Businesses nowadays are seeking for solutions to manage their more effective maintenance operations. Therefore, to enhance productivity and prevent repeating efforts, you’ll need to properly connect two or more software systems to integrate CMMS with other applications. Each system may access shared data thanks to integration, which also makes it easier to share this data. The systems may read each other’s data, write to it, or both during the data exchange. This article will help you to know more about CMMS software and its integration with other systems.
Content
- What is CMMS software?
- What are the benefits of a CMMS?
- What is CMMS Systems Integration?
- How System Integration Can Improve Productivity?
- 3 ways to use CMMS integrations
- Conclusion
- FAQ
What is CMMS software?
The tools to organize and monitor everything from work orders, resources, assets, arrange an inspection and preventive maintenance, expenses, etc. – all of these processes are provided by the CMMS software, or computerized maintenance management system, which is a popular software solution for both organizations and their maintenance staff. The ultimate goal of CMMS is to optimize workflow, reduce costs, streamline procedures, and boost the effectiveness of maintenance operations. In addition to managing regulatory documents, a CMMS may also handle estimates and billing.
The goal of CMMS software is to assist teams in managing their everyday duties more effectively. The usage of CMMS software is widespread across all sectors. This software solution is useful for any firm that has to maintain and manage work orders and inventories, execute routine maintenance on equipment and other assets and provide correct reports to comply with regulations. A CMMS assists businesses in streamlining their maintenance procedures and gaining a greater understanding of the costs, trends, and usage of their facilities.
What are the benefits of a CMMS?
Asset visibility
The CMMS database’s centralized data allows maintenance teams and management to practically instantaneously retrieve information on an asset, such as when it was acquired, when maintenance was completed, how frequently it broke down, what parts were used, how efficient it was, and even more.
Workflow visibility
Technicians and other roles may customize dashboards and visualizations to track progress and status in real-time. Everything from the location of an asset, its requirements, and a person who should work on it may all be soon learned by maintenance teams.
Automation
Automating manual tasks like ordering parts, restocking MRO inventory, scheduling shifts, compiling data for audits, and other administrative responsibilities helps teams concentrate on maintenance-related tasks rather than administrative ones while also saving time, reducing errors, and increasing productivity.
Streamlined processes
To coordinate activities with operational centers, information may be transferred across mobile devices. Distribution and use of materials, work order software and resources may be prioritized and improved.
Managing the workforce
It can be difficult and expensive to manage both internal and external field workforces. Internal teams and external partnerships may be unified and efficiently deployed using CMMS and EAM capabilities. Modern EAM systems alter field operations through advancements in connection, mobility, virtual reality, and blockchain.
Preventive maintenance
A proactive rather than reactive approach to maintenance operations is made possible by CMMS data, allowing for the creation of an advanced asset maintenance strategy. Daily activity data, along with data from sensors, meters, and other IoT instrumentation, may provide insights into processes and assets, influence preventative measures, and raise alarms before assets fail or perform poorly.
Consistency and data transfer
A CMMS may be used to store documentation, technical manuals, and media-capturing maintenance methods together with the respective assets. By capturing and preserving this information, standardized practices and high-quality work are produced. Additionally, it keeps that information from leaving with exiting staff and transferring to new technicians.
Compliance management
Maintenance operations and asset-intensive firms as a whole may be disrupted by compliance audits. By producing solutions and reports that are specifically customized to an audit’s requirements, CMMS data greatly simplifies audits.
Health, safety, and environment
CMMS and EAM provide consolidated reporting for health, safety, and environmental issues in line with compliance management. The goals are to lessen risk and keep an atmosphere that is safe for operations.
What is CMMS Systems Integration?
Today, it is simpler to integrate and communicate particular data from many system applications both inside and across different departments thanks to the capabilities of the CMMS integration process. To employ the finest software for your unique applications, system integration is the sharing of necessary information across many software programs. In other words, it is the act of making common data accessible to each system and allowing the flow of this data across the systems in order to allow two or more software systems to communicate with one another. The goal is to save time, decrease mistakes, remove the need to enter duplicate data into various systems, streamline operations, and access data instantly.
Before issuing work orders for planned maintenance, the maintenance department may demand (through the CMMS) the availability of replacement components to be verified. The current inventory software system must allow the CMMS software to check the stock levels in order for this to be possible. Making the buying system’s spare parts database columns accessible by the CMMS software would be the solution for systems integration in this situation.
How System Integration Can Improve Productivity
If you’re still unsure whether to integrate your CMMS or not, take into account these 8 benefits for your company that integration will bring:
- Access Through One Portal
Multiple systems may be accessed more easily and the likelihood of mistakes is decreased with a single user-friendly interface.
- Energy Efficient
CMMS software that integrates with current energy management and control systems, permits condition-based equipment monitoring, and performs all required equipment modifications or repairs can significantly lower energy use.
- Reduce Labor Costs
Companies experience a decrease in overtime and other personnel expenditures because of operational efficiency and improved time management.
- Real-Time Data
As a result of data centralization, information is constantly updated and available wherever you are.
- Performance & Better Data Analysis
Instant information gathering and sharing across organizations provides organizations with timely access to correct information for decision-making.
- System Collaboration
System integration generates a workflow of information for certain teams and members, allowing for simpler data analysis, more accurate tracking, and a reduction of labor hours and mistakes.
- Access to Multiple Locations
You may access many sites from any place using CMMS connectivity.
- Improved System Security
Users have access to a single system to control their security tools and permissions thanks to the system integration with the CMMS software.
3 ways to use CMMS integrations
Optimize preventive maintenance and establish condition-based maintenance
Real-time equipment parameters are monitored by sensors and meters, as well as actual equipment usage data like run hours and miles. One of these devices will speak with your CMMS and immediately start a work order for that asset if it notices an abnormality. For instance, a sensor may notice that the motor’s temperature has risen above a given point or a SCADA system might note that the motor has been operating for a specific number of hours. Your CMMS receives this information immediately, which causes a work order to be generated.
Almost any system, including PLCs, SCADA systems, MES software, and industrial sensors, may now connect to your CMMS. This has three key advantages: improved maintenance planning, more effective resource usage, and less downtime. As a result, less time, money, and materials are used.
Connect with ERP systems
ERP software unifies all of a business’s many components, including inventory, accounting, sales, etc, into one unified system. Through the creation of a single source of information for the whole business, operations are streamlined for everyone. By connecting your CMMS to an ERP, you can see data from every department inside the company, and everyone else can access the maintenance team’s pertinent data.
You can gain a wider perspective and come to more informed, data-driven judgments as a result. Success in maintenance frequently depends on input and activity from other departments. Inventory and finance, for instance, play a significant part in ensuring that spare parts are accessible at the appropriate time, location, and cost. All of these departments are linked via an ERP, which also simplifies the acquisition, planning, and utilization of spare parts. The result is better asset performance, less wasteful spending, less time lost, and more precise data.
Capture more data and improve work order management
Everything that happens on the shop floor is converted into numbers by sensors and algorithms. In your CMMS, the figures are linked, examined, and put back into use. Sensors, for instance, gather information from objects and legacy technology like SCADA systems. The information is utilized to either discover abnormalities and their underlying causes or to provide important maintenance measures.
Work orders are better organized, assets, personnel, and inventory are handled effectively, and expenses are decreased. You may get all the information you want and desire in one location. Although every aspect of what takes on on the shop floor provides information about work order management, they all have various languages. These CMMS connections convert these various dialects into a single voice, allowing you to understand the data and make wiser decisions.
Conclusion
The efficiency of the entire manufacturing firm may be significantly increased by using CMMS systems, which are extremely important instruments. However, they won’t be useful unless they are properly integrated with other enterprise systems, particularly ERP. Although it is a technological problem that necessitates several business decisions, it is worthwhile to take each one and design it specifically for the particulars of a particular organization.
FAQ
Why should I integrate my CMMS software?
- COLLECT CRITICAL DATA
By gathering and examining data from the equipment sensors, PLCs, and HMIs that are most pertinent, automatically discover irregularities. Control equipment utilization in real-time, including rotations, kilometers, and miles, as well as condition data like temperature or pressure measurements.
- IMPROVE BUSINESS PROCESSES
By integrating your CMMS and ERP, you may share the data with your accounting, inventory, human resources, and other departments of your business. By linking your CMMS to your ERP, your business will be able to access data from the maintenance department’s running expenses on the ERP. On the other side, it also enables your maintenance department to obtain pertinent data from other departments in the CMMS, such as spare parts and stock information.
- COMBINE RELEVANT INFORMATION
For integrating maintenance KPI data with the primary dashboard of the company, information may be centralized and made easier to access stakeholders. By linking your CMMS with your business analytics system, you can see your maintenance data and insights across your whole organization. If necessary, you may share this data with your shareholders and include it on your website.
What are the examples of CMMS integration?
The combination of CMMS with buying systems is a clear example. The majority of businesses already have such systems, but nearly all CMMS systems now have one as well. The accounts and purchasing departments will already have their own financial, purchasing, and inventory systems in place in all but the smallest businesses, and they will not accept any transition to the CMMS purchasing system.
The other examples of CMMS integration are sensor, equipment, and stock data synchronization.
What are the risks of the CMMS integration process?
Making the connections between the systems’ databases requires someone with the necessary IT expertise. Only open databases are suitable for this. These are databases that are part of software programs and have been developed to allow access from other programs that can be integrated and can send the necessary data.
When the system has been correctly integrated, it should operate without any difficulties, but if one of the software programs is upgraded or switched to a new version in the future, issues might occur. With more systems involved in the CMMS system integration, there is undoubtedly a greater chance for issues in this area.
What is the difference between ERP and CMMS?
The computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a software created specifically for maintenance tasks. It offers a set system for recording tasks, controlling the resources required to complete maintenance tasks, and monitoring the performance of the team. The following are typical CMMS system characteristics that are helpful to maintenance management:
- Maintenance Requests;
- Work Order Management;
- Asset Management;
- MRO Inventory Management;
- Preventive Maintenance;
- Predictive Maintenance;
- Maintenance Reports.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software organizes information and communications from several departments, including maintenance, manufacturing, shipping and receiving, accounting, logistics, human resources, and inventory by managing the data of a company. ERP software manages several business operations by integrating crucial components of a company into a single system. Automated accounting, invoicing, as well as financial analysis are all part of the enterprise resource planning system. Additionally, it entails making an effort to enhance customer relationship management, human resource management, and asset management. Some businesses decide to include a supply chain module to keep track of inventory.
