AI for Finance Leaders: Unlocking Efficiency with Microsoft Copilot in Business Central

What if finance teams could spend less time reconciling spreadsheets and more time driving strategy? That’s not a hypothetical. It’s happening now.

In our recent webinar, The Future of Finance: How AI Enhances Efficiency & Drives Growth, experts from Velosio and Microsoft unpacked how artificial intelligence — specifically Microsoft Copilot for Finance — is reshaping operations, unlocking productivity, and delivering real business value.

Why Finance Needs a Reset

Finance teams are facing mounting pressure to move faster, reduce costs, and make smarter decisions. But manual workflows, disconnected systems, and time-consuming tasks are slowing them down.

A pre-webinar poll of registrants revealed that:

31% of attendees struggle most with manual processes
31% are actively exploring how AI can streamline forecasting and reporting
Others cited lack of real-time visibility, ERP optimization, and cross-departmental disconnects

These challenges aren’t just frustrating. They’re holding teams back from higher-value work.

AI Isn’t Coming. It’s Already Here

Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental. It’s a strategic enabler. According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index:

80% of employees feel drained by repetitive tasks
83% of leaders believe AI will help teams focus on strategic work earlier in their careers
78% already trust AI with high-stakes decisions

This shift in mindset is fueling the adoption of Microsoft Copilot, which is embedded across the Microsoft ecosystem: Dynamics 365, Excel, Teams, Power BI, and Outlook.

What Copilot Can Do for Finance Teams

Here’s how Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is already making finance teams more effective:

Natural Language Queries: Ask plain-English questions like “Show me the latest invoices for Customer X” and get instant answers.
Bank Reconciliation: Automatically match high volumes of transactions—errors and headaches minimized.
Autofill Suggestions: Let Copilot recommend fields like payment terms or posting groups for fast, accurate data entry.
Record Summarization: Get a snapshot of key data—customer balances, overdue amounts, transaction histories—in seconds.
Pivot Views: Customize, save, and analyze data views with ease.
Invoice Matching: Align vendor invoices with purchase orders, even when formats differ.
Sales Order Creation: Turn customer emails into structured sales orders without manual rekeying.
Marketing Descriptions: Generate polished product descriptions for e-commerce listings fast.

Results speak for themselves:

67% say Copilot saves them time
68% report improved work quality
70% feel more productive
77% don’t want to give it up

AI Benefits Extend Across Microsoft 365

Copilot’s value doesn’t stop in Business Central. It also empowers finance teams across the Microsoft 365 suite:

Tool	What Copilot Enables
Excel	Generate formulas and analyze data via natural language
Outlook	Draft professional emails with ERP data embedded
Word	Create polished proposals, reports, executive summaries, or policy documents in minutes
Power BI	Build insightful visualizations with AI-answered queries
CRM	Summarize leads, score opportunities, and streamline communication

This seamless integration means teams can stay in their flow while gaining AI-driven efficiency.

Custom AI Agents with Copilot Studio

Every business is unique. That’s where Copilot Studio comes in:

Extend Microsoft Copilot: Shape how it interacts with your internal data—no model changes needed.
Build Your Own Agent: Create custom AI agents tailored to workflows like compliance, reporting, or vendor management.

With over 1,400 connectors, Copilot Studio supports integration with Microsoft and third-party platforms like Salesforce, SAP, and QuickBooks.

A Better Way Forward: Turning AI into ROI

Adopting AI isn’t just about deployment—it requires a strategy. Here’s a practical roadmap:

Build a secure foundation: Establish governance, compliance, and access policies.
Optimize your data: Ensure your information is clean, current, and connected.
Identify high-impact use cases: Start where AI can deliver immediate value.
Train your teams: Equip people for change with training and support.
Measure results: Track wins in forecasting accuracy, cycle times, and capacity.
Scale adoption: Expand across teams and functions as you grow confidence.

What We Learned: Key Takeaways

Here are the three key themes we heard clearly from the session and what finance leaders should be asking themselves next:

AI is already reshaping finance: Embedded tools like Copilot are helping teams improve speed and accuracy, without waiting for new tech rollouts.
Integration is essential: AI thrives when it lives inside tools teams already use—Business Central, Excel, Power BI—so they don’t have to context-switch.
Strategic adoption starts small and smart: Focus on governance, usability, quick wins, and measurement—and scale from there.

Next Steps

Explore how Microsoft Copilot and AI agents can transform finance processes with a 30-minute AI Strategy Session. It’s a great opportunity to discuss your unique challenges and explore tailored solutions for your organization.

Book Your AI Strategy Session

See AI in Action

Watch the webinar replay to see how AI is accelerating reporting, streamlining reconciliations, and enabling faster, smarter financial decisions.

Access the Replay

Related Resources:

How CFOs Tackle Top Challenges with Technology & Innovation | Velosio
Data-Driven Finance: Overcoming Challenges | Velosio
AI & Digital Transformation: A Guide for CFOs | Velosio