Extracting raw data from NAV 2.6 DB to use with external BI tool

Hello,

I’m looking for a way to extract raw data from the NAV DB to incorporate into BI tool

BAsicly I’m looking for one of the alternatives:

  1. Direct DB access (64 bit ODBC can do the trick), what kind of DB is that ?

  2. Rest API calls to extract data from NAV 2.6

  3. Extracting excel tables automatically

I’ll appreciate any inputs around that

Tnx !

Hi Aviad,
That’s the first thing you need to know. Which database is it? With Navision 2.6 there were two options. Either SQL Server or the native Navision database.
So if it’s SQL then you can use the “normal” tools to extract from SQL, like ODBC.

If it’s the native database, then there is also an ODBC driver available. But it depends if your client/employer (?) has purchased the license to use it.
With the native database you also have an SDK (called C/FRONT) which can be used to create external programs to extract the data.

With this version there were no RestAPI calls or any other webservices available - Navision 2.6 was released 16 years ago!
There are also no tools to extract Excel files - at least not standard.

Instead there is something called DataPorts - which allows you to extract text files. They are developed inside Navision.

Thank you Erik - this is very helpful

Unforthenetly the client (prospect actualy) dosent know what DB his Navition instance is based on.
Is there a way to learn that from the application itslef ?
In case it is a native DB (The second alternative in your answer),do you know of 64 ODBC’s that can work ? this feature should be enabled somehow ?

Tnx for the help

Hi Aviad,

NAV 2.6 is 32 bit only. So no 64 bit drivers unfortunately.
If you open the properties for the shortcut to the client. You can determine which database you’re on. If it’s for finsql.exe then youre on sql server. If it’s on fin.exe then you’re on native.

Regards Alexander

Just to add to Erik’s comments. if this is a “one time” extraction to create historical reports, then its possible to convert the database to SQL using the conversion tools, but you would probably NOT then be licensed to keep using the SQL database. This may or may not be an option, but it’s worth investigating.