Build production-ready AI agents for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central using AL, Copilot Toolkit, Copilot Studio, Azure, .NET, and MCP to automate workflows and create intelligent ERP solutions
Key Features:
- Explore Business Central's native AI features, including copilots and built-in agents
- Follow the hands-on Cronus Events journey to build copilots and agents with AL, Copilot Studio, Azure, MCP, and .NET
- Test, govern, secure, and optimize AI solutions with Microsoft Foundry, semantic search, and human-in-the-loop controls
Book Description:
Agentic AI is transforming enterprise resource planning, moving ERP beyond transaction processing to systems that can reason, act, automate processes, and support better decisions. This practical book shows you how to design, build, test, and govern AI-powered solutions for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
The book follows the fictional Cronus Events company as it implements AI solutions across its business lifecycle. You'll begin with LLM and agent fundamentals, build conversational experiences with Copilot Studio, and create AL copilots with the AI Development Toolkit. You'll then test them using data-driven evaluations and the Business Central AI Test Toolkit.
You'll explore Business Central's built-in AI capabilities and design custom agents that work with its data and user interface. You'll apply semantic search, evaluate agent behavior, and move from prototyping to production. Finally, you'll connect external AI clients through the Business Central MCP server and build advanced .NET solutions with Microsoft Agent Framework and Azure AI Search.
By the end, you'll be able to build secure, testable, and cost-aware agentic ERP solutions that deliver real business value.
What You Will Learn:
- Understand LLMs and how agentic AI differs from traditional automation
- Explore Business Central's native AI features, copilots, and agents
- Build AI solutions using AL and the AI Development Toolkit
- Test AI solutions with the AI Test Toolkit and Microsoft Foundry
- Create agents with Copilot Studio grounded in Business Central data
- Optimize custom agents with semantic search
- Build multi-agent solutions with Azure Logic Apps and Microsoft Agent Framework
- Connect AI clients through the Business Central MCP server
Who this book is for:
This book is for Dynamics 365 Business Central developers, consultants, solution architects, implementation partners, and other technical professionals who want to build practical AI-powered solutions and agents for Business Central. Functional consultants who want to prototype agents, understand the available options, and collaborate with development teams will also find it useful. Knowledge of Business Central and basic AL development is recommended. Familiarity with .NET is helpful for the final chapter, but no previous experience with LLMs or AI agents is required.
Table of Contents
- Introduction to Large Language Models and AI Agents
- Creating AI Agents for Business Central with Copilot Studio
- Creating Copilots in AL with the AI Development Toolkit
- Testing AI Solutions
- Discovering Business Central Integrated AI Features and Agents
- Designing a Custom Agent with the AI Development Toolkit
- Using the Standard Business Central MCP Server
- Building AI Agents for Business Central with Azure Logic Apps Agent Loop
- Creating AI Agents for Business Central with .NET and Microsoft Agent Framework