Microsoft’s announcement about GP end of life has been out for a while, so at this point, most organizations are aware. But awareness doesn’t always equal understanding. Many teams still assume GP will “just keep working” without consequence.
Now we know GP won’t shut down at midnight on the day Microsoft mainstream support ends. In reality, GP will continue to function, however the risks grow over time. Gaps can appear in payroll compliance, outdated customizations, or unsupported third-party solutions if planning isn’t done proactively.
The key question is how much risk your organization is willing to accept with their ERP, and whether you’ve planned for it. It’s better to plan proactively versus being in a position where you have to make a decision quickly because critical functionality is no longer working the way you need it to.
Even organizations with relatively small GP environments are affected. There are many companies that continue to run older GP versions on-premise, with varying degrees of customizations and third-party integrations. Understanding the implications of end-of-life is critical to avoid disruptions, reduce operational risk, and maintain compliance.
What “End of Life” Really Means
When Microsoft ends mainstream support for GP, it signals a shift in responsibility from the vendor to your organization:
- No new GP code changes – meaning no updates to address evolving business needs or bugs.
- No feature enhancements – the system will not gain new functionality as requirements change.
- No fixes for new issues – problems in your environment will need to be addressed internally.
- No guarantee of future compatibility – upgrades to your operating system or infrastructure may create unexpected issues.
Over time, these factors can make the system less reliable. Some organizations may find the risk manageable. Others could face operational challenges or even compliance concerns.
Compliance considerations include:
- Internal policy compliance: your own internal IT, security, or financial policies may require you to be on supported software versions.
- External audits: Using unsupported versions of GP could violate contractual obligations or be flagged in audit reviews.
- Hypothetical scenario: If a system patch is needed for compliance reporting and GP is unsupported, the organization may need to implement workarounds or manual processes to remain compliant.
Understanding that “end of life support” is not a cliff, but a shift in responsibility helps organizations plan responsibly for the future of their ERP.
Payroll: One of the Biggest Considerations
Payroll is often the first area where risk becomes tangible when talking about end of life support. If your organization runs payroll in GP:
- You will no longer receive payroll tax updates.
- Compliance becomes your responsibility, not Microsoft’s.
At this point, teams need to make important decisions about how payroll will be handled:
- Outsourcing to a provider
- Implementing a third-party payroll application
- Moving payroll to a new ERP platform
Lead time matters
Acting early gives your organization options and avoids last-minute fixes, which can be costly or disruptive. We are seeing many organizations that use GP for payroll planning for what their options are now.
Hypothetical scenario: If payroll tax tables are outdated, withholding errors could occur. Miscalculations may result in penalties, interest charges, or employee dissatisfaction. Planning ahead ensures your payroll process remains accurate and compliant.
Customizations: Time for a Re-evaluation
Many GP environments include customizations implemented to meet unique business needs. Many times these customizations are older. Now is the perfect time to ask:
- Are these customizations still necessary?
- Are there newer features in GP, third-party solutions, or other ERP platforms that accomplish the same task more efficiently?
- Will these customizations migrate to a new ERP platform? (In most cases, probably not.)
Organizations often implement custom reporting, workflow automation, or integrations over time. Some of these may no longer be used, or could be replaced with more modern features or third-party solutions. Re-evaluating customizations reduces risk, lowers maintenance costs, and simplifies future transitions. Now is a great time to take a look at these.
ISVs and Third-Party Applications
GP environments frequently rely on ISV add-ons for specialized functionality, such as reporting, inventory management, manufacturing modules and many other tasks. As mainstream support ends:
- ISVs may stop updating their products for older GP versions.
- Resolving issues may become more difficult or impossible.
- Compatibility with newer infrastructure may be limited.
Since GP code itself will no longer change, there is no safety net if a third-party solution stops working. Maintaining a detailed inventory of dependencies and proactively planning for unsupported add-ons helps mitigate risk.
Hypothetical scenario: If a reporting tool stops receiving updates and your infrastructure changes, critical reporting processes may fail, requiring workarounds or replacement solutions.
Infrastructure Compatibility Matters More Over Time
Each version of GP is compatible with specific operating system versions. Running an old GP version on the newest operating system may not be an option.
As newer operating system versions are released:
- Running older infrastructure increases security and stability risks.
- Upgrading infrastructure may no longer be compatible with your GP version.
- Organizations may eventually be forced into reactive, rather than proactive, decisions.
Planning infrastructure upgrades ahead of time helps maintain system reliability and reduces unexpected disruptions.
Hypothetical scenario: Upgrading to a newer operating system without checking GP compatibility could result in system errors, requiring rollback or additional technical work to maintain functionality.
The Talent Factor No One Talks About
Technical and operational risks are only part of the equation when looking at GP end of life. Over the next several years, GP-skilled resources will become increasingly scarce:
- Fewer professionals are learning or maintaining GP expertise and many long-tenured GP experts may be nearing retirement.
- More talent is moving toward cloud and modern ERP platforms.
- Migration and upgrade resources will be in higher demand and harder to schedule.
Delaying decisions about GP modernization or migration increases both technical and resource risk. Early action ensures your organization can access the expertise needed to plan and execute updates or migrations effectively.
Hypothetical scenario: Waiting to secure technical resources could delay an infrastructure upgrade or ERP migration, potentially creating operational bottlenecks.
Compliance and Security Risks
As GP continues to run after the end of life support date, organizations may face regulatory and compliance challenges:
- Payroll tax compliance could be compromised without updates.
- Financial reporting may no longer meet GAAP, IFRS, or local standards.
- Data security may be at risk if GP runs on unsupported OS or database versions.
- Industry-specific regulations (FDA, HIPAA, OSHA) may require supported and secure systems.
Addressing these risks proactively protects the organization from financial, legal, and operational exposure. Documenting processes, dependencies, and potential vulnerabilities helps maintain compliance even after support ends.
It Comes Back to Risk Tolerance
GP end of life isn’t about fear — it’s about understanding tradeoffs. GP may continue to run, but there are many critical factors to consider:
- Payroll updates will stop
- Customizations may not carry forward
- ISV support may fade
- Infrastructure compatibility becomes harder
- Skilled resources become scarcer
The key question is:
How much risk is your organization willing to carry in its ERP system?
Answers will vary, but the critical step is starting the conversation early while options still exist and proactive planning is possible.
Next Steps
Planning now doesn’t just reduce risk — it creates options. Consider the following:
- Identify critical processes and dependencies
- Re-evaluate customizations and third-party solutions
- Assess payroll and compliance implications
- Review infrastructure and security compatibility
- Evaluate available skills and resources
Forward-looking guidance
Document current processes and dependencies, classify customizations and ISV solutions by necessity, and review your infrastructure for potential gaps. Proactive planning ensures smoother transitions, lower risk, and better alignment with future business needs.
For a deeper dive, Enavate offers a GP roadmap session which provides practical guidance to help teams assess their current environment, understand risk, and create a phased plan for modernization or migration.
