Chapter 1. An Introduction to NAV 2013

	Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.
	--Steve Jobs

	Good design, like good painting, cooking, architecture or whatever you like, is a manifestation of the capacity of the human spirit to transcend its limitations.
	--George Nelson

Microsoft Dynamics NAV has achieved one of the largest installed user bases of any full-featured ERP system in the market. Several years ago, the world-wide installed user base exceeded one million. There is an ever growing community of supporting organizations, consultants, implementers, and developers. Not only do the capabilities of the off-the-shelf product increase with every release, but the variety and depth of the add-on products and services continues to grow and prosper.

The release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 is the next step down that successful road. NAV 2013 not only has enhanced business functionality, it completes the move from the technology of the 90s and early 2000s, and begins the move to supporting ERP computing in the cloud.

In this chapter, we will take a look at NAV 2013, including the following:

• A general overview of NAV 2013

• A technical overview of NAV 2013

• A hands-on introduction to C/SIDE development in NAV 2013

Our goal in this chapter is to gain a big picture understanding of NAV 2013. We will learn enough to envision how NAV can be used by a business manager or owner to help manage the activities and resources of a business. (Note that NAV is used in many not-for-profits businesses as well as for-profits.) We will also be introduced to the technical side of NAV from a developer's point of view.