Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Connect Your Business. Make Smarter Decisions.
About
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (formerly Dynamics NAV / Navision) is a cloud ERP solution designed specifically for small and mid-size businesses. It provides a comprehensive suite of financial management, supply chain, manufacturing, and service management capabilities.
Business Central is deeply integrated with Microsoft 365, Power BI, and Power Platform. It uses the AL programming language for customization and has a thriving marketplace of extensions (AppSource) with thousands of add-ons available.
History
The product originated as Navision, a Danish ERP system founded in 1984 by Jesper Balser, Peter Bang, and Torben Wind. Navision became one of Europe's most popular SMB ERP solutions. Microsoft acquired Navision in 2002 for $1.3 billion.
Under Microsoft, the product was rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics NAV. In 2018, Microsoft launched Dynamics 365 Business Central as the cloud version of NAV, marking the transition from on-premise to cloud-first. By 2024, Business Central had become the fastest-growing product in the Dynamics 365 family with 300,000+ customers.
Best Fit For
- Company Size: 10-500 employees (SMB sweet spot)
- Industries: Professional Services, Wholesale Distribution, Retail, Light Manufacturing
- Best When: You're a small/mid-size business wanting enterprise-grade ERP at SMB pricing, already use Microsoft 365, and want a large ecosystem of add-ons
- Budget: $700-$5,000/month
Key Strengths
- Most affordable Microsoft ERP option
- Massive AppSource marketplace (thousands of extensions)
- Deep Excel and Outlook integration
- Strong financial management and localization (70+ countries)
- Familiar Microsoft UX — short learning curve for Office users
Limitations
- Less suitable for complex manufacturing (use D365 Supply Chain for that)
- Limited advanced warehouse management compared to D365 SCM
- Customization requires AL language expertise (specialized skill)
- Can outgrow quickly for fast-scaling businesses
Quick Facts
Key Modules
Used By
Small and mid-size businesses across 200+ countries