Microsoft AI: Copilot and agents

Copilot agents are AI-powered, task-specific helpers that can automate workflows, provide proactive assistance and act as a digital coworker inside your Microsoft environment.

You can access pre-built agents or build them yourself in the Microsoft Copilot Studio by giving a numbered breakdown of the rules you want the agent to follow and attaching any relevant knowledge sources.

While standard Microsoft Copilot responds to prompts, agents can take initiative and take care of the tasks they’ve been set independently – for example, summarising a monthly meeting or report.

If your business hasn’t already started embracing AI, it’s time to consider what its adoption might look like for you.

Microsoft predicts that in the next two to five years, every organisation will be on its way to becoming a ‘Frontier Firm’ – an organisation with human-agent teams and intelligence on tap.

If you want to stay competitive in a crowded market, it’s important not to get left behind. Experimenting with AI tools like Microsoft Copilot sooner rather than later will help you get a feel for how it could work for your business (and what benefits it might deliver).

Take a look at our 8-step guide for information and advice on the things you need to do to ensure your business’s AI adoption ethical and efficient.

Yes, to use Microsoft Copilot at work you’ll need to have an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription set up (like the Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, or Microsoft 365 Business Standard/Premium), as well as a Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on.

No, Microsoft Copilot won’t use your data to train its underlying large language models.

Copilot only uses your Microsoft 365 data (emails, documents, calendar, chats) to generate the responses it gives to you there and then. Data is processed securely within your organisation’s Microsoft 365 environment and is not sent to train or improve the base AI model.

Instead, Copilot’s foundation models are trained on publicly available data, licensed data and Microsoft-owned data, rather than your private content.

There are already lots of ways AI can help manufacturers and distributors, and its capabilities are only going to grow from here.

AI-driven insights can predict demand more accurately, help you optimise inventory levels and reduce costly stockouts or overstock situations. And this isn’t just number crunching – it’s supporting a smarter supply chain that responds dynamically to market changes, customer behaviour and seasonal trends.

On the shop floor, AI enables predictive maintenance and process optimisation. Instead of waiting for machinery to fail, AI analyses performance data to anticipate issues before they happen, minimising downtime and extending equipment life. For manufacturers, this means improved efficiency and reduced waste, while distributors benefit from consistent product availability and fewer delays in fulfilment.

AI is making waves in customer experience, too. Intelligent algorithms can personalise pricing, recommend products and streamline order processing, ensuring customers can quickly get what they need.

On a time-saving scale the opportunities are endless. From order processing and chasing overdue payments to responding to frequently asked questions (from both customers and employees) Copilot and agents are here to help you reclaim the hours in your working day.

Using Copilot with Business Central can completely transform ERP usability. It automates repetitive (and, at times, frustrating!) tasks like bank reconciliation, drafts product descriptions and answers complex queries in natural language.

Agents are designed to help your team work smarter, reduce manual effort and improve accuracy. Sales and Sales Order, Purchasing and Payables Agents are up and running and ready to use. Expense Agent is currently in production-ready preview.

Things are changing fast and, if we’re honest, we’re learning as we go – just like everyone else! AI is already playing a part in development and it’s fast becoming a great support when it comes to coding, giving software engineers more time to plan, architect and build and test systems.

We can confidently say that AI is going to help our customers either reduce their costs (by a reduction in development time) or get more for their money (for example, more in-depth documentation).

If you’ve had to delay or write-off development-driven projects in the past because the return didn’t outweigh the cost, now is the perfect time to revisit. The Tecman team are always on hand to talk through your vision – and to help you understand whether AI might make it easier and more cost-effective to achieve.

Something lots of people are worried about – but the way we see it, AI is there to support human roles, rather than replace them.

Research from Microsoft found that 80% of workers are at capacity, while 53% of leaders are looking for a boost in productivity. And that’s a problem Microsoft Copilot and agents can help address.

Copilot and agents take away the burden of administrative tasks (think pulling numbers for monthly reports or creating a list of actions off the back of an hour-long meeting), so humans can focus on strategy, planning and other role responsibilities that add genuine value to the business.