Month: February 2022

CMMS Best Practices: Long-Term Use

Two technicians discussing and working on a machine as they follow preventive maintenance best practices, part of CMMS best practices for use.

Following a set of best practices helps companies maximize the benefits of computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software. This includes learning important functions of the software and using them correctly over time, along with adequate collection and analysis of data. All of this will help maintenance teams get the most out of their software and avoid CMMS and maintenance management issues in the long run.

This article is part of a series of articles related to maintenance management best practices. Read our other best practice articles:

CMMS Best Practices for Long-Term Use

Once maintenance teams have learned how to use CMMS software, maintenance managers should adopt a set of best practices for long-term use and instruct technicians on how to follow them.

Meet Organization’s Needs First

One of the most important CMMS best practices is to ensure the organization’s maintenance management needs are met first before the “wants” are implemented. Most maintenance departments start with using work order management capabilities before they implement other features. User adoption of the work order process, overall productivity, and process efficiency should be the focus of CMMS use in the beginning. Do not initially overburden the maintenance team with requirements the software is supposed to meet.

Instead, focus on getting familiar with the tasks that need to be done frequently in the software. This includes entering all asset information into the system and getting users used to creating, editing, and closing work orders. Once that is achieved, maintenance managers can decide what should be accomplished next with the software.

Build a Plan for Support after Implementation

After CMMS software is implemented, the mindset should not be to “set it and forget it.” There should be a plan for any support that may be needed down the road. This includes knowing how to correct any errors made while using the software, as well as how to complete upgrades or updates to the software. Most CMMS software vendors have implementation and support teams available to answer questions and fix any technical problems at any stage of CMMS use. It’s the organization’s responsibility to stay abreast of the most recent version updates and any newly available features, working with the vendor to get them installed.

Other areas to include in the post-implementation support plan are long term data management, process compliance, and report development. Overall, a best practice of the maintenance team should be to gather feedback from end users on how to improve processes, including what needs to be added or changed.

Follow Up with Power Users

After CMMS software has been implemented, maintenance managers should follow up with power users who have been assigned to champion the software from the time of purchase. Power users should continue to work with hesitant users and new maintenance employees. Power users need to become experts in the CMMS so they can alleviate others’ concerns and adequately promote the benefits of using it.

Read More: CMMS Power User Roles and Responsibilities

Set Up a Comprehensive Maintenance Schedule

Scheduling maintenance goes beyond marking the calendar with maintenance tasks to be done at specific dates and times. The reasons for performing specific maintenance work, inventory requirements and planning, and detailed work order instructions also go into maintenance scheduling. Data that has been collected about assets will become useful for maintenance work scheduling. It’s important to learn how these areas of information work together for successful maintenance management. It’s essential that all data be of high quality since much of the information about work order scheduling relies on data from other areas of the software.

Provide Adequate Training

CMMS best practices include providing adequate training, which extends beyond the initial implementation. Keystroke training to learn specific functions should be combined with overall process training. It’s important for users to understand why they need to do specific things in the software according to their roles. Training should be revisited whenever there are new employees on the maintenance team, new features are being added or used, or when there is a pattern of mistakes being made with the software.

Ensure Accurate Data Collection

Another best practice for using CMMS software is ensuring accurate data collection. In order for data to be useful, it needs to be entered correctly. One way to make sure this occurs is to set required fields. It also may be useful to have someone review data entry early on until users feel comfortable with the system.

Once the maintenance team is accustomed to entering sufficient and accurate data, it will become useful for reporting and record keeping. Past asset data can be used to make repair versus replace decisions at the time of an asset break down. Reviewing past maintenance requests, corrective maintenance work orders, preventive maintenance work orders, and inventory parts used on the asset can help maintenance managers determine if it is more cost effective to repair the asset again or replace it.

Recent work order backlog data can be used to make hiring decisions. If important maintenance jobs are past due, being completed at the last minute, or being skipped, it may be because there aren’t enough technicians to keep up with the current workflow. Having concrete data available can help justify the need for additional staff to upper management.

Work order history data can be used to back up warranty claims. If there is documented proof that corrective maintenance was required before the warranty period was up, the maintenance team may be able to get replacement parts or a new unit that is covered under warranty. This can be an area of significant cost savings, especially if an asset or asset component is defective.

Become Proficient in Entire CMMS System

Another CMMS best practice is to become proficient in the all areas of the software system. There are four software areas that need to be used correctly and efficiently to get the most benefit out of a CMMS.

The operator interface consists of methods by which the operator of the CMMS receives information from and provides commands to the software or device. With a CMMS, these include screen displays, keyboards, computer mice, barcode scanners, voice input devices, and printers. Of course, it also includes the devices on which the users access the software itself, such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers.

The interface enables activity in multiple areas including creating work orders, documenting asset information, sending notifications to technicians, and checking or updating inventory information. All users (technicians, maintenance managers, and administrators) should understand how the operator interface works together.

Reporting dashboards is another area of many CMMS software systems that will be primarily used by maintenance managers. Many CMMS software programs have customizable reports that can be created to compare various maintenance metrics. These reports can be used to solve problems within the maintenance management workflow, improve inventory management, and demonstrate Return on Investment (ROI) to the organization’s upper management. Maintenance managers should know how to create and run a report, as well as what information they want to learn from the reports they choose to run.

The next area of CMMS software that the maintenance managers and IT should be proficient in is administrative settings. This includes things such as permissions for users, search term parameters, templates, and other areas to be accessed only by managers and technical support. Maintenance managers will have the ability to change them at any time and IT should be able to fix technical problems.

The last area of CMMS software to become proficient in is databases. This includes asset, inventory, work order history, maintenance request, and employee databases. All CMMS software users should be able to search for, find, and read information within any of these areas. Knowing how to use this and all other areas of maintenance management software is part of carrying out best practices for using CMMS software.

CMMS Best Practices to Apply in Areas of Maintenance Management

So far, we’ve looked at best practices for CMMS use that apply to the software in general. Some best practices can be categorized by the type of maintenance management being performed.

Work Order Management

CMMS workflow best practices include some for work order management. Work orders need to be scheduled and prioritized appropriately in a way that fits the requirements of the organization. It’s important to ensure all information is complete before submitting a work order into the queue. Before closing a work order, users should document as much information as possible in the CMMS rather than, or in addition, to on paper.

Read More: Work Order Management Best Practices

Asset Management

When it comes to asset management, using CMMS software allows maintenance departments to track assets in real time. It’s next to impossible to monitor hundreds of assets and their conditions without the assistance of software. Entering accurate, thorough data into the CMMS about all of an organization’s assets will give the maintenance department the information they need to track, monitor, and make decisions about asset preventive maintenance and repairs.

Preventive Maintenance

Best practices for using CMMS software include using the preventive maintenance features correctly. Preventive maintenance work order templates can be used to pair tasks and parts together for multiple jobs at different frequencies. Multi-equipment work orders can be created to avoid entering redundant data. Preventive maintenance checklists can be used to ensure important details are not missed, especially when they apply to more than one task.

The maintenance schedule can be viewed quickly and easily, and preventive maintenance jobs are easy to distinguish from corrective maintenance work that comes up. Preventive Maintenance (PM) work can easily be rescheduled as needed, and the calendar can be shared with other departments. A CMMS can help prioritize preventive maintenance work with minimal interruptions in the production schedule.

Maintenance Request Management

When it comes to maintenance requests, make sure they are submitted formally and correctly. These requests need to be approved before they become work orders. Certain employees should be designated as work order approvers. The maintenance request system in CMMS software is utilized by members of the maintenance department as well as users of the various assets. It provides the organization with a single channel for making maintenance requests and receiving notifications about maintenance task status.

Read More: Maintenance Request Management Best Practices

Achieve Long-Term CMMS Success with FTMaintenance Select

FTMaintenance Select will help you achieve long-term success with your CMMS software. FTMaintenance Select is user-friendly and has all of the maintenance management features you need to improve maintenance processes over time. Schedule a demo today to learn more about how FTMaintenance Select can meet your CMMS needs.

FTMaintenance Select v.2.0.5.10 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release FTMaintenance Select v2.0.5.10, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • Service Request Management
    • Submit Service Requests using a simplified request form and workflow via the service request portal.
  • Work Order Management
    • Automatically enter Work Order closure time and date.

Solutions

  • Asset Management
    • Corrected an issue that caused email address and phone number data to be lost after saving a Vendor.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented an Equipment record from being edited if the Equipment Number field contained certain special characters.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented a Manufacturer record from being edited if the Manufacturer Number field contained certain special characters.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented a Vendor record from being edited if the Vendor Number field contained certain special characters.
    • Vendor records can now be edited from an Asset record.
    • Custom fields with a Type of Date now display on the Custom Fields tab of an Asset record.
  • Barcoding
    • Improved the user interface on Barcode windows and grids.
  • Inventory Management
    • Improved the usability of the Transactions History.
    • Corrected an issue that allowed Assets to be tracked in Inventory when Inventory is disabled by Inventory Configuration.
    • Removed extraneous currencies from a Transaction record’s Currency field.
    • Corrected an issue that allowed new Inventory Items to be created for tracked Assets.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Inventory Items from being created for Buildings, Facility, and Property.
    • Corrected an issue that caused unexpected user interface objects to display when viewing an Inventory Item’s Group Path.
    • Corrected an issue that caused Transaction record numbers to display incorrectly.
    • Improved the usability of the All Stockrooms and Storage Locations.
    • Improved the usability of Inventory Groups as it relates to viewing Inventory Items in child Inventory Groups.
    • Currency is now set to US Dollar (USD) by default.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented previously pulled Tools from being restocked.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when attempting to add a Location when performing a Create Transaction.
    • Improved the usefulness of Transaction record numbers.
    • The Transferred To and Transferred From fields are now required when performing a Transfer Transaction.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented users from viewing the previous page following the creation of a new Inventory Item.
    • Corrected an issue that caused Inventory Item Name and Inventory Item Number field data to display incorrectly.
    • Corrected an issue that caused display errors on the Search for an Inventory Item.
    • The Inventory Item Name field of a Transaction record is now marked as required.
    • An Inventory Group is no longer required to create or update an Inventory Item.
    • Improved the usability of Transaction record detail pages.
    • Corrected an issue that caused searches for an Inventory to fail.
    • Corrected an issue that caused certain columns to be duplicated in the list of available Columns on the Transactions History.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented certain columns from being hidden from view in the Transactions History.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented new Inventory records from being created.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Stockroom Area field data from being displayed in the All Stockrooms and Storage Locations grid.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented the Total Cost from being calculated correctly when creating or updating an Inventory Item.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when adding an Inventory Item with a Quantity on Hand to a Stockroom.
    • Corrected an issue that caused data to exceed the bounds of a tooltip when viewing the details of a Work Order from the Pulled Inventory Items.
    • Corrected an issue that caused field labels to display incorrectly on Inventory Item record pages.
    • Inventory Item record details can now be viewed by clicking the linked Inventory Item Number in a grid.
    • Corrected an issue that caused deleted Work Orders to display on the Pull Inventory Items.
    • Corrected an issue that caused Inventory Group records to remain in the Inventory Groups Catalog Home grid after being deleted.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Storage Locations from being deleted from the All Stockrooms and Storage Locations grid.
    • Inventory Items can now be removed from Inventory Groups via the Inventory Group.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented an Inventory Item’s Quantity on Hand from being saved.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented an Inventory Item’s Inventory Group from being changed.
    • Improved the confirmation message that appears when attempting to delete an Inventory.
  • Invoicing
    • Corrected an issue that prevented the User Time Zone from displays in the footer of Invoicing.
    • Corrected an issue that displayed errors when creating an Invoice with an existing Payment Term.
    • Corrected an issue that caused user-generated image files to distort when being added to an Invoice Issuer.
  • Labor Resource Management
    • Corrected an issue that prevented a Labor Resource record’s details from being viewed or edited after creation.
    • The Hourly Rate field of a Labor Resource record is now marked as required.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented a Labor Resource record’s Phone Number and Email from being saved.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Labor Resource records from being viewed from a Work Order.
  • Locations
    • Corrected an issue that prevented the Indoor Locations, Street Addresses, and GPS Coordinates grids from displaying on Stockroom Location records.
  • Notifications
    • Corrected an issue that prevented attachment settings from being saved on email Notification Templates.
    • Service Request Customer Address data can now be included in email notifications.
  • Purchasing
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when creating a Vendor record with email address and phone number data.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when attempting to delete a Vendor record that contained phone number data.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented a new Purchase Order record from being created.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Purchasing Configuration settings from being viewed from the Purchasing Home.
    • Corrected an issue that automatically selected an Issuer Name when creating a Purchase Order.
    • Corrected an issue that caused the Payment Term field to be unresponsive when creating a Purchase Order.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented users from viewing the previous page when viewing the All Vendor Invoices.
    • Corrected an issue that caused some fields to be unresponsive when creating a Vendor.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented changes to a Vendor record’s details from being canceled.
  • Service Request Management
    • FTMaintenance Select Service Request
      • Corrected an issue that prevented a Service Request’s Cost Center from being saved.
      • Corrected an issue that caused errors when the Submit button was clicked multiple times in quick succession.
      • Corrected an issue that caused errors when adding an Attachment to a new Service Request.
      • Corrected an issue that prevented a Service Request Location’s Address from being saved.
      • Corrected an issue that caused Address data of a new Service Request Location to display improperly.
      • The system now attaches the Service Request Report to manual Service Request email notifications.
    • Service Request Portal
      • Corrected an issue that caused Service Requests to enter a Pending state when in Direct Mode if the Submit button was clicked multiple times in quick succession.
      • Corrected an issue that prevented the removal of Service Request Locations when updating a Service Request.
      • Corrected an issue that caused Address data of a new Service Request Location to display improperly.
      • Corrected an issue that prevented Microsoft Word files from being sent with a manual Service Request email notification.
      • Corrected an issue that prevented Service Request Customer data from displaying.
      • The system now attaches the Service Request Report to manual Service Request email notifications.
  • User Management
    • Corrected an issue that prevented certain special characters from being used in a User email address.
  • Work Order Management
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when adding an Attachment to a new Work Order.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when adding a Part/Tool or tracked Part/Tool to a Work Order.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Service Request data from appearing on a Work Order.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when creating or editing a Labor Resource from a Work Order.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when updating a Work Order that contained Attachments.
    • Corrected an issue that caused errors when adding an Asset that contained a Location to the Work Order.
    • Corrected an issue that allowed illegal characters to be used in the Work Order Cost Center.
    • Corrected an issue that allowed illegal characters to be used in the Work Order Lead’s Name.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Work Order tabs from displaying data when Note Entries contained carriage returns and spaces.
    • Clicking the Schedule Work Order button following the creation of a Work Order record now navigates the User to the Work Order Schedule.
    • The system now navigates the user to the All Work Orders page after Work Order updates are confirmed.
    • Custom fields with a Type of Date now display on the Custom Fields tab of a Work Order record.
  • Work Order Scheduling
    • Corrected an issue that caused Work Order performance data to be displayed on future activations of recurring Work Orders.
    • Work Orders with runtime-based schedule recurrence now activates as expected.
    • Work Order History records now include runtime schedule information.
    • Improved the usability of the Work Order Schedule tab.

What is Building Maintenance Management?

Office building in modern area that benefits from building maintenance management

Everyone expects to be kept safe and comfortable in the spaces they occupy, whether at work, at home, or at play. Despite the critical role building maintenance management plays in our daily lives, many of us pay little attention to building maintenance – that is, of course, until something goes wrong. This article provides an overview of building maintenance management.

What is Building Maintenance Management?

Building maintenance management is the coordination of maintenance activities designed to maintain, repair, and improve buildings and their related systems and provide a safe, habitable, comfortable, and functional environment in a cost effective manner. It encompasses all tasks that make a space “livable” and ensures that major building systems, such as electrical, plumbing, fire prevention, and HVAC, are working efficiently.

Building maintenance management also includes a building’s structure including flooring, walls, ceilings, roofs, and fixtures. In addition, building maintenance may extend to building exteriors and include painting, cleaning, landscaping, and groundskeeping.

Why Building Maintenance Management is Important

A properly maintained building is important to both building owners and occupants for a number of reasons.

Safety and Comfort

Proper building maintenance management is important for the safety and comfort of building occupants – whether residents, employees, or commercial tenants.

Though occupants are responsible for some maintenance tasks, such as changing light bulbs and maintaining a sanitary environment, they become disgruntled when common areas aren’t cleaned or safety issues arise. Further, maintenance issues that are ignored accumulate over time and create dangerous environments, sometimes with tragic results.

In addition, prospective occupants need assurance from their lessors or owners that their maintenance concerns will be addressed in a timely manner.

Money-Saving

For building owners, it is much easier to manage a maintenance budget with predictable costs, rather than try to find the money whenever issues occur. For example, it is more costly to replace a major building system than to proactively maintain building assets through regular preventive maintenance (PM). Well-maintained buildings are typically more energy efficient as well, leading to further cost savings over time.

Compliance

Adequate maintenance is essential to staying in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, such as those imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the International Code Council (ICC). Building code violations can result in heavy fines and other penalties for building owners.

Staying in compliance with building codes also helps minimize safety risks and reduces liabilities to occupants or guests who use your building.

Functionality

As with equipment maintenance, the overall objective of building maintenance management is to minimize failures and downtime. Without regular maintenance, buildings deteriorate and are more likely to cause disruptions to those inside.

Organizations that perform building maintenance management must address the challenges of both new and old buildings. New buildings may have design flaws that lead to undesirable conditions, such as inadequate air circulation, that may result in problems with indoor air quality. Old buildings face age-related issues, such as inefficient HVAC systems that create an uncomfortable indoor climate and result in high utility bills.

Profitability

Effective building maintenance management not only saves building owners money, but helps owners maintain or increase their property value. Buildings kept in good repair have the potential to earn more income from lessees, tenants, and buyers.

Types of Building Maintenance

Building maintenance generally falls into three broad categories.

Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is routine maintenance performed on a regular basis to proactively address maintenance issues before they arise. It involves inspections, treatments, part replacements, and other tasks that prevent damage to the building’s interior and exterior structures. Preventive maintenance tasks are planned and scheduled according to appropriate date-based or usage-based intervals.

Corrective Maintenance

Corrective maintenance activities restore a building to optimal conditions as damage becomes apparent. The nature of these tasks varies based on the type of building and the needs of its inhabitants. Unlike preventive maintenance, which is planned, corrective maintenance is done in response to an issue, such as those reported through service requests.

Protective Maintenance

Protective maintenance shields building structures from harsh environmental conditions and deterioration. It involves applying protective paints, sealants, coatings, and films to exposed surfaces such as pillars, awnings, and other architectural surfaces. Depending on the climate, these areas of the building may need protection from ice, snow, salt, heat, moisture, and extreme weather.

Areas of Building Maintenance

Building assets that require maintenance can be broken down into a few major building systems.

Electrical Systems

Illuminated lecture hall with fluorescent lights and projector.

A building’s electrical system includes lighting, safety systems, electrical equipment, and power distribution. Regular maintenance of electrical systems ensures that spaces are adequately lit, electric systems are installed correctly, and that the building can handle the electrical load without causing safety issues.

Electrical maintenance is becoming increasingly important in older buildings that need to expand their electrical infrastructure to support newer equipment and technology.

Plumbing Systems

Modern, bright office restroom fixtures including sinks and toilet stalls

When people think of plumbing, the first thing that typically comes to mind is bathroom fixtures such as sinks and toilets – but it’s much more than that. Building maintenance management professionals are also responsible for maintaining hot water heating systems, storm pipes, roof drainage, and fire sprinkler systems.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

HVAC units with fans on the roof of a large building

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems provide for a safe and comfortable environment for occupants. HVAC systems not only control air temperature, but also air quality, air circulation, dust, and relative humidity. HVAC maintenance for buildings includes maintenance of the air handling units themselves, but also ensuring that the building structure is air tight and has proper ventilation. Maintenance on HVAC systems also includes the energy source for building heating and cooling.

Water and Wastewater Treatment

Row of industrial pumps in a building basement

Building maintenance management also requires the maintenance of water and wastewater treatment systems. Maintenance teams must ensure there is a reliable source of safe, potable water for cleaning, drinking, and other uses. Wastewater and sewage systems must also be maintained to ensure safe and sanitary disposal of human waste, chemical runoff, and other hazardous materials.

Energy Management

Solar panels and wind turbines used to provide power to a building

Energy management is an important aspect of building maintenance management, especially in aging structures. Proper energy management leads to greater enjoyment of building spaces, better health and living conditions for occupants, and lower energy bills. Therefore, building maintenance teams must inspect and track the condition of roofs, insulation, doors and windows, and other areas that might contribute to the loss of heat or cold.

Interior

High angle view of a building office space including desk cubicles and chairs

Interior building structures include floors, walls, stairwells, basements, and ceilings. Maintenance for these areas includes tasks such as cleaning common areas, regular trash removal, repainting walls, repairing drywall, refinishing flooring, and carpet replacement.

Exterior

Close up of a riding lawn mower on a grassy field outside a building

Maintaining building exteriors is important for building owners because it gives the first impression of the residence or business. Exterior structures that require building maintenance include the foundation, roof, exterior walls and doors, and windows.

Some building properties also include the grounds surrounding the building.  In addition to the building itself, building maintenance managers are then also responsible for maintaining lawns, parking lots or structures, sidewalks and walkways, drainage, pest control, and landscaping.

Who is Responsible for Building Maintenance Management?

Building maintenance requires professionals with a wide range of skill and expertise.

Building Occupants

In some cases, those who occupy a building are responsible for minor maintenance tasks. For example, in the state of Wisconsin in the United States, Wisconsin state law dictates that apartment tenant’s repair responsibilities include:

  • Changing light bulbs and other minor maintenance
  • Keeping the apartment in a safe, sanitary condition
  • Keeping working batteries in smoke detectors
  • Keeping thermostats at a reasonable temperature to prevent freezing of pipes and other equipment
  • Repairing damage they or their guests have caused
  • Controlling pests (in specific instances)

Janitorial Staff

Janitorial staff is responsible for the general cleaning of a building. Their job responsibilities include tasks such as sweeping, mopping, trash disposal, vacuuming, and so on. Depending on the organization and building size, janitorial services may be outsourced to a service provider.

Maintenance Technicians

Building maintenance technicians perform various routine tasks, such as performing inspections, repairing fixtures and equipment, and addressing simple maintenance needs. Smaller organizations may employ a “handyman” or jack-of-all-trades, while larger organizations are more likely to hire technicians with more specialized skills, such as a dedicated HVAC technician.

Other technician responsibilities include responding to work requests submitted by others and performing low priority preventive maintenance.

Maintenance or Facility Managers

Building maintenance managers or facility managers oversee all building maintenance. They plan and schedule maintenance activities, manage the team, and ensure tasks are completed on time. Additionally, people in this role may also hire and train new maintenance employees.

3rd Party Maintenance Service Providers

Organizations may outsource maintenance work to third-party vendors depending on the scope of work, specific job, or required expertise. For example, some companies may not find it beneficial or cost-effective to hire a full time electrician, so electrical work is outsourced instead. Other building maintenance functions, like snow plowing and pest control, are typically performed on an as-needed basis. Therefore, it makes sense to outsource these tasks.

Building Maintenance Software

Building maintenance management can be overwhelming without a system to help coordinate and organize maintenance work. Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software provides a single platform for managing building maintenance. Using a CMMS allows maintenance and facility managers to maintain a birds-eye-view of all maintenance activities, track building and equipment maintenance costs, and schedule preventive maintenance tasks.

Improve Building Maintenance Management with FTMaintenance Select

FTMaintenance Select is CMMS software designed to help you efficiently and effectively manage building maintenance. Comprehensive preventive maintenance functionality allows you to keep track of routine maintenance tasks and create maintenance schedules that protect and maximize the value of your buildings and equipment. A mobile app extends work order functionality to technicians in the field. Request a demo today to learn more about FTMaintenance Select.

What is MRO Inventory Control?

Barcode-labeled MRO inventory items organized on a shelf and identified as part of an inventory control process.

Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) inventory spending accounts for a significant portion of an organization’s maintenance budget – in some cases as much as 45%! To minimize MRO inventory costs, organizations must understand what is happening to stock that is currently on hand. This article provides an overview of inventory control and its relationship to MRO inventory management.

What is MRO Inventory Control?

MRO inventory control, sometimes called stock control, can be defined as the process of tracking and regulating the level of MRO inventory within an organization, from the time it is received to the time it is consumed by maintenance work. It involves knowing what inventory items are available, how many are in stock, where they are located, and their condition (when applicable).

Why MRO Inventory Control is Important

Proper inventory control helps maintenance organizations in 4 key areas.

Inventory Accuracy

Through inventory control, maintenance organizations gain an accurate picture of how many units of an inventory item are in stock. Knowing these quantities helps identify which items are over or under stocked, thereby affecting replenishment decisions.

Maintaining accurate inventory levels also improve the maintenance planning process. When working from accurate stock counts, maintenance planners can schedule maintenance activities according to what parts are currently available or defer maintenance, if necessary.

Productivity

Poor inventory control affects the production of finished goods or the delivery of services. If parts needed for a repair are out of stock, organizations incur unnecessary downtime costs related to asset downtime and idling employees.

In addition, tracking the location of inventory items, along with their quantities, ensures maintenance technicians spend less time searching for parts and more time performing maintenance work.

Procurement and Reordering

Inventory tracked through inventory control activities provides valuable information for making purchase decisions. Continuously counted MRO items reveal an item’s usage and inventory turnover rates, which is used to determine ideal stocking levels. From this, organization’s can set an appropriate reorder point and avoid over or under ordering.

Held Inventory Costs

When done correctly, MRO inventory control helps reduce the amount of money tied up in inventory by allowing organizations to operate on the least amount of inventory that is sufficient to meet maintenance needs. Strict inventory control reduces the number of obsolete items held in inventory, reduces over or under ordering, and minimizes the need for costly expedited shipping if stockouts occur.

Reducing the total cost of inventory keeps the maintenance budget in check, frees up money for other projects, and maximizes an organization’s profitability.

Components of Inventory Control

MRO inventory control involves knowing what items are carried in inventory, their quantities, their location(s), and conditions.

Tracking Inventory Items and Their Quantities

In order to control inventory, organizations need to know what items are in stock and their quantities. There are multiple ways in which organizations audit their stocked inventory:

One way is to utilize cycle counting, where small portions of inventory are counted at a time. Compared to a full physical inventory count, which requires significant manual labor and temporary suspension of inventory activity, cycle counting is less disruptive, requires less labor, and can be performed any time.

Another way to identify and count inventory items is to use an inventory tracking system that stores inventory records and automatically updates stock levels as parts are consumed. Though this approach is more timely and accurate, data entry errors and unaccounted for transactions can lead to inaccuracies from time to time. To remedy these issues, organizations perform occasional physical counts to validate inventory accuracy and implement a barcode system to reduce data entry errors.

Further Reading: What is a Barcode System?

During the identification and counting process, organizations may also identify obsolete inventory which can be scrapped, sold, or otherwise disposed of. Doing so reduces clutter and frees up space for storing necessary inventory items.

Tracking Inventory Item Locations

The inventory control process includes tracking where all inventory items are located. Depending on the size of the organization, inventory items may be stored in one or many locations.

For example, there may a single stockroom, or there may be multiple stockrooms within a facility. Within each storage location are a number of aisles, racks, shelves, and bins. Further, inventory may be kept in other storage locations including cabinets, shelves, carts, vending machines, and cribs.

Location data can also impact how to organize the maintenance storeroom. In an effort to make it easy for maintenance staff to locate parts, inventory items may be organized by type or by the asset(s) on which they are used. Other aspects of an inventory item, such as its weight or size, may dictate the storage solution.

When an inventory item’s location and quantities are known, organizations are better able to assemble kits, repack items into smaller or larger units, and move groups of items from one storage location to another.

Tracking Inventory Item Movement

In addition to tracking MRO inventory items’ stocking locations, the inventory control process also tracks changes in location. For example, it is common for technicians to maintain a “personal” stock of MRO items in a rolling cart, tool chest, or vehicle. If this stock goes unaccounted for, inventory accuracy suffers and leads to increased inventory costs.

Tracking inventory item movement is also important when it comes to tools. Technicians must know whether the tools are available before maintenance work can begin and “check out” tools from a central tool crib (or other storage location).

In either case mentioned above, thorough inventory control tracks where items are currently located and who is in possession of them.

At times, inventory items are moved from one storage location to another. For example, an organization may decide to move a quantity of filters from the main stockroom to another storage location to reduce employee travel time. The organization should track the new location of the filters and the quantity stored there in the inventory management system.

Tracking Inventory Item Condition

Just because inventory items are in stock does not necessarily mean they are fit for maintenance, repair, or operations. The condition of the location in which inventory is stored impacts the integrity of the items stored there. For example, humidity causes moisture to collect on the surface of parts, leading to corrosion and degradation. Damaged parts do not perform to specification, potentially causing more harm than good.

Inventory Control vs. Inventory Management

By now, you may notice some similarities between inventory control and inventory management, and that is true. Both functions involve tracking and managing stock, though there are some key differences.

Earlier in the MRO inventory control definition, it was established that inventory control tracks and regulates inventory that is currently in the facility. In our article What is MRO Inventory Management?, inventory management is defined as “the process of procuring, storing, using, and replenishing the materials and supplies used for maintaining assets at the lowest possible cost.”

As you can see, the scope of inventory control is smaller than that of inventory management. Inventory control is most related to the storage aspect of inventory management, and ignores purchasing and replenishment. It is concerned with stock that is already present in the facility.

By comparison, inventory management involves all aspects of inventory, from tracking item specifications, monitoring usage and forecasting demand, making strategic purchase decisions to replenish stock, and managing vendor relationships. It is concerned with what is currently in the facility, as well as from where and when new stock is ordered. Many inventory management decisions are informed by inventory control.

Inventory Control Inventory Management
Definition The process of tracking and regulating the level of MRO inventory within an organization, from the time it is received to the time it is consumed by maintenance work. The process of procuring, storing, using, and replenishing the materials and supplies used for maintaining assets at the lowest possible cost.
Scope Operations-level daily tracking of MRO inventory that is currently in the facility. Higher-level tracking of MRO inventory ordering, stocking, replenishment, vendor management, and reporting.
Purpose Track the quantity, location, and condition of MRO inventory items within the facility. Ensure the organization has the right amount of stock, in the right place, at the right time, and at the right cost.
Helpful Resources: Looking to become an expert in inventory control and management? The following professional organizations offer learning opportunities and certification programs:

MRO Inventory Control Tools

Historically, inventory control has been managed with spreadsheets, printed paper files, and modules in accounting software. However, a better and more comprehensive way to manage and improve MRO inventory control – and inventory management – is computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software.

A CMMS offers robust maintenance inventory management software capabilities, and allows organizations to maintain visibility of all inventory items across the facility. A centralized system provides real-time inventory data and quick identification of an inventory item’s location, quantity, specification, cost, and more.

In regards to ordering and replenishment, CMMS software offers many benefits over manual systems. CMMS software automatically updates inventory count as inventory is consumed by work orders. Through maintenance reports, organizations can use inventory data to set appropriate reorder points and be notified when it’s time to reorder stock. Some CMMS platforms include purchasing functionality, providing an end-to-end inventory management solution.

Control Inventory More Effectively with FTMaintenance Select

FTMaintenance Select makes it easy to control your MRO inventory by allowing you to identify inventory items, track stock quantities, and track and manage inventory storage locations. Request a demo today to learn more about FTMaintenance Select.

Learn more about MRO Inventory Management

MRO Inventory Management is an important aspect of maintenance management. Its complexity warrants in-depth coverage of the topic. Check out our other articles about MRO inventory management.

Applications of Barcodes in Maintenance Management

A close up of a barcode that can be used on assets and scanned with a scanner.

Effective maintenance management relies on high-quality maintenance data. However, human error causes inaccurate data to be entered into computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software, compromising the usefulness of the information stored within it. Because of this, organizations often implement a barcode system to ensure accurate data entry and lookup. This article provides an overview of the many applications of barcodes in maintenance management.

Applications of Barcodes in Maintenance Management

Barcoding is a versatile technology that enhances many day-to-day maintenance management activities. The sections below describe common applications of barcodes in maintenance environments.

Asset Tagging

Asset tags are barcode labels that uniquely identify physical assets and are directly applied to asset exteriors for tracking purposes. In an ideal scenario, asset tags allow maintenance staff to walk up to an asset, scan the barcode, and perform some action using their CMMS. For example, the system might allow users to look up asset details, view maintenance records, or create a work order for the asset.

Asset tags are useful for organizations that have a large number of assets to maintain. Scanning barcodes reduces human error, ensuring technicians access and record accurate maintenance data for the specified asset.

Because asset tags are affixed to the asset, barcode labels must be able to withstand extreme temperatures, moisture, debris, and vibration without being compromised or lost. Incomplete or missing information invalidates the value of the barcodes. Organizations must choose the barcode printer and labeling materials that best suits their needs.

Read more: What is Asset Tagging?

Tool Tracking

Durable assets like tools are also commonly tracked via barcodes. This is because, unlike equipment assets which are largely stationary (except for vehicles), tools are mobile, shared among staff, and change location often. Barcoded tools allow the maintenance department to monitor exactly which tools are checked out, their current locations, and how many are available in inventory for use.

Tool movement is tracked through a check-in/check-out process using barcodes, similar to borrowing books from a library. When a tool is needed, technicians scan the barcode to check it out, reserving it for use. When the tool is returned, it is scanned back in to its storage location.

Read more: Mastering Tool Management with CMMS Software

MRO Inventory Management

Organizations typically stock hundreds, thousands, and even tens of thousands (or more) of MRO items within a stockroom. The sheer volume of unique inventory items makes it necessary to avoid misidentifying inventory items when completing work orders or replenishing the stockroom.

When applied to stockroom racks, shelves, and bins, barcode labels are useful for identifying the items stored there. This is useful for verifying parts pulled for maintenance work, adjusting part quantities when making kits, and performing physical inventory counts. Stockroom employees save time by scanning barcodes instead of manually typing numbers into the CMMS.

Alternatively, barcodes might exist in a master binder that lists all inventory items along with their corresponding barcodes. When the location of an inventory item is unknown, employees can look up its location in the CMMS by scanning the barcode information into a search field. The system then identifies the exact aisle, rack, shelf, and bin location of the item.

Read more: What is MRO Inventory Management?

Purchasing and Receiving

Barcodes are a useful tool when used with a CMMS’s purchasing and receiving functionality. When new inventory items arrive and need to be received, employees look up purchase order records by scanning a barcode on the physical PO form. From there, employees then update the status and quantities of incoming purchase order items. Having barcodes in place makes this process much faster and easier, especially when several items are received at once.

Organizations that track vendor item numbers are able to scan the barcode labels on incoming items and match it up with inventory records in the CMMS. Then, organizations are able to generate barcode labels that follow the organization’s internal numbering scheme for tracking and stocking purposes.

Barcoded Documents

CMMS software with barcode capability can generate barcoded paper documents, such as purchase orders and work orders. When these records need to be looked up and updated in the CMMS, all users need to do is click into a search field and scan the barcode. This is a huge timesaver when many items are received at once, or when a batch of work orders is ready to be closed.

CMMS Ease of Use

Depending on the CMMS, barcodes can provide shortcuts to valuable information. For example, clicking through multiple screens takes much longer than scanning a barcode. After the system recognizes the asset (or document), it can take the user to the record details or present the user with a list of options for what to do next.

Even if scanning a barcode only reduces user interaction by one click, those clicks add up over time. After all, the less time a technician spends clicking around in the CMMS, the more time he can spend actually performing maintenance work.

Benefits of Barcoding Technology in Maintenance Management

The applications of barcodes span nearly every major facet of maintenance management. Fortunately, many CMMS software solutions include barcode technology, thereby making it easier to incorporate barcoding into your maintenance process. As this article demonstrates, there are many advantages to barcoding:

  • Reduced Human Error: Barcode scanning allows information to be entered into a CMMS using a scanned code instead of manual entry, thereby preventing mistakes and improving the accuracy of maintenance data.
  • Increased Productivity: Once fully implemented, a barcode system allows maintenance workers to quickly locate information or take additional action using the CMMS. Wireless scanners and mobile barcode scanning allow employees to stay productive.
  • Better Decision-Making: When using accurate data, maintenance organizations are able to make smarter decisions about asset maintenance, inventory purchasing, maintenance schedules, and more. This leads to more efficient operations and lower maintenance costs.
  • Improved Return on Investment (ROI): Over time, organizations will be able to grow into using more advanced features of their CMMS. Combining powerful CMMS software with a barcode system provides additional long-term value to the organization, increasing the CMMS ROI.
  • Increased User Adoption: Employees are more likely to adopt a system that is easy to use. Barcode scanning provides an easy data entry method for employees of all computer skill levels.

Improve Your Maintenance Operations with FTMaintenance Select

FTMaintenance Select barcode capability allows for comprehensive management of your assets and inventory, and integrates seamlessly into your maintenance work order management processes. Contact us today to learn more about the FTMaintenance Select barcode system.