New AI and Copilot Features in Dynamics 365 Business Central

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central continues to evolve, integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities to help businesses streamline operations, enhance productivity, and make more informed decisions. The 2024 release wave brings a suite of AI-powered features designed to tackle common business challenges efficiently. Here’s a closer look at these innovations and how they can benefit your organization.

1. AI-Powered Copilot for Enhanced User Assistance

One of the standout features in the latest update is Microsoft Copilot. This AI assistant is embedded across various functionalities within Business Central, aiming to reduce manual effort and improve accuracy.

• Creating Sales Lines: Copilot can intelligently suggest and assist in creating sales lines by accepting various input methods such as free text, files, or prebuilt prompts. This helps speed up the creation of sales documents and ensures they are accurate by leveraging customer sales history​.

• Bank Account Reconciliation: Reconciling bank statements is now more efficient with AI-driven transaction matching and G/L account suggestions. Copilot significantly reduces the time and effort required to match transactions and resolve discrepancies​​.

• Product Information Management: Businesses can now create product information faster with Copilot. It suggests item-related information such as variants, units of measure, and dimensions, accelerating the process of making new products transaction-ready​.

2. Developer Tools and Automation

For developers, the integration of AI extends to the development environment, making the process of creating and managing extensions more efficient.

• AL GO for GitHub: This new toolset provides developers with enhanced code refactoring capabilities and better integration with GitHub, facilitating seamless connection to Azure OpenAI Service. This supports the creation of more robust and efficient customizations​.

• Natural Language Processing for Automation: The integration of Copilot with Power Automate allows users to build and refine automation flows using natural language. This conversational interface simplifies the creation of complex workflows and reduces the need for extensive technical knowledge​​.

3. Enhanced User Experience and Accessibility

AI capabilities also focus on improving the overall user experience by making the system more intuitive and user-friendly.

• Intelligent Prompts and Guides: Copilot includes features like improved prompt dialogs and placeholder text to guide users through complex tasks. These enhancements make it easier for users to interact with the system and complete tasks more efficiently​​.

• AI-Driven Reporting and Insights: The 2024 release enhances reporting capabilities by leveraging AI to provide deeper insights and more accurate data analysis. This includes upgrades to analysis modes and better integration with Power BI and Excel for more dynamic and actionable reporting​.

4. Operational Efficiency and Compliance

AI features are not just about automation and ease of use; they also play a crucial role in ensuring operational efficiency and compliance.

• Automated IRS 1099 Form Submission: In the US, the updated Business Central automates the generation and submission of IRS 1099 forms. This ensures compliance with federal regulations while reducing the administrative burden on finance teams​.

• Governance and Administration: AI enhances governance by providing more granular access control and auditing capabilities. This includes the use of Microsoft 365 Audit Log and customer-managed encryption keys to ensure data privacy and security​.

Conclusion

The AI capabilities introduced in Dynamics 365 Business Central are set to transform how businesses operate. By automating routine tasks, enhancing data accuracy, and providing intelligent insights, these features enable organizations to focus more on strategic activities and less on administrative overhead. As AI continues to evolve within Business Central, businesses can look forward to even greater efficiencies and innovations in the future.

For a deeper dive into the specific features and how they can benefit your business, explore the detailed updates provided in the 2024 release wave​