You can invest in the best CMMS software available in the market, but you still might not be able to milk its benefits. Imagine investing a lot of your time and money in purchasing CMMS, only to realize that you are not getting your money’s worth in the end. Blaming the software won’t be fair if the data is not being treated the way it should be. If you don’t handle the data in the right manner, CMMS won’t pump out the desired results. You must remember that CMMS is only as good as the data it captures. It is essential that you collect the right data to get the most out of your CMMS software. Let us look at three ways that will help you in maximizing the value of data from your CMMS system.

1. Setting Data Entry Standards

No process can start without entering the data. However, data entry is not as simple and straightforward as it sounds. It is very common for your employees to make silly mistakes at this stage. Since it is the very first step, if you make a mistake here, it will have a trickle-down effect. Training your employees on standard data entry procedures is essential. Teach them how to capture and record data, how to identify the mandatory fields, how to access important data, what the naming conventions are, the formats in which data entry must be carried out, and how to define and monitor various standards and processes.

2. Giving Different Authorization Rights for Different User Groups

Ensure that you don’t give everybody access to data entry. Setting appropriate user rights for different user groups will ensure that only the authorized people can access, edit and update important data on the maintenance system. Ideally, you should give full authorization to those working in the maintenance department, while the rest of the employees should only be given access to the information of those assets that they primarily use.

3. Making Important Fields Mandatory

Entering new data is a massive task, however, you must make sure that no shortcuts are being taken. To ensure that employees do not skip filling out crucial details, make critical fields mandatory. For example, details of equipment data such as model number, equipment ID, serial number, purchase and installation date, warranty details, etc., must be made mandatory. Additionally, information on preventive maintenance on every asset must be included. Don’t forget to include the information pertaining to inventory parts such as their description, number, location, etc. Basic employee and technician’s information must also be filled out without fail.

If the data being captured is not accurate, complete or consistent, you will not benefit from the maintenance software. Computerized maintenance management system will give limited real-time and automation information if the data captured is not exhaustive. It is critical to maintain data integrity and overcome common data related issues quickly. Make sure that everyone follows the standards that are set for data entry. This way, you can be assured of maximizing the benefits of your CMMS software.