What CMMS / CAFM really is and why it matters
CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) and CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) are platforms for centralized management of requests, assets, preventive maintenance, and contractors. They transform chaotic email and phone communication into a traceable process “ticket → execution → report” with clear roles, deadlines (SLA), and KPIs.
Benefits in short:
- Shorter response time and faster recovery (MTTR).
- Fewer “lost” requests and less duplicated work.
- Transparency: who did what, when, and how – with evidence (photos/logs).
- Lower costs through prevention and more accurate resource planning.
- The “ticket → report” lifecycle within 24 hours
-
Ticket submission
Channels: web form, mobile app, on-site QR code, email.
A minimum set of data is collected: site/zone, category, description, photo/video, priority.
-
Automatic categorization and routing
The system identifies the type (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.) and routes the ticket to the correct technician or subcontractor.
An SLA is assigned based on criticality (P1 / P2 / P3).
-
Confirmation and first response
The requester receives a reference number; the coordinator sees the ticket in the dashboard.
Target: first contact within 30–60 minutes for P1.
-
Diagnostics and execution
The technician marks “on site” in the mobile app, uploads before/after photos, used materials, and labor hours.
If needed – escalation and addition of extra tasks.
-
Ticket closure
Verification by coordinator or tenant (if “acceptance” is configured).
The system automatically creates a record in the asset history.
-
Reporting and analysis
Within 24 hours: automated daily/weekly report by site with completed requests, average times, SLA compliance, backlog.
The data feeds KPI dashboards and is used for optimization.
- Key features that make the difference
- Service catalog: standardized categories and subcategories for fast classification.
- Priorities and SLAs: defined by criticality (P1 – critical, P2 – high, P3 – standard).
- Automatic routing: matrices by site, zone, category, working hours.
- Mobile apps for field teams: offline mode, photos, barcode/QR asset scanning.
- Asset register: history, serial numbers, instructions, preventive maintenance plans.
- Preventive maintenance (PM): automatic generation of work orders by calendar or usage.
- Inventory and spare parts: stock levels, reservation to tickets, automatic replenishment.
- Subcontractors: framework agreements, SLA/KPI tracking, acceptance protocols.
- Integrations: BMS/SCADA, IoT sensors (alarms → automatic tickets), contract systems, finance.
- Audit trail and security: change logs, roles and permissions, downloadable reports.
KPIs to track (and why)
Response Time (time to first contact): perception of care and control.
MTTR (Mean Time To Repair): direct business impact through reduced downtime.
SLA compliance (%): contractual discipline and predictability.
First-Time Fix Rate: how often issues are resolved on the first visit – directly affects costs.
Planned vs Reactive Ratio: more planned work means lower total cost.
Backlog Age: risk accumulation that requires attention.
Cost per Work Order: basis for optimization and supplier renegotiation.