Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) is an ERP solution for finance, manufacturing, CRM, supply chain, analytics, and electronic commerce for small and medium-sized organisations. Navision was originally acquired by Microsoft in 2002, and was re-branded to NAV in 2005

In 2018 Microsoft released Dynamics 365 Business Central, the latest iteration of Dynamics NAV.

Microsoft NAV has successfully served its worldwide users as an ERP system for decades. However, as business needs change, so do the technologies that support them, and subsequently, NAV 2018 spells the end of an era for NAV on-premises deployments.

What is the difference between NAV and Business Central?

Business Central is the latest iteration of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. First known as PC Plus, the product became known as Navision before becoming part of the Microsoft Dynamics brand.

Business Central brings the full capability of Dynamics NAV to the cloud, tightly integrating with Microsoft’s productivity tools in a comprehensive and modern solution. No longer are you hampered by expensive developer only customisations, but Business Central can be extended easily using third-party add-ons and extensions.

Why move to Business Central?

If you are a Microsoft Dynamics NAV (or Navision) user, you will have noticed that the final release of NAV was NAV2018, and that Microsoft Mainstream Support will cease on 10th January 2023.

Regardless of the version you are currently on, when it falls out of support, this brings risk for your business. You are running a system that will not receive bug or security fixes unless you originally purchased Extended Support. Most Dynamics NAV clients have grown with the product and have at some time undertaken an upgrade, so the option of moving from Dynamics NAV to Business Central should not be hard to contemplate.

Learn more about Business Central

Our Migration Expertise

With our deep knowledge of both NAV and Business Central, we offer:

Choice in approach – We offer three different ways for you to move to Business Central. We recognise that one size does not fit all, and our skills in both solutions allow us to work with that.
Minimising change – NAV and Business Central are different; however, our deep understanding of both means we can reflect NAV in Business Central for you. Plus, there are some things our clients love about NAV that we’ve developed for Business Central.
Optimising on-going costs – We understand the offers NAV clients are eligible for from Microsoft for Business Central licensing and can implement them for you.
Achieve More – If you are looking for more from Business Central than NAV was delivering for you, PA is motivated to enable that transformation for you.

Our Three Migration Scenarios

We understand that every organisation has unique needs. That's why we offer three primary migration approaches:

"Like-for-Like" Migration

For organisations that love their current NAV setup and simply need to move to the cloud:

Minimal change and reduced risk
Familiar processes transferred to Business Central
Our expertise ensures accurate data migration and BC configuration to match your needs
Fixed price project
Our tailored 1-2-3 GO project approach, designed specifically with this in mind, ensures a smooth process

Enhanced Migration

For organisations looking to leverage Business Central's advanced features while maintaining familiarity:

Builds upon the like-for-like approach
Takes advantage of improved or additional functionality
Incorporates process automation and AI-powered features
Examples include:
- Enhanced workflow automation
- Improved reporting and analytics
- Integration with Power Platform for automation and workflows
- Utilisation of AI-driven insights for inventory management and cash flow forecasting

Fresh Start Migration

For organisations that have outgrown NAV and need a solution that reflects their current operations:

Opportunity to redesign your ERP solution
Involves more significant change and transformation
Leverages our expertise to create a tailored BC implementation

By offering these three migration strategies, we ensure that your transition from Dynamics GP to Business Central aligns perfectly with your organisation's goals, whether you're seeking minimal disruption, enhanced functionality, or a complete system overhaul. Our team of experts will guide you through the selection process, helping you choose the approach that best suits your business needs and growth objectives.

Navigate from NAV to Business Central
Watch our On-Demand webinar to discover some of the reasons why you should consider this transition and to hear just how simple it can be.
In this panel discussion webinar, we bring together some of our best Business Central minds to help you understand the benefits, the process, technology considerations, and how to work out the ROI and associated costs.

Watch now