How to become an IFS consultant

Short answer. Pick a track (functional or technical), build on a business area you already know, get hands-on with IFS Cloud through an employer that runs or implements it, then prove it with an IFS Certified Practitioner exam. Most people get in through an IFS partner, the internal team of a company that runs IFS, or IFS itself.

1. Choose a track

Functional consultants map how a business works onto IFS: they run workshops, configure the system, test and train users. They specialise by area, such as finance, supply chain, manufacturing, maintenance, projects, HCM or field service.

Technical consultants and developers build what configuration cannot: customisations, integrations, data migration and reports. The usual toolkit is PL/SQL on Oracle, IFS Developer Studio, projections and client files, REST and OData APIs, IFS Connect, lobbies and workflows.

Later paths include solution architect and project manager. On the board today: 67 functional consultant roles, 26 technical and developer roles, 27 solution architect roles, 10 project manager roles, 8 support roles.

2. Start from what you know

IFS employers hire for domain knowledge first. An accountant becomes a finance consultant faster than a generalist does. A maintenance planner already speaks the language of IFS EAM. Use your current field as the entry point and add the system on top.

3. Get access to the system

You cannot learn IFS well without an environment, and that almost always comes from an employer. Three routes work:

• Join an IFS partner in a junior, graduate or support role. Partners train people because they need certified consultants. See the partner directory.
• Become the key user where your company runs IFS. Many consultants started as the super user on their own employer's project.
• Start in support. Application support exposes you to every module and to real problems. See IFS support jobs.

4. Get certified

IFS Academy runs the IFS Certified Practitioner exams, one per product area. It is the clearest signal for someone early in their IFS career. Details are in the IFS certification guide.

5. Apply where the demand is

As of 10 October 2026 the board lists 155 open IFS jobs from 39 employers. The countries with the most roles are United States (25), Sri Lanka (19), Sweden (15). Browse functional or technical roles, or see which skills are in demand.