Microsoft Dynamics NAV Software

As a Project Manager, MS Nav is more of a hassle than it should be. No fields automatically fill and you are often entering the same information multiple time.
For example, even though you Login with your Username and Password - You must fill in Who you are, What Division you work for, What Sub Company you Work for, List your manager, the Date - All just to write an order. Also, each line item in a PO requires the date to be entered 3x and the job number to be typed after each item. Unacceptable when it comes to productivity and user friendliness

Pros

It better than paper...

Cons

See review above

I use it daily. it may be a great accounting program but a very poor construction project quoting tool

Pros

For my job there is no Pros

Cons

Complicated and time consuming to learn. Should not be used as a program to quote multiple components for projects.

I liked the solution so far, it's easy to learn and use, even if requires some time to understand the logic. Just as any other software I guess. Together, it's a great solution, allows us to manage all aspects from accounting to leasing to reporting. We use it on a subscription base.

Pros

Flexible can be adjusted to our business. NAV partner Admiral is very supportive. We liked subscription option, did not need to invest upfront. Integrated accounting and lease management allow having all numbers in one place and it gets easy to analyze. Much faster tenant billing process than we had before. Good training material from Soft4RealEstate.

Cons

Smart NAV partner is needed. Even with a subscription, there is a set-up fee and we had to invest some amounts into development. But now we have what we need. Much of info on NAV in Customersource, but need time to search for it.

Advice to Others

Take more training to learn how to use the system. Repeat the training after 3 and 6 month - then the implementer suggests more efficient ways how to use the system and our users had experience and questions how they want to use the system.

Not a good Support from Microsoft. There is no control of Microsoft Regional Team on their Chanel Partners who is spoiling the reputation of Microsoft Products. They are only interested in selling the Numbers of Licenses. No monitoring from Microsoft even on cheating cases disputed cases by their Chanel partners.
Microsoft Navision Product would be Great through Proper implementation as all you required, Must have Microsoft Regional Team support for Monitoring partners implementation activities.

Pros

That NAV is customizable with good Features for Small Businesses. But Partner selection is Crucial!

Cons

Microsoft is not supportive of customers issues . There was no training materials Manuals provided, Even the customer Source Login do not provide the required information & control to customer.

Advice to Others

Be careful while selecting the Microsoft Partner.
I don't have many good things to say about this program. But like to advise. If at all you want to use Navision, Before making any initial payment clarify all the required Points in Details with descriptions in Black & White.

I used NAV in the oilfield and was part of the implementation process in the US. It is easy to lean and has a very intuitive user interface that most people get familiar with very quickly. It is customizable and in the lower end of the price range for the features you get. However customizations can get expensive if you need features that are not out of the box.

Pros

Relatively easy implementation process with a short learning curve for most users. Has a lot of good features.

Likes Best

It's a detailed program that would be great if accounting was all you required. I don't like anything about the product or vendor when cost comparison is done. This program could be provided by a number of other software programs at a fraction of the cost. Sorry I don't have many good things to say about this program.

Likes Least

Ridiculously expensive and not even close to what any other software company charges for basic accounting. This program was sold to me as a property management software, I see nothing but basic accounting features that is offered by many other software companies at a 10th of the cost. Needless to say we'll be moving on to an alternate software program that I don't have to give up my first born for. Get your wallet out if you want Microsoft NAV, it will cost you dearly! Microsoft is little to no help and in my opinion is there to protect the individual providers and not the paying customer!

Recommendations

That NAV is customize able but at an extremely high cost to you. Microsoft is little to no help with subscription issues and questionable subscriptions. There was absolutely no training materials provided, no access to online support or telephone support. The only support was through email and sometimes it takes days to receive an answer so you're stuck in limbo.

Likes Best

NAV allows you to keep strict control of your processes and accounts but is flexible enough that you can custmize the information you want to manage, the workflow and the user's roles.

Likes Least

It requires a good amount of training and a lot of support for the initial setup.

Recommendations

Make sure you explain your needs and how your business work to the person is demonstrating the software so he can create a good environment where you can appreciate the advantages of the software based on your needs.

Likes Best

The ability to setup multiple dimension to view financial results. Easy to use account schedules. Easy to learn.

Likes Least

Error messages are not easily understood by end users.

Recommendations

Ensure that the installers understand your business and your vision for future reporting.

Likes Best

The product is upgraded regularly to provide a base platform that is extremely cutting edge.

Likes Least

The product requires understanding of fundamental business practices which some customers may not be familiar with.

Recommendations

It is very important to understand your business needs and evaluate the software for the specific must-have or optional requirements.

Likes Best

EASY TO NAVIGATE, VERY GOOD CONTROL, GOOD EXPORT TO EXCEL

Likes Least

THE VENDOR CAN OFFER IT WITH A LOWER PRICE AND WITH MANY FEATURES

Recommendations

i DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR OTHERS AS IT DEFFER FROM A PERSON TO PERSON

Likes Best

Its vast ability to manage your business and ease to use

Likes Least

Few more clicks comparatively and some training required

Recommendations

Its a very good Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software for Small Medium Businesses (SMBs)

Likes Best

NAV is fairly easy to use, it has become more familiar with other Microsoft products which makes it easier for a new person to learn the navigation. It is good for basic needs when you don't have a complicated business.

Likes Least

Not as robust as many other platforms like Oracle, lacks some of the bells and whistles of the higher end platforms.

Recommendations

If you are a non-complex business, non-international, and don't need the extra bells and whistles...this is a good choice.

Likes Best

1. Like the excel function on NAV screen where you can dump out any info onto excel for external reporting.
2. Like the ability to setup permissions on record level. for example, can setup permissions where a user can see Purchase invoices for a particular vendor.
3.

Likes Least

1. Doesn't have a good approval chain process for purchasing documents. Very linear approach based on amount.
2. Microsoft customer support comes at a price and even with that they dont touch any customized function and ask you to get back to partner for fix

Recommendations

Give proper time to evaluate your business needs vs NAV functionality to figure out customization. Once system goes live it is very time and cost consuming to make changes to the system.

Likes Best

MS Dynamics is pretty user-friendly considering the other CRM products in the market. It's got a pretty good coverage in terms of customer engagement process. Right from Presales interaction center to post sales Services, it covers most processes. Microsoft as a vendor is placed well to offer this as a cloud offering as its also owns Azzure

MS Dynamics does have a mobile app for Apple devices which is pretty useful and easy to use. That helps in user adoption on field.

The support provided by MS is good, but gets activated only when situation gets into emergency mode.

Likes Least

The comercials could have been more affordable. I would have loved more seamless integration between Dynamics and Navision as both are from the same family. Easy to deploy mobile applications for Andriod phone is something which would have been really useful

Recommendations

I would recommend the following

CRM implementations are tough and adoptions are generally difficult to achieve overnight. Hence be very sure of the business requirements and deliver what is required and adds value to the users

Pl. do conduct a pilot. Take a cloud account if possible and then try it in one market

Pl. make an assessment of the change in working behavior in the users required before implementation

Pl. have a tight governance over the project once you decide

Likes Best

Its best suited for our type of business wherein we need to deploy standalone on premise instances and user adoption needs to be natural not forced. Its been good and we have been running on it for nearly a decade now for our international operations

Likes Least

Mobility support is something which I could really appreciate

Recommendations

Be clear on what functionalities are core and what are good to have
Be aware of the profile of your user
Take cognizance of the infra and network links available
Be sure of the inmplementation vendor as he makes a huge difference
Keep Microsoft in the loop during implemementation

Likes Best

The best part that it's simple, compact, and user-friendly. Even after 2-3 days of training, we could use NAV.

Likes Least

Good software. Easy to use. No limitation. Vendor is good. They understand our requirement, done the implemention and showed the result. We are happy with the product and vendor.

Recommendations

I highly recommend this software as it will help the users to work efficiently. Managers can check the performance based on numbers of reports generated by the software.

Likes Best

I joined AL FANAR Electricals Co. KSA -in 2003, it has been decided to replace ERP system with NAV, Tec.Support was provided by AL FANAR IT an affiliate company who became golden partnership with Microsoft later and provided the system if Gulf Market, the implementation was very successful, early versions of NAV in 2003 was famous as (Navision Attain) at that time, the system provided a splendid AR, AP, and inventory reports and controls, was helpful in regional trading credit controls and manufacturing process, in 2006 the company upgraded the software to NAV5 and we learned a lot about setup requirements, Posting groups, general business posting groups, sales and system generated transactions setup accounts and matrix, Exr. Var and global dimensions etc..., in 2007 I joined Gulf Capital KSA the company management recommended NAV at that time tec. support provided by (NEWWAY) and I was assigned as a project manager, later in 2009 I joined ROTANA Media Group who recommended same ERP as well.
now new versions of NAV are available with business intelligence tools and some additional great features, I expect this fast positive evolvement of MS Dynamics will make them first Market Choice in a short time.
I used several softwares before and after NAV like (Dolphin, Oracle, Klipper, and others..) from my experience what I like most in NAV and make it remarkable are the following :
- SQL Server which provides flexible opened platform allow users to move to any information details and jump between templates they want from anywhere in the system to get information rather than closing screens and reopening another, other systems cannot provide this Dynamic feature.
- Reasonable and Logical controls of the system over transactions complying with exact financial requirements, other systems have nonsense controls in useless areas and gaps in other critical areas, and stand hopeless needing customization for an axiomatic small things.
- Easy and Smart setup requirements and users profiles access.
- Huge bank of ready reports provided by global MSD teams and partnership
- Friendly user = easy training
- Easy setup of financial reporting BS, Income statements , cash flow , Budgeting and variances any other because it leaves to user to choose , items lines name , tagging accounts, dimensions needed cost centers or business units , even user can add the equations of some financial statements lines !
- Easy customization and easy editing of all tables screens
- High Compatibility with Excel MS Office.
- Reasonable cost with complete business solutions package and including project management, Human resources, Cash Management etc..

Likes Least

No Disadvantages or defaults in my opinion if implementation requirements are clear and correct and finance knows exactly controls, processes outputs they need. everything is there in this system.

Recommendations

I always say companies need to know their exact requirements, controls, users assignments, business segments, reporting out put and processes setup by an expert qualified people, before they go for any ERP System.
Otherwise implementation will fail and management will blame systems in front of business owners.
If you have dirty clothes and you put dust instead of washing powder in a Washing machine for sure you will get super dirty rugs, its not the washing machine problem.
You need to know first what are the business needs and then meet several representatives of several ERP systems, read standards features of each on web to find what best fit.
at this stage most of expertise forget elements of time consuming, training cost, best reporting outcomes, business intelligence, and possible future cost of customizations, for these whole reasons and my above review, MS Dynamics are my favorite choice.

Likes Best

It's very intuitive to use and requires very little training to get started

Likes Least

Nothing that I can think of as far as dislikes. Microsoft tends to put out easy-to-use products that require very little to no training to use.

Recommendations

Compare to Salesforce.com and others. Dynamics CRM is what you would expect from Microsoft and is easy to roll out and implement.

Likes Best

The best part that it's simple, compact, and user-friendly. Even after 2-3 days of training, we could use NAV.

Likes Least

I like it all. There is no limitation to it.

Recommendations

I want to tell them that it's from Microsoft and, like Windows, it is more user-friendly.

I have worked in the supply chain for 5 years now and have experience with 3 different ERP's. Our old ERP was limiting, though it was also fairly straight forward. The biggest issue seemed to be how incredibly date sensitive how ever without requiring dates at the same time. This pushed the change to a new ERP and Microsoft NAV was chosen through their partner company Just Foods.

A truly bizarre system, the flow of documentation through the program makes little sense and over complicates what would normally be easy transactions. For instance Purchase Orders follow this document flow - First the purchase order is created once you receive your order, a warehouse receipt document is created and received in. However, once it is received in the warehouse, the receipt document disappears and becomes a posted receipt document (both have completely different document numbers that don't connect to each other). At this point your original Purchase order has been changed to reflect what ever was received in, and you have to have a second column to view what you originally ordered. Otherwise, figuring out if you over or under received is difficult at best. Now once the invoice comes in and is posted against the posted warehouse document, your purchase order disappears. The only place your purchase order exists in its original form is the in Purchase order Archive, which was never mentioned to us during implementation, forcing us to call Just Foods later on and pay for their customer service.

This same, strange flow of documents, that are essentially intermediary documents only existing to complete a transaction, over complicate what should be a straight forward shipping and receiving process. There are some other basic functionality issues, like figuring out what day you actually shipped or received an item. The easiest way to figure that out seems to require access to the warehouse functionality, which you may or may not want people to have. We get a lot of errors where the tables are locked with other users, and you are just stuck until the report or other person finishes up. The Dimensions on lines can mysteriously disappear, even though the G/L Code and Department code show as filled out in the order. Our MRP has never worked correctly, so in general, we are forced to use Excel to put together our production schedule. All in all, its a sub-par program that you can tell is 5 or 6 different original programs that have been slapped together to try an resemble an ERP system.

Now having said all that, obviously I am looking at this from a supply chain perspective as it is what I do. Perhaps on the accounting end it has some ease of use, but due to how difficult it is to understand on the operations end, the accounting rarely comes out correct due to faulty information in the system. On the positive side there do seem to be a million different ways to do the same thing in NAV, and many of the built in reports are extremely useful assuming that the information in the system is correct.