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ERP · head to head

IQMS vs Plex Manufacturing Cloud

IQMS logo

IQMS

ERP

Single database manufacturing ERP and MES, now sold by Dassault as DELMIAworks

From
$1200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

ERP

Multi-tenant manufacturing ERP with MES built in, owned by Rockwell Automation

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IQMS dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.; Plex Manufacturing Cloud there is no on premise option, so a plant whose line-side terminals must keep working through a network outage needs a mitigation plan, and connectivity becomes a production dependency rather than an IT concern.
  • They diverge on capability: IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Plex Manufacturing Cloud covers Built-in MES.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IQMS and Plex Manufacturing Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where IQMS and Plex Manufacturing Cloud differ
AttributeIQMSPlex Manufacturing Cloud
Starting price$1200/month$500/month
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, WebCloud, Mobile, Web
Founded19941995

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (ERP).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IQMS

  • Single database ERP and MES
  • Real time machine monitoring
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Inventory and lot traceability
  • EDI

Only in Plex Manufacturing Cloud

  • Built-in MES
  • Lot and serial traceability
  • Inventory and warehouse
  • Supply chain and EDI
  • Single version delivery

Both cover

  • Production scheduling
  • Quality management
  • Financials

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IQMS

  • An injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accuratelynot Plex Manufacturing Cloud
  • A repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availabilitynot Plex Manufacturing Cloud
  • An automotive component supplier that must meet EDI release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer auditnot Plex Manufacturing Cloud
  • A plant currently reconciling an ERP against a separate MES and finding the two never agreenot Plex Manufacturing Cloud

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

  • An automotive component supplier that must hold complete traceability and pass customer quality auditsnot IQMS
  • A manufacturer replacing a separate ERP and MES pair that never reconcile with each othernot IQMS
  • A multi-plant discrete manufacturer that wants one system of record across sites rather than one per plantnot IQMS
  • An organisation that has repeatedly deferred an ERP upgrade and wants the upgrade problem removed from its futurenot IQMS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IQMS

  • Dassault Systemes acquired the product in 2018 and renamed it, which changed the sales channel, the support relationship and the roadmap owner, so a buyer needs explicit commitments on release cadence rather than a history of independence that no longer applies.
  • This is a discrete and repetitive manufacturing system, not a process one, so a batch producer needing formulation, potency, catch weight or co-product handling will hit capability gaps that configuration cannot close.
  • The product has an on premise heritage with an underlying commercial database, so a deployment carries database licensing and administration skills as costs that sit outside the ERP quote.
  • Its depth is on the shop floor rather than in the office, so organisations with complex multi-entity consolidation, international statutory reporting or sophisticated financial planning needs generally find the finance side thinner than the manufacturing side.
  • The knowledge base is split across two product names and two eras, so searching for help returns a mixture of IQMS-era community material and current DELMIAworks documentation, and it is not always obvious which applies to your version.

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

  • There is no on premise option, so a plant whose line-side terminals must keep working through a network outage needs a mitigation plan, and connectivity becomes a production dependency rather than an IT concern.
  • Every customer runs the same version on the vendor's schedule, so you cannot defer a release to fit around a plant shutdown or a customer audit and must absorb regression testing on the vendor's cadence.
  • Customisation is limited to the platform's own configuration and extension tools, which is what makes the single version model possible but means a process you cannot express within those tools has to change rather than be accommodated.
  • The financial modules are less developed than the operational ones, so groups with complex multi-entity consolidation, statutory reporting in several countries or sophisticated planning requirements often keep a separate finance system alongside it.
  • Country localisations and language coverage are narrower than the tier one vendors offer, which limits the product for a manufacturer expanding into markets with demanding local tax and reporting rules.

Pricing, plan by plan

IQMS

$1200/month
  • Standard$1200/month
    • Quality management
    • MES
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$2500/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • AI capabilities
    • Priority support

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

$500/month
  • Standard$500/month
    • Core manufacturing
    • Financials
    • Inventory
  • Enterprise$1500/month
    • Advanced modules
    • IoT integration
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose IQMS if

  • You need single database erp and mes.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want real time machine monitoring.
IQMS review

Choose Plex Manufacturing Cloud if

  • You need built-in mes.
  • You work on Cloud, Mobile, Web.
  • You also want lot and serial traceability.
Plex Manufacturing Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is IQMS or Plex Manufacturing Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. IQMS starts at $1200/month and Plex Manufacturing Cloud at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IQMS or Plex Manufacturing Cloud?
IQMS starts at $1200/month and Plex Manufacturing Cloud at $500/month.
Does IQMS or Plex Manufacturing Cloud run on more platforms?
IQMS runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web. Plex Manufacturing Cloud runs on Cloud, Mobile, Web.
What is IQMS best used for?
IQMS is most often used for an injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accurately, a repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availability, an automotive component supplier that must meet edi release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer audit, a plant currently reconciling an erp against a separate mes and finding the two never agree. Of those, an injection moulding or plastics processor that needs cycle level machine data to cost jobs accurately and a repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availability are not what Plex Manufacturing Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can IQMS do that Plex Manufacturing Cloud cannot?
IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Real time machine monitoring, Preventive maintenance, Inventory and lot traceability. Plex Manufacturing Cloud covers Built-in MES, Lot and serial traceability, Inventory and warehouse, Supply chain and EDI. Both handle Production scheduling, Quality management, Financials.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IQMS: Is IQMS the same as DELMIAworks?

Yes. Dassault Systemes acquired IQMS in 2018 and markets the product as DELMIAworks. The underlying application, EnterpriseIQ, is the same lineage, but contracts, support and the sales channel are now Dassault's.

Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Can I run Plex on my own servers?

No. It is delivered as multi-tenant cloud software only. If you need an on premise deployment, this product cannot meet that requirement at any price.

IQMS: Why choose this over an ERP plus a separate MES?

Because the interface between them is the usual failure point. One database means production status, scrap and costing agree by construction. The cost of that is a narrower product that suits a specific kind of manufacturer rather than any manufacturer.

Plex Manufacturing Cloud: What happens to my customisations at upgrade time?

There are no customisations in the traditional sense. Extensions are built with the platform's own tooling and are carried forward by the vendor. That is the trade you are making: less freedom to modify, no upgrade project.

IQMS: Does it suit process or batch manufacturing?

No. It was built around discrete and repetitive production. Formulation, potency adjustment and co-product handling are the domain of process ERP and you should look at a specialist for that.

Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Has Rockwell's ownership changed the product?

It has placed Plex inside a portfolio with Rockwell's automation, maintenance and analytics products, which pulls the roadmap towards integration with that estate. Whether that helps depends on whether your plant runs Rockwell equipment. Ask about the specific roadmap items you care about.

IQMS: What should I check before buying under the current ownership?

Ask for the published release history since the acquisition, the support escalation path, who implements it in your region and whether they are Dassault staff or a partner, and what integration with the rest of the Dassault portfolio is assumed in the roadmap.

Plex Manufacturing Cloud: Is the finance module enough on its own?

For a single country manufacturer, usually yes. For a group consolidating several entities across countries with statutory reporting obligations, ask specifically about your requirements, because this is the part of the product most likely to fall short.

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