Create CMMS Asset Records with Ease
Building a CMMS asset database can feel overwhelming. In fact, it can feel so overwhelming, some organizations give up before they even try. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Dividing up a big job into smaller chunks makes it easier. Use these five steps to create your CMMS asset records with ease. Step 1: Pick 10-20 of your most important assets. Make a list of 10-20 of your organization’s key assets. Start with the assets your maintenance team works on most; assets essential to production or operations; and any that are prone to emergency breakdowns. Step 2: Decide your maintenance strategy for each asset. [related-content] Maintenance can be triggered in different ways: use-based maintenance, fail-based maintenance, or condition-based maintenance. Pick one strategy for each asset. Use-based maintenance (UBM) is triggered by time, meter, or event—such as changing the oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. Fail-based maintenance (FBM) is running an asset to failure. A simple example would be replacing a burned-out lightbulb. Condition-based maintenance (CBM) is triggered when an asset’s condition changes outside of a specified range based on data, which can be gathered manually or automatically. Step 3: Create a schedule. Once you have determined each asset’s maintenance policy, you can use your CMMS software to build schedules for each asset. For assets on a UBM policy, you’ll build a work plan and schedule maintenance tasks based on the factors you’ve chosen. For CBM, you’ll create a range of conditions that will form the basis of a work plan and schedule, as well as forecast when CBM will likely occur. Last, but not least, while it’s hard to plan for FBM, you can forecast when failure is likely to happen and ensure you’re ready to react, with the right parts in stock and repair procedures in place. Step 4: Identify the data you need. Next, you’ll decide what data you need to capture to support your plans. Some may be available in your archives, but much of it will need to be collected from this point forward. And that’s okay. Step 5: Repeat with another 10-20 assets. Once you’re done with the first 10-20 assets, pick another group and work through the same steps. Take the extra time to get it right the first time, and you’ll have a solid foundation of good CMMS data that will make your maintenance operations run more smoothly. You’ll be creating CMMS asset records with ease in no time! Need help? Call us. We’re here for you.
Business Intelligence Data from CMMS
CMMS software is the best way for maintenance teams to manage preventive maintenance tasks and repairs. But that’s not all. Over time the software gathers data that’s a valuable source of business intelligence information for the entire organization. This data provides insight into your organization’s operations, helping you (and your bosses) make better decisions. Labor Expenses CMMS software tracks labor expenses, which helps organizations accurately estimate labor hours for both repair and preventive maintenance tasks. That also helps your organization balance staffing levels and the workload as well as reduce overtime costs. Plus, you can work with your human resources department to determine when it’s more efficient to add more staff members instead of paying current employees more overtime. Inventory Control Basic inventory in CMMS software links items and their unit costs to work orders and asset. That gives you simple records of inventory items and enables you to track and report on consumption of those items—which is valuable information for your purchasing and/or finance department. Advanced inventory management features are even more beneficial for your organization, as you can add stocking levels, reorder points, storage locations, and supplier information. These advanced tools also track various units of measure for a single inventory item. For example, you might purchase oil by the barrel, but use it by the quart. Asset Failure Analysis [related-content] CMMS data is a treasure trove of asset information. Over time, CMMS software provides a historical record of repairs and maintenance costs, which you can view in relation to other data—like asset age, previous repair history, and replacement cost. That helps you with the big decisions in maintenance management, like when it’s better to replace rather than repair an asset. Financial Insight CMMS data can help you create benchmarks for your maintenance team, plus identify areas where your team needs more training or when it might be more efficient to outsource the repair. You also can schedule maintenance tasks based on actual usage. This capability extends the asset’s lifecycle, increases your staff’s productivity, and saves your organization both time and money. Users can schedule corrective maintenance tasks and prevent emergency breakdowns—fixing equipment before it actually breaks. That’s music to any executive’s ears. Organizations need to stay to competitive now more than ever before. CMMS software can help your organization become more productive and efficient. Learn how it could work for you. Contact us for more information.
Vendor Management and SLAs with CMMS Software
I really enjoy talking to maintenance managers who use our CMMS software in the real world. There’s really no better way to learn about the challenges you face, so we understand how we can help make your work lives easier. Such was the case with Andrew, a relatively new MPulse customer. His company buys assets that typically are purchased with extended warranties and service contracts. Those service contracts usually last 3‒5 years and include scheduled vendor maintenance tasks. When I asked Andrew how his MPulse software helps with his workload, his answer was straightforward. “I couldn’t manage our vendor documentation and warranties without it,” he told me. Manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs) Before his company purchased MPulse, Andrew’s maintenance team relied on paper and pencil as well as an Excel spreadsheet for their vendor management information and schedules. Today Andrew manages all his service level agreements (SLA) in MPulse—which documents contact information, personnel, rates, and more. Plus, he connects those records with asset history and warranty information as well as scheduled preventive maintenance (PM) tasks. The result of SLA driven operations is an improved and automated system that links Andrew’s vendors and the work orders generated by his CMMS system. He can assign work to vendors and email work order details quickly and easily. Related Article: Three Ways Your MPulse Account Manager Can Streamline Your Business “Steve, it’s freed up so much time,” Andrew said. “I can run a quick report, and I know who needs to do what and when. I see the reminders, and I can schedule vendor visits in advance. No more vendor PM tasks slipping through the cracks because someone forgot to update an Excel spreadsheet or there was a data entry error. No more warranty problems because we missed a preventative maintenance task.” Track Vendor Information Even if your maintenance operations don’t rely on service level agreements, vendor management helps document which vendors provide specific goods and services for quick reference when you need them. Plus, it’s easy to contact vendors directly as well as view historical information on previous work. Related article: Five Ways MPulse Can Help You Reduce Downtime “With MPulse, everything is at my fingertips,” Andrew continued. “No more searching through filing cabinets or looking up phone numbers and email addresses on the Internet. I can focus on more important things now.” Andrew also uses MPulse’s report generation features to track warranty expiration dates, related costs, response time, and other key performance indicators that measure how effective his vendors are. “My team is a lot happier because they know what to expect and when,” he said. “It’s significantly reduced the stress level around here.” Are you having issues with your vendor management and service level agreements? Leave a comment, or contact us for a free, no-obligations demo!
Timed vs. Metered Preventive Maintenance with CMMS
When a maintenance team establishes and regularly performs PM tasks that contribute to the upkeep of assets, an organization may be able to sidestep serious problems that arise as a result of neglect as well as delay more expensive maintenance. Regular preventive maintenance tracking programs also ensure equipment is properly calibrated and lubricated. Automating preventive maintenance with CMMS software helps maintenance teams schedule PM tasks, making it simpler to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Maintenance intervals can be scheduled based on time, operating hours, or part condition—triggering a work order just before the point when system inefficiencies or failures begin to occur. Timed Preventive Maintenance Timed preventive maintenance is simply based on the time between PM tasks—such as days, weeks, months, etc. A good example is inspections, which need to be performed at specific time intervals to help maintenance teams spot issues before they occur. Timed preventive maintenance tasks are easy to set up in CMMS software. Simply choose the correct time interval, and then let CMMS software notify you or automatically create a work order when it’s due. Metered Preventive Maintenance Metered PM scheduling measures usage using a specific meter, which triggers a PM task at the appropriate time. Meter readings track and measure the condition of equipment, machinery, vehicles, and other assets—such as mileage, usage time, production volume, pressure, flow rate, etc. [related-content] Over time these meter readings create historical data for the asset, which maintenance managers can use to determine if repairs were successful or if they should adjust the PM schedule based on performance. While some maintenance teams record meter readings manually, others save time with CMMS features like MPulse DataLink to automate the process. Whether you use timed or metered PM scheduling, your CMMS software can help you reduce emergency maintenance issues and unexpected production stoppages. This, in turn, cuts overtime costs for emergency repairs and reduces production losses. Properly maintained assets perform more efficiently, use less energy, and fail less often—extending their usable life. Preventive maintenance scheduling with CMMS software is cost effective and beneficial for organizations of all sizes—lowering costs, improving reliability, and helping with compliance reporting. Learn more about how MPulse Maintenance Software can help you improve your PM scheduling. Contact us. We’re here to help.
Mistakes that Occur When Buying CMMS
After more than 3,000 customers, MPulse employees have an insider’s viewpoint of what works—and what doesn’t—when it’s the right time for your organization to buy CMMS software. To help new and potential customers, we’ve created a list of the five most common mistakes that occur when buying CMMS software. So, you can learn from other people’s mistakes (and avoid them). Use these five items to ask questions now that will help your CMMS implementation succeed later. Scalability: Scalability means the CMMS software can accommodate changes in size or volume as your needs change. That may mean something as simple as adding user licenses. Or, more complicated like adding advanced features or upgrades to meet new organizational needs. Compatibility: Maintenance managers often need to share maintenance data with their organization’s systems of record. CMMS software’s compatibility with external applications means you don’t need to worry about manually reformatting volumes of data to just to satisfy the requirement of other systems. Customizations & Modifications: It’s important to be able to customize certain things so your CMMS software matches your organization’s needs. Make sure you can adjust layouts, add custom fields, create nested fields, and link custom prompts to fit your needs. Mobile Devices: If you haven’t started using mobile devices in your maintenance operations, you probably will soon. Look for CMMS software with an adaptive interface. As a result, your maintenance team will experience the same easy access no matter what device (desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone) they use. Data Accessibility: A modern CMMS, properly integrated, can use data from virtually any source to feed its alerts, alarms, and reports. Make sure your CMMS software can track the data that your users need. You’ll also want to run custom reports on the information you and your organization’s managers need to know about. Sometimes failure can give you the tools and information you need to succeed. Take advantage of our experience with maintenance management for a variety of organizations. Contact us to see how we can help.
Prioritize Maintenance Tasks and Maximize Efficiency, Part 2: Calculate the Value
Last time, I shared my strategy for categorizing maintenance tasks. Obviously, emergencies and breakdowns take precedence. But what about the rest? It’s not as simple as going down the list in order from high to low. Maintenance operations are far more complicated than that. Maintenance managers can start by understanding the value of each maintenance task. Calculate the Value of Maintenance When I prioritize tasks, I’m looking at four things… Value to my organization Time to complete Proximity and/or location Potential loss if not completed I use these four things as a proportional tool to figure out what needs to happen when. Obviously, value to the organization is a big part of the equation. You’re going to prioritize tasks on key assets that directly affect your operations. Next, estimate how much time each task will take. CMMS software provides historical information about time and costs, which will give you the information you need to make data-driven decisions. But if you’re new to the CMMS world, make an educated guess. Then, consider the proximity and/or location where the tasks take place. This factor is particularly important for organizations with large facilities, multiple locations, or off-site assets. Finally, consider the potential impact if not done. This can be critical, for example, if you don’t change a component on time and the failure disrupts maintenance operations. How Does It Work? Let’s look at some real-world scenarios. Scenario 1. A key asset needs a major repair. Your tech is working on the same components that have a PM scheduled for next week. The equipment is disassembled, meaning it’s easier to access areas for lower priority tasks that don’t take a lot of time. It makes sense to do those other repairs or PMs at the same time, even though those tasks might be farther down on the list. Scenario 2. You have an off-site facility that your techs visit infrequently. A high-priority task is scheduled, and your crew will travel to this site. It makes sense to take the extra time to perform maintenance on other equipment at the site, saving another trip later. Scenario 3. Your tech is waiting for a part. There’s an hour to kill before the part is delivered. He checks his work order assignments, and he sees he doesn’t have enough time to dig into another high priority task before he’ll get pulled back to his original task. But while he waits, he can knock off a few quick work orders that don’t take a lot of time. It’s a lot to track. But CMMS software can help. Next time, I’ll share how maintenance software is the key to keeping your team on top of their task lists. In the meantime, leave a comment with real-world examples from your organization or contact us today. We all learn from each other.
Benefits of the IIoT for Your Maintenance Team
Last time, we identified four obstacles to implementing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) that a lot of maintenance managers are experiencing. If you are one of them, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about why moving past these obstacles is critical to modern maintenance operations. Solving Problems The big goal of the IIoT is to integrate people and processes in a way that solves problems. Since maintenance management is about fixing problems, there’s a lot of potential to make your operations more efficient—and your job a little easier. It’s highly likely your organization has already automated physical processes related to your operations. Do you have an automated thermostat for your HVAC system? Production equipment that sorts, cuts, or transports goods? GPS systems in your vehicles? These things are the first step to the IIoT. Over time this data provides a history of operations and performance that enables you to better understand the condition of your assets and your production. That means your maintenance operations can look at what’s going to happen, instead of what has happened. And your team can make decisions based on that information. Monitoring Real-Time Conditions The big picture of the IIoT is the shift from preventive maintenance based on time or usage to predictive maintenance based on real-time conditions. [related-content] The IIoT is bringing those sophisticated tools to the masses. IIoT technology gathers the data from your assets. Your CMMS software can capture, store, and organize data that can be produced into reports and fed into predictive analytical tools. Today, maintenance managers are using IIoT data for… Finding failing equipment Recommending action before equipment failure Tracking trends Identifying problem areas or assets Justifying equipment replacement Creating a better maintenance strategy Improving efficiency Those are big advantages for the maintenance team. That’s why is so important to move past the typical obstacles and figure out how the IIoT can work for your team. Take the first step by talking to people with experience in implementing IIoT technology. Start by calling our industrial technology experts at (800) 944-1796 (USA and Canada) or +1 (541) 302-6677 (outside of USA and Canada). We’ll help you make a plan that works for your organization. Next time, we’ll share three steps to move forward.
Overcoming Obstacles to the IIoT
From the trade mags in your mailbox to the email newsletters in your inbox, everyone’s talking about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), also known as Industry 4.0. Overcoming obstacles to the IIoT can seem like chartering into the unknown. It’s likely the IIoT is on your long “To Do” list—or at least on your radar. So, let’s talk about the obstacles that other maintenance professionals have experienced, and why. The Challenges of the IIoT The IIoT describes systems that gather information directly from multiple devices, which can be almost anything with a sensor—including computers, vehicles, smartphones, appliances, building automation systems, and production equipment. For the maintenance team, that means more real-time data to provide better insights into your assets, how they’re working, and what they’re really costing you. [related-content] But implementing the IIoT in the real world presents some challenges, despite enthusiasm from senior management. The Emory University study found four major reasons the maintenance field has been slow to deploy IIoT technology … Lack of skill sets. The IIoT requires a different skill set than most maintenance professionals have, as it merges operating technology with information technology. That means there’s both a lack of understanding about the IIoT and its capabilities, as well as simply a shortage of qualified employees with data management skills to get started. Current system still works. Many modern maintenance operations have fully embraced the preventive maintenance approach, which is working for them. So, some maintenance professionals don’t see the need for changes to their current workflows. Cybersecurity. IIoT data has value, which means it comes with challenges related to its safety and security. With active threats to IT systems growing constantly, maintenance managers are hesitant to bring new systems online without addressing concerns about complexity, data security, privacy, cyber attacks, hackers, disruptions, malware, sabotage, and data theft. Data silos. Traditionally organizations have used business software that creates little islands of computing power spread out across the organization. The proprietary nature of most systems and technology can make it hard to integrate technology vendors, IIoT systems, and external data sources. All these factors are valid, and they can be addressed by talking to people with experience in implementing IIoT technology. Start by calling our industrial technology experts at (800) 944-1796 (USA and Canada) or +1 (541) 302-6677 (outside of USA and Canada). We’ll help you navigate your obstacles and make a plan that works for your organization. Next time, we’ll talk about why moving past these obstacles is critical to modern maintenance operations. * Jalan, Arnav. “The Future of IIoT Predictive Maintenance,” Emory University and Presenso, https://www.presenso.com/blog/emory-research, May 28, 2018.
Must-Ask Questions about Your Maintenance Operations
Maintenance managers are busy, and it can be hard to find time to sit back and take a closer look at your operations. But taking the time for a little reflection can have a big impact on the future of your department. Luckily, we’ve complied a list of 10 must-ask questions about your maintenance operations. When you take the time to review your maintenance goals and workflows, you’ll probably find some things that you can do to improve, as well as identify new ways to improve your team’s productivity and efficiency. Nine Questions to Ask Yourself Start this process by asking yourself these nine questions… What’s making you nervous at work? What changes have you noticed and how will they impact your maintenance team? What resources might help you successfully navigate these changes? What are your organization’s plans for adding or replacing assets? Do you have new employees who would benefit from some training? Could other team members use a refresher in certain areas? Do you have new service requestors who need help on the best way to fill out work order requests? Do you need new or different reports for you or your boss? Is your CMMS software fully updated with any security patches or other updates from the software developer? One More Question to Ask Your Team or Service Customers After you’ve spent a little time working through the first nine questions, there’s one more question to ask your maintenance team and/or your service customers… Does anyone have questions or ideas for doing things better? The answers you get might surprise you, and they may feel a bit overwhelming. Remember you don’t have to do everything yourself. Pick up the phone and ask for help when you need it. Brainstorm with other maintenance managers for advice on how they handle things and involve your team members whenever possible. Your CMMS vendor also likely has some effective and affordable services to expedite your path to improvement. Look for services like MPulse Reset, which helps our customers reconfigure workflows and benchmarks, and then determines where adjustments to your CMMS software can help. Good maintenance managers know that plans are fluid, and they need to adapt to changes in their organization. Spend the time to reflect on these 10 questions and help your organization protect its investments and maximize maintenance productivity. Contact us.
CMMS Helps Facility Managers Move from Reactive to Proactive Maintenance
Facility managers know when someone has a problem, or something breaks down, their phone number is the one they dial. And some days, that phone never stops ringing. Many facility maintenance teams work the same way they always have—answer the phone, and then fix whatever broke. This reactive system serves a purpose, but it’s not efficient for the maintenance team or users. And it has significant consequences. Moving from reactive to proactive maintenance can keep those phone calls at bay while making better use of the maintenance team’s time and resources. It can feel challenging—almost impossible—to start a proactive maintenance program while you’re putting out fires all the time. But that’s where CMMS software can help. Schedule Preventive Maintenance Tasks A proactive approach starts with preventive maintenance. CMMS software will generate a schedule of PM tasks, making it simpler to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Properly maintained assets perform more efficiently, use less energy, and fail less often—extending their usable life. Preventive maintenance schedules and inspections generated from CMMS software help spot issues before they occur. Regular preventive maintenance tracking programs also ensure equipment is properly calibrated and lubricated when they need to be. Maintenance intervals can be scheduled based on asset or part condition, which triggers a work order just before the point when system inefficiencies or failures begin to occur. Facility managers can also schedule preventive maintenance work for off hours by tracking equipment use time. When a maintenance team establishes and regularly performs PM tasks that contribute to the upkeep of assets, an organization may be able to sidestep serious problems that arise as a result of neglect as well as delay more expensive maintenance. Reduce Costs & Downtime When you use CMMS software for maintenance scheduling, you’ll reduce emergency maintenance issues and unexpected production stoppages. This, in turn, cuts overtime costs for emergency repairs and reduces production losses. CMMS software also helps accurately estimate labor hours for PM tasks, making sure staffing levels match the workload and decreasing overtime costs. This type of labor cost analysis can determine when it’s more efficient to add more staff members instead of paying current employees more overtime. Preventive maintenance software is cost effective and beneficial for organizations of all sizes—lowering costs, improving reliability, and helping with compliance reporting. Find out how MPulse CMMS software can help your facility maintenance team move from reactive to a proactive. Contact us.