For hundreds of years, paper has been the go-to for important documents. The Charter of the United Nations. The Pledge of Allegiance. Your incredible book idea you scribbled on a napkin at that restaurant that one time. Wait…where did that napkin go, again?
While paper may be good for many applications, record keeping shouldn’t be one. No matter how well-implemented your use of paper is, there are a myriad of reasons using computer-based CMMS software to keep track of your assets, parts lists, and costs will bring your company into the 21st century.
The Downsides of Using Paper
1. So Many Filing Cabinets
Storing all of the files and documents associated with work orders, schedules, invoices, and part lists take up inordinate amounts of space- sometimes entire rooms, depending on the size of your company.
2. No (Easy) Way to Collaborate
If you manage multiple work sites, the only way to collaborate between you and your technicians is through email. They print out the document, make notes, and email it back. You take their notes, make notes on their notes, and send it back. They print it out, complete the work order, make more notes, try to decipher the scribble, send it back again, and voila! Four pieces of paper and several hours later, the bolts on machine 132 have been tightened. Not fast. Not efficient.
3. File Fires/Floods/Freak Accidents
Paper is prone to being destroyed by a number of uncontrollable hazards. Fires, floods, and other unforeseeable events can destroy years of irreplaceable records with no way to replace them. My dog ate it?
4. Worth Its Weight in Gold
Not only is paper bulky, it’s expensive, too. Cutting paper out of your budget can save you thousands of dollars every quarter. That’s money right back in your pocket, not to mention better for the environment if you company has a green initiative.
5. It’s Hard to Reorganize (Should You Need To)
Years after opening your business, you may want to reorganize the way you store your files. But if you have thousands of documents to move around, it could take weeks of work, hundreds of hours and plenty of wasted time.
6. One File Goes Missing…
People make mistakes. It happens. But if someone puts one file back in the wrong place, you’ll have to search through everything until it’s found and returned to its proper location. For larger filing operations, this can be extremely unfortunate, especially if you have a compliance audit.
7. No Reporting
Track data and equipment to make smarter, data-driven decisions that will impress your boss and get more funding for your departement, maybe even a raise.
How to Skip the Mess – Use a CMMS
The 21st century is knocking. A CMMS software is perfect for keeping track of all of your current and previous work orders, documents, assets, and schedules without worry. Using computerized systems allow for infinite remote storage, easy collaboration between individuals with zero wasted time, effort, and resources, and easy ways to sort through and find the information you’re looking for. CMMS Advanced Analytics help you to make data-driven decisions, saving you even more time and money.
If you’d like to learn how CMMS software can benefit your company directly, schedule a free demo with us here!