Microsoft is ending support for Dynamics NAV because the product has been superseded by its cloud-based successor, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Microsoft follows a fixed lifecycle policy for all its products, and for most Dynamics NAV versions, mainstream support has already ended. Extended support for the remaining versions reaches its final deadline in 2027, after which Microsoft will no longer release security updates, bug fixes, or provide technical assistance. Below, we answer the most important questions organisations running NAV need to understand right now.
What does ‘end of support’ mean for Dynamics NAV users?
End of support means Microsoft will no longer provide security patches, bug fixes, compliance updates, or technical support for Dynamics NAV after the deadline. Your system will continue to run, but any vulnerabilities discovered after that date will remain unaddressed. For organisations in regulated industries or those handling sensitive data, this creates real exposure.
In practical terms, end of support affects three areas. First, security: unpatched vulnerabilities become permanent weaknesses in your IT environment. Second, compliance: your ERP system may no longer meet regulatory or audit requirements if it cannot receive updates. Third, vendor support: Microsoft partners and independent software vendors will gradually stop certifying their add-ons and integrations against NAV, making it harder to get help when things go wrong.
Running an unsupported system is not an immediate shutdown, but it is a growing liability that compounds over time.
Which versions of Dynamics NAV are affected by the 2027 deadline?
The 2027 end-of-support deadline primarily applies to Dynamics NAV 2018, which is the last version released under the NAV name before Microsoft rebranded the product as Business Central. Extended support for NAV 2018 ends on 11 January 2028, making 2027 the practical window for planning and executing a migration.
Earlier versions have already passed their support deadlines. NAV 2017 reached the end of extended support in January 2027, and versions such as NAV 2016, NAV 2015, and older releases have been out of support for several years. If your organisation is still running any of these, you are already operating without Microsoft’s safety net.
The table below gives a quick overview of key NAV versions and their support status:
- Dynamics NAV 2013 / 2013 R2: Extended support ended January 2023
- Dynamics NAV 2015: Extended support ended January 2025
- Dynamics NAV 2016: Extended support ended April 2026
- Dynamics NAV 2017: Extended support ended January 2027
- Dynamics NAV 2018: Extended support ends January 2028
If you are unsure which version your organisation runs, check with your internal IT team or your current Microsoft partner before making any planning decisions.
What are the risks of staying on Dynamics NAV after 2027?
Staying on Dynamics NAV after the support deadline exposes your organisation to security vulnerabilities, compliance gaps, integration failures, and increasing operational costs. These risks do not appear all at once, but they accumulate steadily and become harder to manage the longer you wait.
From a security perspective, any exploit discovered in NAV after the support deadline will never receive an official patch. Attackers actively target legacy systems precisely because vendors no longer fix known weaknesses. From a compliance angle, finance and data protection regulations increasingly require organisations to run supported software, and an audit finding on this point can carry real consequences.
Operationally, the risks are just as significant. Third-party add-ons and integrations will stop receiving updates for NAV, creating compatibility problems as your broader technology stack evolves. Finding consultants who still work with older NAV versions will become progressively more difficult and expensive. And when something breaks, there is no Microsoft support line to call.
For organisations with complex data migration requirements, waiting also increases the technical debt involved in moving to a new platform. The longer data sits in an ageing system, the more cleanup and transformation work is typically needed before it can be migrated cleanly.
What is the difference between Dynamics NAV and Business Central?
Dynamics 365 Business Central is the direct successor to Dynamics NAV. It is built on the same core platform but delivered as a cloud-based SaaS solution, with a modern interface, continuous updates, and native integration with other Microsoft 365 products. The shift from NAV to Business Central is not just a version upgrade, it is a change in how the product is deployed, maintained, and extended.
The most significant differences are:
- Deployment model: NAV is an on-premise or hosted solution. Business Central is primarily cloud-based, though an on-premise option exists.
- Update cycle: NAV updates are infrequent and require manual installation. Business Central receives two major updates per year automatically.
- Licensing: NAV uses a perpetual licence model. Business Central uses a subscription model per user per month.
- Integration: Business Central connects natively with Microsoft Teams, Power BI, Power Automate, and the broader Microsoft ecosystem.
- Customisation: NAV customisations are often deeply embedded in the code, making upgrades difficult. Business Central uses extensions, which are easier to maintain and upgrade.
For most organisations, migrating to Business Central is the recommended path. It is the route Microsoft supports, and it positions the business for future capability rather than just extending the life of a legacy system. We are active across both platforms and can help you understand what the transition would involve for your specific environment as part of our full range of services.
When should organisations start planning their migration away from NAV?
Organisations still running Dynamics NAV should start planning their migration now, in 2026. A realistic Business Central migration for a mid-size organisation typically takes between six and eighteen months, depending on complexity. That means any organisation waiting until 2027 to begin is already cutting it close.
The planning phase alone takes time. Before committing to a migration roadmap, you need to understand where your organisation currently stands: how customised your NAV environment is, how clean your data is, how many integrations need to be rebuilt, and how ready your teams are for change. Skipping this step leads to scope creep, budget overruns, and go-live failures.
A practical timeline for most organisations looks something like this:
- Assessment phase (now): Evaluate your current NAV environment, identify customisations, assess data quality, and define migration scope.
- Design and planning (months 1 to 3): Define the future-state solution, map processes, and build the project plan.
- Build and configure (months 3 to 9): Configure Business Central, develop extensions, and migrate data.
- Testing (months 8 to 11): Run user acceptance testing, integration testing, and data validation.
- Cutover and go-live (months 11 to 14): Execute the cutover plan, go live, and enter the hypercare period.
The earlier you start, the more options you have. Organisations that begin in 2026 can take a structured, well-governed approach. Those that wait until late 2027 will be under pressure, and pressure in ERP migrations tends to produce shortcuts that create problems after go-live.
How Optinus helps with your Dynamics NAV migration
We help organisations move from Dynamics NAV to Business Central in a structured, low-risk way, covering every phase of the journey from the first assessment to post-go-live support. Our consultants have hands-on experience from real ERP migrations at leading multinationals, not just theoretical frameworks, so we understand what actually goes wrong and how to prevent it.
Here is what working with us looks like in practice:
- Maturity assessment: We start by evaluating your current NAV environment, data quality, and organisational readiness, giving you a clear baseline before any budget or roadmap is committed.
- Project and program management: We manage the full migration lifecycle, keeping scope, timeline, and stakeholder expectations aligned throughout.
- Data migration management: We use rigorous As-Is/To-Be analysis and testing procedures to prevent data loss and errors during the transition.
- Cutover management: We plan and monitor the cutover end-to-end, including hypercare and aftercare, so operational continuity is never at risk.
- Change management: We address both the technical and human side of the transition, driving genuine user adoption rather than just delivering training.
We work on-site and remotely, across the Netherlands, Belgium, and internationally. Ready to take the next step? Get in touch with our team to discuss your situation, or learn more about what we do before making any decisions.
