Microsoft Dynamics NAV has been one of the most successful ERP systems and has helped numerous companies pave their way to success. Best suited for small and medium-sized enterprises, this powerful system has helped many businesses pave the way to their success. But now that Microsoft has ended active support for Dynamics NAV, businesses must upgrade to Dynamics 365 Business Central – the latest and more advanced version of NAV. So before you plan a migration from Dynamics NAV to Business Central, it’s essential to understand the history and evolution of this ERP system, and how it has transformed into one of the best enterprise tool for SMEs.
The Journey From Dynamics NAV to Business Central
The history and evolution of Dynamics NAV, Microsoft’s business solutions software, trace back to 1983 when Personal Computing & Consulting (PC&C) was founded in Denmark. Initially, in 1985, PC&C introduced PCPlus, a single-user accounting software tailored for small businesses. Two years later, an enhanced version known as Navigator emerged as a client-server application, marking the inception of what would eventually become Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
In 1990, the application underwent a name change to Navision, coinciding with the release of version 3.0 and the expansion of its reach beyond Denmark to Spain, Germany, and the UK. The software continued to evolve, with the release of Navision Financials Windows 95 version in 1995. The company itself underwent a name change to Navision Software A/C during this period.
A significant milestone occurred in 2000 when Navision merged with Damgaard A/S, its major competitor in Denmark. The resulting entity went through a series of name changes, first becoming NavisionDamgaard A/S and then simplifying to Navision A/S. In 2002, Microsoft made a pivotal move by acquiring Navision and incorporating it into their suite of Microsoft Business Solutions.
The subsequent years saw the rebranding of Navision to Dynamics NAV in 2005, marking a shift in nomenclature. The software continued to advance with the release of Dynamics NAV 2009 in 2008, followed by subsequent versions such as NAV 2009 R2 (2010), NAV 2013 (2012), NAV 2015 (2014), NAV 2016 (2015), and NAV 2017 (2016). The final iteration, NAV 2018, was released in 2017.
Post-NAV 2018, Microsoft took a strategic step by introducing Dynamics 365 Business Central as the successor to Dynamics NAV. This transition represented a broader shift towards integrated cloud-based solutions and marked the end of the standalone Dynamics NAV era. That is why businesses that use NAV ERP should consider upgrading to Business Central.
The history and evolution of Dynamics NAV to Business Central reflects its journey from a Danish accounting software to a globally recognized business solution under the Microsoft umbrella.
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Here is the Infographic which shows the evolution of Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP from PC-Plus in 1984:
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