New UI and Analytics for Navision

A new Outlook-style user interface (UI) helps workers better organize and navigate tasks in the latest version of Navision, one of Microsoft’s four business management packages for mid-size companies. Navision’s new UI, coupled with improved business analytics and event notification via integration with SQL Server, continues Microsoft’s efforts to better integrate Microsoft Business Solutions’ (MBS) products and interfaces with other Microsoft products. Navision 4.0 also refines existing features, although the current portal, built for an earlier version of Navision, will not be updated until the second quarter of 2005.

Navision’s Niche

The Navision product, acquired in Microsoft’s July 2002 purchase of Danish software company Navision, is an accounting and business management package for mid-size businesses. The product is sold through a network of channel partners, mostly in Europe. As of the fourth quarter of 2004, Navision has garnered about 45,000 customers (netting over 6,000 new customers in fiscal year 2004), most of which are manufacturing or distribution companies with fewer than 50 employees.