5 ways AI agents in ERP drive real business value

AI is no longer confined to innovation labs or long-term roadmaps; it’s already transforming how ERP systems function. At the heart of this shift is a new generation of intelligent assistants: AI agents in ERP systems.

These agents, embedded in platforms like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, are designed to monitor data, act on behalf of users, and streamline repetitive tasks across finance, operations, and customer service. But what does this look like in practice? And where do organizations see real, immediate value?

Here are five impactful scenarios where AI agents are already reshaping ERP, and where your business can benefit today.

How AI agents in ERP are changing operations

Unlike traditional automation tools that rely on rule-based triggers and pre-built workflows, AI agents bring context awareness and autonomy. They don’t wait for a command. Instead, they proactively evaluate information, recommend or execute actions, and involve humans only when necessary.

Let’s explore five use cases that are already gaining traction in Business Central.

1. Accounts payable automation

This is one of the most mature and value-rich areas for ERP intelligence. AI agents can automatically:

Scan and interpret invoices
Match them to purchase orders
Validate totals and terms
Post entries and route exceptions

By taking over these high-volume tasks, agents reduce manual effort, minimize human error, and accelerate payment cycles. Teams can redirect their focus from data entry to cash flow strategy and supplier relationship management.

2. Inventory replenishment with predictive ordering

Many companies still rely on static reorder points or manual calculations. But with agents, ERP systems can analyze historical sales patterns, seasonal trends, and supplier lead times to anticipate inventory needs and automatically generate purchase orders.

Business Central supports this with AI-enhanced forecasting and real-time stock monitoring, ensuring that reordering happens before stockouts occur, not after.

3. Customer service issue detection

Traditionally, ERP systems have been seen as back-office tools, but AI agents are extending their value to customer-facing functions. In Business Central, agents can:

Flag incomplete shipments or order delays
Suggest proactive communication or credits
Trigger service workflows based on account history

By anticipating issues before a customer calls, agents help companies protect satisfaction and loyalty, without adding headcount.

4. Financial close acceleration

Month-end processes are time-consuming and prone to bottlenecks. AI agents in ERP can reduce friction by:

Recommending journal entries
Detecting missing or inconsistent data
Repeating routine reconciliation tasks

This leads to faster reporting and increased confidence in the numbers. Finance teams spend less time checking boxes and more time providing strategic insights to leadership.

5. Sales order validation and anomaly detection

When customers submit large or unusual orders, manual oversight is often required. Agents can step in to:

Pre-validate customer credit
Flag unusual quantities or discounts
Ensure the correct delivery windows are respected

Instead of slowing down the sales process, AI supports it, making fulfillment smarter, not harder.

Start smale, scale smart

The beauty of AI agents in ERP is that they don’t require a massive transformation to get started. In Business Central, many capabilities are already available or in preview, and even small deployments can generate measurable results.

To begin:

Choose a low-risk, high-volume process
Define approval thresholds and rules
Monitor agent behavior through activity logs
Adjust based on performance and trust

You’re not handing over control, you’re building collaboration between human teams and digital assistants.

As Microsoft continues to expand agent functionality in its ERP roadmap, early adopters will be best positioned to lead, not follow, in the next wave of enterprise transformation.