Checklist for successful Microsoft Dynamics NAV implementation

Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly known as Navision) is a popular ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution from Microsoft. The phenomenal popularity of NAV as an ERP solution is evident by the fact that it is the only ERP software to have breached the 1 million licensed user mark, and currently have over 1.3 million users from over 70,000 companies spanning across several countries. Navision implementation has helped several companies to streamline their processes, plug-in the loopholes, increase their efficiency, enhance their productivity and catalyse their growth. Such advantages of Dynamics NAV have prompted thousands of new companies to implement Navision at their organization. However, to make the most of Navision implementation, companies need to consider the following checklist while implementing NAV. • Know how implementation can fail, and take appropriate actions to prevent it: Though NAV is a highly rewarding software solution, NAV implementation can fail. Failed implementation can cause the projects to go devastatingly wrong. Hence, it is necessary to take all the precautionary steps while implementing Navision so as to ensure that the projects don't go wrong. • Set your goals: Only a clear pre-set goal of well-defined objectives can lead to key deliverables and project fulfilment. Hence, it is necessary that you clearly set your organizational goals after thoroughly analyzing your business needs before you implement Dynamics.     • Be realistic while setting goals: Though NAV is an immensely powerful tool and can help businesses in several ways, it is highly advisable you be realistic while setting your objective goals from NAV implementation. If you set the goals/objectives too high, and customize your NAV settings accordingly, it may lead to counter-productive results. • Ensure strict control: It is necessary to keep strict control on all the key processes that are being managed by Dynamics. It will ensure that all the management modules of NAV are being optimally utilized for the company's growth. • Careful Gap analysis: It is vital to identify the gaps (both functional and non-functional) in all the existing and planned processes. The identified gaps need to be duly addressed during NAV implementation to increase the overall efficiency of the company. • Implement Standard MS Dynamics NAV: though you can selectively custom NAV package as per your selective needs, it is advisable that you procure Standard MS Dynamics NAV package as all its modules has been carefully designed by Microsoft after  immense research to streamline all the sub-processes of an organization. • Conduct effective training: NAV is an easy to learn ERP. This by no way means that one does not need any training for using it. You need to have an efficient Navision training program for the employees to help them get accustomed with the ERP solution and know how to use its features more efficiently. • Try to deliver business intelligence with NAV: Besides focussing on plugging-in loopholes, minimizing company's costs and maximizing its costs, it is also necessary that you intend to use NAV implementation for business intelligence. This implies that you should be able to use the Navision tools for analyzing the key business data to anticipate future opportunities and try to plan for them the best. • Identify and minimize risks: Knowing the challenges and employing the NAV resources to tackle them is the best way to implement Navision. However, while doing this, one should be absolutely sure of the risks involved and try your best to minimize them. • Be prepared for future NAV upgrades: Microsoft continuously keeps upgrading its Dynamic products to more them more useful with the modern business. This results in upgraded versions of Dynamics NAV (like NAV 2013 R2, NAV 2015, etc.) being released from time to time. While implementing any NAV version at your organization, you must have prior arrangements to incorporate future upgrades.