Perfect management of the CMMS database is a must to achieve the best from it.
It’s preferable to insert the most relevant and significant data into the CMMS system, ignoring the less important.
This will improve your organisation’s performance and help your employees adapt quickly to new technologies.
Ignoring standardisation and improvement of the CMMS database may lead to Data drift, often leading to uncontrolled chaos.
To help you manage your CMMS data properly, this blog discusses how to manage the CMMS database, including the most critical data and the best ways to achieve maximum benefit.
What is The CMMS Database?
The database is the heart of every CMMS. This intelligent system discovers, collects, and organises critical maintenance data, presenting asset health, lifecycle, and maintenance tasks to service teams and managers.
It also shows the equipment, materials, and resources. All this information is stored in the CMMS database to be accessible to maintenance managers.
CMMS systems store information about equipment availability and usage allowing managers to control maintenance operations from one place.
It is a communication tool that facilitates maintenance processes from a centralised platform.
This software connects maintenance teams and utility asset management.
This allows the CMMS to be adapted to mobile devices and tablets and used for remote work.
CMMS is continuously evolving to support cloud capabilities and enhance user data security.
Data should be on your CMMS Database.
Work Order Data
To use CMMS effectively, you need to insert work order information into its database to allow tracking of work order operations.
This information should include relevant work order data such as:
- Equipment.
- Error analysis.
- Working data.
- Drafts.
- Tools.
- Used Materials.
Remember, the more information it contains and the easier it accesses your system, the smoother your maintenance management is.
Asset Data
You need to add information that allows users to determine where machines are running efficiently.
Asset location data links work orders to equipment or specific locations.
This streamlines operations and enables better localisation of asset performance and asset lifecycle.
Including accurate asset record information in the CMMS is also essential.
Here are all the asset data you need to insert:
- Specification information.
- Service level agreement.
- Device ID, model number, and serial number.
- Installation date and purchase date.
- Security process.
- Preventive maintenance schedule.
- Measuring points.
- Warranty data.
This information helps you gain a holistic understanding of asset costs and asset downtime.
It allows you to formulate purchasing and budgeting decisions. It also enables organisations to make effective maintenance decisions.
Inventory Data
CMMS inventory management capabilities make it easy to find and manage inventory, including obsolete parts and spares.
Such a feature saves a lot of money and time by keeping track of inventory and avoiding reordering lost elements and technician delays.
The information must be inserted into the inventory CMMS database, including the following:
- Component prices.
- Component suppliers.
- Component location.
- Special orders.
- Alternative components.
- Component numbers and details.
- Out-of-stock and in-stock items.
Work Resources Data
This information helps plan maintenance and track labour costs.
So, we recommend including reports and data about maintenance employees, managers and technicians.
These reports should include the following:
- Skill Levels and Qualifications
- Industry category
- Labour rates per hour or month
KPIs
KPI metrics help you analyse the success of your maintenance system and know how the CMMS database improves your organisation.
This is why you should involve KPIs in the CMMS database.
Facility History
The history of your facility and its machines can provide the insights needed for proper preventive maintenance by the CMMS. This data includes:
- Repairs.
- Construction.
- Preventative maintenance (PM).
- Deformation.
Purchasing Data
Accurate CMMS purchasing data helps control costs and track orders for new parts and materials.
This increases effectiveness and reduces costs and redundancy over time.
Here is the relevant purchasing data you need to insert into the CMMS database:
- Quote requests.
- Supplier master list.
- Invoice.
- Orders history.
Factors contributing to CMMS database management failure
Even though you exist much effort into building a perfect CMMS database, you may get little in return.
The main reason is the wrong way you manage through.
Many factors contribute to the lousy database management, including:
1. Lack of training
You should ensure your employees have the proper training to get the most out of your CMMS database.
Training promotes the effectiveness of the CMMS, which directly impacts the integrity and effectiveness of the CMMS database.
2. Staff turnover
Experience and training are only sometimes lost when there is a change in staff.
Documenting everything you know is not practical, but you should regularly review and update your instructions and procedures.
Tasks and work instructions should also be reviewed annually, and the information in the CMMS database should reflect the current practice.
3. Lack of database review
You should review your CMMs database regularly and ensure everyone is doing their duties properly.
You should also check CMMS security settings and your user ID and password. This should be done continuously.
Use the power of CMMS as a saving tool. It runs effectively.
4. Outdated system
The computer world is constantly evolving. So, you’ll need to ensure your CMMS software is well-planned and updated regularly.
CMMS upgrades will fix system bugs and other errors to help maintain your database more effectively.