Happy New Year! As we enter the second half of Microsoft’s fiscal year, we’re excited to share key updates to our FY26 (ABPA) AI Business Processes Partner Activities (formerly BAPA) to help you accelerate deals and create differentiation with customers. This includes updated materials for the CRM Envisioning Workshop, expanded customer eligibility requirements for the ERP Envisioning Workshop and CRM Envisioning Workshop, plus new flexibility for Business Central Immersion Briefings.

CRM Envisioning Workshop Updates – Copilot Studio for CRM

The CRM Envisioning Workshop allows partners to design the customer’s CRM vision and business plan to activate their strategic priorities and unleash organizational potential by establishing strategic objectives, target results, priority initiatives, and a baseline business case to secure executive intent.

January updates

We’ve updated the CRM Envisioning Workshop to ensure partners can confidently lead strategic CRM conversations that demonstrate the transformative value of AI + CRM. These changes include:

Copilot Studio is now a product qualifier for customer eligibility for CRM Envisioning, enabling partners to incorporate AI-driven automation and custom copilots as part of the CRM modernization value story.
Updated pitch decks, product demos, and video assets with stronger alignment to FY26 solution messaging.
Revised product overviews across Sales, Service, and Contact Center.

Why Copilot Studio for CRM Matters

Enables creation of custom AI copilots that support sellers, agents, and frontline teams that elevate partner offerings with differentiated AI-led CRM transformation
Automates repetitive sales and service tasks to improve productivity and response times
Enhances customer experiences with AI-driven insights, guided workflows, and intelligent assistance

When to Use CRM Envisioning Workshop

Early in CRM modernization conversations with customers
For customers evaluating alternatives to existing CRM systems
To drive alignment on CRM outcomes and success metrics

Additional (non-funded) complementary CRM activities

Use the CRM Envisioning Demo Download Kit to provide immersive experiences that showcase the value of migrating to Dynamics 365 CRM through tailored demonstrations and relevant customer scenarios.

Use the CRM Planning & Design Download Kit to drive a common understanding of scope, approach, and requirements for a successful Dynamics 365 CRM implementation, establishing a clear path to deployment success.

ERP Envisioning Workshop – Copilot Studio for ERP

The ERP Envisioning Workshop is designed for Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management as well as Business Central customers to help modernize ERP systems to AI-powered solutions with clear business outcomes and success metrics.

What’s New for January

The ERP Envisioning Workshop continues to help customers explore and define their path to modernizing legacy ERP systems across the full Dynamics 365 portfolio. In January, this was expanded to support conversations that demonstrate the transformative value of AI + ERP.

Copilot Studio is now a product qualifier for customer eligibility for ERP Envisioning, enabling partners to incorporate AI-driven automation and custom copilots as part of the ERP modernization value story.

Why Copilot Studio for ERP Matters

Enables custom AI copilots across finance, supply chain, HR & operations and elevates partner service offerings with AI-driven add-ons
Automates repetitive processes and enhances workforce productivity
Reduces friction across complex ERP workflows

When to use ERP Envisioning Workshop

Customers are evaluating cloud ERP modernization
Organizations require alignment on business, technical, and operational priorities
There is interest in leveraging AI to improve efficiency and reduce cost

Business Central Immersion Briefings

Business Central Immersion Briefings provide a top-of-funnel event engine designed to help partners generate early-stage demand, attract new customers, and accelerate pipeline. These one-to-many customer workshops empower you to demonstrate Business Central solutions that showcase AI-driven business value, operational efficiency, and ERP capabilities using real-world scenarios.

Microsoft is co-investing in your success by helping offset delivery costs. Immersion Briefings are a proven way to drive demand and deliver measurable growth opportunities, and we’re here with you every step of the way.

What’s Included

Ready-to-deliver Business Central Immersion Briefings Kit
Access to MCI co-funding for eligible partners
Immersion Briefings Cheat Sheet for claim and POE submission guidance

What's new in January

In December, we previously communicated the removal of the limit on concurrent engagement per customer for the Copilot + Agents, Secure AI Productivity, and Business Central Immersion Briefings engagements. The concurrent per customer engagement limit on these opportunities has been expanded from 10 to 20, as of January 1, 2026.

Why Business Central Immersion Briefings Matter

Help customers quickly understand the value of Business Central through real-world scenarios using turnkey content
Showcase AI-driven productivity and modern cloud ERP capabilities with compelling, scenario-driven demos aligned to customer priorities
Accelerate decision-making by providing hands-on, visual learning for how Business Central simplifies and streamlines business processes
Serve as a powerful entry point into Envisioning Workshops or deeper sales conversations

When to Use

To drive top-of-funnel pipeline for Business Central
When customers are early in their ERP modernization journey
To demonstrate AI-powered business process improvements in Business Central
To align business and technical stakeholders around key modernization scenarios

Update to customer attestation process

The AI Business Solutions (ABS) Partner Activities Customer Survey is being renamed the Customer Attestation Form beginning January 1, 2026, and will now be available in 10 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and traditional and simplified Chinese. This change better reflects the form’s purpose of confirming services were delivered to the customer. This update does not change the process, and the Partner Survey will continue as usual. The Customer Attestation Form remains a POE requirement, and completion is mandatory for all Partner Activities.

Next steps

H2! Get started with the action items below:

Join the January 20th ABPA Partner Office Hours call at 8 am (PST) to get up to speed on the latest FY26 updates.
Explore the updated ABS Partner Hub and review the Business Applications Partner Activities workshop assets.
Incorporate Copilot Studio into every ERP and CRM envisioning conversation.
Submit claims promptly in MCI for on-time reimbursement.

Need Support?

For questions about BAPA, claims, delivery, or invoicing, submit a request through: https://aka.ms/partnercentersupport.

Important January Updates for FY26 Business Applications Partner Activities