We all knew this day would eventually come, but today Microsoft has made it official.
On July 27, 2026, Microsoft announced several licensing changes affecting Dynamics NAV and Dynamics 365 Business Central on-premises customers. Most notably, Microsoft has established April 30, 2031, as the end-of-sale date for Dynamics NAV.
What Does the Dynamics NAV End-of-Sale Date Mean?
For Dynamics NAV customers, the clock is officially running. Beginning April 30, 2031, customers will no longer be able to:
- renew your EP/AP,
- renew your subscription licenses,
- buy any additional perpetual licenses,
- or use NAV via SPLA.
That sounds far off, but ERP migrations do take time. Every renewal from now until 2031 is a decision point. If you wait, you may not make it.
What Is Changing for Business Central On-Premises Customers?
Beginning February 1, 2027, Dynamics 365 Business Central On-Premise customers will be required to migrate to subscription-based licensing via CSP.
But there are options!
- There is money on the table now – Microsoft offers up to a 30% discount over a 3-year term if you qualify!
- There may be other incentives with your Microsoft Partner – reach out to them and have an honest discussion about migrating to Dynamics 365 Business Central.
What Do You Gain by Moving from Dynamics NAV to Business Central?
Starting on Navision 2.65 this announcement was a bit sentimental. Navision (NAV) is where I started 16 years ago, but being part of this product since then made me realize how much it has grown it’s become a platform not just an ERP. With Dynamics 365 Business Central, you get a real upgrade:
- Your business is always current – Dynamics 365 Business Central upgrades twice a year. No more multi-month, five-figured upgrade projects to stay supported.
- Built-in AI and Copilot – Dynamics 365 Business Central in the cloud comes with Copilot powered features baked in. Tools like sales line suggestions, bank reconciliation, and agentic capabilities like the Sales, Purchasing and Expense agents allow for capabilities that Dynamics NAV was never able to support.
- Low total cost of ownership – No more on-prem servers, SQL licenses, or infrastructure maintenance. Simple subscription pricing shifts from being unpredictable capital expenses to predictable operating expenses.
- Anywhere, secure access – Dynamics 365 Business Central works from any browser or device with Microsoft handling security, backups, and uptime. This is all backed by Microsoft’s Zero Trust strategy.
- Deeper Microsoft 365 integration – Native, tighter integration with Outlook, Excel, Teams, and Power Platform. This truly moves Dynamics 365 Business Central from being just an ERP to a Platform – that way your data and business processes flow between the tools that you already use every day.
The End of One Chapter and the Beginning of Another
I am very proud to be part of the Dynamics NAV story. NAV has supported thousands of companies and provided the foundation for a product and community that continue to evolve.
At the same time, the capabilities available through Dynamics 365 Business Central are far beyond what we could have imagined when I began working with Navision 2.65.
April 2031 is not an emergency deadline, but it is a clear signal: Dynamics NAV customers need a plan.
At BCS, we are excited to help our clients evaluate their current environments, understand their licensing options, and create a realistic path from Dynamics NAV to Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Still running Dynamics NAV or Business Central on-premises?
Contact BCS to start a practical migration and licensing assessment.
