New Dynamics NAV 2013 Perpetual Licensing

Microsoft has launched the Perpetual Licensing model for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013.

Perpetual Licensing provides a simplified licensing model. The entire solution can be licensed via four core components: The Starter Pack, the Extended Pack, the Full User and the Limited User. Access to the Dynamics ERP solution functionality is licensed through user licenses on a concurrent user basis.

The Starter Pack

The Starter Pack gives you core Financials and Distribution functionality (similar to all the modules under the existing Business Ready Licensing - Business Essentials (BE) offering), plus three Full User licenses.

The Extended Pack

To deploy some of the advanced functionality delivered by Microsoft Dynamics you can license the optional and additive Extended Pack (similar to all the modules under the existing Business Ready Licensing - Advanced Management (AM) offering). The Extended Pack adds functionality that allows you to integrate core financials and distribution management with industry specific functionality extensions.

Full User

Full User licenses provide users full read and full write capabilities to all of the licensed solution functionality through any and all modes of access, including the Windows Client, the Web Client, the Microsoft SharePoint Client, or any other mode of access going through the API (including Web Services).

Limited User

Limited User licenses provide users full read but limited yet powerful write capabilities to all of the licensed solution functionality through any and all modes of access including the Windows Client. The Limited User license is designed to give you a lower-cost alternative for extending ERP to users who only need to perform limited tasks.

Migrating to NAV 2013

When migrating an older NAV license to a NAV 2013 perpetual license, the first 3 BE users are migrated to the standard pack, the first 3 AM users are migrated to the Standard + Extended packs. Additional users are migrated to full user CALs, any light or web users are also migrated to the 'Full' user CAL if purchased prior to July 2012, application Development objects are transferred like for like.

Migration Benefits

If you have less than 3 users, then you will be migrated to a license with 3 users.

You get extra functionality as all extra modules are included (see Pack Functionality).

Light / Web Users are transferred to Full Concurrent users.

Application objects are fractionally cheaper under the perpetual licensing model.

Limited Users are now concurrent users.

Other Considerations

Migrating to perpetual licensing is a 'one-way trip'. The perpetual license cannot be used with older versions of NAV, and once you have obtained your perpetual license you cannot make changes to your Business Ready or Module Based license. Additionally, there are some add-on complexities (mainly for the partners), but it could see some add-ons fade out in newer versions of NAV.

As always, there are other considerations to take care of, so if you would like to know more about the new perpetual licensing, then please download the Licensing Guide.

Tom Jenkins

Tom is one of the founding directors of Dynamics Consultants. He has worked on ERP / CRM systems since 1995, initially as an end user and later as a developer/consultant. Before founding Dynamics Consultants, Tom worked in a management role for a machinery importer / reseller, where his work included inventory management and purchase control, systems development, and IT project management.