1. Introduction to
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015
Prepared by:
Shahbaz Saadat
Consultant | Solutions
BDO Canada LLP
ssaadat@bdo.ca | www.bdosolutions.com/ca/

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Version Record
Date Author Version Change reference

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Table of Contents
1 OVERVIEW................................................................................................................................................. 4
2 LAUNCHING THE APPLICATION................................................................................................................... 4
3 THE ROLE CENTER ...................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 The Role Center Home Page............................................................................................................................5
3.1.1 Navigation Pane...................................................................................................................................5
3.1.2 The Application Menu .........................................................................................................................6
3.1.3 The Ribbon...........................................................................................................................................6
3.1.4 Travel Buttons, Address Bar & Search Box..........................................................................................7
3.1.5 Cues .....................................................................................................................................................7
3.1.6 List Parts ..............................................................................................................................................7
3.1.7 Notifications ........................................................................................................................................7
3.1.8 Status Bar.............................................................................................................................................8
4 PAGES........................................................................................................................................................ 8
4.1 Navigation Page...............................................................................................................................................8
4.1.1 List........................................................................................................................................................8
4.1.2 FactBoxes.............................................................................................................................................9
4.2 Task Page.........................................................................................................................................................9
4.2.1 FastTabs...............................................................................................................................................9
5 NAVIGATION QUICK TIPS ......................................................................................................................... 10
5.1 Switching Companies.....................................................................................................................................10
5.1.1 Using the Status Bar ..........................................................................................................................10
5.1.2 Using the Application Menu..............................................................................................................10
5.2 Change Work Date.........................................................................................................................................10
5.2.1 Using the Status Bar ..........................................................................................................................10
5.2.2 Using the Application Menu..............................................................................................................11
5.3 Adjusting Column Width and Header Height ................................................................................................11

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5.4 Additional Information about a Page ............................................................................................................11
5.5 The Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 Help.......................................................................................................12
5.6 Navigation and Date Shortcuts......................................................................................................................12
5.6.1 Keyboard Shortcuts ...........................................................................................................................12
5.6.2 Date Shortcuts...................................................................................................................................13
5.7 Notes and Notifications.................................................................................................................................13
5.8 Filtering Lists..................................................................................................................................................13
5.8.1 The Quick Filter..................................................................................................................................13
5.8.2 The Advanced Filters .........................................................................................................................14
5.8.3 Filtering Criterion...............................................................................................................................14

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1 OVERVIEW
Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software product from Microsoft. The product
is part of the Microsoft Dynamics family, and is intended to assist with finance, manufacturing, customer
relationship management, supply chains, analytics and electronic commerce for Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises. This ERP started its life as NAVISION, developed by a Danish company in 1983. Microsoft acquired
the software in 2002 and developed it to become a more robust and
comprehensive ERP solution. The latest version of the software is
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015.
In this training we will cover the basics of working with this software. This will include understanding the layout
of the menus and how to navigate through them.
2 LAUNCHING THE APPLICATION
To launch the application click the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 icon in your start menu or taskbar.
The first time you start the application you will be asked to enter the server information. Enter the NAV Server
Address provided to you and press ‘Enter’.
This will bring up a list of ‘Companies’ set up on that server. Choose the company you want to open and click
‘OK’.

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3 THE ROLE CENTER
As an end user you will be working within the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 “Role-Tailored Client” or RTC. It is
designed to help users focus on their tasks by customizing the application experience to their individual needs.
The custom menus and views are saved within your User Profile. Some default profiles are included in the demo
database of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015. These include roles like “Order Processor”, “Accounting Manager”,
“Dispatcher”, etc.
The Role Center is the main page of the Role-Tailored client. This is where the application starts when launched.
Described below are the different parts that make up Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 Role Center as shown in
figure 2.
3.1 The Role Center Home Page
3.1.1 Navigation Pane
The Navigation Pane consists of the Buttons and the Lists. You can add, remove or rename buttons except the
‘Home’ and the ‘Departments’ buttons. When you click on a button its associated List opens up, and from there
you can choose which area of the system you want to navigate to. The Home button will bring you back to the
main list and the Departments buttons opens a full list of all areas available in the software. To customize the
Navigation Pane open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown button just above the Navigation Pane; sec. 3.1.2),

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choose Customize and then choose Customize Navigation Pane. Here you can add, remove, rearrange or rename
the buttons and lists.
3.1.2 The Application Menu
The Application Menu contains system related commands that are used to
modify system settings. You can open the Application Menu by clicking the
Dropdown button just above the Navigation Pane ( ).
3.1.3 The Ribbon
The Ribbon is organized into Tabs and Groups and contains actions that are related to the data being displayed.
The ribbon is available in most pages and is visible by default. You can collapse the ribbon to create more
workspace using Ctrl+F1.
The Ribbon also displays the name of the company you are currently working in,
and a quick link to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 Help in the upper right
corner.
To customize the Ribbon open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown button just above the Navigation Pane;
sec. 3.1.2), choose Customize and then choose Customize Ribbon. Here you can add, remove, rearrange or
rename actions and sort them into groups and tabs.

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3.1.4 Travel Buttons, Address Bar & Search Box
The Travel Buttons are used to move forward and back through the
menus. The dropdown button next to the back button opens a short list
of areas recently opened.
The Address Bar details the location of the current page within the
navigational hierarchy of the application. The information updates as
you navigate to a different area and you can click a part in the address
displayed to navigate to that particular area. Click the Refresh button to
refresh the page.
The Search Box can be used to locate areas in the system withouth navigating through the menus. Just type in
what you are looking for and all matching options will appear.
3.1.5 Cues
Cues are links to documents that require attention from the user based
on their User Profile. You can click any of the buttons to see the
documents that need processing in that cue.
To add or remove the Cues open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown
button just above the Navigation Pane; sec. 3.1.2), choose Customize
and then choose Customize This Page. Select the Activities part from
the Role Center layout shown and then choose Customize Part from the
buttons on the right.
3.1.6 List Parts
List Parts are customizable lists of data that may be useful to the user. The lists can be changed using the actions
available on each list part.
3.1.7 Notifications
The Notifications section displays notes added by
other users within the system. Double clicking the
notification will take open the page where the note
was entered.

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3.1.8 Status Bar
Status Bar is located on the bottom of the page and displays information about the current state of the client
session. This includes the name of the Company, the Work Date, and the User ID.
4 PAGES IN NAV 2015
There are two major types of pages in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015; a Navigation Page and a Task Page.
4.1 Navigation Page
The Navigation Page is the main window where users find information they need to work with. The Role Center,
Departments and Lists are examples of this type of page. The figure below shows a ‘Vendor List’ which is an
example of a Navigation Page.
Figure 4-1 - Vendor List
4.1.1 List
The list displays data from the table associated with that page. The list can be customized by adding and
removing columns. To customize the columns displayed in the List open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown
button just above the Navigation Pane; sec. 3.1.2), choose Customize and then select Choose Columns.

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4.1.2 FactBoxes
FactBoxes display information pertaining to the record selected in the list. You can view
details of the information shown in the factbox, by clicking the amount displayed in blue,
once the line appears under it. To customize the factboxes and the information displayed
in them, open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown button just above the Navigation
Pane; sec. 3.1.2), choose Customize and then select Choose FactBoxes. Here you can
add, remove, or rearrange the available factboxes. Select a factbox from the list and click
Customize Part from the buttons on the right to customize the information included in
the factbox.
4.2 Task Page
The Task Page opens as a separate window when a user selects an action from a Navigation Page or another Task
Page. The figure below shows a ‘Vendor Record’ which is an example of a Task Page.
4.2.1 FastTabs
Information on Task Pages is contained in fields grouped into FastTabs. The header on the FastTab displays the
name of the group and information contained in fields that have been promoted. A FastTab can be expanded or
collapsed by clicking the dropdown arrow on the right.
To the FastTabs and change the fields contained in the group open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown button
just above the Navigation Pane; sec. 3.1.2), choose Customize and then select Customize This Page. On the next
page choose FastTabs from the list on the left. Select a fasttab from the list and click Customize Part from the
buttons on the right to customize the fields included in the fasttab.

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5 NAVIGATION QUICK TIPS
The following functions and how to use them will help with your ability to navigate through the system on a day
to day basis:
5.1 Switching Companies
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 can be configured for multiple Companies in the same database. Switching
between these companies can be done in two ways:
5.1.1 Using the Status Bar
Click the Company Name in the Status Bar, this will open a list of available companies in the current database.
Choose the company you want to open from the dropdown and click OK.
5.1.2 Using the Application Menu
Open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown button just above the
Navigation Pane; sec. 3.1.2), choose Select Company, this will open
a list of available companies in the current database. Choose the
company you want to open from the dropdown and click OK.
5.2 Change Work Date
The Work Date of the application can be changed in two ways:
5.2.1 Using the Status Bar
Click the Date in the Status Bar, this will open a set date dialogue
box. Choose the date you want to switch to from the dropdown and
click OK.

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5.2.2 Using the Application Menu
Open the Application Menu ( -
Dropdown button just above the Navigation
Pane; sec. 3.1.2), choose Set Work Date,
this will open a set date dialogue box.
Choose the date you want to switch to from
the dropdown and click OK.
5.3 Adjusting Column Width and Header Height
When working on a page that contains a table or list, it is important to know
how to change the header so that the contents can be easily read. To change
the width of a column, hover your mouse over the column border until the
double arrow pointer appears. Click and hold the left button on your mouse
and drag left or right to
change the width of the
column.
To change the height of the column, right click on the
Column Header, go to Choose Header Height and choose
how many lines do you want the header height to be.
5.4 Additional Information about a Page
When viewing a page if you want review values in any fields that are not visible, you can do so by using the About
This Page option. Open the Application Menu ( - Dropdown button just above the Navigation Pane; sec.
3.1.2), choose Help, and then choose About This Page. This will open the About This Page window that has
fasttabs containing details about the Page being views and it Fields.

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5.5 The Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 Help
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 has an extensive library with
help associated with pages, fields and functions of the
system. To get to this resource open the Application Menu
( - Dropdown button just above the Navigation Pane;
sec. 3.1.2), choose Help, and then choose Microsoft
Dynamics NAV Help. Internet access is required to get to
the help resource.
5.6 Navigation and Date Shortcuts
To make navigating and entering data into the system more efficient it is good to familiarize yourself with some
of the shortcuts available in the system.
5.6.1 Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are used to avoid navigation using the mouse. Given below are a few of the more commonly
used Keyboard Shortcuts, to view a complete list of Keyboard Shortcuts visit the link:
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh179479(v=nav.71).aspx)
Input Result
Right Arrow Move to the next field or character
Left Arrow Move to the previous field or character
Up Arrow Move to the field above in the same column
Down Arrow Move to the field below in the same column
Delete Clear selected text
Esc Close the window or undo the data entry
Enter Move to the next editable field
F1 Open Help
F2 Edit
F5 Refresh the active window
F7 Display statistics
F8 Copy the field above
F9 Post
Shift+F9 Post and print
Ctrl+F1 Collapse or expand the ribbon
Ctrl+C Copy
Ctrl+X Cut
Ctrl+V Paste
Ctrl+E Export to Microsoft Office Excel
Ctrl+W Export to Microsoft Office Word
Ctrl+P Print
Ctrl+Z Undo
Ctrl+Shift+A Clear all filters
Ctrl+Shift+C Copy Rows
Ctrl+Shift+V Paste rows

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5.6.2 Date Shortcuts
When entering dates into date fields you can use the following shortcuts to get the right date:
Input Result
w Current Work Date
T Today’s Date
C Closing Date
# Number of Day in the Current Work Month
MM-DD-YYYY Month-Day-Year
WD-WK-YYYY Weekday-Week Number -Year
5.7 Notes and Notifications
To add Notes to a particular page record you can use the
Notes FastTab. Enter the note and click Save.
You can also choose to notify another user about the note by
choosing their User ID in the To: field and checking the
Notify checkbox. This will also provide the notified user with
a link to the record where the note was added. The note and
link will appear in the Notifications section of the users Role
Center (sec. 3.1.6).
5.8 Filtering Lists
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 gives you two types of filters that can be used for this function:
5.8.1 The Quick Filter
The Quick Filter allows you to filter on values in any of the columns that are visible in the current view of the list.
As you add or remove columns from your view the Quick Filter options change. You can only have one Quick
Filter applied to a list at any time.
To apply, enter the filtering criteria, hit Enter or click the arrow on the right of the column name.
Once a filter has been applied you can remove it by clicking the Delete Filter button.

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5.8.2 The Advanced Filters
Advanced Filters allow filtering on any field available in the table. Even is that field is not visible in the list of
available columns. You can apply multiple Advanced Filters to a list. Advanced Filters can be accessed by clicking
the drop-down arrow to the right of the Quick Filter fields:
To apply select the field that you need to filter on by
clicking the drop-down next to the column name; select
from the Visible Columns list or open a list of All
columns in the table when you hover over the ‘All’
button.
Enter the filter criteria and hit Enter.
Add
more filters by clicking the ‘Add Filter’ button.
Once a filter has been applied you can remove it by clicking the Delete Filter button.
5.8.3 Filtering Criterion
In Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 you can use various symbols to add logic to your filtering criteria. Here is a table
that covers the available options.
Symbol Meaning Sample Result
= Equal To =111 All results with value equal to 111
=08012014 All result with date equal to Aug 01, 2014
=0801 All results with date equal to Aug 01 of the current year

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.. Interval 111..222 All results with values between 111 and 222
01012014..08012014 All results within the date range Jan 01, 2014 to Aug
01,2014
..08012014 All results from the beginning of time up until Aug 01,
2014
08012014.. All results from Aug 01, 2014 till the end of time
| Either/or 111|222 All results with either 111 or 222
& And <222&>111 All results with values less than 222 and greater than 111
<> Not Equal To <>0 All results with values not equal to 0
> Greater Than >111 All results with values greater than 111
>= Greater Than or Equal
To
>=111 All results with values greater than or equal to 111
< Less Than <222 All results with values less than 222
<= Less Than or Equal To <=222 All results with values less than or equal to 222
* An Indefinite Number
of Unknown Characters
*co* All results with “co” in the test
*co All results ending with “co”
co* All results starting with “co”
? One Unknown
Character
Hans?n All combinations such as Hanson or Hansen
( ) Calculate before Rest 30|(>10&<20) All results with the value of 30 or a value between 10
and 20
@ Ignore Case (Uppercase
or Lowercase)
@location All results such as LOCATION, location or Location
Filter criteria can also be combined to get the desired result:
5999|8100..8490 All results that with values equal to 5999 and 8100 through 8490
..1299|1400 All results with values up to 1299 and 1400
*c*&*d* All results with text containing “c” and “d”
@*co?* All results containing “co” followed by at least one character but can have an indefinite number
of characters before and after, and the case is not important