Microsoft Dynamics GP Licensing - overview

If you think it is somewhat requiring additional arguments, think this way – if you purchase new car, you probably purchase it from authorized automaker’s dealer and then you service your new vehicle several years with the same dealer, while it is on warranty.  In the case of Microsoft Dynamics GP licensing requires you to be enrolled in so-called MBS enhancement program.  This is a norm in ERP software industry, as it is helping very diversified business community to automate business processes, unique for the specific company – it translates into the message that if you can purchase commuting car with minimal number of unique criteria – when we speak about ERP consumers community – this is not the case.  Let’s come through GP licensing points:

• GP Professional vs. Standard.  Standard has limitation on number of concurrent GP users (at this time 10), number of Payroll employees (500 – this cap was introduced in 2004, when known number of small and midsize payroll outsourcing firms had to walk away from GP, due to high cost of GP professional)
• GP annual enhancement program.  We often get phone calls from GP customers who lapsed in Enhancement program and would like to purchase new GP modules, without being reenrolled into enhancement program.  Well, obviously each case is unique, but the rule is – we or your chosen MBS VAR have negotiate with Microsoft Business Solutions to renew your licenses and have you reenrolled
• Concurrent Licensing Schema.  It is traditional to Great Plains Dynamics, look back to 1990th and earlier 2000th.  The idea is like this – you can have 20 employees, who theoretically use GP, but at one moment of time – only 10 users can utilize the system as to say simultaneously.  And this is probably good approach, because your people are doing other activities, and don’t need to be logged into GP at the same time

Sales Tax dilemma.  This is the dilemma of choosing local to your state or remote support GP consulting firm.  If remote support firm doesn’t have the office in your state – you don’t have to pay state sales tax, however you are required to pay use tax instead