Changes to Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Updated: Aug 16, 2021
Announcements about Dynamics NAV
1. What is being announced about Dynamics NAV?
Microsoft Dynamics NAV has been rebranded as Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises. Microsoft stopped selling Dynamics NAV to new customers on April 1, 2019. Dynamics NAV 2018 will be the last version under the NAV brand name. However, existing Dynamics NAV customers will still be able to purchase new licenses for their solution as needed. Microsoft will continue to offer support for Dynamics NAV through January 2028, but will no longer release upgrades for Dynamics NAV 2018 and earlier NAV versions as of April 1, 2019.
Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises has been available to new customers since October 1, 2018. Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises has the same application features and functions as the Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud version. The main difference is the platform on which it is hosted and the licensing models.
2. What does this mean for Dynamics NAV customers?
Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises and Dynamics NAV run the same application code base. Therefore, for existing customers, this will be a similar process to upgrading their Dynamics NAV instance, though they will need to consider variables such as where they are in their BREP, what to do with their customizations, and pricing and licensing differences.
There are 3 options for current Dynamics NAV customers:
Migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud: By migrating to Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud, customers will get all the benefits of a true cloud solution, like easy 24/7 access anywhere from any device with Microsoft’s secure servers, seamless upgrades, easy integration building through web APIs, and reduced hardware costs. For customers interested in the cloud, starting today, Dynamics 365 Business Central offers unprecedented opportunities to drive transformation of the customers’ businesses, increasing their business performance through the power of Microsoft cloud technologies and services.
Upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business central on-premises and try Intelligent Cloud Insights: Upgrading to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises keeps customers current while allowing them the option of getting some limited benefits of cloud through Intelligent Cloud Insights. Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises is built for on-premises deployment. It can also be hosted on a client server or Azure, but it can’t offer the same seamless experience as a fully managed cloud-based solution. This is a good solution if your customer prefers to host their software at their location right now and wants to have a path to migrate to the cloud when they are ready.
Renew BREP (Business Ready Enhancement Plan) without migrating or upgrading: Customers can stay on their current system by renewing their BREP.
Transitioning to Dynamics 365 Business Central
3. What migration tools are available to help customers migrate from Dynamics NAV on-premises to Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Making the switch to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises is very similar to any other Dynamics NAV upgrade. Now, instead of upgrading to a newer version of Dynamics NAV, customers will transition to Dynamics 365 Business Central.
RapidStart Services is available for data import/export from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises or cloud.
4. Will current Dynamics NAV customers be required to migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Customers are not required to migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central. However, to stay current and get the latest functionality, we suggest that they upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central.
5. Can customers migrate their customizations and integrations to Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Yes, customers can migrate their customizations and integrations by upgrading to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises and then converting their customizations to extensions.
As part of a customer’s transition, we suggest that they evaluate their customizations and integrations and determine which ones are still required or cost-effective to redevelop for Dynamics 365 Business Central.
6. Is there a discount for existing Dynamics NAV customers who want to migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Currently, Microsoft is offering a 40% discount on Business Central licenses for any existing Microsoft Dynamics customer using Dynamics NAV.
This discount only applies to Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud subscription licenses. Customers cannot use it for Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises licenses or perpetual licenses.
7. Will customers have to pay for cloud hosting?
If customers opt to use Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud, they will not have to pay separately for cloud hosting, as everything is included in one fee—including software, cloud hosting, and management services.
8. Will it be possible to migrate from Dynamics 365 Business Central (cloud version) to Dynamics 365 Business Central (on-premises)?
No. There is no migration path from Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises.
Dynamics 365 Business Central
9. How often will content be updated in Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud and on-premises?
Microsoft will release updates for Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises twice per year, in April and October. The cloud platform will be automatically updated monthly by Microsoft, while the on-premises application will have cumulative updates.
10. What is Intelligent Cloud Insights and how can customers get access to it?
Intelligent Cloud Insights is a feature within Dynamics 365 Business Central that allows customers to replicate their existing on-premises data to Dynamics 365 Business Central Hub in the cloud and then use that hub as the data point to execute the powerful cloud solutions such as Machine Learning, Flow, Power BI, and others as they become available. This can be the starting point to utilize the cloud in a seamless way, thus providing options on the journey and see it in action. With anytime, anywhere access using a web browser, tablet, or even a mobile app, all users can take advantage of seeing their data in the cloud.
11. Can customers still use C/AL or only Extensions with Dynamics 365 on-premises?
There will be no change for the current development model with Dynamics 365 on-premises. Customers can still work with C/AL. Extensions are required for the cloud version.
12. Is Dynamics 365 Business Central GDPR compliant?
Yes, the continuous updates to Dynamics 365 Business Central (in the cloud) help ensure that customers are fully GDPR compliant. For customers that are on-premises, we suggest that customers upgrade to the latest version to help ensure they are GDPR compliant in the future.
13. Can customers buy Dynamics 365 Business Central by themselves?
No, customers will need to contact a Microsoft partner (CSP) such as Solution Systems to buy Dynamics 365 Business Central.
14. How do I learn more about Dynamics 365 Business Central?
Please visit our Business Central web page: https://www.solsyst.com/dynamics-365-business-central
15. Why should customers trust that the Microsoft is cloud secure?
Microsoft invests more than $1B a year in Dynamics Azure to ensure unmatched security and governance. It also employs more than 3,500 security experts to protect your information. Microsoft collaborates with industry and regulators to build trust in the cloud ecosystem guided by the following principles:
Security – Protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data
Privacy and control – Control access to and use of your data
Compliance – Stored and managed with applicable laws, regulators, and standards
Transparency – Visibility into how your data is handled and used
16. Where is my data physically stored in the cloud?
Your data is stored in one of Microsoft’s several data centers in the same country in which you are located. You can learn more about Microsoft security here.
17. What’s Dynamics 365 Business Central online SLA?
Microsoft has 99.9% SLA in place on the public cloud platform.
Do you have questions about upgrading Microsoft Dynamics NAV to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central? Schedule a time for us to call you.