A Complete Guide to Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Key Takeaways

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is Microsoft's legacy on-premises ERP for small and mid-sized businesses. Microsoft no longer sells new NAV licenses. Mainstream support has ended for all versions. NAV 2016 reached full end of life in April 2026, and NAV 2018 – the final release – loses extended support on January 11, 2028. This guide covers what NAV does, its current support status, and your options: stay on NAV with partner support, or migrate to Business Central.

• What is Microsoft Dynamics NAV? A legacy on-premises ERP platform built for SMBs to manage finance, supply chain, manufacturing, and operations.
• Is NAV still sold? No. Microsoft no longer sells new Dynamics NAV licenses.
• Is NAV still supported? Mainstream support has ended for all versions. Only NAV 2017 and NAV 2018 remain under extended support, through January 2027 and January 2028, respectively. Otherwise, it is being phased into Business Central.
• What happens after extended support ends? No security patches, no compliance updates, and growing integration risk. Businesses still running NAV do so at their own risk.
• What replaces NAV? Dynamics 365 Business Central is Microsoft's cloud-based ERP successor, built on the NAV foundation.

Want to learn more? Read on!

What Is Microsoft Dynamics NAV?

Microsoft Dynamics NAV – originally known as Navision – was Microsoft's flagship ERP solution for small and mid-sized businesses. For more than two decades, it gave organizations a centralized platform for managing finance, operations, supply chain, manufacturing, and more. At its core, NAV was designed to help growing businesses bridge the gap between basic accounting software and large enterprise ERP systems.

Today, NAV is a legacy product. Microsoft has ended new license sales and is winding down support across all versions. The platform's direct successor is Dynamics 365 Business Central, which launched in 2018 and carries forward much of NAV's functionality in a modern, cloud-native architecture. Most businesses researching Dynamics NAV in 2026 are current users weighing their options – not prospective buyers.

If your organization is still running NAV, this guide covers what you need to know: what the platform does, where support stands today, and how to evaluate a path forward.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Support Status

Microsoft no longer sells new Dynamics NAV licenses. Mainstream support has ended for every version ever released. Only NAV 2017 and NAV 2018 remain under Microsoft's extended support phase, and both windows are closing.

NAV Support Lifecycle by Version

Source: Microsoft Product Lifecycle. NAV 2016 reached full end of life on April 14, 2026. NAV 2018 is the final version released and exits extended support on January 11, 2028.

What Does End of Support Mean in Practice?

When a NAV version exits extended support, Microsoft stops issuing security patches, bug fixes, and compliance updates for that version. For businesses still running it, this creates three compounding risks:

• Security exposure: Unpatched vulnerabilities accumulate with no remedy from Microsoft. This is a significant concern for any business handling sensitive financial or customer data.
• Compliance gaps: Regulatory frameworks increasingly require active security maintenance from software vendors. Running unsupported software may put your organization outside compliance with industry or government requirements.
• Integration failures: As Microsoft 365, Azure, and connected services continue to evolve, older NAV versions face growing incompatibility risks. Connections that work today may break without warning.

Can I Keep Running NAV After Support Ends?

Yes – technically. Microsoft does not force businesses off NAV when support ends. Existing installations continue to operate. However, your organization assumes full responsibility for security, compliance, and stability once Microsoft stops issuing patches. Many businesses in this position work with a certified NAV partner like IES for ongoing support, custom patching, and migration planning.

Can I Still Buy Microsoft Dynamics NAV?

No. Microsoft no longer sells new Dynamics NAV licenses. If your organization needs an ERP solution today, Microsoft's current offering for the SMB market is Dynamics 365 Business Central. For authoritative lifecycle dates, see Microsoft's official product lifecycle page. 

What is Microsoft Dynamics NAV Used For?

Despite its legacy status, NAV remains in active use across thousands of organizations worldwide. Understanding what it was built to do helps businesses evaluate whether their current setup still meets their needs – and where gaps are starting to appear.

NAV is an end-to-end ERP designed to give SMBs greater control across core business functions:

• Finance and Accounting
• Project Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Warehouse and Inventory Management
• Procurement and Purchasing
• Operations
• Manufacturing and Production
• Sales and Marketing

One of NAV's strengths was its modular design. Businesses could start with a few core functions and expand over time. It also supported integration with Office 365 and a range of third-party tools – though maintaining those integrations has grown more difficult as Microsoft's ecosystem has evolved around Business Central.

Essential Dynamics NAV Modules

Microsoft Dynamics NAV consists of multiple modules designed to handle specific business functions.

Finance and Accounting

The finance module handles everyday financial transactions used in business, including:

• Cash Management
• Fixed Assets
• Receivables and Payables
• Financial Reporting
• G/L budgeting
• VAT and Tax Reporting

Businesses gain better control over the management of company finances. You can also use the financial information stored in the database to help spot industry trends and plan future strategies.

Project Management

The project management module allows users to perform common tasks like configuring jobs, scheduling resources, and information gathering for budget management. Organizations can also track employee hours using built-in timesheets. In addition, project managers can get an overview of items like:

• Individual Jobs
• Employee Allocation
• Machinery Use
• Resource Use

Supply Chain Management

With the Supply Chain Management functions available within Microsoft Dynamics Nav, organizations can reduce redundant tasks. In addition, the platform helps companies improve accuracy through automation while cutting down on overhead and handling time.

The ERP gives your company control over the entire supply chain. Your organization can build a customized view of all supply chain activities, including:

• Inventory Levels
• Trend Reports
• Transportation Plans
• Forecasts

Real-time data insights help with essential business processes like keeping up with supplier statuses, what’s happening in production plants, and the day-to-day functions within distribution centers.

Sales and Marketing

The Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform provides employees working in sales and marketing with the tools necessary to obtain accurate customer information. In addition, teams can easily access and manage contacts and networks. Marketing can set up campaigns targeted at core audiences while improving customer relations.

Your sales and marketing teams can streamline business tasks related to:

• Tracking contacts
• Setting up and launching marketing campaigns
• Identifying new opportunities
• Updating customer information
• Reviewing client activity

Intelligence and Reporting

Even small companies typically take in a large amount of data each day. Dynamics NAV Intelligence and Reporting provides features that help companies collect, analyze, and share data related to:

• Sales Figures
• Operational Expenses
• Purchases
• Budgets
• Employee Salaries

Dynamics NAV’s Business and Intelligence functions help users deliver meaningful insights across the entire organization. Analysts can design a dashboard that gives them a 360-degree view of essential business workflows. In addition, users can create reports containing detailed information to help management make critical business decisions.

NAV Warehouse, Inventory, and Manufacturing Capabilities

In addition to core financial and project management functions, Microsoft Dynamics NAV software supports robust warehouse and manufacturing management modules that enable process optimization across the production lifecycle.

Warehouse management features in NAV help users:

• Set up bins and zones within storage facilities
• Track inventory with precision
• Streamline order picking and fulfillment

When integrated with Navision inventory management tools, companies gain real-time visibility into stock levels, reorder points, and product movement — all essential for just-in-time operations.

For manufacturers, Dynamics NAV manufacturing functionality supports:

• Production planning and scheduling
• Bill of Materials (BOM) management
• Capacity constraint resolution
• Subcontractor coordination

These tools make NAV particularly attractive for SMBs in industries such as light manufacturing, food production, and electronics.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Tutorial: Getting Around the System

For teams still working in NAV, the Role Center is where most daily work begins. When you log in, NAV presents a personalized dashboard tailored to your assigned role – whether that is an accountant, a warehouse manager, or a sales representative. This section provides a high-level walkthrough of how NAV is structured and how key workflows operate.

Navigating the Role Center

The Role Center is your home base. It surfaces tasks, reports, and KPIs relevant to your role. Use the navigation menu across the top to move between modules – finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and so on. The search bar (accessible via the magnifying glass icon or Ctrl+F3 in most versions) lets you locate any page, report, or record in the system quickly.

Working with the Chart of Accounts

In the Finance module, navigate to Financial Management > General Ledger > Chart of Accounts. Here you can view your account structure, post journal entries, and run G/L analysis. NAV uses account categories and subcategories to organize financial data, which feeds directly into financial statements and budget comparisons.

Processing a Sales Order

Navigate to Sales & Marketing > Order Processing > Sales Orders. Create a new order by selecting a customer, adding line items (items, resources, or G/L accounts), and specifying quantities and pricing. Once confirmed, the order can be posted to generate a shipment and invoice. NAV automatically updates inventory levels and accounts receivable.

Managing Inventory

Go to Warehouse > Items to access your item master. Each item record stores pricing, costing method, unit of measure, reorder settings, and current stock levels. Use item journals to adjust quantities and reconcile physical counts with system records. NAV also supports lot and serial number tracking for businesses that need item-level traceability.

Running Reports

NAV includes a built-in report library under each module. Common reports include the Trial Balance, Aged Accounts Receivable, Inventory Valuation, and Customer/Vendor statistics. Reports can be filtered by date, dimension, or location and exported to Excel. Account schedules allow custom financial statement layouts for more advanced analysis.

Note: If your organization is running a version of NAV that has reached end of support, some reporting functionality may produce unexpected results as underlying data structures diverge from newer integrations. This is one of the most common friction points IES hears from businesses evaluating migration.

Migrating from Dynamics NAV to Business Central

With NAV support winding down, migration to Dynamics 365 Business Central is the most common path forward for current NAV customers. Microsoft designed Business Central as NAV's direct evolutionary successor – built on the same data model, with significant architecture improvements and a fully cloud-native deployment option.

What Is Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Business Central is Microsoft's current ERP for small and mid-sized businesses. It delivers the same core functionality as NAV – finance, supply chain, manufacturing, project management, and sales – while adding cloud infrastructure, automatic updates, native Microsoft 365 and Teams integration, and Microsoft Copilot AI capabilities. It can be deployed in the cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid configuration.

Dynamics NAV vs. Business Central

Your Upgrade Options: NAV to Business Central

Organizations moving from NAV to Business Central generally have three migration paths to consider:

• In-place upgrade: A technical upgrade that moves your existing NAV environment and data to Business Central. Best suited for organizations with relatively clean data and limited customizations.
• Reimplementation: A fresh Business Central deployment configured around your current business processes. Often the better choice for organizations with heavily customized NAV environments or outdated workflows they want to redesign.
• Phased migration: A staged approach that migrates modules or business units incrementally, reducing disruption for larger or more complex organizations.

The right path depends on the version of NAV you are running, the degree of customization in your environment, the quality of your data, and your timeline and budget. IES has guided organizations through all three approaches and can help assess which option fits your situation.

How to Choose the Right NAV Support or Migration Partner

Not all Microsoft partners have deep NAV expertise. When evaluating a partner, look for:

• Demonstrated experience with your specific NAV version
• A clear methodology for data migration and validation
• References from businesses in your industry
• Business Central implementation credentials
• Ongoing support capabilities post-migration

IES has worked with every version of Microsoft Dynamics, from legacy NAV environments to current Business Central implementations. Whether your priority is extending the life of your current NAV setup or planning a migration, our team can help you build a plan that fits your business.

How Much Does It Cost to Migrate from NAV to Business Central?

Migration costs vary based on several factors:

• The version of NAV you are upgrading from; older versions require more remediation work
• The volume and complexity of your data
• The degree of customization in your current NAV environment
• The number of users and license tiers required in Business Central
• Training, change management, and go-live support needs

Business Central is licensed per named user on a monthly subscription basis. Essentials and Premium tiers are available, with Premium adding manufacturing and service management capabilities. Contact IES for a consultation; we can assess your environment and provide a realistic estimate based on your specific situation.

NAV in the Cloud: Options and Considerations

While NAV is traditionally an on-premises ERP, organizations are increasingly interested in dynamics nav cloud deployments. Although NAV itself doesn’t offer native cloud support like Dynamics 365, it can be hosted in private or hybrid cloud environments through Microsoft Dynamics NAV partners like IES.

Benefits of NAV in the cloud include:

• Greater remote access to business data
• Reduced infrastructure costs
• Scalable backup and disaster recovery
• Easier integration with other cloud-based tools

However, full cloud-native ERP experiences — like seamless updates, mobile-friendly interfaces, and AI-driven insights — are only available through Business Central.

Get Started with Microsoft Dynamics

If you’re ready to transform how your company does business, IES can help you make the transition. We have experience working with all iterations of Microsoft Dynamics. Therefore, our team members can make your move to Microsoft Dynamics NAV as seamless as possible.

It pays to have experience on your side when implementing new software into your organization. Find out more about how IES can help with your Microsoft Dynamics implementation. We can also assist you with upgrading from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central. Contact IES today to set up a consultation with one of our experts.  

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