Your CMMS keeps your team on top of your preventive maintenance (PM) tasks for your assets and equipment. But when is it time to step back and perform a PM on your CMMS itself? Technology changes fast, and if your CMMS hasn’t had a good review in a few years, you’re probably missing out on updates that’ll make your team work faster and better.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in this business, it’s that things change. When you’re caught up in your day-to-day work, it’s hard to step back and see the bigger picture. But that’s exactly what good maintenance managers do. It’s not enough to know what you’re doing now. Be proactive by making sure your maintenance team has the right tools to meet tomorrow’s demands too.

Here are a few things to think about when crafting your “CMMS PM Checklist”:

How Often Should You Schedule a PM for Your CMMS Software?

I suggest checking in every six months. Schedule some quiet time away from your office to think about what’s going on and what you need to do. Make a list of the easy stuff first.

• If you’re on a software maintenance plan, have you downloaded any updates?

• Are there reports you need that you haven’t taken the time to set up?

• Are there reports you previously created that are really working for you anymore?

• Does your organization have plans to purchase new assets?

• Do you have enough user licenses for new employees?

Ask Yourself the Tough Questions

After you write down the easy stuff, don’t shy away from the questions with hard answers—or no clear answers at all.

• 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?

Get Feedback from Your Users

Check in with your team to make sure they really are working as efficiently as possible.

• Do you have new employees who would benefit from some training?

• Could other team members use a refresher?

• Do you have new service requestors who need help on the best way to fill out work order requests?

• Does anyone have questions or ideas for doing things better?

Ask for Help

Pick up the phone and ask for help when you need it. Your CMMS vendor likely has some effective and affordable services to expedite your path to improvement. You don’t have to do everything yourself. 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. Scheduling PMs on your CMMS software has the same effect as it does on your other assets—protecting your investment and maximizing your maintenance savings for your organization.