EAM and CMMS
If you’re looking to take your facility management program to the next level, there are a number of tools designed to help you do so. But the right choice depends on your needs and what you are trying to accomplish. This blog looks at two of the most popular categories of software tools – Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS) and Enterprise Asset Management software (EAM) – and highlights their similarities and differences.
What is CMMS?
CMMS, also known as work order management software or job management software, is primarily aimed at helping facility managers establish and manage an effective preventative maintenance program. This is critically important because commercial facilities that have comprehensive preventative maintenance programs in place find their total costs are as much as 50% lower than organizations that maintain their equipment reactively (i.e., when it’s broken). Historically, facility managers would use manual systems (think post-it notes and manilla folders) to create work orders, keep track of work progress, and maintain records. However, manual systems quickly become outmatched as the scope of a program increases to include multiple facilities.
CMMS applications like SimpleFM make this process much easier in several ways, including:
- Automated prioritization of jobs
- Streamlined communication between parties
- Providing a network of trusted vendors/contractors
- Facilitating preventative (rather than reactive) maintenance
- Maintaining organized preventative maintenance records
What is EAM?
Enterprise Asset Management software, or EAM, is similar to CMMS but has additional functionality to help large organizations maximize the value of their assets to the enterprise over their full lifecycle. One helpful way to conceptualize how this differs from CMMS is that EAM provides information to top-level management in an organization whereas CMMS is used primarily by those directly responsible for the operations and maintenance on a day-to-day basis.
Some examples of additional functionality that EAM offers compared to CMMS are:
- Fleet management
- Warranty claims and tracking
- Energy monitoring
Which tool is right for me?
Given the similarities between EAM and CMMS, how do you know which option is right for you? One rule of thumb is that organizations with more than 100 maintenance personnel would benefit from running EAM software. For smaller organizations, the cost-benefit analysis tends to favor CMMS.
CMMS that is Right for YOU
How does your current work order management system work for you? Do you manage your work orders effectively? Does your organization stay on top of each day’s “to-do” list and keep equipment operating at optimal levels? Is information about your work orders available at your fingertips so you can make informed business decisions? Does your work order system save your company time and money?
SimpleFM’s software and experienced team help organizations manage, monitor, and control maintenance including: equipment, resources, and regulatory compliance. Let us handle your facility and work order management needs and help your organization save time and money. Interested to see how easy facilities can be? Sign up for a Demo or email us at sales@simplefm.com.
