Executive Summary

Microsoft’s Copilot in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365 F&O) combines AI with ERP to streamline processes, reduce manual effort, and empower decision-making.

• For IT teams → requires setup via Dataverse, Power Platform, and feature management.
• For business leaders → delivers faster collections, proactive supply chain management, and productivity gains.

✅ The result: lower costs, higher efficiency, and stronger ROI.

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Why Copilot Matters for Business Users

Traditional ERP systems are powerful but often complex. Copilot changes this by:

• Reducing clicks: Answers come through natural language queries.
• Simplifying workflows: Complex approval chains are summarized automatically.
• Proactively surfacing insights: Supply chain risks, overdue invoices, and approvals are flagged without users digging for them.

Outcome: Faster decision-making and less time spent on repetitive tasks.

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Core Business Use Cases

1. Finance – Smarter Collections

• Copilot summarizes overdue invoices, payment history, and account details.
• Collections coordinators save time preparing for customer calls.
• Example: “Summarize Contoso Ltd.’s overdue balance.” → Returns a concise account overview.

2. Finance – Workflow Approvals

• Managers receive AI-generated summaries instead of scrolling through workflows.
• Approvals are faster, and bottlenecks are easier to spot.
• Example: “Show me pending approvals over $50,000.”

3. Supply Chain – Disruption Alerts

• Copilot analyzes external factors (e.g., weather events, supplier risks).
• Managers can act before disruptions cause serious delays.
• Example: “Which vendors caused shipment delays this week?”

4. Operations – Natural Language Queries

• Business users don’t need IT to generate reports.
• Queries like “Show top overdue accounts this month” or “List all purchase orders pending approval” are answered instantly.

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Key Benefits for Organizations

• Productivity Gains → Employees spend less time searching, reporting, and approving.
• Faster Decision-Making → Summaries and proactive alerts provide clarity.
• Employee Empowerment → Natural language queries make ERP accessible to non-technical staff.
• Risk Mitigation → Early identification of supply chain disruptions reduces losses.
• Improved Customer Interactions → Collections and sales teams have quick access to key account details.

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ROI Impact

1. Time Savings

• Fewer manual reports
• Quicker workflow approvals
• Automated collections prep

2. Cost Reductions

• Reduced reliance on IT for routine data requests
• Lower disruption costs in supply chain management

3. Revenue Enablement

• Faster collections improve cash flow
• Better decision-making drives agility in finance and operations

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Final Thoughts for Business Leaders

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations is not just an IT upgrade—it’s a strategic enabler.

By embedding AI into everyday workflows, it:

• Speeds up processes
• Reduces risk
• Empowers employees
• Improves customer experiences

👉 In short: Copilot helps organizations get more value from their ERP investment while setting the stage for an AI-driven future.

Next Step: Start with high-friction workflows (like collections or approvals) where AI can deliver quick wins. From there, expand adoption across finance and supply chain for maximum ROI.