4 Common Challenges to Overcome When Moving Your Team to an AI-Powered Cloud ERP

Microsoft Dynamics GP end-of-life is fast approaching, with maintenance and support services coming to an end in December 2029 and all the final security updates in 30^th April 2031, according to Microsoft’s timeline.

Many organisations with a legacy ERP are now evaluating a move away from on-premise to the cloud to meet growing demands for automation, integration, and modern AI‑powered ERP capabilities. Yet despite the urgency to transition from their current system, many GP users remain hesitant about moving their current system to the cloud.

For Dynamics GP customers, the question is no longer whether to consider moving, but how to move efficiently without the pressure of rushing to complete the transition before the planned deadline. This blog outlines the common challenges organisations face when moving their ERP to the cloud and how they can confidently move forward with their migration.

 

1. Worried about change

Employees within an organisations often fear disruption, and many GP users feel comfortable with the familiarity of their current system. Research shows that 37% of employees resist change due to lack of awareness and fear of the unknown. When teams are routinely using the same system in their daily processes and tasks, it’s natural for employees to worry about losing efficiency during the transition to the cloud. 

It is important to recognise the fear of change within your organisation and to educate your team on the value of moving away from a legacy ERP. Modern, AI‑powered cloud ERP systems significantly reduce manual tasks, freeing teams from repetitive work and enabling them to focus on higher‑value activities. By highlighting the benefits of moving away from an on‑premise system, and involving them in the process, you can build confidence within your team throughout your migration journey and demonstrate why upgrading to automation, AI insights, and improved workflows is essential for your business’s long‑term growth.

 

2. Learning and training that comes with a new system

During a system transition, it is common to have internal push back against learning a new platform. Users are familiar with its existing interfaces and processes, so moving to a cloud‑based system with different and more advanced features can feel overwhelming for some. Business leaders may also be concerned that productivity could dip during the transitional phase while employees are still getting to know the new system.

As the UK’s leading partner for NetSuite and Business Central, Nolan are able to provide structured training and go‑live support to keep your team productive and reduce the challenges associated with learning a new system. Modern cloud ERPs are also far more intuitive that legacy systems like Dynamics GP and are designed with streamlined workflows and automation features that help reduce manual tasks and improve efficiency.

 

3. Concerns around budget

Many GP users underestimate the rising cost of staying on an on-premise legacy system. Remaining on Dynamics GP for example, will cost businesses more each year due to increasing IT and support demands, heightened security risks as end‑of‑life deadlines approach, and rising support costs caused by the declining number of GP specialists as the platform becomes less supported and more difficult to maintain.

Addressing the cost savings gained by implementing a modern, AI-powered ERP system, through automation, reduced manual work, and fewer support issues, highlights that migrating to the cloud is a strategic investment that lowers overall operational costs and delivers long-term stability.

 

4. Data migration – “what if something goes wrong and we lose data?”

Data migration is usually a main concern as the idea of moving critical financial and operational data can feel risky. This is because organisations worry about losing historical records or corrupting data.

Nolan have over 17 years’ experience migrating customers from on‑premise systems to the cloud, and our modern migration tools allow us to take a controlled, selective approach — moving only what you need. This ensures accuracy at every stage of the process. Once your data is in the cloud ERP, you will benefit from stronger security, audit trails, and compliance controls. With GP approaching end‑of‑life, it’s important to highlight to the decision makers of your business that the long‑term risk of staying where you are is actually higher than migrating to a modern, secure cloud platform.

 

When trying to confidently move forward from on-premise legacy systems like Dynamics GP, there will always be hurdles and objections to overcome. The challenges users are weary of are all manageable with the right planning and expertise and they can benefit from using the latest technology as they also look to progress in their own careers. The reality is that staying on a legacy, on‑premise system carries far greater risk, especially as Dynamics GP approaches its end‑of‑life. The move to the cloud is an opportunity to drive efficiency, keep your employees knowledge and skills current and support your businesses long‑term growth.

If you’d like to learn more about migrating from Dynamics GP to the cloud, register for our upcoming webinar, where we’ll run through what we’ve learned after over 17 years of helping customers move ERP to the cloud and how we can help you. Register here!

Ready to start your migration journey from GP to the cloud? Get in touch with the Nolan team today!