Directions EMEA 2024, for those unfamiliar, is one of the largest business application-focused events held in Europe. This annual event focuses on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation centered around Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, while also covering other aspects of the Microsoft ecosystem, such as the Dynamics suite (Sales, Field Service…), Power Platform, and various Azure services.
This year, the event took place from November 6 to 8 in Vienna, and Axazure was present.
One of the main attractions of the event, beyond the numerous technical sessions, is the participation of the Business Central product team and the unveiling of new features and product strategy during the daily keynotes. This year, Microsoft’s message was clear: the value proposition lies in adopting AI to enhance ERP processes.
AI already has a place in Business Central Online. Initially, it appeared as predictive algorithms enabling forecasts for cash flow, stock levels, or payments. Today, with the emergence of large language models (LLMs), we see it as Copilot, and in the near future, it will arrive as Agents.
Copilot in Business Central Online is designed to assist with various processes. For example, by using the chat functionality with Copilot (finally available worldwide starting January 2025!), users can locate information, create analysis views, and access help…
The idea is for Copilot to boost user productivity by streamlining recurring tasks and saving time in daily work.
And this will be complemented by Agents.
Agents can operate autonomously, automating business processes, performing assigned tasks, and automatically responding to various events during the process. All of this happens without the user losing control, as the agent’s actions depend on prior configuration, and the user will intervene in steps requiring their attention.
In essence, Copilot supports individual tasks, while Agents work independently, representing a department or the organization. They only require user attention when they “need something.”
During the first day’s keynote, the sales order agent was showcased as the first out-of-the-box agent to be introduced.
Additionally, it was hinted that, just as we can create our own Copilots, we will also have tools to develop our own agents.
This is promising, but as partners, we must focus on the following:
- Developing an internal adoption process to understand the value of AI-based solutions and ensuring we have the knowledge and resources to create such applications.
- Expanding our vision to identify business processes in which AI solutions can add value for our clients.
Some scenarios will justify these applications with immediate returns, while others may not. It is our job to identify and propose these opportunities to clients.
The focus is on AI. We need to broaden our horizons and share experiences so that, collectively, we can propose different use cases for AI, Copilot, and Agents that will benefit all clients and the entire channel.
At Axazure, we are committed to this effort.
About the Author: Raúl Bogajo
