What the end of Business Portal means for Microsoft Dynamics GP in 2015

Microsoft surprised some in the Dynamics GP community in 2013 by announcing that Business Portal for Dynamics GP would be discontinued beginning with GP 2015. What does this mean for GP customers?

The Role Business Portal Played

Business Portal was initially designed as a web-based system to enter and disseminate information. Through a web browser, users enter payroll information, timesheets, manage documents and export reports. Depending on the user's permissions, certain types of data were accessible through certain roles provided, giving companies the ability to limit and customize the information for outside vendors, internal employees and more.

For businesses with workflows that depend on Business Portal today, this cancellation news may have been a disappointment.

Why It Was Removed

That brings us to a valid question: Why was Business Portal discontinued in GP 2015? In short, Business Portal never achieved the widespread adoption Microsoft had hoped for. This, in turn, had implications on Business Portal's future development.

"The current Business Portal technology is somewhat limiting, making it difficult to add the features needed to accommodate the requirements of today's (self-service) users," writes Lindy Belley for Integrity Data. "By upgrading the technology, the products and features that are now in Business Portal can be expanded and improved more rapidly and provide a more stable environment."

Where does that leave existing customers? Microsoft will continue to support Business Portal for users of GP 2013, ensuring existing users are not stranded. For users who upgrade to GP 2015, however, there are some exciting developments.

How GP 2015 ...