Integrating AI for Enhanced Business Central Functionality

The current state of business today is the silent revolution. The world’s most successful companies quietly deploy astonishing efficiencies with a secret sauce: Artificial Intelligence. If your ERP feels more like a fancy ledger than a proactive strategic partner, you are not using it to its full potential.  

Introducing AI into Business Central is no longer a luxury for a future landscape of business—it’s an investment in scalability that has been proven repeatedly to reduce costs of operations. It takes complicated data and instill provides you with actionable insights and replaces the manual work of your employees with automated intelligence. 

Therefore, this article will inform you on precisely what functionality and processes you need to implement to get benefits in terms of quantifiable ROI immediately.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Learn why business central needs AI Integration.Explore what makes Business Central AI different.There are the top 3 AI features you should be using.Ways to get started with AI integration.

Why Business Central Needs AI Integration

AI integration brings a ton of value to your Business Central system. Here are just three reasons you should start looking into what AI can do for you.

Slash Operating Costs

AI integration is one of the best ways to cut operating costs.

Why? Well, it’s been proven that AI automation can lower operating costs by up to 25%. Integrating Business Central AI into your workflows allows your system to make intelligent decisions that help you save time and money.

And as you know…

Lower costs = Higher profit margins.

Companies using AI to automate Business Central report 30-40% efficiency gains. With AI, Business Central learns from your data and provides insights and predictions before problems even become apparent.

Make Smarter Decisions Faster

AI integration is like having a super-smart analyst working 24/7.

Business Central allows you to make smarter decisions more quickly before opportunities are lost. How? Through AI-powered predictive analytics.

[Think about it:]{.underline} If your system can predict cash flow issues, inventory shortages, or late payments before they even happen… You can take action early to avoid costly problems down the road.

Note: AI features such as sales forecasting, late payment prediction, and bank reconciliation automation will help you stay one step ahead of potential problems.

Eliminate Tedious Manual Work

Arguably, the most underrated benefit of Business Central AI is automation.

AI can take care of busywork and automate mundane, repetitive tasks like data entry, invoicing, and report generation. That means your team is no longer wasting time on mind-numbing work.

But because AI performs these tasks faster and with more accuracy, it also results in fewer errors, quicker processing, and happier employees.

That’s a win-win-win.

When AI gets integrated, it can even learn your processes and suggest process improvements. Business Central’s AI can identify these opportunities automatically.

What Makes Business Central AI Different?

Business Central’s AI is different from just generic business process automation.

Business Central’s AI runs across every area of your ERP system including financial management, supply chain, sales/customer service, and project management.

AI is powerful on its own…but it becomes even more so when AI can connect all of these areas together. The key is making sure the insights automatically flow between departments.

This is in contrast to using AI tools in silos where you manually copy/paste data from one system to the next. Business Central AI works with your actual business data and uses it in real time.

Top AI Features You Should Be Using

Ok, let’s talk about the Business Central AI features.

Companies are using these exact features to generate results that would have been impossible just a few years ago.

If they can do it… You can too. Scroll through the features, pick a couple, and start implementing until you start getting results.

Copilot For Everyday Tasks

When it comes to Business Central AI… Copilot is going to be your new best friend.

Here’s why: The best way to start getting more value from Business Central is to make it easier for your team to use.

Copilot allows you to ask questions in plain English and get instant answers. For example, “Which customers have not paid in 60 days” and you instantly get a list. The natural language interface is so powerful because anyone on your team can use it.

So how can you get the most out of Copilot? Start by training your team to think of it as their AI assistant. Instead of manually creating reports, they can just ask Copilot.

You should use Copilot for any task that takes multiple clicks to get to the right data, requires combining data from different areas, or would normally require IT assistance.

Research has shown that 78% of organizations that use AI report improved productivity. One of the most common mistakes companies make is not using Copilot enough.

Predictive Analytics

Do you want to see the future? Business Central’s AI-powered predictive analytics will show you what’s coming next.

Here’s how it works: The AI analyzes your historical data to identify patterns and trends. It then uses those patterns to make predictions about the future.

You can use predictive analytics to forecast things like customer demand, cash flow requirements, inventory needs, and late payments. When you know what’s coming, you can plan for it.

The predictions will get better and more accurate over time as the AI continues to learn from more data. The more you use these features, the smarter it gets.

Automated Workflows

This is my personal favourite Business Central AI feature…

Here’s what it does: AI-powered workflow automation handles repetitive processes from start to finish without human intervention. Think purchase approvals, invoice matching and bank reconciliation.

Once you set up the workflows, the AI monitors for the right conditions and automatically executes the steps. If an invoice comes in, the AI can match it to the purchase order, verify amounts, flag discrepancies, and route it for approval.

All of that can happen in seconds instead of taking 15 minutes manually. Plus, it happens consistently every time without error.

Look at the research. By 2029, 80% of organizational workflows will be automated. Companies that take action now will have a major advantage over those that don’t.

Getting Started With AI Integration

Starting with Business Central AI doesn’t have to be a complicated process.

Here’s what you need to do:

Identify pain points. Think about where your team is currently spending the most time or where you have the most errors. Choose a process that will give you quick wins.

Turn on relevant AI features in Business Central. Lots of features like Copilot are already built-in but just need to be enabled. Work with your implementation partner to set up the features you want.

Train your team. Make sure they understand how to use the new AI features and why they are beneficial. Get feedback from them on what’s working.

Measure the results. Track metrics like time saved, errors reduced, and costs saved. Use these numbers to justify continuing to invest and expand AI to other processes.

The companies that have the best results think of AI integration as an ongoing process rather than a one-time project.

The Bottom Line

Congrats, you now have a complete guide to integrating AI into Business Central. The thing is… Business Central AI is already transforming how companies operate.

Need help?

Lots of companies lack the in-house expertise to properly implement AI features. That’s why they work with experienced Business Central partners who specialize in AI integrations.

These partners understand exactly which features will deliver the most value for your industry. They’ll take care of the technical setup while you focus on your business.

But remember, before you even get into AI, you must make sure your Business Central system is properly set up and your data is clean. AI is only as good as the data it’s working with.

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