A digital success story: Upgrading to a future-ready IFS Cloud ERP solution with Baker Tilly

Client background

A leading United Kingdom-based industrial solution provider with over 125 years of experience needed a future-proof enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to maximize operational efficiency and streamline business processes. Operating across multiple sites throughout the UK, the company handles end-to-end solutions from design, manufacturing, supply and installation to maintenance and ongoing support. Their market reach spans the marine, retail, leisure, food and beverage sectors with both domestic and international capabilities. With hundreds of employees and a substantial business complexity, the company has built a reputation for reliability and technical expertise.

Business challenge

Before upgrading to IFS Cloud, the company operated on IFS Applications 9, which they had implemented in 2016 after migrating from a legacy ERP system. While IFS Applications 9 was significantly more robust than their previous system, the manufacturer recognized the need to modernize their technology stack and safeguard their ERP investment for the future.

With a small information technology (IT) team of just four staff supporting both general and IFS operations across multiple locations and business units, efficiency was paramount. The team managed a hybrid infrastructure with on-premise servers and some cloud-based systems. The company soon identified the limitations of this approach as the business continued to grow.

The decision to upgrade directly to IFS Cloud in 2022, rather than implementing IFS Applications 10 as an intermediate step, came from the company’s confidence in IFS’s strategic direction and the desire to establish a platform that would support their digital transformation. As one of the early adopters of IFS Cloud, they sought to leverage its advantages to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

Strategy and solution

The company sought an experienced IFS services partner that could deliver an upgrade from Applications 9 to IFS Cloud while supporting the transition from an on-prem deployment to a cloud-hosted solution. After evaluating potential partners, Baker Tilly was selected to manage this migration.

The project scope was comprehensive and clearly defined. Working with Baker Tilly, the company implemented a migration strategy that involved:

• Provisioning and configuring a new virtual infrastructure in Microsoft Azure
• Performing the technical upgrade from Applications 9 to IFS Cloud
• Moving from on-prem servers to a cloud-hosted solution in Microsoft Azure
• Implementing three separate IFS environments (production, development and test) to support different business needs
• Uplifting all pre-existing customizations, reports, interfaces, and modifications (CRIMs) from the previous systems
• Transitioning existing processes to ensure business continuity

The company’s implementation approach focused on maintaining consistency in day-to-day operations. The service and maintenance module represented a major change in the upgrade, as this functionality is critical to the company’s operations. The successful transition of this module to the Cloud was an achievement that required careful planning and execution.

Looking to the future

Following their successful migration to IFS Cloud, the company, with the support of Baker Tilly, has established a strategic roadmap to further leverage their investment:

• Internet of Things (IoT) integration: Enhancing their equipment with IoT capabilities that send information back to IFS Cloud, enabling predictive maintenance and optimizing field service efficiency. This initiative aims to resolve common challenges like unnecessary site visits and parts ordering delays.
• Business-to-business (B2B) commerce: Implementing customer portals where clients can order parts and access information independently. The company plans to leverage this system as a value-added service for tenders.
• Mobile work orders: Streamlining field operations by reducing paperwork and administrative tasks for engineers. This will allow the company's engineers to focus on-site, repairing and maintaining equipment.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) implementation: Exploring practical applications of AI to improve daily operations across departments. The manufacturer aims to maximize the value of AI in business processes.

Turn to Baker Tilly for your IFS Cloud upgrade journey

Baker Tilly’s IFS practice brings more than a decade of experience and numerous IFS certifications to guide your digital transformation. With dedicated functional and technical consultants, we deliver not just technical expertise but business insights that maximize your IFS investment. Our approach covers every stage of our client’s journey from initial assessment and planning to implementation and ongoing support.

Ready to transform your business with IFS Cloud?