10 CMMS functionalities to improve industrial processes

There are a number of CMMS functionalities that help you keep track of your plant's physical assets, as well as manage the maintenance of each and every piece of equipment. CMMS software provides management support, data maintenance and asset tracking such as a delivery fleet so you can always identify the location of each vehicle.

CMMS software also records maintenance and repairs, locates required parts or materials, tracks associated costs, and manages related workflows. All of these functionalities of a CMMS improve the overall productivity of your organisation by reducing the downtime normally associated with equipment-related tasks.

Having said this, and after having seen the Top 10 benefits of a CMMSLet's get to know the functionalities we are talking about in this article:

1. Standardise maintenance processes. A tried and true way to make maintenance more efficient is to use a tool that you know works well in a given situation. Starting from scratch with every PM, repair or report will take longer and create additional downtime and costs. A CMMS gives you the power to create maintenance checklists, workflows and report templates, and more to make tasks easier and faster. It also makes these resources available digitally, so everyone can access the same information, follow the same best practices and get the job done as quickly as possible.
2. Improve access to maintenance resources. Lack of centralised knowledge means having to track someone down, shuffle through piles of paper or search through a computer to find the solution to a fault. These small inefficiencies lead to bigger problems, such as more downtime and failed audits. A CMMS makes maintenance resources readily available to anyone, anytime by providing a centralised information hub. Attach videos, manuals, task lists, accident reports, inventory requirements and more to any piece of equipment or work order to help technicians complete tasks in less time.
3. Tracking of maintenance metrics. Maintenance metrics translate action into numbers so you can measure the performance of everyone and everything in your operation. They allow you to connect cause and effect so you can make better decisions and improve your operation. You can't track metrics without the right tools, processes and people. CMMS software is the "tools" part of this equation. It captures the numbers and tracks metrics over time so you can get a long-term view of your performance. It also facilitates metrics analysis and fine-tuning strategies based on the data.
4. Report on relevant key performance indicators. Maintenance KPIs help you identify chronic equipment problems and compare them to industry standards. However, compiling KPI reports with Excel or pen and paper can be tedious and error-prone. CMMS software allows you to collect data from various areas of your maintenance operation and make sense of it with report templates. Having a better understanding of your KPIs helps you add value or reduce risk with small changes. Analyse trends quickly, detect recurring problems, track costs and more.
5. Collect work order updates in real time. Being able to track the progress of work orders is critical to limiting backlog, creating effective schedules, planning production and budgeting. If the right people don't have visibility of work orders, it leads to more downtime, higher costs and uninformed decision making. A CMMS helps you avoid these scenarios. The CMMS provides real-time work order updates, such as priority status, who it is assigned to and how long it takes, so you can allocate additional resources if necessary. The CMMS also notifies production staff when assets come back online, so they can get back to work without delay.
6. Access historical information. It is difficult to manage an asset throughout its life cycle if you do not know its history. Even if your technicians know everything about an asset's past, high turnover and retirement rates mean that this information is never far from being lost forever. A CMMS provides a defence against this kind of brain drain. Each asset has its own unique record detailing everything that has been done to it, from repairs to inspections, labour hours and more. Technicians can quickly access these records to help with PMs or troubleshoot problems.
7. Ensure that all work is safe. It does not matter if a job is done quickly if it is not done safely. The chances of an accident increase when safety is not part of the planning process. Making sure every job is safe adds a few extra steps when creating a work order, but it's worth it to keep your team healthy. A CMMS makes it easy to create work orders that take into account the well-being of the maintenance team. You can add checklists, material safety data sheets, safety procedures and required PPE to be sure technicians are doing a job safely and avoiding hazards.
8. Prepare for audits. Audits are not always easy to pass and are even more difficult without the right tools and expertise. And the prospect of failing an audit brings with it huge headaches and the risk of losing thousands or millions of dollars. CMMS software makes it easier and more cost-effective to prepare for an audit. It helps facilitate inspection rounds and allows you to search the system for maintenance records for a given asset or time period. Documenting compliance activities is also easier with a CMMS, as it gives you the opportunity to create reports and store photos.
9. Eliminate security breaches and fines. Safety violations lead to more accidents and can affect the bottom line, costing companies millions of euros in fines. These violations often occur when people lack information, expectations are unclear and communication breaks down. A CMMS can be the solution to these problems. Security procedures can be made more accessible and visible in checklists and asset profiles. Technicians can activate these procedures on their phones in a matter of seconds so that important safety instructions that could lead to a breach are never missed.
10. Manage security training. Training is a key element of safety; it has been shown to reduce injuries by 24%. It also leads to fewer breakdowns and unforeseen costs. While safety training is crucial, everything from bad timing to the need for specialised skills can get in the way of your team's best laid plans. CMMS software can help remove obstacles in the way of proper safety training. A CMMS allows you to store and track health and safety information for technicians, such as certifications. You can also get safety reports from the CMMS to decide what training should be prioritised.

Everyone in a facility has a different goal, from completing maintenance to tracking metrics to reducing costs. Regardless of what you are trying to achieve, CMMS software makes it easier to achieve. The real value of maintenance software lies not in its features, but in how you use those tools to eliminate inefficiencies, identify areas of opportunity and maximise the talent in your facility. A CMMS makes all of this possible and more.

If you are interested in learning more about the functionalities of a CMMS that serve to improve industrial processes, we invite you to review the checklist for in-depth maintenance of centrifugal pumpsas well as to subscribe to our Newslettera newsletter that provides you with technical content about the best technological solutions for industrial plants, focused on automation and maintenance.