Sales Order Agent in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: Will the Sales Order Agent Take Jobs from your Team?

In this mini blog (part 3 of our series on Sales Order Agent), we address a common belief that AI will limit the need for a human input within businesses. As AI becomes commonplace within our business solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, should we be worried? 

Sales Order Agent is one of the various features that Microsoft Copilot offers in Dynamics 365 Business Central. It’s one of ten autonomous agents coming that use AI to manage key aspects of the sales order process. This functionality doesn’t mean that the Agent will replace human jobs, whether that be yours or that of your team! Read on to learn why the Sales Order Agent complements rather than replaces your team and why you need to help it to help you! 

1. Do more with the same resources 

The Sales Order Agent will take the mundane, time-consuming and, if we're being honest, boring tasks off your hands to free up your team’s time to do better and more important jobs. This includes time to complete more orders or to focus on the complicated orders that require that personal touch, allowing you to achieve more with same people. By being able to spend time on tasks that are more rewarding, your team will feel more satisfied in their roles which is good news for your business! 

2. You have the final say

Although the Sales Order Agent can take care of many of the tasks within the sales order process, you’re still needed to essentially give the thumbs up to what the Agent is trying to do. Whether that’s checking over email correspondence that the Agent has generated or approving a sales order that the Agent has created, you’re the safety net for your business and nothing will be actioned without your say-so.  

3. Configuration issues

Like humans, even the most sophisticated technology has an off-day and the Sales Order Agent is no exception- this is where you come in! You may need to intervene and fix any system configurations issues you may (rarely) encounter. It is indeed humans who keep this show on the road, so you may need to sometimes help the Sales Order Agent to get back to its best! 

4. Insufficient permissions

Permissions play a critical role in the operation of the Sales Order Agent and if it doesn’t have the necessary permissions to access and execute tasks, it will not be able to do its job. Ensuring that the Sales Order Agent has what it needs to work is the job of a human and is an essential one! 

5.  System performance issues

Performance issues within the Dynamics 365 Business Central environment can also impact the Sales Order Agent. High system load, insufficient resources, or network latency can lead to delays or failures in job processing. It is important that you and your team keep an eye on your Dynamics 365 Business Central System so it can handle the demands placed upon it. Routine maintenance and performance tuning can help prevent any issues. 

6.  Data integrity 

Data integrity issues such as missing or corrupted data can prevent the Sales Order Agent from taking jobs. The agent relies on accurate and complete data to function correctly. Regular data audits and validation checks conducted by you and your team can help identify and rectify any data integrity problems, ensuring smooth operation of the Sales Order Agent.

The Sales Order Agent in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is a powerful tool that can assist you in the process rather than taking the job from you completely. Additionally, if and when issues occur, you’ll be needed to put them right. Plus, as the Agent requires you to press the button for it to complete its tasks, it’s impossible for it to take the important role you and your team play in your organisation. Plus in minimising the mundane tasks, you might even find it helps with staff retention. 

Read the first blog introducing you to Sales Order Agent here or find out more about the key benefits here. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to get in touch.