While attending training on the Microsoft Copilot Studio, I built an SAP B1 Help Chatbot. Help Chatbots can provide quick answers for users, consultants and managers regarding almost anything associated with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
The Perfect First AI Application
We all hear the hype about artificial intelligence (AI). However, many small to midsize businesses (SMBs) are struggling to figure out how to capitalize on this new technology. Additionally, business leaders have fear and trepidation regarding the risks of exposing their company to the threats caused by new technology. These are just a few reasons why an AI Help Chatbot is the perfect first application of AI in almost any business.
Generative AI and Copilots
Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Bard and Llama generate text, translate languages, and answer all sorts of questions. LLMs are critical, but small component of “Generative AI” (GenAI). Unlike an old browser search that simply retrieves data, GenAI analyzes information by learning patterns and relationships from the data they were trained on. Improper or incomplete training leads to “hallucinations” and other AI errors. Accordingly, it is crucial to “prompt” your GenAI with proper instructions and “ground” your AI with the right models and training.
An AI Copilot is a conversational assistant that helps users leveraging GenAI. The Copilot helps users with tasks, answer questions and provide decision making assistance. Copilots use a “natural language interface” (voice or text) making them very easy to work with. They interpret user requests, analyze information based upon the prompt, and return information quickly.
The Help Chatbot
An ERP Help Chatbot is an easily built and powerful tool to assist your team and generate a quick return on investment. Even better, you don’t need to hire an army of consultants to build one! There are numerous “no-code” platforms for building AI “applications” like n8n, Make.ai, Xapier and Workato. For the Chatbot, you don’t even need to build a program!
If your company is a Microsoft shop, the Microsoft Copilot Studio is an intuitive environment for creating AI powered agent. If you are standardized on AWS or Google, consider Amazon Lex, and Google Vertex AI. Like any AI project there is a simple workplan to follow:
- Scope what you want the ERP Help Chatbot to do.
- Identify the use cases, process and anticipated workflow for the use case.
- Develop, Train and Deploy the tool.
- Test, Accept and Learn by closely monitoring the usage of the chatbot and adapt it for your organization.
Scoping the initial deployment as a trial for a department will reduce the risk and quantify the benefits. For example:
- Choose the accounting department for initial deployment.
- Identify when users have called IT or your ERP partner for help.
- Design your chatbot using those use cases and test the results versus actual support tickets.
- Deploy the ERP Help Chatbot during your next close and ask the team to use it.
Benefits of ERP AI Chatbots
Although chatbots don’t automate mundane functions like Agentic AI, there are numerous benefits. The benefits from your ERP Help Chatbot vary with your scope, but typically include:
- Improved Efficiency and Productivity – According to numerous studies, employees are using AI much more than upper management with Millennials leading the way. Studies vary, but many estimates are up to 40% productivity improvement.
- Increased Employee Satisfaction – Employees like being self sufficient and not having to ask questions of others to perform their tasks.
- Cost Savings – EPR Chatbots reduce IT support time as well as external consulting costs.
- Improved Application Performance – Consultants and their customers are using GenAi to improve the performance of reports and queries.
How to Build your ERP Help Chatbot
I built my own SAP Business One Assistant during the training class in less than an hour. By the middle of the class it was fully tested and deployed within Microsoft Teams. Step by step instructions are included in an SAPB1Community Blogpost.
Remember, scope your chatbot for your use case scenarios. Because there is so much information on SAP S/4 for HANA, I specifically prompted my Copilot to exclude that information. If you are not sure how to write the best prompts, you can always ask Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity or ChatGPT for help!
Build, Buy or Both?
Although building one may be easy, there are tons of consulting supported chatbots commercially available.
- Epicor Kinetic for manufacturing includes the Epicor Virtual Agent (EVA)
- The Sage Intacct partner Bangert offers “Ask Richard”
- ERPure.ai just released its “Conversational AI Agent” for SAP Business One
- Similar to Microsoft Copilot and the Azure plaform, AWS offers the Amazon Bedrick Studio
- Larger hosting partners aggregate tools including AI like the SkyOne Studio
- Product specific cloud partners like Cloudiax offer application specific tools or “Private AI Servers”
Next Steps
Digital transformation efforts should be coordinated across the organization.
- Guided by top management,
- Led by functional leaders, and
- Developed with technical and functional specialists.
We advocate building on a modern digital platform, with a customer centric approach, organized by process. Artificial intelligence is a tool in your transformation toolbox. A holistic approach is key for cost effective deployment and risk mitigation. According to the latest “State of AI” report by McKinsey, owners and senior executives must lead the charge in order to have the biggest impact on the bottom line.
The use of AI continues to expand across all departments within business, led by supply chain and inventory management, service operations, HR and finance. Younger employees are leading the charge . Empowering teams with guidance, governance and goals creates the momentum for profitable digital transformation. The time to start was yesterday!
Complete our Digital Transformation Request form to discuss your next steps. Initial consultations are always at no charge!