PunchOutAgentDocument CaptureDocsPricingBlogHow-to GuidesUse CasesGlossaryFAQAboutJoin the waitlist
Blog · AI Tools

The Best AI Tools for Business Central in 2025

March 1, 2025 · 10 min read · By Zentriq Team

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central has become a powerhouse ERP for mid-market companies. But even the best ERP can't eliminate all manual work on its own. That's where AI tools come in — and in 2025, the landscape is richer than ever. From Microsoft's own Copilot to specialized third-party solutions, BC users now have a genuine choice when it comes to automating procurement, finance, and daily operations.

In this article, we review the most important AI tools available for Business Central in 2025, compare their capabilities, and help you decide which combination is right for your team.

1. Microsoft Copilot for Business Central

Microsoft's flagship AI offering is now embedded directly into Business Central. Copilot assists with tasks like generating product descriptions, reconciling bank statements, and answering natural-language questions about your data. It leverages the Azure OpenAI Service and integrates seamlessly with the BC interface.

Strengths: Native integration, no extra installation, broad coverage across modules. Microsoft continues to ship new Copilot capabilities with every BC release.

Limitations: Copilot is a generalist — it covers many areas but doesn't go deep on specialized workflows like procurement or accounts payable. It cannot capture carts from external supplier websites, process scanned invoices with high accuracy, or automate multi-step purchase workflows end to end.

2. Zentriq — AI Specialist for Procurement

Zentriq is purpose-built for procurement and accounts payable in Business Central. It consists of three core modules:

  • PunchOut (AI Cart Capture): A Chrome extension that captures shopping carts from any supplier website — Galaxus, Distrelec, RS Components, Amazon Business, or any other store — and creates Requisition Worksheet lines in BC automatically. No EDI setup, no supplier cooperation needed.
  • Document Capture (AI OCR): Upload any invoice (PDF or image) and AI extracts vendor, line items, amounts, tax, and payment terms. It auto-matches vendors and creates Purchase Invoice drafts ready for review.
  • Agent (AI Assistant): An embedded chat assistant that answers questions about your BC data — purchase order status, vendor payment terms, item stock levels — in plain English.

Strengths: Deep procurement specialization, works on any supplier website without integration, sub-30-second processing, Swiss-hosted data, multilingual support (EN/DE/FR/IT). Designed to complement Copilot rather than compete with it.

Limitations: Focused on procurement and AP — not a general-purpose AI for sales, manufacturing, or HR.

3. Continia Document Capture

Continia has been a leading document capture solution for Business Central for many years. Their Document Capture module scans and extracts data from incoming invoices, credit memos, and other documents, then creates records in BC.

Strengths: Mature product, large install base, well-known in the BC ecosystem. Continia also offers Expense Management and Payment Management modules.

Limitations: Continia's AI capabilities are focused on document extraction. It doesn't offer cart capture from supplier websites or conversational AI assistance. Pricing can be higher for smaller teams, and the setup process involves more configuration than newer AI-native tools.

4. Lanham Associates — EDI & E-Commerce Integration

Lanham Associates provides EDI, e-commerce, and shipping integration for Business Central. Their ADCS (Automated Data Capture System) and EDI modules have been staples in the BC ecosystem for over two decades.

Strengths: Comprehensive EDI support, deep BC integration, proven track record with larger enterprises.

Limitations: EDI is inherently supplier-specific — each connection requires setup and maintenance. Lanham's tools are more traditional integration solutions than AI-powered automation.

5. Tietoevry & Other Scandinavian Players

Several Scandinavian ISVs offer AI-adjacent automation for BC, including invoice scanning, workflow automation, and procurement modules. Tietoevry, Pagero, and ReadSoft (now part of Tungsten Automation) are notable players.

Strengths: Strong in the Nordic and European markets, well-integrated with local e-invoicing standards (Peppol, OIOUBL).

Limitations: Often enterprise-focused with pricing and complexity to match. Less suited for mid-market companies looking for quick, lightweight AI automation.

Comparison Table: AI Tools for Business Central

Here's how the key players compare across the capabilities that matter most for procurement and AP teams:

  • Cart capture from any website: Only Zentriq offers AI-based cart capture that works on any supplier website without integration.
  • Invoice AI extraction: Zentriq, Continia, and several Scandinavian tools offer this. Microsoft Copilot does not yet process scanned invoices at the same depth.
  • Conversational AI assistant: Microsoft Copilot and Zentriq Agent both offer natural-language Q&A over BC data. Continia and Lanham do not.
  • No per-supplier setup: Zentriq's PunchOut and Document Capture work on any supplier/document without pre-configuration. EDI and traditional PunchOut require per-supplier setup.
  • Time to deploy: Zentriq and Copilot deploy in minutes. Continia and Lanham typically require days to weeks of configuration.

Which Tool Should You Choose?

The answer depends on your primary pain point:

  • General productivity across BC: Start with Microsoft Copilot — it's included or inexpensive, and it covers broad territory.
  • Procurement and AP automation: Add Zentriq for cart capture, invoice processing, and procurement-specific AI assistance. It complements Copilot perfectly.
  • High-volume invoice processing: Consider Continia if you process thousands of invoices monthly and need a mature, enterprise-grade document capture pipeline.
  • EDI with large suppliers: Lanham remains the go-to for companies that need full EDI integration with major suppliers.

Many companies end up using a combination: Copilot for general tasks, Zentriq for procurement, and perhaps a specialized tool for EDI or e-invoicing. The good news is that these tools are complementary, not competing — they solve different parts of the problem.

The Bottom Line

AI for Business Central has matured significantly in 2025. You no longer have to choose between expensive, rigid integrations and doing everything manually. Whether you need to capture supplier carts, process invoices, or simply ask questions about your data, there's an AI tool that fits.

For procurement teams specifically, Zentriq's AI cart capture and document processing offer the fastest path from manual work to automated workflows — with no per-supplier setup, Swiss data hosting, and a free plan to get started.

Explore Zentriq pricing or request a demo to see how AI procurement automation works in your Business Central environment.