Do Dynamics SL customers have to migrate to Business Central?

No. Microsoft's preferred destinations are options, not requirements. SL customers can keep running SL hosted, choose any other system, or convert their data to an open format and decide later.

Can data be extracted from Dynamics SL?

Yes. Dynamics SL runs on Microsoft SQL Server. The complete dataset can be extracted from a backup and validated against SL's own reports.

Microsoft Dynamics SL End of Life: Your Options

Q: Can I keep using Dynamics SL after 2028?

Yes. Perpetual Dynamics SL licenses keep working after extended support ends July 11, 2028. A hosted, isolated cloud environment addresses the security and infrastructure concerns of running a post-support application.

Microsoft Dynamics SL End of Life: Options for Project-Driven Businesses

Microsoft ended mainstream support for Dynamics SL in January 2024, and extended support ends July 11, 2028. If you run SL — like many project-centric firms and government contractors do — you have more options than the migration pitch suggests: keep running your licensed SL hosted in the cloud, convert your data to an open format, or both.

The dates that matter

January 2024 — mainstream support ended
July 11, 2028 — extended support ends for Dynamics SL 2018, the final version

Option 1: Keep running SL — hosted

Dynamics SL and its SQL Server database run reliably in a hosted environment long after Microsoft’s dates pass. Your perpetual license is yours; we provide the secure cloud desktops, the database, the backups, and the maintenance. Project accounting keeps working, your team keeps their workflows, and you decide the timeline.

Option 2: Liberate your project accounting history

SL holds years of project cost, billing, and contract history that any successor system will only partially import. We convert the complete SL database into an open, queryable mirror — every project, transaction, and ledger year — with custom reporting and AI query on top, integrated with whatever you run next. See data conversion & custody and Database as a Service.

Government contractors: your audit trail matters

DCAA-facing firms can’t afford gaps in cost history. Whether you keep SL running or move on, your complete historical record should stay queryable and defensible. A faithful database mirror preserves the audit trail independent of any application’s lifecycle.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep using Dynamics SL after 2028?

Yes. Perpetual licenses keep working after extended support ends. A hosted, isolated environment addresses the security and infrastructure concerns of running a post-support application.

Do I have to migrate to Business Central or Dynamics 365?

No. Those are Microsoft’s preferred destinations, not requirements. Keep SL hosted, choose any other system, or convert your data and decide later.

Can you extract data from Dynamics SL?

Yes. SL runs on Microsoft SQL Server. We extract the complete dataset from a backup and validate it against your own SL reports before anything changes.

Running SL? Talk through your options with us →