IFS Cloud Platform vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) comparison

IFS and OpenText are both solutions in the IT Service Management (ITSM) category. IFS is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.8, while OpenText is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.3. IFS holds a 1.6% mindshare in ISM, compared to OpenText’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of IFS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of OpenText users who would recommend it.

IFS Cloud Platform

Read 30 IFS Cloud Platform reviews

529 Views
343 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

OpenText Service Management...

Read 6 OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) reviews

875 Views
410 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

IFS Cloud Platform

OpenText Service Management...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

IFS Cloud Platform and OpenText Service Management Automation X compete in enterprise software solutions. While IFS Cloud Platform excels in customer support and pricing, SMAX is favored for its advanced features, offering a trade-off between cost-effectiveness and comprehensive capabilities.

Features: IFS Cloud Platform strengthens asset management and project planning, offering enhanced operational efficiency. It provides a user-friendly interface with seamless deployment capabilities and robust industry-specific modules for maintenance and finance. SMAX offers robust IT service management with comprehensive automation tools, AI-driven processes, and advanced virtual chatbot capabilities that improve customer support and user interaction.

Room for Improvement: IFS Cloud Platform could benefit from enhanced customization options for unique business processes, improved warehouse functionality for higher efficiency in shared environments, and more advanced features for financial analytics. SMAX could improve by simplifying its deployment in varied IT environments, expanding its integration capabilities beyond IT service management, and enhancing user interface intuitiveness to match operational versatility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IFS Cloud Platform is known for its straightforward deployment and excellent customer support, making it ideal for rapid implementation in industrial settings. SMAX offers flexible deployment models tailored to IT needs, backed by responsive service, emphasizing adaptability in diverse IT environments without compromising on support quality.

Pricing and ROI: IFS Cloud Platform offers competitive pricing that often results in a strong ROI, particularly beneficial for industries seeking immediate cost-effectiveness with solid support. However, SMAX, despite higher initial costs, promises substantial long-term ROI due to its advanced features, scalability, and comprehensive IT service management capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed IFS Cloud Platform vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IFS Cloud Platform vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

April 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

IFS Cloud Platform

Ranking in IT Service Management (ITSM)

10th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

CRM (21st), Customer Experience Management (7th), Field Service Management (2nd), Help Desk Software (11th), ERP (13th), Activity Based Costing Software (7th), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) (3rd), Local Government CRM (6th), IT Asset Management (10th), License Management (3rd)

OpenText Service Management...

Ranking in IT Service Management (ITSM)

16th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the IT Service Management (ITSM) category, the mindshare of IFS Cloud Platform is 1.6%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is 2.1%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

IT Service Management (ITSM)

Featured Reviews

Brendan Fisher

IFS Applications Consultant at Zest Business Process Management Ltd

Robust, customizable, and modern

IFS is a very large and complex software, and implementation of IFS can be challenging and may lead to a difficult lengthy project. It can take between 12 and 24 months in some cases to deploy. I have found that not all clients are fully aware of how big the task is that they're undertaking when they make a decision to move to software like this. Companies need to be more aware of the complexity of an ERP implementation project and while I fully recommend moving to IFS, it is not easy and does require business change when adopting an ERP solution. New features are a difficult ask - I work across multiple industries and everyone would probably choose a different feature. Maybe BIM in Construction or Customs link-ups for importers/exporters.

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Mourad Ali

ITSM Consultancy Head at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Offers topic analytics for incident and problem management

The only challenge with Azure customers is when they have a specific requirement that is not available out of the box and is inflexible to adjust. Sometimes, customers have tough requirements that are not flexible enough to be adjusted, even if SMAX can provide a better alternative. They need this specific feature. This challenge is common with SMAX, BMC, ServiceNow, IBM, or other similar tools. When working with enterprise tools that are not developed in-house, I don't have access to the source code and am limited to the features and capabilities provided by the leading vendors. So, this challenge is common across SMAX, BMC, and ServiceNow. The solution could have more customization flexibility.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The main reason for the ERP project was to bring together our fourteen sites, which had until then worked in separate silos."

"The workflow of the solution is very good."

"The financial posting controls are quite handy. The user interface is really friendly, highly flexible, and pretty intuitive for end users."

"When it comes to financing, the solution has helped us to concentrate finance functions like accounting processes in one system. This includes about 70 internal entities around the world."

"The best feature is the maintenance module, which is essentially an industry-specific workflow designed with a manufacturing module as per industry standards. It's very precise and specific without having complex functionalities. It's straightforward. Field Service Management is definitely a wonderful product that IFS has developed because it caters to field services. The energy and utility sectors can answer their business needs using the software."

"There are fewer fields on the user screen compared to other products. This makes the UI a little bit easier to understand."

"What I like about IFS Applications is that it's easier to use and implement than SAP. I also like that the IFS Applications team is more flexible than the SAP team."

"The most valuable features of IFS Applications are their intuitiveness and ease of use. The navigations are also straightforward, which makes it easy to train users. The feedback I always receive is that it is very user-friendly."

More IFS Cloud Platform pros

"OpenText Service Management Automation X provides valuable features such as topic analytics for incident and problem management. It also includes natural language processing for analyzing technical descriptions. Additionally, it features a virtual chatbot capable of processing natural language to interact effectively with end users. This service enhances customer support and is not subject to the limitations often found in offerings from other vendors."

"This is a cordless application that can be used throughout any organization."

"It offers a range of tools for sales and configuration. It's like a business process improvement platform, suitable for various lines of business operations."

"The product provides an interface for the end users to make requests."

"The most valuable features of Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) are that it is user-friendly, easy to configure, and adaptable."

"The tool is very easy to use."

Cons

"I'm a business analyst, so I do a lot of customer-facing work. I take calls from businesses I have to troubleshoot. One thing that bugs me is the error messages you get from IFS. If I get an error message, I have to dig to find the cause because, often, the error message doesn't precisely describe the problem. It'll hint about where the problem lies, but you have to work to find the root cause. It doesn't help in my situation. You expect an error message to point to the field or what is causing the issue."

"I have seen that one of the areas that my company has identified for improvement might be the rental management capabilities within the solution."

"There are some stability issues."

"There should be some improvements in the predefined templates in IFS Applications."

"The solution's initial setup process was complex...The technical support my company receives from the implementation partners of the solution is not that great."

"The next version has already been released, and some of the technical things are a little bit behind the curve in development. This is specifically security, maintenance, security role maintenance, and creation. This is in their new product, called IFS Cloud."

"Technical support could be improved."

"Aspects of HR and payroll could be better."

More IFS Cloud Platform cons

"The initial setup of Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is complicated, but once it is set up the configuration is straightforward to adapt to the users' or customers' needs."

"The contract management feature can be improved."

"The solution lacks sufficient documentation."

"The product's connectivity with third-party products is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"The tool has negatively impacted our productivity."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is reasonably priced."

"There are varying license levels that you can purchase."

"IFS Applications is expensive software, but it's on par with SAP and Oracle. It's for large enterprises and government entities and not for small and medium-sized enterprises. They have one licensing model, but if you want to have a module-specific license, they provide component-based licenses. Unlike SAP and Oracle, it doesn't have different levels of licensing. It's one level of licensing."

"Pricing is an area that could be improved. They could be more competitive."

"I consider it to be a well-priced solution compared to other mid-range or high-end ERP solutions."

"Compared to SAP, the pricing for IFS Applications was very affordable. People using the solution would find that it's worth the money."

"The pricing of the solution may appear to be expensive for smaller companies with only tens of users; however, for larger and mid-size industrial companies, IFS is able to win deals and the pricing is competitive in the market."

"It is better to buy implementation services from IFS than from partners"

More IFS Cloud Platform pricing and cost advice

"The cost of the license for SMAX varies depending on the configuration, including the number of seats for users and the customer's specific requirements. It's not a fixed cost and can vary."

"The solution is somewhat cheaper than the competitors."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Energy/Utilities Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IFS Applications?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine or ten out of ten since it is an extremely scalable solution that can be used for various use cases with thousands of users.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IFS Applications?

The product is reasonably priced. The costs are justified by the value provided, considering the comprehensive features and minimal need for customization. I rate the pricing a seven out of ten.

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What needs improvement with IFS Applications?

I am not able to recall much about batch. Documentation-wise, they need more. There is not much available online, and the documentation availability is on the lower side compared to other products,...

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What do you like most about Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)?

The tool is very easy to use.

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What is your primary use case for Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)?

The solution is used for the end-user portal. It is used for incident management, requests, and other informational purposes.

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What advice do you have for others considering Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)?

The tool is appropriate if we don't have a complicated use case. It is the right tool for simple use cases. It's a lot cheaper than ServiceNow. It is an appropriate tool for a smaller business or m...

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Comparisons

SAP ERP vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 20% of the time

IBM Maximo vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 12% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 11% of the time

SAP S/4HANA vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 11% of the time

ServiceNow vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 7% of the time

More IFS Cloud Platform Competitors

ServiceNow vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 35% of the time

JIRA Service Management vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 31% of the time

BMC Helix ITSM vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 23% of the time

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 11% of the time

More OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IFS Cloud Platform

April 2025

Download IFS Cloud Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

March 2025

OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) report

Download OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) product report

Also Known As

IFS Applications, Assyst, IFS Cloud

OpenText Service Manager, Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

IFS

OpenText

Overview

IFS is the world’s leading provider of Industrial AI and enterprise software for hardcore businesses that make, service, and power our planet. Our technology enables businesses which manufacture goods, maintain complex assets, and manage service-focused operations to unlock the transformative power of Industrial AI™ to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Industrial AI is IFS.ai.

IFS Cloud is a fully composable AI-powered platform, designed for ultimate flexibility and adaptability to our customers’ specific requirements and business evolution. It spans the needs of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Information Technology Service Management (ITSM), and Field Service Management (FSM). IFS technology leverages AI, machine learning, real-time data and analytics to empower our customers to make informed strategic decisions and excel at their Moment of Service™.

IFS

OpenText™ SMAX is a SaaS-based solution that delivers a smart approach to IT and enterprise service management with built-in analytics, codeless configurations, and private generative AI chatbots.

OpenText SMAX delivers a smart approach to service management, with full capabilities for IT service management (ITSM), IT asset management (ITAM), and enterprise service management (ESM). Empower users to self-resolve common requests with private generative AI chatbots that offer human-like responses. Give your team what they need—ITIL best-practice templates, codeless configurations, and built-in AI and analytics for automating workflows, improving processes, and solving issues. With SaaS deployment, SMAX eliminates the hassle of installation, maintenance, and upgrade. What’s more, SMAX offers flexible and affordable licensing that adapts to your business needs and saves you money.

SMAX has a flexible and transparent pricing model that lets you change license allocations or add capabilities without costly surprises. Pricing starts at $79 per agent per month for a full range of processes and features that include a service portal, mobile app, AI, analytics, federated CMDB, ITSM, ESM, discovery, and orchestration. Visit the OpenText ITSM SaaS pricing page for details.

OpenText

Sample Customers

China Airlines, Electrolux Group, Babcock, Cimcorp, Sky, Multiplex, Veolia.

Zurich Airport, Envirosuite, Norsk Helsenett, Achmea, University of Milan, World Vision, Petroleum Development Oman, Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT).

Buyer's Guide

IFS Cloud Platform vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

April 2025

Free Report: IFS Cloud Platform vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

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