Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) and Dynamics 365 Business Central are closely related ERP solutions, but they differ significantly in technology, deployment, and future readiness.
1. Product Evolution
Dynamics NAV is the on-premises ERP solution used until NAV 2018. Dynamics 365 Business Central is its modern successor, built as part of the Dynamics 365 ecosystem. Microsoft has ended mainstream development for NAV and focuses entirely on Business Central.
2. Deployment Options
Dynamics NAV is mainly on-premises, requiring local servers and manual maintenance. Business Central supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment, offering greater flexibility, scalability, and reduced infrastructure costs.
3. Technology & Development
NAV uses C/AL language, while Business Central uses AL language with extensions, making upgrades easier and safer. Business Central follows an extension-based model, preventing direct modification of standard code.
4. User Interface & Experience
Business Central provides a modern web-based interface, accessible from browsers and mobile devices. NAV primarily relies on the Windows client, which limits accessibility and user experience.
5. Integration & Ecosystem
Business Central integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Power BI, Power Automate, and Azure services. NAV has limited integration capabilities compared to Business Central’s cloud-first ecosystem.
6. Updates & Support
NAV requires manual upgrades that are time-consuming and costly. Business Central receives automatic updates in the cloud, ensuring continuous access to new features, security patches, and compliance updates.
7. Future Readiness
enhancements, AI capabilities, and cloud innovations aligned with Microsoft’s long-term roadmap.
Conclusion Dynamics NAV is a legacy ERP system, while Dynamics 365 Business Central is a modern, scalable, and cloud-enabled ERP solution. Organizations using NAV should consider migrating to Business Central to benefit from improved performance, flexibility, and long-term support.
