CMMS

A short guide to evaluating, purchasing, and using CMMS software

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What is a CMMS?

A computerized maintenance management system (or CMMS software) helps asset-intensive organizations plan, track, measure, and optimize everything to do with maintenance digitally.

What features does a CMMS have?

Work order management

A CMMS helps you create, complete, and track work orders by allowing you to:

  • Submit, review, filter, assign, and analyze work orders
  • Schedule and trigger maintenance
  • Get alerts when work orders are created
  • Add checklists, manuals, and notes to work orders
See more work order features in a CMMS

Asset management

A CMMS offers a better way to organize, track, and optimize assets by helping you:

  • Create asset hierarchies
  • Build detailed and accessible asset profiles
  • Track the usage and performance of equipment
  • Generate custom reports on asset costs, health, and more
See more asset management features in a CMMS

Parts and supplies management

A CMMS makes it easier to purchase, organize, and use inventory by giving you the ability to:

  • Set minimum quantities and automate purchasing
  • Log vendor and purchase details
  • See BOMs for assets and the location of parts
  • Track costs, cycle counts, FIFO, and more
  • Sync inventory records with an ERP
See more inventory management features in a CMMS

Maintenance reporting

A CMMS lets you collect, analyze, and act on maintenance data by helping you:

  • Build dashboards to view real-time KPIs across sites
  • Create maintenance and audit logs
  • Generate reports about your maintenance operations
See more maintenance reporting in a CMMS

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What are the benefits of a CMMS?

A CMMS can empower your operation, make failure the exception (not the rule), and help you future-proof your company.

Control costs

Stop overspending on inventory, cut waste, increase uptime, and track spending more accurately.

Reduce downtime

Erase backlog, schedule PMs with ease, and simplify repairs to eliminate downtime at its root.

Increase efficiency

Automate work, standardize PMs, and improve access to resources so you can work fast, safe, and effectively.

Centralize information

Access metrics, reports, real-time work order updates, and asset histories from anywhere, any time.

Improve health and safety

Outline safety requirements for every job, simplify audits, and make safety procedures more accessible.

What is the best CMMS software?

Super simple

The best CMMS lets you log work in seconds, not hours. It’s super easy for you and your technicians to use day-to-day and gives you quick access to all the information you need to report to your boss.

Mobile, integrated, and smart

Your CMMS has to have a mobile app that’s available offline so your team in the field can record work in real-time. It also needs to be able to connect to the other systems your company uses (like an ERP or MES). Finally, it should be AI-driven, so you can quickly analyze CMMS data to find areas for improvement.

More than just software

Any good CMMS also comes with a team that’ll help you implement the system, build a long-term success plan, track results, scale operations, and overcome growing pains.

Will a CMMS work for my business?

Do you use a lot of equipment?

A CMMS helps you handle all the maintenance for your high-value assets, as well as all the data that comes from your equipment. A lot of equipment also means a big storeroom. A CMMS can help you keep that organized and efficient too.

Do you produce a lot of things?

A CMMS is perfect for coordinating maintenance with production, even if those schedules shift all the time. You can put an end to the battles between maintenance and production and work together to fight the real enemies: Downtime, poor quality, and safety risks.

Do you want to be reliable?

If your organization has a dream of operational excellence (and the KPI targets to back it up), a CMMS will help. Use it to move beyond reactive maintenance, stick to your processes, and turn dirty data into trustworthy information so your entire operation runs like a well-oiled machine.

How much does cloud-based CMMS software cost?

Where is my money going?

  • Subscription fees

    CMMS software usually runs on a per user, tiered subscription model.

  • Set up and training

    Costs for training and implementation come as a package from the vendor or are charged hourly.

  • Hardware costs

    There are little, if any, hardware costs, except mobile devices, like tablets.

  • Integration fees

    The cost of an integration depends on its complexity, scale, and type.

  • Scaling your CMMS

    As your team grows, it’ll mean extra costs for added users, training, and more.

What do I get out of it?

  • Fewer costs

    Sites with a CMMS spend 19.4% less than they did without a CMMS.

  • Less downtime

    Companies that use a CMMS see a 20.1% average reduction in equipment downtime.

  • More productivity

    Maintenance teams boosted their productivity by 28.3% with a CMMS.

  • Lower risk

    Analyzing parts data in a CMMS can decrease stock outs by up to 40%.

  • A quick return

    The average payback time for a CMMS is 14.5 months.

Statistics from Operations and Maintenance Best Practices: A Guide to Achieving Operational Excellence, published by the Federal Energy Management Program

Top questions about CMMS software

What if I don’t have enough money in my budget for a CMMS?

If you’re in this position, you have two options: Convince your boss to increase your budget, or try a free CMMS. A free CMMS has its limitations, but if you’re a small operation or want to prove the value of a CMMS before making an investment, it’ll help you boost your maintenance program while minimizing risk and costs.

How do I choose a CMMS?

There are a ton of different factors that impact the CMMS you choose, from your goals to the cost of the software, the features it has, and vendor support. We put together a handy guide to evaluating all your CMMS options to make the process a lot less overwhelming.

Can I connect my CMMS to X, Y, or Z system?

Yes, CMMS software can integrate with any system you can name, as long as you have the right partner. Depending on the CMMS you choose, the list of possible integrations ranges from a handful of selected vendors to pretty much any system you want. Fiix is firmly in the second group. If you want to learn more about CMMS integrations, check out our starter’s guide to CMMS integrations.

What does the 'cloud' in cloud-based CMMS mean?

If a CMMS is cloud-based it means everything about it, from the way it’s accessed to the way you store data, is done on the internet. It also means eliminating the headaches of traditional, on-premise software, like being tethered to a workstation, installing expensive hardware, or losing your data if a computer crashes. This article is a great primer on cloud-based CMMS software if you want to learn more.

What happens to my data when it goes into a CMMS?

Data that’s put into a cloud-based CMMS is stored on servers set up by the CMMS provider. These servers are usually set up with super-secure companies, like Amazon, to keep data from falling into the wrong hands or getting lost. CMMS providers also back up your data and do security installs and updates. As far as who sees your data, most CMMS providers follow strict privacy guidelines, meaning your data is never sold or given away.

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