IFS

Last Updated: 14th January 2013
Analyst Coverage: Simon Holloway

IFS is a public company founded in 1983 that develops, supplies, and implements IFS Applications, a component-based ERP suite built on SOA technology. The company focuses on industries where any of the following four core processes are strategic: Service & asset management, manufacturing, supply chain and projects. The company has 2,000 customers and is present in approximately 60 countries with 2,800 employees in total.

IFS Applications

Last Updated: 8th February 2013

What it does

IFS Applications 8 is a single, integrated, service-oriented, suite of business applications.

The suite includes eight applications:

IFS Financials;
IFS Human Resources;
IFS Sales and Service;
IFS Manufacturing;
IFS Distribution;
IFS Maintenance; and
IFS Business Enablers.

IFS Applications are able to run on Windows, Unix and Linux with Oracle as the DBMS engine.

IFS applications cover all major functional areas, with interfaces to 3rd party CAD/CAM/CAE vendors.

In addition, it covers areas such as lean manufacturing, PLM, product-based delivery, repetitive manufacturing, to-order manufacturing and after-sales servicing. IFS Applications includes functionality for business process modelling, corporate performance management, planning, execution and waste analysis and reduction. IFS Applications 8 also has its own Eco-footprint and Sustainability Management module.

Figure 1: IFS, the full ERP suite
IFS applications picture
Figure 1 shows the complete suite of IFS applications.

Markets and channels

IFS has offices in over 60 counties in all the 4 main continents of the world. It has a large number of verticalisation versions available and has very well-respected defence and aerospace verticals.

There are a number of IFS Partners who provide implementation support. These include: Capgemini. Logica and Mahindra Satyam.

NEC and Logica act as a distributor of IFS software.

Users

[Customers?]

Technology

IFS Applications consists of over 60 components that are engineered to meet a particular industry or organisations need.

This SOA (Service Oriented Application) is built upon a framework called IFS Foundation that is based on open standards such as UML, SQL, XML, J2EE™, and .NET. It contains the technology and tools for designing, deploying, configuring, integrating, and administering the product.

IFS can work in Microsoft Windows, any UNIX or LINUX environment.

Services

Services are provided by IFS direct or through its implementation partners and distributors.

Commentary

Managing the life of your product

Getting to grips with Sales and Operational Planning

Solutions

IFS Applications

Research

Coming soon.