Top 7 Reasons to Upgrade Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central

It’s been nearly three years since Microsoft launched its Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (“Dynamics 365 BC”). Formerly known as Microsoft Dynamics NAV (“NAV”), the newer software offers more modern technology, tailored features, and a more agile interface than NAV. It has quickly made a name for itself as the top ERP enterprise resource planning software for SMBs. So why upgrade Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Many businesses continue to use legacy solutions such as NAV or Dynamics GP. Still, there are a lot of good reasons why you should upgrade Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central, including:

• Advanced mobile access.
• Custom adaptability.
• App integration.
• Seamless upgrades.
• Reporting capability.
• Affordability.

Some organizations who’ve been slow to switch from NAV to Dynamics 365 BC worry about delays during implementation, the associated costs, and business disruptions. There’s quite a bit of misinformation out there about moving from NAV to Dynamics 365 BC. This post aims to eliminate the noise and prove once and for all that an upgrade is in your long-term best interests.

Why Upgrade Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central

NAV’s functionalities are extensive and include financial management and accounting, supply chain management, marketing, service, sales, business intelligence and reporting, and project management. Aside from training employees to work with a new solution, one of the biggest worries you might have about upgrading from NAV to 365 BC is transitioning large amounts of historical data. With 365 BC, the data structures are generally the same as with NAV, so long as your data is well-organized and not corrupted, the transition should be a seamless one.

Beyond transition concerns, what about updates with NAV? While most recent NAV versions are still in mainstream support, older versions are now out of support. Those supported currently will be out of support by January 2023, with only security updates available for an additional five years. Plus, all updates will no longer incorporate new technologies or more general advancements. 

Here are 6 other reasons you might want to upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central now:

1. Dynamics 365 BC is updated automatically by Microsoft twice a year. Your organization is always operating on the latest secure version.
2. Since Dynamics Business Central is cloud-based, it’s accessible on any device, anywhere, at any time. There’s also no further investment in hardware, servers, and maintenance agreements. And since data security is top-of-mind for most organizations, it’s good to know industry leader Microsoft’s 3,500 cyber-security professionals are protecting, detecting, and responding to cyber threats.
3. D365 BC integrates natively with other Microsoft tools, including Office 365, Azure, and other Dynamics 365 suite products.
4. Better reporting and automation tools via Jet Reports and Power BI, Excel add-ins enable D365 Business Central to produce fast, flexible financial and business reporting. Machine learning and AI support equipment monitoring, forecasting, and more accurate and timely data.
5. Improved search capabilities due to data being cleaner and better organized in D365 BC.
6. More manageable costs. Instead of annual enhancements and significant licensing fees, you pay only per user, per month. 

Finally, extending the functionality of D365 BC is via apps that are installed directly into BC. No more having external consultants develop customizations for your specific needs. And app providers support and maintain updates, so nothing affects your core 365 BC code. 360 Visibility offers pre-configured apps for 365 BC, such as:

• 360 Canadian EFT for payable for major Canadian banks that use the CPA 005 file format.
• 360 Quick Sign that automates cheque signing and simplifies accounts payable. 
• A new app, 360 Canadian PAD, or preauthorized debit, will launch soon.

Is There a Downside to Sticking With NAV?

From a technical point of view, transitioning to 365 BC is basically an upgrade. But it’s important to note that Microsoft continues to invest time and resources in further developments to 365 BC. As mentioned earlier, it will not be introducing future updates for NAV. For these reasons alone, it’s worth it for your organization to migrate to the newer solution to remain ahead of the curve and promote future growth.

Upgrading Dynamics NAV to cloud-based Dynamics 365 Business Central enables your organization to get precisely what it needs to operate more effectively and efficiently. Highly adaptable and feature-rich, 365 BC is one of the best end-to-end business management solutions SMBs can invest in.