Seven's not always Microsoft's lucky number: Dynamics NAV 7 ERP delayed

The number 7 isn't lucky for every Microsoft team.

Microsoft has pushed back its delivery target for its Dynamics NAV "7" by anywhere from a few months to a year, with final delivery now expected some time during calendar 2011 to 2012.

I first learned of the delay via a tweet from Rob Helm, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft. Microsoft officials confirmed that the next major version of Dynamics NAV, one of its four ERP products, is now tracking for 2011 to 2012.

Helm also tweeted that Microsoft is working on a Dynamics CRM connector for that product, but a Microsoft spokesperson did not respond to my question about that part of Helm's tweet. Microsoft already offers a Dynamics CRM connector for its Great Plains ERP product, which provides data synchronization and migration between the two platforms.

Microsoft had been telling its NAV customers that the "7" release of Dynamics NAV would arrive between 2010 and 2011. According to a Microsoft roadmap which Microsoft made available to partners and customers in May 2009, the 7 release will include Office 2010 (Office 14) support; new unspecified "attached services"; and improved reporting and visualizations, among other features.

A Microsoft spokesperson did confirm the new Dynamics NAV 7 date, but added "the team has not shared anything else around product at this point."

No word on the reasons for the delay or how it will affect the planned Dynamics NAV 8 and 9 releases. A few years ago, Microsoft officials said they were proactively slowing the pace of delivery of new versions of the company's four ERP products in order to allow customers more time to test and deploy them.

Microsoft is on tap to share more about its Dynamics ERP and CRM products and strategies at its Convergence conference in April in Atlanta. A new Dynamics CRM release is slated for some time this calendar year, officials said a year ago. I'd assume we'll hear about that and the rumored CRM connector by then.

Update: Speaking of the Convergence conference, there is an interesting Dynamics NAV session on tap where Microsoft is slated to discuss its hosting and online services strategies as they relate to the product. Here's the description:

CSNAV02 Microsoft Dynamics NAV: Software Plus Services Strategy Session Description: This session drills into the Microsoft Dynamics NAV software plus services strategy. We will explain the two key elements of our strategy: hosting and online services. Furthermore, we will demonstrate both a hosted Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution as well as Microsoft Dynamics NAV with Microsoft Dynamics Online Payments.