Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Upgrade Dynamics NAV to Business Central in Hong Kong
Move from an ageing NAV (Navision) system to Business Central in the cloud — keep your data and history, retire custom code you no longer need, and stay secure and current with Microsoft's evergreen updates.
Book an Upgrade Assessment
Why staying on NAV is getting riskier
- Older NAV versions are out of Microsoft support — no new security fixes for known weaknesses
- Servers, SQL and Windows versions age out, making hardware replacement risky
- Fewer developers know older NAV versions, so fixes take longer and cost more
- Hard to connect e-commerce, banks, mobile and AI tools
- No Copilot or AI features, which only arrive on Business Central
Which NAV versions can be upgraded?
We upgrade Navision 4.x and 5.x, NAV 2009, and Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 to 2018. The project can be simple or complex, depending on your customisations, data volume and how complex your workflows are.
- Navision 4.x
- Navision 5.x
- NAV 2009
- NAV 2013
- NAV 2015
- NAV 2016
- NAV 2017
- NAV 2018
What the upgrade assessment covers
Strategic alignment
- Stakeholder interviews and workshops
- Capture operational problems and improvement goals
- Link the upgrade to your business plans
Current system review
- Review NAV customisations and workflows against how you work today
- Decide which customisations and reports to keep or retire
- Choose full or selective data migration
Solution design
- Recommend the upgrade approach that fits
- Set the roadmap, timeline and resources
- Agree success measures and a change plan for users
Three ways to upgrade — choose the right path
The best approach depends on your current NAV system, your goals and how much history you need to keep.
1. Full upgrade
Move all needed customisations (rebuilt as extensions) and full transaction history.
Best for: Businesses that need continuity and audit history
Benefits
- Business continuity
- Less retraining
- Keeps audit and compliance records
Consider
- Higher complexity and cost
- Longer timeline
2. Functional upgrade
Use standard Business Central features and move only key master data such as customers, vendors and items.
Best for: Fast go-live and simpler processes
Benefits
- Faster deployment
- Lower cost and less old custom code
- Chance to simplify processes
Consider
- Processes need redesigning
- Some short-term disruption
3. Reimplementation
A fresh Business Central setup with redesigned workflows; only critical data is imported and older history can be archived.
Best for: Heavily customised or very old NAV systems
Benefits
- Modern, future-ready setup
- Simpler system
- Easier future updates
Consider
- Needs careful planning and management buy-in
- More effort redesigning processes
What you gain with Business Central
Works with Microsoft 365
Outlook, Excel, Teams and Power BI work together with your ERP.
Stronger features
Improved finance, warehouse and analytics features compared with NAV.
Grows with you
Handles more users, transactions and data without changing systems.
Cloud access
Lower upfront cost, access from anywhere and automatic updates.
Copilot and AI
Insights, forecasts and automation built into daily work.
Upgrade-safe customisation
Extensions add features without changing the core, so updates stay smooth.
Security and control
Multi-factor sign-in, role-based access and audit trails.
Always current
Microsoft keeps investing, with regular feature and security updates.
Upgrade steps and typical timeline
Timing depends on your NAV version, data volume and customisations; we confirm a plan after the assessment.
- 1
Assessment 1–2 weeks
Review NAV version, customisations, add-ons, reports and integrations; decide what to keep, replace with standard features or retire.
- 2
Design and licensing 1–2 weeks
Map processes to Business Central, plan extensions and check BTC3 eligibility for licences.
- 3
Rebuild and data migration 4–10 weeks
Rebuild needed customisations as extensions, migrate data to a sandbox and run test migrations.
- 4
Testing and training 2–4 weeks
Users test real daily scenarios; key users and staff are trained.
- 5
Go-live and support 1–2 weeks
Final data cut-over, go-live, and hyper-care support for the first month-end.
What migrates to Business Central
- Master data: customers, vendors, items, chart of accounts, dimensions
- Open documents and balances: open orders, open entries, inventory
- Historical transactions, as agreed in the assessment
- Customisations rebuilt as extensions — or replaced by standard features
- Reports re-created, often with Power BI or Excel integration
- Integrations reconnected through APIs
Microsoft Bridge to the Cloud 3 (BTC3) offer
- 30% off standard list price for Dynamics 365 online licences, including Business Central
- Enrol between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2027
- Fixed, non-cancellable 3-year term; normal pricing applies afterwards
- For existing on-premises customers (licences bought before 1 September 2024) who have not used BTC1 or BTC2
- Enhancement Plan status affects eligibility — we check it for you
Summary only. Microsoft's official terms apply and may change.
Microsoft's BTC3 terms and FAQ discussion →Frequently asked questions
Related Business Central topics
Find out your upgrade path, timeline and BTC3 eligibility.
Our Hong Kong team reviews your NAV system and gives you a clear plan.
Book an Upgrade Assessment