Migrating from NAV to Business Central

Business Central NAV Migration ERP
February 1, 2026
4 min read
By Maksymilian Meller

Table of Contents

This is a list of all the sections in this post. Click on any of them to jump to that section.

Why Migrate from NAV?

Microsoft Dynamics NAV has served businesses well for decades, but mainstream support for older versions has ended. Business Central — the cloud-first successor to NAV — offers modern features, continuous updates, and seamless integration with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

The question is no longer if you should migrate, but how to do it with minimal disruption.

Understanding the Migration Path

The migration path depends on your current NAV version:

  • NAV 2018 — can be upgraded directly to Business Central on-premises, then migrated to the cloud
  • NAV 2016/2017 — requires an intermediate upgrade to NAV 2018 first
  • NAV 2013–2015 — may need a two-step upgrade path through NAV 2018
  • NAV 2009 and earlier — typically requires a data-only migration approach

For most organizations, Microsoft recommends a cloud migration rather than an in-place upgrade, as it provides the cleanest result.

Planning Your Migration

A successful migration starts with thorough planning. Here are the key phases:

Phase 1: Assessment

  • Inventory all customizations (C/AL code, reports, integrations)
  • Document current business processes and workflows
  • Identify data that needs to migrate vs. data that can be archived
  • Assess third-party add-ons and their BC compatibility
  • Evaluate the skill gap in your team (C/AL to AL transition)

Phase 2: Design

  • Decide on deployment model: SaaS, on-premises, or hybrid
  • Map C/AL customizations to AL extensions
  • Plan the data migration strategy (cloud migration tool vs. RapidStart)
  • Design the integration architecture for external systems
  • Create a testing strategy and define acceptance criteria

Phase 3: Build

  • Develop AL extensions to replace C/AL customizations
  • Configure Business Central to match current business processes
  • Build data migration packages using the cloud migration tools
  • Set up integrations with external systems
  • Create user training materials

Phase 4: Test and Go-Live

  • Execute a full trial migration with production data
  • Run parallel operations for a defined period
  • Train end users on the new interface and workflows
  • Plan the go-live cutover during a low-activity period
  • Monitor closely during the first weeks after migration

Common Challenges

Customization Conversion

The shift from C/AL to AL is the biggest technical challenge. Key differences include:

  • Extension model — you can no longer modify base objects directly; everything must be done through extensions
  • Event-based architecture — use event subscribers instead of direct code modifications
  • New data types — interfaces, enums, and other modern language features
  • Dependency management — extensions declare dependencies explicitly in app.json

Data Migration

Moving data from NAV to Business Central requires careful attention to:

  • Data cleansing — fix inconsistencies before migration, not after
  • Custom tables — plan how custom table data will be mapped
  • Historical data — decide how much transaction history to migrate
  • Dimension values — ensure dimension structures are compatible

User Adoption

The Business Central web client looks and feels different from the NAV Windows client. Users need time to adjust to:

  • The browser-based interface
  • Role-based personalization
  • New search and navigation patterns
  • Mobile access capabilities

Tools and Resources

Microsoft provides several tools to assist with migration:

  • Cloud Migration Tool — automates data replication from NAV to BC cloud
  • Code Conversion Tool — helps convert C/AL code to AL (requires manual review)
  • RapidStart Services — for configuring and importing data packages
  • Upgrade Toolkit — AL objects for handling data upgrade logic

Key Takeaways

  • Start planning your migration early — the process involves multiple phases and stakeholders
  • Focus on converting customizations to the extension model rather than replicating C/AL patterns
  • Data cleansing before migration saves significant time and effort
  • Invest in user training — the modern web client is a significant change for NAV users
  • Consider engaging an experienced partner to guide the migration process