IFS Cloud user licensing is the set of rules IFS uses to count people and machines that access IFS Cloud. The rules are defined in the IFS Cloud License Metrics glossary of the Product Terms,[1] enforced through the Master Agreement,[2] and reported in the product by IFS Cloud’s License Management function.[4] The user model is the same whether IFS Cloud is used as SaaS, hosted in IFS Cloud Services or installed on premises.
Editions
IFS Cloud user licences come in two types. A Full User is “a User with unrestricted access to all licensed Software modules, functions and features”. A Limited Task User (LTU) is “a User with access restricted to specific Software modules, functions or features”.[1] IFS R&D defines the LTU permission sets and the LTU sales parts (SKUs) in the Global Price List.[3] Modules licensed as Fixed run at server level and may be used by any User, so they are not counted per user.[1]
Metrics
- Named User: “a named User authorized to use the Software (or any portion thereof) regardless of whether the individual is actively using the Software at any given time”.[1]
- Concurrent User: “Software licensed on the basis of the number of Users simultaneously accessing the Software at any time”.[1]
- A “User” is “a physical individual (i.e. user login) who is granted access to use the Software”. “Permitted Users” are the Named Users or other user types authorised on the Order Form.[1]
Counting / floors
Inactive users and devices count
A Named User counts whether or not the person uses the Software. In addition, “a non-human operated device will be counted as one or multiple Named User(s) (depending on the nature of operation) in addition to all individuals authorized to use the Software”.[1] Disabling dormant accounts therefore matters, and scanners, kiosks or machines that access IFS Cloud need to be counted. The partner-channel EULA says that when no other metric is licensed, “the default is always Named Users”.[6] Catalog proof: IFS Named Users count whether or not they are active, and devices count too.
Full versus Limited Task Users
Users with only LTU permission sets are LTU users and may hold one or more LTU sets. Users who hold LTU sets and any other permission set “are considered FULL License Users”.[3] An LTU permission set may be configured “but cannot be extended to include more functionality than defined in the LTU product description”. Customising the sets, or editing the XML file IFS delivers, is not allowed. A duplicated LTU set loses its LTU flag, so a user granted the copy counts as a Full user.[3] Catalog proof: IFS Cloud users with any non-LTU permission set count as Full users.
Usage reporting in the product
IFS Cloud’s License Management function calculates usage per installation with predefined methods that run monthly and archive a report.[4] The metrics include:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| FULL_IFS_USERS | IFS users that consume a full license |
| LTU_IFS_USERS | IFS users that consume an LTU license |
| IFS_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_USERS | IFS service account users |
| IFS_SYSTEM_USERS | IFS system users |
| SERVICE_ENG_APP, MAINT_ENG_APP, NOTIFY_ME, SCAN_IT | Active users of the respective mobile apps |
| SHOP_FLOOR_USERS, TIMCLO_ACTIVE_USERS | Shop floor reporting employees and teams; Time Clock users |
| GEOCODE_TRANSACTIONS, EXPENSE_ML_USAGE | Geocoding and expense machine-learning usage over the last 30 days |
The table is taken from the License Management page.[4] IFS Cloud separates End Users, who log on, from System Users created at installation and Service Users used for integrations through client-credential authentication. Service Users cannot log in to IFS Cloud Web directly.[5] The cited documents do not say whether service accounts count as Named Users under a given Order Form. The device rule above and the front-end rule below are the relevant tests. Catalog proof: IFS Cloud records licence usage monthly.
Integrations, bots and AI agents
An External Integration is any external interface, link, client, app, integration or data collection device. The definition includes “multiplexing hardware or software”, AI agents and RPA bots, and “the applicable Entitlement must always be measured at the External Integration front end”.[2] Integrations must use recognised IFS interface methods and may not be used to get around use restrictions.[2] A web portal, middleware layer or AI agent that serves many people through one connection is therefore counted by the people or devices at its front end, not by the single back-end login. Catalog proof: IFS entitlements are measured at the External Integration front end.
Licence keys and credentials
The Software may contain licence keys and other technical limits to enforce Entitlements. These do not stop use within the licence, but “Customer’s users must not share license credentials or security devices with anyone”.[2] Under the partner EULA, a licence key may stop a single User from using more than one workstation at the same time, and it expires periodically and must be renewed. The customer bears any loss caused by a late renewal.[6] Catalog proof: IFS licence keys enforce entitlements and credentials must not be shared.
Self-Service Portals
IFS Self-Service Portals is a SaaS subscription for publishing Apps to external users, either through one-time access or through user accounts. External users with accounts are monthly active users (MAUs), who consume Transactions at a different rate from one-time users.[1] Internal users must still be licensed through IFS Cloud user licensing. The customer may not configure portals to give internal users “capabilities that are substantially equivalent to IFS Cloud Named User access”, for example through SSO relays, generic accounts or UI overlays. RPA, headless scripts, API proxies and shared logins may not be used to pool access in a way that reduces the IFS Cloud or Oracle user licences needed.[1] Named Users set up in IFS Cloud only to run portal Apps may be Full or LTU users and need Oracle ASFU licences whether or not they are active in a given month.[1] Catalog proof: IFS Self-Service Portals cannot replace Named User licences.
Changing counts
Subscriptions are firm and “cannot be reduced or terminated by Customer during the license term”.[2] The customer must watch its own use against its Entitlements and report any excess to IFS promptly.[2] Moving users from Full to LTU therefore lowers cost only from a renewal, unless the Order Form provides otherwise.
Virtualization & partitioning
Not applicable to user metrics. The cited documents count users and devices, not hosts or cores.
Cloud / BYOL
User metrics are the same in all three deployment models. For the embedded Oracle database, ASFU licensing “is based on number of IFS Users”.[1] See IFS support and Oracle ASFU licensing.
Programs
No user-specific programs are published. Support plans and the Oracle ASFU licence are covered in IFS support and Oracle ASFU licensing.
Out of scope
This article does not cover user metrics for IFS Energy & Resources products (Net User and Concurrent User limits) or consumption metrics, which are covered in IFS industry and consumption metrics, or the list prices of LTU sales parts, which IFS does not publish.