Decoding the Dynamics NAV upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central

Existing users of NAV are struggling to figure out the best way to upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central. They want to know why NAV is being upgraded. Then they want to know why upgrade to Business Central. Next question is how to upgrade to Business Central.

Microsoft Dynamics Navision became Dynamics NAV and NAV has become Dynamics 365 Business Central. Every version of NAV, right from NAV 1.0 to NAV 2018 can be upgraded, though the route might be different for older versions. Once identified, a successful upgrade brings the business to the modern world. A Microsoft Dynamics NAV Upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central means for the end user that he can begin to access modern clients on phone, tablet, web or outlook and use available extensions to customize the solution to one’s own benefit.

In terms of technological benefits, NAV users get introduced to the world of Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate and Power BI), which bring more efficiency to businesses and automate it at lower costs. Upgrading to Dynamics 365 Business Central also enables integrations to Office 365 products such as Teams, Outlook, SharePoint and also provides access to new apps and extensions via AppSource.

What is the Most Suitable Time for a Dynamics NAV Upgrade?

You must be certain whether you wish to upgrade at all. If your existing NAV works fine, an upgrade is justified only if the newer version has something new and exciting to offer. If the Business Central does not fit your requirements, an upgrade might not be a wise thing to do. The older your NAV version is, the more will the benefits flow when you get the upgrade done simply because of the technology. Add all the functionalities and the usability features to the fray and the entire thing might revolutionize your system. There are compliance issues as well whether you must upgrade your NAV system or not. Corporate Governance or Industry Standards demand that most of the businesses be on “supported software” across all areas of their business. Thus, moving to Business Central may no longer be a choice to them rather a compulsion.

How does one Perform a Successful Dynamics NAV Upgrade to Business Central?

Depending on which version of NAV one upgrades from, there are four (4) different ways of doing it. They are given below,

• Technical Upgrade: A technical upgrade is best suited for businesses using NAV 2013 or newer versions. This upgrade is best suited for companies happy with their modifications but would still like to try out the latest technology, particularly the web, phone or tablet and maintain their functionality.
• Standard Upgrade: Standards upgrades are for businesses using a very old solution, where many of the modifications are totally obsolete and no longer in use. Standard upgrades are best suited for companies that have a lot of useless data piled up which clogs up reporting and user screens. These are companies who generally want to have processes reviewed and make substantial gains.
• Modified Upgrade: Modified upgrades are suggested to those companies who do not wish to pay any attention to their processes and have plenty of modifications in place, which they believe are still required in the new system. Besides wanting to merge their old data with new, they are also interested in using all the new Business Central features that are there in the offing.

Upgrade if you are a Believer in the Power of Technology

By now, it has been understood across industry circles that a Microsoft Dynamics NAV Upgrade to Business Central adds significant value to one’s business through all the new functionalities, access to the modern technology that a business gets and also the ease with which future upgrades become possible.

• Businesses get access to new clients, by making the most of newly found access to the web, mobile, outlook and tablet clients accessible from all devices.
• Access to Power Apps and tools help businesses improve user, business and IT productivity.
• They get to use brand new features such as enhanced screen configuration, cross-column research, real-time KPI headlines and Outlook integration.
• Integrations with Power BI graphs, direct communication with Teams Planner and getting to manipulate excel data and update it are added benefits.