FAQ: upgrade from Dynamics NAV to Business Central

January 28, 2022

We present a list of frequently repeated questions that relate to upgrade Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Is an upgrade to Business Central necessary?

There is no obligation to migrate from Dynamics NAV to Business Central. However, it should be noted that, Microsoft has ended support for NAV. This means that there will be no more updates released for Dynamics NAV. In addition, there may be a problem with ordering new licenses (e.g. when the organization grows and wants to purchase licenses for a larger number of users).

Does the move to Business Central mean the necessity to move to the cloud?

Installation can be performed both in the Azure cloud and on local servers. Dynamics 365 Business Central is famous for being cloud-based ERP system. Business Central is a good example of a solution sold as a SaaS service. You can read about the benefits of installing BC in the cloud here.

Despite the many advantages and good opinions related to BC online, it is worth noting that Business Central is also available as a local installation. This option is used by companies that intend to use specific modifications. Sometimes the reason for such a decision is a problem with a stable internet connection or legal issues (e.g. when the data cannot be hosted outside local servers for legal reasons).

What happens with modifications created in Dynamics NAV?

Business Central has many functionalities that were not available in NAV before, which means that some modifications may no longer be necessary (an example of newly added functionalities is, among others, reconciliation of bank accounts). Nevertheless, if necessary, Business Central enables the system to be adapted to the specific needs of the organization thanks to Extensions. As a result, there is no problem with mapping the adjustments that were applied in Dynamics NAV after upgrading to Business Central.

What happens with data after migrating to Business Central?

The data that was previously in Dynamics NAV will be available in Business Central.

Who can make upgrade to Business Central?

Any organization can upgrade Dynamics NAV to Business Central. However, it is not always possible to upgrade the system directly to the latest version of BC. For example, in the case of NAV 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, it is necessary to update to Business Central v14 and only in the next step you can update to the latest version (Business Central v19). You can read more about the upgrade paths here.

How long does it take to migrate to Business Central?

By default, migration takes from several weeks to several months. The advantage of upgrading to Business Central from Dynamics NAV is the fact that employees switching to the new version of the system need less time to familiarize themselves with the system than users switching to Business Central from another ERP system.