It’s time for the annual upgrade discussion. For those of you attending Summit the week of Oct 11, you will see all the new features and benefits that the latest version of Business Central will provide. There will be sessions on how to upgrade or re-implement, how to convince your boss that it is finally time (Innovia is doing a session on that topic and I encourage you to attend it) and what the ISVs are bringing to Business central. Click here to view all of the Innovia Community Summit sessions.

The last 18 months have taught us that the way people work, where they work, and what they expect from an ERP system have changed significantly. The driver for an upgrade pre-pandemic was all about gains in efficiency and ROI. While those items are still at the top of the list for reasons to upgrade, the remote worker functionality and with it the ability to keep a company working in the face of unexpected problems has become just as important in the discussion. Business continuity is where to focus in 2022.

Business Central SaaS provides a significantly better platform for business continuity. Built into the SaaS model is the ability for people to work from anywhere in the world as long as they have an internet connection. Any modern Windows, Android, or Apple device can run Business Central with the same basic interface. The SaaS model provides significantly better protection against ransomware attacks and other data loss possibilities. Automated updates mean no more expensive, difficult, and time-consuming upgrades. In short, the Business Central SaaS model goes further than any previous NAV or BC on-prem version in helping companies with the digital transformation facing many companies.

Next time you talk internally about an upgrade and the first question brought up by management is cost….ask them what it costs for the company to be down for a week. That is an important metric for companies to look at. The last 18 months have shown all managers that any company can have unforeseen and unimagined circumstances that can bring old ERP technology to a grinding halt. An ERP system is as important to successful operation as electricity. If you suddenly don’t have one, the company stops producing. That’s the message that you want to take to your management team.

Best Regards,

Alan Wyne, CEO