Your CMMS Is Way More Than Work Order Tracking

“We’re excellent at fixing broken equipment,” says Bobby, your senior engineer.

“Work orders get created, and my team gets the work done in no time,” he continues.

OK, that’s fair.

Bobby and the rest of your team are doing their job.

You should be happy.

But, you’re not.

Something is bothering you about your team’s performance, but it’s not them.

Your 15-year-old work order system is in place.

It’s getting the job done.

Work orders aren’t slipping through the cracks.

Then, what’s the problem?

Eureka!

It’s about your team always having work orders to complete.

That’s your problem.

One after another, work order after work order.

It’s all been completed and on time.

But, all your resources go to fixing problems rather than preventing them.

The entire department is a reaction unit.

“That’s my issue,” you respond to Bobby.

“You guys are great at fixing problems, but what about preventing them?” you ask.

"We’ve been thinking reactively – not with a Proactive Operations mindset.

Today that changes,” you declare.

Right now, your maintenance department is a cost center – a major one.

But we’ve got good news.

You can fix this problem before it gets the better of you.

It’s time for a modern CMMS that gets way more done than just work order tracking.

RETIRE THE WORK ORDER TRACKING SYSTEM

Most work order solutions do the job they were designed for, which is helping property’s fix assets when they break.

But, we’re in the 21^st century.

Technology has improved, and so has the methodologies that drive success.

The demands for expertise, effectiveness and high performing facility teams are greater in 2021.

Your antiquated system is precisely that, an outdated system, and it only provides you with two functions:

1. The ability to create a work order when something breaks
2. Capacity to mark that work order is complete when the asset is fixed

It shouldn’t stop there, though – should it?

You run a facility.

You do a lot more than just fix broken things.

Highly-effective facility managers have way more responsibilities than that.

A CMMS does too.

Now, work order tracking is only a small percentage of what your modern system will do for you.

Retire your work order tracking system and replace it with a CMMS that helps you accomplish a whole lot more – proactively:

1. Create, track, edit and automatically communicate work orders throughout your property.
2. Create web forms for staff and vendors to submit work order requests for efficient approval.
3. Define a chain of command for approvals based on specific criteria you’ve identified in the system. This method keeps production in motion and without any significant
4. Manage preventive maintenance – rather than reactive maintenance like work orders – in a calendar format. Now, you’ll be able to drag and drop to manage preventive maintenance activities. Make quick changes as priorities change.
5. Create digital checklists for consistency, efficiency, and control of your maintenance activities. Ensure everyone is getting work done according to the standards.
6. Alert your team when you’re running out of materials. Now, reordering stuff is smooth and occurs less often because you’re running preventive maintenance.
7. Alert you when any vendor insurance or warranty expiration are nearing. Not only stay on top of your team but also keep vendors in check.

Master all seven to augment your maintenance operation.

Don’t stop there either.

Take what you’ve implemented and expand on your success.

Keep reading; we’re going to share what reporting can do for you.

MAINTENANCE REPORTING IMPROVES WAY MORE

You’ve invested in your system.

We don’t mean just financially either.

You and your team have spent hours implementing the system with your vendor to ensure that it’s operating according to your needs.

Now, the benefits of a comprehensive solution are clear.

Your team is humming, and Bobby has seen a decline in work orders because of all the preventive activities scheduled.

Your team is “fixing” problems before they exist.

Bobby knows way more now too!

He’s using the customizable reporting offered by your system. It’s quality so powerful it deserves its own section of this article.

Now, it’s no longer merely tracking how many work orders come through the system.

You can report on so much more.

You have access to tons of valuable information.

You get to determine how you need to use it to improve and optimize your operation.

Way more reporting is available in your new CMMS.

Reporting that gives you the insight you never had with an antiquated system:

1. A Preventive Maintenance Report allows you to see all of your preventive maintenance activities and tasks as they are sent, scheduled, received, or closed.
2. A Work Order Report shows work orders as they’re created, scheduled, started, completed, or closed. Examine the work orders by a date range to further analyze by date.
3. A Purchase Order Report shows purchase orders as they’re created, sent, scheduled, received, or closed. Examine purchase orders by a date range in order to dive deeper into specific dates.
4. An Activities Report will give you a comprehensive snapshot of maintenance activities, inclusive of the associated tasks, equipment, materials, labor, and estimated material and labor costs associated with each activity.
5. An Equipment History Report breaks down all equipment by work order, purchase order and preventive maintenance.
6. Your Labor Summary Report is the next generation in management reporting. View all associated labor by work order, purchase order and your preventive maintenance.
7. Use a Vendor Work History Report to manage your vendors and analyze their associated work orders and all related costs.
8. Use a Vendor Purchase Order History Report to manage your vendors and analyze their associated purchase orders and all related expenses.
9. A Vendor Insurance Report lets you proactively oversee your vendors and the status of their insurance. This is a must-have report that’ll keep you compliant and always on track.

You’re way past work order tracking now.

You’re tracking, monitoring, preventing, improving, and optimizing as a proactive operation should.

Use these reports to keep your property looking good and running smoothly.

Turn your maintenance operation into a profit center for good.

OVER TO YOU

Transitioning from an antiquated work order system to a robust CMMS is no easy undertaking. But, it’s necessary because these systems offer your operation what is required to run a property in 2021.

Make the critical move, implement your solution, and start using it, and the results will be clear: you’re achieving way more than before.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness and freshness.