IFS Cloud Platform vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud comparison

The compared IFS and SAP solutions aren't in the same category. IFS is ranked #9 in ERP , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 2.4% mindshare in the category. SAP is ranked #3 in CE , with an average rating of 8.1, and holds a 11.7% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of IFS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of SAP users who would recommend it.

IFS Cloud Platform

Read 30 IFS Cloud Platform reviews

2,769 Views
1,786 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Read 52 SAP S/4HANA Cloud reviews

1,808 Views
790 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

IFS Cloud Platform

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IFS Cloud Platform and SAP S/4HANA Cloud based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Microsoft, Oracle and others in ERP.

To learn more, read our detailed ERP Report (Updated: November 2024).

Buyer's Guide

ERP

November 2024

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Categories and Ranking

IFS Cloud Platform

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

CRM (12th), Customer Experience Management (7th), Field Service Management (1st), Help Desk Software (8th), ERP (9th), Activity Based Costing Software (7th), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) (2nd), Local Government CRM (4th), IT Asset Management (8th), IT Service Management (ITSM) (6th), License Management (2nd)

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud ERP (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, they serve different purposes. IFS Cloud Platform is designed for ERP and holds a mindshare of 2.4%, down 2.5% compared to last year.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud, on the other hand, focuses on Cloud ERP, holds 11.7% mindshare, down 15.2% since last year.

ERP

Cloud ERP

Featured Reviews

Patrick Abi Habib

IFS Applications & Data Migration consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

I like the connectivity and interfaces, but the reporting could be more user-friendly

IFS uses Crystal Report mostly, which isn't too user-friendly. Developing reports isn't easy and requires a lot of dev time. Since SAP bought it, Crystal Report has become more complicated to use on IFS. You have a dashboard for reporting that is good, but it's incomplete. Most of our clients use Power BI or some additional tooling for BI. I worked on a third-party system called Harmony Solution. This French company produces a reporting tool that I feel is better than Crystal Report for IFS. They could also improve the plugin for Excel data migration to clarify its use. Many clients use it for massive amounts of data, which affects their systems. There is no communication about that. Clients use the Excel plugin because they know it works, but it does not always work the way it should. They need to improve the plugin's performance or inform customers to limit their use. Migration jobs are often based on Excel inputs, particularly CSV files. That can cause issues when operating across several countries. For example, say I'm working on a French PC collaborating with someone in India who uses an Indian PC. Excel will transform the file based on the country's language, and the input data will be wrong. I believe they are trying to fix this with the smart data tool in the cloud.

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Majid-Mustafa

Senior SAP Technical Consultant at Tallimax Consultancy

Good Fiori interface and business processes and uses its own database, not relying on third-party applications

ECC is almost finished. SAP will support it until 2027, and S/4HANA is the long-term solution, supported until 2040. S/4HANA provides more features using the Fiori interface and business processes. We can use the GUI, SAP Fiori apps, and web browsers. It is accessible online from anywhere in the world. It is a more user-friendly environment and faster than ECC. The major feature is that it uses its own database, not relying on third-party applications. The cloud aspect of SAP S/4HANA: It uses its own database, HANA 2.0, and because it is its own database, it works very smoothly and quickly. S/4HANA is stable, and there is no chance of data redundancy, making it fast and responsive for the client.

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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

"IFS Applications is an all-in-one solution for finance, accounting, and production."

"The most valuable feature is the distribution module."

"Individual user profiles that can be configured as templates to minimize data entry."

"A high level of ERP can be handled in IFS."

"The platform is reliable and stable."

"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."

"The workflow of the solution is very good."

"Feature-wise, I like the way it provides inventory details...It is a stable solution."

More IFS Cloud Platform pros

"It is good in data analytics and helps in data analytics."

"The integration between SAP EWM and S4HANA Cloud is seamless."

"Managing the server and taking advantage of the services provided by SAP itself is the most valuable feature."

"The most valuable aspect of SAP S/4HANA Cloud is its ease of deployment and the reduced hassles of infrastructure support."

"Both standard and customized integrations work well with no issues."

"I like the SAP offerings and the standard best practices included in the SAP S/4HANA Cloud version."

"SAP versions used to be quite cumbersome for the end-users. Now SAP S/4HANA has a totally different approach. They use Fiori landing pages, which makes life better."

"The solution is stable."

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud pros

Cons

"Ability to place approval check-points in the custom workflow, so clients can decide what they want it."

"Aspects of HR and payroll could be better."

"The solution's reporting tools still require improvement."

"IFS uses Crystal Report mostly, which isn't too user-friendly. Developing reports isn't easy and requires a lot of dev time. Since SAP bought it, Crystal Report has become more complicated to use on IFS. You have a dashboard for reporting that is good, but it's incomplete. Most of our clients use Power BI or some additional tooling for BI."

"We have upgraded to the latest version right now. We have issues with the quality. We tried to enroll in their Evergreen program which was meant to help us adopt any service update or anything that the tool’s providers come up with."

"Some kind of bot assistance, some kind of artificial intelligence to help people solve the problems, would be interesting."

"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."

"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."

More IFS Cloud Platform cons

"When it comes to the SAP PM material's module, it would be nice to see the inclusion of predictive analytics."

"I would like to see a feature where it allows integration with more platforms."

"It can be done within a few hours, but it also depends on the customer's requirements. If they want some changes, it may be done within one hour. But if there are large-scale changes, it may take one week or one month."

"The system is very heavy and requires a lot of resources and a dedicated team."

"It's a huge software, and they need to make it look less complex and more user friendly. They need to work on user stories and user experiences."

"Sales data processing was cumbersome with many mandatory inputs. We normalized this by pulling the data out, manipulating it, and sending it back. We also had unique requirements for controlling product availability, ATP checks, and prioritization for certain customers. These were areas specific to our business model that we handled outside the tool."

"Their revolving AI should should be better improved."

"SAP S4HANA Cloud's production planning screens could be improved."

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing is on an annual basis, with no additional costs."

"Ask for all-inclusive pricing, as they are pretty flexible if you ask for custom models."

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

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

"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."

"IFS Applications are competitive in terms of pricing compared to other vendors, such as SAP, Oracle, and Epicor. They are generally cheaper, especially for licensing costs."

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

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

More IFS Cloud Platform pricing and cost advice

"I'm not directly involved in the pricing discussions; it's more of a concern for the finance team."

"I feel the solution is expensive when it comes to what can be obtained with open source software."

"Its pricing is way over any of the other ERPs. I'd rate it one out of ten in terms of pricing."

"The solution's costs have significantly increased, and we have not seen any anticipated cost savings."

"Pricing wise, SAP S4HANA Cloud is very expensive. The licensing cost can be 100,000 euros per year, depending on the number of users in your company."

"S/4HANA is an enterprise solution that many can't afford. You must invest a lot to get the most out of it. It isn't cheap. I rate the price seven out of 10."

"The solution’s pricing is very high."

"The pricing model can be complicated in certain scenarios."

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IFS Applications?

The solution's reporting tools still require improvement. The current functionality could be more user-friendly and flexible, which can lead to increased reliance on service partners for custom cha...

See all answers

What do you like most about SAP S/4HANA Cloud?

The manufacturing area is a good feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP S/4HANA Cloud?

SAP S/4HANA Cloud is very expensive, both to purchase and maintain. It's important to evaluate the costs of recruiting and maintaining trained personnel as it's not just a one-time payment yet requ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP S/4HANA Cloud?

The system is very heavy and requires a lot of resources and a dedicated team. It is costly to maintain, demanding trained professionals, which adds to the expenses. This makes the overall cost ver...

See all answers

Comparisons

SAP ERP vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 24% of the time

SAP S/4HANA vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 14% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 10% of the time

IBM Maximo vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Epicor ERP vs IFS Cloud Platform

Compared 3% of the time

More IFS Cloud Platform Competitors

SAP Business ByDesign vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 26% of the time

Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 20% of the time

SAP Business One vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 19% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle E-Business Suite vs SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Compared 6% of the time

More SAP S/4HANA Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IFS Cloud Platform

December 2024

Download IFS Cloud Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

November 2024

Download SAP S/4HANA Cloud product report

Also Known As

IFS Applications, Assyst, IFS Cloud

SAP S4HANA Cloud

Learn More

IFS

SAP

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™.

SAP S/4HANA stands for SAP Suite 4 HANA. It is a next-generation integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that is designed for businesses of all sizes, in all industries, that require deep and broad functionality combined with a high degree of flexibility. SAP S/4HANA was launched in 2015 and been adopted by more than 3,200 customers over a period of sixteen months. SAP S/4HANA is materially different from anything SAP has done before and represents the company’s biggest innovation since SAP R/3.

SAP S/4HANA is intended to provide a digital core for an organization. It is fully architected for the most advanced in-memory platform, SAP HANA, and is designed on the most modern design principles with the SAP Fiori user experience to create a personalized and simple feel on users’ device of choice (tablet, laptop, mobile). SAP S/4HANA aims to simplify an organizations’ system landscape and reduce total cost of ownership by shrinking the data footprint while at the same time improving productivity levels in the form of higher throughput. Timelines for cloud deployments average around six months.

SAP S/4HANA is designed to drive business innovation by connecting people, devices, and business networks in real time to support the development of new business models. It will also help accelerate the adoption of, and connection to, the Internet of Things and Big Data. SAP S/4HANA can analyze big data at unprecedented speed allowing users to access real-time information from anywhere, any way they’d like and thus help managers make truly insightful decisions. The simplified data model allows customers to reimagine their IT, helping to drive lower costs and deliver IT efficiency. This, coupled with the SAP S/4HANA prediction and simulation capabilities allow it to anticipate the impact of business outcomes. By doing all the above, SAP S/4HANA aims to provide ultimate sophistication in the simplest possible manner.

To learn more about SAP S/4HANA, visit http://go.sap.com/product/enterprise-management/s4hana-erp.html

Sample Customers

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

La Trobe University, Carrefour Comércio e Indústria Ltda, Delaware Consulting and Corning Inc.

Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, Microsoft, Oracle and others in ERP. Updated: November 2024.

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