Overview
This post compares Business Central vs NAV features that matter in 2026. It covers Teams, AI and Copilot, and Power Automate, and it shows when NAV support ends.
Key Takeaways
- NAV 2016 support ended on 14 April 2026, NAV 2017 ends on 11 January 2027 and NAV 2018 ends on 11 January 2028.
- Business Central online works inside Microsoft Teams, and NAV has no Teams app.
- NAV 2017 added a sales and inventory forecast, but Business Central adds late payment prediction, Copilot and agents.
- Business Central has a built-in Power Automate connector, while NAV could only link through web services.
- Teams, Copilot and agents need Business Central online, so on-premise users miss them.
- Check Power Automate licensing for your flows before you build them.
Business Central vs NAV Features: What Has Changed since 2025
The original post said that three features were “impossible” on NAV. Two of those claims needed care, so we rechecked each one against Microsoft’s documentation.
NAV 2017 already had a sales and inventory forecast extension, so we now focus on what is genuinely new. We also added support end dates, because they change the urgency. Finally, we replaced “no expensive add-ons” with a note on Power Automate licensing.
NAV Support Is Running Out
Dynamics NAV follows Microsoft’s Fixed Lifecycle Policy. Mainstream support has ended for every version, and extended support ends on these dates.
| NAV version | Extended support ends | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| NAV 2016 | 14 April 2026 | Ended |
| NAV 2017 | 11 January 2027 | Ends in a few months |
| NAV 2018 | 11 January 2028 | Ends in about 15 months |
After those dates, Microsoft stops releasing security updates, so your risk grows each month. Some sources say that Microsoft will sell and renew NAV licences until 30 April 2031, but the support date matters more. Our guide to NAV end of support explains what to do.
1. Work Directly Inside Microsoft Teams
Your team already talks in Teams. With NAV, you switch to another window, find the record, take a screenshot and paste it back into the chat.
Business Central online has an app for Microsoft Teams. You can open and share Business Central records without leaving a conversation, so everyone sees the same live data.
- Search for a customer and check their balance and credit limit in a chat.
- Share a link to a record straight into a Teams conversation.
- Check item availability while you talk to a colleague.
Microsoft states that the Teams app cannot connect to Business Central on-premise. See its list of features not available on-premises for detail.
2. Use AI to Look Ahead
NAV 2017 introduced a sales and inventory forecast extension that used Azure Machine Learning. Many NAV 2018 sites still run it, so forecasting alone is no longer a reason to move.
Business Central goes further. It adds late payment prediction, cash flow analysis and a growing set of Copilot features. Microsoft lists them in its AI overview.
- Late payment prediction flags invoices that customers may pay late.
- Copilot answers questions, analyses lists, summarises records and proposes bank reconciliation matches.
- Agents such as the Sales Order Agent and Payables Agent handle defined tasks, with a person reviewing key steps.
Copilot and agents run on Business Central online only. Our posts on Copilot and the Sales Order Agent explain what they do.
3. Automate Repetitive Tasks with Power Automate
How much time does your team spend on data entry, approval requests and report generation? These tasks are slow, and mistakes creep in.
NAV 2018 could link to Power Automate and Power Apps through web services, but the link had limits. Business Central has a built-in Power Automate connector, and you can build flows with little or no code.
- Route expense claims to a manager for approval, then update Business Central when they approve.
- Send a follow-up email when a customer payment arrives.
- Post a message in a Teams channel when stock for a key item runs low.
Check the Power Automate licence that your flows need, because licensing depends on what the flow does. Microsoft also states that you cannot create workflows from Power Automate templates in on-premise deployments.
What Upgrading Involves
Moving from NAV to Business Central is a project, not a button. Plan it in three steps.
- Review your NAV version, customisations and data to see what moves, what changes and what you can drop.
- Choose online or on-premise, because the best features need the online version. Our post on on-premise vs cloud ERP explains the trade-offs.
- Plan data migration, testing and training, and use a sandbox before you go live.
Our Migrate from NAV page and our guide to upgrading NAV to Business Central cover the options. A separate post on implementation mistakes shows what to avoid.
What This Means for Your Business
Business Central brings Teams, Copilot, agents and Power Automate into your daily work. NAV does not, and its support is ending.
Treat the dates as your planning deadline. A move takes months, so start well before your version loses support, and ask your partner for a written plan.
Get Help Moving from NAV to Business Central
Tecvia helps UK businesses move from Dynamics NAV to Business Central. Get in touch with Tecvia to book a free review of your NAV system and a personalised demonstration.
You can also explore our Business Central features, learn how our implementation approach works or check current pricing. IT leaders may find our page for IT Directors and Managers useful too. See how Business Central supports your sector. We serve Manufacturing and Engineering, Food and Beverage, Distribution and Wholesale, Life Sciences, and Medical Devices and Technology businesses.
