Three key factors of a successful Microsoft Dynamics NAV project

My last project was unusual. We were able to replace an existing ERP system with Microsoft Dynamics NAV in time and under budget. In this article, I will highlight three key factors which were responsible for this success, that are applicable to any other Dynamics NAV project.

Looking back from a personal perspective, this project was not so unusual in certain ways. It was a success for all parties involved. There are many elements in any project which determine its success, like selecting the right partner, the relationship to the company's management, and, finally, the users. Because these factors apply to every project, I will only touch on the elements unique to navigating a Dynamics NAV - or Dynamics 365 Business Central - project in general, and what led to our success on this specific project. 

Know what the business wants

Before starting to arrange any demo appointments for the different ERP systems available out in the market, it is crucial to scope the requirements of the business. This will give you a good sense of how to scope the project for setting the budget and planning your time later. Most importantly, it will tell you what the business wants, which anchors your decision-making process and the definition of activities throughout the project.

There is always a risk that a project moves ahead without a sufficient knowledge base. The result is that time and money is invested into an unimportant function or setup. Later, when the function is ready for production use, someone discovers that it is not necessary at all.

In our "unusual" project, we ...