I want to deploy a NAV 2013 database on Azure, with near real time capabilities (if the data is refreshed once a day, that is enough).
I am using this guide to connect to a test NAV sql server from an Azure VM, and will export data tier application (bacpac) file from NAV and import into Azure SQL.
My understanding is, that exporting this bacpac file will create a copy of the database in Azure. Does it also refresh the data when NAV data is refreshed?
If not, how can I set up automatic refresh of data?
Yes, you're right. Exporting this .bacpac file will create a copy of the database in Azure.
The .bacpac file only contains the current data in NAV database when it's creating. Once the database is restored in Azure, they are two independent databases. The data in Azure SQL won't be refreshed when NAV data is refreshed. That's not the data sync.
You can firstly deploy the database to Azure SQL. I found a blog which use Data Sync Agent to sync the data between Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Azure SQL.
Ref this tutorial: Using SQL Data Sync with Microsoft Dynamics NAV on-premise and Azure SQL Database.
Sorry for that I can't test it for you because I don't have the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database. That's may be what you're looking for.