Last month, in our article How Does Dynamics GP Differ from Dynamics 365 Business Central?, we revealed a hybrid option of the two, called the Intelligent Edge.
The Intelligent Edge is designed to connect Dynamics GP to the Intelligent Cloud through Dynamics 365 Business Central. It allows companies with on-premise ERP systems to start using cloud technology while maintaining their software on-premise. This means that GP will have access to all the built-in capabilities of Business Central which includes: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based analytical capabilities, PowerApps, Microsoft Flow, Power BI visualization and reporting capabilities, and data access and storage through Common Data Services.
Intelligent Edge allows on-premise Dynamics solutions to synchronize and replicate data with the Intelligent Cloud, which is an instance of Dynamics 365 Business Central hosted in Azure. GP customers connect to an instance of Business Central, at which point company data will be replicated in that environment and pushed back into Dynamics GP. Once in the Cloud ecosystem, the application usage is hugely powerful and versatile. Users can access a Dynamics GP dashboard with real-time business insights, reports, and actionable data from the application within the cloud. For example, the Intelligent Cloud Insights dashboard displays KPIs such as cash available, sales profitability, net income and inventory value based on data pulled from GP. GP data pulled into Power BI lets you see information like a chart of accounts analysis, customer sales dashboards, general ledger reports and more.
Additionally, the Intelligent Cloud lets you access that GP data from mobile devices anytime, anywhere, thanks to Dynamics 365 platform’s mobile capabilities. Along with giving users valuable insight into their data, the Intelligent Edge also offers an easier data migration path if they choose to move to Business Central.
Never has on-premise and cloud software combined to provide meaningful business analytics in such a seamless fashion. Users can now get real-time insights and experiences, delivered by highly responsive and contextually aware apps.
This is a perfect solution for those who have spent many years building the perfect solution for their business using GP but are ready to adopt some of the hassle-free infrastructure of the cloud. If you are toing the line between continuing with your GP solution, and switching to Business Central, consider trying the Intelligent Edge.
If you would like more information on the benefits of the Intelligent Edge, please contact us. Our experienced consultants are always available to help you find a suitable solution for your business.