Microsoft Business Solutions Navision serves both European and American megamarkets. It was originally written by Denmark-based Navision Software in its own proprietary language C/SIDE (Client/Server Integrated Development Environment). Currently Navision is supported on two platforms - Navision native (C/SIDE) database and on Microsoft SQL Server. In this small article we would like to give you the clue on Navision integration with Microsoft Retail Management System - Microsoft RMS.

Legendary Strength of C/SIDE database - the history of Navision design reveals the primary goals to have its own proprietary database with the built-in features of database transaction integrity. As far as database is proprietary - Navision can manipulate its and tune it to serve its application. You can have users use the system heavily and suddenly shut down the power - when power is back on - Navision will be in the same good shap. The second goal was to provide robust graphical interface.

Microsoft RMS is SQL based application - this means that even C/ODBC is limited - Microsoft RMS is using alien database platform and we do not recommend you to use MS SQL linked server to address Navision native database. The good news is - you can deploy our custom integration tool, which imports transactions from MS RMS to native Navision Database.

If you use MS SQL Server as Navision platform? - then you are open for all Microsoft SQL Server tools, such as linked server and distributed query. You can deploy your own programmers to move data from RMS to Navision via Transact SQL scripts/stored procs

Additional things t consider:

Do you plan on Crystal Reports? - you can always deploy C/ODBC to enable your C/SIDE database for Crystal Report

Do you need OLAP/Datawarehousing? - if you use MS SQL Server - you are positioned better. It has built in Analytical Server with OLAP cube creation and Excel data pivoting

Do you plan to expose Navision data to other applications? - Navision has tools to expose the data from C/SIDE database (C/ODBC, C/FRONT), but in the case of SQL Server you certainly have standard Microsoft technologies in your disposition

Good luck in integration and if you have issues or concerns