The Partner Perspective: Assessing the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Launch, Part 2: What Will Perpetual Licensing Bring?

While partners say they are sensing strong enthusiasm toward Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013, as described in part one of this series, how will that translate into sales?

Considering the vastly different licensing approach with its bent toward driving volume in the heart of the SMB market, value added resellers (VARs) will find themselves held to account for the validity of the new approach as they go head to head with other ERP and accounting solutions on a daily basis.

Perpetual Licensing means the entire solution can be licensed via four core components: The Starter Pack, the Extended Pack, the Full User and the Limited User, according to Microsoft. Additional configuration components are also available. With Microsoft Dynamics Perpetual Licensing, customers license the ERP Solution functionality and access to that functionality is secured by licensing users.

That means users who upgrading from previous versions of the products have to move from the previous Module Based Licensing or Business Ready Licensing models to Perpetual Licensing.

When it comes to the new pricing scheme in NAV 2013, Nicky Stewart, Sales & Marketing Director at UK-based Microsoft partner TVision Technology Ltd., said her company will be advising clients looking to upgrade to adjust license purchase prior to transition.

"Largely this is because they won't be able to make changes to their existing license once transitioned and NAV 2013 license isn't backward compatible," she said. "This means if there is any reason why they need to keep the previous system as their production system for longer than expected, there won't be ...