Why 2025 is the Year of NAV to Business Central Upgrade?

5 min readJan 31, 2025

Dynamics NAV has been a reliable solution for businesses over the years, offering strong capabilities in finance, supply chain, and manufacturing. However, its limitations in scalability, architecture, and integration make it less suitable for today’s evolving business needs. Upgrading from dynamics NAV to Business Central provides a cloud-first approach, enabling remote work and real-time data access, a key benefit for today’s distributed workforce.

Business Central maintain data integrity while data migration from dynamics NAV to business central and provide seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and Power BI fosters better collaboration and data-driven decision-making. Its AI-powered features, like Microsoft Copilot, help automate routine tasks, boosting operational efficiency. By transitioning to Business Central, companies can optimize processes, lower costs, and stay competitive in the digital age.

Key Drivers for Dynamics NAV to Business Central Upgrade in 2025

If you’re using Microsoft NAV ERP, it’s worth considering a migration from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central for the following reasons.

1. Upgraded Version with Improved Features

Microsoft has discontinued providing new licenses and upgrades for Microsoft NAV, encouraging users to transition to Business Central, either in the cloud-based or on-premise ERP. The on-premise version operates similarly to NAV but offers enhanced capabilities.

For the on-premise version, perpetual licenses can still be purchased, similar to NAV. The cloud version of Business Central is offered as a “Software-as-a-Service” (SaaS) model with a subscription-based payment structure.

2. Flexible Pay-Per-Use and Scalability

With the cloud-based Business Central, you pay for the licenses based on your usage through subscription fees. As your business expands, you can effortlessly scale by adding more users and adjusting operations to keep up with the company’s growth trajectory.

3. Business Central Offers Cost-Effectiveness

With NAV, businesses face additional costs for updates, which require purchasing, implementing, and sometimes upgrading the infrastructure. Customizations or integrations within the NAV system can also take time to stabilize with new updates.

In contrast, Business Central’s cloud version includes automatic updates from Microsoft twice a year, at no extra cost, as they are covered by the subscription fees. These updates are designed to work seamlessly with your existing customizations and integrations, making the process smoother and more efficient.

4. Integration with Native and Third-Party Apps

Business Central offers robust integration with well-known Microsoft products like Power Platform, Office 365, and Microsoft Azure. Additionally, its marketplace, AppSource, features thousands of third-party applications that can be easily integrated. These integrations allow businesses to create tailored, end-to-end solutions that address their unique operational needs.

5. User-Friendly Web Interface Aligned with Other Microsoft Products

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central features an intuitive, web-optimized interface that offers improved navigation compared to NAV. It is more user-friendly, visually appealing, and modern.

The interface is consistent with other Microsoft products like Excel and Outlook, which many users are already familiar with. This familiarity reduces the need for extensive training and minimizes the learning curve, leading to quicker adoption.

6. Actionable Business Insights

Business Central consolidates all company data in one place, offering real-time insights to stakeholders. By integrating with Microsoft’s Power Platform, it incorporates AI and ML-driven capabilities. Additionally, it automates various processes, enabling data-driven decision-making in real-time.

Best Practices to Follow When Upgrading from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central

When migrating from Dynamics NAV to Business Central, it’s essential to follow best practices to ensure a smooth and successful migration to business central. Here are some key strategies:

1. Start Planning and Preparing Early

To ensure a successful upgrade, begin the planning process well in advance. Define the project’s scope, identify the necessary data to be migrated, and establish a timeline. Involve all relevant stakeholders such as IT, finance, and operations teams in the planning phase. Also, account for any necessary customizations or integrations that may need to be addressed to facilitate a smooth transition.

2. Clean and Validate Your Data

Proper data cleansing is crucial to ensure accuracy and consistency. Begin by identifying and removing any duplicate or unnecessary data. Follow up with data validation to verify that the data is error-free and accurate. This should involve data profiling, quality checks, and enrichment processes.

3. Create a Data Mapping Strategy

A solid data mapping strategy is essential for a seamless migration. It defines how data will be transferred from Dynamics NAV to Business Central, including the mapping of fields, types, and formats. Having a clear strategy in place can significantly reduce the time and effort required during the upgrade.

4. Test the Upgrade Thoroughly

Testing is an essential step in the upgrade process. Conduct tests in a staging environment to confirm that the data migration is accurate. Start by testing a smaller dataset and resolve any issues that arise before proceeding with the full migration.

5. Data Migration from NAV to Buisness Central

Migrating in phases can help minimize errors and make the upgrade process more manageable. Begin by migrating the most critical data, such as customer and vendor details, then gradually migrate less essential data in subsequent phases. This phased approach ensures that any issues are addressed before migrating more complex data.

6. Consult with Experts

Bringing in experts can streamline the migration process and ensure its efficiency. Consider partnering with Microsoft-certified professionals who specialize in upgrading from Dynamics NAV to Business Central. These specialists can offer guidance on best practices, customizations, and integrations to help ensure a successful migration.

7. Provide End-User Training

Training your end-users is essential to maximize the effectiveness of the new system. Offer comprehensive training on the features and functions of Business Central, including any customizations or integrations. This will ensure users are fully equipped to leverage the system’s capabilities to their advantage.