What is Microsoft Navision ERP? Dynamics NAV Explained

Microsoft Navision or Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution built by Microsoft to aid business management. It is popularly knowns as NAV or Navision among ERP users worldwide.  

It is a business management solution built for small and mid-sized businesses capable of managing processes of operations, finance, supply chain, commerce, analytics, and more.  

However, it also has some CRM features (Customer Relationship Management), but this application is not specific. If you want to avail the CRM features as well, you need to opt for Microsoft Dynamics Suite, which is equipped with CRM and ERP applications. 

Microsoft Navision ERP lets the users automate the manual and repeating tasks of finance, sales, operations, purchase, accounts, and inventory. This makes the users more productive by eliminating the automated tasks from the day-to-day schedule.  

It is flexible and adaptable to changing business needs as it allows customization and integration per requirements. Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP stores data in a centralized manner and make it accessible whenever required to the concerned person. NAV manages all operations and processes to ease data management, making the data reporting and sharing seamless. 

Download Free E-Book: Why Should You Upgrade from Dynamics NAV to Business Central?

The Journey from Navision to Business Central 

The journey of Navision was started in 1984 when three college friends developed a single PC software to track finance, debits, and credits from a single system. 

With the advancement of business technologies, Microsoft keeps updating Navision to meet business needs and stay ahead of competitors. At the time of its start, the name was Microsoft Navision, but in 2005, it was rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Microsoft rebranded not only Navision but also other ERP products as well. 

In 2009, it was revamped as compared to the 1995 version. With the new user interface, updated features, strong functions, and good performance, it has become popular and acceptable in all mid-sized or global organizations.  

Over time, this software was known by several other names, including "Navision Solutions", "Navision Financials", "Microsoft Business Solution", and "Navision Attain". In 2016, the Dynamics suite containing some applications like Dynamics CRM, Dynamics NAV, and Dynamics AX was rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics 365 with more robust applications.  

Dynamics NAV 2018 was the last version of NAV published in 2018 and evolved with the name Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with a lot of added features and functionalities. This was a cloud version of NAV (Navision) and supported On-premises deployment as well. 

Currently, there are a few versions of Dynamics NAV available in the market with support and updates by Microsoft, like NAV 2013, NAV 2015, and NAV 2017. 

Capabilities of Microsoft NAV (Navision) 

Microsoft NAV provides endless possibilities and rich functions to ease business management. It has various modules to meet the business needs, which are: 

Manufacturing: Maintain records of orders along with deliveries and update the users with the data in real-time. 

Finance: Seamlessly manage all processes and operations of finance and accounting, whether about assets or currencies. 

Sales and Marketing: Manage all data related to customers, their inquiries, marketing campaigns to acquire them, contracts, and agreements. 

Supply Chain Management: Maintain the whole supply chain operations, like inventory management, new product opportunities, deliveries, and returns. 

Service Management: Track customer inquiries, create tickets, manage orders, and generate reports. 

Project Management: Allocate resources, plan budgets, automate invoicing, track reports, and maintain resources. 

Data Insights: Provides true data insights, creates reports, offers real-time data, and manages budgets for users. 

Human Resource Management: Manage employee data, maintain records, track attendance, and prepare reports. 

Warehouse Management: Streamline the process of sending and receiving orders with accurate inventory data. 

NAV is Now Dynamics 365 Business Central

While Dynamics NAV has been a popular on-premises business management solution for small and midsize businesses, Microsoft is now transitioning customers to Business Central, its cloud-based successor.

Business Central offers many advantages over Dynamics NAV, including a modern user interface, a more comprehensive set of features and functionality, and seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 applications.

Business Central is designed to work with Office 365 and other Microsoft cloud services, making it easy to connect your business to the tools and services you need to run your business. With Business Central, you can manage your finances, sales, customer service, and operations in one place, and you can access your data from anywhere, on any device.

Below are some of the advantages of using Dynamics 365 Business Central:

Better Organization’s Visibility: The cloud deployment allows the users to connect with databases from anywhere and anytime with the ease of the internet. Not only users, but vendors, suppliers, and workers are also able to share the data with others, making the process work for the business 24X7. 

Lower Upfront and Maintenance Cost: Implementing and upgrading a technology require assets to be invested, and it is one of the major concerns for small and mid-sized organizations. With on-premises deployment, the installation and maintenance costs are much higher compared to cloud deployment as it works on a monthly subscription basis. This makes the organization save a lot of money with no investment in hardware or software. Even, the ERP vendor made the updates and changes in the ERP system with no extra cost and involvement of the organization. 

Seamless Data Entry and Reporting: Due to centralize data management, it has become easier for users to store and share data with the concerned people whenever required. It streamlined the data management process using automation where there is no place for multiple entries and completing the repeating task. 

Scalability and Adaptability: When your business grows, there is no need to be concerned about increasing hardware on servers or adopting new technologies for the business to keep updated. In such a case, your ERP vendor provider, like Dynamics Square, will do it automatically without affecting the current processes or operations. This will let you focus on growing your business and embracing advanced technologies to serve your customers better. 

Better business management and excellent customer experience are crucial to success in this modern business world. Dynamics NAV a.k.a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a powerful solution that can help you seamlessly manage the business and the customers. 

Why Should You Upgrade from Dynamics NAV to Business Central?

If you're using Dynamics NAV, you might be wondering if it's time to upgrade to Business Central. Here are some reasons why you should consider making the switch:

1. Business Central is the latest version of Dynamics NAV, so you'll be getting all the latest features and enhancements.

2. Business Central is designed to be cloud-based, so you can access it from anywhere.

3. Business Central includes a modern user interface that makes it easier to use than Dynamics NAV.

4. Business Central includes several features that Dynamics NAV doesn't have, such as a robust accounting module and CRM integration.

5. Business Central is more scalable than Dynamics NAV, so it can grow with your business.

Making the switch to Business Central can help you take your business to the next level. If you're ready for a modern, cloud-based solution, then Business Central is the right choice for you.

Still not convinced! Download our free e-book on Upgrade NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central and get a detailed comparison, benefits, pros and cons, and future benefits of Business Central.

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