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Update on Joule & Copilot

| Angel Zhu | Chris Shannon |

Joule Copilot

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Spotify

Apple

Episode #296

Introduction

In episode 296 of our SAP on Azure video podcast we talk about Joule and Copilot.

A little over 6 months ago the integration of SAP Joule and Copilot went generally available. Since then hundreds of customers have started their journey of getting more value out of integration between SAPs AI assistent Joule and Microsoft Copilot. Today we want to take another look at this integration, and I am really glad to have Chris Shannon from SAP and my colleauge Angel Zhu with us.

Find all the links mentioned here: https://www.saponazurepodcast.de/episode296

Reach out to us for any feedback / questions:

#Microsoft #SAP #Azure #SAPonAzure #Copilot #Joule

Summary created by AI

  • Motivation and Goals of SAP Joule and Microsoft Copilot Integration:
  • Holger, Chris, and Angel discussed the motivation behind integrating SAP Joule and Microsoft Copilot, emphasizing the need to reduce context switching and improve user productivity by providing seamless access to business and productivity data across platforms.
    • Reducing Context Switching: Chris explained that both SAP and Microsoft recognized the productivity loss caused by users having to switch between multiple applications, citing a study that found up to 23 days of productivity lost per year due to context switching. The integration aims to address this by consolidating workflows and making information accessible where and when users need it.
    • Joint Vision and Collaboration: Chris highlighted that the integration was a result of collaboration at the highest levels between SAP and Microsoft, with the goal of combining the strengths of Joule and Copilot to enhance efficiency, productivity, and decision-making for end users.
    • Overview of Joule and Copilot: Chris described Joule as SAP’s central AI entry point, capable of understanding business processes and data across SAP systems, while Angel explained that Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI assistant grounded in users’ work context, able to reason over emails, meetings, and documents to provide relevant answers.
    • Seamless AI Assistant Experience: Angel emphasized that the integration is designed to eliminate fragmented AI experiences by allowing users to access both business process context (via Joule) and productivity context (via Copilot) without toggling between applications, thus streamlining workflows.
  • Technical Capabilities and User Scenarios of the Integration:
  • Chris and Angel detailed how the integration enables bi-directional access between SAP Joule and Microsoft Copilot, allowing users to retrieve SAP business data within Teams and Copilot, and access Microsoft 365 information from within SAP applications, with practical scenarios demonstrated through a video example.
    • Bi-Directional Integration: Chris explained that once the integration is set up, users can access Joule from within Microsoft 365 Copilot in Teams by mentioning Joule, enabling them to ask questions about SAP data and business processes. Conversely, users working in SAP cloud apps can access Copilot information directly from Joule, such as retrieving recent communications or files.
    • Out-of-the-Box Capabilities: Chris noted that all out-of-the-box capabilities available in Joule are accessible via Copilot, and vice versa, allowing users to search for people, messages, files, and meeting information across both platforms without leaving their primary workflow.
    • Demo Scenario Walkthrough: Chris presented a demo video featuring a user named Jennifer, who uses the integration to check project status, identify internal candidates for a project manager role, assess cost savings, and initiate staffing actions—all within Teams using Copilot and Joule, without switching interfaces.
    • Unified Workflow and Approvals: The integration brings approvals, requests, and insights into a single workflow, enabling users to complete tasks such as staffing, checking messages, and accessing profiles seamlessly between SAP and Microsoft environments.
  • Simplification of API and System Integration for End Users:
  • Holger and Angel discussed how the integration simplifies the process for users by making Joule the central point for accessing various SAP systems, eliminating the need for users to know specific APIs or system details, and allowing seamless information retrieval across finance, HR, and other domains.
    • Centralized Access via Joule: Holger explained that previously, users needed to know the correct APIs for different SAP systems such as SuccessFactors, S/4HANA, or Ariba. With the integration, users can simply ask Joule, which determines the appropriate system and retrieves the necessary information, reducing manual effort.
    • Cross-System Information Retrieval: Holger described scenarios where users in SAP applications like SuccessFactors can use Joule to access files or Teams messages without leaving the SAP environment, leveraging Copilot’s capabilities for tasks such as finding colleagues or summarizing meetings.
    • Enhanced Meeting and Communication Preparation: Angel highlighted that Copilot can aggregate recent emails, Teams messages, CRM data, and now SAP business data, enabling users to prepare comprehensive customer updates or status reports for meetings, while Joule can provide similar insights within SAP for supply chain or inventory management.
  • Practical Benefits and Time Savings for Users:
  • Angel and Holger illustrated the practical benefits of the integration, such as saving time on communication, automating meeting summaries, and enabling users to handle business and productivity tasks more efficiently, regardless of their starting point in SAP or Microsoft environments.
    • Automated Communication and Summaries: Angel explained that users can leverage Joule and Copilot to automatically generate meeting summaries, draft emails, and retrieve relevant communication threads, reducing manual effort and ensuring that important details are not missed.
    • Support for Diverse User Roles: Angel described how the integration supports various user roles, such as inventory managers or supply chain managers, by allowing them to check on manufacturing status, investigate issues, and communicate with stakeholders—all within their preferred application.
    • Continuous Workflow Without Application Switching: The integration enables users to stay within their workflow, whether in SAP or Microsoft 365, and access the information and tools they need without switching between multiple applications, thus improving efficiency and reducing interruptions.
  • Getting Started and Support Resources:
  • Holger and Chris provided guidance on how interested users can get started with the Joule and Copilot integration, mentioning available resources such as the SAP Discovery Center mission and support links for setup and prerequisites.
    • Onboarding Resources: Holger mentioned that users can find step-by-step guides, prerequisites, and additional help links in the SAP Discovery Center mission and show notes, making it easier for new users to enable and configure the integration.

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