Business Central cloud migration from your own servers
A Business Central cloud migration moves an on-premises Business Central, Dynamics NAV or Dynamics GP system into Business Central online. There, Microsoft runs the servers and delivers the updates. We check readiness and prepare the code and data. Then we run Microsoft's cloud migration tool in rehearsal. Finally, we switch users over once the numbers agree.
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What moving to Business Central online changes
Online, Microsoft looks after the database, backups, security patches and version updates. Your team stops planning server replacements and upgrade projects. Major releases arrive on a set rhythm, with smaller updates between them. You set the update window. New features arrive without a project of your own.
Some things go away. There is no direct SQL access. So reports that query the database must use APIs or Power BI instead. Custom code must be an extension. For most companies these are healthy limits, but they need planning. We list each one during the readiness check.
Ask what changes for you →
- ✓No servers to maintain
- ✓Automatic version updates
- ✓Backups handled by Microsoft
- ✓Sandbox environments on demand
- ✓Access from any browser
Readiness check for a Business Central cloud migration
We look at four things before we promise a route. First, the source version. The migration tool accepts specific versions, so older ones need an upgrade first. Second, the modifications, which must become extensions. Third, the add-ons, which need an online edition. Fourth, the database size against the storage your licenses include.
Integrations get their own list. Anything that reads or writes SQL tables directly needs a redesign around APIs or web services. File-based exchanges that rely on a server folder need a new home. That is often Azure storage or SharePoint. Each integration gets an owner and a target design before work starts.
Request a readiness check →- ✓Source version supported
- ✓Modifications as extensions
- ✓Add-ons available online
- ✓Database size checked
- ✓SQL-based integrations listed
How the Business Central cloud migration tool works
The Cloud Migration Setup guide in Business Central online connects the cloud tenant to your on-premises SQL database. It uses a self-hosted integration runtime. Then it copies table data for the companies you select into the online environment. The source system stays in use while this runs.
After replication, a data upgrade step brings the copied data to the online version's structure. For Dynamics GP, the tool transforms master records and balances into Business Central tables. It does not copy them as they are. You choose which areas to bring. We guide those choices with your finance lead.
See the tool explained →- ✓Set up the connection
- ✓Select companies
- ✓Replicate table data
- ✓Run data upgrade
- ✓Confirm and disconnect
Rehearsal and cutover
We run the whole migration into a sandbox first. Users test their daily work there. We point integrations at the new endpoints. We also compare reports with the source. Problems found in rehearsal are cheap. The same problems on cutover morning are not. Every finding goes on one shared list.
For cutover, posting stops in the old system. A final replication runs, and the team reconciles balances. Then users receive the new address. The on-premises system stays read-only for a period you choose. It serves as a reference and a fallback. Our consultants stay on hand through the first days of live use.
Plan a cutover weekend →- ✓Freeze posting on-premises
- ✓Final data replication
- ✓Reconcile balances
- ✓Switch integrations over
- ✓Open the system to users
Business Central cloud migration pitfalls to plan for
The most common surprise is a modification nobody listed. It might be a changed posting routine or a custom report that turns out to be essential. A thorough object comparison at the start prevents that. Late license assignment is the second surprise. Users then cannot sign in on the first morning.
Permissions are the third. Online permission sets differ from old role setups. Copying them across without checks leaves gaps or grants too much. So we rebuild permissions by role. We test each one with a real user before cutover. We test email, printers and bank file formats in the same pass.
Avoid the common surprises →- ✓Unlisted modifications
- ✓Licenses assigned early
- ✓Permission sets rebuilt
- ✓Printer and email setup
- ✓Report access without SQL
Business Central cloud migration questions
Can we run a Business Central cloud migration directly from Dynamics NAV?
Not in one step. A NAV database is first upgraded to the current Business Central on-premises version, with modifications converted to extensions, and then the cloud migration tool copies the data online. We run both stages as a single project.
Does the cloud migration tool bring our customizations?
No. It moves data, not code. Customizations must be rebuilt as extensions and installed in the online environment before the data arrives, so that custom fields have somewhere to land. Data for tables with no matching extension is not migrated.
Can we keep working while the migration runs?
Yes, during rehearsal runs. The on-premises system stays live while data replicates to a sandbox. Only for the final cutover do users stop posting, so that the last replication captures a complete and consistent set of ledgers.
What happens to our existing licenses?
Online uses subscription licenses assigned to users in Microsoft 365. Microsoft has offered transition terms for customers with current on-premises plans, and those terms change. We explain the license types and direct you to Microsoft's current conditions for the details.
Is our data safe in Business Central online?
Microsoft hosts Business Central online in Azure data centers, encrypts data at rest and in transit, and takes automatic backups you can restore from the admin center. You choose the region when the environment is created. Access is controlled through Microsoft Entra ID.
Book a discovery call
Let's talk through your move to Business Central.
A focused call with a senior consultant. We learn how your business runs today, give you an honest view on whether Business Central fits, and outline scope and next steps before you commit to anything.
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