Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Infor M3 vs Microsoft Dynamics AX comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

Infor M3
Ranking in ERP
11th
Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ranking in ERP
4th
Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software
3rd
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of Infor M3 is 5.2%, up from 3.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics AX is 6.3%, down from 6.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ERP
 

Q&A Highlights

it_user550989 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 21, 2017
 

Featured Reviews

Pravinkumar Bhandare - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is a reliable, stable, and cost-saving ERP
Different countries have different finance practices, but I believe they need to fine-tune their practices to match industry standards. Practices vary from country to country, for example, in India, it is different than in the US. Sometimes, clients require alternate processes that are not standard, but they claim that these are the standard practices in their industry. At those times, we feel that the option required is not available with the solution. This is not the case only for Infor M3. Other ERPs also have the same problem. We can't mold the ERP to fit the customer's requirements. There are some standards in place because many screens and programs are integrated into the finance process. We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements. The customer needs specific screens for different users, so if that program is in place, we have one planning tool in Infor M3. Planners need to know all things related to manufacturing, purchase, and sales in order to make decisions about planning. In one of my clients, I came across the requirement that they were asking for user authority in the planning tool. This is not the case though, because all planners need to know all things. However, on the manufacturing side, we can say that the person who is working with machine operations only needs to know machine-related information and doesn't need knowledge of products or sales. That standard industry is available, so we can give access to the user as per their needs. If the maintenance people are there, we can give them limited access, but if the planner is there, we need to give them all access according to industry standards. However, this requirement from the client side is not possible with the standard Infor software, but Infor can consider implementing it if the need is larger for many customers.
SherifAnter - PeerSpot reviewer
The sales and distribution modules are robust, and reliable, and seldom encounter issues
In GP, there are certain features like financial reporting that aren't part of the core GP package. Users might need to install additional components for these features. For example, there's a reseller product called Management Reporter, but many users would prefer to have the reporting capabilities integrated within GP itself, rather than relying on external tools. The manufacturing module in GP is quite basic, and those who require more advanced manufacturing capabilities often turn to third-party modules or tools. Additionally, you might be aware that in 2028, GP is expected to reach its end of life. Microsoft has already ceased selling GP to new customers. It's essentially the same product, but this marks the final year for GP's availability.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the Infor GL tool that allows us to do our application support and development."
"It's simple to use. You don't need any complex training to use it."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to cover different types of activities, and the requirement for maintenance and data is very low."
"It's very stable, and it handles all types of industrial and manufacturing businesses in very good ways. I've found it to be easy."
"provides all modules, supply chain, HR - it's good for management."
"M3 has several useful features for managing supply chains, production, and customer orders. It's an excellent system that helps me meet all my requirements for fixed costs."
"Overall, I rate Infor M3 nine out of ten for a positive experience."
"The user interface and user experience were good."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics AX is its full integration with Excel, allowing for cut and paste functionality between Excel and the system."
"This solution's most valuable feature is its workflow for purchase orders and inventory."
"Microsoft Dynamics is very stable."
"In terms of features, GP offers a wide range of strong capabilities, particularly in the financial module."
"It is stable, suitable for businesses, and covers all business needs."
"The production is a valuable feature."
"I like that it's a complete ERP solution from production level to branch level."
"The tool makes it easier to manage things."
 

Cons

"The implementation could be simplified, it's complex."
"The solution's technical support is an area with shortcomings that need improvement, especially the support for the product named M3 rather than the support offered by Infor as an organization."
"The solution must provide more learning documents."
"We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements."
"Infor should create one product to handle the whole business. At present, they make ERP systems for each type of business, and then sell additional features. I would like to have one system handing all organizations or all the business in deep ways and not have to buy additional features."
"Customer support from Infor is responsive and addresses issues, but the response time can be delayed, which sometimes leads me to explore private vendors."
"It should be improved in terms of procurement of the supply chain and business intelligence analysis. We have the Infor BI tool, but it's more complex to use than, for example, Power Pivot or QlikView in the market."
"I would like to have some kind of dashboard to show an overview of different data on the same dashboard or on the same screen instead of moving to BI."
"It needs better financials and reporting from the system, not through Excel."
"The integration could improve for the future."
"The tool's setup phase and pricing are areas with certain concerns where improvements are required."
"This solution could be improved with more expert resources and an easier implementation process."
"From a consultant's point of view, I recommend an enhancement in terms of detailed documentation for the products on the website."
"I sometimes put in wrong data that needs correction, but I cannot change it or approve it without withdrawing it. It will then take time for me to go back in and edit it."
"The product needs better admin control. There is room for improvement in flexibility, reporting, and dashboards. Artificial intelligence should be incorporated. I have concerns regarding partners, specifically in the implementation and deployment of Microsoft Dynamics."
"There is no Arabic interface in Microsoft Business Central, which is a big weak point."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool’s licensing is yearly."
"I'm not part of the team that manages Infor M3 pricing, but it depends on the client, integration, ship-out, and training levels. You get the price from the solution provider, but it would be best to discuss it because nothing is set in stone regarding pricing."
"Infor M3 is a tier-two product and is cheaper than tier-one products such as SAP and Oracle. However, it is more expensive than some other tier-two products. The licensing cost is dependent on the number of users. Also, if you purchase other tools from Infor as a package, then there may be other discounts offered."
"The cost is between $50 and $100 per user annually."
"If you compare Infor M3 to SAP, Infor M3 is less expensive than SAP, but if you compare Infor M3 to Dynamics 365, Infor M3 is more expensive. It also depends on the model that you buy. It depends on whether you have the complete package or whether you have separate models."
"There is a yearly licensing cost. The price is based on the modules you need. There are several modules, such as HR module, accounting module, sales module, scheduling module, etc., and the price will vary depending on the number of modules you choose. The customers always say that it's very expensive. It can cost a lot of money if your organization is huge. It's not implemented in a lot of organizations in my country because it's too expensive."
"The platform's price offering is good."
"One license costs $1,000."
"Comparatively, Business Central appears to be more cost-effective. Microsoft offers Business Central at only $70 per user per month in the US. In contrast, GP requires an initial investment, including around $9,000 for the GP license for three users and additional expenses for hardware. Therefore, the initial investment for GP is quite substantial. On the other hand, cloud-based ERP products like Business Central do not entail the same upfront investment and operate on an ongoing, subscription-based model."
"The price of the solution is high."
"The product's license is expensive. My company is located in a region where we have to pay the most for the tool due to our currency and inflation scenario."
"We pay for licensing yearly to use Microsoft Dynamics AX."
"Go for cloud implementation, if cost is critical."
"I don't know how much this solution costs off the top of my head, but I know that the cloud and SaaS solutions are cheaper."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which ERP solutions are best for your needs.
847,772 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Answers from the Community

it_user550989 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 21, 2017
Mar 21, 2017
Can you share the reasoning behind your consideration to switch? Which features are you looking for in a new/different solution?
2 out of 6 answers
it_user326337 - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 15, 2016
Can you share the reasoning behind your consideration to switch? Which features are you looking for in a new/different solution?
it_user550989 - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 16, 2016
Old installation M3 EOL soon. Manufacturing Economy customer orders Service Modern, scalable, cloudavailable and html5 solution Joakim
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Wholesaler/Distributor
7%
Retailer
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Infor M3?
The product's initial setup phase is easy.
What needs improvement with Infor M3?
Improvements could be made in security and scalability. Enhanced changes could be beneficial in security, and while the application is already cloud-based, adding features like daily MRP updates wo...
What is your primary use case for Infor M3?
I use Infor M3 as a robust system primarily in chemical process engineering, such as chemical industries and textile manufacturing. It is designed for discrete and non-discrete manufacturing, parti...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics AX?
DAX is actually well supported by its development. Given that even in this old version of AX and taking into account that its predecessor D365 has been around since 2017, the DAX ERP is still worki...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics AX?
Right now, we are moving to a new ERP platform. It is in the cloud, and because of that, the cloud pushes updates every quarter, which could technically break our products. We are looking into an a...
 

Also Known As

Infor Lawson M3, Lawson M3
Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Grosfillex, High Five Sportswear, L_derach, OTK Group, PHS Group, Propper International, Red Wing Shoe Company, Reynolds Catering Supplies, Saudi Diesel, Sheetz, Zeppelin, Zodiac Aerospace
ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
Find out what your peers are saying about Infor M3 vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
847,772 professionals have used our research since 2012.