Work Management
Purpose of a CMMS Applications
The heart of all CMMS systems is the Work Order Application. The work order
application normally can include the following uses:
- Centralize all information and options necessary for the planning and execution of
work needed
- Provide a planner or supervisor with a tool that gives efficient access to information
needed to prioritize, plan, and report on work
- Provide a quick and efficient way to report work that has been performed
- Request new work, ensuring that needed work does not “fall through the crack”
- Collect data that allows analytical decision-making in an organization.
The body and soul of all CMMS systems is the Equipment Application. The equipment
application can include the following uses:
- Document maintenance history
- Document failure causes and frequency
- Componentize / organize equipment
- Document history of equipment movement
- Store information about the equipment in one place
- Settings / Readings
- Equipment specifications.
Benefits of a CMMS
The effective use of a good work / maintenance management process along with the
utilization of a CMMS can provide an organization with numerous benefits.
- Improved work control - WO module is the heart, providing the basis for work
management, cost tracking, equipment history and performance
- Improved planning and scheduling - tools for improving labor and equipment
utilization and therefore, minimizing downtime
- Enhanced preventive and predictive maintenance - automatic scheduling of recurring
tasks based upon time, operating hours or condition
- Improved reliability and failure analysis - capture failure and cause information
consistently, providing data to start to eliminate root causes of failures and improving
overall equipment reliability.
- Increased level of maintenance information – utilized to analyze and improve the
work / maintenance processes and increase efficiency
- More efficient use of maintenance personnel and $ - you should be able to do more
with less!
Keep in mind that the effective use of a CMMS is an integral tool for improving the
overall maintenance in an organization, but it is only a tool and not the process itself.
Management must commit to a process, which takes into account a long-term
maintenance strategic plan and is based upon benchmarks and the company’s goals.
AM/FM/GIS Integration Points and Benefits
When companies look at the integration of AM/FM GIS systems and Work Management
systems, the following areas can benefit from that integration:
Facilities and Equipment
- Facility and equipment information can be entered in one system and then interfaced
to the other one – eliminating duplicate data entry
- The GIS mapping capabilities can be utilized to find / plot the location of equipment
on a map
Work
- One Call location / elimination – Work Orders for one calls could be generated and a
link to the GIS system can assist a technician in determining the location of the one
call and whether a trip to the site is warranted
- Utilize GIS mapping to easily plan / analyze / query current and future work order
information – layering work order information on a map interface allows for easier
querying and greater geographic analysis
- An interface from the AM/FM GIS system to the CMMS can simplify generation of
work orders utilizing a map based approach
Other
- Integration of GIS can reduce CMMS implementation time by leveraging existing
GIS/FM data (especially the equipment and location information).
