Should your team get certified before your Dynamics NAV migration?

In most cases, no — your team does not need to be certified before a Dynamics NAV migration. Hands-on experience with the platform and a clear migration methodology matter far more than a certificate. That said, certification can add genuine value in specific roles and at specific moments, and knowing when it helps versus when it’s a distraction is worth understanding before you commit time and budget to it.

Below, we walk through the certifications that are actually relevant, who should consider them, and what to do when internal certification simply isn’t the right move.

What certifications are relevant to a Dynamics NAV migration?

The most relevant certifications for a Dynamics NAV migration are Microsoft’s own credentials, specifically those in the Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant track. Because Microsoft has migrated NAV into Business Central, current certifications focus on that platform rather than legacy NAV modules directly.

Here is a practical overview of what is available and what each covers:

MB-800 (Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant): Covers core setup, configuration, and functional processes in Business Central. Useful for team members who will configure the new system post-migration.
PL-900 (Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals): Relevant if your migration involves Power BI or Power Automate integrations alongside NAV.
Project Management certifications (PMP, PRINCE2): Not Dynamics-specific, but genuinely useful for the programme manager overseeing the migration workstreams.

It is worth noting that Microsoft retired dedicated NAV certifications as the product evolved into Business Central. If someone on your team holds an older NAV-specific certificate, it provides a useful conceptual foundation, but it should not be treated as current validation of Business Central knowledge.

Does certification actually improve migration outcomes?

Certification alone does not reliably improve migration outcomes. What improves outcomes is a combination of platform knowledge, structured methodology, and real-world migration experience. Certification can contribute to the first, but it does not replace the second or third.

The risks that cause Dynamics NAV migrations to go wrong — data integrity issues, poor cutover planning, low user adoption after go-live — are not solved by passing an exam. They are solved by applying the right process at the right time, with people who have seen those failure modes before and know how to prevent them.

That said, certification does have a legitimate role. It creates a shared vocabulary across the team, reduces the learning curve for functional consultants who are new to Business Central, and signals a baseline level of platform knowledge to stakeholders. Think of it as a useful floor, not a ceiling.

Where organisations often go wrong is treating certification as a substitute for experience. A team member who holds an MB-800 but has never worked through a live data migration will still struggle with the practical complexity of moving legacy NAV data cleanly into a new environment. Structured data migration management, with rigorous As-Is/To-Be analysis and testing procedures, is what actually protects data integrity during the transition.

Who on the migration team should get certified?

The team members who benefit most from certification are functional consultants and system configurators — the people who will be setting up and validating Business Central after the migration. For other roles, the return on investment is lower.

Here is a practical breakdown by role:

Functional consultants: MB-800 is directly relevant. Covers the configuration and process knowledge they will apply daily.
Programme or project managers: PMP or PRINCE2 adds value for running the migration workstreams. Dynamics-specific certification is less important than strong programme governance skills.
Data migration leads: No single certification covers data migration methodology well. Practical experience and a structured approach matter more here.
Change managers: No Dynamics-specific certification applies. Focus instead on change management frameworks such as Prosci or ADKAR.
IT architects: Broader Microsoft Azure or integration certifications may be relevant depending on the technical scope of the migration.

You can also explore our full range of services to understand how different specialisms — from test management to cutover planning — fit into a migration programme and where external expertise typically fills the gaps that internal certification cannot.

When is the right time to pursue certification during a migration?

The right time to pursue certification is before or during the design phase, not in the middle of cutover. Sending team members on training courses while a live migration is running creates distraction and risk. Certification is a preparation activity, not a response to problems that have already surfaced.

A practical timeline looks like this:

Pre-project (3-6 months before kick-off): Identify which team members will take on functional configuration roles and invest in MB-800 preparation for those individuals.
Design phase: Programme managers can complete or refresh project management credentials while the team is still working through process design and As-Is/To-Be analysis.
Build and test phase: Certification activity should be complete. The team’s focus should be on testing, validation, and preparing for cutover.
Post-go-live: A useful window for broader team upskilling, particularly for super users and power users who will support colleagues after the system is live.

Starting with a clear baseline of where your organisation and your team actually stand is useful before committing to any training investment. A maturity assessment gives you that picture — it identifies capability gaps and helps you prioritise where certification adds real value versus where experienced external support is the smarter call.

What are the alternatives when internal certification isn’t feasible?

When internal certification is not feasible, the most effective alternative is partnering with consultants who already have the platform knowledge and migration experience your team lacks. This is not a compromise — for many organisations, it is simply the faster, lower-risk path to a successful migration.

Alternatives worth considering include:

Embedded external consultants: Bringing in specialists who work alongside your internal team, transferring knowledge in practice rather than in a classroom.
Targeted training (non-certified): Microsoft Learn and partner-led workshops can build functional knowledge quickly without the time commitment of full certification tracks.
Structured knowledge transfer: Building in explicit handover sessions during the migration so internal staff build competence through the project itself.
Post-go-live upskilling: Deferring formal certification until after go-live, when the team has hands-on experience with the live system and the training lands more effectively.

The honest reality is that certification gaps rarely cause migrations to fail. Gaps in programme governance, data quality, cutover planning, and change management do. Focusing your investment on those areas — whether through internal development or external expertise — tends to deliver more measurable results than a certification programme alone.

How Optinus helps with Dynamics NAV migrations

We work with organisations navigating Dynamics NAV and Business Central migrations at every stage of the journey. Rather than plugging a single gap, we cover the full programme — from the initial maturity assessment that tells you where your organisation actually stands, through to cutover management and post-go-live hypercare.

Here is what working with us typically looks like in practice:

Maturity assessment: We baseline your current ERP and transformation readiness before any budget or roadmap is committed, so you know exactly where to focus.
Project and programme management: Our consultants have hands-on experience from real ERP migrations at leading multinationals — not just frameworks, but actual delivery.
Data migration management: We use rigorous As-Is/To-Be analysis and testing procedures to protect data integrity throughout the migration.
Change management: We address the human side of the transition, driving genuine adoption rather than just delivering training sessions.
Cutover and hypercare: We manage the go-live moment end-to-end and stay involved after the switch, so operational continuity is never at risk.

We are available on-site and remotely, across the Netherlands, Belgium, and internationally. If you are preparing for a Dynamics NAV migration and want to talk through where your team stands, get in touch with our team or learn more about what we do.

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