NAV Upgrade Specialists · Sydney & Melbourne
NAV to Business Central Upgrade — Sydney & Melbourne
Microsoft Dynamics NAV has reached the end of its commercial life.
Eagle360 has migrated NAV customers since the Navision days and provides fixed-price upgrade paths that preserve customisations, reports, and integrations. Mainstream support for NAV 2018 ended in 2023; extended support runs out in 2028.
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Version Compatibility
NAV version upgrade paths for the Australian market
Microsoft supports direct upgrades to Business Central from NAV 2015 onwards. Earlier versions require a two-step upgrade path. The table below shows the realistic upgrade approach for each NAV version still in production in Australia.
| Current NAV Version | Upgrade Path | Typical Timeline | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAV 2009 / 2009 R2 | Two-step: NAV 2018 → Business Central | 16–24 weeks | High |
| NAV 2013 / 2013 R2 | Two-step: NAV 2017 → Business Central | 14–20 weeks | Medium-High |
| NAV 2015 | Direct upgrade to Business Central | 12–18 weeks | Medium |
| NAV 2016 | Direct upgrade to Business Central | 10–16 weeks | Medium |
| NAV 2017 | Direct upgrade to Business Central | 10–14 weeks | Low-Medium |
| NAV 2018 | Direct upgrade to Business Central | 8–14 weeks | Low |
Complexity ratings assume a standard mid-market customer with typical customisation depth (15–40 modified objects). Heavily customised environments add 20–50% to the standard timeline.
Standard Upgrade Timeline
NAV-to-BC upgrade in 13–17 weeks
The Eagle360 NAV-to-BC upgrade follows a structured timeline. The example below assumes a NAV 2017 or 2018 customer with moderate customisation depth.
Weeks 1–2
Discovery
Object-level review of customisations, integration audit, data quality assessment, and fixed-price upgrade proposal.
Weeks 3–4
Migration design
Decide which customisations to migrate as AL extensions, which to replace with standard BC, and which to retire. Plan integration replatform.
Weeks 5–8
Code migration
Convert C/AL objects to AL extensions. Refactor where required. Build replacement integrations on modern APIs.
Weeks 9–10
Data migration
Test data migration in a sandbox. Reconcile balances. Test reports and workflows end-to-end with key users.
Weeks 11-12
UAT
Structured UAT with key business users. Sign-off by process area. Final defect resolution.
Weeks 13
Cutover
Final data migration over the cutover weekend, integration switch-over, go-live, and day-1 support.
Weeks 14–17
Hypercare
Dedicated hypercare team, daily standups, rapid resolution. Transition to managed support at week 17.
Customisation Strategy
What happens to your NAV customisations?
The biggest concern of every NAV customer is what happens to the customisations they have paid to build over the years. Eagle360 follows a structured decision framework for each customisation.
Option 1: Migrate as AL extension
Keep the customisation, convert C/AL to AL, and deploy as an extension. Best for genuinely unique business logic that delivers ongoing value.
Option 3: Replace with an ISV app
Some custom code (document management, expense management, EDI) is better replaced with mature ISV apps like Continia or Tasklet.
Option 4: Retire
Most NAV customers have customisations that are no longer used. The upgrade is the right moment to retire them and simplify.
Boardroom Limited case study
Eagle360 successfully upgraded Boardroom Limited from NAV 2015 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, transforming financial and operational processes with cloud-based, scalable ERP. The migration improved data accessibility, remote work capabilities, and system integration and unlocked AI-driven features and integrations that were not possible on the legacy NAV platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about NAV to Business Central upgrades
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to our team directly, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
When does Microsoft Dynamics NAV end of support happen?
Mainstream support for Dynamics NAV 2018 ended on 10 January 2023. Extended support (security updates only) runs until 11 January 2028. Earlier NAV versions are already past extended support. After January 2028, NAV is fully unsupported by Microsoft. Australian businesses on any NAV version should plan a migration to Business Central within the next 12–24 months. Mainstream support for Dynamics NAV 2018 ended on 10 January 2023. Extended support (security updates only) runs until 11 January 2028. Earlier NAV versions are already past extended support. After January 2028, NAV is fully unsupported by Microsoft. Australian businesses on any NAV version should plan a migration to Business Central within the next 12–24 months.
How long does a NAV to Business Central upgrade take?
A standard NAV to Business Central upgrade in Australia takes 8–24 weeks depending on the NAV version and customisation depth. NAV 2018 customers with light customisation complete in 8–14 weeks. NAV 2015–2017 customers take 10–18 weeks. NAV 2013 and earlier require a two-step migration path of 14–24 weeks. Eagle360 provides a fixed-price upgrade proposal after a structured 1–2 week discovery phase.
How much does it cost to upgrade from NAV to Business Central?
A NAV to Business Central upgrade in Australia typically costs AUD $60,000–$200,000 fixed-price, depending on NAV version, number of customisations to migrate, and integration complexity. Light-touch upgrades from NAV 2017 or 2018 with minimal customisation sit at the lower end ($60k–$100k). Heavy customisation or two-step upgrades from NAV 2013 and earlier sit at the higher end. Microsoft licences are billed separately.
Can I keep my NAV customisations in Business Central?
Yes. C/AL customisations from NAV can be migrated to AL extensions in Business Central. However, the upgrade is usually the right moment to review each customisation. Eagle360 typically finds that 30–50% of customisations should be retired (no longer used), 20–30% should be replaced with native Business Central functionality, and only 30–40% genuinely need to be migrated as AL extensions. This reduces ongoing maintenance and accelerates future updates.
What is the difference between Dynamics NAV and Business Central?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the cloud-and-on-premises successor to Dynamics NAV. The underlying data model and business logic are largely the same — Business Central is fundamentally the same product evolved. Key differences are: Business Central uses AL extensions instead of C/AL customisation; Business Central has a modern web and mobile UI; Business Central is available as SaaS on Microsoft’s cloud; and Business Central has native integration to Power Platform, Copilot, and the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Should I move to Business Central cloud (SaaS) or on-premises?
Most Australian NAV customers should move to Business Central SaaS (cloud). The cloud version has automatic updates, no infrastructure overhead, native integration to Microsoft 365 and Copilot, and lower total cost of ownership over five years. Business Central on-premises is the right choice only for businesses with specific sovereignty requirements, very large transaction volumes that exceed SaaS limits, or integration patterns that require on-premises servers. Eagle360 implements both options.
Will my reports and integrations still work after the NAV upgrade?
Custom reports in NAV use the RDLC report layout, which is supported in Business Central. Reports usually need minor adjustments but rarely need rebuilding from scratch. Integrations are usually replatformed during the upgrade because NAV-era integration patterns (NAS, Web Services, ODBC) are replaced with modern API-based integration in Business Central. Eagle360 plans integration replatforming as part of the upgrade scope rather than as a later project.
Can I upgrade NAV to Business Central without business downtime?
Most NAV to Business Central upgrades go live over a weekend cutover with minimal business downtime. The pattern is: Friday close of business, final data migration runs Saturday, integrations switch over Sunday, business users on Business Central from Monday morning. For very large or complex environments, a phased cutover by entity or business unit may be appropriate. Eagle360 plans a cutover approach during the design phase based on each customer’s tolerance for change.
Plan your NAV upgrade with confidence
Book a free upgrade assessment with a senior Eagle360 consultant. We’ll review your NAV environment, identify upgrade complexity, and give you an honest timeline and budget — even before you commit to anything.