Microsoft’s Navision platform, also known as NAV, has been the go to ERP system for small and medium sized businesses. But NAV has been superceded by Microsoft Business Central, which you probably already know about!
The table below gives you the dates when ‘Mainstream Support’ and ‘Extended Support’ runs out. But what does ‘end of support’ mean?
Dynamics NAV support lifecycle
The Dynamics NAV support lifecycle refers to the period during which Microsoft provides support, updates, and bug fixes for different versions of Dynamics NAV. This lifecycle typically includes three phases:
Mainstream Support: During this phase, Microsoft offers full support, including new features, security updates, and non-security updates. Users can request functional fixes and receive regular updates.
Extended Support: Once the mainstream support period ends, Dynamics NAV enters extended support. During this phase, Microsoft provides security updates and paid support, but no new features or non-security updates are offered.
End of Support: After the extended support period, the product reaches the end of its lifecycle, and Microsoft no longer provides any updates or support for that version. Users are encouraged to upgrade to a newer version to continue receiving support and updates.
If you are still using NAV, the dates when support for your particular version runs out are listed below. If you’re on the earlier versions then support has already ended!
As NAV is an ‘on-premise’ implementation, for completeness we have included ‘on-premise’ versions of Business Central in the support table.
End of Support Dates for NAVISION
| NAV Version | Mainstream Support Ends | Extended Support Ends |
| NAV 2009 R2 | January 13th 2015 | January 14th 2020 |
| NAV 2013 | September 1st 2018 | January 10th 2023 |
| NAV 2013 R2 | September 1st 2018 | January 10th 2023 |
| NAV 2015 | January 14th 2020 | January 14th 2025 |
| NAV 2016 | April 13th 2021 | April 14th 2026 |
| NAV 2017 | January 11th 2022 | January 11th 2027 |
| NAV 2018 | January 10th 2023 | January 11th 2028 |
| Business Central V13 | January 10th 2023 | October 14th 2025 |
| Business Central V14 | April 1st 2024 | October 14th 2025 |
What are your options when support ends?
For many organisations Navision has become essential to the daily operations of a business.
Even the extended supports have passed there some who have continued using Nav with support from their Microsoft Partner. This is not ideal as there are no updates, particularly security updates, being developed by Microsoft.
However, sometimes it can become a major project for a company to migrate from NAV. This requires careful planning and dedicated resources to ensure a smooth migration without impacting the day today operations of the business.
With the help of a Microsoft Partner the migration will be planned and organised to move the customer to Business Central or to give it its full name – Dynamics 365 Business Central.
In short, you could stay on your current release of NAV for little longer, with the full understanding their are risks by doing so.
Or plan and organise a migration to Business Central.
Why Migrate to Business Central
For starters, you’ll get the latest version of the ERP platform and get regular updates of Business Central, both functional and security.
Business Central offers a modern, cloud-based solution with better scalability, flexibility, and accessibility compared to on-premises NAV. The cloud-first approach integrates Business Central with other Microsoft Dynamics 365 products, enhancing collaboration and operational efficiency.
Business Central provides a more user-friendly interface and enables remote work, allowing access to the system from anywhere. Its web-based responsive design is modern and easier to use compared to NAV’s dated interface.
Migrating to Business Central unlocks access to new functionalities such as AI, ML, Power BI, and a vast ecosystem of third-party apps and extensions. This enables businesses to automate processes, gain real-time insights, and tailor the system to their specific needs.
Business Central offers flexible deployment options (cloud, on-premises, hybrid), allowing businesses to choose the model that best fits their requirements. Although the cloud based option is recommended so regular updates can applied as they become available by Microsoft.
The migration to the cloud enables businesses to reduce costs by eliminating the need to maintain on-premises servers and offers competitive per-user per-month licensing. Business Central also provides automatic upgrades, ensuring businesses always have access to the latest features and security updates.
If you’re still using Navision and considering your options to migrate to Business Central, then get in touch by filling in the details below. Take advantage of our 25% discount if this is your first project with us!