What Is a CMMS?
A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is software designed to simplify maintenance management.
A CMMS helps you automate and monitor your maintenance tasks
CMMS stands for Computerized Maintenance Management System (or Software) and is sometimes referred to as Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software. To better understand what a CMMS is, we will break the term down into each individual component.
Computerized
Computerized refers to the fact that with a CMMS, your maintenance data is stored on a computer.
This is hardly a surprising concept today. Before the 1980’s, however, maintenance data was generally recorded with a pencil and paper. Because of this, maintenance was largely reactive rather than proactive – maintenance was performed only when something went wrong. Preventive maintenance was less common because it was unrealistic to track which assets needed routine maintenance when all of your asset’s maintenance records were kept in a filing cabinet.
When CMMS solutions came to fruition in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, organizations began to migrate from pencil/paper and to their computers. Suddenly, organizations could track work orders, quickly generate accurate reports, and instantly determine which of their assets required preventive maintenance. This led to extended asset lifespans, improved organization, and ultimately reduced costs and increased profits.
Maintenance
Maintenance is what users of CMMS software do every day, whether it’s responding to an on-demand work order for a broken window or performing routine inspection on a generator.
Computer software cannot accomplish the work of a skilled technician. What it can do, however, is ensure tasks are prioritized correctly and that everything is in place (inventory, labor) to ensure success. CMMS solutions give technicians the freedom to focus less on paperwork and more on hands-on maintenance.
Management
Managing maintenance is the most essential role of a CMMS solution. Maintenance management software is designed to give users immediate insight into the state of his or her maintenance needs with comprehensive work order schedules, accurate inventory forecasts, and instant access to hundreds of invaluable reports. CMMS solutions make maintenance management easier by empowering managers with information so that they can make the most informed decisions possible.
System
A system can be thought of as the overall combination of features and capabilities within a CMMS. Different CMMS solutions offer different types of systems. The best CMMS system is one that allows users to accomplish his or her existing maintenance practices more effectively while introducing time-saving features that lead to a reduction of costs and a savings of time.
MicroMain’s CMMS solutions make it easy to manage work orders, preventive maintenance tasks, assets, purchase orders, fleet, inventory levels, and more. For a complete breakdown of MicroMain’s CMMS products, consult the CMMS software page.
On This Page:
Asset-intensive organizations such as property managers, hospitals, and manufacturers use a CMMS to:
Maximize asset lifecycle through inventory management
Conduct preventive maintenance (scheduled maintenance than reduces downtime)
Manage maintenance teams and work orders
Most companies use a "reactive rather than preventive approach to maintenance, and it costs them millions - in some cases billions - of dollars.
The average cost of unplanned downtime Source: REWO
Downtime costs more in some industries than others and is calculated based on the average cost of downtime per minute. Below, we examine the cost of downtime in a small business versus a large enterprise.
Lost Revenue
Cost of downtime for a small business
$427
60 seconds
time elapsed
$25,620
1 hour
time elapsed
Average cost of downtime for a small business. Source: Carbonite
Lost Revenue
Cost of downtime for an enterprise
$100,000
60 seconds
time elapsed
(according to 98% of organizations surveyed)
$300,000
1 second
time elapsed
(according to 81% of organizations surveyed)
Average cost of downtime for enterprises. Source: ITIC
What features does a CMMS have?
Work order management
Request, schedule, assign and track work orders in real-time from your mobile device
Asset management
Track the usage and performance of equipment using detailed asset profiles
Preventive maintenance
Schedule automatic maintenance to prevent equipment breakdowns before they happen.
Mobile-first interface
Access your software on any mobile device, designed with a user-friendly interface
Maintenance reporting
See how much time you’re spending on work orders, forecast upcoming expenses and evaluate worker performance.
What are the benefits of a CMMS?
- Reduce Equipment Downtime
- Increase Productivity
- Lower Maintenance Costs
- Enhance Work Order Management
- Increase Life of Equipment
- Schedule Preventive Maintenance
- Improve Inventory Management
- Generate Custom Reports
- Make Data Driven Maintenance Decisions
- Meet Compliance & Safety Standards
Do I need a CMMS?
We serve a range of industries including manufacturing, education, government, healthcare, transportation and more.
If your maintenance team has any of the following problems, a CMMS can help. Raise your hand if this is you !
- Our maintenance requests are consistently often forgotten or lost and the team struggles to prioritize work
- We have a reactive approach to maintenance. We fix things after they break, causing unplanned downtime
- We have no insight into our asset life cycle or work order history
- Our maintenance backlog is filled with overdue requests
OK, I'm interested, Where do I start?
Whether you’re switching from another CMMS or using one for the first time, we take care of the data import process from start to finish.
1. Book a
kick-off call with us
Together, we’ll set expectations for the project plan, timelines, deliverables and business requirements.
2. Data import consultaiton
Input your data into the Excel templates we’ve provided, then a software specialist will determine the best method for data transfer and import
3. Review your data
If you notice errors or need to make changes to your data, we’ll take care of them for you.
4. Training & additional consultation
4. Training & consultation
We’ll train your team for three days using a custom agenda according to user roles such as maintenance admin, planner, etc.
5. GO
live!
You’re ready to go! The sky’s the limit.