Book Review: Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Inside

When Rene Gayer informed his fellow Dynamics NAV MVPs, me included, about his new book on NAV 2013, I directly volunteered to read it and provide him with feedback. Looking back I guess I did not fully understood the implication of the first lines in his May 28, 2013, mail to us:

finally..uff our new Book NAV 2013 Inside will be available on 01.06.2013..
puuhh deferral of 6 month .. hard work ..

Now finally having read this 500⁺ pager, I do. I guess you understand why it took me almost half a year to get to finish the book, next to doing some many others things. As said a 500⁺ pager, discussing zillions of useful things about NAV 2013. Both Technical and functional.

But let me, before I continue, first make a small, but essential, correction here: it's not his, i.e. Rene's, book alone, it's a joint cooperation of three Dynamics NAV pros, who did a darn good job by compiling all this information into this Inside. Thumbs up for Rene, Michaela and Christian.

Table of Contents

Just a simple glance at the table of contents shows the extend of the book:

• Chapter 2 – General Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics NAV® 2013
• Chapter 3 – Usability improvements
• Chapter 4 – Application Enhancements
• Chapter 5 – Installation, Configuration and Maintenance
• Chapter 6 – Page Design in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
• Chapter 7 – Report Design in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
• Chapter 8 – Query Design with Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013
• Chapter 9 – Introduction to the Web Client
• Chapter 10 – Introduction to the SharePoint Client
• Chapter 11 – General News in C/AL and C/SIDE
• Chapter 12 – Debugging in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013

Being around in the NAV world for almost 15 years now, and having been included in the TAP program of NAV 2013, I had some smug internal voice wondering if it would really be worthwhile for me to read it at all; to spend my precious time on it. Luckily there were still other voices taking a so much different standpoint. Thank you!

Now having taken the trouble of reading the book, I am glad I did. Now I know that, next to the standard Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 resource on MSDN, I can turn to this resource and most probably find answers regarding NAV 2013 issues. Or direct others to, and herewith do!

Of course you might wonder, if I am only positive to help Rene et al, and that's not the case. I really like the book for what it is, forwhat I said above. But indeed, there are a couple of minor points:

1. Being nonnative English writers, they did quite a good job, but it's not always smoothly to read
2. I do miss an index; of course using a .pdf I have the Adobe Reader text search functionality, but if you buy a hardcopy, you will have that and then searching for something specific might prove a hard job to do

But these will not keep me from using the book.

Buy

Did I convince you of the value of this book? Then go out to msdynamicsbooks.com and buy a copy yourself.