AI Adoption in Grain Processing: Building a Strong Foundation with Copilot for Microsoft 365
This U.S.-based milling organization operates nonstop production cycles, complex supply inputs, and daily decisions that require accurate data and clear visibility across the business. As the business continued to grow, leaders began exploring how AI could help teams reduce manual effort, improve access to information, and work more effectively across plants and corporate functions.
The organization already had a strong technology foundation in place. As a long-time client, they had partnered with Stoneridge Software to implement Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management and Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement. With that established relationship and a deep understanding of their operations, Stoneridge had already been exploring how AI could support real business scenarios. That work helped guide the organization’s adoption of Copilot for M365 through practical, hands-on training.
Turning AI Interest into Practical Impact
Employees across supply chain, finance, sales, and quality were spending significant time on manual, repetitive work tied to reporting, data cleanup, and everyday operational tasks.
Leadership saw clear potential for AI to streamline this work and free teams to focus on higher-value activities. At the same time, they knew adoption would require more than simply turning on a new tool.
To move forward confidently, the organization needed:
- A clear understanding of where AI could create meaningful business value
- Practical skills for using Copilot in daily work
- A secure, well‑governed Microsoft 365 environment
- Internal champions who could model effective usage and support broader adoption
To address these needs, the organization chose to participate in Stoneridge Software’s Copilot M365 Flight Plan, a structured approach designed to help organizations adopt Copilot intentionally, securely, and with measurable impact.
A Guided Approach: Inside the Copilot M365 Flight Plan
The Copilot M365 Flight Plan is Stoneridge Software’s proven framework for helping organizations move from AI curiosity to confident, practical adoption. Rather than jumping straight into training, the Flight Plan follows a clear progression to ensure teams are aligned, ready, and supported at every stage.
- Pre-Flight Alignment: Strategic Workshopping
- Flight Readiness: Tenant and Security Preparation
- Flight School: Champion Enablement
Before any hands-on training began, Stoneridge facilitated a Business Value Workshop, a core component of the Flight Plan’s pre‑flight phase. This session brought together executive leaders, managers, and AI champions to align on business priorities and identify where Copilot and AI could have the greatest impact.
During the workshop, participants explored:
- Key revenue and cost drivers across the business
- Operational challenges tied to manual work, reporting, and data visibility
- Opportunities to improve plant efficiency, logistics, forecasting, and compliance
- Cultural goals related to employee engagement, communication, and continuous improvement
This alignment helped establish a shared understanding of what success with AI should look like, not as a standalone tool, but as an extension of how the organization already works.
Flight Readiness and Champion Enablement
With strategic priorities defined, the organization moved into Flight School, a hands‑on phase of the Flight Plan where designated champions built confidence, experimented safely, and began using Copilot in their day-to-day work.
From Exploration to Confident Use of Copilot for Microsoft 365
Throughout Flight School, participants explored how Copilot could support their daily workflows across Microsoft 365:
- Creative workflow support: Brainstorming, drafting content, generating presentations, and shaping strategies
- Research and data analysis: Improving documents, analyzing Excel data, and gathering insights from across Microsoft 365
- Collaboration optimization: Using Loop for real-time teamwork, drafting and organizing communications, improving meeting prep, and automating follow-ups
- Using specialized Copilot agents: Prompt coaching, advanced research workflows, data analysis, writing refinement, and ideation
- Custom agent development: Designing role-specific agents, connecting them to knowledge sources, and automating repetitive tasks
Participants were especially energized by Copilot’s support for writing, research, meeting preparation, and content creation. While some experienced a learning curve—especially when building agents or refining prompts—the overall response reflected curiosity, experimentation, and growing confidence.
80% said they were highly likely to use Copilot daily, and 60% felt the program prepared them well to become Power Users.
Applying AI Through Custom Copilot Agents
As the program progressed, participants moved beyond experimentation and began building custom Copilot agents tailored to their roles and operational needs. These agents were built to support everyday work, including:
- Providing structured feedback
- Retrieving operational or logistics data
- Surfacing standard operating procedures
- Supporting customer communication
- Sorting and transforming incoming data
- Assisting with audit and compliance activities
These early agents demonstrated how AI could be embedded into everyday workflows to reduce repetitive effort and improve consistency, while giving teams hands-on experience with agent design and refinement.
Early Outcomes and Insights from Copilot Adoption
The Copilot M365 Flight School delivered early signs that teams were gaining confidence and finding value. Participant feedback reflected strong engagement as employees began applying Copilot to real, day‑to‑day work. Key takeaways included:
- Strong interest in continued Copilot usage
- Increased confidence using AI to support daily workflows
- High enthusiasm for creating and using Copilot agents
Just as important, the organization gained clarity around where Copilot and AI could continue to support the business as adoption expands. Teams identified opportunities to improve communication, reduce manual data handling, accelerate access to information, and free up time for problem‑solving and continuous improvement.
Building a Strong Foundation for AI Adoption
The Copilot M365 Flight School marked an important first step in this organization’s broader AI journey. Through hands‑on learning, early agent development, and leadership alignment, teams began turning curiosity about AI into practical, everyday application.
With Stoneridge Software as a strategic Microsoft partner, the organization approached Copilot adoption with clarity and structure. As usage grows and AI capabilities evolve, they are well-positioned to extend their journey, building on a strong foundation, empowered champions, and a trusted partnership that supports smarter ways of working.
