Microsoft Dynamics NAV was and is one of the most popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for small and mid-sized businesses.
This ERP solution offers a wide range of functionalities for finance, supply chain, manufacturing, project management, and more. However, with the advent of cloud computing and the ever-evolving technology sphere, businesses need to stay ahead of the edge by upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Is this the right time to Upgrade my Dynamics NAV?
Dynamics 365 Business Central is the successor of NAV and is the latest version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Business Central is totally cloud-based and offers improved functionality, security, and scalability.
If you’re out to upgrade your Dynamics NAV to Business Central, it is a crucial step forward to keep your business(es) ahead in todays and tomorrow’s digitally driven era.
This upgrade provides you seamless access to new and improved functionalities, reduced costs, better efficiency, and future-proofs your business with regular updates and improvements in the cloud. The upgrade also takes care to highly secure your data.
The process of upgrading to Business Central broadly involves three stages:
1. Preparation
2. Upgrade
3. Post-Upgrade Support
1. Preparation Stage
The preparation stage involves converting customizations and extensions to V2, taking a backup of the database, and preparing the system for the upgrade. Another important step in the preparation stage is taking a backup of your database.
The time required to complete this step will depend on the size of your company’s database. If it is large and time is a constraint, businesses can consider taking a differential backup.
Also, the final step in the preparation stage is to close all connections to the database and clear the “dbo.Server” Instance and the “dbo.Debugger” Breakpoint tables in the old database. This step helps to prevent any data loss or errors during the upgrade process.
2. Upgrade Stage
While the upgrade stage takes care of the actual migration of the system to Business Central, including uninstalling extensions, compiling objects, uploading the Business Central license, and stopping the old instance. If the system is in single-tenant mode, all extensions need to be uninstalled.
However, if the system is in multi-tenant mode, only the V extensions need to be uninstalled. Compiling objects and checking if all the tables are synchronized are critical steps to avoid errors during the upgrade process.
The Business Central license needs to be uploaded to the SQL server, and the old instance of Dynamics NAV needs to be stopped.
3. Post-upgrade Stage
Finally, the post-upgrade stage provides you with testing, training, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the system. This step also ensures you the required support from Dynamics 365 Partners like Dynamics Square (You always need someone to help you out in difficult times. So, it is recommended to connect with a trusted Gold Microsoft Partner like us).
Remember: The conversion of customizations and extensions to V2 is one of the key preparation steps for upgrading to Business Central. Dynamics NAV uses the C/AL code, and the customizations and extensions are in C/SIDE that need to be converted to the AL language extension for Visual Studio Code.
This conversion process ensures that the customizations and extensions work seamlessly with Business Central and continue to provide the same level of functionality as in Dynamics NAV.
What is the benefit of Upgrading NAV to Business Central?
One of the key benefits of upgrading to Business Central is the ability to access data from anywhere, at any time.
With cloud-based technology, companies like yours can access their data from their desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This means that your teams can work from anywhere, at any time, and still have access to the information they need to get their jobs done – a brilliant way to promote Hybrid and Remote Work (if insisted from employees’ end).
Another benefit of NAV to Business Central upgrade is that you have the ERP solutions at reduced costs.
So, by moving to the cloud, you no longer have to worry about the costs associated with maintaining your own IT infrastructure and Data Security needs.
When you invest in the cloud technology, you invest in the future. This means no extra payments for hardware, software, and maintenance. Instead, these costs are passed on to Microsoft, freeing you and your teams to focus on what matters the most and what they do best – their service to you!
Conclusion
The Dynamics NAV to Business Central upgrade is a crucial step for companies looking to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and stand out.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a cloud-based business management solution designed to help organizations manage their finances, operations, and customer relationships.
The solution provides anytime, anywhere access to data, and offers new functionality added to the cloud on a regular basis.
It’s no surprise that more and more companies are looking to upgrade their Dynamics NAV systems to take advantage of the benefits of Business Central.
Thus, with Business Central, you can reduce your IT costs, freeing up the budget to invest in other areas of the business or opening doors to do more.
Get in touch with our Dynamics 365 experts to get started with your digital transformation journey – NAV to Business Central Upgrade.
