Migrating your Data into Dynamics 365

With the launch of Dynamics 365, the one thing that many have been wondering is, “How do I get my existing data into Dynamics 365 to try it out?”

Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for an answer, as Chris Bulson from the Dynamics GP Systems team published a post a couple of days later outlining the details behind the import method currently available. Each of these options is available from within the Migration Wizard in Dynamics 365.

To sum up Chris Bulson’s blog post, there are three default options currently available from Microsoft, as follows:

1. Import from Microsoft Excel
2. Import from Quickbooks
3. Import from Microsoft Dynamics GP

I’ve given a brief summary of each below, along with a link to the original blog for more detail:

1. Import from Microsoft Excel

The Excel template will have four sheets to enter data – ‘GL Account,’ ‘Customer,’ ‘Vendor,’ and ‘Item.’ One thing to note here is that Quantity on Hand (QoH) does not create transaction entries.

2. Import from Quickbooks

This is one area that some people have been wondering about, and up to now, there have been a lot of questions. Mr. Bulson helps to clarify some of these issues. One important thing to note is that for now, the only Quickbooks migration is for Quickbooks On-Prem. However, Microsoft will be releasing a Quickbooks Online migration tool in the future – no firm dates have been announced yet.

Essentially, what you will do is export your Quickbooks data to an IIF file, and then use the Data Migration Wizard to bring the information over to Dynamics 365. Beginning Balances are brought in for GL accounts and Item QoH only.  There are no beginning balances for Vendors or Customers in an IIF file, so this cannot be imported.

3. Import from GP

If you are on GP 2016 June Hotfix, or GP 2013/2015 Nov 2016 Tax release, you will be able to go to File > Maintenance > Export Data. You will then be able to select the option to Import from GP on the Data Migration Wizard, and the Wizard will walk you through bringing this data into Dynamics 365.

There are currently two additional import options available on Appsource – although these options are not published by Microsoft, they offer further options for those not using one of the previously listed products.

4. Import from Sage

Available on Appsource from Technology Management Ltd, this software extends the functionality of the Data Migration Wizard to migrate the Customers, Vendors, Items, and General Ledger accounts from Sage into Dynamics 365. 

5. Import from Pegasus Opera

This is another Appsource product from Technology Management Ltd – it extends the functionality of the Data Migration Wizard to bring in the Customers, Vendors, Items and General Ledger accounts from Pegasus Opera.

I expect that there will be further options available as the product matures – as of this moment, Dynamics 365 is still quite new, and both Partners and Customers are still getting to know the program. As the product gains a greater client base and stability continues to strengthen, I have no doubt that a plethora of apps will soon be available to do everything from simple transaction entry to complex data analysis.

Stay tuned for another blog post where I will be taking a screenshot-by-screenshot walkthrough of the migration of standard Fabrikam test data from GP to Dynamics 365.

To read Chris Bulson’s original blog post, go here: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dyn365finsupport/2016/11/03/migration-options-for-dynamics-365-for-financials/