AI Partner Summit Reality Check: The AI Business Solutions Partner Executive Summit recap with Carol Livingston and Bob McAdam

Carol Livingston from Dynamics Connections and Bob McAdam from Tasklet break down what they heard at the Dynamic Communities third annual AI Business Solutions Partner Executive Summit near Seattle and what it signals for Microsoft Dynamics 365 partners and ISVs heading into the new fiscal year.This conversation focuses on the practical reality of delivering AI in the Dynamics ecosystem, including customer expectations, token costs, governance, and the growing interest in outcome‑based work (vs. T&M).

In this ISV Talks episode, Carol Livingston interviews Mary Sarracino, CEO of JAT Consulting, to explore how JAT became one of the most trusted integration partners in the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. Mary shares how her early path in astrophysics and plans to head to NASA after college but took a jobs as a computer programmer for a payroll software vendor.  This has shaped the technical foundation that later helped her solve some of the most complex HR and Payroll challenges for Dynamics customers.JAT’s Connect Series supports Dynamics GP, Business Central, and Finance and Operations by keeping employee data synchronized across Payroll, Benefits, and Timekeeping systems. Mary explains how Payroll Connect began as a GP to ADP integration, how Benefits Connect grew to support multi‑carrier reporting, and how JAT’s automation engine reduces manual entry and compliance risk across all Dynamics HR workloads.Dynamics partners will hear valuable insights on why HR and Payroll require specialized expertise, how partners are adapting to channel changes, and where compliance pressures are increasing for customers. Mary also discusses the growing role of secure internal AI tools such as Copilot for Work and why sensitive employee data should remain inside the organization’s own environment.If you support Dynamics GP, BC, or F&O customers who rely on accurate workforce data, this episode offers practical guidance on integrations, compliance, automation, and the future of HCM within the Microsoft ecosystem.Learn more about JAT Consulting at www.jatnet.com.

In this ISV Talks episode, Carol Livingston talks with Jeff Evenson, President of Liaison Software, about how businesses can unlock a meaningful productivity boost inside Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Jeff shares how Liaison Central and Liaison Unispan help customers simplify document automation, reduce clicks, and streamline daily work across print, email, secure communication, and workflow tasks.The conversation highlights practical ways to improve document delivery, support local printing from cloud ERP systems, and bring customer, vendor, task, approval, notes, and document data into one unified workspace. Jeff also explains how role-based alerts and smart task suggestions help users stay organized and focused throughout the day.If your customers struggle with document-heavy processes or need easier ways to navigate Business Central, this episode offers clear guidance and real examples you can use in your next project.

On this episode of the ISV Talks podcast, Carol Livingston, owner of Dynamics Connections, speaks with Alex Kemp from ShipHawk. They discuss how Brinks Home needed a smarter way to manage shipping, increase carrier access, and improve warehouse operations as they prepared to move to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Alex shares how the ShipHawk team helped Brinks Home streamline processes, reduce complexity, and build a scalable fulfillment foundation before the ERP transition.The conversation also explores ShipHawk’s unique roots in the shipping and packing world and how that real world experience shapes their approach to WMS and TMS for mid-market companies.If your customers manage B2C, B2B, or omnichannel orders, this episode offers practical insights you can use to guide them toward more efficient and scalable operations.www.shiphawk.com

In this episode of ISV Talks, Carol Livingston from Dynamics Connections interviews John Pleau from Red Maple, a long time Microsoft focused ISV that delivers flexible payment solutions for Dynamics 365. John shares Red Maple’s twenty year history of working exclusively in the Microsoft ecosystem and explains why their approach stands out. Red Maple gives merchants and partners full freedom to choose their payment processor rather than being locked into a single provider.John walks through Red Maple’s embedded payment solution for Business Central and highlights the features customers value most. These include support for multiple processors, international currencies, SEPA and GDPR requirements, surcharging with InterPayments, and advanced cost saving tools like Level 2, Level 3, and CEDP processing. He explains how these capabilities can reduce interchange fees and create instant ROI for customers.The conversation also covers tokenization, fraud prevention, authorization workflows for backorders and partial shipments, in person payments without a full POS system, Click to Pay, and Red Maple’s customer payment portal called Clever Division. John also notes that Red Maple supports ACH and offers a commissions management product used by many customers.John shares trends he is seeing in the market, including strong growth in Business Central, increased demand for processor choice, and interest in new technologies like Apple Tap to Pay on iPhone and real time payments. He also mentions that more companies are moving from NetSuite and Acumatica to Business Central and appreciate Red Maple’s flexibility.The episode closes with the key theme driving customers to Red Maple. Merchants want freedom, choice, and cost savings. Red Maple’s processor agnostic approach gives them exactly that.  www.redmaple.com

In this episode of ISV Talks, Carol Livingston talks with Directions North America 2026 Committee Members Mary Miller and Trish Boccuti about what partners can expect at the 2026 conference, happening April 27–29, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. They walk through the updated tracks for consultants, developers, sales and marketing, and the dedicated “New to BC” learning path, along with this year’s focus on fresh, AI‑infused content.They also highlight one of the biggest draws of Directions NA: direct access to Microsoft. The Microsoft team will deliver 75 sessions, lead multiple keynotes, and be onsite throughout the event to meet with partners and ISVs. Whether you’re looking for roadmap insights, product guidance, or answers to customer‑driven questions, this is one of the best opportunities of the year to connect directly with Microsoft.

In this ISV Talks podcast episode, Carol Livingston, owner of Dynamics Connections, interviews Daniel Chilcott and Jon Milner (JJ), Managers and Co-Founders at Flowgear. They share how AI is reshaping the integration landscape and why trusted platforms with real engineering depth matter more than ever.Daniel and JJ explain how AI is helping non-technical users build clearer prototypes, improving communication between business teams and engineering, and making it easier to connect data across multiple systems. Their message is clear: AI is not replacing integration platforms. It is strengthening them and expanding what organizations can accomplish. They also discuss the growing importance of trust. Many companies are discovering that quick build tools are not enough when integrations touch revenue critical systems. Customers want platforms with proven connectors, deep domain knowledge, and the experience to handle complexity at scale. This episode is a great resource for anyone exploring AI, data connectivity, or the future of cross system intelligence. Learn more about Flowgear:  https://www.flowgear.net/

On this episode of the ISV Talks podcast, Carol Livingston interviews Eric Fabian Humes, MSc. MBA of MetaViewer Paperless Automation from Metafile to discuss the evolving landscape of AP Automation. They dig into what’s changing in AP Automation, including a powerful new trend: ISVs joining forces to deliver stronger, combined solutions for customers.Eric also walked through how MetaViewer Paperless Automation from Metafile is using AI to elevate AP Automation and Document Management across the ERP platforms they integrate with.

On this special edition of ISV Talks, Carol Livingston was able to sit down with Chris Giesbrecht, Manager of IT and Business Analytics at AgriHub Inc during Community Summit NA 2025. Chris manages a very complex GP system with over 13+ ISVs and roughly 200 users. We get specific about what Chris is hunting for at Summit: practical AI and automation that helps people today. We discussed his experience in attending Summit NA as a user over several years and also more recently as a speaker and panelist. Chris explains why AgriHub is taking a year to evaluate options regarding the GP end of life and the path to an ERP migration, learning from peers who have already done GP to Dynamics 365 Business Central migrations, and avoid getting caught in the last-minute rush. We also spend time on the part that can make or break a project: change management, user adoption, and getting people involved early so the new system actually fits how work should happen.He also shares great advice for first‑time attendees—don’t be afraid to introduce yourself, ask questions, and explore. From unexpected lunch‑table connections to learning from peers who share the same challenges, Chris highlights what so many attendees discover each year: you’re never alone in your ERP journey. The best insights often come from simply talking to other users, asking questions in sessions, and stepping a little outside your comfort zone. You never know which conversation or solution will help you solve tomorrow’s problem.

Big growth happens when sales reality meets operational truth, and that’s the heart of this ISV Talks episode with Alex Vandereycken  from XPR365. We dig into their new connector that unifies BigCommerce with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, then close the loop with PayFabric for payments and ShipperHQ for shipping. It’s a cleaner, more reliable order‑to‑cash flow built for real B2B complexity—contract pricing, account hierarchies, approvals, and delivery promises that don’t fall apart once the order hits the ERP.Recorded at the Community Summit New Desk booth, the conversation tracks how far the ecosystem has come since 2018 and why companies are tired of brittle middleware. Alex shares how booth demos showed orders flowing from storefront to ERP with payment and shipping logic intact, generating strong interest—helped by XPR365’s credibility as the team behind the Shopify Connector Microsoft acquired in 2022. We explore why manufacturers and distributors need deep ERP alignment rather than duct tape, and how this connector honors Business Central’s account‑level rules while reducing exceptions and tightening reconciliation. With ShipperHQ adding carrier intelligence to the same flow, sales and operations finally share one version of the promise.We wrap with field notes for Summit sponsors: visibility matters more than booth size, and the real wins come from walking the floor, meeting partners, and showing customers how tight integrations remove manual work and unlock revenue. For anyone building a B2B commerce stack on BigCommerce and Business Central—and wanting payments and shipping to “just work”—this episode lays out the playbook.Follow the show, share it with a teammate who owns B2B commerce or ERP, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Your feedback shapes what we dig into next.