Updated · Originally published
TL;DR
For organizations still running Dynamics NAV or an on-premises version of Business Central, moving to the cloud is no longer a question of if — it is a question of when and how to do it without disrupting the business that depends on the system every day. TMC has been running these migrations since NAV's earliest versions. Here is what the process actually looks like.
In This Article
- What a Business Central cloud migration actually involves
- Why user readiness matters as much as the technical work
- Why the partner you choose matters
- Common questions about cloud migration
For organizations still running Dynamics NAV or an on-premises version of Business Central, moving to the cloud is no longer a question of if — it is a question of when and how to do it without disrupting the business that depends on the system every day.
A Business Central cloud migration is not just a hosting change. It is a move to a fundamentally different operating model: automatic updates twice a year, no infrastructure to maintain, access from any connected device and native integration with the full Microsoft 365 stack. For most organizations the total cost of ownership over five years is lower than staying on-premises — but only if the migration itself is done correctly.
Still on NAV or on-premises Business Central? The gap between older NAV versions and current Business Central cloud is significant. The sooner you start your assessment, the more control you have over the timeline and the outcome.
What a Business Central Cloud Migration Actually Involves
The migration process varies depending on where you are starting from. Organizations moving from NAV — especially older versions — face more complexity than those moving from a recent on-premises version of Business Central. The gap between NAV 2015 and current Business Central is significant. The gap between Business Central 2021 on-premises and Business Central cloud is much smaller.
Regardless of starting point, a well-run migration covers several things:
Environment assessment. Before anything moves, the current system needs to be documented — extensions, integrations, customizations and data quality. Anything that does not have a cloud equivalent needs to be addressed before go-live, not after.
Data migration and cleanup. Data that was adequate in an older system often needs work before it is fit for modern Business Central. Item masters, customer and vendor records, open transactions and historical data all need to be evaluated and cleaned before migration begins. Skipping this step creates problems that surface weeks after go-live.
Extension review. NAV modifications and customizations do not move to the cloud as-is. They need to be evaluated, rewritten as AL extensions or replaced with AppSource apps. This is frequently the most time-consuming part of the project and the one most commonly underestimated during planning.
Integration updates. Any integrations with third-party systems — EDI, eCommerce, CRM, payroll — need to be reviewed and updated to connect with the cloud environment. Native connectors and APIs have replaced many older integration methods, which is often an improvement but requires planning time.
User Readiness
Business Central in the cloud looks and behaves differently from older NAV versions. Role-based training ahead of go-live, not just on go-live day, is what determines whether users adopt the system quickly or spend months working around it.
Why the Partner You Choose Matters
A Business Central cloud migration is a project with real complexity. The organizations that struggle most are those that treat it as a simple upgrade or work with a partner that does not have deep experience with the specific version they are migrating from.
NAV migrations in particular require a partner that knows both systems — not just Business Central as it exists today but the NAV architecture the data is coming from. A partner without that background will discover gaps mid-project that a more experienced team would have planned for from the start.
Technology Management Concepts (TMC) has been implementing Microsoft Dynamics ERP since 1984. That history includes NAV implementations, GP implementations and the full arc of Business Central from its earliest versions to today. TMC's migration teams understand what comes out of older Dynamics systems and what it takes to land cleanly in Business Central cloud.
Ready to plan your move to the cloud? TMC has run Business Central cloud migrations from NAV's earliest versions to today. Let us help you assess your environment and scope the project the right way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Business Central cloud migration take?
For an organization moving from a recent on-premises version of Business Central, three to five months is a realistic range. Migrations from older NAV versions with significant customizations should plan for six to twelve months. The biggest variables are customization complexity and data quality — both of which should be assessed before committing to a timeline.
Do we lose our customizations when we move to the cloud?
Not necessarily, but they need to be evaluated. NAV modifications need to be rewritten as AL extensions to work in the cloud environment. Some customizations address gaps that standard Business Central now handles natively and can be retired. Others need to be rebuilt. A thorough extension review at the start of the project prevents surprises later.
What happens to our historical data?
Historical data can be migrated into Business Central or archived separately. Most organizations migrate open transactions, current master records and a defined period of historical data — often two to three years — and archive older records. Your partner should assess data quality before migration begins since records that worked in NAV often need cleanup before they will import correctly into Business Central.
Is Business Central cloud more expensive than on-premises?
The cost model is different. Cloud uses subscription licensing rather than a perpetual license fee, and infrastructure and maintenance costs move off your plate. When you model total cost of ownership over five years — including hardware, IT labor, upgrade projects and software maintenance — most organizations find cloud is comparable or lower. The analysis should be done before the project begins so expectations are set correctly.
Can we run Business Central cloud and our current system in parallel?
Yes and this is often recommended for one or two accounting periods after go-live. Running in parallel lets you validate that financial outputs match before fully retiring the legacy system. It adds some project cost and complexity but reduces risk significantly — particularly for finance teams that need confidence in the numbers before closing out the old environment.