NAV 2018 Tips & Tricks

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 is here, What Does This Mean for You?

Microsoft released Dynamics NAV 2018 in December.  Many users are excited about the new features that have been introduced.  While the Innovia team is thrilled with this new version, the question for you to answer is “What’s in it for me?”.  The answer is going to vary widely.  The most important factor is what version is your company currently running?  If you are further back than NAV 2015, it is quite likely you will find new features that will help your users do their jobs more easily.  In this blog, I am focusing on Dynamics NAV 2018, but you will want to go the Microsoft NAV Community page for details on other versions, or to identify what I have missed!

The following items are the highlights for Dynamics NAV 2018 from my perspective.

1. Dynamics NAV has much deeper integration with the Microsoft Office tools you currently use every day.
   1. Outlook. You can now see information directly within Outlook when you receive an email from a contact in your NAV database.  You can also create new quotes, orders, invoices directly from Outlook and seamlessly update NAV!  Review this blog to learn more on Outlook integration.
   2. Excel. The export to Excel is easier.  Face it, many users want to manipulate or analyze the data within Excel, now it is easier than ever.  You can also print reports directly to Excel.
   3. Word. Many of the standard NAV reports can be customized directly within Word using a Word merge functionality that helps you make your forms look any way you choose using either your own creativity or a template from Office.com.
   4. PowerBI. While much has been touted with PowerBI, it is becoming easier for end users to be able to attach PowerBI to their NAV database and begin to use this powerful dashboard and analysis tool to help guide their decision making.
2. Extensions/Events. Microsoft continues to improve this new platform that helps users easily upgrade their systems without having to go through the pain and expense associated with previous upgrades!
3. Algorithms using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Forecasting and Contact information becomes more useful in your NAV 2018 by using Microsoft’s powerful and constantly improving AI tools.
4. Microsoft Flow. We have all heard the term “garbage in, garbage out”.  Now it is easier than ever to help your users do the right thing the first time.  Microsoft Flow is a workflow tool that you can manage on your own, without help from expensive programmers, yours or Innovia’s. 
5. Lexmark ICS. Improved AP automation tools to help streamline your payables process from receipt thought approval and payment. 
6. Excel based Financial Reports. Microsoft has recognized that many financial reports are being prepared using Excel.  Now several of the base financial reports are native to Excel.
7. Visual Studio Code. This new tool allows developers to use modern technology tools to help them in their development efforts.  This will also help recruit and train a new generation of development resources for end users and their companies.

While there are many other new features and Microsoft provides a more complete list on the Community page, the features above combined with features that have been introduced in the last several version make a compelling case for current Dynamics NAV users to get to the most current version of the product that has served them well for so many years.

The best place to see all these new features is NAVUG Summit in Phoenix!  I look forward to seeing you all there in October.