Can we migrate directly from Dynamics NAV to Business Central Online?

Not usually. For NAV 2015 through NAV 2018, Microsoft’s current supported upgrade path goes through Business Central 14 on-premises, then Business Central 25 or later on-premises, before moving to Business Central Online. The exact route depends on your NAV version and current environment.

What happens to our C/AL customizations when we move from NAV to Business Central?

Your existing C/AL customizations need to be reviewed and converted to the AL extension model used by modern Business Central. Some customizations may be rebuilt as extensions, some may be replaced by standard Business Central functionality, and others may no longer be necessary. Microsoft states that data from tables containing code customizations cannot simply be carried forward without addressing those customizations.

Will our NAV ISV add-ons and integrations work in Business Central?

Not automatically. We assess every ISV add-on, integration, API, EDI connection, banking interface, warehouse connection, and other external dependency as part of the migration. Each one needs a decision based on its Business Central availability, upgrade path, replacement options, or retirement. This assessment helps identify compatibility issues before they affect your timeline or budget.

Can we move all of our NAV data and history to Business Central?

The answer depends on your migration strategy and the condition of your data. We review your master data, transactions, custom tables and fields, historical records, and reporting requirements, then determine what should be migrated, transformed, or archived. Microsoft also provides a Business Central 14 reimplementation path for scenarios where only essential data, such as master data, opening balances, setup, and selected historical information, needs to move forward.

How long does a Dynamics NAV to Business Central migration take?

There is no reliable single timeline for every NAV environment. A lightly customized system may take around 3–5 months, a moderately customized environment around 5–8 months, and a heavily customized or integration-intensive environment can take 8–12+ months. The biggest factors are C/AL customizations, ISV add-ons, integrations, data volume, historical data requirements, reports, workflows, and the number of companies involved.

What does a NAV migration assessment include?

Our fixed-scope NAV migration assessment reviews your NAV version, database and customizations, C/AL code, ISV add-ons, integrations, data, reports, workflows, security, and migration requirements. We then define the recommended upgrade path, key risks and dependencies, estimated timeline, scope, and planning considerations so you know what the migration involves before committing to the full project. Microsoft’s migration guidance similarly starts with assessing the current state, planning scope, validating prerequisites, and preparing the environment before the upgrade and cloud migration stages.

Dynamics NAV to Business Central Migration

Move From Dynamics NAV to Business Central With the Path Mapped First

Every remaining Dynamics NAV version now has a published end-of-support date, and the migration is not a database copy. Your C/AL customizations, ISV add-ons, integrations, and history each need a decision before anything moves.

We assess what you're running, establish the supported upgrade path for your specific version, and give you a defined scope and realistic timeline before you commit to a project.

15+ Years of Microsoft Experience 500+ Implementations 300+ Businesses Served

Find Your NAV Version. Then Plan Around the Date.

Every Dynamics NAV release follows Microsoft's fixed lifecycle: five years of mainstream support, then five years of extended support covering security updates only. Once the extended date passes, no further updates are issued for that version.

The dates below come straight from Microsoft's lifecycle record. Find your version, then work backwards from the date to decide when planning needs to start.

NAV Doesn't Go Straight to the Cloud. Here's the Real Route.

Most migration pages compress this into "NAV to Business Central." Microsoft's supported path for NAV 2015 through 2018 involves intermediate steps — and the C/AL to AL conversion that happens along the way is where most of the project effort actually sits.

Knowing this upfront changes how you budget and schedule the work.

C/AL Customizations

Every base-code modification is reviewed and given a decision: convert to an extension, replace with standard functionality, or retire. Business Central online runs on the extension model, so nothing carries over untouched.

ISV Add-Ons

Each third-party add-on gets checked for a Business Central equivalent, a vendor upgrade path, a replacement, or retirement. A single unsupported add-on can reshape the whole plan.

Integrations

EDI, shipping, payroll, CRM, banking, warehouse systems, and custom APIs are inventoried and tested. These are usually the connections nobody documented.

Custom Tables & Fields

Years of added tables and fields need explicit mapping and a destination in the new data model. Unmapped fields are how history quietly goes missing.

Historical Data

You decide what moves, what gets transformed, and what gets archived. Carrying a decade of transactions across costs real time — sometimes it's worth it, often it isn't.

Users & Security

Business Central online authenticates through Microsoft Entra ID, so legacy NAV logins and permission sets need to be re-established rather than transferred.

Reports & Documents

Custom report layouts, invoice and statement formats, and regulatory outputs are catalogued and rebuilt where the new platform handles them differently.

Workflows & Processes

Approval chains, posting routines, and the workarounds your team built over the years get mapped — so the new system fits how the business actually runs today.

Get the Full Picture of Your NAV Environment Before You Commit to Anything

Tell us which NAV version you're running and roughly how customized it is. We'll walk through what your migration path looks like, what needs a decision, and how long a project like yours typically takes.

Microsoft Solutions Partner Legacy NAV and modern Business Central expertise US presence with global delivery

Move From Dynamics NAV to Business Central With the Path Mapped First

Find Your NAV Version. Then Plan Around the Date.

NAV Doesn't Go Straight to the Cloud. Here's the Real Route.

NAV 2015 – 2018

Business Central 14 On-Premises

Business Central 25+ On-Premises

Business Central Online

Eight Things That Decide What Your Migration Actually Costs

C/AL Customizations

ISV Add-Ons

Integrations

Custom Tables & Fields

Historical Data

Users & Security

Reports & Documents

Workflows & Processes

How Long This Takes Depends on What We Find

Close to standard NAV

Years of tailoring

Deeply embedded NAV

What moves you between those bands

Know what it takes before you start.

Get the Full Picture of Your NAV Environment Before You Commit to Anything

Frequently Asked Questions