Blue Yonder vs IFS

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared Blue Yonder vs IFS based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Supply Chain Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

IFS Software Tool

Product Basics

Blue Yonder’s supply chain suite focuses on omnichannel commerce fulfillment. It’s suitable for mid-sized to large firms. It enables real-time collaboration as its tools are linked end-to-end in one place.

The Luminate Platform uses cognitive AI and machine learning to catch possible issues and highlight prospects. Users can also set up scenario testing rooms and work together. It recommends actions and provides predictive reports. Its capacity to run scenarios and provide machine-learning-guided actions are standout features. It also supports integration and customization with partners.

read more...
IFS offers is a suite of connected workflows such as accounting, warehouse management, distribution, sales and HCM. By integrating a range of front- and back-office workflows, the program aims to alleviate internal snags and streamline operations.

The software contains real-time insights and can be accessed either through the cloud or via on-premise installation. It’s intended for use by medium and large companies. The program is highly integrative and contains various online support and training options for users.

To learn more about their primary ERP offering, visit our IFS Cloud page.
read more...
$100,000 Annually
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$8,000 Monthly
Free Trial is unavailable →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
we're gathering data
Cheerpack
Chief Industries
CleaverBrooks
Heaven Hill
Hexagon
Hexpol
KLN
Lou-Rich
Valmost
Vigor Industrial

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Merge Planning and Execution: Use Luminate Planning to manage the supply chain. It focuses on clear visualization and priority setting for rising issues. Plus, it employs machine learning to solve them. Users get an all-around view of their carrier and supplier network. It goes beyond typical response planning methods to sense disruptions and adjust plans. It also displays real-time updates on orders, shipments and inventory.
  • Optimize Inventory: Improve stock management and planning with a united view of inventory data. Smart solutions create inventory goals, helping planners resolve out-of-stock cases and late deliveries. Consider metrics like sales history, on-hand inventory and orders for planning. Introduce new products using history and forecast data across categories. This strategy minimizes the chances of surplus or shortage.
  • Handle Assortment: Offer the right products by combining buyer preferences, lifecycle plans, deep analytics and size optimization. Blue Yonder’s Assortment Optimization works with its Space Planning. Turn assortment decisions into store displays to unlock greater sales and higher profits.
  • Improve Supply Networks: Model and optimize the supply chain to handle strategic concerns. Blue Yonder’s network design tool offers end-to-end solutions for growing, curbing disruption or optimizing available resources. It mimics the chain from raw materials to end products. If a particular part of the chain is causing issues or is affected by a recent event, it can focus on that, too.
  • Simplify Warehouse Functions: Use real-time processing to cut warehousing costs. Selection and storage strategies also become efficient. The system simplifies and directs processes by combining labor laws and task management. Its tasking abilities enable clear operations using data-driven insights. This capability results in cost-effective, error-free warehousing.
  • Refine Forecasting: Boost forecasts with smart statistics. Blue Yonder Demand 360 reduces cycle time and database management. This automation leads to higher productivity. It simplifies the forecasting process and encourages better teamwork. This results in less waste, ideal labor use and better sustainability.
read more...
  • Accessibility: IFS solutions can be deployed through different avenues: SaaS, cloud service models, IFS Managed Cloud or on-premise. With cloud deployment, the program can be accessed at any time and any location as long as there is an internet connection available. 
  • Real-Time Data: The program includes real-time data and visualizations. For example, engineering changes, bottlenecks in the production system and any material shortages can be analyzed as they occur. Barcode scanning is also included to track the movement of products and materials throughout the supply chain. 
  • Revenue Boost: By identifying and reducing bottlenecks, forecasting demand and honing the sales process, revenue can be increased. IFS includes a range of features that can maximize revenue through elements such as reduction in spoilage and increased efficiency. 
  • Increase Productivity: IFS helps streamline and automate facets of workflows such as sales, manufacturing and distribution. By reducing the amount of time that employees spend on tasks such as supplier invoicing, which can be automated through this tool, more time is freed up for staff to work on other important tasks. 
  • Legal Compliance: This program helps to ensure company compliance with a range of industry or governmental standards and regulations. For example, IFS Human Capital Management can keep track of and manage employee health and safety measures in accordance with legal requirements. A dedicated maintenance tool is also available to help ensure that the company adheres to rules. 
read more...
  • Demand Planning: Blue Yonder weighs different factors that drive demand and predicts business impacts and risks. This ability helps enhance inventory, plan productivity and understand buyers' needs. Demand-driving variables provide exact projections that enable informed decisions.
  • Network Design: Synchronize planning and execution plans to improve financial performance and meet high service expectations. A better network boosts sustainability and lowers operating risks and costs.
  • Control Tower: The Luminate Tower helps firms accurately read data from various sources. It uses machine learning to identify and solve supply chain issues. It also boosts teamwork and improves visibility across the whole network.
  • Production Planning: It has a decision support module for production scheduling. Use it to balance demand with proper capacity, material and due-date rules. It blends production control, manufacturing and procurement planning to meet demands at the right costs.
  • Transportation Management: Blue Yonder handles inbound and outbound processes and merges carrier supplier partnership tools. It manages business assets to improve profitability and stay ahead of competitors.
  • Space and Floor Planning: Retailers can assign products correctly, use buyer insights to drive income, calculate KPIs using strong analytics and expand selling space. Associates can contact customers to deliver brand promises with its mobile store execution module.
read more...
  • IFS Financials: IFS includes basic accounting tools such as general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable and fixed assets. It also contains business planning functionality that uses customer-defined planning models to enable demand-driven planning. The eInvoice tool automates supplier invoicing and enables electronic invoicing. Consolidation can also be conducted across multiple companies and with multiple reporting currencies. 
  • IFS Human Capital Management: This system allows employees to manage their own data as well as perform tasks such as applying for leave and updating time and expense reports. HR personnel can also manage payroll procedures, maintain health and safety information in accordance with government regulations and develop internal training programs through the tool. Recruitment can be done through the program’s connectivity with third-party applicant tracking systems (ATS). 
  • IFS Engineering: This feature includes the ability for continuously updated data related to factors such as design elements, products and facilities to be accessed throughout an organization. Change management capabilities allow users to view, approve and check changes before going ahead with change orders. The commissioning tool also ensures that facility components are designed, tested, etc. in accordance with operational requirements through the use of punch lists and mechanical completion packages. 
  • IFS Projects: IFS includes project management, risk management, project reporting and project budgeting features. Specific functionality consists of the ability to process project cost transactions, create projects using WBS, develop project schedules and develop forecasts using multiple versions of project estimates, reviews, budgets, etc. Estimate to Complete (ETC) and Estimate at Complete (EAC) principles are supported and spreading rules are available. 
  • IFS Manufacturing: This tool can calculate capacity requirements, conduct Master Scheduling for finished goods, manage the production to order process and enable employees to report production information quickly. Project-based, discrete, repetitive and batch process manufacturing are also supported through the system. Visualization of the production plan is included and enables users to identify bottlenecks and material shortages. 
  • IFS Supply Chain: IFS offers demand forecasting, supply chain planning, inventory replenishment, sales order management, procurement, rental management, warehouse management and shipment management features. The inventory function is connected to the demand forecasting tool and includes different planning strategies such as economic order quantity and service level-driven safety stocks. Item traceability is also supported through barcode functionality, which provides real-time stock information. 
  • IFS Sales & Service: This feature controls the customer lifecycle from the time a lead comes in to the time that a product reaches its final destination. It assists with transportation by allowing users to visualize driving routes. It also supports service quote and contract management. Sales efforts can be streamlined through the sales configurator, which includes a product advisor that uses a series of questions to define requirements and recommend products. 
  • IFS Maintenance: IFS enables users to evaluate potential improvements in equipment performance, communicate with subcontractors through a collaboration portal, develop leaner MRO operations and manage preventive maintenance schedules. It also makes regulatory compliance for vehicle fleets easier and manages tasks such as fault reporting, preparation, execution and final reporting for maintenance-related matters. 
  • IFS Business Enablers: This solution includes role-based portals and personalized access to ensure that employees, customers and suppliers view the most relevant information and that no one has access to privileged information that they should not be able to review. The solution contains real-time data and allows for the connection of internal and external programs through web services. Add-ins and add-ons can be implemented to customize the solution through RESTful oData APIs from IFS. 
read more...

Product Ranking

#3

among all
Supply Chain Management Software

we're gathering data
Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

89
80
100
97
99
77
62
54
Show More Show More
Inventory Management
Supply Chain Analytics
Logistics and Transportation
Supply Chain Planning
Warehouse Labor Management
Inventory Management
Purchase Order Management
Supply Chain Analytics
Procurement and Supplier Management
Integrations and Extensibility

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Blue Yonder
IFS
+ Add Product + Add Product
Inventory Management Logistics And Transportation Mobile Capabilites Procurement And Supplier Management Purchase Order Management Supply Chain Analytics Supply Chain Planning Warehouse Labor Management Warehouse Management 100 99 62 81 93 100 98 96 89 97 77 54 88 93 93 73 86 81 0 25 50 75 100
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
67%
0%
33%
63%
0%
37%
50%
0%
50%
80%
0%
20%
90%
0%
10%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
75%
0%
25%
100%
0%
0%
88%
0%
12%
86%
0%
14%
79%
0%
21%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

71%
0%
29%
71%
0%
29%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 42 reviews
Great User Sentiment 121 reviews
83%
of users recommend this product

Blue Yonder has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 83% when considering 42 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

80%
of users recommend this product

IFS has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 80% when considering 121 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.7 (3)
n/a
n/a
3.6 (20)
4.5 (20)
3.7 (22)
2.5 (2)
4.2 (65)
3.8 (17)
4.1 (14)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Blue Yonder and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Inventory Management, Logistics and Transportation, Supply Chain Analytics and Supply Chain Planning.

Inventory Management Award
Logistics and Transportation Award
Supply Chain Analytics Award
Supply Chain Planning Award

we're gathering data

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Inventory Optimization: All users appreciated the inventory management module, which reduced stock-outs and prescribed optimal inventory.
Planning and Forecasting: All users agreed that Blue Yonder offers multi-level forecasting and guided supply planning.
Visibility: All users commended the product for its end-to-end visibility.
Show more
Intuitive interface: Users consistently praise IFS for its user-friendly design and easy-to-navigate interface, which reduces training time and improves adoption rates.
Flexibility and customization: The system's modular architecture allows for a high degree of customization, enabling businesses to tailor it to their unique processes and requirements without extensive coding.
Strong industry focus: IFS is particularly well-suited for industries such as aerospace, manufacturing, and energy, offering deep functionality and expertise in these areas.
Mobile accessibility: Users can access the system from any device, including smartphones and tablets, enabling them to stay connected and productive while on the go.
Robust project management: IFS provides comprehensive project management capabilities, from planning and scheduling to resource allocation and cost tracking, helping businesses deliver projects on time and within budget.
Show more
Implementation: All users reported that implementation time is lengthy and needs constant support.
Customization: 80% of users said the product should offer more customization options.
User Interface: 67% of users struggled to navigate the product’s intuitive interface.
Show more
High upfront investment: IFS can require a significant initial investment for implementation and customization, potentially exceeding budgets for smaller businesses.
Steep learning curve: The system's complexity can lead to a steeper learning curve for users, requiring extensive training and support to achieve full proficiency.
Limited out-of-the-box functionality: While configurable, IFS may not offer pre-built features for specific industry needs, necessitating additional development or workarounds.
Integration complexities: Integrating IFS with existing systems can be challenging, requiring specialized expertise and potentially leading to data silos.
Performance bottlenecks: Large or complex implementations may experience performance issues, requiring careful optimization and infrastructure considerations.
Show more

Blue Yonder helps businesses plan their supply chains. It's suitable for medium and large companies. This tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help companies spot problems quickly. It boosts collaboration, offers scenario testing and predicts results.Users like Blue Yonder because it helps manage stock levels and plan for future needs. It also gives a clear view of supplier networks and tracks orders, shipments and inventory in real time.However, some users say that it takes a long time to set up and needs constant support. They also wish it was easier to customize and more user-friendly. Overall, the tool is known for its wide range of features, which help companies manage their supply chains more efficiently.

Show more

User reviews for IFS paint a picture of a powerful and flexible ERP system, but one that demands investment and expertise. Fans praise its intuitive interface and industry-specific depth, especially in sectors like aerospace and manufacturing. "The power of IFS is amazing and overwhelming," one user gushes, noting its ability to handle 95% of their business processes. The modular architecture allows for significant customization, a major draw for many. "It can be tailored to fit almost any business environment," says another reviewer, contrasting it with the "rigid" feel of competing products like SAP. However, IFS isn't for everyone. The initial investment and customization needs can be daunting, particularly for smaller companies. "The cost can be high," admits a user, comparing it to the "more affordable" options like Microsoft Dynamics 365. Additionally, the complexity can lead to a steep learning curve. "It's not as user-friendly as NetSuite," says another reviewer, highlighting the need for extensive training. Integration challenges and potential performance bottlenecks are also mentioned as drawbacks. Ultimately, IFS seems best suited for companies with specific industry needs and the resources to invest in its extensive capabilities. "If you're looking for a deep dive into your industry, IFS is amazing," one user concludes. "But if you need something quick and easy, there are other options."

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Supply Chain Management Software


Coupa

Dynamics 365 SCM

Epicor SCM

IFS

iM3 SCM

Infor Supply Chain Management

Logility

Manhattan Supply Chain

NetSuite

NEXXE

Oracle SCM Cloud

Sage X3

SAP Supply Chain

SYSPRO

Related Categories

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings