Streamline Your Labor Resource Management
MPulse’s labor resource management features provide a direct link between the people you depend on and the work orders you manage. Let’s learn how MPulse Resource Leveling and Resource Planning can help you. Resource Leveling in CMMS The MPulse Resource Leveling tool is available from your Maintenance Advisor dashboard as soon as you log in. On the left, you can choose Employees or Vendors from the Resource Type field. For this example, we selected Employees. When you select a resource or an employee, MPulse displays a calendar of the work orders currently assigned to them. You can view this calendar by Month, Week, or Day. On the calendar, you can drag and drop work orders around to change the due date or adjust the estimated hours. You’ll see a list of all work order records on the right side. There are two subsets: the top shows work orders assigned to this resource, and the bottom shows the work orders not assigned to this resource. You can assign a work order to this resource simply by dragging the work order and dropping it onto the calendar. You also add an employee to a work order that’s been assigned to someone else. MPulse will give you the option to replace the existing employee or add the resource as an additional employee assigned to the work order. Resource Planning in CMMS MPulse’s Resource Planning tool calculates the number of records or estimated hours for scheduled maintenance records. As a result, you can plan and staff accordingly. This example shows all scheduled maintenance records grouped by region and broken down by week for one year. Each of these rows shows the scheduled maintenance records for that region and week, which are color coded. These colors are based on the average number of scheduled maintenance tasks for this time period. Red is too high. Blue is too low. Green is just right. Click on any cell to see the scheduled maintenance records relevant to the count. You can build your own Resource Planning layouts by clicking the Configure icon in the top right corner. In this configuration, we chose Equipment Records and Scheduled Maintenance Count. Next, we picked the date range and how these dates will be grouped. Then, we picked the fields from the asset records that will group the data that displays in the layout. Note: you can move these groups around to determine the order. Lastly, we used filters to narrow down exactly what we want to see, and defined the color codes. Then, we clicked the Save icon. Now this layout is available on the left side of the screen. Remember, if you use MPulse Role-Based Access Control, each user will only see the records that pertain to their role. Have questions? MPulse has answers! Contact us.
Why You Need a CMMS with Digital Media Management
The Media Management feature of MPulse CMMS software offers quick access to digital information resources right from your device. As a result, commonly used documents and information are available to all maintenance team members. That reduces your team’s time spent searching for important resources. It includes the ability to… Store or link to a wide variety of digital assets, including videos, photos, PDFs, manuals, vendor websites, intranet sites, documents, and more Link to media from asset records or work orders Provide quick access to media materials for team members Easily update or add media assets as necessary The Media Management feature also lets you link media assets to your Dashboards, so it’s right there waiting for you every time you sign in. Let’s learn how to use it. Set Up Your Media Storage Before you can use Media Management, you need to enable your storage location in your MPulse settings. (Note, if you have an internal IT team or you’ve used MPulse Implementation Services, this step was probably already done.) Start by going to Management Tools / General / Media Storage You have three options to choose from: FTP Server Cloud Storage with Amazon S3 Cloud Storage with Azure Blob Storage Choose the right one for you, and add the pertinent details. (Have questions? MPulse is here to help!) Link Media Once your storage is set up, you can begin to link media files to the appropriate record. Start by clicking the chain link icon (fifth from left). Select Choose files. Then, select the media you want to link and click Upload Now you’ll see a thumbnail in the media section. To view this media, click the thumbnail. Then the view detail icon (second from left). Add Media As Record Image To add this media as a Record Image, click the thumbnail and then the record image icon (first from left). Media can be linked to most record areas within MPulse, including maintenance task records and maintenance request records. The media linked in these record areas will also become part of work orders. Media Management Benefits The Media Management feature of MPulse CMMS offers the following benefits… Quick access to digital information resources right from your software Information stored with record, so it’s easy to find it the next time Commonly used resources available to all team members Reduced time looking for important documents or information Accessible storage of important training materials Have questions about MPulse Media Management? Contact us. We’re here for you.
Buying MPulse CMMS: Your Roadmap To Success
Congratulations! You’ve made the excellent choice to buy CMMS software from MPulse. What happens next? Let’s outline the steps to a successful CMMS implementation. Step 1: Sign Your Sales Contract Your MPulse sales rep will finalize your order, which outlines the MPulse tier (Professional, Advanced, or Enterprise) and any services you’ve chosen. These services also may include implementation consulting, training, hosting, etc. (See all MPulse’s available services on our website.) Once your order has been submitted, things start moving quickly. Step 2: Schedule Your Customer Kickoff Meeting The MPulse Customer Care team will reach out to you shortly after your purchase. You’ll receive an invitation to schedule a Customer Development Team (CDT) Introduction meeting at a time that’s convenient for you. Note that this conversation is specific to your organization. On that phone call, we will … Provide details on who the Customer Development Team is and how we can help with your CMMS success Confirm information about your company, and make sure we have all of the right contact people Review the products and services you’ve purchased, and how MPulse will deliver them Discover all the great training, services, and support resources provided by your MPulse Maintenance & Support Program (MSP) and how to access them Review priorities, timeline, and how you’ll measure success Get answers to any questions you might have. Step 3: Receive Meeting Summary After your kickoff call, you’ll receive an email summary with helpful links, scheduled activities, and contact information. Step 4: Schedule Services with MPulse Teams CDT personnel will contact you to schedule your services. These may include… CMMS Implementation Services Onsite or virtual consulting Data migration Custom projects Integrations Software deployment Application Hosting Service setup Runs on Microsoft’s .NET technology Safe and secure Free to MSP subscribers Application Installation Service for customers choosing to run MPulse on their local servers Maintenance & Support Program (MSP) Latest software updates Access to online knowledgebase, usability video library, and premium online training courses Phone and email support 8am-8pm ET, Monday – Friday All support provided by experienced MPulse employees Access to customer-only webinars and training events CMMS Training Virtual Fundamentals Walk-Through course Customized on-site sessions Access to our “Let’s Learn” video library Webinars and world-class online training. Expert Consulting Services Assigned MPulse Senior Trainer/ Implementation Engineer Planning meeting Data review Follow-up action plan Online instruction or on-site training and implementation, depending on your needs Step 5: Check In During your first year, CDT will check in to see how you’re progressing. They’ll also help resolve any issues impacting your successful implementation. Note that the CDT takes their job to make sure you’re happy with MPulse services very seriously. If you ever have questions, you can contact them directly.
How to Efficiently Access Maintenance Records with Global Search Navigation
The value of CMMS software lies in your data. As a result, we designed MPulse’s Global Search Navigation tool to take you right where you need to go in a flash. This feature enables our users to search their entire database from a single search field, therefore enabling easy access to any record. That includes asset history, service requests, work orders, inventory, parts numbers, employees, vendors, purchase orders, and much more. You can get right to your records by entering simple keywords. Or you can also use the powerful advanced search features of MPulse’s Global Search Navigation tool to get quick access to any record. It also works with our Barcode Scanning feature. These barcode labels can be read by commonly available mobile devices—including smartphones, tablets, and barcode scanners. Just scan the barcode to search your MPulse CMMS database. The MPulse Global Search Navigation box is located on the top navigation menu for easy access. Use it to search for information in any MPulse field, and then simply click on the searched item to go straight to that record. Benefits of Global Search Navigation This feature can be particularly useful for users who are less familiar with database hierarchy. The benefits of MPulse’s Global Search Navigation tool include the ability to… Search for specific terms without needing to know the correct field Bring up related records to that term Narrow the scope of a search query to eliminate irrelevant information Reduce time needed to look through records Find the exact content you need. Features MPulse’s Global Search Navigation tool enables your team to … Use either a word or a phrase for searching Find content without knowing the exact title or name Read barcodes or QR codes Use search operators to identify and locate information Narrow the scope of a search query to eliminate irrelevant information. Have questions? Want to see MPulse in action? Contact us. We’re here for you.
Six CMMS Calendar Management Tips
Calendars are a huge part of the maintenance operations management field—from safety inspections to planned maintenance tasks to staff schedules. Here are seven tips to make the most out of MPulse’s Calendar Management tool. Tip #1: Create Multiple Calendars MPulse lets you create CMMS calendars for anything. Our customers typically create multiple calendars, depending on their needs. Popular ones include… Work order due dates Scheduled maintenance Warranty expiration dates Schedules for employees or vendors Task types Locations Completion dates MPulse makes it easy to find your calendars or create new ones. You can find the Calendar tab at the top of the screen on your Dashboard as soon as you log in. Tip #2: Customize Your Calendars MPulse lets you customize your CMMS calendars. There’s no limit to the number or type of calendar views you can have. You also can view calendars by month, week, or day. You can use these customized and filtered schedules to make sure your team knows what needs to be done, and by when. Customize the fields to reflect what you want your calendar to show. When you’re done, click Save. Then click Preview to view your calendar. Tip #3: Use Color Codes Color coding your calendars helps with visualizing your team’s week or month. Viewing different calendars that are easily identified by color gives you a better perspective on your entire department’s workload. Tip #4: Manage Access You can manage access to your MPulse calendars, giving others permission to edit or view. Or, you can create calendars for your eyes only. Manage access to MPulse calendars by choosing from three options… Public / editable Public / not editable Private Tip #5: Drag and Drop Rescheduling MPulse Calendars work seamlessly with our maintenance work order and preventive maintenance tools. You can drag and drop tasks right from your calendar view to reschedule. No need to go find the work order. You also can set up automated scheduling for tasks or meetings, as well as quickly add tasks and other deadlines on the fly. Tip #6: View Multiple Calendars at Once On the left-hand side of your screen, you’ll see a list of all your calendars in a collapsible window. You can display one calendar or more than one at a time. It’s an easy way to quickly see how to get high priority work done quickly, while making sure lower priority work doesn’t slip through the cracks. You’ll always see what’s coming up in your MPulse calendars, so your team is ready to go when the time is right. How can calendar management in your CMMS software help your maintenance operations? Leave a comment or contact us. [related-content]
Knowing Your Stakeholder: Your Users
At this point, you’ve identified most of your stakeholders in the CMMS purchasing process. However, we saved the most important one for last—your users Users are any staff who will operate the software in their day-to-day jobs. The most frequently stated concern among users is ease of use. Because a system that’s difficult to learn and navigate won’t be adopted quickly by the people who’ll be logging in the most. And software that’s not used will never produce the desired results. Prevent Poor User Adoption Your users need to understand why they need to learn a new system. Consider who on your team might have emotional reasons to oppose CMMS. What could they be? You can prepare by thinking about how maintenance management software will impact each role. Firstly, ask yourself… How is this program likely to affect each person’s daily workload positively or negatively? How might this program threaten each person’s job, work performance, or domain of responsibility? Secondly, to avoid becoming a victim of poor user adoption, you need to… Listen—and develop an understanding of the users’ concerns. Ask some probing questions to understand what users like and don’t like about the programs they currently use. Do your homework. Be sure to vet all potential solutions for usability based on what you learned from your discussions with users. Evangelize the merits of the chosen solution—prior to implementation. Explain to those who’ll be using the software what it does and how it does it. Sometimes establishing the right expectations is half the battle. Train. Be sure to purchase good training and let users know they’ll be getting it. Before go-live day, ensure all key users have been trained. Understand Their Perspective When you’re reviewing CMMS software, consider how the features will impact your users. Study after study shows that software that’s easier to use is used more often—and more effectively. For example, removing the “clutter” will significantly streamline data access for your teams. One such CMMS feature is called role-based access control, where your maintenance personnel will only see the records relevant to their unique workloads. With role-based access control, you can easily adjust settings in your MPulse implementation so the right people have the right access to the right records. So, you can give your employees access to what they need—and only what they need. For example, one MPulse customer employs a variety of maintenance professionals with very specific job duties. With role-based access control, their plumbers only see plumbing work orders. Their electricians only see electrical work orders. Another customer with multiple facilities set up their role-based access control based on location. So the maintenance team at their Phoenix facility only sees work orders for that location, while the Denver facility team only sees the work orders for their location. Create “Super Users” Like many organizations, your maintenance team probably includes technicians of all ages. While younger generations typically view new technology positively, the same might not be true for everyone. However, peer-to-peer mentoring can help. Start by finding the right employees to help their coworkers learn a new system by helping them become what we call “super users.” You probably already know who they are—they are approachable, open to learning, responsible, and knowledgeable about the organization and how to contribute to its success. Their enthusiasm for the software and its capabilities is catching. It’s important to support people who are likely to become super users with time, continuous training, and hands-on experience. In general, maintenance managers should encourage employees who have… A strong understanding (or potentially strong understanding) of workflows A belief in the value of technology and data-driven management An enthusiastic attitude and strong communication skills Good problem-solving capabilities Flexibility and adaptability to change Desire for continued learning and skill development Super users can help you get your whole team on board with the initial implementation. Additionally, it can help the whole organization discover the value of CMMS data—and the decisions it helps make. When it’s time to pitch CMMS software to your team, a little proactive work can go a long way. Follow these steps, and you’ll dampen the fears of even the most skeptical users. Contact us for more tips. [related-content]
When to Use a CMMS App, Part 2
Last time we talked about why many users don’t need a CMMS app. However, sometimes a CMMS app is the best solution. If your job involves working off site or in areas with low connectivity, a CMMS app can make your job a lot easier. With smartphones and tablets, you can capture information on the spot—instead of jotting it down on paper to be input later. Maintenance happens in the field or on the plant floor. If you want to streamline workflows away from the office, a CMMS app works great if your team needs to… Open, access, and complete work orders Send or upload photographs of failed components View available parts inventory Access historical data on assets Get up-to-the minute alerts and reports Update inventory using barcode scanning and online ordering systems Access maintenance and repair manuals Record locations automatically with a GPS-enabled device. What to Look for in a CMMS App A CMMS app should give you everything you need to get the job done, even if you can’t connect to the Internet. That last bit is important, as most maintenance professionals work in environments where connectivity can be an issue. When looking at a CMMS app, consider these key features… Automatic syncing between the app and your CMMS software when online Reporting problems in the field Capturing data when and where it happens Documenting work with pictures and videos Receiving and updating work assigned to you Completing work orders with all required data Tracking hours worked with activity timer Finding and linking inventory using barcodes Working offline with seamless background synchronization Controlling access With any app, security is always a paramount concern. You’ll want to understand the app’s security features to ensure you can confidently control access even when you can’t physically control the location of your devices. Work with your CMMS vendor and IT team to identify the right security tools to keep your data safe. CMMS App Training Mobile device designers have focused heavily on improving ease of use, so it’s likely your employees will need minimal training on a CMMS app. Many will have already used smartphones and tablets in their personal lives, and increasingly standardized application interfaces mean that lessons learned navigating one app are easily transferable to new ones. CMMS apps can offer big benefits for maintenance professionals. Contact us to learn more about how MPulse can help your team get the job done. [related-content]
Why Most Users Don’t Need a CMMS App, Part 1
CMMS and mobile technology offer big benefits for maintainers. The ability to access information and record data on the spot—where maintenance happens, instead of in a plant or campus office—fits nicely into maintenance workflows. However, mobile app fatigue sets in when users feel overwhelmed by the number of apps on a device. But, you don’t need a mobile CMMS app to benefit from mobile technology. An adaptive interface will likely serve users well, no app required. CMMS with Adaptive Interface Software with tablet and smartphone compatibility will work on desktops, laptops, as well as Apple, Android, and other popular smartphones and tablets. Also called adaptive interface, this software works on any size display or device, whether it’s a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone. At MPulse, we call this concept Adaptive “Any Device” Interface. That term means what it says—our CMMS software will work the same way across multiple devices. MPulse’s tablet and smartphone compatibility means your maintenance team will experience the same easy access no matter what device they use, making things easier to find and creating less confusion. Benefits of Adaptive Interface for Maintenance Teams For such an important component, the user interface gets very little thought from the actual users. That’s by design. A good user interface is instinctive, so you don’t need to think about it. When your CMMS software has an intuitive, adaptive interface with tablet and smartphone compatibility, your maintenance team experiences some big benefits… Faster training because your maintenance techs will already know the basics Smoother software implementation with less help from expensive, outside consultants Quicker response and completion times because it’s easy to use Better user compliance the software is seamless and makes their work less complicated Easy access to work orders and the ability to make updates without stopping by the office or needing to find a computer. The strongest user interfaces make using the software more intuitive and seamless, no matter what device you use. So, you don’t always need a mobile app to make CMMS easy to use on the go. Access to real-time data is the best way to save time and help your maintenance staff boost productivity. And an adaptive interface means better acceptance from your workforce and a better way for maintainers to quickly enter data on the job. That helps your team spend less time on the computer and more time doing what you hired them for—maintenance. Have questions? Want to see how MPulse works on your mobile device? Contact us. We can help.
Simplify Maintenance Communication with Graphical CMMS Reporting
Graphical CMMS reporting makes it easy to quickly produce status reports and documents giving details or summaries of your team’s maintenance work. As a result, you can communicate with different departments in your organization and show your team’s impact on operations. Simple CMMS Reporting You can create simple, easy-to-read graphic reports with just a few clicks in MPulse Software. Our reporting features enable you to… Select from over 300 pre-configured text and graphical reports Easily build your own reports in the MPulse Report Builder Customize your reports or create graphical views Produce status reports and documents giving details or summaries of your team’s maintenance work Create benchmarks for your organization Get quick access to the numbers you need to make important decisions. Start by checking out the Report Widgets in MPulse. Note that you can narrow down the widgets by choosing the type of report you want to create. For example, we’re looking only at the Financial Widgets in the image below. Edit all the parameters on the right side of the screen. For example, you might want a pie chart instead of a bar chart. You also can choose the data you want to build the report on. To save your report, simply click the Save button at the top right corner of the screen. Also check the Add to Dashboard box if you want the report to display on your personal dashboard. That’s it! Couldn’t be easier. Those reports give you a quick visualization of the numbers you need to make important decisions. These reports also help explain the value of maintenance to other departments and managers in your organization. What Questions Can CMMS Reports Answer At a glance, graphical CMMS reports can show how much money each work order type is costing your business in maintenance for a specified timeframe. This data can be applied directly to purchasing or other important organizational decisions. You’ll be able to purchase, operate, maintain, upgrade, or dispose of assets in the most cost-effective manner. Common questions can be quickly answered. What type of maintenance do I spend the most on? How does the cost of preventive maintenance compare to repair costs? If I run this report for a different time period, like last year, are there significant changes by category? Beyond those general questions, you can ask precise questions that’ll lead to a more informed decision-making process. Why are my machining maintenance costs so high? What new equipment needs to be purchased, if any? How much will the new equipment cost compared to the current maintenance expense? Will I save money over time by purchasing new equipment? How much? How to Create Graphical Reports with MPulse MPulse makes answering questions easy with Report Widgets. You can customize these widgets to meet your needs. Start by selecting the closest report under Report Widgets. That gives you a good starting point to build your report. Edit the report to include the data you need and the time period you want. You also can add custom information to the Description field. Next, you have several choices for customizing a facility maintenance report, equipment maintenance report, financial report, etc. in the Data Area section. Select the Graphic Report Type you want. Choose the Record Area and Field you want for the x-axis of your chart. Pick the Display Range and Display Sort. Enter the Calculated Area and Calculated Field you want for the y-axis of your chart. Choose the Summary of Calculated Field #1 for the type of summary data you want. If you want a second calculated field, click on Add Calculated Field (#2) and follow the same steps to set the parameters. Finally, under Options, you can… Click Show data labels, if you want to display labels. Set the Access Type to control who can access or edit the report. What CMMS Reports Do I Need? Having hard numbers not only helps you run your business, it allows you to measure and use a whole host of key performance indicators. KPIs evaluate your success in the areas you care about, giving you a new level of insight on what’s going on in your department. Knowing KPIs for application support and maintenance is crucial to reaching your team’s goals. Related: How to Find the Maintenance Reports You Need Maintenance managers should concentrate on the KPIs that measure their goals. For example, maintenance KPIs that most MPulse customers find handy include… Planned Maintenance Percentage: the percentage of the total hours spent on PM maintenance activities over a specific period Preventative Maintenance Compliance (PMC): the percentage of scheduled PM tasks that get done in a specific time interval Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): the average time to evaluate and repair failed equipment Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): the predicted time between failures of an asset during normal operation Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): the percentage of manufacturing time that is truly productive Maintenance Backlog: the percentage of uncompleted tasks A CMMS report enables you to transform your CMMS data into meaningful insights and make data-driven decisions by analyzing historical costs and trends. That includes the ability to accurately assess how your department is functioning and where you might make changes to improve. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a CMMS report can be worth thousands of dollars. To learn more, contact us.
Knowing Your Stakeholder: Legal & Compliance
Your legal and compliance departments probably won’t use your CMMS. However, they may feel invested in what the software can do. Making a courtesy call to these departments can prevent unexpected hiccups down the road. Both departments want to make sure your organization follows all related laws, policies, and regulations. As a result, their concerns are: Are we abiding by legal/governmental regulations? Are we abiding by internal company policies and guidelines? Often, simply involving these stakeholders in the buying process at the appropriate time can prevent many issues. Will It Help Us Follow the Rules? When explaining your CMMS purchase to legal and compliance departments, focus on the software’s ability to help your team follow the rules. It could be documentation about safety protocols for OHSA, compliance regulations, or simply paperwork to support any liability issues. These departments want to know how CMMS software can help your organization stay on the right side of the law. Documentation lies near and dear to your legal and compliance departments. For example, CMMS software can document and report on… Inspection schedules Warranty documentation Purchasing and vendor information Compliance procedures Quality assurance tasks Regulatory audit support Those all play a role in following legal and compliance guidelines. As a result, understanding what these departments need and how they use that information goes a long way. Legal The law requires any organization to take reasonable actions under the appropriate circumstances. Failing to do so can result in potential liability. Additionally, all organizations want to avoid lawsuits or legal headaches. CMMS software can support your organization with documentation in the case of a complaint or a potential lawsuit. For example, records of safety inspections and completed maintenance tasks can provide evidence for an onsite injury. This also applies when your organization might hold a manufacturer responsible for a failure. For example, if an asset fails, the legal department can use CMMS data to prove the service requirements were completed as required and on the recommended timescale. That also can help if a manufacturer wants to void a warranty. Regulatory Compliance Regulatory agencies have the right to fine, or even shut down, companies that do not comply with their standards. However, maintaining compliance with regulatory guidelines requires increasingly complex recordkeeping. CMMS helps organizations stay compliant with… User-defined permissions, access, and login control that can integrate with your active directory Electronic signature support with limited access to a specific signature field to enter approval Preventive maintenance scheduling and documentation Corrective maintenance tracking and documentation Robust compliance reporting capabilities Automated data collection and archived work history Documentation of processes and procedures Hosting capability for third-party software that creates audit trails Audits One common maintenance challenge preparing for audits. However, CMMS software can keep the necessary audit trail for inspectors. A huge benefit of CMMS is the ability to drastically reduce that prep time. Rather than your team taking extra time to assemble all necessary documents, the software can generate detailed information in seconds. Make sure legal and compliance concerns are heard before you get too far into the buying process. You always want to avoid late-stage show-stoppers that may derail your procurement. The bottom line: Make sure you know your stakeholders in the software buying process and do your best to meet their needs. Do your homework—take the time to know and understand your stakeholders and their motivations. Listen to and understand their needs. Address these needs directly. Like some stakeholders, your legal and/or compliance departments will likely not be affected directly by the daily use of CMMS software. However, they still can benefit from it. Take the time to understand what they need from your department, and then you can answer their questions about how CMMS software can help. Have questions? We can help. Contact us. Get a Free Custom Quote [related-content]