How can I find the right CMMS?
May 9, 2018 4:45 PM Subscribe
I need a computerized maintenance management system. I don't want to spend two weeks entering information into a free trial, and then have pressure to use that software. Is there a service/consult/sizing guide for my options?
Many CMMS providers offer free trials of their software, but the beginning stage of using any CMMS is primarily data entry. That step is already going to take up a good amount of my limited time, so I'd rather not do it in more than one free trial.
I'm almost one year into being the first and only maintenance technician at a large indoor cannabis grow in Portland. I have to manage preventative maintenance for dozens of air conditioners, pumps, pipe runs, and highly specialized automated equipment.
I have basically no experience in maintenance other than my own handiness.
My department didn't exist before me, and all maintenance was responsive.
I'll be doing the brunt of the data entry and schedule setting.
Are there services available to identify what kind of maintenance needs I have, and what software would be suited to those needs?
Many CMMS providers offer free trials of their software, but the beginning stage of using any CMMS is primarily data entry. That step is already going to take up a good amount of my limited time, so I'd rather not do it in more than one free trial.
I'm almost one year into being the first and only maintenance technician at a large indoor cannabis grow in Portland. I have to manage preventative maintenance for dozens of air conditioners, pumps, pipe runs, and highly specialized automated equipment.
I have basically no experience in maintenance other than my own handiness.
My department didn't exist before me, and all maintenance was responsive.
I'll be doing the brunt of the data entry and schedule setting.
Are there services available to identify what kind of maintenance needs I have, and what software would be suited to those needs?
I don't know of any service like the one you ask about. All the CMMS providers will probably tell you that their software does that as a means to get you to buy it.
If you want to try something on a free trial basis, you might consider scaling down what you do with the trial to only some aspects of your maintenance program. You'd ostensibly have less data entry, and therefore more time to get a feel for the system and whether it would work for you. You can extrapolate that one aspect to the other things you do.
In my opinion, your best bet would be to solicit RFPs from the various vendors you're looking at. You would need a pretty tight set of specs that explain your operation and what you need a CMMS to do for you. Then let them tell you what the solution is. Evaluate the proposals, weighing the proposed solution heavily in your consideration. You could also ask for relevant experience in your particular industry.
posted by Shohn at 1:13 PM on May 10, 2018
If you want to try something on a free trial basis, you might consider scaling down what you do with the trial to only some aspects of your maintenance program. You'd ostensibly have less data entry, and therefore more time to get a feel for the system and whether it would work for you. You can extrapolate that one aspect to the other things you do.
In my opinion, your best bet would be to solicit RFPs from the various vendors you're looking at. You would need a pretty tight set of specs that explain your operation and what you need a CMMS to do for you. Then let them tell you what the solution is. Evaluate the proposals, weighing the proposed solution heavily in your consideration. You could also ask for relevant experience in your particular industry.
posted by Shohn at 1:13 PM on May 10, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by michaelh at 9:15 AM on May 10, 2018