Case study Vita Tahedl GmbH.
ERP data migration from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 to Dynamics 365 Business Central with DataMigrate Pro.
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Challenges
The challenges involved in migrating ERP systems are highly complex. The migration of previous data from an old version of Microsoft Navision (version 2009) to the current cloud-based SaaS version of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an extremely difficult task due to the significant technological advances and the numerous versions that have been released in the meantime.
Vita Tahedl GmbH had been using Microsoft Navision 2009 as its central ERP system for many years. This version, which was originally released in 2008, had sufficient functionality for financial management and sales, but was technologically outdated and had no support for modern requirements such as cloud-based services, mobile access or extended integration options. In addition, Microsoft’s support for this version had long since expired, which entailed a number of risks and various other limitations.
Requirements
In particular, the data migration from Navision 2009 to Business Central SaaS entailed a number of requirements:
- Version jump: There are several major versions between Navision 2009 and Business Central SaaS (including Dynamics NAV 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and various Business Central on-premise versions). This major version jump required a detailed analysis of the data structure and functionalities in order to identify and resolve compatibility issues.
- Data migration: The data migration had to take into account the changed data models and table structures in Business Central. Data integrity was ensured by carrying out extensive tests.
- Customizations: Over the years, Navision 2009 has been adapted to their specific business processes through individual customizations. These customizations had to be analyzed, redeveloped or replaced by standard functions in Business Central.
- Project management: The complexity of the project required professional project management with clear responsibilities, milestones and communication structures.
The solution.
In view of the challenges mentioned, the following solutions were pursued:
- Analysis and evaluation: First, a comprehensive analysis of the existing Navision 2009 installation was carried out. This included the documentation of the data structure, the customizations and the functionalities used.
- Migration strategy: Due to the large version jump, a direct migration was considered too risky by most Microsoft system partners. Instead, a multi-stage approach was recommended, in which the data should first be migrated to an intermediate version of Dynamics NAV before taking the final step to Business Central SaaS. DataMigrate Pro enabled a direct migration to the cloud, significantly reducing the effort and avoiding the risk of too many problems in the intermediate steps.
- Customization development: The individual customizations were analyzed and prioritized. Some customizations could be replaced by standard functions in Business Central, while others had to be replaced by apps.
- Tests: Extensive tests were carried out to check the functionality of the migrated data and the new environment.
- Go-live and support: Once the tests had been successfully completed, the migration went live. A support team was on hand to resolve any problems and assist with the use of the new system.
The use of the current Business Central SaaS version now enables access to modern technologies and functions such as cloud-based services, mobile access, extended integration options and improved user-friendliness. By switching to a SaaS solution, IT costs for hardware, maintenance and updates have been reduced. Microsoft’s cloud environment offers improved security standards and regular security updates.
Careful planning, a detailed analysis, a structured migration path and professional project management by IO Integrated GmbH & Co. KG were decisive for success. Business processes can now be optimized and the user can benefit from the numerous advantages.
