Thousands of organizations are still running Microsoft AX, GP, or NAV, even as support for these platforms winds down.
At the same time, the need for modern ERP functionality is growing. That combination has made migration to Dynamics 365 one of the top priorities for finance, supply chain, and IT leaders.
This wave of projects is creating strong demand for contractors with proven expertise in data migration and system integration. The skills required to move legacy estates into Dynamics 365 are highly specialized, and few businesses have them readily available in-house. As a result, the contract market has become a critical resource for accelerating ERP modernization.
Why organizations are migrating now
Several factors are pushing enterprises to leave legacy systems behind:
Support timelines. Older versions of AX, GP, and NAV are reaching end-of-life, raising compliance and security risks. Running unsupported ERP software exposes businesses to cyber threats and regulatory penalties.
Advanced functionality. AI forecasting, embedded analytics, and global scalability are only available in Dynamics 365. Executives know that their competitors are already using these tools to operate with greater agility and insight.
Cost considerations. On-premises ERP systems are expensive to maintain and lack the flexibility of the cloud. Licensing, infrastructure, and patching costs mount each year, while cloud platforms provide scalability and predictable spend.
Delaying migration only compounds these risks. Outages become more likely as systems age, compliance becomes harder to maintain, and the cost of transformation rises. For many organizations, the urgency of modernization is now unavoidable.
👉 Need immediate access to Dynamics 365 migration talent? Nigel Frank connects employers with contractors skilled in data migration, dual-write, and Azure integration to accelerate delivery.
The specialist skills in demand
ERP migration is not just about lifting and shifting data. It requires careful planning, cleansing, and integration to ensure that financial and operational processes run smoothly from day one. Employers are prioritizing contractors with skills such as:
Data Migration Framework (DMF): Building repeatable processes for cleansing and transferring historical data into Dynamics 365.
Dual-write expertise: Synchronizing Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain with Dataverse so that customer, vendor, and transaction records remain consistent.
Azure Integration Services knowledge: Designing secure, reliable connections between Dynamics 365 and the wider enterprise application ecosystem.
Without these skills, projects run the risk of corrupted data, mismatched records, or broken downstream processes. Contractors who can step in with this expertise are essential to delivering migrations on schedule and within budget.
Why contractors dominate this space
Migration projects have defined start and end points. Once the data has been moved, integrations stabilized, and processes tested, demand for niche skills drops sharply. Contractors allow businesses to scale up resources for the migration phase without carrying permanent headcount long-term.
Microsoft partners in particular rely heavily on contractors, as they often run multiple migration projects simultaneously and need to flex their delivery capacity. End users also turn to the contract market to secure expertise they do not have internally. This flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of hiring contractors for ERP transformation.
👉 Curious how long it takes to secure Dynamics professionals in today’s market? According to Nigel Frank’s Microsoft Cloud Careers and Hiring Guide, employers report an average six and a half months to fill a Microsoft cloud role — underscoring the need to plan resourcing early.
Market impact
The surge in migration activity has made contract specialists some of the most sought-after professionals in the Microsoft ecosystem. Six- to twelve-month assignments are now common, and many contractors with dual-write or Azure integration experience are securing back-to-back projects.
Employers who wait too long to plan their resourcing strategies risk finding themselves in competition for a limited pool of experts. The sooner hiring strategies are aligned with project roadmaps, the more likely organizations are to secure the talent they need.
Planning the road ahead
The migration wave is not a short-term trend. Analysts and hiring managers alike expect it to continue well into 2026, as organizations across industries move to replace outdated ERP systems with Dynamics 365. Employers that treat migration as a strategic initiative — with governance, change management, and data quality at the forefront — will achieve smoother transitions and stronger long-term outcomes.
For contractors, the market outlook remains bright. Those with proven Dynamics 365 migration experience will continue to find strong demand and premium rates for their skills. For employers, the priority is clear: budget carefully, secure talent early, and approach migration with the same rigor as any other enterprise-wide transformation.
