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Insider’s guide to choosing a CMMS program

A strong computerized maintenance management system (“CMMS program”) is the central component of many types of departments, including facilities and information technology. Typically used to schedule preventive maintenance work orders, the CMMS program integrates both the client and management team, providing an easy-to-use interface that allows both parties to monitor the progress of work.

Instituting a CMMS program has been shown to directly reduce maintenance costs and minimize emergency repairs (and the resulting downtime).

Here are our top CMMS recommendations…

With the overabundance of maintenance software on the market today, selecting the CMMS program that’s right for your business can be daunting. A great first step is to determine what your business’ most significant needs are. Below you can find our recommendations for specific CMMS needs, like affordability, server-based, and more.

•  Low-cost CMMS – When cost is a primary concern, many IT specialists recommend open source software solutions. Often providing free downloads for beta versions, a web-based CMMS program like h-inventory delivers standard, straightforward functionalities. This makes this CMMS program ideal for small businesses and organizations that lack a large IT budget. For example, h-inventory is reportedly a reliable package within this niche, providing client components that report information directly back to the server. In addition, it supports help desk and ticket tracking, ensuring customer needs are met in a timely manner.
• CMMS for small business – For those needing more than just basic functionality or not willing to risk compatibility and sustainability of open source software, CMMS solutions like Service-Now may be more in line with the needs of small businesses. Delivering a reportedly impressive level of management functionality, this CMMS solution is gaining in popularity due to its capabilities related to configuration management as well as its compatibility with incident and problem reporting . It also stands out for a strong capability in regard to aspects of service level management. Best of all, Service-Now is easily scalable, working equally well for a small business with 40 people up to a global company with employees that number 40,000 and above.
• Server-based or web-based CMMS – Ideal for shops with employees on the move or organizations that are spread throughout the country or the world, server-based CMMS programs facilitate collaborative business from any location, requiring only a PC connected to the Internet. One standout provider according to reviews is the-project, based in the UK. This CMMS program provides a centralized hub using the web, eliminating the need for software or IT installation and maintenance. It also includes advanced productivity features such as publishing, searching and downloading to streamline the user experience, and requires little to no user training. In addition, customer support is available online, over the phone, and through email.
• CMMS for facilities management (CAFM) – When your business has a large property to manage, the proper CMMS solution can save hundreds of hours per year in labor costs. As a result, many large management companies are opting for a web-based CMMS that allows them to collaborate with onsite staff in real time. Solutions like the-project, also mentioned above, are recommended due to the simplicity of integration within a large organization. In addition, server-based solutions save costs by reducing the time needed to locate information, collecting it in a highly-searchable centralized database that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. In doing so, these CMMS programs also guarantee that everyone involved is working with the most up-to-date information and revisions. Additional options include: standards management, eTenderer, key performance monitoring, event management and email management modules.