Business Central ERP For Australia: NAV Evolution, Pros & Cons with A Local Case

Business Central ERP is a modern, cloud-first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system designed to unify finance, operations, sales, and inventory into one scalable platform. As the direct evolution of Dynamics NAV, it addresses the limitations of legacy systems with real-time insights, automation, and extensibility, making it a strong fit for growing businesses seeking long-term operational control.

For Australian businesses, Business Central offers localisation advantages that go beyond standard cloud ERP: partner-enabled payroll and tax workflows, ABA-ready payment configuration, and secure Azure hosting under Australian data laws. These are critical in sectors navigating fragmented systems, compliance burdens, or scaling pressures.

This article:

• examines how Business Central has evolved from NAV,
• critically evaluates its pros and cons, and presents a real-world case study from the wine industry.

It also explores Business Central’s fit in the Australian ERP ecosystem, covering integrations, data residency, and key signals for when to migrate from NAV.

How Did Business Central Evolve from Dynamics NAV?

Business Central ERP is the cloud-first evolution of Dynamics NAV, replatformed by Microsoft in 2018 to address NAV’s on-premise limitations and modernise ERP delivery. Originally launched as Navision in Denmark during the 1980s, the system gained traction for its flexibility and SME focus. After Microsoft’s 2002 acquisition, it became Dynamics NAV in 2005, integrated into the broader Dynamics product ecosystem.

For a complete breakdown of how Business Central fits within the wider Microsoft ERP and CRM product landscape, read our guide to Microsoft Dynamics 365.

For years, NAV remained a dependable on-premise ERP across global markets, including Australia, but struggled to meet emerging digital and compliance demands. Key constraints included manual upgrades, limited accessibility, and integration gaps. With mainstream support officially ending in January 2023 and extended support concluding in 2028, Microsoft has now ceased all feature development for NAV, signalling a definitive transition to Business Central.

Rebuilt on Microsoft Azure, Business Central retains NAV’s core business logic while adding key cloud capabilities. It delivers automated updates, seamless Microsoft 365 and Power BI integration, browser-based access, and mobile usability, making it the strategic successor for future-ready businesses.

Key Differences: NAV vs Business Central

Business Central differs from NAV by offering a cloud-native, scalable ERP with automatic updates, modern integrations, and lower total cost of ownership. The table below outlines these core differences across functionality, deployment, and scalability.

For Australian SMEs still running NAV, the move to Business Central is not just an upgrade; it’s a strategic shift toward a scalable, cloud-based ERP aligned with Microsoft’s innovation roadmap. You can explore Business Central’s pricing, localisation features, and key modules for Australia in our in-depth breakdown.

With clearer differences now established, the question becomes: Is Business Central the right fit for your business needs? To support informed decision-making, the next section critically examines the real-world advantages and limitations of Business Central, drawing from user reviews, implementation insights, and the Australian business context.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Business Central ERP?

Business Central offers robust cloud-based ERP functionality with deep Microsoft integration, but also presents usability and performance trade-offs.

Based on reviews from platforms like G2, Capterra, and Gartner Peer Insights, users consistently value its unified financial visibility, flexible deployment, and modular scalability, especially when used with Microsoft 365.

"It was easy to integrate our sales and accounting data, making financial tracking a breeze." - Manon, Associate Software Engineer, Australia (Capterra)

However, many also report challenges related to system learning curves, customisation complexity, and responsiveness under larger data loads. These mixed experiences reflect Business Central’s strengths as a strategic platform and the importance of expert implementation in achieving its full value.

While Business Central’s capabilities are widely recognised, its real-world impact becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of actual business transformation. The next section highlights how Giesen Group, a growing company in the wine industry, modernised its operations using Business Central. This case illustrates the platform’s practical value when deployed with the right strategy and local expertise.

How Does An Australian Group Modernise Wine Operations with Business Central?

Giesen Group modernised its wine operations with Business Central by replacing fragmented, manual systems with an integrated, cloud-based ERP tailored for scale, automation, and real-time control.

Though based in New Zealand, Giesen’s operational model and technology needs reflect those of many Australian producers facing similar growth and compliance challenges. This transformation highlights how Business Central can drive agility and visibility in regulated, process-driven industries like wine production.

The Challenge: Legacy Systems That Couldn’t Keep Pace

Before adopting Business Central, Giesen Group faced fragmented reporting, manual reconciliation, and poor data visibility due to legacy on-premise ERP systems. As the business expanded across markets and product lines, its financial processes, especially month-end close, supplier coordination, and cost tracking, relied heavily on disconnected spreadsheets. This created bottlenecks, reduced decision-making speed, and limited their ability to scale efficiently.

“As our business evolved, we needed a system that matched our scale and agility.” — Shane Vivian, Management Accountant, Giesen Group (Microsoft)

Giesen required more than just a software upgrade. They needed a modern, flexible platform that could integrate seamlessly with logistics partners, automate financial workflows, and provide accurate, real-time insights across operations.

The Solution: A Fresh Start with Business Central

Giesen adopted Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central as a cloud-native ERP platform, restructured their financial framework, and integrated key production and logistics tools to enable connected, real-time operations. The business replaced manual workflows with standard modules and automation across finance, bottling, and winemaking. This clean-slate approach eliminated legacy constraints and enabled scalability without complexity.

“We redesigned everything with simplicity and accuracy in mind. Business Central gave us the flexibility we needed without the baggage.” — Shane Vivian (Microsoft)

The Results: Real-Time Reporting, Faster Month-End, and Better Margins

After implementing Business Central, Giesen achieved real-time reporting, faster month-end close, and improved margin visibility across departments. Automation reduced order errors and manual bottlenecks, while unified data supported faster, more accurate forecasting and financial control. Teams now operate from a single, accurate source of truth, turning disconnected processes into one cohesive operation.

Giesen’s transformation illustrates how Business Central delivers far more than accounting, empowering connected operations across production, logistics, and finance. Yet the success of any ERP system depends not only on its capabilities but also on how well it aligns with local infrastructure, compliance demands, and business workflows. That leads to a critical question:

How well does Business Central adapt to the needs of Australian businesses, across integration, compliance, and partner support?

The next section answers this by examining the platform’s ecosystem in Australia and the localisation features that make it a viable long-term solution for growing SMEs.

Business Central ERP In The Australian Ecosystem

Business Central ERP is applied in the Australian ecosystem through local integrations, compliance-ready infrastructure, and certified partner support that aligns with national business needs. Key components of the Australian ecosystem include:

• Local integrations: Native connections to Microsoft 365, Outlook, and Power BI. With partners like Havi Technology, businesses gain added support for deeper local integrations, such as Xero data migration, KeyPay payroll, and ABA bank file setup.
• Certified partner support: Local Microsoft partners assist with implementation, system tailoring, user training, and post-launch support to align Business Central with sector-specific processes. Choosing the right partner can make or break your ERP implementation. Learn more about the top Microsoft Business Central partners in Australia and how they support local success.
• Data residency & compliance: Hosted on Microsoft Azure in Australia (including WA) (Microsoft, 2024), with IRAP-assessed and ISO-certified infrastructure, Business Central offers secure, low-latency access under local data laws.

This ecosystem enables mid-sized companies to meet evolving operational demands while reducing risk, improving performance, and aligning with sector-specific workflows. For larger businesses with more complex operations, such as multi-entity management or advanced supply chain requirements, Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations may be a better-suited option within the Microsoft ecosystem.

For businesses still using NAV, understanding Business Central’s local ecosystem is just one part of the decision. The next section outlines when and why migration becomes critical, especially as support for NAV phases out and operational risks grow.

What To Do If You're Still On NAV?

If you're still running Dynamics NAV, the only strategic path forward is to migrate to Business Central, Microsoft’s designated successor. NAV 2018 exited mainstream support on 10 January 2023 and will reach end-of-life by 14 January 2028, according to Microsoft. During this phase, Microsoft stops all feature development and compatibility updates, leaving NAV users exposed to growing risks and rising costs.

Staying on NAV brings serious drawbacks: security vulnerabilities, limited integration with modern tools, and increasingly manual compliance workarounds. As performance declines and support costs increase, the ability to scale and remain competitive diminishes.

Here are six clear signs it’s time to move on:

• No cloud or mobile access
• Heavy reliance on Excel for reporting
• Integration issues with newer systems
• Lagging performance during peak periods
• Incompatible or unsupported add-ons
• No automatic GST/BAS calculations.

If any of these apply, now is the time to reassess your ERP roadmap. Business Central offers a future-proof platform, with cloud infrastructure, continual updates, and local support from partners like Havi Technology, tailored for Australian users.

Havi Technology is a Microsoft Dynamics Partner helping businesses modernise with AI-powered ERP and CRM solutions tailored to Australian needs. See how our solutions empower transformation.

References:

• Microsoft (2025). How Giesen Group transformed winemaking with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
• Microsoft (2024). Microsoft extends Azure cloud infrastructure to Western Australia
• Microsoft. Dynamics NAV 2018 Lifecycle Policy
• G2. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
• Capterra. Dynamics 365 Business Central Reviews
• Gartner Peer Insights. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Likes and Dislikes
• TrustRadius. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.