What is Navision?
Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision) is an on-premise ERP focused on financial, accounting, and operations management, widely used by small and medium-sized businesses.
Key benefits of the integration
- Elimination of duplicate employee data entry between HR and ERP
- Structured synchronization of contractual and organizational data
- Reduction of errors during employee creation and updates
- Solid foundation for automating payroll and accounting processes
Main functionalities
- Employee creation from Factorial to Navision.
- Personal data synchronization.
- Controlled updates of employee changes.
- Synchronization of Projects and time tracking records.
- Synchronization of employee expenses.
Factorial ↔ Navision — Field Mapping (Single Source of Truth)
| Factorial Module | Factorial Field | Navision / BC Field | Synced | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employees | employee_id | Employee No. | ✅ Yes | Unique employee identifier |
| Employees | first_name | First Name | ✅ Yes | |
| Employees | last_name | Last Name | ✅ Yes | |
| Employees | ✅ Yes | |||
| Employees | job_title | — | ❌ No | No equivalent field in standard Navision |
| Employees | manager_id | — | ❌ No | Hierarchy not supported |
| Employees | hire_date | — | ❌ No | Field does not exist in Navision |
| Employees | termination_date | — | ❌ No | Field does not exist in Navision |
| Employees | workplace | Dimension | ⚠️ Optional | Client-defined via dimensions |
| Projects | project_id | Job No. | ✅ Yes | Main project reference |
| Projects | project_name | Description | ✅ Yes | |
| Projects | project_description | Description | ⚠️ Optional | Can be appended to description |
| Projects | project_status | Status | ⚠️ Optional | Mapping: Open / Completed |
| Projects | project_manager | — | ❌ No | Not supported |
| Projects | start_date | — | ❌ No | Field not available |
| Projects | end_date | — | ❌ No | Field not available |
| Subprojects / Tasks | subproject_id | Job Task No. | ✅ Yes | Task-level mapping |
| Subprojects / Tasks | subproject_name | Description | ✅ Yes | |
| Subprojects / Tasks | subproject_status | Status | ⚠️ Optional | Open / Completed |
| Subprojects / Tasks | start_date | — | ❌ No | Field does not exist |
| Subprojects / Tasks | end_date | — | ❌ No | Field does not exist |
| Time Tracking | time_record_id | Document No. | ✅ Yes | Unique time entry reference |
| Time Tracking | employee_id | Employee No. | ✅ Yes | |
| Time Tracking | project_id | Job No. | ✅ Yes | |
| Time Tracking | subproject_id | Job Task No. | ✅ Yes | |
| Time Tracking | date | Posting Date | ✅ Yes | Work date |
| Time Tracking | hours | Quantity | ✅ Yes | Decimal format |
| Time Tracking | approval_status | — | ⚠️ Filter only | Only approved records are synced |
| Time Tracking | comments | Description | ⚠️ Optional | Can be appended |
| Time Tracking | task_id | — | ❌ No | Not exposed via API |
| Expenses | expense_id | Document No. | ✅ Yes | Expense reference |
| Expenses | employee_id | Employee No. | ✅ Yes | |
| Expenses | expense_date | Posting Date | ✅ Yes | |
| Expenses | amount | Amount | ✅ Yes | Sent in cents (configurable) |
| Expenses | currency | Currency Code | ⚠️ Optional | Depends on BC setup |
| Expenses | category | G/L Account | ⚠️ Optional | Client-defined mapping |
| Expenses | description | Description | ⚠️ Optional | |
| Expenses | project_id | Job No. | ⚠️ Optional | Only if project expenses are enabled |
| Expenses | receipt | — | ❌ No | Attachments not synced |
| Expenses | approval_status | — | ⚠️ Filter only | Only approved expenses are synced |
Important considerations
Master system
Navision is considered the master system for:
- Accounting structures.
- Cost centers.
- Financial dimensions.
Factorial is the master system for:
- HR profile data.
- Internal organizational structure.
Web Services
The integration consumes SOAP/ODATA Web Services. If these services are not active or correctly published, synchronization will not work.
Table permissions
The technical user must have CRUD permissions (Create, Read, Update, Delete) on:
- Employee (Table 5200)
- Contract / Employment
- Dimensions
- Cost Centers
Value normalization
Many fields rely on dropdown lists (Dimensions, Contract Types, Departments). Values must exist in Navision beforehand to avoid synchronization errors.
Technical prerequisites
To configure the integration, the following is required:
- Minimum supported version: Navision 2015 or later.
- Access to Navision Web Services.
-
Technical user with permissions on the required tables:
- Create records
- Edit records
- Delete records
These permissions must be applied to all tables involved in the synchronization of employees, contracts, and organizational structures.
Implementation timeline
Initial implementation: ~3 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
-
Who is Illusion Studio?
Illusion Studio is our partner responsible for developing the Navision–Factorial connector.
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Does the integration have a cost?
Yes. It includes a one-time implementation (setup) fee and a recurring monthly fee for maintenance and service. For more information, you can request a proposal from your Factorial Account Manager.
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Is the integration bidirectional?
Yes, but with system hierarchy: some fields flow only from Factorial to Navision, and others the other way around.
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What happens if a value does not exist in Navision?
The synchronization fails, and the value must be created beforehand in the master tables (for example, cost center or contract type).
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Is Navision 2015 mandatory?
Yes. It is the minimum supported version to guarantee standard Web Services support.
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How long does a typical implementation take?
Approximately 3 weeks.
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Where can I report an issue with the integration?
Any issues related to the integration must first be reported to the partner, Illusion Studio, by email to
Jorgi Pons: jorgi.pons@illusionstudio.es or Annelize Ferreira De Oliveira: annelize.ferreira@illusionstudio.es