Dynamics NAV is on Microsoft’s Fixed Lifecycle Policy, and the last version, NAV 2018, leaves extended support on 1/12/2028 [1]. No NAV version moves straight to Business Central online: Microsoft’s route goes through Business Central version 14 on-premises, then version 25 or later, then the cloud, or you reimplement [4]. Named partners quote 12 weeks to 12 months for the move, and Stoneridge Software publishes $75,000 to $376,000 by scope [12][13][14][15][17]. Through the move, Morsa, the AI operations layer, reads and writes NAV and Business Central at the same time, so open POs, supplier dates and customer orders stay on track.
Morsa publishes this guide. Every date and route was read on Microsoft’s own pages, and every timeline and cost on the named partner’s own page, on 21 October 2026.
Is Dynamics NAV end of life?
For most versions, yes. Every Dynamics NAV version “follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy” [1], which means a fixed end date for mainstream support (fixes and changes) and a later one for extended support (security updates). Microsoft lists these dates:
NAV 2009 R2
Mainstream support ended: 1/14/2015
Extended support ends: 1/15/2020
Status on 21 October 2026: Out of support
NAV 2013
Mainstream support ended: 1/10/2018
Extended support ends: 1/11/2023
Status on 21 October 2026: Out of support
NAV 2013 R2
Mainstream support ended: 1/10/2018
Extended support ends: 1/11/2023
Status on 21 October 2026: Out of support
NAV 2015
Mainstream support ended: 1/15/2020
Extended support ends: 1/15/2025
Status on 21 October 2026: Out of support
NAV 2016
Mainstream support ended: 4/14/2021
Extended support ends: 4/15/2026
Status on 21 October 2026: Out of support
NAV 2017
Mainstream support ended: 1/12/2022
Extended support ends: 1/12/2027
Status on 21 October 2026: Extended support, ends in under three months
NAV 2018
Mainstream support ended: 1/11/2023
Extended support ends: 1/12/2028
Status on 21 October 2026: Extended support, last NAV version
Source: Microsoft lifecycle pages for each version [1].
Two more dates matter. Business Central version 14, the last version written in the old C/AL code that NAV used and the stepping stone on every NAV route, left support on 10/15/2025 [2]. And newer Business Central on-premises versions follow the Modern Lifecycle Policy, under which Microsoft supports them “only if the customer keeps the deployed software current” [3]. Version 25, the minimum for cloud migration, itself left support on 4/5/2026; version 29 is supported to 4/6/2028 [2].
Some partner pages get these dates wrong. We have seen NAV 2017’s extended support listed as January 2028 (Microsoft says 1/12/2027), NAV 2016 described as still in extended support (it ended 4/15/2026), and claims that no NAV version gets security updates (NAV 2017 and 2018 still do until their dates above). Check your version against Microsoft’s page, not a summary.
Does NAV stop working when support ends? Microsoft’s lifecycle pages describe the end of fixes and security updates, not a shutdown. The risk is running finance, purchasing and production on software with no security patches, on servers and SQL versions that age with it.
What are the Dynamics NAV to Business Central migration paths?
Microsoft describes two paths to Business Central online [4], and a partner can also run a technical upgrade that keeps you on-premises.
Add Morsa first, alongside any path below
What it means: The AI operations layer that runs the daily work (supplier chasing, order entry, delivery dates, shortages) on NAV today and Business Central after. Not an ERP, so it never forces a second migration
What moves: Nothing to migrate: it reads and writes NAV and Business Central at the same time during the move
Who it fits: Every plant and distributor with open POs and customer dates to protect through cutover
Full migration to Business Central online
What it means: Upgrade NAV to Business Central on-premises, then use Microsoft’s cloud migration tool
What moves: “Migrate all data and customizations. Requires converting C/AL customizations to AL extensions and upgrading to the latest version.” [4]
Who it fits: Firms with valuable customizations and long history they want to keep
Technical upgrade, stay on-premises
What it means: Upgrade NAV to the current Business Central on-premises release (version 29) and keep your own servers
What moves: Your database and customizations, converted to AL [5]
Who it fits: Plants that must keep data on site
Reimplementation
What it means: Start a fresh Business Central online company and bring only what you need
What moves: “Migrate only essential business data (master data, balances, subset of posted historical entries, setup). Doesn’t require extension conversion or upgrading beyond version 14.” [4]
Who it fits: Firms whose NAV is heavily customized for processes Business Central now handles as standard
Microsoft adds that “Both paths require upgrading from Dynamics NAV to Business Central version 14 as the first step” [4]. For reimplementation from version 14, Microsoft offers the Business Central 14 Reimplementation tool, which “only supports Business Central version 14” and has “more than 40 migrators” [6]. Its live page marks it “a preview feature” [6]. Partners can also reimplement without it, loading master data and open balances themselves.
Upgrade route by NAV version
This is Microsoft’s exact route to Business Central online [4]:
NAV 2015, 2016, 2017 or 2018
Step 1: Business Central version 14 on-premises
Step 2: Business Central on-premises version 25 or later
Step 3: Business Central online
NAV 2013 or 2013 R2
Step 1: Dynamics NAV 2018
Step 2: Business Central version 14 on-premises
Step 3: Business Central on-premises version 25 or later
Step 4: Business Central online
NAV 2009 SP1 or 2009 R2
Step 1: Dynamics NAV 2013 or 2015
Step 2: NAV 2018
Step 3: Business Central version 14 on-premises
Step 4: Business Central on-premises version 25 or later
Step 5: Business Central online
Why the stop at version 25? Microsoft says: “Starting in 2025 release wave 1 (v26), the direct upgrade from Business Central 2019 (v14) to the latest release won’t be supported. The supported upgrade path will be through 2024 release wave 2 (v25)” [5]. Going from NAV 2015 to 2018 to the current on-premises release (version 29) means version 14, then 25, then 29, and “This path requires you convert your application from C/AL to AL” [5].
Dynamics NAV to Business Central migration: step by step
These steps follow Microsoft’s six phases for NAV (“Preparation for cloud migration”, “Business Central upgrade”, “Cloud migration setup”, “Data replication”, “Data upgrade and completion”, “Post-migration follow-up”) [4], with partner practice added where Microsoft is silent.
Inventory your NAV. Record the version, every customization, add-on, report and integration (EDI, shipping, scanners, e-commerce). Dynamics Square sorts each customization into retain, replace or redesign [16].
Choose the path. Full migration, technical upgrade or reimplementation, using the table above.
Clean the data. Close or remove old customers, vendors and items, and decide how many years of history to bring.
Upgrade to Business Central version 14. From NAV 2015 to 2018 this step is direct [5]; NAV 2013 goes through NAV 2018 first [7].
Convert customizations to extensions. Microsoft is plain: “Any data from tables with code customizations can’t be carried forward unless those customizations are converted to AL extensions” [4].
Upgrade to version 25 or later on-premises. Cloud migration needs “Business Central version 25.0 or later” [8].
Meet the database prerequisites. “SQL Server 2016 SP1 or later”, compatibility level 130 or higher, TCP/IP enabled, SQL Server authentication, and a login with “sysadmin” on the server and “db_owner” on the database. “Azure SQL Managed Instance isn’t supported.” [8]
Set up cloud migration. In Business Central online, run the “Set up Cloud Migration” assisted setup and install Microsoft’s self-hosted integration runtime, a small program on the SQL server that ships the data [9][10].
Replicate the data, in a sandbox first. Microsoft says to “Perform at least one dry run of the full migration in a sandbox environment before the production cutover” [4]. Replication can run many times; after the first run “only changes in data will be migrated” [9].
Run the data upgrade. Choose “Run Data Upgrade Now” on the Cloud Migration Management page [9].
Set up users, permissions and integrations. “Business Central doesn’t migrate most system tables, users, and permissions”, and record links are not migrated [9]. Reconnect every integration.
Cut over and stabilize. Western Computer says that for most mid-market manufacturers and distributors “cutover happens over a weekend or a short planned downtime window”, and the first two to four weeks bring “a volume of questions and minor issues” [13].
What moves to Business Central and what does not
Moves | Does not move, or needs work |
|---|---|
Data in standard tables; Microsoft says “There are no restrictions on the type of data that can be migrated” [11] | Data in customized tables, unless the customization is converted to an AL extension [4] |
Changes since the last run, on each repeat replication [9] | Users and permissions; most system tables; record links [9] |
With the BC14 reimplementation tool: customers, vendors, items, G/L accounts, dimensions, open sales and purchase orders, opening balances, setup [6] | With the reimplementation tool: “Legacy C/AL customizations and their extension data” [6] |
Existing data in the target Business Central online company: it “is overwritten” by each run [9] |
Note for operations: open purchase orders carry quantities and expected dates as recorded in NAV. Supplier promises made by email or phone after the last update are not in NAV at all, so no tool moves them.
How long does NAV to Business Central take?
Microsoft gives no single duration. Named partners publish these:
Partner | Published timeline |
|---|---|
Tigunia [14] | “anywhere from 12 weeks to 8 months” |
Western Computer [13] | “three to nine months”; assessment 2 to 3 weeks, roadmap 2 to 4 weeks, build 6 to 16 weeks, go-live 1 to 2 weeks |
Nevas Technologies [15] | “between 4 and 6 months”; “Upgrades are generally faster than reimplementations” |
Stoneridge Software [12] | “around six months” on average |
Brookland Solutions [17] | “between 6 to 12 months” |
The spread comes from three things: how many versions you must step through, how many customizations need converting, and how many integrations need rebuilding.
How much does NAV to Business Central cost?
Only one named partner publishes dollar ranges for the move itself. Stoneridge Software [12]:
Scope | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Finance | 300 to 500 | $75,000 to $118,000 |
Finance + Distribution | 400 to 900 | $95,000 to $210,000 |
Finance + Distribution + Manufacturing | 800 to 1,600 | $188,000 to $376,000 |
Dynamics Square says “There is no fixed upgrade cost” [16]. Tigunia says to “consult with your partner for a customized quote” [14].
Then add the Business Central subscription: Essentials $80, Premium $110 and Team Members $8 per user per month, paid yearly [18]. A 50-person manufacturer with 15 Premium users, 20 Team Members and 3 shop floor devices pays $23,340 a year in licenses; see the full math and a 200-person example in our Business Central pricing guide.
Worked first year for that 50-person manufacturer (estimate, built from the cited figures): $23,340 in licenses plus $188,000 to $376,000 for a Finance + Distribution + Manufacturing move at Stoneridge’s range = $211,340 to $399,340. Five years: 5 x $23,340 = $116,700 plus the move = $304,700 to $492,700, before support plans, apps and your own staff time.
Discounts: Dynamics Square and other partners report a Microsoft “Bridge to Cloud 3” promotion of 30% off qualifying three-year subscriptions for eligible NAV and Business Central on-premises customers enrolling between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2027 [16]. We did not find it on a Microsoft page, so ask your partner for Microsoft’s written terms.
What to keep running during the move
A NAV migration ties up your best people (the controller, the purchasing lead, the planner) for months, while customers keep ordering and suppliers keep shipping. The work that suffers first is the daily follow-through: chasing a supplier whose date slipped, telling a customer when their order really ships, catching the shortage before it stops a line. Keep these running and owned by name:
Open purchase orders and supplier dates. Export every open PO with vendor, item, remaining quantity, expected date and the last supplier confirmation. Ask suppliers to reconfirm before cutover.
Customer orders and promise dates. List every open sales order with its promised ship date, and who tells the customer if it moves.
Inventory and receiving. Count before cutover, and freeze receipts for the shortest window you can.
EDI and integrations. Test each one in the sandbox; a silent EDI failure in week one looks like a customer who stopped ordering.
Month-end. Pick a cutover away from month-end and your busiest shipping weeks.
Keep open POs, supplier dates and customer orders on track through cutover
This is where Morsa comes first. Morsa is an AI operations layer that connects to several ERPs at once and reads and writes both, so during the move it works in NAV and Business Central at the same time. It reads open POs and supplier emails, chases suppliers from the buyer’s own mailbox before due dates, reads their replies and updates the date in the ERP. When a date slips, it shows which production runs and customer orders it hits and proposes the fix for one-tap approval. It enters customer orders from emails and PDF POs, answers where-is-my-order with the ETA and carrier tracking, and gives every promise an owner and a date until there is proof.
So the list of supplier commitments and customer promises does not live only in NAV or only in Business Central: Morsa holds it across both, and after go-live it checks each open PO line and promise date in Business Central against what was agreed before cutover. With Business Central online it connects through Microsoft’s APIs and webhooks, reading purchase orders, vendors, items, inventory, production orders, BOMs, routings and shipments. It runs in Morsa’s cloud, a private cloud or fully on-premise, including the AI models, which suits plants that stay on Business Central on-premises.
Your Microsoft partner moves the data and converts the code; Morsa runs the operations work around the move, and keeps running after it. It goes live in days, not months, so it is already chasing suppliers before your partner finishes the assessment. Method: how to automate supplier follow-up on open purchase orders.
What does that look like in a real plant?
At J4S, a 120-person glass plant, on-time completion of operational commitments rose from about 30% to about 75% across about 900 commitments in the first four weeks, two days from first connection to live actions [19]. At JRG Automotive, Morsa identified 5 of 8 production-stopping material shortages early enough to act and saved the plant $2 million [20].
Start with a pilot on one live problem, such as the open POs behind one line across the cutover window. No per-seat licences, no new software or training cost, live in days, and Morsa’s terms: “We’ll catch a shortage in your plant, or you don’t pay.”
Book a demo: https://cal.com/morsa
Sources
Microsoft Learn, Dynamics NAV lifecycle pages: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2009-r2 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2013 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2013-r2 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2015 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2016 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2017 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-nav-2018 (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Business Central on-premises lifecycle (Fixed Policy, versions 13 and 14): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-365-business-central-onpremises-fixed-policy ; (Modern Policy, versions 15 and later): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/dynamics-365-business-central-onpremises-modern-policy (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Business Central on-premises lifecycle policy: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/terms/lifecycle-policy-on-premises (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Migrate from Dynamics NAV to Business Central online: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/migrate-nav (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Business Central upgrade paths: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/upgrade/upgrade-paths (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Business Central 14 reimplementation tool: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/migrate-bc14-reimplementation (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Upgrading to Business Central on-premises: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/upgrade/upgrading-to-business-central-on-premises (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Cloud migration prerequisites: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/cloud-migration-prerequisites (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Migrate Business Central on-premises to online: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/migrate-business-central-on-premises (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Cloud migration setup overview: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/migration-setup-overview (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft Learn, Cloud migration FAQ: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/faq-migrate-data (read 21 October 2026)
Stoneridge Software, Ensure an efficient upgrade from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central: https://stoneridgesoftware.com/ensure-an-efficient-upgrade-from-dynamics-nav-to-dynamics-365-business-central/ (read 21 October 2026)
Western Computer, NAV to Business Central: https://www.westerncomputer.com/services/nav-to-business-central/ ; step-by-step guide: https://www.westerncomputer.com/resources/blog/step-by-step-guide-migrating-dynamics-nav-to-business-central (read 21 October 2026)
Tigunia, NAV to Business Central upgrade: https://tigunia.com/services/nav-to-business-central-upgrade/ (read 21 October 2026)
Nevas Technologies, Dynamics NAV to Business Central upgrade: https://www.nevastech.com/services/dynamics-nav-to-business-central-upgrade (read 21 October 2026)
Dynamics Square, Process to migrate Dynamics NAV to Business Central: https://www.dynamicssquare.com/blog/process-to-migrate-dynamics-nav-to-business-central (read 21 October 2026)
Brookland Solutions, The path from Dynamics NAV to Business Central: https://www.brooklandsolutions.com/future-proof-your-business-the-path-from-dynamics-nav-to-business-central/ (read 21 October 2026)
Microsoft, Dynamics 365 Business Central pricing: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics-365/products/business-central/pricing (read 21 October 2026)
Morsa, J4S customer story: https://morsa.ai/customers/j4s (read 21 October 2026)
Morsa pricing: https://morsa.ai/pricing (read 21 October 2026)
