use other Microsoft products. It also integrates with numerous third-party applications from independent software vendors. It’s compatible with Microsoft Windows and .NET frameworks. With all these additional integrations, you can manage and track all your business projects.

Customization: The software is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor the software to your specific needs and requirements through the use of various customization tools and techniques, such as custom fields, reporting, and integration with other software applications.

Strong Support: Microsoft offers a range of support options for Dynamics GP, including online resources, training, and a robust community of users. Even if you run across a problem, you won’t have any challenges reaching out for help or finding the answer to your issue on your own in the knowledge base. 

Mobile app: Microsoft GP has a mobile app that contains the software’s full capabilities, enabling you to use the ERP solution on your mobile phone from anywhere. This also means you’ll be able to keep track of your business from any location and at any time.
 

Great Plains system disadvantages

Cost: Microsoft Dynamics GP can be a more expensive option compared to other similar software solutions. The SaaS version costs $185-$300/user/month, and the on-premise version starts at $5,000. 

Complexity: The software can be complex to set up and use, especially for businesses with more complex processes and requirements.

Integration Challenges: Integrating Dynamics GP with other software can be a challenge, especially for businesses using non-Microsoft products.

Steep Learning Curve: The software has a steep learning curve, and it may take some time for employees to become proficient with the software and its various features.

Technical Requirements: To run Dynamics GP on-premise, businesses need to have a suitable technical infrastructure in place, including hardware, software, and network connectivity. Successful deployment and sustained usage of Microsoft GP requires a strong partnership with a Microsoft partner or reseller, as well as an IT team with expertise in on-premises server operating systems.

Microsoft GP will be ending support for its older products that fall under the Fixed Lifecycle Policy in 2025. If you have a Dynamics GP implementation from 2016 or later, you don't need to be concerned about its end-of-life. However, if your version is older, you must explore alternative options.

Great Plains application complaints & praise (from real Microsoft Dynamics accounting software customer reviews)

According to Microsoft Dynamics GP reviews, users are purchasing the software for several reasons, including driving innovation, enhancing decision-making, improving business agility, and creating internal/operational efficiencies. 

Other Dynamics GP users like how the software makes it easy to manage and track inventory, sales, and vendors. The language translation option helps them communicate with vendors in different geographic locations. 

Intelligent real-time reporting and analytics are very helpful for arriving at better business decisions. What's more, users believe their data is well protected, considering the software is managed by Microsoft. 

More than a few reviews praise the compatibility of GP with other Microsoft software products, and on the plus side, it integrates with many more third-party apps. According to users, the learning curve is also not that steep if you're willing to learn through various blogs, videos, and Microsoft's website.

A few negative Great Plains accounting software reviews complain about the outdated user interface and how it doesn't resemble what modern-day users would expect. 

They're saying the user interface is not the best and lacks taste, and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Another common complaint is the ease of use. Users say that compared to other similar software solutions, Dynamics GP requires a bit more training for the general user.
 

Review of Microsoft Dynamics GP support

Microsoft Dynamics GP has a good selection of learning resources. There’s the Dynamics GP Support and Services blog where you can learn more about recent updates and tips and tricks.

The knowledge base is where you can find answers to common questions, along with technical tips and performance recommendations. It serves as a sort of Microsoft Great Plains training manual.

The community forum is where you can start a year-end discussion with other members of the Microsoft customer community, for example. 

If you want to reach out to customer support, you'll be able to do so via email and phone. Generally, email response times are twice as fast as telephone support.

Is MS Dynamics Great Plains financial software worth it? Key takeaways

This extensive review has found that the Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains software is a fantastic enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for small to mid-sized businesses.

But is Great Plains finance software worth it?

Created more than 30 years ago, Dynamics GP remains one of the most popular ERP solutions today. Despite other players in the industry, such as QuickBooks Online, Oracle NetSuite, and SAP, Dynamics GP is a suitable solution for mid-size businesses that need a comprehensive, customizable, and user-friendly solution for managing their finances.

At the end of the day, whether Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains financial software is worth it will depend on the specific needs and requirements of your business.

Suppose you're still in two minds and want to do more thorough market research and analysis. In that case, we have an article that provides a comprehensive analysis of the best ERP accounting software currently available, as well as one that covers the best Microsoft Dynamics GP alternatives. 

Our final Microsoft Dynamics GP rating

4/5

Great Plains program FAQs

Should I be worried about Microsoft Great Plains end of life in 2025?

Contrary to some headlines that suggest the end of Microsoft GP, it only applies to older products under the Fixed Lifecycle Policy. If you are using a Dynamics GP implementation that is from 2016 or later, you don't need to be concerned about it reaching its end.

On the other hand, if your version is older, you should explore alternative options as you approach the end of life for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013, or Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015. Transitioning to Microsoft Dynamics 365 is one option. 

Is Great Plains an ERP system?

Yes, Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains is an ERP system. It provides businesses with a comprehensive solution to manage various aspects of their operations, including financial management, supply chain management, sales and customer relationship management, and human resources management. The software helps businesses streamline their processes and make more informed decisions.

Is Microsoft discontinuing Dynamics GP?

Microsoft will only be discontinuing support for older Dynamics GP products that fall under the Fixed Lifecycle Policy. There is no need to transfer your business to another ERP software if you are using a Dynamics GP product that’s been developed in 2016 or later. 

Is Microsoft Dynamics GP cloud based?

Microsoft Dynamics GP is available in both cloud and on-premise deployment options. Businesses can choose to run GP on their own servers or in the cloud, depending on their specific needs and requirements. The Great Plains cloud version allows businesses to access their data from anywhere with an internet connection. 

This can help businesses increase their flexibility, improve collaboration and communication, and reduce the need for on-premise hardware and IT support. 

What database does Great Plains use?

Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains uses Microsoft SQL Server as its database management system. SQL Server is a relational database management system that provides robust and scalable data storage and management capabilities for GP. This allows GP to store and manage large amounts of data and ensure data integrity and security. 

The Great Plains database ensures that GP provides businesses with reliable and efficient access to their data and enables them to make informed decisions. The app is created using Dexterity, a proprietary programming language explicitly designed for the development of this application.