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The primary use cases for BizTalk Server involve logistic warehouse management for one of the business units.

Boomi has advantages over BizTalk Server because it is more flexible, low-code, no-code, easy to implement, and has a fast go-to-market. The dependencies with other applications are low, and a lot of connectors and adapters are easily available. We are also evaluating Workato, but it has some gaps we are trying to negotiate with the OEM.

Currently, I am working mostly with WebMethods and BizTalk Server.

I am generally satisfied with BizTalk Server, but there are some gaps, as we have multiple integration tools. Thus, there is associated cost, operation cost, license cost, and CapEx, so we are trying to consolidate all the integration tools.

Regarding BizTalk Server and data mapping tools, we want to get rid of BizTalk Server, as there is unnecessary license cost, and there are some limitations, so we might go for Azure Integration Services.

BizTalk Server is completely ruled out; we will not be proceeding with it. We initially planned to move to Azure Integration Services, but there are challenges with AIS, so now we are evaluating WebMethods IO because WebMethods is now part of IBM, which is performing well in the market, although the IBM license cost is too high.

The initial investment is too high, and we want to reduce that cost.

I have used Boomi for probably two years of my complete career, and I have been using WebMethods for the last five or six years.

My last experience with Boomi was two to three years ago.

I have worked with BizTalk Server almost 10 to 15 years back, and now again for the last two years, I am working with BizTalk Server.

There is a strong push from the business to minimize the go-to-market time for customer onboarding and to expand both vertically and horizontally quickly, as we are evaluating multiple scenarios.

It is time for low-code, no-code, and a quick go-to-market should be faster. I want customer onboarding to be fast, and we require a skilled developer.

BizTalk Server's ROI is comparatively higher than Boomi and Workato, and we are currently discussing whether we will go for BizTalk Server, Boomi, or Workato.

We are evaluating Workato or Boomi now.

We might go for Azure Integration Services if we have to go for BizTalk Server.

We are now evaluating WebMethods IO because WebMethods is now part of IBM, which is performing well in the market.

I have not worked with Amazon API Gateway or Mule ESB; I am just testing them.

I am using Boomi iPaaS and WebMethods.

I did not purchase it on AWS Marketplace; those are product API systems, and in my current organization, we currently have WebMethods in our on-prem environment, and Boomi is again on AWS with an instance installed.

I am using Boomi in my previous organization, not my current one.

I did not buy it on AWS Marketplace; we directly approached the product vendor, OEM, took the license, and started using it.

I would rate BizTalk Server a five out of ten due to pricing, flexibility, and the lot of coding required.

I am not a partner of Microsoft; I am just a service provider to my business team, serving as a technical delivery manager, providing integration services.

I work exclusively with governance and Infor ION, along with some add-on products such as FactoryTrack and quotation components.

FactoryTrack is an extension add-on product which is part of the Infor M3 core system. It is a third-party application that provides warehouse mobility through handheld devices.

As a consultant, I find that Infor ION is easy to use. When you buy an Infor ION product, you can start using it from day one, and there is a very short learning curve. In terms of SAP and Oracle, those are easy, but users have to remember certain codes and other components. In contrast, Infor ION is very user-friendly; users do not have to know what is happening in the background.

For example, if you need to create a purchase order, you have a dashboard specifically created for that purpose. You do not even have to go to the application; you can create it directly from the dashboard. You will not feel that you are working in an application. Although it calls certain programs in the backend, users do not need to remember program numbers and other components, which is the case for SAP.

Regarding workflow automation, it can improve operational efficiency depending on specific implementations. These workflows are not standard processes but are specifically designed based on customer needs.

For instance, with a custom order workflow, some organizations may have two approvals while others have three or four levels of approval, which require certain prerequisites. With varying approval limits, the system needs to verify previous approval levels and total values before allowing further approvals. The organization's preferred order review process also plays a role. For large orders, multiple factors need consideration, such as product details, country of origin sanctions, and customer track history before approval. These customizations are created based on specific customer requirements.

Each product has its disadvantages; for Infor ION, reporting is the biggest downside. The standard reports available are not particularly impressive. When users click for a report, they expect it to be visually appealing, which is not the case, especially with Infor M3.

From a technical standpoint, comparing Infor ION to SAP and Oracle, SAP HANA appears much better currently. However, this depends on the application level or the customization that vendors provide. The UX or UI component is crucial, which is why multiple small organizations focus specifically on UX/UI development. They develop visually appealing reports that can be used in Excel or Outlook. Some customers even create orders from Outlook. The implementation quality ultimately depends on the expertise of the person implementing that particular functionality.

I have been working specifically with Infor ION for about seven to eight years.

The real-time data synchronization process has significant impact on business operations, varying by organization size. Small organizations may not experience impact for many years. However, large organizations with multiple global offices processing substantial data, such as 10,000 orders daily, might notice decreased system performance over time.

Data optimization and archiving become necessary as volumes increase significantly. With 10,000 daily records accumulating to approximately 100 million records annually, prioritizing daily-needed data becomes essential after two years. Infor ION appears ideal for mid-size organizations rather than larger ones with revenue over 500 million or 700 million, as these applications demand greater resources. While implementation in larger organizations is possible, it may not be optimal.

Comparing Infor ION's pricing to SAP and Oracle depends on perspective. For a small user base of around 50 users, implementation might seem costly, as local ERPs and open-source options such as Odoo are available at lower costs.

However, for organizations spread across multiple countries or continents, the long-term operating cost is more economical. While SAP may be less expensive initially, its long-term maintenance is quite extensive, whereas Infor ION's maintenance costs are more manageable.

ION is used as a part of Infor M3. Infor ION is primarily used for report development and customization. For instance, when organizations want output documents with specific elements such as fancy logos, footers, and customizations, they use ION along with IDM (Infor Document Manager) for document capture.

The alert management feature helps with process optimization overall, but requires administrator configuration and depends on the extent of application usage. While some customers implement it, better hardware is necessary both server-side and locally. Cloud hosting is possible, but local hardware quality affects graphics and user experience, particularly regarding monitor resolution and laptop capabilities.

Regarding data flow visualizations, data lakes are available, and BI tools can be built on top of them. Customers use various BI tools and reporting systems such as QlikView. The Infor data lake can receive data and support dashboard creation.

When connecting legacy systems with new technologies, standard messaging protocols can be effectively integrated with Infor M3, though integration success depends on specific message types such as EDIFACT or EDI.

This review rates Infor ION 8 out of 10.