Built-in AI works in one application. An AI employee works across systems. The facts side by side.
The AI in SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or DATEV is first and foremost an assistant inside that software: it helps with texts, suggestions and research, usually at no extra cost on top of the licence1,2,5. The vendors also offer agents for standard cases, such as orders or incoming invoices from a mailbox in Business Central, billed by consumption3. These too remain tied to their own software; the customer configures and supervises them1,3.
An AI employee from bee-hub.ai takes over a defined workflow in your business and works across systems: in the inbox, the ERP and the DMS. It works in the background and presents results for approval. bee-hub.ai is responsible for setup, operation and maintenance.
| AI in the ERP | bee-hub.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI assistant built into the vendor's software, plus vendor agents, e.g. SAP Joule, Copilot in Business Central, DATEV Copilot1,3,5 | AI employees, trained on a defined workflow in your business |
| Who does the work | The person with an assistant; vendor agents for individual standard cases, supervised by a person3 | The AI employee; a person reviews and approves |
| Pricing | Basic assistant usually included in the licence1,2,5; agents billed by consumption, e.g. Copilot Credits in Business Central2,3 | Per AI employee; AI chat for all staff at no extra cost |
| Where the data lives | With the vendor: Business Central via Azure OpenAI within the EU Data Boundary, after opting in via a switch4; DATEV in the DATEV cloud5 | Your server, private cloud or a German hosting provider; language model from a European provider8 |
| Training on your data | Varies by vendor; Microsoft rules it out for Business Central4 | Excluded by contract8 |
| Work in the ERP | Directly in its own software, with Business Central also in the connected mailbox; further systems via extensions and integrations3,7 | Works inside your existing ERP, DMS and email, like an additional employee |
| Who is in control | The vendor provides standard features and agents; the customer or a partner sets up custom agents and integrations1,3,7 | An agreed workflow with rules, approvals and a log, set up by bee-hub.ai |
| Setup and operation | Activation and configuration by the customer; agents with their own consumption quota3,5 | Onboarding, operation and maintenance by bee-hub.ai |
Three common examples, each with pricing model and scope.
What all three have in common: the AI is closely tied to its own system. Workflows across further systems are possible via extensions and integrations that the company or a partner sets up and maintains7. An AI employee from bee-hub.ai works across systems, in the inbox, the ERP and the DMS.
The real difference lies in who sets things up, who maintains them and who is responsible.
Set it up and maintain it yourself, or have it set up and maintained.
Who is the expert for that in your company?
At bee-hub.ai, every AI employee is limited to one purpose and works mostly by fixed rules. We only deploy fully autonomous agents when explicitly commissioned.
Built-in AI helps within one system.
The AI employee works across systems.
If a workflow lies entirely within one system and fits the vendor's standard, the built-in AI is well suited. Many workflows, however, start in the inbox, need data from several systems and end in the DMS. That is where an AI employee from bee-hub.ai works across system boundaries, inside your existing ERP, without you building interfaces.
Copilot is included in the Business Central licences2. The agents consume Copilot Credits, which are sold separately, either prepaid or pay-as-you-go through an Azure subscription2. For the Payables Agent, Microsoft charges 50 credits per invoice plus 5 per invoice line3. bee-hub.ai charges per AI employee; the AI chat for all staff is included at no extra cost.
SAP describes extensions that let Joule include non-SAP applications as well7. The agents in Business Central work in Business Central and the connected mailbox3. DATEV automation stays within the DATEV environment6. An AI employee from bee-hub.ai works inside your existing ERP, DMS and email, like an additional employee.
For Copilot in Business Central, Microsoft rules out using customer data to train the Azure OpenAI models4. At bee-hub.ai, training on your data is excluded by contract.
30 minutes, one process from your business.