Dynamics 365 Upgrade Services
Move off legacy ERP. Go live in 14 weeks.
Fixed-price statement of work. Named senior consultant. Move from Dynamics GP, NAV, or AX 2012 to a fully supported, cloud-capable system. Zero average change orders across 47 engagements.
Supported upgrade paths
FROM
Dynamics GP 2013 to 2018
TO
Business Central (Cloud)
FROM
Dynamics NAV (any version)
TO
Business Central (Cloud)
FROM
Dynamics AX 2012 R3
TO
Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations
FROM
Business Central On-Premises (v14 to v21)
TO
Business Central Cloud
14 weeks
Average go-live
94%
On-time delivery
$0
Average change orders
4.9/5
47 engagements
Microsoft Gold Partner
Fixed-price statement of work only
Named consultant, full engagement
30-day hypercare after go-live
North America only
Why upgrade now
The cost of staying on legacy ERP compounds every quarter.
End-of-support is the headline. The operational cost of staying on a legacy system starts long before the final patch date.
End-of-support exposure
Dynamics GP mainstream support ended January 1, 2026. Extended support ends December 31, 2029. NAV versions prior to 2018 are already fully out of support. No security patches means unpatched security vulnerabilities and regulatory audit findings.
Missed release wave features
Business Central ships two release waves per year: April and October. Each wave delivers new capabilities in manufacturing, supply chain, and financial management. Legacy ERP users accumulate a growing capability gap every six months.
Growing customisation debt
Every year on a legacy version adds cost to the eventual upgrade. Reports written in legacy C/AL compound. Organisations that delay five years pay more than double the upgrade cost of those that move within two years.
Return on investment of acting now
Across 47 delivered engagements, average year-one operational saving is $180,000. Payback period averages 8 months from go-live. Three-year return on investment averages 3.4 times. Real numbers from signed engagements.
Life on legacy ERP today
- Month-end close takes 5 to 7 days with manual spreadsheet steps
- Compliance team asking about unpatched security vulnerabilities
- Customisations block every software update attempt
- Growth outpacing what the system can reliably handle
Life on Business Central after go-live
- Month-end close runs in 1.5 days on automated workflows
- Microsoft-managed security patches on every release wave
- Application language extensions update automatically with each release wave
- Manufacturing, distribution, and project accounting built in
Upgrade process
From discovery audit to live on Business Central in 14 weeks.
Every phase has a named deliverable and an acceptance criterion. Scope variance caused by requirements we documented at contract date is absorbed by us.
1
Weeks 1 to 2
Discovery and assessment
Customisation audit, data volume analysis, integration inventory, and go-live risk scoring. Output: fixed-price upgrade statement of work.
2
Weeks 3 to 4
Environment setup
Target environment provisioned. Migration plan agreed. Cutover date locked. Code conversion backlog confirmed.
3
Weeks 5 to 10
Build and code conversion
C/AL or legacy code converted to AL extensions. Integrations rebuilt. Two trial data migrations with reconciliation reports.
4
Weeks 11 to 13
Testing and user acceptance testing
End-to-end process testing. User acceptance testing with key users. Signed user acceptance sign-off before go-live is authorised.
5
Week 14 plus 30 days
Go-live and hypercare
Production cutover. 30-day hypercare. Priority 1 response within 2 hours. First month-end close supported by the same named consultant.
Customisation audit summary
Finance and general ledger (C/AL)Convert to AL
Request for proposal, notice to proceedRebuild in AL
Third-party invoicing connectorReconfigure
Smartlist-equivalent reportsReplace with Business Central standard
Fixed-price statement of work ready: $38,500 · Timeline: 14 weeks · Consultant: James R.
Sandbox environment checklist
Business Central cloud sandbox provisionedLive
Chart of accounts mappedComplete
Data migration plan signedSigned
Cutover date lockedOctober 14, 2025
Code conversion backlog: 12 items queued
Code conversion progress
Finance module (AL)100%
Request for proposal extension (AL)78%
Trial migration 1Reconciling
Trial migration 1 variance: 3 general ledger lines under review. On track for trial 2 in week 11.
User acceptance tests
Accounts payable and 3-way match
Finance team · 10 test cases
Inventory and warehouse management
Operations team · 14 test cases
Request for proposal extension workflow
Procurement · 5 test cases
Go-live readiness: 89%, on track for week 14 cutover
All systems operational, Business Central live
Open tickets
1
Priority 1 response
1.8 hours
Service level breaches
0
Hypercare days left
25
Month-end close scheduled · James R. on standby
Delivery commitment in the statement of work
"If we introduce scope not documented in this statement of work, we absorb the cost. If we miss the agreed go-live date due to factors within our control, we continue work at no additional charge until you are live."
Upgrade paths
Every starting point. One destination.
We scope each upgrade path individually. Data volumes, customisation depth, integration dependencies, and compliance requirements all vary by source system.
Upgrade path 01
Dynamics GP to Business Central
The most common upgrade path. GP and Business Central share significant functional overlap in accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and basic inventory, making this path predictable to scope. Microsoft ended GP mainstream support on January 1, 2026. Extended support runs through December 31, 2029.
- Chart of accounts mapping included
- Smartlist-equivalent reports rebuilt in Business Central
- Third-party add-ons reviewed: keep, rebuild, or replace
- Two trial data migrations with reconciliation
Typical timeline: 12 to 20 weeks
Get Scoped Upgrade path 02
Dynamics NAV to Business Central
Business Central is the direct successor to NAV. The functional model is familiar, but customisations written in C/AL must be converted to AL extensions. All NAV versions from 2009 through 2018 are out of mainstream or extended support.
- Full C/AL to AL extension conversion
- Customisation audit: keep, rebuild, or replace
- Upgrade-safe extensions, cloud-compatible from day one
- Integration review: keep, reconfigure, or rebuild
Typical timeline: 10 to 18 weeks
Get Scoped Upgrade path 03
Dynamics AX 2012 to Dynamics 365 Finance
AX 2012 R3 exited mainstream support in October 2023. Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations runs cloud-native with continuous updates. The data model, customisation framework, and integration layer all change significantly. Enterprise engagements support phased rollout by legal entity.
- Multi-entity phased rollout available
- X++ code analysis and conversion scoping
- MB-300 and MB-500 certified consultant team
- Lifecycle Services managed deployment
Typical timeline: 16 to 28 weeks
Get Scoped Upgrade path 04
Business Central On-Premises to Cloud
Customers running Business Central on-premises (v14 through v21) benefit from moving to the cloud: automatic twice-yearly release waves, Microsoft-managed infrastructure, and lower total cost of ownership. Extensions must pass AppSource compliance review before the move.
- Extension compliance review and rearchitect
- On-premises connectors moved to cloud
- Version-by-version gap analysis to current wave
- Zero-downtime cutover planning
Typical timeline: 6 to 12 weeks
Get Scoped Who this is for
Four situations where we move fastest.
You are in the right place if
- You are running out-of-support ERPYou need a credible timeline and a partner who has done this transition before.
- A previous upgrade stalled or failedYou need an honest assessment of what went wrong and a realistic path to go-live.
- Growth is outpacing your legacy systemMonth-end takes a week. Reports require manual spreadsheet assembly. You need to move.
- An acquisition requires system consolidationTwo separate ERP instances need to merge into one Business Central tenant.
Proof
Upgrades delivered. Results measured.
UP
UPCNET
Information Technology Consulting Services
Challenge
The transition from NAV 2015 to Business Central required full refactoring of customised C/AL code into AL extensions and integration with a third-party invoicing system supporting the Catalan language, all while maintaining business continuity.
Solution
ERP upgraded to Business Central with full C/AL to AL conversion. Microsoft Integration Runtime migrated data from on-premises SQL Server to the cloud. Automated testing introduced for customised transactions. A .NET-based integration connected the invoicing system via application programming interface.
Result
Improved system performance and reduced manual errors across core processes. Automated testing saved measurable time on each deployment cycle. Regional language and invoicing compliance maintained throughout.
Key outcome
Full C/AL to AL conversion delivered on a fixed-price statement of work with zero change orders and business continuity maintained throughout.
$0
Change orders
14 weeks
Delivery
KY
KYB Conmat
Construction Equipment Manufacturing
NAV 2009 R2 to NAV 2016
ERP upgrade resolves transaction volume bottlenecks
Challenge
Legacy NAV 2009 R2 struggled with increasing transaction volumes, slow performance, frequent errors, and reporting delays. It lacked support for updated compliance requirements including goods and services tax.
Result
Productivity increased measurably with reduced report processing times. Enhanced compliance tools simplified regulatory goods and services tax reporting. The system handles higher transaction volumes to support continued growth.
LR
Lanrover
Business-to-business Operations
Legacy ERP to Business Central Cloud
Legacy ERP replaced with scalable Business Central on Azure
Challenge
Functional and scalability limitations constrained business operations. Legacy architecture increased operational risk and made it difficult to meet evolving compliance and reporting requirements.
Result
Improved operational scalability and compliance readiness. Unified finance, sales, and customer data on a single modern ERP platform. Reduced dependency on legacy processes.
4.9/5
Rating from 47 engagements
$180K
Average year-one operational savings
3.4x
Average three-year return on investment
8 months
Average payback period
Why Redefine
What we commit to on every upgrade.
Four things define how we deliver. Each one is written into the statement of work, not promised in a sales call.
Fixed-price statement of work only
One scoped price agreed before any work begins. No time and materials. No open-ended hourly billing. The price you sign is the price you pay.
Named consultant throughout
The senior consultant who scopes your upgrade is the same person who delivers it and supports your first month-end close. No handoff to a junior team after signing.
Zero average change orders
Across 47 engagements the average change order value is $0. Scoping discipline in the two-week discovery phase is the reason there are no surprises after you sign.
Upgrade rescue capability
When a previous upgrade stalled or failed, we assess what went wrong and chart a realistic path to go-live. Rescue work is a core capability, not an exception.
Questions
Questions before you scope.
A Dynamics 365 upgrade moves your organisation from an older Microsoft enterprise resource planning system: GP, NAV, AX 2012, or an older Business Central version to a modern supported release. It covers data migration, code conversion (C/AL to AL extensions for NAV paths), integration review, user acceptance testing, and a managed go-live. Every engagement is delivered by a named consultant on a fixed-price statement of work.
Our average delivery is 14 weeks from a signed statement of work. By path: NAV to Business Central runs 10 to 18 weeks. GP to Business Central runs 12 to 20 weeks. AX 2012 to Dynamics 365 Finance runs 16 to 28 weeks. Business Central on-premises to cloud runs 6 to 12 weeks. All timelines are scoped and fixed before signing. The two-week discovery phase defines the exact date before the upgrade statement of work is written.
Assessment-only engagements start at $4,500. A complete NAV or GP to Business Central upgrade typically ranges from $18,000 to $65,000 depending on customisation volume, user count, integrations, and data migration complexity. AX to Dynamics 365 Finance engagements range from $55,000 to $150,000 and above. All engagements are quoted fixed-price before work begins. The $0 average change order figure is a direct result of scoping discipline in our discovery phase.
Most logic can be preserved. Legacy C/AL code from NAV is rewritten as AL extensions, which are upgrade-safe and cloud-compatible. We audit every customisation in the discovery phase and present a keep, rebuild, or replace recommendation. On average, 60 to 70 percent of customisations are converted directly. The remainder are rebuilt as cleaner AL or replaced by standard Business Central functionality added since your original version.
Data migration runs in parallel with the build. We perform two trial migrations with reconciliation reports before go-live. The second trial runs within two weeks of cutover and is reconciled line by line. Open transactions, master data, and a configurable history window are migrated. Closed historical data beyond the agreed window is archived in a read-only environment for 12 months. No data is deleted without a signed data disposition sign-off from your team.
Fit check
Honest about who we move fastest for.
Good fit when
- You are running Dynamics GP, NAV, AX 2012, or on-premises Business Central that is at or near end of support.
- You can give your team 3 to 4 hours per week for discovery sessions, user acceptance testing, and sign-off.
- Your business operates in North America, where our consultants deliver.
- You want a fixed-price statement of work, not open-ended hourly billing.
Not a fit if
- You are on a non-Microsoft ERP and want to stay on it. We upgrade within the Dynamics family.
- You need an offshore delivery model. We deliver onshore with named consultants only.
- You want time and materials billing rather than a scoped fixed price.
- You cannot release any internal time for discovery, testing, or sign-off in the engagement window.
Not sure? Tell us your situation and we will be straight with you.
Related services
What comes before and after the upgrade
Dynamics 365 Implementation
New deployments from scratch for manufacturers and distributors.
View Service →
Dynamics 365 Support
Post-upgrade support retainers with named consultants and defined service level agreements.
View Service →
Dynamics 365 Consulting
Strategic and functional consulting across the Dynamics 365 platform.
View Service →
GP to Business Central
Dedicated migration guide for organisations moving off Dynamics GP.
View Migration Guide →
Book a discovery call
Free 30-minute call. Leave with a realistic upgrade plan.
Tell us your current system, version, user count, and the two or three things that slow your team down today. We will tell you which upgrade path applies, a ballpark cost range, and the earliest realistic go-live date.
- Upgrade path confirmed in the callWe identify the right target platform and confirm source version compatibility.
- Cost range established before you leaveA realistic range based on your system, user count, and customisation level. No vague "it depends."
- Go-live date scopedThe earliest realistic go-live date given your readiness and our current availability.
Assessment-only engagements start at $4,500
The discovery call is free. The full $4,500 paid discovery fee is credited toward your upgrade statement of work when you sign. Set against an average year-one operational saving of $180,000, the assessment pays for itself in the first month after go-live.
Book your discovery call
We respond within one business day to confirm a time.
Call within 48 hours · proposal in 3 days · discovery begins within 1 week of sign-off.
Brief received.
We will review your current system and send a scoped fixed-price proposal within 3 business days.
Call within 48 hours
Proposal in 3 days
47 upgrades delivered
You own the code