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Still on Dynamics NAV? Your path to Business Central

Many Australian businesses still run Microsoft Dynamics NAV. It works — until it doesn’t. Here is where support stands in late 2026 and how to plan the move to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Where your NAV version stands

  • NAV 2009, 2013, 2013 R2 and 2015: out of support
  • NAV 2016: extended support ended 15 April 2026
  • NAV 2017: extended support ends 12 January 2027
  • NAV 2018: extended support ends 12 January 2028

Out of support means no security updates or fixes — a growing risk for a system that holds your financial data.

Two ways to get to Business Central online

  • Full upgrade and migration — all historical data comes across. NAV customisations written in C/AL must be rebuilt as AL extensions. NAV can’t go straight to the cloud: it is upgraded through Business Central on-premises version 14, then a current version, then migrated online.
  • Reimplementation — start fresh in Business Central and bring across master data, opening balances and setup. Often cheaper and cleaner for heavily customised systems, and a chance to adopt standard processes.

What changes in Business Central online

  • Microsoft updates it twice a year (April and October), with smaller updates in between — you are always on a current version
  • Customisations live in extensions, so updates don’t break your system
  • Integrations move to modern APIs; direct database access and file-system access are not available
  • Australian customer data is stored in Microsoft’s Australian data centres
  • Licences are per user per month (Essentials, Premium and Team Members)

How to plan the move

  • List your customisations and ask which are still needed — many are now standard or available as AppSource apps
  • Clean up old data before migrating; storage is included per licence
  • Decide how much history you really need in the new system
  • Rebuild key reports and integrations early
  • Plan user training and a realistic go-live — typically 6–8 weeks for small businesses and 10–12 weeks for mid-sized

If you bought perpetual NAV licences and are on an active enhancement plan, ask about Microsoft’s current migration offers — they can reduce licence costs in the first years.

Need help? Core365 has run NAV and Business Central in production for years and can assess your upgrade path in a free 30-minute call. Book a free strategy call or email info@core365.com.au.

Sources

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