Tipalti’s Matthew Merrill, like much of the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem, is reflecting on this week’s Biz Apps Partner Summit in Bellevue, Washington. Speaking on PartnerTalks ahead of the event, Merrill, Senior Partner Manager at Tipalti, shared how the conference fits into the organization’s strategy as the company enters the second half of the year and looks forward to FY2026.
Entering the Heart of Microsoft: Biz Apps Partner Summit
Tipalti is a first-time sponsor of the Biz Apps Partner Summit. Microsoft hosted the event near its headquarters, while Dynamics Communities collaborated with key ISV and SI Partners to organize it. The organizers say the event serves as a mid-year gathering to assess technology directions, Partner opportunities, and product strategy. To that end, it featured sessions on Copilots, Microsoft’s next-gen roadmap, and a strategic look at FY2026 planning.
“We have to go into the heart of Microsoft, the homeland, [near] Redmond,” said Merrill. “That is to work with more Partners and reach their customers because we are providing a unique offering.”
Ahead of the event, Microsoft MVP Rick McCutcheon emphasized the summit’s strategic value.
“I think you’re going to see the cream of the crop of Partners attending this,” he said. “Those who really want to hear a lot of Microsoft speakers talking about the direction around AI and Agents.”
And, it turns out, he was right. Hundreds of attendees descended on Bellevue, where they learned about:
- Automating business processes and elevating customer experiences with AI agents
- Understanding AI’s disruptive impact on modern business
- Using AI to transform customer service and detect fraud more efficiently
- Structuring autonomous agent deployment safely and at scale
Watch PartnerTalks’ interview with Matthew Merrill.
A Global AP Automation Leader in the Microsoft Space: Tipalti
Tipalti, founded in 2010, is perhaps best known for its dominance in the accounts payable (AP) automation space. It offers solutions for global payments, expense management, procurement, virtual cards, and treasury. The company supports over 200 countries and territories and integrates natively with F&O, Business Central, GP, and NAV. Recently, it opened offices in Germany and the Benelux region. The new footprints add to its presence in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Israel.
“We’ve been in the space for about three years within the Microsoft Dynamics space,” said Merrill. “But the organization has been around for a long time. We’re the leading global AP automation player.”
Standing Out in the Dynamics Ecosystem
Merrill noted that while many Microsoft-native or point solutions address aspects of the finance automation cycle, Tipalti offers a unified platform especially suited for globally complex organizations.
“For more complex, global-in-nature companies… Tipalti works really well and can help streamline all of your payables into one platform,” he explained. “Sync it over to whatever Dynamics version you’re at.”
The company’s presence at the summit was certainly about visibility. More than that, though, it was about building momentum in the market, Merrill said.
“There’s so much happening in the world on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “It’s really important to take a status check in the middle of the year in July with all of the Microsoft Partners to talk about what they’re hearing from their client base.”
Preparing for Community Summit and Beyond
The Bellevue summit is also a stepping stone toward larger events on the horizon, such as Community Summit North America in October and Directions EMEA in Poland, where Tipalti is a sponsor.
“[It] is really exciting,” said Merrill. “I’m hoping I get the ticket to join.”
AI, Automation, and the Path Forward
AI remains a hot topic in the Microsoft ecosystem. Merrill says that Tipalti, which has integrated AI into its automation solutions, sees the upcoming events as a chance to collaborate with Partners on how to best leverage the technology.
“What’s the best route forward? How can we leverage AI within Microsoft Dynamics?” Merrill asked. “It’s a great time for us to all get together, talk about what’s happening in the world and… plan for the rest of the year.”
About Tipalti
Tipalti is a global leader in payables automation. Its suite includes invoice processing, global payments, procurement, expense management, and compliance, all in one system. With integrations across Microsoft Dynamics 365 and a presence in over 200 countries, Tipalti helps organizations streamline operations and scale globally.
About the Biz Apps Partner Summit
Hosted near Microsoft’s Redmond campus, the Biz Apps Partner Summit brings together top Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), System Integrators (SIs), and Microsoft leadership to align on product strategy, partner success, and the evolving role of AI in business applications. The event is organized by Dynamics Communities.
