IFS Applications

The IFS Applications ERP platform is constructed on component SOA architecture and supports, including, management of project-oriented production, product lifecycle management and data on a product, products configurators, the shop order and accounting, management of complex repairs and upgrade, management of subcontractings and also continued and lot-based production.

IFS Applications provides to the companies operating in the field of contract manufacturing the following advantages:

• Communication of processes of engineering and supply that allows to organize optimum deliveries and more effectively to use warehouse spaces.
• Strong focus on project management and control of deviations.
• Integration with planning tools, such as Primavera and MS Project.
• Support not only the project in general, but also its separate components – from development before installation.
• Management and control of all changes made to the project and also connection with process of supply of materials which these changes influence.
• Document flow (agreements, requests for the commercial offer, orders, purchase orders, orders for service, etc.).
• Subcontractor relationship management.
• Production process support, flexible work planning.
• Integration into the financial module for cost control, calculation of a financial result, the analysis and the reporting.

2018: IFS Applications 10

The IFS company, global software provider for the corporate sector, provided IFS Applications 10, the optimized version of the end-to-end information system for the enterprises. In IFS Applications 10 more than 500 features are added, including completely updated user interface and functions for service - the focused organizations developed with the purpose to provide a digital basis for interaction of the users involved in business processes reported on June 25, 2018 in IFS.

Systems capabilities of IFS Applications 10:

• IFS Aurena
  • The intuitive user interface based on the Internet browser. Thanks to focus on the user of IFS Aurena stimulates interaction and employees productivity. The IFS Aurena interface implemented for business-to-business and casual users will continue to develop according to the concept of IFS.

• AI/human-computer interaction
  • Relying on artificial intelligence technology (AI), IFS Applications 10 supports IFS Aurena a bot which allows users to interact with a system by means of voice or text input by an intuitive method. A bot non-management employees and heads both for formulation of natural language queries, and for implementation of such transactions as, for example, registration of absence or the request for a holiday can use IFS Aurena. To a bot it is possible to get access through applications for communication, such as Skype, Skype for Business and Facebook Messenger and also through actually IFS Aurena interface.

• Service-oriented opportunities
  • In IFS Applications 10 emphasis on gain of support of the service-oriented organizations, especially the producers performing a service and after-sale service of the products and service companies for which the integrated packet of corporate applications adapted to their business model is necessary is put. Among the main updates in this area — an ability to manage service works and their contract price directly in the module CRM, expanded support of accomplishment of service work as different contractors in different intervals of time, further development of the application of IFS Mobile Work Order, the optimized possibilities of visualization for management of resource requirements and their loading, continuous control of cost in the course of execution of works along with opportunities for customer interaction during all product lifecycle and implementation of settlings with the outsourcing organizations.

• DDMRP (Demand Driven Material Requirements Planning)
  • DDMRP is expansion of traditional MRP approach for support of planning for high volatility of demand in the conditions of short product lifecycle and long delivery cycles of materials and component parts. Managing buffer stocks on all planning horizon, the companies can reduce runtime of orders instead of relying on indefinite forecasts. The solution which is built in the IFS Applications system was studied and approved by Demand Driven Institute, specified in IFS.

• Production management
  • Version 10 of a system differs in improvements for support of a production process, including enhanced capabilities for tracking, quality management, management of prescription production, balancing of batches, elimination of defects and sales management. Expanded functions allow producers to use digitalization for increase in the efficiency.

• Expansions for global business
  • Provides completely rebuilt mechanism of global management of tax deductions for ensuring expanded support of global companies IFS Applications 10, it is more than opportunities for accounting of a great number of legal entities and also support of parallel ledgers.

• The cloud focused API
  • Open program interfaces (API) of microservices constructed on the relevant principles of RESTful and OASIS oData standards guarantee easy data integration and processes with technologies IoT and AI, c Microsoft Office 365, SaaS- solutions and the majority of other cloud computing architectures.

Deployment of IFS Applications 10 is possible in the form of the managed service in a cloud, software as service (SaaS) and on the customer's equipment.

2015

IFS upgraded Applications 9

On October 28, 2015 the IFS company announced entering of amendments of upgrade into software of IFS Applications 9 and an exit of the corresponding release. The advanced model of technical support is at the same time announced.

The software window on the screen of tablet (2014)

Main changes:

• New opportunities of in-memory technology
• Expanded visualization of production processes
• Expanded support of real estate administration
• The improved functionality of consolidation of financial statements

Among expanded features there are corrections IFS Applications 9: possibilities of in-memory. An important element of the solution in-memory - IFS In-Memory Advisor which helps customers to apply in-memory technology to those IFS Applications components where it will result in the maximum effect, or, at the request of the customer, to all application components. Using in-memory technology, users can manage analytical requests in hundreds and even thousands of times quicker, than before. With a possibility of information compression at 3-10 times it is possible to manage in-memory databases which volume is measured by terabytes.

As a part of release the solutions allowing users to investigate production problems directly using IFS Manufacturing Visualizer are corrected. Charts for optimization of production planning are added to a production visualizer. The module IFS IFS Quality Management is also included by several changes, such as sampling inspection.

The Real estate administration component IFS contains numerous adding and the improved functionality in addition to upgrade of the user interface. Now the solution allows users to correlate the created works orders to external or internal lease of the necessary equipment.

IFS Finance is filled up with expanded support of consolidation of financial statements of group, including the profound analysis of the consolidated balance using IFS Business Analytics.

IFS provided the model of technical support based on quarterly updates of IFS Applications. By means of a multi-tier applied architecture of IFS Applications 9 patches and updates are released quicker and easier, than in the previous versions - customers quicker and for smaller cost will be able to benefit by the latest improvements of a product.

Features of ISF Applications 9

• IFS LOBBY - Already on the homepage you gain visual representation about key performance indicators (KPI) – in real time. The ideal tool for management of your company, department or the project. The exclusive, easily configured solution adapted to your changing business roles and business processes.
• IFS STREAMS - Labor-intensive process of collection of information belongs to the past. Why not to allow IFS Streams to make it for you? A system will timely notify you on important changes in sales process or an order status, in production and other processes. IFS Streams increases efficiency of managers, logisticians, technicians and other specialists, improving service of customers and promoting their satisfaction.
• MOBILITY - Your business under review – always and everywhere. IFS Applications 9 is available on mobile devices – notebooks and tablets, but even smartphones and wearable devices will help to be in touch!
• MULTI-TIER ARCHITECTURE - The source code, localizations, expansions and modifications are separated on levels now. It minimizes the cost of change of the source code IFS Applications and does process of upgrade of updating to the new version easier and more effective. Reduction of the source code for 40% means increase in efficiency, reduction in cost of ownership and increase in the security level.
• INDIVIDUAL CONFIGURATION - User Objects allow to configure IFS Applications according to your requirements, even without having deep skills of programming and without change of the source code! Our customers could reduce the number of required modifications by 90%! The smaller number of changes means reduction of cost, increase in the security level and flexibility.
• VISUALIZATION - Speed and ease of transition to the graphics image of data give you the best understanding of a business situation and allow to work even more effectively. For example, for the industrial industry of IFS offers a production visualizer of Manufacturing Visualizer - the graphic tool for planning of production processes.
• GLOBAL BIZNESS - Your business is global? Then your corporate software also should be global. With IFS Applications you can manage branches of your company worldwide. Global projects can be planned and executed even more effectively, technical support of matrix organizations can be more optimal. There is no limit to your plans for expansion. We propose the correct solution for players on the world scene.
• CLOUD SERVICES - IFS provides a full range of cloud services: whether you want to manage the solution or through cloud infrastructure (IaaS), or attracting using a cloud third parties - with IFS and its Microsoft partner you can select Azure.

Service Management upgrade

On August 27, 2015 IFS announced changes and additions for the solution Management of Service Maintenance (IFS Service Management) as a part of IFS Applications 9.

Screenshot of application window, 2014

Among them:

• Upgrade of the user interface — the built-in visualization providing graphical representation and the built-in analytic functions. Accuracy of registration of calls at the minimum data entry is improved.

• The remote warehouse — this functionality helps to manage supply processes, to control process of fuelling and to automate distribution of orders, according to certain requirements to material security of execution of works.

• Dynamic planning — the solution as much as possible conforms to requirements of SLA, manages regional and local resources, controls location and availability of maintenance entities, considers preferences in the choice of resources, loading of resources, their working experience and possibilities of stimulation.

• Mobility — additional opportunities of IFS Service Management help engineers to control remotely accomplishment of all stages of dresses in online or offline the modes. Mobile application is equipped by the built-in designer for configuring of the screen, smart forms, the intuitive description of a flow of works and ensures high safety.

ERP IFS Applications 9 is updated

On May 29, 2015 the IFS company submitted the basic version of the end-to-end information system for the enterprises - IFS Applications 9.

Screenshot of an application window of supply chains, 2015

Among additional systems capabilities:

• IFS Lobby — the transparent and completely configured visualization of the current business situation for this or that business role. IFS Lobby provides up-to-date information for each specific user according to his needs for a type completely configured and clear at first sight. This innovation layer of a user interface does a system more clear and more convenient in use, bringing closer users to their business and working at all types of end devices, such as desktop computer, tablet or smartphone.

• IFS Streams is the warning system allowing to have the finger on the pulse of events by means of notifications on the corresponding updates and\or requests for actions relating to certain users.

• Multi-tier architecture of a system — specialized additional levels for the configured expansions which reduce ownership cost, allowing IT specialists to focus on business challenges instead of continuous process control of the current modifications of a system.

• The built-in CRM — really providing possibilities of the built-in CRM, IFS Applications 9 makes business data available in due time and in the right place, facilitating decision making process and improving service of customers.

• Expanded support of global business — new opportunities for group consolidation, advanced support of management of matrix organizations and other innovations aimed at successful development of the global companies.

• The IFS Applications 9 code contains 19 million lines - it is almost twice more than signs, than in the British encyclopedia.
• Written to one line by the Courier New 12 font, the code longwise equals to distance between Boston and Chicago, or between IFS headquarters in Linchepinge, Sweden and Paris.
• About 460 employees of departments R&D in seven countries worked on IFS Applications 9 within three years. It means that 250,000 liters of coffee and tea were drunk during a development stage. Quantity sufficient for filling of 1,600 bathtubs.
• IFS Applications 9 was tested by five customer companies (Beijer, Kimal, Servi Group, Spang, VBMS). Within several months of 1,600 employees of these companies used IFS Applications 9, and during this time the number of customizations was reduced by 85%.
• IFS Applications 9 gives more than 500 new functionality. IFS Lobby - one of the most significant among them. IFS Applications 9 already contains about 40 "lobbies" preconfigured for a broad spectrum of standard roles.

2014

IFS Applications 9

The IFS company announced in December, 2014 that the expanded version of business applications - IFS Applications 9 – will be submitted at the World IFS 2015, 5-7 conference of May, in Boston, the State of Massachusetts, the USA. Participants at the event will become the first who learns about new functionality of IFS Applications 9.

IFS Applications 9 is constructed on the same basic principles which made IFS company by one of recognized leaders among suppliers of business applications for the industrial sector. The improved software version will provide to the new and already existing customers considerable improvements in respect of flexibility and practicality of its application and also will strengthen possibilities of IFS on a customer support in the industries, key for the company.

In the light of commitment of IFS company to quality, the solution IFS Applications 9 is tested, including, in the conditions of real operation. Several large companies of the USA, Scandinavia and Europe representing broad industry range became the first users of the updated solution: service maintenance, hi-tech, production management, offshore contracts. Uses of IFS Applications 9 they will share the experience at the World IFS conference in May, 2015.