Top 10 Copilot Features in Business Central

Looking to boost productivity in Dynamics 365 Business Central? Discover the top 10 easiest and most effective out-of-the-box Copilot features for Essentials users. Learn how these AI tools save time, streamline work, and improve financial visibility without custom setup.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central continues to evolve as the go-to ERP solution for small and medium-sized businesses. With the introduction of Copilot, Microsoft’s embedded AI assistant, Business Central users can now unlock new levels of productivity using smart, built-in features – all without complex integrations or customisation.

This blog explores the top 10 out-of-the-box Copilot features that every Essentials user in the UK can activate and benefit from straight away.

1. AI-Powered Product Descriptions for Items

One of the simplest but most powerful Copilot features allows users to generate engaging product descriptions for items in seconds. On any item card, select “Draft with Copilot”, and it will create web-friendly text based on the item’s attributes, such as size, material, or colour.

Why it matters:
This is ideal for sales and product teams who list items online. It saves time, ensures consistency, and gets new products to market faster.

2. Late Payment Prediction

Copilot helps finance teams stay ahead of potential late payments by using historical data to flag invoices likely to be paid late. It shows a confidence rating on each posted invoice, allowing teams to focus follow-ups where they’re most needed.

Why it matters:
Improves cash flow, reduces overdue debt, and lets finance users prioritise customer communication intelligently.

3. Cash Flow Forecasting with Azure AI

Business Central’s built-in AI enhances cash flow forecasting by learning from historical data and predicting future inflows and outflows more accurately. It’s enabled in a few clicks and offers forward-looking financial insights.

Why it matters:
Gives finance managers greater confidence in decision-making, especially in cash-constrained environments or for planning investments.

4. Sales Demand Forecasting

Using Azure AI, Business Central can forecast future sales trends for specific items. It presents visual forecasts on item cards, allowing sales and inventory teams to plan accordingly.

Why it matters:
Helps avoid understocking and overstocking by aligning procurement with projected demand – a valuable asset for retail and distribution businesses.

5. Inventory Stock-Out Prediction

This Copilot feature warns when items are likely to run out of stock soon, based on forecasted sales. It even suggests which other items to replenish when creating purchase orders.

Why it matters:
Essential for warehouse managers and buyers. Reduces lost sales and customer complaints due to out-of-stock items.

6. Bank Reconciliation with Copilot

Bank reconciliations are faster and less error-prone thanks to Copilot’s ability to auto-match bank transactions and suggest appropriate general ledger accounts for unmatched entries.

Why it matters:
Simplifies a time-consuming month-end process for finance teams, improving speed and accuracy.

7. Image Analysis with AI

Copilot uses Azure’s Image Analyzer to automatically tag item or contact photos with recognised attributes (e.g. gender, product type, colour). These can be accepted and applied instantly.

Why it matters:
Reduces manual data entry and helps create consistent, searchable records. Especially useful for e-commerce businesses uploading lots of product images.

8. Copilot Chat for Everyday Help

The in-app Copilot Chat assistant answers questions in plain English, helps find records, explains field meanings, and can even generate calculations or analysis views.

Why it matters:
Great for newer users and busy teams. Reduces the need to navigate through menus or look up documentation – just ask and get the information you need.

9. AP Document Matching for E-Invoices

When vendor invoices arrive electronically, Copilot automatically matches lines to open purchase orders, even handling slight differences in wording or quantity.

Why it matters:
Accelerates invoice processing, improves accuracy, and reduces friction in the accounts payable process.

10. OCR for Incoming Documents

Business Central integrates with OCR providers to extract data from PDFs or scanned invoices. The OCR service returns data that Copilot can turn into purchase invoices with minimal human input.

Why it matters:
Perfect for finance and admin teams processing large volumes of supplier invoices or receipts. Saves hours of typing and reduces errors.

Related Article: AI and Business Central

Why These Features Matter

All of these Copilot capabilities are:

• Included out-of-the-box in Business Central (Essentials)

• Available in the UK version of SaaS

• Require no development or complex setup

• Focused on real, day-to-day productivity gains

Whether you’re in finance, operations, sales, or administration, Copilot helps you work smarter, not harder.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft’s Copilot is more than just a flashy AI feature, it’s a productivity partner for SMEs using Business Central. By activating just a few of these tools, businesses can save time, reduce costs, and make smarter decisions.

For Essentials licence users, these features provide a clear ROI with minimal effort.

If you’re using Business Central and haven’t yet explored what Copilot can do, now’s the time to start.

Next Steps:

Need help turning these features on or want a quick demo? Contact us for guidance on enabling Copilot and making the most of your ERP investment.

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