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AI in Business Central: Unlocking New Possibilities

October 12th, 2023

Intech Systems

Business Central, Dynamics 365

Blog Contributor: Ami Upadhyay

AI in Business Central: Unlocking New Possibilities

In the last 70,000 years of human civilization, our species has achieved a remarkable array of milestones, from the agricultural revolution to the development of the first steam engine, the discovery of penicillin, and the onset of the Industrial Revolution. With each revolution came considerable technological innovation, and human expertise and know-how enabled us to capitalize on these advances. One such advancement is ‘Artificial Intelligence.’ In this blog, we will look at one such example, AI’s integration into Microsoft Business Central. Let’s learn how this feature has resulted in a new win for Microsoft and all its customers and partners.

Initially portrayed as a tool that could potentially bring curses upon all of humanity or even wipe us out if fully unleashed, it soon became evident that major global corporations had already made substantial investments and remained eager to harness this potent tool to a degree that would enhance the way we perceive, operate, and execute tasks. Thus, it emerged as the most formidable catalyst poised to usher in a new era of technological revolution. Microsoft was one such pioneer, and today, it continues to invest heavily in tools and technologies that best leverage the power of AI. As these AI-powered tools prepare to disrupt the game across varied industries, Microsoft’s position as a pioneer in this exciting new revolution proved decisive.

One of Microsoft’s most significant recent investments was a $13 billion investment in OpenAI, a large corporation that produces complex AI technologies like ChatGPT. Aside from the monetary investment, OpenAI granted Microsoft access to its AI research and development capabilities. This helped it create its own AI products and services, such as Microsoft Azure AI, a cloud-based service that gives developers and data scientists the tools they need to design and implement AI solutions. Furthermore, Microsoft began to include new generative AI elements into its regular software tools, such as Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. It is also working on new features, such as Windows Copilot, an AI helper for Windows 11 devices. Sounds promising, right?

Let’s diver deeper!

Making Way for A.I.

This is an exciting time in the evolution of AI. Each day, we see new advancements in using artificial intelligence to improve the way we work, ranging from sophisticated machine learning models using AI in manufacturing to ground-breaking natural language technology. AI innovation may relieve employees from mundane, repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on the work that matters most, increasing job satisfaction and boosting productivity like never before. According to a recent business trends survey by Microsoft, 89 percent of people who have access to automation and AI-powered solutions feel more fulfilled because they can devote more time to meaningful work.

AI is emerging as a strong tool that helps organizations of all sizes improve their operations and achieve their goals. Keeping up with these latest innovations, Microsoft recently announced that they have launched a range of AI-powered solutions that work in conjunction with Dynamics 365 Business Central, a scalable and SMB-friendly ERP software, to help businesses automate operations, make better decisions, and increase their bottom line.

How Does Business Central Help Organizations Realize Their True Potential?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central provides the potential of artificial intelligence to small and medium-sized enterprises with capabilities that enable businesses to work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better.

By combining Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Artificial Intelligence, organizations can discover insights, make informed decisions, and improve customer experiences. The AI-driven features aim to bridge the data silo divide, allowing users to leverage all data to construct machine learning-driven experiences for specific tasks, particularly in sales, marketing, and customer service.

With capabilities that enable users to do more with less, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central gives small and medium-sized enterprises access to the power of artificial intelligence.

Also Read – Dealer Management System (DMS) Revolution: Make Your Business Unstoppable

Exploring Artificial Intelligence Applications in Business Central

A retailer can use AI-powered functions to automate the process of entering customer orders. As a result, employees may be able to focus on more customer-facing responsibilities.
A manufacturing company can use cash flow forecasting to identify and avert possible cash flow concerns. This can assist the organization in avoiding financial troubles and staying agile in the face of changing business dynamics.
Late payment prediction can help a wholesale organization discover consumers who are likely to pay late. This data can assist the organization in taking measures to collect payments on time, such as sending reminders or offering discounts for early payments.
Sales and inventory forecasting can help a restaurant optimize its inventory levels and avoid stockouts. This can help the business save money while improving client satisfaction.
A financial services organization can use fraud detection to spot fraudulent transactions. This might assist the organization in safeguarding its financial assets and avoiding losses.

These are just a few instances of how organizations can improve their operations by utilizing AI in Business Central. As AI technology advances, we may anticipate more innovative and powerful AI-powered features in Business Central in the coming months. Let’s delve deeper into how AI in Business Central enhances workflow:

Using sales and inventory forecasting to boost customer support

Good inventory management can make all the difference in a highly competitive business environment between a successful company and one that finds it difficult to stay profitable and attract new clients. Managing your expenses and providing excellent customer service are trade-offs in inventory management. Although little inventory means less working capital is needed, low inventory can result in lost revenue. The AI-powered Sales and Inventory Forecast add-on helps you prevent stockouts by forecasting future sales based on historical data. By creating replenishment requests for your vendors based on forecasts and inventory levels, the extension helps you save time and increase inventory availability to satisfy your consumers.

Utilizing Late Payment Predictions to Identify Business Barriers

A company’s total financial health depends on its ability to manage receivables effectively. By forecasting whether sales invoices will be paid on time, the Late Payment Prediction extension can assist you in lowering outstanding receivables and improving your collections approach. You might want to modify the conditions of payment or the payment method for the customer. For instance, if it is anticipated that payment will be late, you may better manage and eventually lower past-due receivables by anticipating late payments and making modifications.

Task Automation:

A majority of the standard procedures that businesses carry out on a daily basis, including data entry, invoice processing, and customer service, might be automated with the use of artificial intelligence. As a result of this newfound efficiency, employees may have the opportunity to concentrate on more strategic and valuable tasks.

Cash Flow Analysis for Enhanced Decision Making

By facilitating the creation of a thorough cash flow prediction using Cash Flow Analysis, Azure AI in Business Central improves decision-making and helps you maintain control over your cash flow. Cash flow is a sign of a company’s capacity to meet its financial obligations on time and with financial solvency. An instrument for future-oriented planning is required to ensure the solvency of your business. You can take proactive measures to safeguard your company’s financial stability with the help of AI insights. For example, you might reduce credit when cash is plentiful or borrow to offset a cash shortage.

Informed Decision-Making and Innovation:

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to assist organizations in improving the quality of their decision-making processes by supplying them with insights into their data that they would not be able to notice otherwise. For instance, AI can be utilized to forecast the demand from customers, detect fraudulent activity, and optimize inventory levels. Thanks to these AI-powered capabilities in Business Central, businesses can enhance the overall client experience, reduce expenses, and boost financial performance. These valuable insights provide the foundation for fostering innovation and driving creative solutions.

Business Central x AI: A Boon for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Small to mid-sized businesses are a critical component of the Indian economy. Indian cities like Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad churn out a multitude of start-ups, many of which evolve into unicorns and mark their global debut. These start-ups play a significant role in advancing the Indian economy, attracting investments from major global corporations. These SMBs contribute significantly to exports, employment, and GDP. According to a recent survey by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), SMBs employ over 40% of the workforce and contribute about 30% of India’s GDP.

Looking at these numbers, it is not surprising that India has become one of the top SMB nations globally, with millions of diverse ranges of SMBs, from small retail stores to manufacturing enterprises, operating across various sectors, including manufacturing, retail, education, services, and agriculture. Let’s take a closer look at how AI is making its mark in this evolving market landscape for SMBs.

SMBs in Focus: The Benefits of Business Central and AI Integration

AI can assist SMBs in automating processes and streamlining operations. Employees can thus focus on more strategic and value-adding tasks.
AI can assist SMBs in making better pricing, marketing, inventory, and other crucial choices. This can assist SMBs in increasing their bottom line and staying ahead of the competition.
AI can assist SMBs in attracting and retaining clients. AI can help SMBs develop closer relationships with their consumers by giving personalized recommendations and improving the customer experience.
AI can assist SMBs in expanding into new markets. AI can assist SMBs in reaching new clients and growing their operations by analyzing data and identifying new opportunities.

Overall, artificial intelligence in Business Central can help SMBs become more productive, profitable, and customer-centric. This can provide SMBs with a competitive advantage and aid in their long-term development.

These significant variables, when combined with the right resources and skilled solutions from Microsoft Partners, produce extraordinary outcomes, allowing SMBs and SMEs to acquire the competitive advantage they require for growth and development in this increasingly fierce global market.

Do you want to learn more about how Microsoft is disrupting the business scenario with these robust AI-powered tools and technologies? Get in touch with us today at sales@intech-systems.com to learn more.

About Intech

Intech Systems is a three-cloud Microsoft-certified partner that boasts deep expertise in providing digital transformation solutions for organizations by leveraging the Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Azure solution stack. Intech is recognized as a top-tier Microsoft implementation partner globally and specializes in transformative technology solutions such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), Business Process Automation, Business Intelligence, Cloud Infrastructure, Data Management, Productivity & Collaboration and Generative AI (Gen-AI) solutions. As a trusted Microsoft Solutions Partner, we are capable of doing complex technology implementations catered to an organization’s specific needs & also rapid solution implementation such as our Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central implementation packages. We pair our implementations with end-to-end customer support, offshore development & 3rd party integrations. With offices in India, USA (United States of America), and Singapore, we work with clients across globe to empower businesses with cutting-edge technology solutions. Our latest services aim at delivering business ready AI solutions to the customer, like our Microsoft Copilot Consulting Services & Solutions for small, medium & large enterprises. Intech’s expertise lies in building software solutions for Manufacturing, Professional Services & Healthcare. Our Dealer Management System, Sales and Service CRM for Manufacturing, Field Force Automation for Pharmaceuticals and Manufacturing Central are some of our leading industry solutions. Intech’s vision is to catalyze digital futures for operation-centric industries globally, we are at the forefront of innovation, helping organizations drive growth and innovation like never before. Contact Us to learn more.