Dear members, Well at my company we are currently running Navision version 3.70. And we have a very big and very modified solution and almost 6000 objects - compared to less than 4000 in standard Navision. We have been looking into version 4.00 and like what we see, but basically we don’t think it’s worth to upgrade to 4.00 with version 5 less than one year away. Because what are we really getting? Will it be worth spending estimated 1000 hours on upgrading? We don’t think so! But what do you think? Best regards, Erik P. Ernst, webmaster, Microsoft MVP - Navision
What exactly are the functionalities in 4.0 that got you guys interested in the upgrade?
In my company, we have the same problem/question … We will certainly move to the V4 this year, because the support for v3.70 will only be guaranteed untill Q4 2006 and that our quality department is very sensible on that topic (we are a small subsidiary of a big group) We also have a few interest in some options of V4 (interco operations). And what do you think about that: in general, it s safer to install a new version after the SP1 is released right ? (sp1 for NAV 4 was only released in Q4 2005) So i guess it s the right time, but the only problem is with those damned customizations !
In 5 of our subsidaries we run 3.70 (quite customized). The current decision is not to upgrade to the 4.00 in case of the application, but to do a “technical” upgrade to the 4.00 SP1 programs (C/SIDE & Co.) to e.g. benefit from the latest technologies (XML Ports, MenuSuites, SQL Performance). Parallel, we have started the discussion when to upgrade to which version; also regarding to the “Project Green”/“MS Dynamics” strategies …
quote:
… the support for v3.70 will only be guaranteed untill Q4 2006 …
Is that true? MS told us that they grant a lifecycle support for each release of 5 years; means 3.70 was released in 2003, should be supported until 2008 … ?
Joerg, I heard the same as you. But when calling our reseller he told me the same as our Vietnamese friend had heard, that 3.70 will not be supported after 2006. But only in the extent that they are not creating any new functionality or hotfixes for this version. You can still buy new users etc. and you can still get “normal support” for this version. The lifecycle support garantee is more toward the entire Navision system. We are also doing a technical (client executables) to version 4.00.SP2 (one of my secret contact at MS recommended to wait for this release). Our reason for doing this is primarily SQL performance issues. For what I’ve seen of version 5, then it looks really really interesting. I love the new concept of a real three tier application…
My read is that life style means “Navision”, not the version.
I would like to add to this topic, by asking “which version 4”. We heard a lot about SP1 before it came out. Definitely enough to make it worth waiting for. I generally advised users away from V4, and to wait for SP1, and now that looks like a good decision. But … what about SP2, there is not a lot of hype about it, is ther eanything special that is worth waiting for? In which case the question extends to “What is SP1 like” how reliable is it, and have the bugs been sorted out now. IF SP2 is about EXE improvements, then I would still recommend SP1 now, and do an SP2 Technical upgrade when it comes out. Opinions anyone?
Wait till Navision 5.0 SP1, before you upgrade. We just upgraded from 2.0c with advanced distribution to 4.0. Process started back a year ago. SP1 came out while we were half way into the upgrade and basically they wanted nearly as much to go from 4.0 to 4.0 sp1. if you have that much of a modified program, you are not going to upgrade again after you complete your next upgrade. So better to wait for 5.0 and all the related bug fixes to it. before you do anything. I would start you process when 5.0 is released, and but time you are ready SP1 should be ready and you can do the little extra work and go straight to that. just my opinion. David
As David Mavis I also think that you should wait till Navision 5 SP1, apart any other consideration there is a serious security problem with Navision 4 that may concern you, this bug is not going to be corrected till upgrade 3 of SP1 and is not going to be ready before three months. If you have several companies and some users have the role SUPER just in one company and other roles in the others the security restrictions fails and those users are able to act as a SUPER user in all the other companies.
Version 5 of Dynamics Nav is different very different. If you like Navision and how it works then I would say go with v4 SP1, as it by far the best version available. If you want to be on the cutting edge and working with the Microsoft stack then go with v5 but when things change this much they do not go that smoothly. Paul Baxter
Thanks David, these are exactly the opinions we need to hear. Anyone else? I am most interested in SP1 vs SP2, I am very happy with waht I have heard of SP1, and believe it to be a good solid platform to upgrade to. What does everyone else think?
For a Solution center, they make more money by getting you to upgrade now and then upgrade again when 5.0 comes out For you as a user, it is a question of opportunity cost… are the features and benefits worth the time and the expense to upgrade and then do it again for v.5? If it is all about the microsoft support safety net and company policy is to stay up to date, then you don’t have much of a choice. Personally I would wait for the next version since it is supposedly so different.
has anyone heard about a release date for sp2?
Dear all, from the “vietnamese friend” i liked this quote 
From our supplier, we heard that there was quite a few problems in the 4.0 tthat were fixed in SP1 (db crash and other serious things). Concerning the release of SP2, i think it s not a real problem to migrate to SP1 then update to SP2 later, anyway we do not have enough informations on the content of this SP2, and the SP1 already fixed the most important issues. Concerning v5, i do not agree with that idea to wait untill v5, until you want to make some free debugging for MS. I think that in general we shoud always wait any SP1 release before going for any new version (especially v5 since there are more structural changes). Conclusion: V5 will be released in Q4 2006, Sp1 certainly 1 year later means Q4 2007, and with the migration process, u ll be in V5 in 2008 !!! No i do not want to wait 2 more years… That s why after reading all your comments, i think it s definitively the good time to think about an upgrade to 4.01. I think i m not the only one: just look at all the threads dealing with upgrade issues … we did not have that much last year during the release of v4 Thanks for your constructing ideas !
There will always be an announced next version at the time you are thinking about an upgrade. It is the same story when buying a computer. Should I buy it now ? Or should I wait because the stuff will become cheaper ?
bureaupierre I agree with your comments. I am currently recommending users to go to 4.00 SP1, and unless I hear o something really great in SP2, then SP1 it is.
… just found some recent news on SP2 on Partnersource: https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/downloads/releases/microsoftbusinesssolutionsnavision40sp2.htm?printpage=false Release Date: “some countries by 1st April” (hope this isn’t a first of April joke…[;)]) There is also a “Changes Document” available for download on partnersource… one point did sound very interesting: “Navision now supports the .fdf file format for creating .pdf documents based on data in Navision.” Saludos Nils
http://www.mbsonline.org/forum/file_library.asp?showmethefile=43&thatcat=17&thiscat=Manuals+and+User+Guides Changes Document in the Download Section. Have fun. Saludos Nils
Nils thank you, that has helped me a lot. Definitely the FDF bit looks interesting.