ERP System – How to Choose Wisely, and When to Consider Business Central
2026-06-02
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Migrating from Navision to Business Central is not simply an IT upgrade. For finance leaders, it is a decision about the company’s financial operations for the next 5–10 years. The real question is not whether the old system still works, but whether it still supports fast closing, reliable reporting, local compliance and automated finance processes.
In many companies, Microsoft Dynamics NAV — still often referred to as Navision — remains a stable foundation for accounting, invoicing, inventory management or controlling. That is understandable: users know the system, processes have been built around it, and custom developments are already in place.
From a finance perspective, however, warning signs often appear gradually. These signs suggest that the system is no longer supporting growth as effectively as it should:
- Management reports are prepared in Excel.
- Manual reconciliations slow down monthly closing.
- Bank, tax authority, invoicing or payroll connections require manual checks.
- Custom developments are difficult to maintain.
- Preparing a report or answering a data request takes too much human effort.
Based on Loginform’s experience, a Business Central migration works best when it is not treated as a simple data transfer project, but as an opportunity to improve financial operations. One of Loginform’s key strengths is combining Business Central expertise with deep finance and accounting knowledge.
Table of contents
- Why is it not enough that Navision still works?
- What does finance gain from cloud-based Business Central?
- How does daily finance work change in Business Central?
- What happens to historical financial data?
- How can Business Central speed up closing and reporting?
- How much does a Navision to Business Central migration cost?
- What should companies consider in the Hungarian regulatory environment?
- What does a well-controlled Business Central migration look like?
- When is a company ready to move from Navision to Business Central?
- Why work with Loginform?
- Summary
- FAQ for finance leaders
1. Why is it not enough that Navision still works?
The fact that Navision still works does not necessarily mean that it provides a secure, efficient and future-proof financial foundation. Older NAV versions are moving towards the end of their support lifecycle, while Microsoft’s development direction clearly points towards continuously updated, cloud-based Business Central online.
For finance leaders, this should not be seen as a purely technical detail. An ageing ERP system does not only create additional work for IT. It can also slow down financial control.
The real risk usually appears gradually. First, one new report is built in Excel. Then a manual check is added around a bank connection. Later, no one wants to touch a custom development because the full business impact is unclear.
From a finance perspective, the most important question is not:
“Does Navision still work?”
It is this:
“How much financial work, manual control and operational risk has already been built around the system?”
2. What does finance gain from cloud-based Business Central?
The biggest financial benefit of cloud-based Business Central is that it enables more integrated, more automated and more reportable operations. Finance teams can spend less time moving data and performing manual reconciliations, while management gets faster access to more reliable numbers.
Business Central online runs as a SaaS solution. According to Microsoft, Business Central online is a cloud-based ERP solution for small and mid-sized organizations, supporting several key areas of business operations.
From a finance point of view, this also means a change in cost structure. Traditional server, infrastructure and licence-related investments are replaced by a subscription-based operating cost model that is easier to plan.
This is not automatically an advantage for every company, but predictability is an important CFO-level consideration. In a modern ERP environment, it is not enough to look at the licence fee alone. The full total cost of ownership should also include operations, updates, servers, backup, external development, key-person dependency and the internal working hours spent on reporting.
| Area | Navision on-premise | Business Central cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | typically licence + maintenance + infrastructure | subscription-based SaaS model |
| Updates | project-based, often postponed | more continuous and predictable |
| Reporting | often supported by Excel workarounds | more structured data model and dashboards |
| Banking processes | often custom or partly manual | bank imports and reconciliations can be automated |
| Auditability | depends on version and setup | change logs, permissions and traceability |
| Scalability | infrastructure-dependent | more flexible scaling |
The practical benefit is not simply that “the system is in the cloud”. The real benefit is that finance can work faster, with fewer workarounds and better-quality data.
3. How does daily finance work change in Business Central?
After migrating to Business Central, daily finance work takes place in a modern browser-based interface, with role-based homepages and stronger Excel integration. Users need to get used to the new navigation, but in return they gain faster search, better data handling and more automation opportunities.
For finance teams, one of the most important changes is that the system thinks less in traditional menu structures and more in roles and processes. An accountant, a controller and a finance leader can each work with different homepages, lists and task views.
This works best when the implementation does not simply copy the old Navision logic into a new system. Migration is a good opportunity to clean up financial processes:
- Which reports are truly needed?
- Which Excel files should remain, and which should be replaced by the system?
- Which approval processes should become workflows?
- Which manual checks can be automated?
- Which custom developments still serve a real business need?
This is especially important in Loginform’s approach, because the company works not only as a technology partner, but also with finance and accounting understanding. It is not enough to understand the system. It is also necessary to understand what the numbers mean.
4. What happens to historical financial data?
There are several valid strategies for handling historical Navision data: full historical migration, starting with opening balances, or keeping the old system as an archive. As a finance leader, this decision should be based not only on technical considerations, but also on auditability, reporting needs and cost.
The most common question is entirely reasonable: “Will we lose our historical years?” The answer is no — but it is not always worth migrating everything into the new system.
| Strategy | When does it work well? | Benefit | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full historical migration | when several years of data are actively analysed in the ERP | full continuity | more expensive and complex |
| Start with opening balances | when the new system should start clean | faster and clearer | historical data remains in a separate system |
| Archive database | when data is needed for audit or lookup | secure access to historical data | access must be properly controlled |
A common approach is to migrate master data and start with opening balances, while keeping the old Navision environment available as an archive. For many finance teams, this is a good compromise: the new Business Central environment starts with a clean structure, while historical data remains available for audit, inspection or lookup purposes.
It is also worth involving the auditor before making the final decision. Not because the auditor leads the project, but because data retention, audit trails and traceability should be clarified in advance.
5. How can Business Central speed up closing and reporting?
Business Central can speed up closing and reporting mainly through better dimension management, automated accounting processes, bank integration and real-time financial dashboards. The aim is for the finance team to spend less time collecting data and more time analysing it.
Faster closing is rarely the result of one single feature. It is usually the combined effect of several smaller improvements.
- Structured use of dimensions
Cost centres, projects, business units, product groups or locations can be used for more detailed analysis. This reduces the need for manual allocations in Excel. - Automated accounting processes
Recurring entries, accruals, cost allocations and exchange rate revaluations can be automated. This is particularly valuable during month-end closing. - Bank imports and reconciliation
Banking integrations can support automatic processing of bank statements, payment file handling and reconciliation processes. - Real-time dashboards
Management no longer has to rely only on reports manually prepared after the fact. More up-to-date data becomes available for decision-making. - Controlled Excel integration
Excel is not the enemy. The problem starts when Excel becomes the primary data source instead of the ERP. With Business Central, Excel can remain an analysis tool rather than a parallel finance system.
For a finance leader, the greatest value is that closing can become not only faster, but also more controlled. Less manual data handling means fewer opportunities for error.
6. How much does a Navision to Business Central migration cost?
The cost of moving from Navision to Business Central is not a single project fee, but a broader cost-structure decision. Finance leaders should consider not only the one-off migration cost, but also the licence model, removed infrastructure costs, operating costs, automation benefits and future maintainability.
A migration project typically includes several cost components: business process assessment, data migration, system configuration, transformation of custom developments, testing and user training.
A common CFO-level mistake is to look only at the one-off implementation cost. A more useful approach is to assess TCO — total cost of ownership.
| Question | Why does it matter? |
|---|---|
| What is the one-off migration cost? | Project budget and cash-flow planning |
| What subscription fees should be expected? | OPEX planning |
| Which server and operating costs will disappear? | Hidden savings |
| How much manual work can be eliminated? | Internal efficiency gain |
| Which custom developments must be rebuilt? | Project risk and scope |
| How much faster can reporting and closing become? | Business return |
| How update-proof will the new solution be? | Future upgrade cost |
Business Central’s extension-based development model is important because customizations can be built in a more structured and update-friendly way. In the long run, this can reduce future upgrade-related costs.
7. What should companies consider in the Hungarian regulatory environment?
In Hungary, a successful Business Central implementation requires more than global ERP functionality. It also requires proper localization, NAV Online Invoice integration, preparation for eVAT, Hungarian National Bank exchange rate handling, payroll connections and auditable financial operations.
For finance leaders, this is one of the most important decision areas. An ERP system can be modern from a technology point of view, but if it does not fit Hungarian invoicing, taxation, reporting and audit requirements, it will create additional work for finance.
| Area | Why does it matter for finance leaders? |
|---|---|
| NAV Online Invoice | automatic invoice data reporting, fewer manual errors |
| eVAT | structured ERP data supports future automated VAT reporting logic |
| Hungarian National Bank exchange rates | foreign currency invoices, exchange differences, closing tasks |
| Payroll system integration | separate payroll software is common in Hungary, so data connection is essential |
| Intrastat, EKAER | relevant for international trade and logistics |
| Auditability | essential for auditors and internal controls |
The Hungarian localization should not be treated as a small technical detail at the end of the project. It is a core part of financial operations.
8. What does a well-controlled Business Central migration look like?
A well-controlled Business Central migration starts with a preparation audit, then moves through decision points, data strategy, development planning, testing, training and go-live support. For finance leaders, the key responsibility is to define control points and acceptance criteria.
Migration does not begin with “moving the data”. It begins with understanding what is currently in Navision.
During the audit, special attention should be paid to custom developments, integration points and whether old solutions still serve a real business purpose. In many cases, part of the old system’s complexity turns out to be historical accumulation rather than an actual requirement.
Recommended migration steps from a CFO perspective:
- Preparation audit
Assessment of processes, custom developments, reports, integrations and data quality. - Definition of finance objectives
For example: faster month-end closing, fewer Excel files, automated bank reconciliation, better controlling. - Data strategy decision
Full historical migration, opening balances or archive system. - Localization and tax authority connections
NAV Online Invoice, eVAT preparation, MNB exchange rates, payroll, Intrastat, EKAER. - Review of custom developments
What can be replaced by standard Business Central functionality, an app or a modern extension? - Sandbox testing
Validation of migrated data, developments, integrations and finance processes in a separate test environment. - User training
Role-based training for accountants, controllers and finance leaders. - Go-live and support
The first closing period, first reporting cycle and first management reports require special attention.
A successful migration is not defined by whether “everything was transferred”. It is defined by whether finance can work faster, more accurately and with less friction in the new system.
9. When is a company ready to move from Navision to Business Central?
A company is ready to move when too much manual finance work, Excel reporting, workaround logic, hard-to-maintain custom development or integration risk has built up around Navision. The ideal time to migrate is not when the old system fails, but when there is still enough time to plan properly.
It is worth putting Business Central migration on the agenda if at least four of the following statements are true:
- Month-end closing requires too many manual reconciliations.
- A significant part of management reporting is prepared in Excel.
- Finance collects data from several systems.
- NAV, bank or payroll integrations require many manual checks.
- Only one or two key people understand the old custom developments.
- The system version is approaching the end of its support lifecycle.
- Introducing a new report or process takes disproportionately long.
- Management does not make decisions based on real-time financial data.
- Server and operating costs are increasing.
- The company is planning growth, a new location, a new business line or more complex operations within the next 3–5 years.
Not migrating is also a decision. Its cost often does not appear on a single line item, but in delayed closing, uncertain reports, overloaded finance teams and slower management decisions.
10. Why work with Loginform?
Loginform does not only implement Business Central. It also understands what an ERP system must deliver from a finance and accounting perspective. This is especially important for finance leaders, because the success of a migration is not decided at the technical go-live stage, but in everyday accounting, closing, reporting and compliance work.
Loginform’s value proposition is built around combining Business Central expertise with deep finance and accounting knowledge, while also being strong in custom development, integrations and Hungarian market requirements.
For finance leaders, this creates three practical advantages:
- Financial problems do not need to be translated into technical language.
The partner understands closing, VAT, audit controls, dimensions and general ledger reporting. - The company does not receive a one-size-fits-all solution.
Standard Business Central functionality should be used where it is enough. Where there is a real business reason, customization or integration can be added. - Finance is not left alone after migration.
Support, availability and a practical problem-solving attitude matter just as much as the implementation itself.
In short: with Loginform, Business Central is not only a product. It is a business and finance system implemented with professional understanding.
11. Summary: moving to the cloud is a finance decision, not an IT trend
Migrating from Navision to Business Central is a good decision when finance wants to work with less manual effort, better data quality, faster closing and more auditable processes. The cloud itself is not the goal. The goal is to make financial operations more stable, more transparent and more future-proof.
For finance leaders, the key questions are:
- How much manual work is currently being financed around the system?
- How reliable and timely are management reports?
- How auditable and compliant is the current process?
- What does the old infrastructure cost to maintain?
- Is the current ERP ready to support growth over the next 5–10 years?
Moving to Business Central is not about replacing Navision for the sake of it. It is about making sure the finance function supports company growth instead of struggling to keep up with it.
Loginform’s message to finance leaders: we do not only implement Business Central — we understand what the numbers mean.
12. FAQ for finance leaders
Will historical Navision data be lost during a Business Central migration?
No, historical data does not have to be lost. Companies can choose between full historical migration, starting with opening balances, or keeping the old Navision environment as an archive. The right decision depends on audit, lookup and reporting requirements.
Does every old custom development have to be moved to Business Central?
No, and in many cases it should not be. One of the biggest benefits of migration is identifying which custom developments still serve a real business purpose, which can be replaced by standard Business Central functionality, and which should be rebuilt as modern extensions.
Can Business Central support Hungarian taxation and accounting requirements?
Yes, with proper localization and integrations, Business Central can be adapted to Hungarian financial requirements. Important areas include NAV Online Invoice, eVAT preparation, Hungarian National Bank exchange rates, payroll integration and auditability.
Will monthly closing become faster in Business Central?
Monthly closing can become faster if the migration is used to improve financial processes, not just replace the system. Dimensions, automated accounting processes, bank imports, accruals, cost allocations and real-time reporting can all help reduce manual reconciliation.
Are financial data secure in the cloud?
Cloud-based operation can provide strong auditability with proper permission management, logging and control processes. In Business Central, permissions and access can be managed in a structured way, supporting financial control and traceability.
When should a company start preparing for migration?
Preparation should begin while there is still time to plan. If closing is slow, Excel dependency is growing, integrations are difficult, or the NAV version is approaching the end of its support lifecycle, it is worth starting with a preparation audit.
13. Download: detailed Navision to Business Central migration guide
The detailed Navision to Business Central migration guide is available here:
https://loginform.hu/navision-business-central-migracios-utmutato-2026-ingyenes-letoltes/
14. Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Service overview for Business Central online
- Microsoft Learn: What’s new or changed in Business Central
- Microsoft Learn: Dynamics 365 release schedule and release waves
- Microsoft Learn: Dynamics NAV 2018 – Microsoft Lifecycle
- Microsoft Learn: Compliance overview – Business Central
- Microsoft Learn: Data security in Business Central
- Microsoft Learn: Application Compliance – Business Central
