Is it still possible to be a NSP nowadays ?

Is it still possible to be a NSP (Navision Service Partner)nowadays ? In order to get a developer licence and work as a Freelance developer (not all end users hold a dev. licence) Apparently it’s in some country like the US and it’s not in country like Singapore … I’m not sure about France (if anyone know then let me know) … I might be wrong but I got the feeling that MBS policy regarding Freelance developer is not quite the same from one country to another one.

Hi, did you ever thought about the NDP-program (Navision development partner)? At least you get your developer license and all the technical ressources you need. As far as I know you are not allowed to use this license on a customers database (like a NSC).

Things have changed since this 2004 post, apparently a one man band can now become a NAV partner as long as he passes the 4 required exams



Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Certification Requirement
Employ or contract with one or more individuals who, combined, must complete and pass the Microsoft exams the listed here. Note: Microsoft Dynamics NAV exams that are part of the Microsoft Business Solutions Certified Professional Program do not classify an individual as a Microsoft Certified Professional.



- Microsoft Dynamics NAV C/SIDE Solution Development

- Microsoft Dynamics NAV Financials




The following additional exams will be required as of July 1, 2009, to retain eligibility when you next qualify for the Microsoft Business Solutions competency:



- Microsoft Dynamics NAV Installation and Configuration

- Microsoft Exam 70-431—TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 –- Implementation and Maintenance or Microsoft Exam 70-432—TS Microsoft SQL Server 2008




Customer Reference Requirement
Submit at least three customer references, each featuring the implementation, deployment, customization, or maintenance of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Source : https://partner.microsoft.com/global/program/competencies/businesssolutions/40014374

Hi Tarek,

Thank you for sharing this. Very helpful. I know a lot of freelancers asking this question.

The interesting part here is that you need to document three customer references no more than a year old, and they need to included customization. That’s difficult if you don’t have a license!

He He, don’t forget that to actually find this information you need to have access to partnersource. i.e. to become a partner you have to forst be a partner. [8-)]

If I’m not incorrect, before you became a partner you have a “trial period”. During that period I have a license but you aren’t partner you a period determined by Microsoft to get all requirements.

Oh yes that migth be true. I remember when I first became an NSC (Navision Solution Center) - then we had 6 months to get all the certifications and so in place. But then again thats more than 10 years ago.

You can sign up online (the process take 10 minutes) to be just a partner (at this stage you can’t sell licences), once you pass all the exams you become a certified partner …

Ooops, the worst thing there is SQL exam, which is a must… [:(]

I tried twice to pass it (years ago for SQL 2K, and then I worked at Partner, having access to everything & all), but failed and gave up. Then more than half of all questions were about replication, which I hadn’t seen IRL, haven’t checked how it is now.

Hi Modris, I think you are wrong,

I was recently working with a NAV developer in India on a SQL project. He had certifications coming out his ears, every SQL certification you could imagine. When we started working, I found that he had never heard of Log Shipping, never in his life seen T-SQL and did not know what a maintenance plan was nor what a SQL script was. I had to show him how to create a plan to do automated backups, but called me at the begining of the next month when he couldn’t work out why it stopped when he changed his password.

I am sure that if someone with that total lack of SQL knowledge is able to get certified, then the test can not be that hard. I mean surely he didn’t cheat or anything, right?

David,

But you know as well as I, that a lot of these certifications are worth s…t! Many people just go and buy the right answers to the test, learn the answers by heard and pass the test. And if they come the university environment then it’s even more common.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Erik, you’re wrong they’re worth GOLD

Or to be more precise the path for obtaining a shiny GOLD PARTNER logo[:)]

No way, I hope you are kidding, I can not believe that any one would do anything so underhanded. [;)] If its true, then maybe I need to write a blog about that dastardly practice. … Oh actually looks like I already did Get Rich Quick With Dynamics [H]