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Upgrade NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central

Take the leap from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud with Tigunia by your side for knowledge and guidance.

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Accelerate Business Growth in the Microsoft Cloud

Built from the flexible and proven architecture of Dynamics NAV, Dynamics 365 Business Central is a modern cloud ERP platform that is built to connect, streamline, and scale your operation. With a suite of cloud-based business applications, flexible design, and a convenient SaaS subscription model, many Dynamics NAV customers are migrating to Business Central for advancements in security, scalability, cost-efficacy, and productivity. Thanks to our background in NAV and Business Central, Tigunia is the perfect partner to help you make a smooth transition.

5 Signs to Upgrade to Business Central

After spending years investing in infrastructure, customizations, training, testing, and upgrades, many Dynamics NAV customers have started experiencing limited support, integration challenges, and rising costs to keep their on-premise systems running. Here are some of the biggest reasons why several of our Dynamics NAV customers have made the decision to upgrade to Business Central:

Performance Issues

Slow operations negatively affects your productivity.

Financial Strain

High maintenance and infrastructure costs impacts your profits.

Analytical Gaps

Lack of reliable data hurts informed decision-making.

Integration Hurdles

Incompatibility and scaling issues are limiting your growth.

Risk and Complexity

Relying on on-premise servers exposes your business to potential security vulnerabilities and complex maintenance requirements.

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How to Select the Right D365 Business Central Partner

Here are some expert tips on how to select the most suitable software solutions partner to implement and support your Dynamics 365 Business Central system. We’ve included everything from sample interview questions to recommendations on what to ask a reference!

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Trust Your Business Central Upgrade to Tigunia

For some customers, the decision to upgrade to Business Central from NAV is easy, while others need more support. Luckily, Tigunia is stacked with experts who know both systems inside and out. We have the experience to connect your people and processes with a single, unified solution in a quick and cost-efficient migration that will get your job done right, the first time. No matter your size, Tigunia can optimize your business processes, maintain your technology environment, and secure your business for years to come.

Market-Leading Manufacturer Gains $100K+ in Immediate Efficiencies and Avoids Additional Overhead with Tigunia’s Cloud Migration “With Tigunia, I can take a vacation for the first time in three years and know operations will keep running smoothly.”
John White, IT Director
Merrick Hardwoods
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Upgrade to Business Central FAQs

Upgrading to Business Central opens the door to a more powerful, cloud-based ERP system. You’ll experience faster performance, smarter features powered by AI, and consistent updates that eliminate downtime. Plus, integration with Microsoft 365 apps like Excel, Outlook, and Teams makes your daily tasks a breeze. With enhanced reporting tools and the ability to access your system on mobile devices, you can facilitate better decision-making and easily scale with the growth of your business.

Many businesses find the upgrade process simpler than expected, especially if they’re already using Dynamics NAV. Tigunia offers a proven migration methodology, data conversion frameworks, and clear, tailored upgrade plans to support the transition. We’ll guide you through planning, data cleanup, testing, and training, making the move to Business Central feel less like a major project and more like a seamless evolution of your current NAV system.

Business Central more like the next “version” of Dynamics NAV. While it shares the same core functionality and approach to financial and operational management, it offers a secure cloud environment, more modern interface, better integration with Microsoft productivity applications (Excel, Word, Teams, etc.), integrated AI assistance, a more flexible and adaptable codebase, and a broader range of features. It’s not a brand-new ERP system; it’s NAV reimagined with cloud capabilities that cater to today’s business needs.

If you’re hitting limitations with your current legacy ERP or NAV system, like performance issues, outdated infrastructure, high maintenance costs, or difficulty integrating with other tools, it’s likely time to upgrade.

Many businesses switch to Business Central to lessen their IT burdens, streamline workflows, and leverage cloud features like automated updates and remote access.

Business Central cloud means your ERP is hosted on Microsoft Azure, benefitting from top-of-class security, automatic updates and lower IT maintenance costs. In contrast, Business Central on-premise keeps everything on your servers, which requires regular manual updates and infrastructure upkeep. Most companies find that the cloud version offers better scalability and security, making it a popular choice for growth-oriented businesses.

Good news! Many, if not all, of your customizations can be replicated in Business Central with the help of purpose-built extensions or pre-built apps from Microsoft AppSource. However, some older custom code may need to be rethought or replaced entirely. A capable partner can evaluate what can carry over and what may need a refresh for the new system.

The timeline for a legacy software upgrade varies widely based on your current NAV setup, the volume of data, and any existing customizations. While some businesses complete the upgrade in a few weeks, others may take several months. On average, you can expect a well-planned NAV to Business Central upgrade to take anywhere from 12 weeks to 8 months.

Your historical data (from customers and vendors to transactions and financials) can be successfully transferred to Business Central; however, it isn’t always desirable to bring every piece of data over. A successful data migration is key to balancing the right amount of data transferred to the new system over leveraging something like a data warehouse for historical reporting.

The total cost of upgrading can vary based on factors like the complexity of your NAV environment, amount of data, and whether you choose the cloud or on-premise option. While an initial investment is involved, many businesses find substantial savings in reduced infrastructure costs and long-term value from the cloud. It’s best to consult with your partner for a customized quote that suits your specific needs.

From acquiring licensing to ensuring the proper development and managing the the project, you’ll need to work with an experienced Microsoft partner who can guide you through data migration, testing, and post-go-live support. This also reduces risk, avoids delays, and ensures your upgrade aligns with your business strategy and goals.

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