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ERP · head to head

IQMS vs QAD Adaptive ERP

IQMS logo

IQMS

ERP

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

From
$1200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QAD Adaptive ERP logo

QAD Adaptive ERP

ERP

ERP for regulated and supply-chain-heavy manufacturers, strongest in automotive and life sciences

From
On request
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.; QAD Adaptive ERP no pricing is published and licensing splits across user types and separately sold modules, so first quotes routinely come in well above the number buyers had in their heads.
  • They diverge on capability: IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IQMS and QAD Adaptive ERP actually diverge.

Attributes where IQMS and QAD Adaptive ERP differ
AttributeIQMSQAD Adaptive ERP
Starting price$1200/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, WebWeb, Windows, iOS, Android
Founded1994Unknown

Identical on both: 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
  • Production scheduling
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Inventory and lot traceability
  • EDI
  • Financials

Only in QAD Adaptive ERP

  • Automotive EDI
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Supply chain planning
  • Global financials
  • Traceability and recall
  • Connected workforce
  • Adaptive UX

Both cover

  • Quality management

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 QAD Adaptive ERP
  • A repetitive discrete manufacturer running many short jobs where scheduling depends on knowing real machine availabilitynot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • An automotive component supplier that must meet EDI release schedules and hold traceability to satisfy a customer auditnot QAD Adaptive ERP
  • A plant currently reconciling an ERP against a separate MES and finding the two never agreenot QAD Adaptive ERP

QAD Adaptive ERP

  • An automotive tier supplier that must accept OEM EDI releases and ship to AIAG or Odette labelling without building it themselvesnot IQMS
  • A multi-plant manufacturer consolidating several plant-level ERPs onto one ledger with local statutory reporting per countrynot IQMS
  • A food or pharmaceutical maker that needs lot genealogy fast enough to scope a recall in hoursnot IQMS
  • A manufacturer replacing an ageing QAD MFG/PRO installation and wanting continuity of process rather than a rewritenot 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.

QAD Adaptive ERP

  • No pricing is published and licensing splits across user types and separately sold modules, so first quotes routinely come in well above the number buyers had in their heads.
  • QAD has been owned by Thoma Bravo since the 2021 take-private, so roadmap and pricing decisions answer to an investment thesis rather than to public product commitments, and buyers should ask about contract terms at renewal.
  • The implementation partner network is small next to SAP, Oracle or Microsoft, which limits competitive tendering on services and makes regional coverage patchy.
  • Outside its target industries the vertical depth is dead weight, and a general distributor or services firm pays for automotive and life sciences function it will never switch on.
  • Long-standing QAD customers still run heavily customised MFG/PRO estates, and migrating those customisations to Adaptive ERP is a re-implementation, not an upgrade, which is why some sites have stayed on old versions for years.

Pricing, plan by plan

IQMS

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

QAD Adaptive ERP

On request
  • QAD Adaptive ERP$undefined/year
    • Subscription priced by user type, modules and deployment
    • Cloud or on-premise deployment
    • Implementation delivered by QAD or a partner and billed separately

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 QAD Adaptive ERP if

  • You need automotive edi.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want manufacturing execution.
QAD Adaptive ERP review

Questions people ask

Is IQMS or QAD Adaptive ERP better?
Neither clearly leads. IQMS starts at $1200/month and QAD Adaptive ERP at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IQMS or QAD Adaptive ERP?
IQMS starts at $1200/month and QAD Adaptive ERP at On request.
Does IQMS or QAD Adaptive ERP run on more platforms?
IQMS runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web. QAD Adaptive ERP runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
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 QAD Adaptive ERP is typically brought in for.
What can IQMS do that QAD Adaptive ERP cannot?
IQMS covers Single database ERP and MES, Real time machine monitoring, Production scheduling, Preventive maintenance. QAD Adaptive ERP covers Automotive EDI, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain planning, Global financials. Both handle Quality management.

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Who owns QAD?

Thoma Bravo, which took the company private in 2021. It is no longer publicly listed, so financials and roadmap commitments are not disclosed the way they once were.

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Is QAD only for automotive?

No, but automotive supplier compliance is its deepest area, alongside life sciences, food and beverage and industrial manufacturing. Non-manufacturers are not the target.

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Can it run on-premise?

Yes, both cloud and on-premise deployments are supported, which matters to manufacturers with plant-floor systems that cannot tolerate a WAN dependency.

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.

QAD Adaptive ERP: Is Adaptive ERP an upgrade from MFG/PRO?

Not in practice for a customised site. Moving heavily modified MFG/PRO installations is a re-implementation project, and that cost should be in the business case from the start.

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