Support boundaries for Microsoft Dynamics on-premises products

This page outlines the support boundaries for Microsoft Dynamics on-premises products:

• Microsoft Dynamics GP
• Microsoft Dynamics SL
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations on-premises

Review the following scenarios to understand how Microsoft Dynamics technical support handles each issue.

Hotfixes, service packs/KBs

The recommended approach for implementing a Knowledge Base (KB) is to use the KB as released by Microsoft. KBs often include dependent code changes from previous releases, and extracting specific code from a KB can introduce risks. Missing dependent code may result in the fix not resolving the intended issue or causing problems in other areas. This approach also deviates from Microsoft's hotfix/service pack and LCS strategy. If a Partner or Customer chooses to extract portions of a KB, it will be treated as a customization, and they will assume the associated risks. Microsoft does not provide assistance or support for these efforts.

After a KB has been provided via a support case related to a hotfix/service pack, Microsoft closes that case. The case can be reopened if it's determined that the KB/hotfix or service pack doesn't resolve the problem it was intended to correct. If assistance is needed in installing a KB, a new case should be submitted to work through any issues with installing the KB, as opposed to reopening the previous case, which was to correct the core product issue.

Performance cases

Premier/Unified Support: Depending on the situation, performance issues can be handled via a normal reactive break fix support case or could require an advisory service at the discretion of the Microsoft Dynamics support team. For performance issues having impact in multiple areas of the business, an advisory service is required to investigate at a broader level. For isolated performance issues impacting a specific business function (that is, Posting Sales Orders), these scenarios start as a break-fix support case to troubleshoot to determine the cause. The Microsoft Dynamics support team invests up to 4 hours of time on a break fix case to assist. After 4 hours, if we haven't yet resolved the issue, we recommend an advisory case or that you consult a partner or the community forums for further investigation, and we close the technical support incident. If we determine that the cause points to custom code, third-party or ISV software, something environmental, or anything else outside of core Microsoft code, the Microsoft Dynamics Support team provides evidence that supports this in order for the Customer/Partner to proceed with further investigation and resolution of the problem.

Non-premier:  Advisory services aren't included in support plans outside of Premier or Unified. We recommend that you consult a partner or the community forums for further assistance.

Data corruption

Data can be corrupted for various reasons, including malfunctioning software, custom code, third-party or ISV software, or power outages. Microsoft doesn't provide assistance for correcting damaged data.

Per the Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA), Microsoft doesn't have a legal obligation to change or correct data being corrupted due to malfunctioning software.

No repro steps or customized databases

In scenarios where a problem can't be reproduced in a standard nonmodified Dynamics installation, the Microsoft Dynamics support team invests best effort support up to 4 hours of time on a break fix case to assist. After 4 hours, if we can't identify the repro steps of an issue, we recommend you consult a partner or the community forums for further investigation, and we close the technical support incident.

Chargeable incidents

Technical support incidents initiated with support professionals are considered chargeable unless the support professional determines it to be not chargeable during the life of the incident.

The following are some examples of chargeable incidents.

• Troubleshooting assistance: You are charged for troubleshooting assistance. An example of troubleshooting assistance is a situation where the transaction isn't for the correct amount or date. You might initiate a support incident, and later discover the solution by yourself. These situations are still chargeable unless the Microsoft support professional has made no effort to assist you.
• Business-critical help: You are charged for emergency support. A severity-one support issue involves a mission-critical operation that is halted. Business-critical operations include system-down situations and situations where an operation vital to the customer's success can't be performed, resulting in potential threats to the financial or legal obligations of the customer. An example of business-critical help includes recovering your system after a hardware or power failure, or you're wondering what to do if your computer crashes while posting a batch.
• System or implementation problems: You are charged to help overcome system or implementation problems. Examples of such issues include asking what is wrong if you're unable to launch your solution from one of your workstations when you're installing your solution. Or after installing on a new workstation you just added to your network, you're unable to launch your solution from the new workstation and are wondering what could be wrong.

Nonchargeable incidents

The following are examples of nonchargeable incidents:

• Ongoing incidents: Other calls or mails needed to solve an ongoing issue aren't considered chargeable. Incidents are assigned a case number. You can also review the status of an ongoing incident that is being researched by a support professional by reviewing your support history in the Existing Technical Support Requests at Support for business. If you need to update your support incident, you can locate your case number in your support history, choose update, and add other details at no charge.
• Incidents related to software problems: Incidents caused by a confirmed software problem in a Microsoft product aren't charged. This includes reporting software problems to us and obtaining assistance in determining if there's a possible workaround or temporary solution to the issue. There are no charges for obtaining any available service packs to correct the problem if you're enrolled in a Service Plan. After more research, if an incident that was previously charged is determined to be a result of a software problem, the original charge will be reversed. A call or e-mail requesting that a customer's name be added to an existing problem report is also not charged.

Language of support

Following our global support process, all cases must be submitted in English.

Reopening of support incident

A support incident can be reopened, if any of the following are true:

• ​​​​The software and hardware remains the same, such as, product build number, no new security updates or patches are installed or no new hotfixes are installed. If the build is different, Log a New Support incident.
• The error/problem occurring is the same as the original incident and it occurs on the same environment/machine/document as the original incident. If the error occurs on a new machine/for a different user/different document Log a New Support incident.
• ​A new error occurs after installing a hotfix or trying some suggestions from the original incident, it will be treated as a new error, Log a New Support incident​.​​
• A case has been closed for three or more months, we recommend that you Log a New Support incident, as the details probably changed in that timeframe.