Moving from C5 to Business Central online means a new system, not a new version. We set it up for Danish practice, move what needs to come along, and reconcile the figures with you.
- Danish setup from day one
- Open entries, not one balance
- Training on your own data
- Two weeks of hypercare
- Master data
- Open entries
- Reconciliation
- Archive
C5 to Business Central: what to know before you move
Moving from Microsoft Dynamics C5 to Business Central is a re-implementation. Business Central is not a newer C5 but a different system, with posting groups, dimensions, approvals and a web client. Microsoft has a migration tool for C5 that moves master data, open entries and G/L history, but older postings are summarised per account.
So you need to decide early what comes along and what stays in C5 or in an archive. For most C5 companies the starter package is the right starting point: Danish setup, master data, open entries and opening balance, training and two weeks of hypercare.
What surprises C5 companies
History is summarised per account
Microsoft's C5 tool moves the G/L history but summarises the older postings per account. If you need to see each posting, it stays in C5 or in an archive.
Open entries that arrive as one balance
Each open invoice has to come across as an entry so it can be applied when the customer pays. Reconcile the open entries in C5 first, so you know what the figures should be.
Posting groups instead of C5's setup
Business Central links customers, vendors and items to accounts through posting groups and VAT setup. Think it through once, so the VAT return is right from the first period.
Everything is new to users
For users coming from C5, the web client, the pages and the routines are new. Train on your own data in a sandbox, not in a demo company.
Customisations and reports don't come along
Much of what was built for C5 exists in standard Business Central. The rest has to be built as extensions, which is available as an add-on.
Going live mid-month
A year-end or the start of a period makes reconciliation much easier. Pick the date before you pick anything else.
From C5 to go‑live in five steps
The starter package process. The same two developers all the way.
- Scoping
C5 version, companies, data and what needs to come along. You get the price within the range.
- Danish setup
Chart of accounts, VAT, posting groups, number series, bank and OIOUBL/Peppol.
- Migration
Master data, open entries and opening balance, reconciled against C5.
- Training
On your own data, so the first invoice and the first payment aren't the first time.
- Go-live and hypercare
Two weeks in which we follow postings, payments and e-invoices closely.
Good to know
- Posted history is not moved in the starter package. It stays in C5 or in an archive, retrievable for the five years Danish bookkeeping law requires.
- If all you need is an accounting package, Business Central may be more than you need. We'll say so if that's the case.
The package that fits
The starter package is made for C5, e-conomic and Dinero. If only the data needs moving, there is the master data migration.
All prices exclude VAT. Business Central and Microsoft 365 licences come on top.
What people often ask us
Can we bring our history from C5?
Microsoft's C5 tool moves the G/L history summarised per account. If every posting must be visible, it stays in C5 or in an archive. A full conversion of all history is a project in its own right.
When is the best time to switch?
At a year-end or the start of a period. Then Business Central starts with an opening balance, and reconciling against C5 is simple.
What does it cost to move from C5?
The starter package has a price range, shown on this page. Where you land depends on company size, number of companies and data quality. Licences come on top.
Do we need Essentials or Premium?
Most trading and service companies manage with Essentials. Premium adds manufacturing and service management. Employees who only approve or register time can use Team Members.
What happens to our C5 customisations?
They don't come along. We look at what standard Business Central covers and build the rest as extensions if you need it.
From C5 to Business Central
Tell us which C5 version you run and how many companies you have. We'll give you a realistic figure within the starter package range.
30 minutes on Teams with Sten or Lauge. You talk to the person who builds it.