Best CMMS Software

By Riya Jamble, Technical Content Writer at SelectHub

Downtime, inefficiencies and unexpected breakdowns can wreak havoc on productivity and profitability. CMMS software can address these issues and more.

But how do you choose the right CMMS system for your needs? What features should you look for? How do you implement and use a CMMS solution effectively? This buyer’s guide answers all of these questions.

Executive Summary

• CMMS systems help you automate day-to-day maintenance tasks, schedule work orders, manage inventories, track assets and more.
• Some core features to look for are work order management, asset tracking, preventive maintenance scheduling and reporting.
• Stay updated about key trends such as preventive maintenance, asset performance management, artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0 and the IoT, and 3D printing.
• Develop a software selection strategy to make informed decisions.
• Ask questions to your team/vendors before committing to a purchase.

It offers a centralized digital platform, often accessible through a mobile device, to help you access information quickly.

Some common types of CMMS software include:

• CMMS solutions for small businesses
• Cloud CMMS tools
• On-premise CMMS systems
• Mobile CMMS applications
• CMMS systems for hotels
• CMMS health care platforms
• Open source CMMS
• Preventive maintenance software

Other applications that overlap with CMMS include:

• Business continuity management software
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools
• Fleet management platforms
• Inventory management systems
• Supply chain management software
• Warehouse management software

Some CMMS programs may have modules that perform similar functions to these solutions, or vice versa.

History

Here's a timeline summarizing CMMS's evolution from its inception to its expected future advancements:

• 1960s: Began with punch cards and mainframe computers — limited and costly.
• 1970s and 1980s: Evolved with paper forms and minicomputers — accessible but challenging to use and adapt.
• 1990s: Improved with personal computers and applications like Microsoft — accessible, usable and functional but limited in maintenance management.
• Late 1990s and Early 2000s: Became more common with web-based solutions and local servers — available and scalable but complicated to install and maintain.
• 2010s: Gained prominence with cloud-based CMMS solutions and mobile applications — practical and affordable with user-friendly interfaces. Integration capabilities also improved, enabling CMMS systems to work seamlessly with other enterprise systems like ERP and EAM software.
• Present and Future: It will integrate with smart devices, IoT technology and artificial intelligence, enabling connected, data-driven, predictive and optimized maintenance operations.

CMMS vs. EAM vs. Facility Management Solutions

CMMS, EAM and facility management solutions are digital tools used to manage various aspects of your organization's assets and facilities, but they serve different primary purposes and have distinct features.

Here's a breakdown of the key differences between them:

Benefits

CMMS programs provide many benefits to organizations’ maintenance departments. From improving safety to increasing productivity to reducing downtime, the right software can automate tasks to keep your facilities in top shape.

Let’s dive into these benefits in detail.

Improved Efficiency and Productivity

CMMS programs help improve efficiency and productivity in three ways:

• Streamlined Scheduling: Schedule and plan maintenance tasks, track work orders, and monitor inventory and equipment information to help teams work more efficiently, reduce downtime and improve assets’ life spans.
• Route Optimization: View task locations, technicians' current positions and traffic conditions to create the most efficient routes to minimize travel time and reduce fuel costs.
• Workflow Visibility: Monitor your entire maintenance workflow, from task creation and assignment to completion and reporting.
• Automation: Automate routine tasks like work order generation, preventive maintenance scheduling, inventory replenishment, and reporting and analysis to save time and focus on value-added activities rather than administrative tasks.

Reduced Costs

CMMS solutions enable you to track maintenance expenses and equipment usage to help you gain better control over your budgets.

They allow you to schedule preventive maintenance tasks based on factors like time, usage or condition, helping you identify potential issues before they escalate into costly problems.

Furthermore, they assist you in preventing unexpected breakdowns and allocating resources more effectively, resulting in cost savings.

Enhanced Asset Management

With a maintenance management system, you can view detailed information about equipment and assets, including maintenance history, service records and performance metrics. This helps you identify underperforming assets, schedule maintenance activities and make data-driven decisions about asset management.

Such solutions also serve as a knowledge repository about assets and maintenance practices. This knowledge base is valuable for current and future personnel to help them get up to speed on maintenance procedures specific to your organization.

Improved Compliance and Safety

CMMS programs provide accurate records of maintenance activities and equipment performance to help you comply with regulations and safety standards such as:

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Maintenance Standards
• ISO 9001
• 21 CFR Part 11
• Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) Regulations

They assist you in ensuring that your equipment is well-maintained and functioning correctly, reducing the risk of accidents and minimizing potential legal liability.

Discover these benefits in detail in our article — Benefits of CMMS: Understanding the Advantages and Disadvantages.

Basic Features & Functionality

Advanced Features To Consider

Learn more about these features in our article — Ultimate List of CMMS Features and Functionality.

Current & Upcoming Trends

As organizations strive to optimize maintenance operations, reduce downtime and enhance asset performance, they’re embracing a host of emerging trends in CMMS.

Let’s take a look at a few of them below.

Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is a proactive approach that aims to prevent equipment failures, reduce downtime, extend assets’ life spans and lower costs.

The preventive maintenance landscape is increasingly integrating condition-monitoring technology to help you detect early signs of deterioration and malfunctions.

The machine condition monitoring market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.65%, indicating its increasing importance.

Some CMMS programs integrate with predictive maintenance tools to help you optimize maintenance schedules and reduce costs by conducting maintenance only when it’s truly needed, based on data-driven insights.

One of the benefits of preventive maintenance is that it can reduce the environmental impact. Let’s see how below.

Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming a key focus in preventive maintenance strategies. CMMS can help organizations achieve sustainability goals in several ways:

• Reduce Energy Consumption: Ensure that equipment is well-maintained and operating at peak efficiency, leading to cost savings and a smaller environmental footprint.
• Extend Assets’ Life Cycles: Avoid premature replacements and conserve resources to align with your sustainability objectives.
• Ensure Environmental Compliance: Track maintenance tasks associated with environmental regulations such as inspections, emissions controls or waste management.

Asset Performance Management

Asset performance management is a strategic approach that enables you to monitor, diagnose and improve the health, availability and efficiency of your assets.

It emphasizes proactive maintenance practices by enabling you to address issues early and perform maintenance at optimal intervals, extending assets’ life spans.

Moreover, it allows you to transition from reactive maintenance to proactive and predictive approaches, minimizing emergency repairs and reducing the need for costly replacement parts and equipment.

Another critical aspect of asset performance management is its contribution to safety. It helps you reduce unexpected equipment failures that can pose safety hazards to personnel and the environment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Industry 4.0 and IoT Integration

Let’s look at the trio, artificial intelligence, industry 4.0 and IoT integration, below.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI plays a pivotal role in maintenance by analyzing vast datasets generated by equipment and systems. It processes this data to provide you with valuable insights and recommendations for maintenance decisions.

Machine learning algorithms can predict equipment failures, suggesting when you should perform maintenance, helping you reduce downtime and minimize maintenance costs.

AI-driven analytics not only enhance maintenance operations’ efficiency but also contribute to optimizing asset performance and extending equipment life cycles.

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 integrates advanced technologies, including IoT-connected devices, cloud computing, big data analytics tools, robotics and AI, into manufacturing processes to create smart factories.

Smart factories encourage you to analyze real-time data from IoT sensors to help you optimize maintenance schedules and predict equipment failures, leading to increased operational efficiency and reduced downtime.

IoT analytics not only enables you to monitor asset performance in real time but also assists you in developing predictive maintenance strategies and improving equipment reliability.

Automation and robotics can perform routine maintenance tasks, while AI-driven analytics support decision-making, helping you make maintenance operations more connected, automated and optimized.

Maintenance 5.0

Maintenance 5.0 represents the next evolution in maintenance practices. It introduces concepts such as zero-defect manufacturing, which aims to achieve near-zero defects in manufacturing processes.

According to a recent research paper published in the Journal of Manufacturing Systems, key components of the maintenance 5.0 framework include:

• Human-Machine Collaboration: Integrate human expertise with AI and automation for more effective maintenance outcomes.
• Adaptive Learning: Allow systems to learn from their own actions and feedback, as well as from other sources of information, such as external databases, sensors or human inputs.
• Proactive Decision-Making and Self-Healing Capabilities: Anticipate potential problems, diagnose root causes and execute corrective measures before they escalate into failures.
• Circular Economy Principles: Reduce waste, reuse materials and regenerate resources in a closed-loop cycle to minimize environmental impact, conserve natural resources and create value from waste.

You can integrate AI, IoT and Industry 4.0 technologies into your maintenance practices to revolutionize the way you manage your assets.

3D Printing

3D printing and CMMS can work together to improve the efficiency, quality and sustainability of maintenance operations.

It enables the Equipment-as-a-Service (EaaS) model, which is a form of outsourcing where the equipment vendor provides and maintains the equipment for a fee.

Furthermore, it helps you produce customized and optimized parts for the equipment, as well as monitor and service it remotely using CMMS solutions.

It also supports the adoption of Industry 4.0 and zero-defect manufacturing (ZDM) systems to assist you in minimizing defects and errors in your production processes.

How To Choose CMMS Software

To find the right system, you need to identify a solution that offers the key functions that align with your needs while also meeting the highest standards. And you’ll need to develop a software selection strategy for the same.

We’ve outlined crucial steps in the process below.

Determine Requirements

It's important to understand your requirements in the CMMS program selection process. You can use our free interactive CMMS requirements template to ensure you clearly understand your CMMS needs.

As each vendor provides a different feature set, it's essential to know what modules are necessary for your organization and which ones you can do without.

Consider Deployment

Next, you need to consider a deployment method that can handle complex functionalities. Base decisions on factors like your reach, number of employees and plants, budget, and IT department strength.

The two most common deployment methods are:

• On-premise
• Cloud-based (SaaS)

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of both below.

On-Premise

On-premise deployment involves installing and running software on your organization's in-house servers and infrastructure.

Some advantages include:

• Data Protection: You have full control over your data and can implement your own security measures. This is especially critical if you handle sensitive or confidential information.
• Easy Integration: You can integrate with existing systems and databases to ensure consistency and reduce data entry errors.
• Customization: You can customize the software to match your exact requirements.

Some disadvantages include:

• High Cost of IT Infrastructure: You need to make upfront investments in hardware, servers and IT infrastructure. This can be a substantial financial burden, especially for smaller organizations.
• High Burden of Maintenance Responsibility: You’re responsible for maintaining both the hardware and software components of your IT environment, including updates, security patches, backups, and hardware repairs or replacements, which can be resource-intensive and time-consuming.

Cloud-Based

You can access cloud CMMS via the internet.

Some advantages include:

• Remote Access: Access the CMMS from any location, facilitating remote work and on-the-go maintenance management.
• Low IT and Maintenance Costs: Reduce upfront capital expenses and ongoing costs associated with hardware maintenance and upgrades.

Some disadvantages include:

• Cyberattack Vulnerability: You must trust the security measures implemented by your CMMS provider, which may raise concerns about data privacy and the potential consequences of security breaches.
• Internet Dependence: Any disruptions or loss of connectivity can hinder your maintenance operations and access to vital data.
• Customization Limitations: While cloud-based CMMS solutions offer flexibility, they may offer limited customization options compared to on-premise systems. Customization may be possible, but it may come at an additional cost, as vendors often charge extra for tailored features or integrations.

Compare CMMS Solutions

After determining your deployment needs, you should create a list of solutions that align with your requirements.

Software Considerations

• Core Features: Look for CMMS solutions that provide features like work order management for task tracking, asset tracking to monitor equipment, preventive maintenance scheduling to avoid breakdowns and reporting for data analysis.
• Mobile CMMS: Prioritize solutions with mobile capabilities if your maintenance teams are frequently on the go. This ensures that your teams can access and update information while in the field, improving efficiency.
• Integrations: Evaluate whether the CMMS can seamlessly integrate with other systems such as your ERP, IoT devices and accounting tools.
• Data Security: Check for features like role-based control to restrict access only to authorized personnel. Additionally, inquire about vendors’ data retention policies and archiving options to safeguard historical records.
• Configurability: Choose a CMMS that doesn't require extensive coding or development efforts to tailor it to your specific needs.

Pricing Considerations

• Software Costs: Understand cost differences between subscription-based models and perpetual licenses. Consider which pricing model aligns with your budget and long-term financial plans.
• Hardware Costs: Factor in data center costs to host and maintain servers for cloud-based CMMS. Consider expenses related to purchasing and maintaining your own servers and storage devices, in the case of on-premise solutions.
• Integration Fees: Some vendors charge for middleware or API services to facilitate integrations with other systems.
• Scaling Expenses: Anticipate potential scalability costs as your usage expands. Understand how pricing may change as your organization grows and requires more licenses or additional resources.
• Training Expenses: Assess the availability and cost of training resources. Consider whether on-site training is necessary and factor in travel expenses, if applicable.
• Support Fess: Evaluate the level of support offered by the provider. Determine whether standard support is sufficient or if you require 24/7 premium support based on your operational needs.
• Budget-Friendly Options: Explore free CMMS alternatives if you're operating on a tight budget. While these solutions may have limitations, they can be a viable option for small organizations or those looking to minimize upfront costs.

Don’t forget to check out our CMMS pricing guide to uncover hidden costs.

You can also read our free whitepaper on the CMMS ROI Calculator to evaluate the potential return on investment you can achieve through CMMS implementation.

Negotiate With Vendors

To effectively negotiate with CMMS vendors, initiate contact and request comprehensive proposals tailored to your organization's specific needs and expectations.

Clarify terms, pricing structures and any potential customizations or additional services required for your CMMS implementation.

During these discussions, ensure you establish a clear understanding of the contract's terms and conditions, including service level agreements, support commitments and maintenance agreements.

Moreover, consider requesting a demo or trial period to gain firsthand experience with the CMMS software in a real-world setting. This practical evaluation allows you to assess its usability, functionality and compatibility with your existing systems.

Encourage your team to actively participate in the evaluation process, gathering valuable feedback to make a well-informed decision.

Make the Final Decision

Gather feedback from your team and stakeholders, considering factors like usability, scalability, vendor reputation and cost-effectiveness.

Based on this input, choose a solution aligned with your long-term maintenance strategy.

Then, proceed with contract negotiations, implementation planning and user training to ensure a seamless transition and effective management of your maintenance operations.

Need more help? Check out our Lean Selection methodology to choose your perfect match.

Best CMMS Software

It's impossible to determine a single solution as "the best " — there isn't a universal solution that fits every scenario. However, our analysts have identified these five platforms as the top CMMS software in the industry.

Maintenance Care — Best Overall

What It Does

Maintenance Care is a cloud-based solution that enables organizations to manage facilities and assets to help improve operational efficiency and extend assets’ life spans.

It enables you to schedule preventive maintenance tasks, ensuring the optimal condition of your equipment.

Generate reports and monitor asset performance in real time to gain valuable insights into your operations.

Manage tasks with just a few clicks. Source

Product Overview

What It's Best For

Pros and Cons From User Reviews

Fiix — Purchase Orders Management

What It Does

Fiix allows you to track progress, decrease downtime, manage assets, work orders and maintenance schedules, optimize performance, and improve workflows.

It also helps you streamline your communication, gain insight into your business and make data-driven decisions.

Furthermore, you can access and update information from the field or on the go via internet-enabled mobile devices.

Monitor purchase order statuses. Source

Product Overview

What It's Best For

Pros and Cons From User Reviews

UpKeep — Best for Asset Tracking and Work Order Management

What It Does

UpKeep is a mobile-based computerized maintenance management system suitable for companies of all sizes and types.

It helps you monitor assets, track stockrooms, schedule preventive maintenance, reduce downtime, manage work orders and automate workflows.

It offers an interactive dashboard, procurement management, cost analysis and forecasting, and more.

Create a custom dashboard to manage work orders. Source

Product Overview

What It's Best For

Pros and Cons From User Reviews

ServiceChannel — Best for Platform Capabilities and User Support

What It Does

ServiceChannel is a CMMS program that operates on both web and mobile platforms, helping businesses manage processes and payments, discover contractors, monitor work orders, decrease expenses, ensure compliance, receive timely alerts, and access real-time information.

Its features include service automation, reporting, preventive maintenance, energy management tools and site management.

Generate reports to monitor KPIs and work order statuses and conduct trade analyses. Source

Product Overview

What It's Best For

Pros and Cons From User Reviews

Maintenance Connection — Best for Inventory Management and Project and People Tracking

What It Does

Maintenance Connection is a versatile software suitable for organizations of any size, and it's available in both cloud and self-hosted versions.

It assists you in prolonging assets’ life spans, managing maintenance tasks, assigning asset hierarchies, minimizing asset downtime, enhancing productivity and increasing ROI.

View part details like specifications, history, alternatives and more. Source

Product Overview

What It's Best For

Pros and Cons From User Reviews

Questions To Ask Yourself

Choosing the right CMMS system can be a significant decision. To ensure you make the best choice, here are some questions you should ask while selecting a CMMS system:

• What’re our specific maintenance needs?
• What level of customization do we need?
• What remote management capabilities do we need?
• Do we have the technical resources we need to support implementing and maintaining new software, or will we need to rely on the vendor?
• Do we need the CMMS to integrate with other business software like ERP?

Questions To Ask Vendors

The vendor’s caliber, experience, viability and vision for their product should play a role in the software decision. Before you settle on one of the many CMMS companies, ask:

About the Software

• Does the software use IoT and connect with control systems (PLC/DCS/SCADA), sensors and PdM devices?
• Is there a mobile offline mode for field technicians in areas with limited connectivity?
• Are GIS/GPS/geolocation, route optimization, and/or real-time data updates and alerts supported for field personnel and mobile assets?
• Can the CMMS software handle multi-site management?
• Does the CMMS support barcode or RFID scanning for asset tracking?

About the Vendor

• Does the vendor provide site tours and have a proven track record of success with customers and strategic partners willing to sing their praises as references?
• Does the vendor’s project team understand the unique nature and needs of your specific business and industry?
• Is the vendor actively investing in continuous software improvements, or is this a lower-priority solution or module?
• What does post-implementation training look like from this vendor?
• Is there a community or user forum for sharing best practices and getting support?

Implementation Process

A successful CMMS implementation requires careful planning and consideration of various factors. Here are some key steps and factors to consider when implementing maintenance management software:

Define Your Goals and Objectives

Determine the specific areas of your maintenance operations that you want to improve, such as reducing downtime, increasing assets’ life spans or streamlining work orders.

You'll also assess the limitations of legacy systems and spreadsheets and recognize the need to transition to a more advanced solution like a CMMS.

Identify skills and resources required to effectively manage assets using the CMMS. This includes determining the necessary staffing levels and training needs.

Choose the Right CMMS

Research and select a CMMS vendor that aligns with your organization's needs and budget.

Evaluate the software's features, scalability, ease of use and support options.

Consider cloud-based vs. on-premises solutions based on your IT infrastructure and security requirements.

Establish a Team and Assign Roles

Form a cross-functional team responsible for overseeing your CMMS implementation process. Include representatives from maintenance, IT, finance and management.

Assign roles and responsibilities within the team, such as project manager, technical lead and end-user testers.

Develop a Plan

Develop a detailed implementation plan, including timelines, budgets and milestones. Be sure to communicate the plan to all stakeholders.

Set Up Data

Gather all relevant maintenance data, including equipment lists, maintenance procedures, spare parts inventory and historical maintenance records

Clean and organize the data to ensure accuracy and consistency.

You’ll also need to work with your vendor to migrate data into the system.

Configure the CMMS

Tailor the CMMS to reflect your maintenance terminology and procedures. For example, you can create custom fields for work orders to capture specific data relevant to your operations.

Define steps in your maintenance processes, such as work request submission, work order creation and approval workflows.

Implement role-based access to restrict unauthorized users from viewing sensitive information or making system-wide changes.

Create user accounts for individuals who’ll interact with the CMMS. Each user should have a unique login and password for security purposes.

Establish notification triggers to automate communication within the CMMS. For instance, configure notifications to alert maintenance personnel when you assign a new work order or when preventive maintenance tasks are due.

Train Users

Train all end-users on using the CMMS, including creating work orders, managing inventory and performing preventive maintenance. Provide ongoing training and support as needed.

Monitor and Evaluate

Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the CMMS. Use performance metrics, such as equipment uptime, maintenance costs and work order completion rates, to measure the success of the CMMS implementation and identify areas for improvement.

Implementation Challenges

Some implementation challenges you might encounter include:

Lack of Executive Leadership Support

Executive leadership plays a crucial role in allocating resources, providing budget approval and setting strategic direction for your organization. Lack of support from top-level executives may result in insufficient funding, inadequate staff commitment and a lack of prioritization.

Solution: Present a clear business case, ROI analysis and potential competitive advantages.

Misalignment of Management Vision

If management views CMMS solely as a solution without considering it as part of a broader maintenance and asset management strategy, they may not fully use its potential.

This narrow perspective may lead to the underuse of the system's features and a failure to integrate it into your organization's existing workflows and practices.

Solution: Develop a maintenance strategy that incorporates CMMS as a central component. Showcase how it can optimize your maintenance processes and improve overall operational efficiency.

Organizational Unpreparedness

Unprepared companies may face data migration challenges, workflow disruptions and resistance from employees, resulting in project delays and increased costs.

Solution: Conduct a thorough assessment of current maintenance practices, data quality and staff readiness. Develop a detailed plan for data migration, process integration and employee training.

Workers Complexity Perception

Resistance from workers can lead to poor data entry, inaccurate asset records and decreased system use, diminishing the overall effectiveness of the CMMS.

Solution: Select a user-friendly CMMS by requesting demos and trials.

Don’t forget to check out CMMS Best Practices to overcome these challenges.

FAQs

Who uses CMMS software?

The primary users of CMMS are maintenance managers, technicians, engineers and other staff who’re involved in planning, executing and monitoring maintenance tasks.

Facility managers, property managers and other professionals in industries such as manufacturing, health care, transportation and hospitality may also use it.

Will a CMMS tool work for my business?

To determine whether or not a CMMS will work for your business, consider the following factors:

• Industry Type: Consider whether your industry has specific maintenance needs that a CMMS can address.
• Equipment Usage: Does your business rely on a significant amount of equipment, machinery or assets? If yes, a CMMS can help you manage them.
• Production Volume: If your organization produces a lot of goods and relies heavily on machinery or equipment to maintain production schedules, a CMMS can help minimize downtime and production disruptions.
• Reliability Level: If you aim to maintain the reliability of your equipment and assets, a CMMS can be a valuable tool. 
• Budget and ROI: Consider your budget for implementing and maintaining a CMMS. Calculate the potential return on investment (ROI) by estimating the cost savings, reduced downtime and improved assets’ life spans that a CMMS can bring.
• Team Adoption Rate: Evaluate whether your team is willing and able to adopt and use a CMMS effectively. Training and user adoption are critical factors in the success of CMMS implementation.

Is CMMS necessary for SMBs?

CMMS can be a valuable tool for SMBs to improve their maintenance management and achieve their business goals. However, not all CMMS systems are the same, and SMBs should consider their specific needs and budget before choosing a CMMS solution.

Why is uptime important?

A high uptime means that equipment is available and operational most of the time, which means that maintenance activities are effective and timely. 

A low uptime means that equipment is frequently unavailable or non-functional, which means that maintenance activities are inadequate or delayed.

Some benefits of high uptime include:

• Reduces the need for reactive or corrective maintenance, which can be costly, time-consuming and disruptive.
• Increases equipment and workers' efficiency and productivity as there are fewer interruptions or delays in the production process.
• Extends equipment life spans and performance as it prevents excessive wear and tear, degradation, or damage.
• Improves equipment and workers' safety and compliance as it avoids accidents, injuries or regulation violations.

Next Steps

Using computerized maintenance management systems can substantially benefit your business. However, before deciding to buy a CMMS, it's important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of CMMS.

Still feeling overwhelmed in your product search? Check out our free comparison report to evaluate multiple products simultaneously. View their product scores, functional and technical requirements, user sentiments, and benefits.

To receive guided selection support, please reach out to us for a variety of free resources via email and contact information mentioned on our website. Good luck!

Product Comparison

• ServiceChannel vs. Fiix
• Maintenance Connection vs. Fiix
• UpKeep vs. Fiix
• UpKeep vs. Maintenance Connection
• UpKeep vs. ServiceChannel

Additional Resources

• Top CMMS Selection Requirements and Functions
• Open Source CMMS
• Top Expert Software Selection Tips To Pick the Best-fit Software