Microsoft deprecated Basic Authentication for Dynamics GP
On October 1, 2022, Microsoft began deprecating Basic Authentication for Exchange Online and replaced it with Modern Authentication. This change affected email functionality for users on GP version 18.2. Microsoft gave Dynamics GP users an opportunity to temporarily re-enable basic authentication until December 2022. But starting in the first week of 2023, basic authentication was disabled permanently.
What is Basic Authentication?
Basic Authentication for Dynamics GP is a process where the application sends both username and password with each request to a server or application process interface (API) endpoint. This information is cached or stored on the device used to make the request. Traditionally, Basic Authentication was enabled by default on most servers or services. Basic Authentication is used to support email functionality in versions of Dynamics GP earlier than 18.3. Since Basic Authentication has been deprecated, older versions of Dynamics GP will be unable to communicate with Exchange Server, resulting in email disruptions.
This change primarily impacted users that:
- Are on a version of GP earlier than 18.3 AND
- Use email functionality within GP.
Additionally, users on Dynamics GP 18.3 or higher or users on an earlier version that do NOT use email functionality should not have experienced any disruptions.
Does my application use Basic Authentication?
One of the easiest ways to tell if your application, such as Outlook, uses basic authentication is by the login screen. For example, if your Outlook application used Basic Authentication you would be presented with a dialog credential modal box while attempting to login:
If your version of Outlook used modern authentication, you would be presented with a web-based login page that looks like the following:
What should I do to enable Modern Authentication?
Microsoft had been warning admins about the basic authentication deprecation in Exchange Online for years and recently announced the official deprecation plans. It is an older authentication method, and the new modern authentication offers enhanced security with multi-factor authentication. This change does require GP users to move from apps that use basic authentication to apps that use modern authentication.
If you are on a version of Dynamics GP 18.2 or earlier and you use email functionality, your Dynamics GP instance will require an upgrade to version 18.3 or later to unlock Modern Authentication and to reenable email functionality. Microsoft partners can help minimize service disruptions for GP users when changes like this take place. If you don’t have a partner, a new GP partner can help you determine why you may be experiencing disruptions related to basic authentication deprecation and help you upgrade your system if needed.
