IFS announces IFS Applications 2002

Swedish ERP developer IFS soft-launched its latest iteration, IFS Applications 2002 yesterday. The firm’s marketing message is one of targeting four areas of key importance to users: cutting operational costs, shortening implementation times, extending business into new areas and eliminating hidden costs of implementation and roll out. IFS Applications 2002 will be formally launched on March 18 at National Manufacturing week in Chicago, USA. Says IFS president and CEO Bengt Nilsson: “We have refined our component architecture… and we’ve added a number of new components and features, all geared to giving customers a rapid, positive impact on their bottom line.” Key promises include: order cycle times collapsed by 50% from new supply chain planning capabilities; better personnel efficiency via IFS portals for internal and external collaboration; and 150 ‘pre-packaged efficiency drivers’. Notably, it also includes new on-line web-based training material for employees integrated with the application itself. IFS says the upgraded suite also focuses on business growth opportunities, specifically: improving after-market sales and service from CRM; faster new product development via collaborative engineering for design and production; and easier expansion into new markets with new supply chain planning and production and procurement capabilities. It also says the suite is aimed at managing change, with the flexibility to alter manufacturing styles through new components. Beyond this, implementation times are promised as “months rather than years”. And an interesting promise: “with no disruptions during the process due to IFS’ component architecture”. Companies can implement only the components they require now, adding others as their needs change, with help from IFS ‘Life Cycle Support’. Also, in terms of hidden cost reduction, IFS says that all localisation for geographical markets is now pre-packaged into one single set of source code, so that companies can run on one version throughout. And the enhanced IFS Connect integration piece (with packaged XML interfaces and ‘out-of-the-box’ support for SOAP, IBM MQ-series, Microsoft BizTalk Server, etc) ensures scalability and connection into heterogeneous IT environments. Finally, there’s easier web administration.