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IFS Cloud Platform 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

IFS Cloud Platform
Ranking in ERP
13th
Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software
7th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
CRM (21st), Customer Experience Management (7th), Field Service Management (2nd), Help Desk Software (11th), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) (3rd), Local Government CRM (6th), IT Asset Management (10th), IT Service Management (ITSM) (10th), License Management (3rd)
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Ranking in ERP
4th
Ranking in Activity Based Costing Software
3rd
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the ERP category, the mindshare of IFS Cloud Platform is 2.4%, down from 2.4% 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
 

Featured Reviews

Brendan Fisher - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
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

"IFS Applications' best feature is the user-friendly interface that has a .NET Framework application in the front end and an Oracle database and WebLogic middleware."
"Having a young talented programmer, during the six years of use, we were able to save around 75 000 EUR preparing simple modifications using customization rather than ordering them in IFS / Partner."
"The most valuable features of IFS Applications in the latest version are the new user Arena interface. It's from Apps 9, but it brings more flexibility in usage, especially around different devices, such as mobile usage, which doesn't restrict you from using a computer. We are it for the HR side, and it's proving quite good. It has a new modern feel to it similar to a standard cloud application which enhances the user experience."
"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."
"IFS has been completely rebuilt, modernized, and cloud-based so we don't need bulky software installations."
"All the modules are valuable in their own right, but everything has to go through the ERP. IFS has done an excellent job integrating the various modules to complete these processes. My expertise is in the finance module, but I have used the other verticals. It's an all-around good product."
"The workflow of the solution is very good."
"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."
"AX is nearly a Tier One product, so implementations are long, but there's a lot of flexibility. Also, the ability to handle different issues found in larger organizations."
"The tool's most important capabilities are for retail and finance. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 doesn't have many integration capabilities, but Microsoft 365 has the most capabilities to integrate with any type of standalone software and has many more features."
"Dynamics AX is very simple to use."
"Technical support is very good."
"It is stable, suitable for businesses, and covers all business needs."
"The tool makes it easier to manage things."
"In terms of features, GP offers a wide range of strong capabilities, particularly in the financial module."
"There's a moderate amount of scalability available."
 

Cons

"IFS Applications can improve the reporting capabilities and increase the speed of feedback time in the IFS Applications. This would help with the overall performance of the solution and provide better experiences for customers."
"We would like to see AI-driven CSI functions built into the tool that would allow us to quickly tie our improvement goals to metrics and activities, so Assyst will suggest the next steps to help us get closer to our goals."
"The solution needs to improve its documentation and user-friendliness."
"An area for improvement would be transactions, which can be tedious to complete as the process is very complex."
"There are certain digital features that need to be incorporated, such as IOP."
"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."
"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'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 support here in Turkey could be better. However, the international support is good."
"This solution could be improved with more expert resources and an easier implementation process."
"Change management could be better."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX can improve by having a more modern user interface. It should be more modular and dynamic. Additionally, the solution could be easier to connect with APIs with other technologies."
"We experienced some challenges with the mobile apps due to the insufficient processing capacity to handle the workload effectively."
"They should include some modules related to solving customer problems or resolving support tickets from our customers — like a help desk for ERPs."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX can improve system performance and security. The security is basic and needs a lot of improvement."
"There is room for improvement in the licensing model and associated costs of this solution."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"The product is reasonably priced."
"There's an additional yearly cost for support."
"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."
"There are varying license levels that you can purchase."
"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."
"The product's pricing is expensive. The tool costs 210 USD per user for one month."
"Microsoft Dynamics AX is expensive."
"The solution is on-premises and we do not pay for a license."
"One license costs $1,000."
"I purchased the license once, and there is a license with a partner that I pay for annually."
"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."
"The initial investment cost goes up due to the hidden cost."
"There is an annual licensing cost for Microsoft Dynamics AX."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
20%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
Energy/Utilities Company
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 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.
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.
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,...
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

IFS Applications, Assyst, IFS Cloud
Dynamics AX, Axapta, MS Dynamics AX
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

China Airlines, Electrolux Group, Babcock, Cimcorp, Sky, Multiplex, Veolia. 
ConQuaestor, D & H Distributing, Sunny Queen, Mesa Associates, Britax Childcare, Ibema, Arafa, Sabo S.p.A.
Find out what your peers are saying about IFS Cloud Platform vs. Microsoft Dynamics AX and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.