Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how finance and operations leaders operate. During our recent webinar, Smarter Finance, Stronger Supply Chains, Velosio and Microsoft explored how Microsoft Copilot, AI agents and autonomous ERP systems are helping businesses work smarter, faster, and more strategically.

Below are five takeaways from the session and how your organization can take the next step toward business transformation.

1. Finance Is Shifting from Reporting to Strategy

Finance teams are typically known for their fiscal duties like accounting, financial planning, and reporting. But over the past few years, their role has evolved to include driving innovation.

CFOs are calling on their teams to shift from reporting on the past to optimizing processes that drive future growth.

Microsoft Copilot and AI agents support this shift by automating manual tasks, delivering real-time insights, and giving teams more time to focus on strategy. Copilot serves as the interface, while agents are specialized tools built to handle specific processes and challenges. Think of them as the apps of the AI era.

2. Microsoft’s AI Agent Ecosystem

Microsoft’s approach to AI for finance and supply chain management is rooted in a flexible, scalable agent model:

• Retrieval Agents: Quickly answer queries like, “What was our P&L last month?” from within Teams or Outlook.
• Task Agents: Automate repetitive actions such as closing periods or reconciling ledgers.
• Autonomous Agents: Operate independently to manage complex workflows—escalating issues only when needed.

All of these agents can be built or customized in Copilot Studio, which is part of Microsoft’s low-code development platform.

3. Real Use Cases: AI in Finance and Supply Chain

The webinar featured multiple real-world examples where Copilot and agents in Dynamics 365 Finance are already improving performance:

• Finance Reconciliation Agents reduce the time and effort required to prepare and match financial data.
• Account Reconciliation Agents accelerate close cycles by identifying mismatches between the general ledger and subledgers.
• Supplier Communication Agents streamline procurement workflows by reading incoming emails, flagging supply chain risks, and automatically updating purchase orders.
• Field Scheduling Agents help operations leaders manage real-time workforce changes, reducing delays and improving resource utilization.

These are not future-state ideas. The use cases show that AI in finance and supply chain management is already delivering measurable results in day-to-day operations.

Check out the replay here to see these agents in action.

4. How Velosio is Helping Clients Apply AI and Build Custom Agents

We’re actively working with clients to design and deploy agents tailored to your business needs. Some of the concepts we’re exploring include:

• Quick-access retrieval agents for Teams-based reporting (e.g., P&L by region, customer aging).
• Task agents to automate multi-company close activities—like period holds or rolling forward balances.
• Autonomous reconciliation agents that continuously monitor GL alignment with inventory, WIP, and production costs.
• Supply chain optimization agents that adjust bin assignments or create warehouse work based on movement patterns.

We also monitor Microsoft’s roadmap closely to align custom solutions with upcoming releases.

5. Built-In Security and Responsible AI

Security, compliance, and Responsible AI are core to Microsoft’s approach.

Copilot Studio enforces role-based access, activity logging, and applies strict data controls, so agents follow the same governance rules as your users.

It also includes built-in testing tools, so you can evaluate agent performance before going live. Velosio also supports testing and validation as part of any AI rollout—ensuring the outputs match your expectations, and your data is protected.

Key Takeaways: What We Learned

The webinar underscored how Microsoft Copilot, AI agents and autonomous ERP systems are already reshaping finance and operations and why now is the time to act.

Here are the main takeaways:

• AI Agents Are Evolving: What started as simple, prompt-based tools are now autonomous systems that can independently execute and optimize business processes.
• The Microsoft Agent Ecosystem Is Ready: Microsoft offers a flexible, extensible framework to build, deploy, and manage agents across finance, operations, and supply chain functions.
• Real-World Impact Is Already Happening: From reconciliation and vendor communication to production scheduling, Copilot and custom agents are streamlining workflows and delivering measurable value.
• Security and Trust Are Built In: Microsoft’s commitment to security, compliance, and Responsible AI gives organizations confidence in deploying AI at scale.
• The Future Is Now: AI agents are no longer emerging tech—they’re here. Organizations that move early are positioned to lead in efficiency, agility, and innovation.

Next Steps

Explore how Microsoft Copilot and AI agents can streamline your ERP, finance, or supply chain processes with a 30-minute AI Strategy Session. It’s a great opportunity to discuss your unique challenges and explore tailored solutions.

Book Your AI Strategy Session

See AI in Action

Watch the replay to see how generative AI is building a smarter close process, improving supplier responsiveness, and reducing manual workload across the supply chain.

Access the Replay

Related Resources

AI & Digital Transformation: A Guide for CFOs

Top Five Ways to Solve Data Management Issues in Finance Departments

Copilot & AI Capabilities in Supply Chain Management