Infor M3 vs SAP S/4HANA comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Infor M3 and SAP S/4HANA based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two ERP solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Infor M3 vs. SAP S/4HANA Report (Updated: March 2023).
686,748 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Q&A Highlights
Question: SAP S/4 HANA vs Infor Lawson M3
Answer: In general, if you are looking for a strong HRIS, Quality Management, then SAP has the upper hand. In areas such as Finance, Manufacturing, Inventory etc. both packages offer similar functionality. SAP excels in Product Technology as well.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"provides all modules, supply chain, HR - it's good for management.""It's very stable, and it handles all types of industrial and manufacturing businesses in very good ways. I've found it to be easy.""Its ease of use is most valuable. Inquiries are transparent, and it shows good information on each screen. We don't have to go to 14 different screens to find out about one item, which is a big advantage.""It's simple to use. You don't need any complex training to use it.""Infor M3 has tailor-made packages for each and every industry.""Infor comes up with different tools every year, and they are all compatible with Infor M3, which makes it a more reliable and trustworthy tool. The integration is very smooth.""The most valuable feature is the ability to cover different types of activities, and the requirement for maintenance and data is very low.""The most valuable feature of Infor M3 is the level of detail it has about the different manufacturing processes compared to other ERP solutions. Other ERP solutions provide the same level of integration as Infor M3, but Infor M3 specializes in several functions, such as planning and manufacturing."

More Infor M3 Pros →

"I find everything I need in S4/HANA.""The most valuable feature is the perfect end-to-end integration.""It is really fast. It is also very stable.""From a technological point of view, the in-memory database is one of the key highlights.""The most useful features of SAP S4HANA are the consolidation reports. The BI is very strong and the manufacturing and finance sections we like a lot.""One of the most valuable features, which we used the most, was the FI module, for finance. It involved controlling, account receivables, account payables, and complete financial steering.""The solution makes its use and the management of our infrastructure easy.""I have found the most valuable feature to be the SAP Fiori application."

More SAP S/4HANA Pros →

Cons
"An area for improvement in Infor M3 is training. There should be more training resources available for clients. Clients also find it challenging to get consultants or integrators for Infor M3. The product doesn't have enough resources in the market to help clients.""I would like to have some kind of dashboard to show an overview of different data on the same dashboard or on the same screen instead of moving to BI.""Its initial setup was probably complex, but it is a very good system.""Sometimes, M3 alone cannot handle all the planning functionalities required by a customer. It has to be used along with industry-specific planning tools because M3 doesn't have all the features. However, no product can handle all the requirements of all the industries. There will be some shortcomings in all the products. Though this is an area for improvement, it is not a very serious shortfall or limitation. It can be covered by using third-party planning applications that integrate with Infor M3.""We can't make modifications to fit the client's requirements.""The solution is stable but not agile.""It should be improved in terms of procurement of the supply chain and business intelligence analysis. We have the Infor BI tool, but it's more complex to use than, for example, Power Pivot or QlikView in the market.""Infor should create one product to handle the whole business. At present, they make ERP systems for each type of business, and then sell additional features. I would like to have one system handing all organizations or all the business in deep ways and not have to buy additional features."

More Infor M3 Cons →

"There should be an easier way to migrate customers from all versions to SAP S/4HANA.""An area for improvement would be integration with different kinds of legacies. In the next release, I would like the product to be prepared for blockchain technology and the best way to communicate with social networking.""Thi solution can improve the Bill of Materials (BOM) and production planning.""Maybe its user interface and reporting can be improved across the board, but it is manageable.""Lacks ability to easily mass upload which has become a necessity for industry.""I have found the solution to be stable but it could improve.""The procure-to-pay solution in the Contract Management angle could be better. If you look at it on Ariba, the Contract Management Life Cycle for Ariba is more robust. You can create documentation, SLAs, and NDAs. Apart from the procurement aspect of the contract, you have the legal side, but Ariba cannot do that. From what I've seen, the features of the procure-to-pay model in S/4HANA and their Contract Life Cycle Management side primarily focus on the procurement side. I believe it would be good if this solution could handle a part of the legal side. They will incorporate Extended Warehouse Management and Transportation Management into the S/4HANA cloud. Most big companies that use a solution like S/4HANA have a legal department within the organization. Suppose they can incorporate that to be in S/4HANA suites; I think it'll be good. It will be just like what we have with Transportation Management and Extended Warehouse Management. The user interface could be better. They have too much information on the interface, and our customers still keep complaining that it looks complex. Even though many things have changed, they still complain that the interface or the screen they see is a bit complex. It's only when they see the Fiori interface that their mind becomes a bit calm.""Small businesses that have a small user base find this solution too expensive."

More SAP S/4HANA Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "There is a yearly licensing cost. The price is based on the modules you need. There are several modules, such as HR module, accounting module, sales module, scheduling module, etc., and the price will vary depending on the number of modules you choose. The customers always say that it's very expensive. It can cost a lot of money if your organization is huge. It's not implemented in a lot of organizations in my country because it's too expensive."
  • "Infor M3 is a tier-two product and is cheaper than tier-one products such as SAP and Oracle. However, it is more expensive than some other tier-two products. The licensing cost is dependent on the number of users. Also, if you purchase other tools from Infor as a package, then there may be other discounts offered."
  • "The cost is between $50 and $100 per user annually."
  • "I'm not part of the team that manages Infor M3 pricing, but it depends on the client, integration, ship-out, and training levels. You get the price from the solution provider, but it would be best to discuss it because nothing is set in stone regarding pricing."
  • "If you compare Infor M3 to SAP, Infor M3 is less expensive than SAP, but if you compare Infor M3 to Dynamics 365, Infor M3 is more expensive. It also depends on the model that you buy. It depends on whether you have the complete package or whether you have separate models."
  • More Infor M3 Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "I have found the price of the solution is on the medium to the expensive side of the scale. There is a license for this solution and there are additional maintenance fees."
  • "The solution is expensive."
  • "We're not sure yet. I think it was six figures a year, over 100,000. It has straight-up licensing fees."
  • "Licensing works on a subscription model for the cloud version and it's a one-time fee for the on-premises version."
  • "The price of the solution is reasonable but some modules can be expensive. When comparing SAP S4HANA to other solutions, such as Oracle, it is not expensive."
  • "The price of the solution is expensive."
  • "There is a license required for the use of this solution and we are on a monthly subscription. The cost of the solution is expensive compared to other solutions."
  • "SAP S4HANA is expensive and for smaller businesses, it is very difficult for them to have the budget."
  • More SAP S/4HANA Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Anonymous User
    Gene Hammons, MBA - PeerSpot reviewerGene Hammons, MBA
    MSP

    I can only base this on selections done a couple of years ago and I may be off by a version or two.
    SAP tends to have more functionality and lends itself to modification and customization for large companies. M3 is really good technology and where it works, offers a price usually 1/4 that of SAP - EU consulting teams are really good with M3 given it's Swedish heritage and EU acceptance. It's really hard to find US teams who are at the same implementation volume as their EU cousins.

    The rational choice between the two generally comes down to 'we can customize a process that saves time for 1,400 worldwide sales reps' with SAP. Notice I said 'rational'. The actual choice is more like 'SAP is better known and represents less percieved risk to deploy' also - the career building aspects - an IT team with SAP experience has better future career choices - and I suspect that drives SAP selection as well.

    M3 is a lower cost option - and with the right implementation and support team, performs very well -

    However, they are both Tier One solutions and will require sufficient budgets, support staff internally, and a good partner.

    I'd suggest a fully formed selection process and if M3 suits your requirements, it's a great choice. SAP projects are what they are, long (M3 won't be shorter by a large factor) and upgrades and audits are historically pricey.

    It really comes down to your cost justification and if you have the internal team to achieve the project goals (which happen well after go-live). You'll be much better off with a clearly defined cost/revenue model prior to selecting either and a numerical goal to achieve with either software package.

    (And Alex's comments regarding Netsuite are valid, we do see more overall clients selecting Netsuite than any other platform - however - Netsuite cannot do process manufacturing - especially in FDA validated environs where M3 and SAP play, so in those cases, SAP and M3 are solid choices - though I might include DynamicsAX in the mix - but that was not the original question.)

    it_user698691 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user698691 (User)
    Vendor

    first, you need to distinguish different deployment options: S/4HANA on-permise is different from S/4HANA public or manage cloud. Cloud solutions are much more restricted.

    Secondly, you need to take the release planning into consideration: currently S/4HANA includes only Simple Finance but time flies and soon more and more "Simple" components become available. All this is described in the roadmap and needs to be mapped to the customer's project timeline.

    Third, taking "Simple Finance" as an example, the installation is not a classic add-on but a so called "Exchange Innovation" which changes and/or removed SAP code and database tables! You also get Fiori apps... So functionaly these are not the same.

    Alex Bagnall - PeerSpot reviewerAlex Bagnall (Netsuite)
    Vendor

    Disclaimer: I am a NetSuite employee.

    From my own experience as a former SAP employee I would be very through in investigating the marketing/messaging , indirect access challenges (non compliance audits) and maturity of SAP S/4 Hana.

    Here is an example of messaging and maturity of S/4 HANA that is not publicly touted:
    The latest public figures SAP shared in October 2016 put the number of S/4HANA customers who have licensed the in-memory-based business suite at more than 4,100, 350 of whom are live on S/4HANA. Typically, SAP talks about its ERP customer base being around 37,000, so there’s a long way to go before everyone is live on S/4HANA. We’ve heard both SAP and ASUG members describe S/4HANA as being “a journey.”
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-best-understand-asugs-sap-s4hana-adoption-survey-shaun-snapp/

    On INFOR I would express concerns at the AWS environment where they are hosted (not true cloud) and that that INFOR ION middleware adds complexity as it must reconcile data between various models and databases. NetSuite uses a single database and there is no reconciliation process so when data is changes all modules access the current data

    In a totally biased plug I would like to mention that at Netsuite (where I work) our motto is 100 days to the cloud, our 99% client retention rate and a large number of awards for excellence in the ERP space.
    I would welcome the chance to offer a third perspective if their is an appetite for further information or if not I wish you the very best in your future ERP investment.

    it_user788511 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user788511 (Former Chief Information Technology Officer (CTIO) with 201-500 employees)
    Vendor

    I suggest the following like to be used for the requested comparison:
    https://www3.technologyevaluation.com/download/top-sample/115205/infor-m3-vs-sap-erp-comparison-report.html?selectedoption=1528,221&skuid=4603&modelid=46&multilanding=5102

    it_user239889 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user239889 (GM Software (ERP) at a tech vendor)
    Vendor

    SAP S/4 HANA is the best Manufacturing ERP, it has in memory processing. Uses huge amount of RAM to process reporting specifically BI. Whereas M3 Lawson can be said as one the best suited products for Process Manufacturing from Infor.

    it_user609459 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user609459 (SAVP Accounting Information System Manager at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees)
    Vendor

    I have no direct answer to your question from my recent experience with S4 HANA are
    - In memory processing
    - best practice process with proven from large company
    - many capable implementer available in the market (and to support as well)
    - industry expertise with IFRS roadmap develop to support future
    Not very much heard about M3, guess Infor buy too many ERP solution to thier house and roadmap / R&D might be unclear.

    Most of supply chain functions should be almost the same. Finance and Accounting are areas that you can compare implementers skills. Bring your critical business requirement, be open mind and listen to what they offer.

    it_user550998 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user550998 (Chief Strategy Officer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees)
    Consultant

    I’m sorry, but I can’t actually comment on Infor Lawson M3 as I have no experience with that application. If there are specific questions pertaining to S/4HANA functionality, I would be happy to offer perspective.

    it_user677427 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user677427 (fgfgd at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees)
    Vendor

    1. With respect, an analysis needs to start with the customer’s requirements (industry, revenue, headcount, geography, business goals, budget, timeline, risk assessment etc) before any meaningful analysis can be undertaken.

    2. Why wouldn’t the Customer start with what’s already in the public domain (see below) AND

    3. Why wouldn’t the Customer ask for each vendor to provide their own analysis of their product and the target competitor product, and then go from there with data sets 1. 2. and 3. respectively?

    httpsr://rsupply-chain-management.softwareinsider.com/compare/31-32/M3-Supply-Chain-Management-vs-SAP-ERP

    https://erp-systems.zone/system/infor-m3,sap-s4hana

    https://www3.technologyevaluation.com/store/top/sap-erp-vs-infor-m3-erp-comparison-report.html

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Infor M3 has tailor-made packages for each and every industry.
    Top Answer:Different countries have different finance practices, but I believe they need to fine-tune their practices to match industry standards. Practices vary from country to country, for example, in India… more »
    Top Answer:Infor M3 is used in major European countries, including India. This is the Infor M3 that has specialized ERP packages for every industry, such as equipment, food and beverages, textiles, and… more »
    Top Answer:SaP Business One is a complete solution for business management. The software applications are broad, ranging from accounting to project management and human resources. It is very versatile and… more »
    Top Answer:SAP Business One vs. SAP S/4HANA Out of a total of 3,539 decision criteria spread across the eight sub-modules that form the comparison matrix, SAP S/4HANA offers noticeably better coverage of ERP… more »
    Ranking
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    Reviews
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    Average Words per Review
    730
    Rating
    8.4
    2nd
    out of 62 in ERP
    Views
    19,003
    Comparisons
    13,606
    Reviews
    47
    Average Words per Review
    447
    Rating
    8.2
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Infor Lawson M3, Lawson M3
    SAP S4HANA
    Learn More
    Overview

    Infor M3 offers ultimate flexibility in operations, technology, and scale. As a multi-site, multi-country, and multi-company solution, M3 empowers your organization to adapt to changing business needs. It provides flexibility in managing mixed-mode and complex environments, with the agility to make quick adjustments at any time. Written in Java, M3 also gives you platform independence and choice.

    SAP S4HANA is an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system that uses sophisticated technologies including machine learning and AI. It is most commonly used to integrate and manage business functions and is an ideal solution for large enterprises. The platform includes supplier relationship management (SRM), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), and product lifecycle management (PLM) functionality.

    SAP S4HANA offers three different deployment options:

    • On-premises
    • Cloud
    • Hybrid

    SAP S4HANA Features

    SAP S4HANA has many valuable key features, including:

    • Customizable
    • ERP, CRM, SRM, SCM, PLM co-deployed
    • High throughput
    • Fast analytics and reporting
    • Smaller total data footprint
    • SAP HANA multi-tenancy
    • All data: social, text, geo, graph, processing
    • New SAP Fiori UX for any device (mobile, desktop, tablet)
    • Unlimited workload capacity
    • High-volume transaction processing (OLTP)
    • High volume real-time analytical processes (OLAP)
    • Service Management
    • Digital Boardroom Integration

    SAP S4HANA Benefits

    Some of the benefits of using SAP S4HANA include:

    • Speed: S4 HANA applications leverage speed, context, and data accessibility to ensure you can stay up to date with rapidly evolving technology.
    • Improved performance: With SAP S4HANA, you can plan, execute, or generate reports and analytics based on live data to increase performance.
    • Simplicity: SAP S4HANA’s whole infrastructure was designed with simplification in mind — from the management of the solution to the administration of the IT landscape. The solution serves as the digital core for business process simplification and enables the centralizing of hardware and network resources.
    • Cost effective: SAP S4HANA is a cost effective solution. It provides the ability to bring together all the analytical and transactional capabilities of a variety of systems in one location, enabling better decision making.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by SAP S4HANA users.

    A Mechanical Engineer at a construction company says, “It is a very powerful, highly customizable tool. The most valuable feature is that the reporting is fast. We can see the results from that in that our commissions come in fast. That is the main advantage.”

    Another reviewer, a SAP Technology Manager at a financial services firm, mentions, "It is more or less a very, very smooth and seamless product. Day by day they are increasing their technology features and they are keen to resolve the issues. India has a complex business scenario and SAP is thinking about that and resolving the issues day by day. In terms of the features I have found most valuable, I don't think that there is any lack or any gap process-wise. SAP is a very good tool."

    A Project and Service delivery Manager at a tech services company comments, "One of the most valuable features, which we used the most, was the FI module, for finance. It involved controlling, account receivables, account payables, and complete financial steering."

    A Senior Architect at a construction company states, “The POD applications are very useful to us. There are a few POD apps which we are using for different business scenarios. They are quite interesting.” He also adds, “The initial setup is pretty straightforward. The documentation is very good. The solution can scale well. The solution is stable.”

    Offer
    Learn more about Infor M3
    Learn more about SAP S/4HANA
    Sample Customers
    Grosfillex, High Five Sportswear, L_derach, OTK Group, PHS Group, Propper International, Red Wing Shoe Company, Reynolds Catering Supplies, Saudi Diesel, Sheetz, Zeppelin, Zodiac Aerospace
    Nestle, O.C. Tanner, Sabre, New York Life Insurance Co., MEMEBOX, Siemens AG.
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company21%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Retailer6%
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company13%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Computer Software Company8%
    Consumer Goods Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Educational Organization9%
    Comms Service Provider9%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise38%
    Large Enterprise38%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise58%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business37%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise61%
    Buyer's Guide
    Infor M3 vs. SAP S/4HANA
    March 2023
    Find out what your peers are saying about Infor M3 vs. SAP S/4HANA and other solutions. Updated: March 2023.
    686,748 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Infor M3 is ranked 10th in ERP with 8 reviews while SAP S/4HANA is ranked 2nd in ERP with 48 reviews. Infor M3 is rated 8.4, while SAP S/4HANA is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Infor M3 writes "The solution is a reliable, stable, and cost-saving ERP". On the other hand, the top reviewer of SAP S/4HANA writes "Smooth and seamless product with flexible licensing models". Infor M3 is most compared with SAP ERP, Infor LN, Oracle E-Business Suite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Infor CloudSuite Industrial, whereas SAP S/4HANA is most compared with SAP ERP, SAP Business One, Oracle ERP Cloud, NetSuite ERP and Microsoft Dynamics GP. See our Infor M3 vs. SAP S/4HANA report.

    See our list of best ERP vendors.

    We monitor all ERP reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.