Month: March 2022

How Maintenance Has Changed Due to COVID-19

Posted: 3/29/2022

Manufacturing machine lifting a box with a robotic arm which has been maintained after the pandemic.

Nearly every job has been impacted by COVID-19, and maintenance departments are no exception. Some changes that occurred were temporary; others are permanent adaptations. Even so, things are different now than they were in the beginning of the pandemic. Learn more about how maintenance teams have adjusted and how computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software has been helpful during this transitional period.

What Changed During the Pandemic

While many things are close to back to normal now, COVID-19 guidance for manufacturing, including the maintenance aspect of it, had a ripple effect and is still impacting organizations today.

Some Organizations Deemed Non-essential

Organizations in some industries were deemed non-essential and had to close during the stay at home orders. Some could curtail their output and run production at a reduced level to stay in business while having only a few employees on site. Depending on the type of product the company produced, demand skyrocketed, slowed down, or ground to a halt. Many organizations had to get creative to stay afloat. For example, some companies that make alcoholic beverages produced hand sanitizer, clothing companies such as Nike began producing face masks, and automobile manufacturers produced ventilators.

Because product offerings had to change, the types of machines and how often they are used changed to accommodate new processes. Some equipment that wasn’t used often before needed to be cleaned, inspected, and maintained while other equipment had to be shut down. This impacted maintenance programs because technicians had to change their workflows and prioritize different tasks.

All sectors of manufacturing except power and energy, water and wastewater, food and beverage production, construction, public works, and pharmaceuticals were deemed non-essential. This meant many maintenance personnel had to stay home until the stay-at-home orders were lifted.

Some Organizations Were Essential

Organizations that were deemed essential stayed open and tried to maintain or even increase production while social distancing their personnel, and with limited access to inventory supplies due to supply chain shutdowns. At the same time, maintenance and production teams had to deal with an increase in demand for some products (such as canned goods and electronics) while adapting to CDC guidance regarding sanitization and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Regardless of whether production increased or decreased, maintenance work sometimes increased in either scenario. When organizations were running with decreased production, maintenance teams had more time to complete deferred preventive maintenance. When organizations had to increase production, maintenance staff had an increased workload due to critical machines running harder and longer than they usually would.

On the other hand, maintenance teams experienced a temporary loss of maintenance personnel due to employees being out with COVID-19, leaving them strapped for resources. Other organizations experienced diminished revenue and had to cut back on maintenance work and costs. When these things occurred, a backlog of maintenance tasks grew.

Preventive maintenance (PM) was important to keep essential machines running, but there was little time to complete PM tasks. Maintenance managers had to order supplies more frequently and work with vendors based on supply chain hiccups and increased need for critical spares.

Regardless of industry, all organizations dealt with economic uncertainty about when businesses would reopen and demand would return to normal levels. They also dealt with staffing uncertainty due to a combination of the need to limit the number of employees in one space to adhere to social distancing, and on-site workers becoming infected and having to isolate. While many employees in other industries and professions could work remotely, it was impossible for maintenance technicians to do so.

Social Distancing

From the beginning of the pandemic, everyone became familiar with the concept of social distancing. This may have been easy to do while shopping in the grocery store, but in production lines and maintenance work areas, people had to be in specific locations to operate and maintain the machines.

The need for social distancing resulted in less employees on each shift, complicating facilities management during pandemic times. Those that were still working on-site had to be spaced further apart, with plastic barriers in between where necessary and feasible. As mentioned earlier, there were also more employees out sick at the same time due to the need to isolate after a positive COVID-19 test or quarantine after exposure to a COVID-19 positive person.

What Challenges Arose after the Peak of the Pandemic

We are now seeing the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, which is a relief for many wanting to feel safe returning to their normal lives. For maintenance teams, however, new challenges have arisen after the initial pandemic period ended. Here’s how maintenance changed after the initial shutdowns and restrictions due to COVID-19 began to ease.

Adjusting to Employees Returning On-site

There is an adjustment period for employees returning on-site. Maintenance technicians cannot work remotely, so of course, those that were either laid off or not working due to a company-wide shutdown or slowdown have had to return sooner than other employees. Many are able to work alone, so personal protective equipment (PPE) is not as important as in other positions. However, adjusting the maintenance schedule is a must. In general, it will take maintenance employees extra time to adjust to returning to work. In some industries such as food and beverage production, when maintenance teams went back to work, machines that hadn’t been used for weeks or months had to be deep cleaned. Once the initial cleaning was done, thorough sanitation procedures have continued, which takes extra time and supplies.

Some maintenance workers who returned to work had to get used to using new tools. These may include a new or updated CMMS system or machines with additional automation features or software. New procedures may be in place to follow involving more stringent cleaning and disinfecting. While cleaning was always a part of many procedures, for safety reasons, extra care and focus has been placed on frequent disinfection of areas employees touch a lot. Social distancing was a foreign concept to which employees have to adjust.

Price Increases

One result of the pandemic which is out of maintenance teams’ control is price increases for parts and supplies. Petrochemicals and plastics doubled in price. Aluminum and carbon steel have been in short supply since early 2021, and copper has become very expensive. Suppliers have been charging premium prices, and organizations have to pay these high prices. To offset this cost, organizations have often had to raise the price of their products.

This presents the challenge of keeping up with necessary maintenance while increasing the maintenance budget to offset other costs. Lower priority maintenance tasks, maintenance projects the team has been wanting to complete, and bringing on new employees might have to be placed on the backburner.

Increased Need for Critical Spares

A significant change for maintenance teams that occurred after the pandemic was the increase in the amount of spare parts, especially critical spares, required. Rather than having two week’s worth of spare parts, organizations ordered a month or even two month’s worth at a time. They also set higher reorder points. Buying extra parts is a precaution to offset supply chain delays, which organizations learned to do to avoid significant maintenance shortfall. Now that maintenance teams know the importance of having a surplus of critical spares, they don’t want to risk running out of them should supply chain delays worsen again in the future.

Maintenance teams have been more conservative with inventory management. Instead of running lean, they have had more stock on hand. Some orders that were placed a year ago have not been filled yet, so it’s crucial that they don’t run out of critical spare parts.

Increased Need to Focus On and Improve Indoor Air Quality

Before COVID-19, indoor air quality (IAQ) was important, but it wasn’t emphasized as much. Now it is more important than ever as it has been proven that air turnover helps prevent the spread of the virus. Open floor plans are conductive to good ventilation which positively impacts IAQ. Maintenance teams have had to handle maintenance requests involving modifications of the ventilation system and cleaning procedures to help improve IAQ. More frequent inspections of industrial fans and the ventilation system, preventive maintenance, and modified steps in maintenance work to improve IAQ have been added to procedures that may not have had them before.

Which Changes Became Permanent

While many adjustments that had to be made during the pandemic were temporary, some changes to maintenance management post COVID-19 will be permanent.

Automation Advances in Maintenance Management

Organizations were forced to automate more processes and tasks when they had fewer employees on each shift and fewer resources. For production, advances in automation might include robotics and more efficient processes. For maintenance teams, automation might include investing in condition-based maintenance (CbM) or predictive maintenance (PdM) sensors and software so that equipment can be monitored remotely. This eliminates some of the manual inspections a technician would need to perform in person. Maintenance teams that use CMMS software also relied on the software to automate administrative tasks that were normally done by a person.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Protocols

Of course, COVID-19 has changed cleaning and sanitizing protocols for all organizations. Production time had to be slightly reduced to make time for employees to frequently deep clean. After all employees returned to the workplace, transparency in the way teams cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized became paramount. The pandemic taught employees and managers to value cleanliness in a different way.

How CMMS Software Has Helped Post-Pandemic

CMMS software has always been an essential tool for maintenance departments. Here are some ways a CMMS has been helpful with recovering from the pandemic.

Identifies Critical Spares

CMMS software is a tool that can help maintenance teams identify critical spares by tracking usage of replacement parts. They can put a system in place to evaluate and change reorder points. Having CMMS software in places helps organizations put together contingency plans for maintaining adequate MRO inventory in the event supply chain shortages reoccur.

Monitors and Schedules Preventive Maintenance

When production requirements were lower, maintenance teams had more time to perform preventive maintenance tasks. However, when organizations begin operating at normal levels or accelerated levels, assets that hadn’t been used in a while are again needed in production. This created a queue of maintenance tasks. These tasks needed to be scheduled around available resources. Decisions had to be made about when to defer maintenance based on asset usage and availability of technicians.

With CMMS software, preventive maintenance work can be scheduled and assigned remotely. It should be scheduled at times that don’t take away from more important tasks or emergency maintenance tasks. After production was back up and running, the maintenance processes had to start over from the beginning. Maintenance managers had to set new schedules for maintenance.

Organizations had to make smarter decisions to save energy and resources due to the rising cost of fuel, raw materials, and MRO inventory items. This could mean picking and choosing which assets to perform preventive maintenance on, eliminating overtime hours, and looking for ways to increase efficiency during maintenance jobs. The need to juggle scheduling enough maintenance work while managing the budget to offset costs presents a significant challenge.

Cloud-based CMMS software has allowed maintenance managers to oversee maintenance requests, work orders, and inventory information from their home and while moving through the plant, saving the time and money that would have been spent in their offices. Schedules can be quickly updated and adjusted as things rapidly change. When costs go down again, using CMMS software makes it easy to increase the number of maintenance tasks on the schedule in a matter of minutes.

Manages Balance of Daily Tasks and Adjustment to Employee Return

When things began to turn a corner and employees returned to their workplaces, there was an adjustment period. However, routine maintenance tasks still had to be done during this time. A CMMS helps to juggle these tasks because work orders can be easily scheduled and logged.

Managers and technicians can quickly check the status of maintenance tasks without the need for direct interaction with busy employees. The schedule in the software could be adjusted for the initial period of “catch up time”. Recurring job frequencies could be changed back to more or less frequent intervals. If needed, schedules can be shared with other departments through the software rather than in a meeting.

Provides Documentation for Sanitization Processes and SOPs

With new stricter sanitization processes and updates to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), CMMS software provides a way to document them. Maintenance tasks can be created quickly that include checklists and instructions that can be repurposed for multiple recurring work orders. Work order history can prove that procedures were carried out and completed. CMMS software is a valuable tool for updating existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to include extra steps that have to do with sanitation. Digital records are more accessible and secure than using only printed materials, which have to be found in physical file folders.

Overall, CMMS software has helped maintenance managers to be more specific in their documentation of maintenance tasks. When there was a reduced number of staff available, less ambiguity in instructions including in digital work orders meant maintenance managers could feel more confident in their workers carrying out tasks with less supervision. Technicians could quickly look at the information they needed in the software and complete the tasks without going back to their supervisors for clarification.

Maintenance managers want to make sure important procedures and jobs are done the same way each time. Good documentation can help to standardize maintenance work.

Serves as a Communication Tool

CMMS software has become a more valuable communication tool. With social distancing and employee safety being number one priority, viewing information in the software has replaced face-to-face meetings where possible. However, having detailed information about work orders, MRO inventory, maintenance procedures, and maintenance requests available in the CMMS saves the maintenance team a lot of time so they can get more tasks done in a day.

CMMS software also enables the ability to run reports on new sanitation processes for audits and inspections.

CMMS software also serves as a communication tool through mobile accessibility features. Mobile CMMS allows employees to be out in the field completing maintenance work without needing to return to a touch-point such as a shared computer or work station. Technicians can update work orders and check other information from their mobile devices. It also helps technicians keep their distance rather than gathering at a central location.

Move Forward in Maintenance after COVID-19 with FTMaintenance Select

At FasTrak SoftWorks, we understand the unique challenges that have arisen due to the pandemic. As you move forward and adjust to an altered state of operations, FTMaintenance Select can help. Our CMMS software has everything you need to maintain the maintenance management changes that have been required of your organization in the last two years. Schedule a demo to learn more.

Using Change Management for CMMS Implementation

Posted: 3/22/2022

A maintenance manager advises a technician about how to enter information into a CMMS following implementation.

Implementing new computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software is a significant process that results in major changes for a maintenance department that is still using manual, paper-based tracking methods. Using the change management process improves CMMS implementation and makes the transition easier for employees. Read on to learn the steps in the change management process and how it fits into implementing maintenance management software.

When to Use Change Management

Change management is the method by which an organization describes and implements a change in a business process, or the start of a completely new business process.

There are a number of scenarios in which change management should be used to make a process easier. These include a change in leadership or organizational structure, a work culture or values update, a change in company benefits or policies, a merger, or when a new company-wide tool or technology is being implemented. CMMS implementation falls into the last category.

During the CMMS implementation process, user adoption is key to success, which is aided by adequate change management. User adoption is a goal many organizations focus on in the CMMS implementation process.

Where Change Management Fits into CMMS Implementation

While change management is important, it is only one of several steps in CMMS implementation, which includes:

Developing goals and objectives
Determining resources needed
Getting management on board
Developing a plan and structure
Confirming which assets the organization has

After the assets have been confirmed and accounted for, change management should take place. Once change management has been completed, the CMMS implementation process continues with:

Gathering all data needed to enter into the system
Importing the gathered data
Developing workflows
Creating a reporting process
Training users of the CMMS
Auditing the implementation process
Developing a plan for continuous improvement

It’s also important to note that some companies might not have the time or expertise to use a formal change management process, although it will increase chances of success. While the implementation can still be successful without it, the chance of the implementation failing is higher when change management is not used. There are multiple reasons why CMMS implementations fail, whether it’s lack of management support, lack of adequate training, or lack of clear goals.

What are the 6 Steps of Change Management?

There are 6 steps of change management when implementing a CMMS, and all of them need to be carried out for optimal success.

Step 1: Define the Opportunity

The first step is to define the opportunity that implementing a CMMS represents. It is the role of the maintenance manager to explain the reason for CMMS implementation to upper management (if needed) and maintenance technicians. Common reasons maintenance departments want to implement CMMS software are to better track asset management, work orders, and inventory, as well as plan preventive maintenance more effectively.

Step 2: Define the Direction

The second step in the change management process is for the system administrator and/or the maintenance manager to define the direction, meaning what the end result will look like and why the change is occurring. Implementing CMMS software means that the maintenance team will move from a reactive to a proactive mindset. With the ability to schedule preventive maintenance work orders in advance, the focus can shift to doing more proactive maintenance.

When assets are maintained regularly before they breakdown, it helps to reduce asset downtime, which means production can work more efficiently, increasing company profits. A CMMS will also reduce maintenance costs over time, making the maintenance team more effective.

Step 3: Explain What Will Stay the Same

The third step of change management is for maintenance managers to explain to technicians what will stay the same. This is the point where many technicians need reassurance that they will not be replaced in any way by software. They will still fix assets the same way they always have. Their experience is just as valuable in troubleshooting and navigating asset history and issues. CMMS software does not make them expendable. It won’t make their jobs harder, and as long as implementation is done correctly, in the long run, it will make their jobs easier. The purpose of CMMS software is simply to track maintenance processes, work orders, and inventory.

Step 4: Explain What is Changing

The next step in change management is explaining what will be changing. This is the job of the maintenance manager, possibly in collaboration with the operations manager or other members of upper management. With CMMS implementation, the way work orders are managed and how asset information is recorded and stored will change. Maintenance requests will also be managed in one portal through the software rather than through multiple methods such as email, word of mouth, and spreadsheets. The way inventory is managed will also change and become more organized. Change to specific processes will vary with each organization, so it’s important for maintenance managers to explain these changes as thoroughly as possible.

Step 5: Define Commitments and Next Steps

The fifth step in change management is to communicate the commitments from upper management and how they are supporting the change. The maintenance team may feel more comfortable with adjusting to using CMMS software when they know upper management is on their side and will be understanding during the transition process.

It’s also important for maintenance managers to explain what the next steps will be after the CMMS has been fully implemented. This can include training on new processes and how to use the software itself, new procedures for closing work orders, and learning how to incorporate CMMS use into existing daily routines.

Step 6: State Who to Contact

The sixth and final step in change management is letting the maintenance team know who to contact with questions or concerns. These contacts will vary by organization, but may include the maintenance manager, system administrator, or designated CMMS power users.

Benefits of Using Change Management

The benefits of change management are numerous, which is why the process is worth integrating into the larger CMMS implementation process.

Builds Momentum to Repeat Process

Once change management is mastered for implementing CMMS software, it can build momentum to use it for other organizational changes. The next time change management is applied, it is sure to be an improvement from the first attempt, further increasing success of the process. Change management builds trust in management to lead the rollout of new procedures. For example, upper management might use the change management process to implement other software or technology tools in their departments and follow the example of how it was used to implement CMMS software.

In the maintenance department, change management might be used again when a new maintenance manager is hired, a technician gets promoted, or when a new type of asset is purchased that would impact the long-term maintenance schedule.

Reduces Resistance to Change

Many people are resistant to changes of any kind simply because it creates a period of uncertainty. However, using the change management process will reduce the maintenance team’s resistance to future changes because they will better know what to expect. Even if the exact outcome cannot be predicted, employees will know they will receive support and up-to-date information throughout the transitional period.

Increases Likelihood of Successful CMMS Implementation

As we mentioned earlier in this article, integrating change management with CMMS implementation increases the likelihood of the change’s success. This applies to any other changes in which this process is used as well. Setting goals and having a designated employee to contact with questions ensures everyone stays on the same page.

Reduces Negative Impact of the Change

While there may be some negative impacts of the change that need to be overcome, using change management will reduce them. Keep in mind most of the things that seem negative are temporary. For example, some technicians may feel like they’re being “babysat” if they have to work closely with others to learn the software. While this close monitoring is temporary, it can make them uncomfortable if it is not explained to them that it is part of the implementation process.

Another example is the maintenance team getting used to documenting maintenance information digitally, which may be overwhelming at first. Additionally, CMMS implementation will also require making a list of all of the organization’s assets, organizing and cataloging all inventory items, and determining which preventive maintenance tasks should be scheduled in the system right away as high priority. Some employees may be assigned to gathering user manuals, inspection lists, and warranty information to scan and upload into the CMMS. Another group may need to walk around the facilities and write down the make, model, and serial number of assets to create a complete description to be added to the CMMS.

These are tasks that are outside of the normal workflow and routine, which might be stressful for some, but again, this is temporary. While these impacts are not negative in the long run, they may feel that way at first. However, with the six steps of change management incorporated into implementing maintenance management software, the challenges will be easier to handle.

Use the 6 Steps of Change Management to Implement FTMaintenance Select

Implementing FTMaintenance Select will be made easier by using the change management process. FasTrak SoftWorks offers implementation services including installation assistance and user training to help your team adjust to using your new CMMS software. For more information about the features FTMaintenance Select has to offer, schedule a demo today.

FTMaintenance Select v.2.2.0.1 Release Notes

Posted: 3/11/2022

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release FTMaintenance Select v.2.2.0.1, which incorporates the following:

Features

Purchasing
- Generate and manage purchase orders.
- Attach files, including Microsoft Excel files, to Purchase Orders.
Asset Management
- Retrieve asset details in a mobile-optimized view.

Solutions

Asset Management
- Corrected an issue that prevented Vendor records from being associated with Asset records during record creation and updates.
Inventory Management
- Corrected an issue that prevented an Inventory Item record from being updated without viewing the Stockrooms and Storage Locations
- Corrected an issue that prevented Inventory Item records from being created if an associated Stockroom record was updated during creation.
Notifications
- Corrected an issue that prevented certain Notification Templates from properly replacing Tags with valid data.
- Corrected an issue that caused the Username tag to display placeholder data for certain Notifications.
Work Order Management
- Corrected an issue that prevented a closed Work Order from being reactivated.

CMMS vs. ERP Software: Which is Best for Maintenance Management?

Posted: 3/4/2022

Woman with headset looking at desktop screen with charts and data from both CMMS and ERP software.

Selecting the right maintenance management solution can seem overwhelming, especially when there is apparent overlap in features and functionality between options. Buyers must weigh the specialized capabilities of computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software against broader systems like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, which may integrate other business functions.

Selecting the right type of software is critical because it directly affects asset uptime, maintenance efficiency, and long-term cost savings. This article compares CMMS vs. ERP software to help you make the best decision for your organization.

Understanding the Differences between CMMS vs. ERP Software

While CMMS and ERP software can both be used to manage maintenance operations, they serve different purposes in within business operations.

What is CMMS Software?

A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a specialized software solution that provides a single platform for documenting maintenance activities, managing the resources needed to complete maintenance jobs, and tracking operational performance. Common features of a CMMS include:

Work Order Management
Asset Management
MRO Inventory Management
Preventive Maintenance
Maintenance Reports
Maintenance Requests

When used together, these features help organizations increase equipment reliability, reduce unnecessary downtime, and control maintenance costs.

What is ERP Software?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is designed to centralize and manage tasks across core business functions. You may already be familiar with some ERP systems from companies such as Microsoft (Dynamics 365), Oracle (Fusion ERP Cloud and NetSuite), and SAP (S/4HANA Cloud). Solutions like these typically include the following features:

Accounting and financial management
Human resource management
Inventory and supply chain management
Manufacturing and production planning
Project management
Business intelligence and reporting

By integrating these features, ERP systems provide a holistic view of the business, enabling companies to streamline processes and make data-driven decisions across the organization. Maintenance management features are often offered as an add-on module in many ERP systems.

CMMS vs. ERP Comparison

To give you a better idea of what both CMMS software and ERP software offer, let’s compare their maintenance management capabilities.

	CMMS	ERP
Area of Focus	Maintenance management	Multiple core business functions, including maintenance management
Maintenance Workflows	Tight integration between work orders, inventory, and asset management	Siloed; requires more manual data input and navigation across modules
Work Order Management	Focuses on automating work order creation, assignment, tracking, and completion	General work order features, but less specialized in maintenance workflows
Asset Management	Detailed tracking of maintenance history, asset condition and performance, and lifecycle management	Broader asset management focused on financial and operational aspects like depreciation, ROI, and overall value
MRO Inventory Management	Used to manage maintenance-specific inventory including consumable parts and supplies, and durable tools	Used to manage organization-wide inventory that supports multiple business functions including raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods
Maintenance Scheduling	A core function of the software; Robust tools for flexible work order scheduling using predefined calendar-based or runtime-based intervals, or real-time equipment data	An add-on function of the software; basic tools designed for more rigid production and operations schedules, with less focus on preventing downtime
Work Requests	Designed for maintenance-specific needs; automatically triggers maintenance workflows enabling quick response times	Designed for more general business needs; requires more processing time to ensure alignment with entire organization’s resources
Purchasing	Used for MRO inventory purchases; supported by separate procurement process	Used for organization-wide inventory purchases; manages the entire purchasing process
Employee Tracking	Tracks maintenance personnel’s tasks, hours worked, labor rates, maintenance performance, and professional skills specific to maintenance	Tracks broader HR information such as attendance and scheduling, professional evaluations and goals, and training and development
Reporting	Advanced reporting on maintenance metrics, downtime, and performance	Comprehensive reporting covering all business functions; may require custom reporting to generate maintenance-focused reports

CMMS vs. ERP: Which is Best for Maintenance Management?

When it comes to choosing a solution for maintenance management, the question is not about which system is “best”. Rather, the best solution is the one that aligns with the specific needs of your organization. Comparing CMMS software to ERP software can often feel like comparing apples to oranges. Each system serves different purposes and meets different organizational needs.

An ERP solution’s maintenance module might be the right fit for organizations with basic maintenance needs, like facility or property maintenance. The module’s more limited design may make it easier to use, while still offering the advantage of sharing information across the organization. Further, decision-makers may be inclined to leverage integrated maintenance features that can manage maintenance tasks alongside other business functions.

One drawback to an ERP add-on module is that it is designed to serve a broad range of organizational processes, and may lack the specialized features required for more comprehensive maintenance management that a dedicated CMMS offers.

Asset-intensive organizations engaged in comprehensive maintenance management typically find a CMMS to be the superior choice. CMMS solutions are specifically designed to address complex maintenance workflows, comprehensive asset tracking, cost control, and tailored reporting. In addition, CMMS software can offer the following maintenance management benefits over ERP software:

Automated Maintenance Workflows: CMMS automates common maintenance workflows, such as managing the work order life cycle from initial request to completion, triggering recurring work orders using calendar-based or usage-based intervals, automatically documenting service history, and sending notifications that keep everyone informed about maintenance activities.
Comprehensive Asset Tracking and Management: A CMMS provides comprehensive asset records for documenting detailed information about your assets, including specifications, maintenance history, warranties, downtime, bill of materials, and meter readings.
Robust Spare Parts Management: Unlike ERP software, a CMMS is tailored to the unique needs of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) inventory and directly ties inventory management to maintenance activities. This integration, paired with automated tracking and reorder notifications, simplifies the inventory management process for consumable parts and supplies.
User-friendly Interface: CMMS software tends to be more engaging for technicians due to its simplified, user-friendly design, which is tailored to users who are traditionally less technically proficient.

Read: How to Increase CMMS User Adoption

Experience the Benefits of FTMaintenance Select

Selecting the right maintenance management solution is crucial for achieving long-term operational efficiency. While both CMMS and ERP software can manage maintenance tasks, only a CMMS has been specifically designed to meet the robust needs of modern maintenance teams. A dedicated CMMS, like FTMaintenance Select, provides a centralized platform for documenting, managing, and tracking maintenance resources and activities. With all of your maintenance information in one place, FTMaintenance Select empowers you to enhance efficiency, reduce costly downtime, and control maintenance costs. Request your demo of FTMaintenance Select today.