Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS)
Introduction: What is a CMMS?
CMMS stands for 'Computerized Maintenance Manangement Software'. As the name suggests, a CMMS is a software application that helps you manage the maintenance of your physical infrastructure (buildings, grounds, etc.), equipment, fleet (of cars, boats, bulldozers, etc.), and IT resources. In the case of facilites management, most CMMS's are composed of 'modules' which perform various functions: e.g. managing work orders, preventative maintenance, facility/room inventory, scheduling, key control, reports, etc.
Whatever the particular thing is which a CMMS is designed to manage, all CMMS software applications have three basic parts: (a) a database to keep track of the maintenance and other information, (b) a front-end for data entry (often via a web-based interface), and (c) a mechanism which allows users and managers to query the database, view information, generate reports and make different kinds of analyses. Some CMMSs offer other advanced features, like email notification of events and work order status changes, etc.
CMMS's are available in three basic forms: (i) a desktop-based application which is deployed on a single computer that one person has access to and operates; (ii) a server-based application which is installed on the client organization's own server and which many people can interact with (usually through a web-based interface); or (iii) a web-based 'service' which is 'hosted' by the manufacturer, on its own server, and to which the client organization has access through a subscription service. In whatever form they are deployed, CMMS's are an increasingly common tool for facilities management, and are widely used in university and college settings, especially in the US, where many states have regulations requiring publicly funded institutions to employ management systems of this kind.
Implementation
There are three basic implementation models for deploying a CMMS: (i) purchase and deploy a commercailly produced product (whether a desktop based system, a server based system, or a subscription based 'web service' hosted by a service provider). (ii) Deploy an open-source solution developed and maintained by a volunteer community; (iii) Develop a CMMS system in-house.
Each implementation model has advantages and disadvantages. Commercial products can provide robust, scaleable, feature-rich applications, appropriate for deployment in enterprise level, mission critical contexts. They may also provide extensive training and technical support packages. The down side is cost. Commercially produced CMMS's can be very expensive. They may also store their data in proprietary formats which makes changing to another vendor's product very difficult. Large commercial products may also need to be 'tuned' to an individual organization's needs, and may require estensive training by staff.
Open source solutions are generally free, but may or may not lack the features, robustness and dependability desired for mission critical aplications. In some areas, open source software is superior to competing commercial products. In other areas it is not. Care must be taken in evaluating a particular open source solution to select a product which is dependable, secure, and meets the needs of the organization. Attention should be paid to the relative maturity of the software, the technologies employed, developer support, and user-base. One of the great advantages of open source solutions, however, is that because they are built on open technologies like MYSQL, PHP, PYTHON, etc., defects and enhancements can be made by the clients with the appropriate technical competance. This is not necessarily the case with commercial products.
Finally, developing a CMMS in-house (whether built from scratch, or based on an existing open-source project), has the advantage of providing an application which is taylor-made for the organization at a reduced cost. It also makes it easier to repsond to changing needs, provide staff training, and add desired features over time. Care must be taken, however, to retain a skilled developer, and to determine the cost of the project ahead of time.
Case Studies
Erskin College - a small college and seminary in the Unitied States - built their own CMS as a joint project of their VP Finance, and a professor with extensive computer skill. They have a very good report available on line. This gives a quick overview from an administrator's perspective on what such a system can do for an organization, and how it can be used day-to day.
The following list compiles resources connected with open source CMMS's and similar software.
