Small to medium enterprises need technology that allows them to build in layers and adapt in real-time to the demands of the competition and customers, says Claire van der Merwe, Practice Head for Dynamics 365 Business Central Consulting at Braintree.
Modernisation has become a core conversation for the small to medium enterprise (SME) in 2026. Particularly when it comes to ERP. The SME wants a platform capable of strengthening data, processes and people. It also wants a platform that can handle the undeniable impact of automation and AI because the more competitive a business wants to be, the more it needs to win on the touchpoints of speed, data quality and integration.
The metrics of modernisation have also changed. A single source of operational truth that provides visibility into the core silos of finance, sales, HR and operations is essential, but so is cloud-based access and rigorous security. Companies need more systems capable of handling hybrid and remote working conditions, deeper collaboration across units and teams, and smoother supply chain integration. They need less brittle systems that limit access and visibility.
These core changes also need to be supported by tools that enhance governance and analytics. Strong governance, particularly, is central to data integrity and process design because AI and modern ERP features will only emphasise structural weaknesses. Bad design cannot be hidden behind the walls of technology, not when the metrics of growth sit in tighter margins, better visibility, faster intelligence and reduced friction.
The problem is that there are a number of SMEs in South Africa are still living within Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains, and despite the fact that it has earned its place in the ERP stable, it doesn’t have the tools the SME needs to move forward. Great Plains is a reliable system that has run companies well for years (often decades) but it was built for the on-prem era, which means the hardware, the SQL Server tuning, the backups, the patching and the security hardening all sit within the SME’s own IT team. It’s integration was designed for a different time and while it holds the business steady, it doesn’t move it forward. And modernisation is a conversation about moving forward.
The other problem is the upgrade. Often, companies look at how they can modernise Great Plains by upgrading it and this decision is often supported by the cost. The price tag on the upgrade is estimated to be around 80-85% of migrating to Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, the evolutionary step for a business wanting a modern ERP. The missing 15-20% is enough to make finance pause, and enough for many SMEs to treat the decision as a straight cost comparison. It isn’t. An upgrade is the cost of standing still where a migration is an investment with a compounding return.
The visible cost of staying in Great Plains is felt in the license renewal, implementation and downtime. It’s what’s underneath that erodes any of the savings made in that 20% with indefinite maintenance and support costs, hardware refresh cycles, patching and performance, and the workarounds for remote access and manual processes. There is also a shrinking pool of Great Plains consultants which is making it harder and more expensive to find the right expertise.
Microsoft has also drawn a line in the sand, ending support on 31 December 2029 with security updates running only until 30 April 2031 and new subscription licenses ending in April 2026. An upgrade now will only stretch the thin value of the ERP for a few more years and then only adds that cost to that of the unavoidable migration.
Business Central was built for the demands of modernisation, and it includes the systems SMEs need to benefit from AI and automation. Providing critical teams – HR, finance, sales and operations – with a single source of truth, it is cloud-native, secure, and smart. Microsoft carries the security, scaling and infrastructure load and the system connects natively to Microsoft 365, Teams and Power BI.
That said, don’t expect your migration to be frictionless. You will need to manage customisations and third-party add-ons, and reporting needs specialised attention. It is possible to recreate Crystal Reports functionality and the Management Report Writer in Business Central, but these are capabilities you can’t get out of the box. And there are genuine exceptions – a company that has made significant infrastructure investment since 2023 may rationally choose to hold for now.
Any partner that tells you to migrate or else, isn’t giving you the full picture. What you need is visibility into your platforms, how they sit compared with Business Central, whether your systems actually need Finance and Operations, and what costs and timelines you are facing. You don’t need to migrate today, what you need is a deep dive into your platform, an understanding of your business and clarity into how this will directly impact your competitive advantage. Yes, Great Plains is coming to an end, but you have time to make a change that’s relevant to your business.
