Picture an approval threshold that only lives in someone’s memory, or a vendor’s records that read differently in every system. AI never learns the threshold exists, and it takes the mismatched records at face value. Either way, it moves forward as if nothing’s wrong.
When AI is trained on a flawed foundation, it doesn’t slow down or ask questions. Instead, it just keeps going, quietly and confidently, hardening a flaw into a pattern that runs unnoticed until an audit, a customer complaint, or a decision made on bad information causes real damage. That’s not a rare scenario: roughly six in ten organizations are considering agentic AI, and more than half haven’t done a risk assessment first, which means most of them wouldn’t catch a flaw like that before it becomes a habit. On top of that, regulators keep shifting reporting and invoicing requirements from optional to mandatory, so a foundation built only for today’s rules risks falling short of tomorrow’s automation.
Before organizations expect measurable value from AI, they should prioritize three things: data that’s clean and consistent across systems, rules that are documented with a clear owner, and clear points where a person makes the call, not an algorithm. AI should extract, flag, and surface exceptions, while people own the thresholds, approvals, and judgment calls. That division of labor, decided on purpose, turns AI from hidden risk into a real advantage.
At Continia, our work sits at the intersection of finance processes, the systems that run them, and the regulations layered on top. That vantage point shows in the results: the organizations that make the best decisions with AI get there through data, process, and governance discipline, and they keep that discipline intact even as the rules change. It’s what lets leaders trust the numbers in front of them, turning information into a decision instead of another figure to double-check.
Cutting through complexity means building conditions where the technology already in place can be trusted, even as data and regulations keep moving. That’s the real path from noise to signal: a foundation solid enough that every signal it produces is worth acting on.
Many businesses don’t have a technology problem. They have a complexity problem.
Even with a modern ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, people can still find themselves working around the system: moving information between applications, maintaining Excel spreadsheets, checking data manually, preparing reports and repeating tasks that could be automated.
Individually, these tasks may seem insignificant. Together, they create a hidden cost.
Some of the biggest efficiency gaps we see aren’t caused by a lack of functionality. They come from what happens between processes.
A payment needs to be checked manually. Information has to be entered twice. A report requires data to be exported and combined in Excel. Someone has to remember to follow up on a recurring task.
These are not necessarily problems that demand a new system. Often, they are opportunities to make better use of the systems a business already has.
And the cost goes beyond the hours spent on manual work. Repetitive processes create more opportunities for errors, make employees dependent on individual knowledge and make it harder to get a consistent view of the business.
One of the most useful questions businesses can ask is not “What can we automate?” but:
“Where are our people spending time on work that doesn’t create value?”
Look for the repetitive tasks. The data that is copied from one place to another. The reports that are rebuilt every month. The information people have to search for. The processes that depend on someone remembering to take the next step.
These are often where relatively small changes can make a meaningful difference.
The goal of automation shouldn’t simply be to make people work faster.
It should be to create better ways of working.
When repetitive processes are automated, employees can spend less time maintaining workflows and more time using the information those workflows produce. Data becomes more consistent, processes become easier to manage and decision-makers get a clearer picture of what is happening in the business.
This becomes even more important as AI becomes part of the conversation. AI can create significant opportunities, but it cannot compensate for fragmented processes and disconnected information. Before asking what AI can do, businesses should understand where unnecessary complexity still exists.
The best automation opportunities are often hiding in plain sight.
You don’t always need a major transformation to create meaningful change. Sometimes, the biggest improvement starts with identifying one manual process and asking a simple question:
Why are we still doing this manually?
Written by Ari Lukko, BC Product Line Leader, Truvio
For many organisations, accounts payable automation was the first practical step towards modernising finance. Moving away from paper invoices, manual data entry and email-based approvals brought clear efficiency gains and gave finance teams a much better starting point.
But for many finance leaders, it has also exposed the next challenge: invoice automation is useful, but on its own it does not solve the wider source-to-pay process.
As businesses grow, add new entities and operate across borders, finance processes become harder to manage. Invoice capture, approvals, supplier payments, cash application and reconciliation often sit in separate systems or depend on manual hand-offs. That is where delays, limited visibility, control gaps and avoidable costs start to appear.
In our work with Business Central customers and partners such as NAB, we see a clear shift in what finance teams are asking for. The focus is moving from isolated automation to connected processes that improve efficiency, support stronger governance and give leaders a clearer view across the organisation.
The next step in finance transformation is therefore not simply to automate more tasks. It is to connect the full financial journey inside Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central — from invoice receipt through to payment, reconciliation and decision-making.
Many finance departments have made strong progress with invoice processing, but still face friction before and after the invoice itself.
An invoice may be captured digitally, while the approval still depends on reminders and follow-ups. Payments may be handled in a separate banking platform. Remittance details can become fragmented, and reconciliation may still require significant manual work. Cash application is another area where teams often spend time matching, checking and resolving exceptions.
Each of these hand-offs adds effort and risk.
For CFOs and finance leaders, the key question has evolved from:
“How do we automate invoice processing?”
to
“How do we create a seamless, controlled flow from invoice receipt through to payment and reconciliation?”
This is why many CFOs and finance leaders are now looking beyond AP automation and asking how the whole finance process can become more connected, controlled and transparent.
A modern source-to-pay process should not feel like a chain of separate tasks. It should work as one governed flow, with finance teams able to see what is happening and act where needed.
Imagine a process where:
· Supplier invoices are automatically captured and validated.
· Approval workflows follow established policies and delegation rules.
· Payments are initiated securely and efficiently.
· Fraud prevention measures are embedded throughout the process.
· Cash application and reconciliation are largely automated.
· Finance leaders have real-time visibility of liabilities, payments, and cash positions.
The value comes from reducing the gaps between these steps. Instead of moving information between separate systems or relying on manual follow-up, finance teams can work from a more consistent and reliable view of what needs attention.
That matters because the outcome is not only faster processing. It is better control, fewer surprises and more confidence in the data finance leaders use to make decisions.
As finance becomes more digital, governance cannot be treated as an afterthought.
Finance leaders need to know that approvals follow the right policies, segregation of duties is protected and audit trails are easy to access. At the same time, governance should not slow the business down or create unnecessary administration.
The strongest approach is to build control into the process itself. When approval routes, payment controls and reconciliation steps are part of the same flow, governance becomes easier to maintain and less dependent on manual checking.
By connecting invoice management, approvals, payments and reconciliation within Business Central, organisations can create a more transparent financial workflow and reduce risk without adding complexity.
This becomes especially important for multi-entity businesses, where approval structures, banking relationships and compliance requirements can differ by company, country or business unit.
AI is also changing what finance teams can expect from their systems. The opportunity is no longer just to process transactions faster, but to understand which transactions need attention and why.
Modern solutions can help identify anomalies, highlight exceptions and surface useful insights across routine financial activities. Instead of simply moving work through the system, intelligent technology can help finance teams decide where to focus, what to prioritise and when human judgement is needed.
That is particularly relevant for exception handling. AI can flag unusual supplier behaviour, highlight payment risks, prioritise exceptions by business impact or suggest the next best action when a transaction falls outside the standard process. This is where intelligence starts to support judgement, not just automation.
The result is a finance team that spends less time searching, checking and chasing, and more time on the work that requires experience: cash management, supplier relationships, risk mitigation and business performance.
The aim is not to remove people from the process. It is to give them better information, clearer signals and more confidence in the decisions they make.
The more finance teams mature, the clearer it becomes that standalone automation is only part of the answer. The bigger opportunity is to bring invoice capture, approvals, payments, cash application and reconciliation together as one connected process.
For Business Central users, this is a practical opportunity to make finance operations easier to run and easier to trust.
By combining automation, governance and intelligence within a source-to-pay framework, organisations can reduce complexity, strengthen control and give finance leaders a more reliable basis for action.
The future of finance is not only about doing the same work faster. It is about helping finance teams understand what needs attention, act with confidence and support the business with better decisions.
We’re thrilled to announce that Brynolf & Ljung will be joining us throughout the evening, bringing their unique mix of entertainment, surprise and unforgettable moments to our anniversary dinner.
Expect a few unexpected twists along the way — during the evening, dinner and beyond.
We can’t wait to experience it together.
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Tina Thörner is joining NAB 25!
From the rally stage to the business world, Tina Thörner knows what it takes to perform when the pressure is on.
Get ready for an inspiring session filled with stories, lessons and energy.
The NAB 25 Expo is where conversations turn into ideas, and ideas turn into action.
Throughout the event, you’ll have the opportunity to meet carefully selected partners from across the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem. These are the companies helping organizations solve some of today’s most common business challenges, from improving visibility and reporting to automating processes, strengthening data quality, and exploring the practical use of AI.
More than a traditional exhibition space, the expo is designed to create meaningful conversations. Partners will share expertise, demonstrate solutions, discuss customer experiences, and provide insights into how businesses are creating greater value from their technology investments.
Whether you’re looking for a better way to manage operations, gain clearer insights, reduce manual work, or prepare your organization for future growth, the NAB 25 Expo offers direct access to the people and solutions shaping what’s next.
When the conference sessions conclude, NAB25 transitions into an exclusive evening experience bringing together attendees, speakers, partners and leadership for a curated dinner, meaningful conversations and an atmosphere designed to continue into the night.
Some of the most valuable connections at NAB25 won’t happen on stage – they’ll happen over dinner, between conversations, and during the moments that follow after the formal agenda ends.
The evening experience is designed for those who want to continue the conversations, strengthen relationships and experience a different side of NAB25 in a more intimate setting. Exceptional dining, entertainment, unexpected moments and an atmosphere that gradually shifts as the night continues.
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We’re proud to announce that James Crowter will be joining us as a speaker at NAB’s 25-year Conference.
James Crowter is a Microsoft Business Applications MVP and a leading voice in the Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem. With 25+ years of experience implementing, customizing and supporting Business Central (and earlier Navision) — and work spanning the broader Microsoft Biz Apps stack — he is passionate about how technology drives business growth when it is grounded in consistent processes and operational discipline.
He focuses on turning platform capability into dependable execution: cleaner reporting, fewer exceptions, and better decisions that teams can trust — with AI as an enabler rather than a shortcut. James Crowter leads Technology Management (TecMan), a UK-based Dynamics partner focused on the SME market, and also serves as Chair of Directions4Partners, representing a global association of 1200+ Dynamics partners.
As one of the most influential people at the intersection of Microsoft and the global partner community, James brings an exceptionally informed perspective on what’s changing in Business Central — and what matters next. We’re truly honored to welcome him to NAB’s 25-year Conference, and grateful that he’s joining us to share his experience and vision for the future.
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There is no shortage of data, systems, dashboards, or AI. Yet for many organizations, decision-making hasn’t become easier. If anything, it’s become more complex. This is the reality many are navigating today: More tools. More inputs. More expectations. But not always more clarity on what to do next.
On October 15, 2026, we’re bringing together customers, partners, and selected voices for a focused, one-day conference designed to address exactly that.
Welcome to NAB 25.
October 15, 2026
Sergel Hub, Stockholm
NAB 25 is built for those who are not looking for more information—but for better direction.
This is not a traditional conference. No agenda designed to overwhelm. Instead, the day is intentionally structured to create:
You can expect a mix of:
The format is designed to balance perspective with practicality—combining thought leadership, real-world examples, and meaningful dialogue.
October 15 — Conference & Evening Gathering
A full-day program focused on:
The day concludes with a shared dinner and evening event—creating space for continued dialogue.
Because the challenge today is not access to technology. It’s knowing how to use it in a way that actually creates progress. NAB 25 is designed to help you:
Let us know you’re interested by filling out the form below. We’ll get in touch with more information and notify you when registration opens. No commitment required — just a first step to staying informed!