Copilot in Business Central

Since the 2023 Wave 2 release, Copilot has been integrated into Dynamics 365 Business Central, starting with marketing text suggestions. This guide outlines the current capabilities, technical requirements, and practical considerations for organizations and partners looking to adopt Copilot. It also explores use cases, benefits, best practices, and troubleshooting tips to help users make the most of this AI-powered assistant. 

 

Overview of Copilot Capabilities 

Copilot is an AI-powered assistant designed to enhance productivity, reduce manual effort, and support creativity across various business functions. It is available exclusively in Business Central online environments and includes a growing set of features tailored to different roles and tasks. Copilot leverages natural language processing and machine learning to understand user queries and provide intelligent responses based on business data and documentation. 

Available Features 

Chat with Copilot (Preview) 

Users can interact with Copilot using natural language to retrieve business data such as customers, vendors, items, and sales orders. It also provides contextual help and explanations based on official documentation. This feature is particularly useful for new users who need guidance navigating Business Central or for experienced users looking to quickly access specific data without navigating through multiple menus. 

Bank Reconciliation Assist (Preview) 

This feature enhances the existing automatch functionality by matching transactions that were not reconciled automatically. Copilot suggests ledger entries for unmatched transactions, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy. It is especially beneficial for finance teams handling large volumes of transactions and seeking to streamline reconciliation processes. 

Marketing Text Suggestions (Generally Available) 

Users can generate product descriptions by selecting 'Draft with Copilot' on the item card. If integrated with Shopify, the generated text can be published directly to the online store. This feature helps marketing teams create compelling product descriptions quickly and consistently, enhancing e-commerce efficiency. 

Analysis Assist 

Provides insights from custom lists without requiring complex report building. Users can analyze data trends, identify anomalies, and make informed decisions based on AI-generated insights. This feature is ideal for managers and analysts who need quick access to actionable data. 

Summarize with Copilot 

Generates concise summaries of records such as customers, items, and sales orders in the FactBox pane. Summaries are tailored to the user’s role, highlighting relevant information and enabling faster decision-making. This feature is useful for customer service representatives and sales teams who need quick overviews of records. 

Item Substitution Suggestions 

Copilot analyzes item data across multiple tables to suggest suitable substitutes using embedded search and large language models. This helps inventory managers and procurement teams find alternative products when stock is low or items are discontinued. 

Technical Requirements 

Deployment 

Copilot is only available in Business Central online. On-premises and private cloud deployments are not supported. Organizations must ensure they are using the online version to access Copilot features. 

Geographic and Language Availability 

Each feature has its own supported regions and languages. Most are initially available in English, with broader support planned. Users should verify availability based on their location and language preferences. 

Data Movement Configuration 

Starting with update 25.0, data movement across geographies is enabled by default. If your Business Central environment is in a different region than the Azure OpenAI service, enabling data movement is required. This ensures Copilot can function correctly and access necessary resources. 

Configuration and Administration 

Admin Controls 

Administrators can view and manage features via the 'Copilot & agent capabilities' page. They can activate or deactivate individual features and configure data movement settings. This provides flexibility and control over which features are available to users. 

User Permissions 

Access to Copilot features is governed by standard Business Central permission sets. Each feature requires specific permissions, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data and functionality. 

Customizations and Extensions 

Some Copilot features support custom pages and tables. For example, 'Chat with Copilot' can query custom tables, and 'Analysis Assist' works with custom lists. Partners can extend Copilot using Business Central’s development platform by registering new capabilities through the AI module. This allows for tailored solutions that meet specific business needs. 

Licensing and Costs 

Copilot is currently included with Business Central licenses at no additional cost. However, future updates may introduce quotas or pricing models. Organizations should stay informed about licensing changes to plan accordingly. 

Security and Compliance 

Copilot adheres to Business Central’s existing security model. User permissions are respected, GDPR compliance is maintained, and data is not used for training AI models unless explicitly opted in. This ensures that sensitive business data remains secure. 

Limitations and Considerations 

Preview features may have limited functionality and are subject to change. ISV Embed apps are not compatible with Microsoft-published Copilot features. Some features perform better with structured data such as item categories and attributes. Users should evaluate features based on their specific environment and data setup. 

Getting Started 

For Partners 

Partners should ensure clients are using Business Central online, check Azure OpenAI availability in client regions, test features in demo environments, and focus training on specific features. This helps clients adopt Copilot effectively and maximize its benefits. 

For Customers 

Customers should confirm online deployment, review available features with their administrator, start with generally available features, and evaluate preview features for future use. This approach ensures a smooth transition and effective use of Copilot. 

Troubleshooting Tips 

If Copilot actions such as 'Draft with Copilot' or 'Reconcile with Copilot' are missing, users should check feature activation on the 'Copilot & agent capabilities' page, review Feature Management settings, and verify user personalization settings. These steps help resolve common issues and ensure features are accessible. 

Looking Ahead 

Future updates will introduce AI agents capable of automating tasks, responding to events, and analyzing data using contextual inputs from Business Central. These agents will further enhance productivity and enable more intelligent business operations. 

Need Help? 

For technical support, training, or integration with customizations, reach out to specialists experienced in Business Central deployments. Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.