Computerized Maintenance/Facilities Management System search

This week I learned 2 new acronyms ... CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) and ... CAFM (Computer Assisted Facilities Management)

Our Campus Superintendent is beginning research for a CMMS/CAFM system.  Problem is that neither of us have any experience with such systems so we're kinda starting from scratch.  We participated in a WebEx of AutoDesk's FMDesktop Thursday ... very nice product, but a very nice price tag associated with it.  Tony Dye says they're using Mechanics Mate with good results at Perimeter Church. 

Anyone else have a CMMS/CAFM system you're church is using that you'd recommend we check out?  Any products you've reviewed and didn't like?

PS ... Interestingly, most CMMS systems have helpdesk as well as IT/Telco management built-in ... thus we may end up dumping Track-It in favor of a CMMS system if a good fit is found. 

Comments

[Trace Pupke]

Here are two that we've looked at in the past but there hasn't been enought interest/need to get it moving:

http://www.schooldude.com/
http://www.maintenanceconnection.com/

Trace

[newsaddikt]

Just talked w/ my facilities manager this morning about this concept. His ideal would be rooms/inventory barcoded.

We are just in the beginning stages of research.

[Mike]

You might want to check out EMS at www.dea.com

[Bob Brown]

You mean something more than email and a notepad?
Wow! Very innovating.

We currently use email and paper for moving information around. Somethings actually make it on the EventU schedule, but it is not the best tool for building management.

I have tried to convince that a help desk system would be useful, but the immediacy of email wins out.

[Steve]

Hi Jason,

You're not the only person to ever suffer this problem!

The market leading software for CAFM/CAMM/CMMS are all geared to the high end of the Facilities Management market - and the cost is truly representative of this, as you've seen.

As specialists in FM support services including these software packages I would just like to advise that whatever system you choose (even if it is a lesser package from the affordable end of the market) the key to your problem is actually setting-up the system.

An incredible amount of money is wasted on these packages (even by the major FM companies around the world) as a result of lack of knowledge. The investment in the software is insignificant compared to the time you invest with staff operating/utilising the system - trust me you can waste more money on a badly constructed system than the software costs!

Buy wisely - but be even wiser about how you use it...

- Steve

[Melanie]

Stumbled across this post doing a google search. I am a CAFM technician in a Facility and oh the fun I have trying to explain to the non-computer geeks what software does and why one is better than the other.

FMDesktop is not as cheap as an MS Office Suite, that's for darned sure. BUT... it's not as expensive as the previous software program I wanted to go with... Archibus. They've got the history, the clients and the reputation.

I agree with the previous poster, Steve... it's not just the program that matters, it's having people to set up and keep the information up to date. Some programs are more intimidating to others, and some require a lot of customization.

Currently our CMMS is a home-grown SQL/.NET site... It works well for us, but, the guy who built it is about to retire. I do know that FMD will work with an SQL back end, so, I do have *some* hope for the future. Me becoming more adept with FMD is far more likely than me becoming adept with both SQL and .NET anytime soon.
We have no CAFM system just yet... it's me, my network folders and an extensive Access Database that all of the guys are afraid of using. ~sigh~

I wish any facility much luck with the selection, and even more so with the implementation... and infinitesimally more so with the upkeep.

Cheers.