Moving From Dynamics GP to Business Central? Here's How to Handle Years of Historical Data

What to do with your Dynamics GP historical data when migrating to Dynamics 365 Business Central

If you’re planning a move from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, one question always comes up: What do we do with all those years of Dynamics GP data? Do we move it over? Do we archive it? Do we just keep the old system around “just in case”?

I spent 20+ years as a Dynamics GP consultant in a previous life, and I’ve helped a lot of businesses successfully migrate to Business Central. So I’ve seen how this decision plays out — and I want to share some honest insights on each option, because every approach has its pros and cons.

Should you move GP data into Business Central at all?

Unless you have a regulatory requirement to do so, I generally wouldn’t recommend migrating your historical Dynamics GP data directly into D365 Business Central. I’ve done it a handful of times, so I know it’s possible — but it can be painful and expensive, especially when it comes to reconciling everything.

A few things are worth thinking through before you go down this road:

• Data translation. GP and Business Central are structured differently, so the data has to be mapped and translated. That work adds up.
• Data cleanliness. Is your historical data actually clean? Migrating messy data just moves the mess into a brand-new system.
• Relevance. Does that old data still make sense for the way you report today? Sometimes, years-old records add noise rather than value.

There are tools out there that can move historical data into Business Central, and I’d encourage you to research them carefully. A few details about how they handle the data stand out to me as things worth a closer look before you commit.

The upside, of course, is that once the data lives in your Business Central environment, it’s much easier to query and report on alongside your current data — no jumping between systems.

The simple (and cheap) option: keep GP running

One of the easiest options is to keep a computer with your SQL database and the Dynamics GP application on it, tuck it away, and turn it on whenever you need to look something up. It’s the least expensive route, but it’s also the most inconvenient — and it does mean maintaining aging hardware and software you’ll need to keep secure.

Moving GP to the cloud (Azure or AWS)

You can also move the SQL database and Dynamics GP environment to Azure or AWS. This makes the data a little easier to access and generally safer than a box in a closet. Just be careful with operating system versions — older versions of SQL Server and Dynamics GP aren’t always supported on newer OS releases, so you’ll want to confirm compatibility before you migrate.

The best-of-both-worlds option: archive to Azure Data Lake + query inside BC

This is the approach I tend to like most. (For the record, I’m not affiliated with eOne — but their PopDock tool is a good example of how this works.)

The idea is that an add-on or standalone application pushes your historical GP data, via a fairly simple wizard, into Azure Data Lake, which offers relatively cheap storage. Then a query tool — built by the same folks behind SmartList Builder — sits inside D365 Business Central (or runs as a standalone app) and lets you combine and query data from the Azure Data Lake alongside your live Business Central data.

So, for example, a customer transaction list could show your historical Dynamics GP data (pulled from the Data Lake) and your current Business Central data together in one view, with a column marking where each record came from. It’s a really handy way to get historical context without cramming all that old data into your new system.

The trade-offs: there’s a cost for both the Azure Data Lake storage and the PopDock application, and I’ve heard some concerns about query performance when you’re pulling very large volumes of data. Worth testing with your own data volumes before you rely on it.

So what’s the right answer?

As with every solution, there’s no one-size-fits-all here. Each option carries its own pros and cons, and the right choice comes down to what matters most to your business — cost, convenience, compliance, or reporting.

If you’d like to talk through the best option for your Dynamics GP historical data, reach out to ArcherPoint. We’re always happy to help you weigh the options.

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