TL;DR

This video walks through how Copilot enhances inventory management in Dynamics 365 Business Central. It demonstrates how users can generate AI-powered marketing descriptions, identify and manage item substitutions, view Copilot-generated summaries, and access contextual help through Ask Copilot. Together, these features make the item card easier to use, reduce manual effort, and improve decision-making.

Microsoft has introduced Copilot functionality into Dynamics 365 Business Central, and in this walkthrough we’ll explore how it enhances inventory management. This video highlights four practical areas where Copilot is now built directly into the system. The focus is on the item card, showing how Copilot supports marketing descriptions, item substitutions, Copilot-generated summaries, and Ask Copilot, an AI-powered, contextual help experience.

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Copilot Enhancements on the Item Card

Understanding the Item Card Experience

The item card is the central place where Copilot enhances how users interact with inventory data. Starting from the full item list, we open a polo shirt item defined by a specific color and size. From this single screen, Copilot helps users generate content, identify alternatives, and gain insight without navigating away from the item.

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Creating Marketing Descriptions with Copilot

Generating AI-Powered Marketing Text

On the right-hand side of the item card, there is a section dedicated to marketing text. With Copilot enabled, users can generate marketing descriptions suitable for websites and other sales channels. This is especially valuable for distributors who receive large lists of items from manufacturers where descriptions are inconsistent or lack detail. Copilot reviews the item and its attributes to create clear, customer-friendly content.

It’s important to note that this marketing text is separate from the standard description stored in the item master file. Copilot evaluates attributes such as color, size, material quality, and fit to produce a more engaging and accurate marketing description.

Customizing Emphasis, Format, and Tone

Once Copilot generates an initial draft, users can choose to keep it, discard it, or regenerate it. Copilot allows fine-tuning through three adjustable parameters: emphasis, format, and tone. For example, users can apply an emphasis such as elegance, select a brief format to shorten the description, and choose a casual tone appropriate for the product.

After regenerating the description with these parameters, the result is more concise and better aligned with the item’s characteristics. This refined description can then be published to a website, helping customers quickly understand the product and make confident purchasing decisions. Once these settings are defined, they can be reused across similar items to ensure consistent marketing content.

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Managing Item Substitutions with Copilot

Identifying Alternative Items Automatically

Copilot also simplifies the process of managing item substitutions. When a specific item is unavailable, Copilot can suggest suitable alternatives from existing inventory. By navigating to related items and substitutions, users can ask Copilot to generate substitution recommendations based on item similarities.

For items with specific requirements, such as an extra extra large size, users can easily filter out substitutions that don’t apply. Unwanted options can be removed, while relevant substitutes are retained and added directly to the item. This makes substitution management faster and more accurate.

Reviewing and Refining Suggestions

Copilot can also be used with other product types, such as hardware. In cases where substitutions already exist, Copilot may suggest additional options. Users maintain full control and can discard any suggestions that don’t add value, ensuring substitutions remain practical and relevant.

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Copilot Summaries for Items and Transactions

Viewing Activity and Performance at a Glance

Another powerful Copilot feature in Business Central is the ability to generate summaries for master records and transactions. Copilot automatically compiles activity related to an item and displays it in a summary pane. From this view, users can drill down into statistics and related details without navigating to multiple screens.

If more insight is needed, users can ask Copilot for additional information. Copilot retrieves and summarizes relevant data already stored in Business Central, presenting it in a single, easy-to-understand view. This improves visibility into item performance while saving time.

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Ask Copilot for Contextual Help

Getting Field-Level Explanations

Copilot also enhances how users access help and documentation. When viewing a field such as Reordering Policy, hovering over the label provides limited information. By using Ask Copilot, users can receive a more detailed, field-specific explanation.

The response is contextual, focusing only on the selected field rather than the entire system. Copilot also provides references showing where the information was sourced, often linking directly to Microsoft Help. This makes it easier to learn how the system works without leaving the page.

Overall, Ask Copilot offers a significant improvement over traditional help by delivering relevant, understandable guidance at the moment it’s needed.

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AI Forecasting in Business Central

Inventory Forecasting Insights

In addition to Copilot features, the item card also displays insights powered by Microsoft’s broader artificial intelligence stack, such as demand forecasting. Business Central can automatically forecast inventory purchases and sales based on historical data and demand trends. These forecasts run automatically, even on a daily basis, and continuously update the information shown on the item card.

While this forecasting capability is not part of Copilot itself, it complements Copilot by providing predictive insights that improve planning and decision-making.

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Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Copilot brings meaningful enhancements to inventory management in Dynamics 365 Business Central, particularly through the item card. By enabling AI-generated marketing descriptions, simplifying item substitutions, summarizing item activity, and providing contextual help through Ask Copilot, Business Central becomes easier to learn and more efficient to use.

If you’re ready to deploy Copilot in Microsoft 365, download our free guide using the link provided in the video description to learn how to get started.