… at least not in the way most businesses expect it to.
Many organisations switch on AI expecting instant productivity gains. What they often get instead is patchy adoption and unclear value. The problem is rarely the technology. It is how it is used. As AI becomes embedded in everyday tools, the real question is how to apply it meaningfully.
At epic ERP, the approach has been practical. Copilot is integrated into daily operations where it reduces effort and improves speed. It handles repeatable, research-heavy and documentation-driven tasks so consultants can focus on judgement, relationships and solution design. AI drives efficiency. People drive value.
Richard Torlage, Solution Consultant at epic ERP, has been leading this shift.
“I have stopped googling and now use Copilot Chat to reference the web when doing any initial searching,” he says. “It helps me review emails and Teams meetings. It has become my first stop.”
Beyond Chat, the team uses Microsoft’s Sales, Analyst and Researcher agents when specialised support is required. They have also begun building their own agents.
“I created an agent designed as a Microsoft Dynamics ERP technical presales specialist,” Richard explains. “It suggests improvements and highlights blind spots in deals I am working on.”
A SharePoint agent trained on previous sales engagements allows consultants to access summaries of demonstrations, proposals and costing models from earlier projects. Another agent is being developed to generate tailored sales documents using company data and architecture visuals, significantly reducing proposal preparation time.
A major gain has come from integrating Copilot with Dynamics 365 Sales.
“Connecting the Sales agent to our Dynamics 365 CRM data allows it to provide contextual information on customer accounts and opportunities directly in Outlook and Teams,” says Richard. “It reduces clicks and makes CRM updates and planning for meetings more efficient.”
The agent generates meeting preparation notes from CRM data and public information. It uses Teams transcriptions to create summaries, suggest next steps and identify actions. The result is not automation for its own sake, but better prepared teams.
The impact extends beyond presales. Consultants use Copilot to draft progress reports, design documents, testing scripts and training plans. Structured drafts replace blank pages, shortening documentation cycles. Developers can focus on complex work while consultants experiment in test environments before escalation.
Copilot is also supporting development within the team. Junior consultants use it as a learning companion as they move into more technical roles, helping them grasp products and solution architectures more quickly.
The next phase is deeper workflow integration.
“Our next step is incorporating agents into workflows so they produce proactive outputs rather than reactive ones,” Richard says.
By exploring Copilot Studio and the Dynamics 365 Model Context Protocol server, epic ERP aims to embed AI more deeply into sales and operational processes within defined governance boundaries.
For clients, Copilot embedded in Business Central and Finance and Supply Chain streamlines tasks such as purchase orders, sales quotes, inventory analysis and cashflow reviews. AI-driven self-service reduces support effort. Predictive insights, including demand forecasting and risk detection, turn ERP systems into decision-support platforms rather than static record tools.
Throughout, the philosophy remains simple. AI handles the predictable. People handle the complex.
By embedding Copilot into daily work, epic ERP is not replacing expertise. It is amplifying it. Routine work moves faster, insight surfaces sooner and consultants are able to apply more focus where they add the most value.