Analyze data in lists with help from Copilot (preview)

[This article is prerelease documentation and is subject to change.]

This article explains how to use analysis assist to help you analyze data on list pages.

Important

• This is a production-ready preview feature.
• Production-ready previews are subject to supplemental terms of use.

About analysis assist

Analysis assist is a Copilot for the analysis mode on list pages in Business Central. The analysis mode provides an interactive and versatile way to calculate, summarize, and examine data. To analyze data in the analysis mode, you create an analysis tab where you transform the data to display the desired aggregations and summarizations. For example, you arrange fields in rows and columns, specify filters, sort columns, and pivot on fields. With analysis assist, instead of doing this task manually, you achieve much of the same—or least as a start—by using words. By expressing the structure you want in natural language, like "sort on quantity from smallest to largest" or "show average cost per category," analysis assist uses AI to generate a suggested layout on an analysis tab.

Supported languages

This Copilot feature was validated and is supported in specific languages. While it can be used in other languages, it might not function as intended. Language quality might vary based on the user's interaction or system settings, which might impact accuracy and the user experience. Learn more about geographic and language availability at Copilot international availability.

Prerequisites

• Analyze list capability is activated and you're granted permissions to use analysis mode. This task is typically done by an admin. Learn more in Configure Copilot and AI capabilities.

Get started

1. Open the list page you want to analyze.

   For example, to work with the Items page, select the icon (Alt+Q), enter items, and then choose the related link.

2. You can start analyzing data with Copilot directly from the list page or by first entering the analysis mode. To get started, do one of the following steps:

   • In the action bar at the top of the page, select Copilot > Analyze list.
   • In the action bar at the top of the page, select Enter analysis mode, then select Copilot > Create new analysis.

3. In the Analyze Items with Copilot window, enter a description of the layout you want. This description is known as a prompt.

   

   Tip

   For help in writing a prompt, select Prompt guide, and choose one of the options to get you started. The text in brackets [ ] is shown only as an example and isn't included in the Copilot window.

4. Select Generate and then wait while Copilot generates the layout on new analysis tab.

5. Review the results on the new analysis tab.

   Note

   If you navigate away from the new analysis tab (such as going to another analysis tab or page), the new analysis tab is automatically saved and Copilot closes.

6. If you want to change the generated analysis, you can do one of these steps:

   • To build on the previous instructions, enter the information in the Add more details about the analysis box, then select the Adjust arrow. Copilot remembers your previous instructions and uses them to make adjustments.

     

   • To manually adjust the layout, you can interact directly with the columns, data area, and analysis filters. For example, you can adjust a filter and remove a column, and Copilot remains available in case you want assistance with building on your manual adjustments and previous instructions.

   • To start from scratch by adding new instructions, select the Edit prompt:, add the details to the prompt, and then select Generate.

7. Use < Back and > Next at the top of the Copilot window to review the different layouts you created as you made adjustments for this analysis tab. You can go back to any adjustments that you or Copilot made to the tab since you created it.

8. If you want to save the analysis tab, select Keep it. If you don't want to save it, select Discard.

Prompt tips and examples

Creating effective prompts for Copilot is essential to get accurate and relevant analysis suggestions. There are also ways to minimize text you add in prompts to make it faster when typing. Here are some tips and guidelines followed by some examples:

• Be concise and avoid long sentences or multiple sentences.
• Make sure field names used in prompts are somewhat close to actual field names on the page.
• Use natural language, expressing the data structure you want in a friendly and conversational manner.
• Use common keywords, phrases, and terms used in data analysis, like group by, sum, sort by, and so on.
• If the initial response isn't what you want, add follow-up instructions or rephrase the last instruction.
• Common abbreviations are acceptable.
• Letter case isn't important.

Examples

These following prompt examples use analysis assist on the Items list. The items page includes three summable fields for analysis: Quantity on Hand, Unit Cost, Unit Price.

Prompt: Show low-stock items by category

This prompt can be used to group item records by their assigned category, filtering items to only those items with low stock. Copilot suggests a definition for low inventory and applies a filter such as "Quantity on Hand less than 10". In this case, the items list doesn't display the Category field, Instead, Copilot brings that field into the analysis tab so that you don´t need to go through the manual effort of personalizing the page.

Prompt: Show items by brand and unit of measure

This prompt tries to show totals for all summable fields, grouped by brand and the Base Unit of Measure field. But in this case, "brand" doesn't match any field name, so Copilot probably can't find a matching field. It then asks you to rephrase the prompt and try again.

Prompt: Show items by type and uom

This prompt shows totals for all summable fields, grouped by the Type field and Base Unit of Measure field. In this prompt, the abbreviation uom is used instead of writing out "unit of measure". Copilot is often able to interpret abbreviations or alternate names and match them to fields on the list.

Prompt: Show total quantity per type per UoM

This prompt creates a pivot table on the Quantity on Hand field per Base Unit of Measure per Type.

How Copilot works with fields for analysis assist

Copilot can use any of the visible or hidden fields on the list page and add them as columns to the analysis tab layout. Hidden fields are those fields that you would typically add to the list by personalizing the page.

When Copilot determines that a hidden field is useful for your analysis tab, the field is shown as a column in the tab layout. It's also shown in the Columns pane so that you can hide or reorder it, or add it to any other analysis tabs for this list.

Note

If an administrator has turned off personalization for your profile (role), Copilot isn't able to use hidden fields from the list.

Copilot can't reach fields that are on the table but not on the page, and it can't use fields from other pages.

Related information

Responsible AI FAQ for analysis assist
Ad hoc data analysis