Dynamics NAV has been the trusted ERP for small and medium-sized businesses in manufacturing, distribution, professional services, and more.
NAV 2018 has a fixed support timeline, with support ending on January 11, 2028. After this date, organizations should not expect ongoing support from Microsoft. If you’ve been putting off the move from your Microsoft Dynamics NAV system, you are not alone. Some business leaders are understandably hesitant that they may lose the customizations they depend on and that the change will be disruptive and costly.
However, now is the time to take the next step and future-proof your business by transitioning to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. With aging infrastructure, increasing support gaps, and limited compatibility with newer technologies, the question is not if you will need to move away from NAV, it is when.
Joesoftware answers the four most frequently asked questions we hear from business leaders contemplating the move from NAV to Business Central.
1. Our organization is comfortable with NAV. Are there any immediate benefits of moving away from NAV?
There are many immediate high-impact benefits of moving from NAV to Business Central. Here are the top three gains you will see:
- NAV has saddled your business with major version upgrades. With Business Central, you benefit from Microsoft’s automatic, twice a year updates that keep your system current and secure without the downtime and expense associated with the traditional upgrade cycles of NAV.
- A greater return on your Microsoft investment as Business Central inherently integrates with Microsoft 365, Teams, Power BI, and Power Automate. These connections allow you to streamline communication, automate manual tasks, and gain real-time insight using the tools your team already knows.
- Move from customizations to modern extensions as older NAV systems rely on direct custom code, which complicates upgrades and system performance. Business Central uses a modern extensions-based approach that allows you to tailor your system while keeping your core ERP intact.
2. Is Business Central better than NAV?
Business Central is a modern, cloud-ready solution built for improved insights and growth. The benefits of Business Central are many. We share the top three high impact benefits your organization will see with Business Central.
- Improved decision-making with real-time data and AI with Business Central’s real-time dashboards, built-in reporting tools, and AI-powered forecasting features. These capabilities help you understand your financial position, monitor performance, and make informed decisions. You can also work with your Business Central data inside of Microsoft 365 – Excel, Teams, Outlook – which eliminates sharing files back and forth and saves you time and money.
- Business Central is cloud-based, which has become the standard for how organizations and teams want and need to work. You will gain anywhere, anytime access as you will now be able to securely access your ERP from any device, in any location, using only a web browser. There’s no need for VPNs, remote desktop connections, or complex IT setups. With Business Central, you can also do a hybrid approach of on-premise and cloud.
- Catch up to the competition or gain an advantage over your competitors with the scalable, modern platform Business Central offers. You want to see your business grow and Business Central is an ERP that can grow with you.
3. Can we make a clean break from NAV and move to Business Central?
Yes. If your organization’s NAV system is out of date or heavily customized, a fresh start is often best. A brand-new implementation of Business Central brings over your data but does not carry forward existing customizations or legacy configurations. However, any custom functionality you had with NAV will need to be rebuilt or replaced.
If your organization has a relatively current version of NAV with customizations you want to preserve, your implementation of Business Central will bring your data and selected customizations over in a single step, allowing you to retain your existing environment.
4. Can we make the transition to Business Central in phases?
Yes, many organizations transition away from NAV to Business Central in two phases. You start by upgrading to Business Central on-premise and then you migrate to Business Central Cloud, navigating the technical constraints while maintaining your customizations. A phased approach is best for larger and more complex NAV environments with significant customizations or integration requirements.
Moving on from NAV is a strategic decision that affects your entire organization. Joesoftware helps organizations like yours make smart, supported ERP decisions and transitions. If you’d like to review about whether a move away from NAV makes sense, we are ready to talk with you.