Microsoft Dynamics NAV in a Browser: Driven by Web Services, Vendors Race Ahead with Offerings as Microsoft Prepares Own Approach

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 and the subsequent R2 update, Microsoft opened up an impressive range of functionality through web services.  The list of Dynamics NAV features and functions accessible through web services was so broad that it has enabled developers to build integrations and new Dynamics NAV client applications that far surpassed anything previously available.

Going as far back as mid-2008, in his preview of NAV 2009, Eric Wauters rightly foresaw the opportunity: "Just imagine what integration possibilities this is going to offer. Communication with mobile devices, third party applications, web sites...And all of his over the net... The sky is the limit."

Indeed, the availability of robust web services has led to the development of several NAV-focused web client platforms - server-side applications that provide browser-based and smartphone user interfaces for NAV.  Vendors such as Stratus, MindQuad (makers of NAV|Lite), Conion Media (makers of Anveo), and NAVonWEB, have already produced viable browser-based clients that expose significant portions of NAV functionality. Using the latest browser and mobile platform capabilities, these products can expose between 70% and 90% of the standard functionality of NAV to people who would not have used the full NAV client.

With NAV 7 well on its way to a 2012 release, Microsoft  pricing strategy manager Carl Radeke says their plans for delivering browser-based NAV features are focused on a SharePoint client that will be delivered with NAV 7.  This plan is described in the existing statement of direction with more details to be included in the ...