Imagine a sales employee talking to a customer. Customer documents need to be checked, a quote prepared, a contract drafted, an approval obtained – and the information for each step sits in different systems. How many people actively handle that process today? Five, maybe ten. The question Portal Systems put on the table at the Shareflex Partner Dialog 2026: what if, in 2027, that is only one? Not because people are replaced, but because AI agents take over process work and people focus on decisions.

From AI features to agentic workflows

AI in document management started with extraction (read metadata from a document) and information retrieval (ask questions in plain language). The next step is automation: AI takes over recurring steps inside a process – checking, comparing, recommending – while the workflow keeps control over who decides what.

Example 1: invoice processing

In an invoice approval process, agents can take over the checking work that now costs accounts payable hours:

• Formal check – are all mandatory invoice details present and correct?
• Plausibility check – does the invoice match the order, the contract and previous invoices?
• Fraud check – changed bank details, look-alike supplier names or unusual amounts.
• Approval recommendation – the agent advises approve, clarify or reject, with reasons. Below a threshold amount the invoice can be booked directly; above it a person approves.

Example 2: document control

The same idea applies to the publication process of quality documents: an agent can check a new revision against the previous version, verify that required sections and references are present, and prepare the approval with a summary of changes. The approver still decides – but with better preparation. See document control software for SharePoint.

How it is built

The agents run in Azure AI Foundry in the customer’s own Azure environment. The Shareflex AI Studio calls them with an app registration in Microsoft Entra ID, and the workflow in Shareflex decides when an agent is called and what happens with the result. Using agents directly as steps in Shareflex Flow workflows has been announced on the roadmap. Everything shown is a direction of development, not a release date.

Why the workflow stays in charge

• Accountability – the workflow records which agent advised what and who decided.
• Thresholds – you decide where automation stops and a person takes over.
• Structured data – agents work on the metadata, versions and permissions of your document management, which is why AI needs good document management.

Agents built for your process

Standard agents cover standard checks. The real value comes from agents that know your rules: your approval thresholds, your contract standards, your quality requirements. Lialis builds such AI solutions on top of Shareflex, in your own Azure environment – from AI PDF scan for contracts to AI contract analysis that flags penalty clauses and risky contracts. Start small with one process, prove the value, then extend.

Frequently asked questions

What is an agentic workflow?

An agentic workflow is a business process in which AI agents carry out individual steps – such as checking, comparing or recommending – while the workflow controls the order, thresholds and human decisions.

Will AI agents approve invoices or documents on their own?

Only where you allow it, for example below a threshold amount. Above that, the agent prepares a recommendation and a person decides. Every step is logged.

Where do the agents run?

In Azure AI Foundry in your own Azure environment, called from Shareflex through an app registration in Microsoft Entra ID.

Can Lialis build AI tailored to our own contracts or documents?

Yes. Next to the standard Shareflex AI functions we build AI solutions on top of Shareflex in your own Azure environment – such as AI PDF scanning, contract analysis and AI search – tuned to your document types, master data and rules.

Explore where agents fit your processes

Start with one process where checking work piles up – contracts, quality documents or invoices. We help you find the right first step. See contract management software for SharePoint and which AI tool fits which question.