There number one best practice is to be prepared (as in the Boy and Girl Scouts’ motto!).
That’s easy to say, but what does being prepared actually mean, in other words, how do you know what needs to be prepared? Good question. As with any software upgrade, on the road to success there are bumps to watch out for and potholes to avoid.
Here are several examples.
- The Upgrade Toolkit
At the most basic level, you need to make sure you have the right upgrade toolkit. - Compiled Objects
All objects, including third-party objects, must be compiled. This is the best way to ensure that you’re starting with healthy metadata, which in turn is the best way to avoid future synchronization issues. - Dimension Codes
Typically, the structure of dimension codes and values changes between Microsoft Dynamics NAV versions. This would be especially true if you’re upgrading from a much older version. To avoid the problems that this might cause, simply make sure that dimensions used in details tables also exist in the master table of dimensions. - Database Issues
Potential database issues are many and varied. Large databases, in and of themselves, may present challenges during the upgrade process. Optimizing your upgrade for a huge database can take time. So make sure you’ve allotted sufficient time for testing. Large databases may also cause performance issues during the upgrade process. - Other Issues
Here’s a quick list of some of the other issues that could affect your Dynamics NAV upgrade: - Customizations in general
- Customized FlowFields
- Intellectual Property
- Third party add-ons
- Multiple companies in the same database
- Capacity on your test server
Advanced preparation is the best way to assure that you will not face major issues either during the upgrade process itself, or later on while you’re working on the new Microsoft Dynamics NAV version.
Upgrades are complex. If you’re not comfortable going it on your own, you can always kick-start your project with Qixas.
Qixas Group has helped hundreds of companies through successful Microsoft Dynamics NAV upgrades by devising a step-by-step plan that keeps them within scope and on budget. We even offer a free upgrade assessment to figure out if a standard NAV Upgrade or a Qixas Fresh Start Upgrade is best for your business.
Visit www.qixas.com. Call 888.467.7101. Email [email protected].