Ever since the launch of Microsoft D365 Business Central (formerly known as Microsoft Dynamics Navision) in India, there have been a lot of questions among the customers & the current Dynamics NAV Users in the market. In this blog, we explore the latest developments & try to address the major questions.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING DYNAMICS NAV
Dynamics NAV has been rebranded as Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises. From 31st March 2021 onwards, Microsoft has stopped selling Dynamics NAV to new customers. However, the existing Dynamics NAV customers would be able to purchase new licenses for their solution as required.
Dynamics NAV 2016 would be the last version under the NAV brand name in India. The Microsoft Mainstream support for Dynamics NAV 2016 will end on 13th April 2021. It will no longer release upgrades for Dynamics NAV 2016 and earlier NAV versions after 13th April 2021.
WHAT IS MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365 BUSINESS CENTRAL?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a comprehensive business management solution for streamlining the small & medium sized businesses. It offers customized and easily tailored solutions to suit the requirement of businesses and can be deployed either in cloud or on premise.
Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises has been available to new customers since April 1, 2021. It has the same application features and functions as the Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud version. However, the main difference is the platform on which it is hosted and the licensing models.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR DYNAMICS NAV CUSTOMERS?
Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises and Dynamics NAV run the same application code base. Therefore, for existing customers, this would be a similar process in terms of upgrading their Dynamics NAV. Nevertheless, they will have to take into consideration variables such as where they are in terms of their BREP (Business Ready Enhancement Plan), what to do with their customizations along with the pricing and licensing differences.
OPTIONS FOR CURRENT DYNAMICS NAV CUSTOMERS
- Migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud – By migrating to Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud, customers would get all the benefits of a true cloud solution such as easy 24/7 access anywhere from any device with Microsoft’s secure servers, seamless upgrades, easy integration building through web APIs, and reduced hardware costs. Customers interested in the cloud solution must know that Dynamics 365 Business Central offers unprecedented opportunities for their business. The Microsoft cloud technologies & services would not only enhance their business performance but also empower their business in the age of “Digital Transformation”.
- Upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business central on-premises and try Intelligent Cloud Insights – By Upgrading to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises solution, customers can benefit from Intelligent Could Insights. As the name suggests, Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises is built for on-premises deployment. It can be hosted on a client server or Azure, but it cannot offer the same seamless experience as a fully managed cloud-based solution. However, as a customer if you want to host the software at your location now & migrate to cloud later, then this is a good solution for you.
- Renew BREP (Business Ready Enhancement Plan) without migrating or upgrading – Customers have the option to stay on their current system by renewing their BREP.
TRANSITIONING TO DYNAMICS 365 BUSINESS CENTRAL
Why should the Current Dynamics Nav Customers Migrate? The Current Customers are not required to migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central. However, to stay updated and enjoy the latest functionalities, we suggest that they upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central. And as mentioned earlier, since Dynamics NAV mainstream support has come to an end by 13th April 2021, Microsoft will no longer release upgrades for Dynamics NAV 2016 and earlier NAV versions after April 13th, 2021.
Migrate Customizations & Integrations To Dynamics 365 Business Central: Customers can migrate their customizations and integrations by upgrading to Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises and then converting their customizations to extensions. As part of a customer’s transition, we suggest that they evaluate their customizations and integrations and accordingly determine which ones are still required or are cost-effective to redevelop for Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Discount For Existing Dynamics Nav Customers : Till June 30, 2021, Microsoft is offering a 40% discount on Business Central licenses for any existing Microsoft Dynamics customer using Dynamics NAV & Dynamics AX. But this discount only applies to Dynamics 365 Business Central cloud subscription licenses. Customers cannot use it for Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises licenses or perpetual licenses.
Do Customers Have To Pay For Cloud Hosting? If customers opt to use Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud, they will not have to pay separately for cloud hosting, as everything is included in one fee–including software, cloud hosting, and management services. However, if customers host Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises in their cloud or on Azure, they will have to pay for the software as well as the cloud hosting service.
Can Customers migrate from Dynamics 365 Business Central (cloud version) to Dynamics 365 Business Central (on-premises)? Customers cannot migrate from Dynamics 365 Business Central (cloud version) to Dynamics 365 Business Central (on-premises). There is no such migration path available.
DYNAMICS 365 BUSINESS CENTRAL FUNCTIONALITY & FEATURES
Can customers customize Dynamics 365 Business Central ? Customers can customize Dynamics 365 Business Central with the new Extensions model. They need to use the event-based model & cannot change standard code. At the same time, it is not mandatory for customers to deploy their extensions to AppSource. Extensions can be developed and deployed per tenant
Content Updates In Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud and on-premises: Microsoft will release updates for Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises twice per year i.e. in April and October. The cloud platform will be automatically updated monthly by Microsoft, while the on-premises application will have cumulative updates.
Intelligent Cloud Insights and how can customers get access to it ? Intelligent Cloud Insights is a feature within Dynamics 365 Business Central that allows customers to replicate their existing on-premises data to Dynamics 365 Business Central Hub in the cloud and then use that hub as the data point to execute the powerful cloud solutions such as Machine Learning, Flow, Power BI etc. This can be the starting point to utilize the cloud in a seamless way, thus providing options on the journey and see it in action. With anytime, anywhere access using a web browser, tablet, or even a mobile app, all users can take advantage of seeing their data in the cloud.
Is the Windows Client available for Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises? The Windows Client is still available. However, we suggest that customers switch to the Web Client for future use.
Can customers buy Dynamics 365 Business Central by themselves ? No, customers will need to contact a Microsoft partner to buy Dynamics 365 Business Central
Is there a demo environment in Dynamics 365 Business Central ? Customers can contact their partners who can further help them to understand & see DEMO of Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Why should customers trust that the Microsoft is cloud secure ? Microsoft invests more than $1B a year in Dynamics Azure to ensure unmatched security and governance. It also employs more than 3,500 security experts to protect customers information. Microsoft collaborates with industry and regulators to build trust in the cloud ecosystem guided by the following principles:
- Security – Protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data
- Privacy and control – Control access to and use of your data
- Compliance – Stored and managed with applicable laws, regulators, and standards
- Transparency – Visibility into how your data is handled and used
Where is my data physically stored in the cloud? Your data is stored in one of Microsoft’s several data centers in the same country in which you are located. You can learn more about Microsoft security here( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business)
We hope that through this blog we are able to solve majority of your queries. Our team at Dhyey (https://dhyey.com/) works round the clock to assist businesses in their growth journey. As a Microsoft Gold Partner with over 11+ years of Industry experience, we can assure you a seamless transition experience from Microsoft Dynamics Nav to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. For more details, contact us at enquiry@dhyey.com.
At the same time, If your company is looking for ERP services in Gujarat or anywhere in India or around the globe, drop us an email at enquiry@dhyey.com. We would be glad to set up a free demo for your brand.
