Blog
Search

Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics NAV feature comparison

by: Kalina Stamatova
Nov 11, 2020

Are you trying to figure out whether it’s time to upgrade your ERP system? Do you want to know which version has what and what exactly is the difference between Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics NAV? We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide that compares the two ERP solutions below. Here’s what you need to know to understand every part of our guide:

✓ – basic functionality

+ – the existing functionality has been enhanced in this version

Regular text – the starter pack comes with core financials and distribution management functionalities

Bold text – the extended pack integrates core financial and distribution functionalities with industry-specific extensions

2009-2018 – refers to different versions of Dynamics NAV

BC – stands for Dynamics 365 Business Central

General Functionalities

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
Copy & paste rows✓
Support for Connect APP & Rest API✓
Full keyboard shortcut support✓
Multiple production environment✓
Batch-post sales & purchases as scheduled✓
Enhancements for customer migration tools✓
Filtering and search improvements✓
Migration from QuickBooks✓✓
Automated workflows✓++
Outlook integration✓✓✓++
NAV for tablets✓+✓✓✓
Social listening✓✓✓✓✓
Surface Dynamics NAV info directly in SharePoint online✓✓✓✓✓✓
Dynamics NAV as a hosted app in Office 365✓++✓✓✓
Interoperability with Office 365 & Excel✓✓✓✓✓+
Single sign in✓✓✓✓+✓
Dynamics NAV application profiler✓✓+✓✓✓
Improved extensibility for Dynamics NAV clients✓✓✓✓✓✓
Dynamics NAV provisioning tools for Windows Azure✓✓✓✓✓✓
Multitenant deployment✓✓✓✓✓✓
Data upgrade automation✓✓+✓✓✓
Help server✓✓✓✓✓✓
Microsoft Office alignment of Dynamics NAV Windows and web clients✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Dynamics NAV web client✓+✓+✓✓✓
Improved charting capabilities✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Query✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Server administration tool✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Windows PowerShell✓✓✓✓✓+✓
Application server (NAS) enhancements✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
NAS services✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
New user concept✓✓✓+✓✓✓
OneNote integration✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
ZetaDocs Express for Dynamics NAV✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Multitier architecture✓+✓✓✓✓✓✓

Financial Management

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
Reconcile payables with the External Document Number field✓
Bulk invoicing✓✓
VAT registration number validation✓✓
Employee ledger entries✓✓
Deferrals✓✓✓✓
Reconciliation of incoming and outgoing bank transactions✓✓✓✓✓
Support for SEPA credit transfer and SEPA direct debit✓✓✓✓✓✓
Electronic payments and direct debits✓+✓✓✓✓
Cash management✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Cost accounting✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Cash flow forecast✓✓✓✓✓✓+
VAT rate change tool✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
New dimension set entry table✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Faster G/L posting✓✓✓✓✓✓+
Online payment services✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Bank account management and bank account reconciliation✓✓✓+✓✓✓✓
Intercompany purchase cost distribution✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Prepayments✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Reversal of journal postings (Unapply)✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Partial payments✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Consolidation enhancements✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Predefined KPIs✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Inter-company postings✓✓✓✓✓✓+✓
Fixed assets✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

Supply Chain Management

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
View item availability by unit of measure✓
Non-sequential numbering✓
Item categories✓✓✓
Item attributes✓✓✓
Document management, document capture and OCR✓✓✓✓
E-services✓✓✓✓
Item availability by timeline✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Item availability by event✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Inventory movements✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Additional default bins and dedicated bins✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Enhanced integration to service management✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Assembly management✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Supply planning setup enhancements✓++✓✓✓✓✓
Automated data capture system✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Item budgets✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Planning transparency✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Pick✓++✓✓✓✓✓
Standard cost worksheet✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Price management✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Supply planning✓++✓✓✓✓✓
Costing✓++✓✓✓✓✓
Item tracking+++✓✓✓✓✓

Manufacturing

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
Sales and inventory forecasting✓✓✓✓
Enhanced integration✓✓✓✓✓✓
Manual planning✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Production orders✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Production forecast✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

Business Intelligence and Reports

Version200920132013R22015201620172018BC
Skip empty lines in the accounts schedule report✓
Document reporting✓✓✓✓✓
Power BI✓+✓++
Excel add-on for ad-hoc reporting✓✓✓++
Excel integration✓✓✓✓✓++
Microsoft SQL server reporting services from within Dynamics NAV✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Jet reports express for Dynamics NAV✓+✓+✓✓✓✓
Open XML integration✓+✓✓✓✓✓✓
Predefined charts and KPIs✓+✓✓✓✓✓✓
Open Database Connectivity Driver✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

Service Management

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
Enhanced integration with Manufacturing, Warehouse Management and Assembly Management✓✓✓✓✓✓
Planning and dispatching of materials overview✓✓✓✓✓✓
Service order management+++✓✓✓✓✓
Service contract management+✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

Project Management

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
Job information included in archived sales and purchase documents✓
Jobs WIP calculation compliance✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Usage link✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Jobs+++✓✓✓✓✓

Sales & Marketing

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
AI support for sales and inventory forecast✓
AI support for late payment prediction✓
Dynamics 365 Sales integration✓✓
Sales and purchase document approval✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Interaction/Document approval✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Payment terms translation+++✓✓✓✓✓
Document archiving+✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

Cloud, Workflow and Documents

Versions200920132013R22015201620172018BC
MICR fonts available in BC online✓
Image analyzer✓✓
Workflow templates✓✓✓✓
Electronic invoicing✓✓✓✓
Currency exchange rates✓✓✓✓
Document management✓✓✓✓
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)✓✓+✓
Incoming document flow✓✓✓✓

Have any questions? Contact us to learn more about Dynamics 365 Business Central!

Categories: ERP

Share this article

About the author
Kalina Stamatova
Kalina is a marketing professional specializing in copywriting and content marketing. An avid reader, she also has experience working in advertising and enjoys theater.

More company news