How to migrate from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica
To migrate a client from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica with superglue's AI agent, connect the client's NAV database, and give superglue access to the client's Acumatica account. superglue assesses the data in minutes, plans every phase, recommends an answer to each decision, and runs a trial load that reconciles to the cent before cutover. You review, decide and sign off with the client.
Microsoft's extended support for NAV 2018, the last NAV version, ends in January 2028, so most NAV clients plan their move now.
What are the steps to migrate from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica?
Migrating from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica takes six steps: connect both systems, assess the data, plan every phase, decide the mapping, run a trial load and cut over. Each load repeats exactly what you tested, and every write waits for your approval.
- 01
Connect Dynamics NAV and Acumatica
Connect the NAV database on SQL Server read-only. superglue writes nothing. The client then gives superglue access to Acumatica.
- 02
Assess the Dynamics NAV data
In minutes, superglue counts every record, finds the open items and lists the data issues with examples. You know the size of the migration before you quote it.
- 03
Plan every phase
superglue drafts the plan from discovery to cutover, with tasks, owners and the Dynamics NAV specifics already in it.
- 04
Decide the mapping
superglue brings each decision below with a recommendation from the client's own data. You confirm or change each answer, and the client signs the mapping.
- 05
Run the trial load
superglue loads an Acumatica test tenant and compares it with Dynamics NAV: the trial balance per period, the open receivables and payables per customer and vendor, and the inventory value. superglue explains every difference before cutover.
- 06
Cut over
At cutover, superglue loads the final data with the same steps as the trial load, and you sign the reconciliation with the client.
How do you get the data out of Dynamics NAV?
- The client's IT creates a read-only SQL Server login for the NAV database, and the superglue gateway reaches the server on the client's network.
- NAV versions before NAV 2013 may run on the native database, which needs a move to SQL Server or an export first.
- Each company has its own tables, so list every company in scope.
- Ask whether the client ran date compression. Compressed years keep only one entry per period, so their detail cannot move.
The client installs the superglue gateway once: Connecting to on-prem systems
What needs to be configured in Acumatica?
The client adds an API user and a connected application for superglue. superglue configures Acumatica and loads the data through that access, in an Acumatica test tenant first, in this order:
- 01
The features the client licenses, such as subaccounts, multicurrency and projects.
- 02
The subaccount structure, companies and branches, and the chart of accounts.
- 03
The financial year and its periods, opened for every migration date.
- 04
Cash accounts, credit terms, taxes and numbering, then the preferences and classes of each module.
- 05
Customers, vendors and items, then the opening balances and the open items.
Access setup for the client: Acumatica configuration guide
What moves from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica?
| In Dynamics NAV | In Acumatica |
|---|---|
| Chart of accounts | GL accounts |
| Dimensions and dimension values | Subaccount segments and branches |
| Customers | Customers and customer classes |
| Jobs | Projects and project tasks |
| Vendors | Vendors and vendor classes |
| Items | Stock and non-stock items |
| Bank accounts | Cash accounts |
Open items
Open customer and vendor ledger entries, open sales and purchase documents, and item ledger entries with their remaining quantity and cost.
Open items load as AR and AP documents with their original numbers, dates and due dates, in an open financial period, so the aging in Acumatica matches on day one.
History
NAV keeps every ledger entry since the first posting unless someone ran date compression, which keeps only one entry per period. superglue reads the entries per company and per fiscal year.
History loads as journal transactions per financial period, account and subaccount.
Which decisions do you make when you migrate from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica?
- 01
Where do NAV dimensions go?
Acumatica keeps reporting values in subaccount segments, branches and attributes.
superglue proposes subaccount segments for the NAV global dimensions, and attributes for dimensions that only describe a record.
- 02
How do NAV posting groups become Acumatica classes?
Acumatica customer, vendor and item classes and posting classes set the accounts that NAV posting groups set.
superglue proposes classes from the NAV posting groups in use, with the same accounts.
- 03
Which companies and branches does the client need?
In Acumatica, a company can have several branches. Branches drive balances, reports and access rights.
superglue recommends one company for each legal company in Dynamics NAV, and branches only where the client reports per site.
- 04
Which classes carry the defaults?
Customer and vendor classes set the accounts, terms and other defaults for every record in them, and item classes set the units, the valuation method and the posting class.
superglue proposes classes from the groups the client already uses, so each record gets its defaults from its class.
- 05
How much history moves?
Most clients need the open items plus one to two years of monthly balances in Acumatica, and older years as yearly balances. The client keeps the older detail in an archive.
superglue recommends two years of monthly balances per account, and full transaction detail only where the client needs to look into single transactions.
What are the common challenges when you migrate from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica?
Customizations live in the database code
NAV customizations are written in C/AL inside the database, and they do not carry over to a new system. superglue lists the custom fields and tables that hold data, so you decide what moves.
Posting groups decide the accounts of documents
General, customer, vendor and inventory posting groups decide which accounts each sales, purchase and inventory entry hits. superglue maps each combination in use to the account defaults in the new system.
Retire old dimension values before the mapping
Years of projects and campaigns leave thousands of NAV dimension values, many of them blocked. Agree with the client which ones still matter, because every value that moves needs a mapping. superglue counts how often each value was used.
Multi-company clients need an intercompany plan
Clients with several companies keep one set of tables for each, with intercompany balances between them. Agree early which companies merge, which become entities, and how the intercompany balances settle. superglue reads every company and matches the intercompany balances.
Brief the controller on equity accounts
Acumatica has no equity account type, so equity accounts are set up as liability accounts and shown as equity on the balance sheet. Controllers who read the account list often ask about it, so explain it before they see it.
Finish the preferences before the first trial load
Acumatica does not load the records of a module until that module's preferences are complete. Put the preferences in the configuration plan ahead of the first trial load.
superglue also runs the rest of the Acumatica project. See the Acumatica implementation
Frequently asked questions
Which data moves from Dynamics NAV to Acumatica?
The chart of accounts, customers, vendors and items, the open items, and as much history as the client needs. The mapping table on this page shows where each record lands in Acumatica.
Does superglue write to Acumatica without my approval?
No. superglue only reads Dynamics NAV. Before any write to Acumatica, it shows the target, the connection and a transformed sample, and waits for your approval.
How do I know the migration is complete?
superglue reconciles the trial load and the final load against Dynamics NAV: the trial balance per period, the open receivables and payables per customer and vendor, and the inventory value. You get a reconciliation report to sign with the client.
What happens when I start this migration?
You sign up and connect the client's systems. If you want to see a full migration run first, superglue can set up Pinecrest Supply, a sample client.
Start your Dynamics NAV to Acumatica migration
Sign up and connect the client's systems, or let superglue set up Pinecrest Supply, a sample client, to see a full migration run first.