Unlocking Copilot: Boost Productivity in Dynamics 365 Business Central

Hey Friends!

I recently had the amazing opportunity to present at a Dynamic Communities event about the practical uses of Copilot with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The feedback was positive, so I thought I’d share some of those thoughts here. This post will be split into multiple parts, with the next installment coming very soon.

Before we dive into Part 1, let’s take a moment to discuss “what is Copilot” anyway? Copilot is Microsoft’s AI Assistant. I heard this description that I just loved. As an AI assistant, it works alongside humans to provide support and boost productivity. It is my personal intern who helps me power through the day. However, like any great intern, reviewing its work is essential as it’s not flawless. While it’s fantastic, reviewing the output before committing to it is always a good practice.

Now, let’s dive into some details about this week’s features of Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Part 1:  The Basics

Chat and Marketing Text

Chat is one of the first things that comes to mind regarding AI and its fundamental functions. You can leverage Copilot to ask questions and find business data in Business Central. To access Copilot, click the Copilot button at the top of the screen, just to the right of the search magnifying glass.

This will open the Copilot chat menu where you can do several things:

• Find – this will let you look up data elements in Business Central such as finding invoices for a particular customer or can take you to a certain page.
• Explain – this will give you help text on certain fields or processes
• Guide – this will provide you with step-by-step instructions on tasks or capabilities in the system.

You can input anything in the prompt, and Copilot will provide you with the best available information. It’s important to remember not to worry about “how” to ask the question. Use your everyday language, and Copilot will understand. A useful “View Prompts” option at the bottom of the screen can also provide more information.

Give this a try. Play with different ways to ask for help, and soon, you’ll find yourself wanting Copilot always by your side.

Marketing Text

In today’s digital world, most companies have some form of eCommerce presence, and compelling marketing text is crucial. Personally, I’m not the creative marketing type, so Copilot comes to the rescue.

On item records, you have the option for Copilot to create marketing text based on the information provided, such as pictures, categories, attributes, and dimensions. Start from any item on the top record menu, click Item/Marketing Text, and a window will appear for completing the marketing text. Instead of struggling to create the perfect descriptor, click “Suggest Marketing Text” at the bottom of the window. A new window will appear, showing all item attributes that can be considered. Select those you like, or leave them all included. You also have options to set the tone, format, and emphasis.

Click “Generate,” and you’ll have compelling marketing text. Review, edit, or have Copilot regenerate it. Once it looks just as you like, click “Keep it,” and you’ll have marketing text that can be immediately published to your eCommerce solution.

Chat and Marketing Text are two remarkable capabilities of Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that you can start using today. We’ll be covering two more capabilities in our next edition.

Thanks for reading.   Follow me for more, and have a fantastic week!