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Real Questions Nonprofits Ask Before Moving Off GP

Q: How much is this going to cost us?

Moving to Business Central is more manageable than many nonprofits expect. Microsoft offers discounted licensing through Tech for Social Impact, cloud pricing is predictable with monthly user-based fees and no surprise upgrade costs, and Sikich provides phased implementation plans tailored to your budget, timeline, and capacity. Migrating sooner also helps avoid rising costs tied to GP support, infrastructure, and integrations.

Q: Will we lose access to historical data?

No. Nonprofits can migrate historical general ledger data, migrate subledger transactions into queryable tables within Business Central, or archive the full GP database for reference, reporting, or audits. The right approach depends on your reporting and compliance requirements.

Q: How long will a migration take?

The timeline depends on complexity, but many nonprofits go live in as little as 3–4 months. Using the HeadSTART for Nonprofits approach can accelerate migration by aligning your GP environment to a best-practice Business Central configuration, helping you quickly benefit from AI, automation, and the Microsoft ecosystem.

Q: Will our staff be able to handle the change?

Yes. Sikich supports staff through hands-on training tied to actual processes, nonprofit-specific best practices and tools to minimize customization, and ongoing managed services after go-live. Business Central’s integration with Microsoft 365 and Copilot also helps staff adapt using tools they already know.

Q: What about our integrations?

Business Central integrates well with many nonprofit solutions, often more easily in the cloud. Examples include fundraising and donor CRM systems, expense management tools, payroll and HR platforms, and grant management systems. Specific integrations can be assessed during migration planning.

Q: What if we’re just not ready yet?

That’s fine. Even if you don’t migrate right away, evaluating options now helps you gain clarity on scope and effort, establish a budget-ready timeline, identify tools and processes to modernize, and set expectations for the transition. This proactive approach builds a roadmap for the future on your own terms.

Selena Elledge

Aug 28 2025

6 min read

Switching from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Business Central is a big decision—especially for nonprofits managing tight budgets and lean teams. 

If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to make the leap, chances are you’ve also been asking some version of these questions. You’re not alone. We hear them from nonprofit leaders every day. Below, we’ve captured the most common questions and concerns, along with practical answers to help you start planning with confidence. 

“How much is this going to cost us?” 

It’s one of the first questions everyone asks—and the most reasonable. The good news? Moving to Business Central is more manageable than you might think. 

Microsoft offers discounted licensing for eligible nonprofits through Tech for Social Impact 
Cloud pricing is predictable, with monthly user-based fees and no surprise upgrade costs 
Sikich offers tailored implementation plans with phased approaches that align to your budget, timeline, and capacity—so you can modernize at a sustainable pace

Bonus: Migrating sooner helps avoid growing costs tied to GP support, infrastructure, and integrations. 

“Will we lose access to historical data?” 

No, you don’t have to abandon your GP history. Most nonprofits we work with choose one or a hybrid of the following approaches: 

Migrate historical general ledger data (e.g., general ledger transactions for the current year and summary general ledger balances for a few historical years) into Business Central 
Migrate historical subledger transactions with the GP to BC Data Migration Tool into queryable tables accessible from within Business Central 
Archive the full GP database with various data storage tool options for reference, reporting, or audit needs

We’ll help you decide what makes sense based on your reporting requirements and compliance needs. 

“How long will a migration take?” 

It depends on complexity, but we typically see nonprofits go live in as little as 3–4 months, especially when they use our HeadSTART for Nonprofits approach. 

HeadSTART accelerates your migration by aligning your current GP environment to a best-practice configuration in Business Central. This helps you get to the cloud faster and begin taking advantage of AI, automation, and the full Microsoft ecosystem, so your team can spend less time on manual processes and more time driving impact. 

“Will our staff be able to handle the change?” 

Change management is a real concern, especially for lean teams juggling multiple roles. That’s why we: 

Provide hands-on training tied to your actual processes 
Leverage best practices and nonprofit-specific tools to minimize customization 
Offer ongoing support and managed services, so you’re not alone after go-live

Copilot and Microsoft 365 integration also help your team stay productive with tools they already use and make the transition a little less daunting. 

“What about our integrations?” 

Business Central works well with many nonprofit solutions, and in many cases, integration is easier in the cloud. Common examples include: 

Fundraising and donor CRM systems 
Expense management tools 
Payroll and HR platforms 
Grant management and budgeting systems

If you’re unsure about a specific integration, we can assess it as part of your migration planning process. 

“What if we’re just not ready yet?” 

That’s okay. But with GP end-of-life on the horizon, now is the time to start evaluating your options. Even if you don’t plan to migrate this year, you’ll benefit from: 

Clarity on scope and effort 
A clear timeline you can budget around 
Understanding what tools and processes you may need to modernize 
Insight on what to expect with the transition

Think of it as building your future roadmap on your own terms. 

Next Step: Start with a Low-Risk Assessment 

Not sure where to begin? Our GP to Business Central Assessment for Nonprofits is a free, high-value engagement designed to help you: 

Understand your current system 
Identify risks and opportunities 
Get a real-world estimate of time, cost, and complexity 
Walk away with a tailored migration roadmap

No pressure. Just answers. 

Schedule Your Assessment

This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.

About the Author

Selena Elledge

Selena is Senior Director of Nonprofit Services in Sikich's Technology practice specializing with accounting software for nonprofits. Selena assists clients in designing solutions and strategic planning during their transformation process. She values collaboration with clients to understand current processes and requirements, as well as to explore ideas for future functionality and efficiency enhancements, ensuring alignment with the appropriate solutions.