Computer-Aided Maintenance Management
TM Consult | 18 July 2025
This article provides information about :
What is the CMMS method?
A CMMS is a digital system designed to help organizations plan, track, and optimize all maintenance activities. It centralizes information related to equipment, maintenance tasks (both preventive and corrective), spare parts, costs, and performance indicators.
It is a strategic tool that provides maintenance managers with a clear, real-time overview of equipment status, team workloads, and upcoming actions.
- Reduced unplanned downtime: Preventive maintenance is better scheduled, which lowers the risk of unexpected equipment failures.
- Optimized resource management: Maintenance tasks are better organized, making technicians more efficient and productive.
- Improved traceability: Every action is recorded, making it easier to track maintenance history and interventions.
- Lower costs: By anticipating needs for parts and labor, companies avoid emergency purchases and unnecessary overstocking.
- Regulatory compliance: Inspections and checks are scheduled and documented, helping to meet safety and compliance standards.
- Continuous improvement: With performance indicators (KPIs) provided by the CMMS, managers can refine and improve their maintenance strategies.
Why implement a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System)?
The implementation of a CMMS provides several key advantages:
How to implement a CMMS?
The implementation of a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) must follow a rigorous method to ensure its success :
- 1. Initial diagnosis Analysis of existing maintenance practices, identification of needs and objectives (reducing breakdowns, optimizing inventory, tracking costs, etc.).
- 2. Software selection Choosing software adapted to your industry, company size, and specific needs (mobility, number of users, advanced features, etc.).
- 3. System configuration Creating the structure: equipment hierarchy, preventive maintenance plan, inventory management, user roles.
- 4. Data migration Integrating intervention history, equipment records, suppliers, etc.
- 5. Team training Training managers, technicians, and operators to ensure proper use of the tool.
- 6. Monitoring and adjustment Setting up monitoring to adjust parameters and ensure the CMMS meets expectations.
What is the best maintenance management software?
There is no single "best" software, as the choice depends on several criteria:
| Criteria | Examples |
|---|---|
| Company size | SME, large group, multinational |
| Industry type | Industrial, food processing, municipal, mining |
| Budget | Affordable solution or highly customized system |
| Required features | Mobility, IoT tracking, multi-site management |
| Some popular software: | |
|---|---|
| Mainsaver: | widely used in manufacturing industries. |
| Maintenance Connection | flexible and comprehensive for various sectors. |
| Fiix: | a modern cloud-based solution. |
| IBM Maximo: | a reference for large enterprises. |
| DIMO Maint: | appreciated for its simplicity and efficiency. |
What functionalities should a CMMS have?
A good CMMS software must include at least the following functionalities:
Equipment management:
technical datasheets, breakdown history, documentation.
Preventive maintenance scheduling:
automated calendar based on time or usage.
Corrective maintenance management:
creation, tracking, closure, reporting.
Spare parts management:
inventory tracking, restocking alerts.
Cost tracking:
labor, parts, external services.
Reports and dashboards:
performance indicators (MTTR, MTBF, availability rate).
Document management:
technical manuals, compliance certificates.
Mobility:
mobile application for technicians in the field.
How to implement an Integrated Management System (IMS)?
Key steps:
- Initial diagnosis: analysis of existing systems and identification of synergies.
- Definition of common processes: harmonizing procedures for quality, safety, environment, and maintenance.
- Choice of an integrated software or interconnection of existing solutions.
- Team training to work with a global approach.
- Monitoring and continuous improvement through regular audits.
How to implement a maintenance plan?
Steps:
- Equipment inventory: identify and classify critical equipment.
- Criticality analysis: identify equipment strategic to production.
- Definition of maintenance tasks: inspection, lubrication, parts replacement.
- Use of CMMS: automated scheduling of interventions.
- Setting performance indicators: to measure plan effectiveness.
- Periodic review: adjust the plan based on field feedback.
What is the price of maintenance management software?
The price of a CMMS varies according to several factors:
| Factor | Price range |
|---|---|
| Software type | SaaS (subscription) or perpetual license |
| Number of users | A few technicians or several hundred users |
| Features | Basic or very advanced (IoT, AI, full mobility) |
| Associated services | Training, data migration, technical support |
| Estimates: | |
|---|---|
| SMEs (Cloud CMMS): between $100 and $500 per month. | |
| Mid-level CMMS (multi-site): between $5,000 and $20,000 for implementation. | |
| Large enterprises (custom CMMS): $50,000 and up, depending on the level of customization. | |
Conclusion :
CMMS: A strategic investment
CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) is a software system designed to help companies plan, track, and optimize all maintenance activities. It centralizes information related to equipment, interventions (preventive and corrective), spare parts, costs, and performance indicators.
It is a strategic tool that allows maintenance managers to have a clear, real-time overview of equipment status, team workload, and upcoming actions.
