CMMS your ally in maintenance 2.0
In CMMS (Computer Aided Maintenance Management), the quality of the maintenance management tool is essential. Should you choose a standard, Open Source or free solution? What are the best free CMMS software? CMMS comparison in detail.
The CMMS for beginners
Definition
The term CMMS comes from the English expression Computerized Maintenance Management System, in grosso indicates the move to a computerized enterprise maintenance system. As with ERP and MRP, this tool also saw the light of day in the 1960s. In fact it is among the innovations that came with the incorporation of computational systems in manufacturing. The areas of focus of this tool are various:
- Statistics: A CMMS system makes it possible to evaluate performance on the maintenance survizio
- Physical facilities management: The tool is able to break down all the physical components of the company into elementary parts and then reclassify by maintenance type
- Intervention planning: This functionality is one of the most appreciated benefits because it allows maintenance to be anticipated, managed in an orderly manner and surprises avoided
- Work on demand: Obviously, however, this tool also juggles unplanned and exceptional interventions well
- Resource management: All involved physical and human resolutions are effectively coordinated with this tool.
- Technical materials logistics
- Relations with external companies: All contractual rules, relations with different service providers
Information information system.
Often mistakenly confused with the CMMS, this is actually a set of rules and procedures put in place by company technicians in compliance with UNI 10584. To put this whole set of procedures into practice, it is therefore necessary to obtain a suitable tool. And this is where the CMMS system comes into play. We can often find it already integrated within ERP software.
What are the advantages of a CMMS system
An essential task
The CMMS is a maintenance planning and management tool. It is about managing the maintenance of your services. It is a management method used in both the private and public sectors.
Cross-cutting challenges
CMMS covers different sectors and areas. It can cover management of:
- equipment: vehicles, buildings, computers, production machinery;
- of inventories: number of items, replenishment;
- human resources: project management, personnel management.
An operational function
A good CMMS allows activities to run smoothly. Its analysis and long-term perspective make it an ally in preventing possible failures and malfunctions.
This prevents surprise stock outs or failures due to uncontrolled obsolescence that can prove time-consuming and costly.
A strategic scope
The CMMS addresses strategic business management issues. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) shed light on corrective and preventive maintenance actions to be implemented, while providing a more comprehensive decision support view for management.
Better planning
Better maintenance planning means avoiding human errors that can potentially knock out equipment for days
Free CMMS software
Fiix Lite
Fiix is a U.S.-based CMMS software that allows you to organize, track, and schedule different levels of maintenance. The Basic, Professional, Enterprise and Performance offerings are all paid editions, but the publisher has created a free lightweight version: Fiix Lite. The latter, while not as rich as the other paid editions, is relatively complete: professional features, mobile application, order form management.
Advantages
- Quick and easy implementation,
- No credit card required,
- Mobile application.
Disadvantages
- Reduced features compared to paid versions,
- No Italian version.
Fiix
Maintenance Care
Maintenance Care is a Canadian CMMS software that offers a free version for a single user and a single company. This software is certainly the best known in its free version category, but it has one major drawback: it is only available in English. MaintenanceCare will allow you to create purchase orders, preventive maintenance services, and asset management.
Advantages
- Mobile application,
- Functional coverage.
Disadvantages
- No Italian version,
- Many limitations for the free version: 1 user, 1 company, fewer features and depreciated functionality.
Maintenance Care
Open Source CMMS Software
If you-or someone on your team-have expertise in IT development, an open source CMMS solution may be of interest to you. By accessing the source code, you are able to customize the program to meet your expectations.
The software and related training
Many providers offer their products with training. This is the case, for example, with OpenMaint whose company makes training available under subscription. Support also offers the possibility of providing specific developments.
Calculating the cost of investment
When making a choice, it is good to consider the situation from all angles. Depending on the degree of expertise of your teams, your willingness or unwillingness to take advantage of training, and your budget to allocate, the situation is different.
The Open Source software option may seem less definitive over time. Good CMMS software is critical to the maintenance and performance of your services.
In such a large market, you will have no shortage of choices!
Professional CMMS software: take advantage of free trials
Some CMMS solutions are offered in SaaS (Software as a Service). Their subscription formula helps you control costs. In return, you benefit from the experience of an experienced provider and a successful tool.
CARL Source
CARL Source is the software solution published by CARL Software, a European leader in equipment management and maintenance. The tool is available in four versions to meet the specific needs of four main industries. There is CARL Source Factory for industry, CARL Facility for real estate, CARL Source Transport and CARL Source Health.
The software is available as a mobile application: CARL Touch. This team supports warehouse managers and maintenance and after-sales service technicians in the field.
It also serves as a management tool for managers and promotes communication between the company and its customers or service providers.
Yuman
Based on the latest technologies, the Yuman CMMS solution is most impressive for its ease of use. With an optimized user experience and easy data retrieval, the software is quick to learn and use.
Yuman is also perfectly designed to facilitate monitoring and communication through a shared schedule that includes technicians' actions in real time. And to simplify operations during interventions, professionals can take advantage of a mobile application in offline mode with background synchronization.
Finally, although the tool is very comprehensive in the PRO+ and Advanced versions, it offers many possibilities for customization.
Are you interested in Yuman? Beware that the software is not available in Italian but in French, English, Spanish and Dutch. Good news, you can try it for 60 days with no limitations and totally free.
Yuman
Conclusion
CMMS is an area where there is little room for free software compared to other areas such as CRM, project management tools and task managers. Free CMMS software is poor in functionality and rarely adapted to the challenges of companies that wish to streamline their use.
In this case, it is preferable to opt for a paid solution that offers quality support and regular feature evolution. These solutions generally offer a free trial period. Take the opportunity to find the tool that best meets your expectations!
Article translated from Italian