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.

Finding the right software to meet an organization’s maintenance management needs can seem overwhelming. When searching for a solution, buyers must compare specialized computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software to other broader solutions, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. This article compares CMMS vs. ERP software to help you make the right decision for your organization.

CMMS vs. ERP Software

While CMMS and ERP software have some overlapping capabilities, they are distinctly different in what they help organizations do.

What is CMMS Software?

Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software is a computerized program designed for maintenance purposes, helping maintenance professionals with the management of their operations, and providing a defined system for documenting maintenance activities, managing the resources needed to complete maintenance jobs, and tracking the performance of the maintenance team. Common features of a CMMS system which are beneficial to maintenance management are:

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

What is ERP Software?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software manages data of an enterprise or organization, helping to organize information and communications from multiple departments, including maintenance, human resources, accounting, inventory, shipping and receiving, production, and logistics.

ERP software integrates important parts of a business into a single system, managing multiple business processes. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) involves automated accounting, invoicing, and financial analysis. It also includes striving to improve asset management, human resources management, and customer relationship management. Some organizations also choose to add a supply chain module to monitor inventory.

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

	CMMS	ERP
Area of Focus	Focuses on maintenance	Covers multiple areas of operation
Work Order Automation	Automates work order processes, along with reporting and invoicing	Encompasses payroll, invoicing, and reporting along with work order processes
Reporting	Analyzes data about maintenance using reports	Analyzes data about organization using reports
Purchasing	Has purchase order capabilities	Tracks, stores, and analyzes accounting data
Maintenance Requests	Has in-depth maintenance request management capabilities	Has some maintenance request management capabilities
Employee Tracking	Contains maintenance employee records including skill level and pay rate	Contains Human Resources information such as compensation management, timekeeping, insurance information, emergency contacts, and benefits paperwork
Asset Management	Has in-depth asset management functions	Has in-depth asset management functions as well as supply chain management functions
MRO Inventory Management	Provides MRO inventory planning as well as maintenance and other tasks monitoring in a manufacturing environment	Provides inventory planning beyond MRO product planning and production monitoring in manufacturing or other types of environments

Why Organizations Use ERP Software

ERP software has functions that apply to multiple processes within a business, including accounting, human resources, employee records, contracts, purchasing, and maintenance. ERP software can be an all-in-one solution for some organizations.

Using ERP software allows for data to be exchanged quickly and used on an organization-wide level. It is also quick and easy to integrate most ERP software programs with other software programs. Integration ensures that data from both is readily available and there are no compatibility issues.

ERP software does share some functions with CMMS software, including data analysis, reporting, and some maintenance management capabilities, including asset monitoring. Organizations that don’t need in-depth maintenance management features might choose ERP software rather than CMMS software. However, if an organization is seeking only maintenance management capabilities, it is not worth the investment in ERP software because of its cost and complexity.

Why Organizations Use CMMS Software

Unlike ERP software, CMMS software has dedicated work order management and asset management features that ensure maintenance work and data can be tracked down to fine details. Because CMMS software is used for all facets of maintenance, it serves as a dedicated maintenance management tool, especially for carrying out a proactive maintenance strategy. It manages all preventive and reactive (or corrective) maintenance tasks. Keeping records of work order history and maintenance history is essential for adequate asset management.

CMMS software offers comprehensive and specific work order management features, including the ability to plan ahead using multiple calendar views. Work orders can be set to print and be emailed out automatically. Preventive maintenance work orders can be set to activate automatically and require approval for work order closure.

Another reason organizations choose CMMS software systems instead of ERP software is for the advanced MRO inventory management features. Inventory counts can be updated quickly, and purchase orders can be made directly within CMMS software.

CMMS software costs less to run than ERP software—it is easier to install, runs faster because it is a smaller scale application, and typically results in faster Return on Investment (ROI) than with ERP software. This is often because CMMS software results in decreased asset downtime and increased asset lifespan, saving money on unplanned production interruptions and premature asset replacement.

CMMS software uses advanced reporting features to improve asset management decisions. Reports about technicians’ daily work volume can be created to compare to virtually any maintenance related metrics. All types of reports that can be created in CMMS software gather data from a common source so that there’s no conflicting or repetitive data.

Many organizations choose CMMS software because of the detailed, maintenance-focused features. This allows maintenance managers and technicians to keep detailed records of maintenance activities, from work orders to maintenance requests. The work order management and asset management features go into much greater detail and provide more options for creating and viewing records than ERP software. Overall, CMMS software is easier to use because it is user-focused, providing simplified ways to use the system without having to deal with functions or information the user doesn’t need.

Advantages of CMMS over ERP

CMMS software has several advantages for maintenance teams over using ERP software.

Preventive Maintenance Work Orders Managed More Easily

One major advantage of CMMS software is that it makes managing preventive maintenance work orders, along with service requests, much easier. Most systems have a simple workflow from receiving a maintenance request to creating a work order. Maintenance technicians can enter detailed information in the work orders about how maintenance problems were resolved for use in troubleshooting later.

Many details about preventive maintenance work order scheduling and creation can be added with CMMS software. This includes multiple scheduling frequency options, preventive maintenance work order checklists, labor hour tracking, records of inventory use, and inspection instructions.

Better Asset-Specific Data Management

CMMS software has better asset-specific data management capabilities. The collection and analysis of asset-specific data is far superior with CMMS software than in ERP software. This thorough data collection leads to increased productivity and efficiency. Technicians can look at asset records to see what maintenance has been done on a machine in the past to assist with troubleshooting a current problem. Asset tags can also be scanned so that technicians can quickly look up information about an asset stored in the CMMS software.

More Seamless Mobile Device Accessibility

While both ERP and CMMS software can be accessed on mobile devices, CMMS software’s mobile accessibility is more seamless. The dashboards and modules of CMMS software are easier to view and access on a mobile device than with ERP software.

MRO Inventory Functionality

While ERP software stores raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods inventory data, CMMS software offers more robust MRO inventory functionality. This makes a CMMS system essential for maintenance departments. Reorder points can be set so that MRO parts and supplies never run too low. Items can be checked in and out to keep track of where they’re being used in carrying out maintenance jobs.

CMMS software inventory management enables purchase orders to be created and sent to vendors. Overall, when given the choice between using CMMS or ERP software for inventory management, maintenance departments will likely choose CMMS software.

System More Engaging for Users

CMMS software tends to be more engaging for users than ERP software. CMMS software interfaces usually have a more simplified, user-friendly design. There are guided prompts when needed to ensure data is being entered correctly. More maintenance management-focused communication such as messages, notifications, and emails are available with CMMS software.

Experience All Advantages of CMMS Software with FTMaintenance Select

In order to explore CMMS software further to best meet your maintenance management needs, the next step is finding the right CMMS software for your organization. Look no further than FTMaintenance Select. Our robust, easy-to-use CMMS system has everything you need to receive all the benefits that come with using CMMS software. Schedule a demo today to learn more.