IFS basics
IFS glossary: key terms explained
EX EX10 Team · March 12, 2026 · 5 min read
A plain-English glossary of common IFS terms — from IFS Cloud and Aurena to evergreen updates, business events and ACPs — so you can follow any IFS conversation with confidence.
Key takeaways
- IFS Cloud is the current platform; IFS Applications (Apps 9/10) is the previous generation.
- "Evergreen" means continuous updates rather than big-bang upgrades.
- Keeping configuration over customisation is what makes evergreen updates painless.
Platform & releases
The big-picture terms you will hear most often.
- IFS Cloud — IFS’s current single, evergreen ERP/EAM/FSM platform
- IFS Applications (Apps 9/10) — the previous-generation product, predecessor to IFS Cloud
- Aurena — the modern, browser-based IFS user interface
- Evergreen updates — continuous (broadly twice-yearly) updates instead of rare big-bang upgrades
Architecture & extensibility
How IFS is tailored and connected.
- Configuration — adapting IFS using built-in settings (upgrade-safe)
- Customisation — bespoke code/changes (powerful but adds upgrade cost if overused)
- Business events — IFS’s mechanism for triggering integrations when data changes
- ACP (Application Configuration Package) — a packaged set of configuration used to deploy changes consistently
Delivery & lifecycle
Terms from the project and run phases.
- UAT — user acceptance testing before go-live
- Cutover — the controlled switch from the old system to live IFS
- Hypercare — intensive support immediately after go-live
- Managed services — ongoing support, administration and continuous improvement of a live IFS estate
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IFS Cloud and IFS Applications?
IFS Cloud is the current evergreen platform; IFS Applications (Apps 9/10) is the previous generation. New innovation lands in IFS Cloud.
What does configuration vs customisation mean in IFS?
Configuration uses built-in settings and is upgrade-safe; customisation is bespoke code that is powerful but adds upgrade cost if overused.
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