At Directions EMEA 2025, hundreds of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central professionals gathered to share ideas, learn, and test what is possible with the platform. On the final day, the focus shifted from theory to practice during a focused hackathon session hosted by Microsoft MVP Freddy Dalgas Kristiansen. Participants had 1.5 hours to reflect on what they had learned during the 3 day conference and how to turn it into something practical and valuable for Business Central users. The various teams submitted their ideas during the session and spent the next 2 months building their solutions.
One of the standout entries came from Braintree’s own Ewald Venter. His team tackled a common challenge that project driven organisations face in Business Central. They explored how to use an “AI Agent” concept to improve how projects are managed, tracked, and delivered, building on ideas shared across the conference sessions. The result impressed both the judges and attendees, earning Ewald recognition in the closing session recap and strong interest in how the idea could be used in real businesses.
Why this matters for Business Central customers
Project based organisations depend on accurate planning, clean handovers, and real-time visibility into job status and profitability. Business Central already supports these needs with integrated financials, resource management, and reporting. What Ewald’s hackathon work highlighted is how small innovations on top of this platform can reduce manual effort and create a smoother experience for project teams.
By focusing on an AI Agent style approach to managing projects, the hackathon entry aimed to help users coordinate tasks, surface the right information at the right time, and make decisions faster. This aligns with Braintree’s focus on using Business Central to automate repetitive work, standardise processes, and give leaders clear insight into every part of the business. The solution showed how practical ideas from conferences can translate into real value for customers.
Braintree’s role in the Business Central community
Braintree is one of South Africa’s leading Microsoft Dynamics partners and a preferred partner for Business Central implementations. The team works with organisations across the region to connect finance, operations, sales, and service into a single ERP platform. Participation in global events like Directions EMEA helps Braintree bring fresh thinking, best practices, and new solution ideas back to local customers.
Ewald’s contribution at the Directions EMEA 2025 hackathon reflects this commitment to continuous learning and community involvement. By testing new ways to extend Business Central in a live environment, Braintree consultants gain insights that inform future projects, solution accelerators, and implementation approaches. For customers, that means working with a partner who not only understands the technology but also helps shape where it goes next.
What this means for your organisation
If your business runs complex projects or jobs, you need an ERP platform and partner that support both structure and innovation. With Business Central and Braintree, you get a proven solution for financials, operations, and reporting, plus a team that engages with the broader Dynamics community to bring new ideas into your environment.
Ewald’s success at Directions EMEA 2025 is one example of how Braintree consultants look for practical ways to turn conference insights into everyday improvements for customers. If you want to explore how Business Central could streamline your project-driven operations, or if you are curious about the concepts tested during the hackathon, our team is ready to share more.
Talk to Braintree about Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and how we support project-based businesses with tailored implementations and local expertise.
