Can the Dynamics NAV solution in my business still receive support?

Did you know that mainstream support for Dynamics NAV ended at the start of this year? If not, you will be asking yourself, what does this mean for my business? 

If you didn’t know already Dynamics NAV has been a vital cog in the wheel for Microsoft in the ERP space for decades, having been developed dramatically since it started back in the 1980s. This system is pivotal to ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of businesses and so when Microsoft ended its mainstream support, it may come as a shock for some. However, it is important to understand that Dynamics 365 Business Central is the rebranded name for Dynamics NAV that we have used for many years. 

It is important to take into account the fact that Microsoft has never been able to deliver functional fixes for individual installations of Dynamics NAV. This means that you aren’t able to ring up Microsoft and simply ask for a bug fix. However, Advantage have also been available to deal with these sorts of problems and will continue to do so, make sure you call our experts today if you are having any issues with your current Dynamics NAV solution. It goes without saying but at some point, the Windows Operating System will be updated meaning that legacy versions of Dynamics NAV may be unable to run like they once did. If it gets to this stage, you will have no option but to look at upgrading in some form or another. 

However, you wouldn’t need to panic! It is important to understand that we still support many customers who are currently using legacy versions of Dynamics NAV. The whole purpose of our support is to help you continue to use your old version until you are ready to make the transition to Business Central. 

So, what is Microsoft’s Roadmap for Dynamics NAV? 

Before we review which versions of Dynamics NAV have had their mainstream support stopped, we will look to lay out and describe the different lifecycle policies that Microsoft have on hand for both Dynamics NAV and Business Central. 

At this point, it is important to have a firm grasp of the Dynamics NAV support cycle as it will help you to comprehend exactly where the support for your product will be coming from I.e directly from Microsoft or via a partner such as Advantage. To ensure that you meet both compliance and security requirements, you may have to be on a supported version of Dynamics NAV due to various industry regulations in place. Furthermore, it can enable you to keep control of costs, plan for the long-term and help to ensure that the Dynamics NAV support lifecycle keeps you up to date on any changes being made to the product and how you can make sure that you are remain on a supported version. 

You will find that the fixed lifecycle policy is for the purposes of businesses that hold a licence for the first version of NAV right up to Business Central version 14 released back in 2018. Furthermore, this comes to include five years of mainstream support and extra years of extended support for the product. 

You will find that the modern lifecycle policy for Business Central version 15 (released at the end of 2019) and beyond is formed of continuous support and service when your solution is hosted by Microsoft as a SaaS product. Furthermore, there is no end date for this as you don’t need to be due to the fact that the platform is constantly upgraded with bug fixes, security patches as well as support directly from Microsoft if you continue to use the system and keep up with your licence payments. As well as this, if you are on Business Central on-premise, these rules won’t apply. 

If you didn’t already know, Microsoft continues to invest in the development of Business Central as well as the surrounding ecosystem of cloud-based applications such as Power BI, Power Automate, Microsoft 365 and many more, clearly outlines where Microsoft is heading. You will find that Business Central online can give your business game changing new features, both functional and developmental updates & a cloud-first approach. This is where ERP is heading, that is for sure. It is important to understand that you can’t rush things so current Dynamics NAV users need to understand that making the move from Dynamics NAV to Business Central needs time, resources and investment from your business. 

As a business using Dynamics NAV, you need to stay on top of any Dynamics NAV support lifecycle changes that happen to ensure that your business can continue to operate without any hinderance. Talking to an experienced and well-known partner such as Advantage will make this decision much easier as we can provide our expert advice and guidance to help you on your journey towards your end goal whatever that may be, it could be helping with an upgrade to Business Central or continuing to be supported on your current version of NAV by a partner who has knowledge and experience supporting this product. 

So, what does the end of mainstream support mean for my business? 

After explaining the way in which Microsoft has changed its policy for both Dynamics NAV and Business Central, let’s help you to gain a comprehensive understanding of what the end of mainstream support for Dynamics NAV means for your business. 

Mainstream support on the whole is given by Microsoft for five years following the release of that version of the product. To give you an example of this, Dynamics NAV 2018 continued to have mainstream support until the beginning of this year. You will find that the support for earlier versions of Dynamics NAV have already ended. By continuing to receive mainstream support means that your solution will be able to receive ERP security updates, new features as well as anything else that helps to guarantee that your solution runs correctly. 

With Dynamics NAV mainstream support coming to an end may mean that some customers will need to reevaluate their current position and plans for the future. In certain cases, some partners are trying to force customers into upgrading and refusing to support older versions of Dynamics NAV. This doesn’t have to be the case as at Advantage, we will continue to support your version of Dynamics NAV without saying that you need to spend out on a massive upgrade. 

Following on from Dynamics NAV mainstream support is ‘extended support’. This runs for an extra five years after mainstream support finishes, but what comes as part of this? 

You will find that extended support gives you access to some extra security patches that your system will gain despite mainstream support ending. It is important to note that for Dynamics NAV 2018, you will be able to get this until the start of 2028. 

Following both the end of mainstream support and extended support, your system will no longer get vital updates that it requires to keep up to date and up to scratch. At this point, the messaging from Microsoft will be to upgrade to Business Central whenever best suits them. 

To put some of what we have described into context, we’ve put together a table below which showcases the Dynamics NAV versions along with the date when their mainstream and extended support ends. If you are eager to talk to one of our experienced team about the end of support, please reach out and we can try and help you as best we can. 

As we mentioned above, at Advantage, we are more than happy to support your system regardless of what version you are currently using. However, it is important to note that we would advise you to have a plan in place to upgrade to Business Central at some point. 

Plan for the future with Business Central 

It is vital that you have a plan in place to make the eventual switch to Business Central. If you are currently using a Dynamics NAV version that is no longer supported, you could be opening your system up to security flaws. It is a fantastic chance for you to move your business as well as your ERP system into the Cloud, where you can receive Microsoft’s latest in security and performance monitoring. 

If you didn’t already know, cloud-based ERP solutions are developing at a rapid rate and by putting the wheels in motion to upgrade your Dynamics NAV solution, you will be able to gain from an up to date and up to scratch platform, from Microsoft’s ERP security updates as well as extra features and functionality. 

Get in touch with our dedicated team today with any queries you may have, regarding your current Dynamics NAV solution or how your business can upgrade to Business Central via one of our Quick Start offerings. 

Are you wanting to get articles delivered into your inbox? This can be done if you are part of our mailing list.