Why is a CMMS Important to Maintenance Managers and Companies?

A CMMS or computerized maintenance management system is a valuable tool for maintenance managers. And if used to its fullest benefit, CMMS can also be indispensable to other departments of a company. In this post, we discuss the essential functions CMMS software can perform in maintenance management. We also include a list of key CMMS users within a company or organization.

What is a CMMS?

But first, a primer on Computerized Maintenance Management Systems. A CMMS is a type of software consisting of programs that store and organize information on assets and their maintenance. CMMS makes maintenance management more efficient, controlled, and accurate by keeping a complete database of asset information and related maintenance operations.

CMMS digitizes and analyzes information recorded by asset owners, maintenance staff, and technicians. All the while providing easy information access for maintenance managers, other department representatives, leaders, and company decision-makers. This way, critical asset decisions can be made faster and based on real-time asset information.

Essential Maintenance Functions Performed by CMMS

The goal or bottom line of maintenance is to keep assets functioning at their optimum productivity while using the minimum resources. All maintenance efforts aim to extend asset lifespan, reduce repair costs, and reduce downtime. The following sections discuss the essential functions maintenance management must implement and how CMMS can be indispensable in said functions.

Managing Work Orders

Work orders are formal requests for maintenance tasks such as repairs, inspection, monitoring, and more. Generating, implementing, and recording work orders are essential functions of maintenance. The proper management of work orders lets the company control the allocation of resources, track asset repair progress, and keep a history of completed tasks.

Using a CMMS for managing work orders is a beneficial alternative to paper forms or spreadsheet methods. By digitizing work orders, CMMS improves efficiency and reduces errors in the following ways:

• Automated generation – CMMS can generate work orders based on maintenance programs in place.
•  Resources allocation – CMMS tags materials, tools, technicians, and other necessary resources, reserving them to ensure the completion of tasks.
• Streamlined scheduling – Digital and real-time scheduling are convenient and less prone to errors for managers or team leaders and their team members.
• Progress and results update – CMMS provides a platform for users to instantly update work order details and results, allowing managers to monitor downtime and make critical decisions in case of failure or breakdown.
• Recording planned and actual expenses – CMMS can analyze records of work order expenses, letting managers control repair expenses or adjust future budgets.
• Database of asset information – CMMS can incorporate useful asset information such as operating manuals, specifications, or safety precautions, ensuring the correct and safe execution of work orders.
•  Failure analysis – CMMS lets managers and company leaders analyze work order details and identify the causes of asset failure and viable solutions to prevent future failures.

Storing Asset Information

Maintaining assets also involves collecting and storing relevant information for future reference. Even before acquiring any equipment, machine, or tool, the maintenance team must secure the following asset information:

• Manufacturer’s details – any information on the asset’s manufacturer such as company name, address, and contact persons or numbers.
• Asset identification – identification details including asset name, model, serial number, manufacturing or warehousing origin, manufacturing codes, etc.
• Performance and lifespan – details on the expected performance and lifespan of the asset based on the manufacturer’s testing results, including the conditions on which the asset was tested.
•  Factory warranties – include guarantees and the conditions that the manufacturer will shoulder the repair of the asset or replacement of asset parts in the event of failure.
•  Manufacturer recommendations – information on installing, calibrating, maintaining, and other essential asset functions to optimize asset use.
• Reference materials – include repair manuals, safety procedures, operating instructions, etc. in a digital file, video, or audio format.

The above information must be stored in a secure location for easy access. These asset details are valuable during the asset’s lifetime from receiving to installing, operation, repairs, and retirement or disposal. A CMMS provides cloud-based data storage that lets users access information securely and from any location.

Developing and Implementing Maintenance Programs

Maintenance programs are strategies developed and implemented to meet specific asset needs. Maintenance managers must consider every asset and their specific maintenance requirements before they can assign and schedule specific tasks and frequency of completion for each asset. The process of developing and implementing maintenance programs is a continuous cycle and may involve a combination of the following strategies:

• Preventive Maintenance (PM) – aims to maintain assets by preventing failure through routine inspections and performing minor maintenance tasks based on these inspections to prevent major and costly asset breakdowns.
• Predictive Maintenance (PdM) – like PM, PdM also aims to prevent major failures but mainly through the use of instrumental or analytical testing methods that can predict failure earlier than routine inspections.
• Corrective Maintenance (CM) – unlike PM and PdM, CM is only performed when the failure or breakdown is already evident and thus, requires less planning and minimal resources.

Using a CMMS makes it easier to collect information and evaluate maintenance tasks. The suitability and effectiveness of PM on an asset, for example, can be easily monitored and analyzed with CMMS software. Fast and accurate CMMS data analysis also lets you evaluate more assets in less time than manual data plotting and calculations.

Join us for an informative webinar as we explore how Redlist’s powerful digital inspections tool can revolutionize your company’s reactive maintenance processes. During this webinar, we will highlight how Redlist’s digital inspections tool enables seamless defect reporting and maintenance workflow management.  .

Key Users of CMMS

The following are the key personnel who enjoy the benefits of using a CMMS to perform their duties and responsibilities:

•  Maintenance manager – relies on CMMS for scheduling maintenance tasks, managing maintenance resources, and implementing effective maintenance strategies
• Maintenance technician and staff – uses CMMS to receive and execute work orders, file maintenance reports, access relevant asset information, and communicate with managers and team members
• Inventory manager – depends on CMMS for accurate and timely information on the inventory of asset parts, maintenance materials, or tools. 
• Contractor or supplier – third-party users who can have limited access to work order information so that they can provide their service of products when needed.
• Operations or production manager – uses CMMS to plan the maintenance schedules according to operation or production needs and works closely with the maintenance manager in developing ideal maintenance strategies.
• Asset owner – includes the operators or end-users of the asset and their supervisors. They provide first-hand CMMS data on the day-to-day functions of an asset and report early on any signs of failure.
• Reliability manager and executives – includes experts on asset management and decision-makers. They make use of any CMMS analysis results to make the necessary improvements or actions that will increase productivity and reduce costs.
•  Health and safety manager – use CMMS information on asset conditions to monitor the working conditions for the company’s employees and ensure the company complies with current state and federal regulations.
•  IT manager – regularly checks CMMS functionality for all users and monitors security, manages system updates, integrations, and storage.