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Companial at Directions North America 2026

Friday, May 8, 2026
Reading time: 5 minutes

Companial proudly participated as a Silver Sponsor at Directions North America. Together with our Dynamics experts and a strong partner-focused offering, we support partners on their next stage of growth; helping them rethink their business approach and move forward on their journey.

Below you will find the sessions hosted by Companial experts.

From idea to oven: building an autonomous agent for manufacturing development

Marko Totovic is a Microsoft MVP for business applications. He currently works as a PTS for Customer Engagement & Power Platform at Companial as well as a freelancer for many global Dynamics partners. He is a frequent speaker at many global (Directions, Summit, Days of Knowledge, BCTechDays…) and regional conferences. He is also a Lead in the UserGroup BizSource.

Nikola Pancic is a PTS for Enterprise, specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and the Power Platform. Throughout his career, he has delivered tailored business solutions that help organizations transform their operations using Microsoft Business Applications. As the leader of BizSource, a community user group dedicated to Microsoft Business Applications, Nikola is passionate about fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among professionals and enthusiasts.

He has spoken at numerous international conferences, where he shares practical insights and real‑world experiences gained from complex implementation projects. Nikola’s approach combines deep technical expertise with a strong commitment to empowering others, making his sessions both informative and engaging. Whether guiding teams through digital transformation or mentoring the next generation of technology professionals, he remains dedicated to advancing the Microsoft ecosystem and building a vibrant, connected community.

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Marko Totovic

MVP, Partner Technical Strategist

Nikola Pancic

Partner Technology Strategist

About the session:

Small and midsize businesses often face challenges when introducing new products. The process can be slow, heavily dependent on specialized expertise, and filled with manual steps across planning, production setup, and communication.
In this session, we’ll demonstrate how an AI-driven agent for Business Central can streamline the entire product development journey, from concept to production. Using a virtual bakery as an example, you’ll see how this approach makes the process faster, more secure, and more sustainable for any industry.
Join us to design an industry-agnostic autonomous agent that guides every step of product development in Business Central.

Copilot is just a fancy autocomplete... (Vol. 2)

Tine Staric is a software architect at Companial, helping Partners around the world develop products of the highest quality. He has been a Dynamics BC developer since 2015, working with end-customers, VARs, and ISVs, delivering support, implementation, localization, and product projects. He leads most developer productivity initiatives at Companial, and is constantly looking for opportunities to eliminate monotonous developer tasks by using modern tools and automation to make room for creative, fun, and high-value development.

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Tine Staric

MVP, Software Architect Business Central

About the session:

From generating code to automating the entire developer workflow.

2025 was the year we all moved from
“Eh, Copilot is just a fancy autocomplete…”
to
“…okay fine, it actually writes solid code.”

But that’s not where this ends.

Now we have planning modes, sub-agents, and an MCP for basically every annoying thing in a dev’s life. The magic is no longer in writing code, but in understanding the whole task around it: the requirements, planning the steps, generating the code, testing it, fixing it, and documenting it.

Last year was the last time using AI was optional.
This year, it’s simply part of the job.

Agentic AI and the frontier firm: rethinking ERP in the age of intelligence

Berny During, Partner Technology Strategist 

Berny During, MCT CPIM BBA (UNISA), has over 27 years as a Microsoft Certified Trainer. He started as a product manager at Navision South Africa and later co-founded a successful Partner, playing key roles in some of Africa’s largest Dynamics companies. His expertise spans Production and Inventory Management, Business Administration, and related fields.

Berny has trained thousands worldwide in NAV/BC across 20+ countries and now focuses on growing Business Central practices, supporting Partners, and promoting Dynamics 365 Business Central. A regular speaker at events like Tech-Ed, Directions, and Days of Knowledge, Berny is passionate about sharing knowledge and inspiring business growth

Marko Totovic, Partner Technical Strategist

Marko Totovic is a Microsoft MVP for business applications. He currently works as a PTS for Customer Engagement & Power Platform at Companial as well as a freelancer for many global Dynamics partners. He is a frequent speaker at many global (Directions, Summit, Days of Knowledge, BCTechDays…) and regional conferences. He is also a Lead in the UserGroup BizSource.

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Marko Totovic

MVP, Partner Technical Strategist

Berny During

MVP, Partner Technology Strategist

About the session:

By 2026, AI isn’t just trending -it’s rewriting the rules of business. The battleground is real, and the winners will define the next era of enterprise. In this high-energy session, we’ll unpack Microsoft’s audacious vision of the “Frontier Firm” and contrast it with Apple’s provocative critique in The Illusion of Thinking. Then, we’ll dive headfirst into Agentic AI – what it is, why it matters, and how it’s transforming ERP as we know it, with Business Central leading the charge.

But we won’t stop there. You’ll see how other ERP giants are reimagining AI in their platforms and how their strategies stack up against Microsoft’s bold approach. We’ll explore the broader AI ecosystem -spotlighting real-world wins, epic missteps, and the lessons that will shape your next move.
Walk away with crystal-clear insights on where AI is headed, what it means for your customers, and how to position yourself at the bleeding edge of this revolution. Expect unapologetically bold ideas, actionable strategies, and a roadmap to thrive in the age of intelligent ERP.

Create a frontline mobile app for Business Central with Dataverse, Power Platform & Copilot studio

Nikola Pancic, Partner Technology Strategist 

Nikola Pancic is a PTS for Enterprise, specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and the Power Platform. Throughout his career, he has delivered tailored business solutions that help organizations transform their operations using Microsoft Business Applications. As the leader of BizSource, a community user group dedicated to Microsoft Business Applications, Nikola is passionate about fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among professionals and enthusiasts.

He has spoken at numerous international conferences, where he shares practical insights and real‑world experiences gained from complex implementation projects. Nikola’s approach combines deep technical expertise with a strong commitment to empowering others, making his sessions both informative and engaging. Whether guiding teams through digital transformation or mentoring the next generation of technology professionals, he remains dedicated to advancing the Microsoft ecosystem and building a vibrant, connected community.

Rishabh Shukla, Senior Managing Consultant

Rishabh Shukla is a Technical Architect at All e Technologies Ltd with more than 16 years of experience in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Business Central implementations. His expertise spans Business Central localization, the Power Platform, Power Automate, DevOps, and Copilot Studio. Throughout his career, he has worked across multiple geographies, including India and Europe, and has contributed to the development of solutions such as Cyborg, ProActivate, and the Reconciliation Engine.

A 2nd runner-up in the Business Central Hackathon 2021, Rishabh is passionate about leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including Azure OpenAI, to drive automation and business transformation. He is a certified Microsoft professional and has delivered training to partners while providing impactful solutions to clients globally

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Nikola Pancic

Partner Technical Strategist

Rishabh Shukla

Alle Technologies, Senior Managing Consultant

About the session:

Frontline workers need fast, simple, mobile experiences not complex ERP screens. In this session, we show how to build a frontline mobile app for Business Central using Dataverse, Power Apps, and Copilot Studio Agents, without writing any custom mobile code.

You will learn how to combine Dataverse as the operational data layer, Power Apps as the frontline UI, and Copilot Studio as the intelligent agent that guides workers, automates decisions, and connects the app to Business Central.
We walk through a real-world scenario such as warehouse receiving, field inspection, or delivery confirmation, demonstrating:

  • Building a mobilefirst Power App that frontline users can run on iOS/Android
  • Using Dataverse to store frontline transactions and sync cleanly with Business Central
  • Calling Business Central via virtual tables, connectors, or custom APIs
  • Embedding a Copilot Studio Agent inside the app to assist with: item identification, discrepancy detection, document/photo interpretation, step-by-step guided workflows
  • Using Document Intelligence for OCR and extracting data from invoices, labels, receipts, or equipment tags
  • Triggering Business Central actions (post receipts, create journals, update orders) through Copilot Studio custom actions
  • Implementing approvals, notifications, and workflows with Power Automate
  • Best practices for security, offline mode, error handling, and governance

Road to AI

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Tom Kim

Region Lead North America

About the session:

AI is at the forefront of many conversations. If you are a Dynamics Partner who wants to offer AI but doesn’t where to start, the Road to AI gives you a simple plan. Learn the essentials, apply them inside your own business first, and then roll them out to customers, so you can prove value, build skills and grow with confidence!

Before customers can take advantage of AI, they must move to the cloud. This session will also touch on strategies to get them there faster.

Optimizing Business Central licensing: navigating complex and multi-tenant scenarios

Berny During, MCT CPIM BBA (UNISA), has over 27 years as a Microsoft Certified Trainer. He started as a product manager at Navision South Africa and later co-founded a successful Partner, playing key roles in some of Africa’s largest Dynamics companies. His expertise spans Production and Inventory Management, Business Administration, and related fields.

Berny has trained thousands worldwide in NAV/BC across 20+ countries and now focuses on growing Business Central practices, supporting Partners, and promoting Dynamics 365 Business Central. A regular speaker at events like Tech-Ed, Directions, and Days of Knowledge, Berny is passionate about sharing knowledge and inspiring business growth

Download slides

Berny During

MVP, Partner Technology Strategist

About the session:

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of Business Central licensing and transform your multi-tenant setups into streamlined, compliant, and profitable operations? Join us for an exciting session where we demystify the complexities of licensing in Business Central, especially for multi-country operations, acquisitions, and diverse environments.

Drawing from my experience supporting nearly 800 partners, I will share invaluable lessons and strategies to optimize licensing configurations. We’ll explore the intricacies of license types – Full, Team Member, Device, IWS – and provide expert tips to help you avoid common pitfalls. You’ll gain actionable insights to enhance client profitability and solve licensing challenges for businesses with diverse and growing structures.

Discover the dynamic interplay between Tenants, Environments, Companies, and the Azure Architecture, and learn how licensing configurations impact these elements. This session is perfect for Salespeople, Executives, and Consultants who want to tackle licensing challenges with confidence.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Business Central licensing and leave equipped with the knowledge to navigate complex scenarios effectively. Join us and elevate your expertise to the next level!

Building multi-agent workflows for complex business processes

Nikola Pancic is a PTS for Enterprise, specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and the Power Platform. Throughout his career, he has delivered tailored business solutions that help organizations transform their operations using Microsoft Business Applications. As the leader of BizSource, a community user group dedicated to Microsoft Business Applications, Nikola is passionate about fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among professionals and enthusiasts.

He has spoken at numerous international conferences, where he shares practical insights and real‑world experiences gained from complex implementation projects. Nikola’s approach combines deep technical expertise with a strong commitment to empowering others, making his sessions both informative and engaging. Whether guiding teams through digital transformation or mentoring the next generation of technology professionals, he remains dedicated to advancing the Microsoft ecosystem and building a vibrant, connected community.

Download slides

Nikola Pancic

Partner Technical Strategist

About the session:

Single agents are powerful, but the real transformation happens when multiple specialized agents collaborate to solve complex business challenges.

This session demonstrates how to design and implement multi-agent workflows. Learn how to orchestrate teams of agents – each with specialized skills – to handle end-to-end processes.

I’ll show live demos of agent collaboration patterns, discuss coordination strategies, and share best practices for error handling, monitoring, and optimization.

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