Unit4, a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for people-centric organizations, has announced the launch of Advanced Virtual Agent (Ava). Ava is a proactive conversational agent designed to streamline and automate ERP workflows by acting as a centralized AI interface. As an intelligent work companion, Ava seamlessly integrates with Unit4 ERPx and Microsoft Teams to facilitate collaboration, offer personalized recommendations, and deliver instant, context-aware assistance. This innovative tool builds on Unit4’s decade-long journey in digital assistant innovation, marking a significant step toward the company’s vision of self-driving ERP.
Ava embodies Unit4’s pragmatic AI approach by transforming workflows into more intelligent, adaptable, and user-friendly experiences. The agent empowers users to concentrate on uniquely human tasks while increasing productivity with reduced effort. Unlike other AI approaches that create isolated agents, Ava serves as a unified, centralized access point to ERPx, ensuring users experience consistent, clear assistance and a reliable single source of truth for critical business information.
“It is clear AI is going to dramatically change how users interact with ERP systems, as it will enable people to focus on more meaningful and rewarding work,” said Claus Jepsen, Chief Technology Officer, Unit4. “Ava isn’t just smart – it’s pragmatic, purposeful, and deeply attuned to the real challenges people face. That’s why we have built Ava as one interface and agent, as this will create an integrated platform making it easier to add functionality and avoid siloed AI Agents.”
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According to recent research commissioned by Unit4 from IDC, the adoption of AI is progressing through three key phases. Currently, AI is widely used as an agent, and Ava exemplifies this by managing tasks, offering contextual assistance, and conducting data searches. In the next phase, AI will evolve into an advisory role, which Ava already demonstrates through anomaly detection in payroll and providing insightful suggestions for invoice approvals and project creation.
Looking ahead, Ava is poised to operate autonomously as an agent with the ability to:
- Centralize orchestration by integrating and coordinating workflows within ERPx and Microsoft Teams.
- Automate routine tasks, reducing manual effort through intelligent automation.
- Enhance specialized tasks with actionable insights and personalized recommendations.
- Identify issues proactively, predict business needs, and adapt workflows to achieve operational goals efficiently.
To meet customer demands, Unit4 initially integrates Ava with Microsoft Teams, leveraging the platform’s widespread use. Future plans include expanding Ava’s capabilities to other collaboration tools. Ava’s ability to interpret natural language within Microsoft Teams and transform it into actionable ERP tasks showcases its advanced functionality. Built on Unit4’s microservices and cloud-native architecture, Ava offers extensibility and seamless integration via open APIs, allowing continuous enhancement as AI technology evolves.
“The journey into the digital world is neither stale nor stagnant—AI has brought a greater urgency to modernize and transform quickly. IDC finds that 47% of organizations are creating an AI-ready workforce that uses AI assistants, advisors, and agents to boost business success. With AI coming to the forefront, organizations must understand where their journey is headed and the various pathways to success,” said Mickey North Rizza, group vice president, Enterprise Software at IDC. “The journey is multidimensional, but the promise of a new digitally savvy enterprise is at the heart of modernization and transformation.”
By empowering organizations with a single, intelligent, and integrated agent, Ava supports Unit4’s commitment to enabling people-centric digital transformation. As AI technology continues to advance, Unit4’s vision for a more human-centered ERP experience remains at the forefront of innovation.