If you have 24+ months: Ideal time to start a strategic assessment and vendor selection.

If you have 12-18 months: Begin budgeting, system selection, and proof of concept (PoC).

If you have less than 12 months: Immediate action needed for risk mitigation and phased migration.

ERP vendors stop supporting older versions and push customers to modern ERP systems for several key reasons, often driven by technological advancements, security concerns, and business strategy. Here’s why vendors make this move:

Security and Compliance Risks

• Cybersecurity Threats: Older ERPs become vulnerable to modern cyber threats since they no longer receive security patches and updates.
• Regulatory Compliance: Businesses must comply with data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, SOX), and outdated ERPs may not meet evolving legal requirements.

High Maintenance Costs for Vendors

• Supporting older ERP versions requires dedicated teams for bug fixes, compatibility testing, and customer support.
• As technology evolves, maintaining compatibility with newer operating systems, databases, and cloud environments becomes costly and inefficient.
• Vendors prefer to allocate resources toward innovation rather than maintaining outdated systems.

Push for Cloud and Subscription Models

• Many ERP vendors are shifting from on-premise licensing to cloud-based, subscription-based models (SaaS) for predictable revenue.
• Cloud ERPs provide vendors with continuous updates, eliminating version-based support challenges.
• Subscription models allow vendors to earn recurring revenue rather than one-time licensing fees.

Technological Advancements & Competitiveness

• New ERP versions come with AI-driven automation, analytics, IoT integrations, and machine learning, which are not feasible in legacy systems.
• Vendors want to stay competitive by offering modern features that enhance business intelligence, automation, and remote accessibility.

Drive Customer Lock-In and Standardization

• Forcing migrations allows vendors to standardize their offerings, reducing complexity in managing multiple ERP versions.
• Modern ERPs often limit heavy customizations, making future updates easier for vendors and keeping customers within their ecosystem.

End-of-Life (EOL) Strategy to Drive New Sales

• By discontinuing support, vendors encourage customers to purchase new ERP licenses, cloud subscriptions, or additional services.

This shift increases revenue opportunities for vendors in consulting, migration services, and integrations.

1. Evaluate alternative ERP solutions (not necessarily from the same vendor).
2. Negotiate extended support if migration is not immediately feasible.
3. Plan a phased migration rather than rushing into a system that may not fully meet business needs.
4. Consider third-party ERP support providers that specialize in maintaining older systems beyond vendor support timelines.

A no-code Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) can play a crucial role in migrating from a legacy ERP to a modern ERP by simplifying data movement, automating workflows, and ensuring seamless connectivity between old and new systems. Here’s how it can help:

Data Extraction, Transformation & Migration

• Extract data from the legacy ERP using pre-built connectors or APIs.
• Cleanse and transform data before loading it into the new ERP.
• Map legacy data fields to modern ERP formats without complex coding.
• Automate bulk data transfers to avoid manual errors.

Example:

A no-code iPaaS can pull customer records, invoices, and order history from an old on-prem ERP (e.g., SAP ECC) and automatically restructure it for a cloud ERP (e.g., SAP S/4HANA, NetSuite, or Microsoft Dynamics 365).

Bridging Old and New ERPs During Migration

• Many businesses run both systems in parallel before fully switching.
• A no-code iPaaS can sync real-time data between the old and new ERP, avoiding business disruptions.
• Ensures that changes in the old system (e.g., inventory updates, order processing) are reflected in the new ERP.

Example:

While migrating from Oracle E-Business Suite (on-prem) to Oracle Cloud ERP, an iPaaS ensures that financial transactions recorded in the old system sync automatically with the new ERP.

Integrating ERP with Existing Applications

• Modern ERPs require connections to CRMs, HR systems, e-commerce, and supply chain tools.
• A no-code iPaaS helps connect legacy ERP with third party apps (Salesforce, Shopify, Workday, etc.) and eliminate the brittle custom coded integrations that have been built over the past 20-30 years.   
• When it’s time to migrate to modern ERP it is then only a matter of turning off the legacy integration connection and plugging in pre-built modern ERP connectors.
• This approach front loads the hard integration and data automation work, and eliminates the need for custom API development, reducing costs and implementation time when a company finally kicks off the migration work.

Example:

A company migrating from Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central can use an iPaaS to link Salesforce (CRM), Workday (HR), and legacy data sources in one unified workflow.

Automating Business Processes

• Automates repetitive tasks during migration (e.g., data validation, approvals, and error handling).
• Can create event-driven workflows, ensuring key processes are not disrupted.
• Ensures data consistency by applying business rules and logic across systems.

Example:

An iPaaS can automatically validate and flag duplicate customer records before they are imported into a modern ERP.

Enabling API-Less Connections for Non-API Legacy ERPs

• Some legacy ERPs lack modern API capabilities, making integration difficult.
• No-code iPaaS offers connectors, file-based transfers (CSV, XML, EDI), and orchestrated data flows to bridge the gap.
• Helps businesses integrate systems without needing custom API development.

Example:

An iPaaS can extract purchase orders from an AS400-based ERP using file-based triggers and sync them to a new ERP like Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Ensuring a Faster and Cost-Effective Migration

• Reduces IT dependency by allowing business users to handle integrations.
• Minimizes migration risks by providing pre-built templates for common ERP integrations.
• Shortens project timelines by eliminating manual coding and testing.

Example:

A manufacturer moving from JD Edwards (on-premise) to SAP Business ByDesign (cloud) can complete migration in months rather than years using an iPaaS.

Several major ERP systems are scheduled to reach their end-of-life (EOL) or end of support within the next four years. It’s crucial for organizations using these systems to plan migrations to modern platforms to ensure continued support, security, and functionality. Here are the key ERPs approaching their EOL:

1. SAP Business Suite 7 (Including SAP ECC 6.0)

• Mainstream Maintenance End Date: December 31, 2027
• Extended Maintenance (Optional): Available until 2030 at a premium cost
• Details: SAP has announced that mainstream maintenance for Business Suite 7 applications, including SAP ECC 6.0, will conclude at the end of 2027. Extended maintenance is available until 2030 for an additional fee. 

theregister.com

2. Microsoft Dynamics GP

• Mainstream Support End Date: December 31, 2029
• Extended Support End Date: April 30, 2031
• Details: Microsoft has extended mainstream support for Dynamics GP to December 31, 2029, with extended support continuing until April 2031. After these dates, the system will no longer receive updates or support from Microsoft. 

stoneridgesoftware.com

3. Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) 12.1

• Premier Support End Date: December 31, 2021
• Sustaining Support: Currently available
• Details: Oracle’s EBS 12.1 reached its Premier Support end date in December 2021. Organizations still using this version are now under Sustaining Support, which provides limited updates and support. It’s advisable to upgrade to a newer version or migrate to a different ERP system.

4. Dynamics AX

 2009, AX 2012, and AX 2012 R2:

• Mainstream Support Ended: October 9, 2018
• Extended Support Ended: April 12, 2022

 Dynamics AX 2012 R3:

• Mainstream Support Ended: October 12, 2021
• Extended Support Ended: January 10, 2023
• Details: Dynamics AX 2012 exited mainstream support in October 2021 and is currently under extended support, which will end in October 2026. Organizations should plan to upgrade to Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations or another ERP solution before this date.

5. Infor LN 10.4

• End of Support Date: April 30, 2025
• Details: Infor has announced that version 10.4 of its LN ERP system will reach end of support on April 30, 2025. Users are encouraged to upgrade to newer versions to continue receiving support and updates.

6. Sage Products:

• Sage 500:
  • End of Support Date: December 31, 2024.
  • Details: Sage has announced that support for Sage 500 will end on December 31, 2024. After this date, the system will no longer receive updates, security patches, or official support. 

inixion.com

• Sage 1000 (Line 500):
  • End of Support Date: December 31, 2024.
  • Details: Sage 1000 and its predecessor, Sage Line 500, will officially retire on December 31, 2024. Users are advised to consider alternative solutions before this date. 

datel.info

• Sage 100:
  • Version 2021: Support ends in April 2024.
  • Version 2022: Support expected to end in April 2025.
  • Details: Sage 100 versions have a typical support lifecycle of about three years. It’s recommended to upgrade to the latest versions to ensure continued support. 

erpadvisorsgroup.com

7. Microsoft Dynamics NAV:

• Dynamics NAV 2015:
  • Extended Support End Date: January 14, 2025.
  • Details: Mainstream support for NAV 2015 ended in 2020, with extended support concluding in January 2025. 

lansweeper.com

• Dynamics NAV 2016:
  • Extended Support End Date: April 14, 2026.
  • Details: Mainstream support ended in 2021, with extended support available until April 2026. 

learn.microsoft.com

• Dynamics NAV 2017:
  • Extended Support End Date: January 11, 2027.
  • Details: Mainstream support ended in January 2022, with extended support until January 2027. 

learn.microsoft.com

• Dynamics NAV 2018:
  • Extended Support End Date: January 11, 2028.
  • Details: Mainstream support ended in January 2023, with extended support continuing until January 2028. 

learn.microsoft.com

8. Oracle JD Edwards:

• JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2:
  • Premier Support Extended: Until at least December 2032.
  • Details: Oracle has extended Premier Support for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2 through at least December 2032, providing users with ongoing updates and support.

Action Steps for Organizations:

• Assess Current Systems: Determine if your ERP system is approaching its EOL or end of support date.
• Plan for Migration: Develop a strategy to transition to a supported ERP platform, considering factors like data migration, user training, and system customization.
• Consult Vendors: Engage with your ERP vendor or a certified partner to understand upgrade paths or alternative solutions.
• Evaluate Alternatives: Consider modern ERP solutions that offer cloud capabilities, enhanced security, and advanced features to meet evolving business needs.

Proactive planning is essential to ensure a seamless transition and to maintain operational continuity as these ERP systems approach their end-of-life or end of support dates.