Microsoft Is Ending Support For Dynamics NAV, What You Should Know
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018, the last version of NAV, finally reached the end of its Mainstream Support Phase in 10 January 2023. If you’re using NAV for your company, you should know that Microsoft no longer provides mainstream support for any version of Dynamics NAV.
Instead, your ERP software has likely entered Microsoft’s last phase known as Extended Support.
What is Microsoft’s Mainstream Support?
Most software products come with what’s called a Fixed Lifecycle Policy. It’s designed to provide you with a clear understanding of how long support and service will be available for these products. It provides:
- A clearly defined timeline for support and servicing throughout the lifecycle of the product, established at the time of its launch
- Usually for at least the first five years, you’ll receive what’s called ‘Mainstream Support‘.
- Some products go beyond that and offer an additional period of support called ‘Extended Support‘
Under Microsoft’s Mainstream Support phase, you’d get security patches, and regular non-security hotfixes to address bugs and enhance functionality in Dynamics NAV. There’s also the ability to request for non-security updates like design changes and features in future updates.
What is Microsoft’s Extended Support?
Under Extended Support, Microsoft will only provide critical security updates for your instance of NAV at no additional cost for another five years. This has the following implications for your business;
- No More Non-security Updates: Apart from security updates to address newly-discovered vulnerabilities, Microsoft will no longer release updates that bring new features or design changes
- No More Regulatory Or Localisation Fixes: Microsoft will also no longer release any updates which will update your instance of NAV with any required statutory changes or localisations. This can potentially put your SME at risk, as it’s that much harder to maintain compliance with the latest regulations without such updates to your ERP software.
Once you go past this Extended Support phase, you will no longer receive security updates.