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Microsoft Dynamics NAV may still be central to finance, operations, inventory, manufacturing, and reporting. But supporting an established NAV environment today can look very different from when it was first implemented.
Years of customizations, integrations, reports, infrastructure changes, and evolving processes can increase the expertise required to keep the system stable and responsive.
The right support model depends on how heavily the business relies on NAV, how often requirements change, and the level of NAV expertise the organization already has. The decision is increasingly about balancing operational stability today with how much more the organization should invest in an aging ERP environment.
NAV Support Needs Are Changing
The Microsoft support timeline adds another consideration.
Dynamics NAV 2016 reached the end of extended support in April 2026. NAV 2017 remains in extended support until January 2027, with NAV 2018 following in January 2028. Earlier NAV releases have already reached the end of support.
For organizations continuing to run NAV, end-of-support dates do not automatically mean an immediate migration. They do make support risk, security, maintainability, and modernization timing more important considerations. It does mean the support strategy needs to account for an aging product lifecycle alongside day to day business requirements.
A strong NAV support model should help keep the current environment stable, address functional and technical requirements, and provide the expertise needed for ongoing changes, enhancements, and integrations.
What NAV Support Model Fits Your Enterprise?
There is no single support model that works for every NAV environment. Korcomptenz currently presents three core engagement approaches for NAV and Business Central support: Ad Hoc Support, Annual Contract, and Application Management Support.
| Support model | Best suited for | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Ad Hoc Support | Organizations with occasional or targeted NAV requirements | Access to functional and technical specialists for issues, small enhancements, report changes, configuration, and other defined requirements |
| Annual Contract | Organizations with recurring NAV needs throughout the year | Structured support for reporting, configuration, minor customizations, data issues, training, enhancements, and other ongoing requirements |
| Application Management Support | Large, multi-country, or complex NAV environments | Dedicated support team, knowledge management, ticketing processes, defined SLAs, dedicated coordination, and regular reviews |
The right model should reflect business criticality, environment complexity, response expectations, and continuity needs, not ticket volume alone.
Ad Hoc Support for Targeted Requirements
Ad Hoc Support is suited to organizations that need help with specific NAV issues without committing to an ongoing support model.
Typical requirements can include troubleshooting, report changes, minor enhancements, configuration updates, or other defined functional and technical needs.
Korcomptenz provides access to experienced functional and technical specialists for targeted NAV support requirements. The existing engagement model is designed for one-off issues and smaller changes that do not require a longer-term support structure.
Annual Support for Recurring NAV Needs
An Annual Contract is better suited to organizations that require NAV support throughout the year.
Requirements may include report changes, configuration updates, minor customizations, data issues, training needs, enhancements, or smaller projects. Korcomptenz's existing model also includes access to functional and technical support teams, ticketing processes, project coordination, and regular reporting.
This model provides more continuity than ad hoc assistance while allowing organizations to plan support around recurring requirements.
Application Management Support for Complex NAV Environments
Application Management Support is designed for larger and more complex NAV environments where continuity and knowledge retention are important.
Korcomptenz's existing model provides a dedicated support team with access to functional and technical specialists, knowledge management and ticketing processes, a dedicated point of coordination, defined SLAs, and regular project reviews. The model is positioned for large, multi-country, and complex implementations where retaining knowledge of the business and application environment is important.
For organizations with significant dependence on NAV, this creates a more structured support relationship around the application rather than addressing requirements individually as they arise.
How to Choose the Right NAV Support Model
The decision becomes clearer when three areas are considered together.
Frequency of support
Occasional requirements may fit an ad hoc model, while recurring issues, reports, enhancements, and configuration changes may justify an annual support structure.
Complexity of the NAV environment
Larger or multi-country implementations may need greater continuity, knowledge retention, and structured application management.
Level of support continuity required
Organizations that depend heavily on NAV may need defined SLAs, dedicated coordination, ticketing processes, and a team that develops deeper knowledge of the environment over time.
The right model should provide enough structure for the NAV environment without adding unnecessary support overhead.
NAV Support Areas
Depending on the engagement model, NAV support can include functional and technical assistance, issue resolution, report changes, configuration updates, minor customizations, data-related requirements, training, enhancements, and ticket management.
For more complex environments, support can also include knowledge management, defined SLAs, dedicated coordination, and regular project reviews. These areas align with the NAV engagement models Korcomptenz currently outlines.
When to Look Beyond NAV Support
For some organizations, ongoing NAV support remains the right approach. For others, continued support may need to be considered alongside a future move to Business Central.
A Business Central assessment may deserve consideration when:
- NAV lifecycle deadlines are approaching
NAV 2017 reaches the end of extended support in January 2027, followed by NAV 2018 in January 2028. - Legacy customizations need increasing attention
Custom C/AL functionality typically needs to be assessed and reworked as AL extensions when moving from older NAV environments to Business Central online. Data from tables with code customizations also requires those customizations to be handled appropriately before it can move forward. - Integrations and reporting need a more current foundation
Business Central integrates with Power Platform through a connector that uses REST APIs and supports services such as Power Automate and Power Apps. Business Central also supports Power BI integration for accessing and presenting ERP data. - The business is looking for more automation
Business Central connects with Power Automate and Copilot Studio through Power Platform, expanding options for workflow automation and AI-supported processes.
Support and migration do not have to become the same project. The immediate priority can remain keeping NAV stable while the organization separately evaluates when continued investment in the current environment should give way to modernization.
Korcomptenz Perspective
The objective of NAV support should change as the product moves through its lifecycle. Support should keep the environment stable without encouraging unnecessary investment in customizations or architecture that may soon be replaced.
Korcomptenz helps organizations separate what must be maintained today from what should be simplified, retired, or addressed through a future Business Central modernization plan.
Conclusion
Choosing a NAV support model is ultimately about matching the level of support to the way the business depends on the system.
Ad Hoc Support can address targeted requirements. An Annual Contract provides greater continuity for recurring needs. Application Management Support brings a more dedicated structure to larger and more complex environments.
The strategic question is not simply how long NAV can keep running. It is how long continued support remains the best use of ERP investment compared with modernization.
The right support model should keep NAV dependable today while giving the business a clear path for what comes next.
Find the Right NAV Support Model
Korcomptenz can help evaluate your current NAV support requirements and identify an engagement model aligned with the complexity of your environment and the level of support your business needs.
