IBM Engineering Workflow Management vs Jira vs TFS comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IBM Engineering Workflow Management, Jira, and TFS based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, GitLab, Atlassian and others in Enterprise Agile Planning Tools.
To learn more, read our detailed Enterprise Agile Planning Tools Report (Updated: March 2024).
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Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"Agile templates give us a standard methodology for every Agile project. Also, the ability to create our own object types and linkages to features/epics allows us to enhance the verification of feature readiness.""We can track the status of test cases (passed or saved) in a single view. Based on releases and other attributes, we generate various reports and extract metrics from the data.""Good for managing stories, sprints, hydration and releases.""All of the features work together to provide a powerful holistic solution - from the dashboard all the way through to security.""Traceability reporting is inbuilt and includes all your requirements.""Work distribution among team members and accountability for completion with a clearer picture."

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"The most valuable features in Jira are the dashboard, reports, and boards that help us to control the advancement of the project.""Jira as a structure has Confluence for documentation, and for what it is offering it is a strong suit with Atlassian.""Jira offers tools for managing projects using Agile methodology. I think it is good to encourage the development team to use Jira, so that the organization benefits from the proper execution of projects on time. Basically, it helps our organization to execute in a better way.""Jira is very user friendly, easy to install, and easy to access.""The most valuable features of Jira are all the integrations with other systems. It's not the best in any specific area but it has lots of plug-ins and integrations.""The two features that have been most valuable have been backlog management and sprint planning and tracking.""It benefits us because we have globally located teams. Our team members work in different geographies, so the product is a better way to manage progress and see the status of different tasks""It is a complete solution. It has more features as compared to other tools, especially the open-source one that we use. It is also easy to administer."

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"The API for managing TFS programmatically is very powerful, you can listen on work items changes by TFS events.""The traceability is valuable. While managing the workflows, it was always nice to have that traceability from requirements and all the way through design. It integrates with Microsoft Test Manager, and you can have everything that is related to a requirement attached to it.""The solution is very much stable.""As far as queries are concerned, creating, grading, or customizing the queries as a primary requirement is very easy to do.""The most valuable feature of TFS is the central repository, and you can see what changes other developers did from which branch.""It's an integrated system that includes all the information that we need to deliver our products smoothly and to track the progress of each piece of code.""It is a stable solution.""I have found almost all of the features valuable because it integrates well with your Microsoft products. If a client is using the entire Microsoft platform, then TFS would be definitely preferable. It integrates with the digital studio development environment as well."

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Cons
"The solution is very heavily vendor dependent.""Teams need clearer pictures of resource availability in charts and dashboards along with plans.""Some administrative tasks are difficult to perform. These could be simplified.""We have encountered issues with stability. We have seen where the entire system kind of goes for a toss when certain people use certain types of queries, which are very costly. Then the system kind of slows down a bit, and we have to monitor it.""Lacks ability to customize and reporting can be slow."

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"I have had problems with performance and unresponsiveness. All of a sudden, the performance slowed down, and I had a number of users that could not use the tool.""The Jira dashboards could be more useful. The dashboards have good widgets but the comparison of data over time or extraction of trends from the data is not easy.""I'd like the solution to be more secure.""Workflows can be improved. We don't use workflows because we can't handle that much complexity. Its interface could be more intuitive for workflows.""Integration with some of the automation tools could be improved.""If they want Jira to be the one-stop shop of the view of all of your deliverables, not just from a defect tracking perspective, but also from a requirement perspective, a code perspective, and a testing perspective, it needs to pull out more data and work better as an integration tool.""We'd like to see Jira have more integration with a development ID.""The solution could improve by having its own tool for quality lifecycle management."

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"The manageability and performance of the product are areas of concern where improvements are required.""The project management side should be addressed and the project and release planning should be somewhat extended.""The solution is stable but could improve.""TFS and MTM have their own style of working and they are different from other tools like Jira or TestRail, which are simpler and easy to use.""There are many things that I cannot do, and I have a lot of bugs.""I understand Microsoft is phasing out TFS in favor of Git, so I would steer anyone interested in TFS to look into Git.""TFS needs to be stable.""They should have design patterns in TFS for the development team, and design patterns for the QA."

More TFS Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Licensing: The solution cost is high and should be brought down to increase competition."
  • "It's an expensive investment to make, so the decision should be driven on individual requirements."
  • "It is not a free tool. We use a token-based licensing model, which is specific to IBM. The cost per token is around $115-$120."
  • More IBM Engineering Workflow Management Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It is very cheap if you forego the local instance and stick to the cloud."
  • "The licensing model is annoying. They nickel and dime you."
  • "It does not cost that much."
  • "Almost everybody uses JIRA nowadays because it is the most cost-effective solution."
  • "I understand JIRA is quite expensive."
  • "We feel that the product is a good value for the cost."
  • "Licensing is on a monthly basis, and it is based on what you use."
  • "To try this solution, use their cloud offering to get familiar. After that, it's in my view worth the money."
  • More Jira Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It's just as expensive as HPE ALM, without many of the features, best used for development tool only to avoid higher costs."
  • "TFS is on the higher side, but if you intend to use the tool as a complete ALM tool, it will reduce your costs in the long run."
  • "Use the Microsoft recommended “seat-based” licensing model. This allows a single developer with multiple machines to consume only one client license."
  • "If running TFS on-premise is expensive, maybe you could consider moving to the Cloud and use the Visual Studio Team Services."
  • "It is pretty expensive compared to other project management tools."
  • "The pricing is reasonable at this time."
  • "TFS is more competitively priced than some other solutions."
  • "We pay subscription fees on a yearly basis and the price is reasonable."
  • More TFS Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:We can track the status of test cases (passed or saved) in a single view. Based on releases and other attributes, we… more »
    Top Answer:Customers need to pay for a license to use this product. It is not a free tool. We use a token-based licensing model… more »
    Top Answer:There is room for improvement in the UI. The UI has to improve a lot compared to the competitive tools, like Atlassian… more »
    Top Answer:Hi Netanya Basically , it all depends on the use cases for your environment and the business needs. Hope the below… more »
    Top Answer:Jira is a great centralized tool for just about everything, from local team management to keeping track of products and… more »
    Top Answer:HP ALM and Jira can be easily integrated with the aid of a third-party Integration Solution To help you select the… more »
    Top Answer:TFS and Azure DevOps are different in many ways. TFS was designed for admins, and only offers incremental improvements… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft's technical team is supportive.
    Top Answer:There is a yearly licensing fee that needs to be paid.
    Ranking
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    7.0
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    7.9
    2nd
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    8.0
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    IBM Rational Team Concert (IBM ALM), IBM RTC
    Jira Software
    Team Foundation Server
    Learn More
    IBM
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    Overview

    IBM Engineering Workflow Management manages plans, tasks, the project status and acts as the critical link between required and delivered work. It provides flexibility to adapt to any process, which enables companies to adopt faster release cycles and manage dependencies across both small and complex development projects. This solution offers no-charge server software and flexible pricing models. It becomes a complete IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management solution—when purchased as a set of seamlessly integrated tools: IBM Engineering Workflow Management, IBM Engineering Test Management, and IBM Engineering Requirements Management DOORS Next.

    Jira is a powerful cloud- and subscription-based application lifecycle and issue management solution. It is designed to aid users both in project management and in resolving any issues that arise at any point in the software development process. It is especially concerned with easing the ability of developers to collaborate. 

    Jira Benefits

    Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy Jira include:

    • DevOps lifecycle visibility and planning. Jira provides application developers with tools that enable them to track and visualize where they are in the development process. This means that a DevOps team can measure their progress at all times. Jira’s roadmapping feature also enables a DevOps team to work more efficiently by setting goals for their projects, keeping them on track. Additionally, they are able to track whether they are meeting the goals that they set for their projects.
    • Regular product updates. Atlassian is constantly updating Jira so that it is continuously evolving into an ever more powerful and user-friendly solution. Users can be sure that the product that they are using is always being tweaked so as to provide them with the best possible project management solution. 
    • Flexibility. Jira enables users to customize their workflows and dashboard so that the solution is operating in a way that best matches their needs. Jira can also integrate with more than 3,000 other applications and integrations. Organizations can use it to expand their project management and DevOps capabilities in many different ways. 

    Jira Features

    • Security capabilities. Jira is equipped with a number of useful security features. It gives administrators the ability to restrict access to certain tools so that only users who are authorized to complete certain tasks have access to the tools related to the completion of that task. Users can also set default permissions so that only particular users can work on new projects or particular projects.
    • Real-time notification feature. Users can set Jira so that it offers them notifications that contain critical information in real time. It can send users email notifications when pressing issues have been updated. They can also set it to notify them about tasks that may be due, or other similar events.

    • Activity log. Jira has the ability to track any and all changes that are taking place within the software framework. Users can keep a close eye on everything that is going on. This promotes a high level of visibility and can be leveraged to aid developers in their collaboration efforts. 

    Reviews from Real Users

    Jira is a powerful solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Two major advantages it offers are its workflow engine and its highly customizable dashboard. 

    Bharath R., the tool implementation and project management lead at a financial services firm, writes, “I feel the strongest feature of Jira is its workflow engine. It empowers us to automate our workflows within our organization. It's the one characteristic of Jira which I think can help any organization, be it in any domain.”

    Uday J., a staff engineer at a computer company, says, “Another thing that I like a lot about Jira is that in the dashboard, you can plug the modules that you want. You can enable certain sections. For example, you can show trend history, open Jira tickets, etc. Some of the managers have created a dashboard for each engineer.” 

    Visual Studio’s Team Foundation Server (TFS) is a powerful application development lifecycle management solution. It aids developers in managing every aspect of their DevOps and application creation. TFS combines many different types of solutions into a single powerful platform.

    Visual Studio TFS Benefits

    Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy TFS include:

    • Build automation. TFS enables users to create definitions that can easily automate any and all tasks that are critical to the development of their applications. Businesses can utilize features that are built into TFS to accomplish preset tasks that can help them create the application of their choice. This can include enabling them to run automated tests when the need arises. Additionally, users can create custom tasks that will run automatically and allow users to focus their attention on the areas that most demand their focus.
    • Security. TFS is designed with the security of a user’s DevOps in mind. It enables an organization to restrict user permissions so that only developers that are meant to have access to particular parts of the development process can perform tasks related to those sections. It segments the development process to reduce the possibility of sensitive data being stolen.
    • Enables product rollbacks. TFS keeps copies of past versions of the organization’s application. Users can sift through the different versions that are available and can redeploy the version that best fits their needs should it ever become necessary to do so.

    Visual Studio TFS Features

    • Source code management. TFS comes with all of the tools that developers need to completely manage their source code. They can share their code so that multiple developers can work on the same project. Additionally, TFS enables them to do things like review the history of a particular piece of source code.

    • Project management. Organizations can leverage the wealth of project management features that TFS offers and ensure that their projects run as smoothly as possible. Project managers are able to use TFS to control every aspect of their project, from the planning stage until the application’s development has reached its conclusion.
    • Reporting. TFS enables users to generate reports that leverage critical metrics and provide them with important insights into the applications that they are creating. These comprehensive reports can be secured so that only users with the proper level of clearance can access them.

    Reviews from Real Users

    TFS is a highly effective solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Two major advantages it offers are its source code management capabilities and its powerful integration suite.

    Carl B., the vice president of engineering at Vertex Downhole Ltd, writes, “The most valuable features are related to source code management. Using TFS for source code management and being able to branch and have multiple developers work on the same projects is valuable. We can also branch and merge code back together.”

    Ashish K., the principal consultant at Wipro, says, “I have found almost all of the features valuable because it integrates well with your Microsoft products. If a client is using the entire Microsoft platform, then TFS would be definitely preferable. It integrates with the digital studio development environment as well.”

    Sample Customers
    Telstra Corporation, Visteon, Atos SE, Panasonic Automotive Systems, IBM Global Technology Services, CareCore National, JTEKT Corp., ItaÒ BBA, Avea, CACEIS, Danske Bank Group, APIS IT
    Square, Nasa, eBay, Cisco, SalesForce, Adobe, BNP Paribas, BMW and LinkedIn, Pfizer, Citi.
    Vendex KBB IT Services, Info Support, Fujitsu Consulting, TCSC, Airways New Zealand, HP
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Manufacturing Company22%
    Government12%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company23%
    Financial Services Firm18%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Insurance Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization41%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Computer Software Company7%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm26%
    Computer Software Company18%
    Manufacturing Company16%
    Energy/Utilities Company11%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization51%
    Computer Software Company7%
    Manufacturing Company5%
    Financial Services Firm5%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business15%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise62%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business13%
    Midsize Enterprise7%
    Large Enterprise80%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business32%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise48%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business10%
    Midsize Enterprise47%
    Large Enterprise43%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business16%
    Midsize Enterprise25%
    Large Enterprise59%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business9%
    Midsize Enterprise57%
    Large Enterprise34%
    Buyer's Guide
    Enterprise Agile Planning Tools
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, GitLab, Atlassian and others in Enterprise Agile Planning Tools. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.