CMMS Software: Your Answer for Reducing Maintenance Backlog

How To Reduce Maintenance Backlog and Increase Efficiency With CMMS Software

Managing a maintenance backlog is an ongoing challenge for many industries, often hindering operational efficiency and asset performance.

CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) software has been a transformative solution for managing the maintenance needs of a company’s physical assets. 

We’ll explore how leveraging this technology can not only reduce maintenance backlogs but also elevate overall operational efficiency — while providing actionable insights and additional integrations to consider. 

Learn how CMMS software can streamline maintenance processes, enhance asset reliability, and unlock a new era of efficiency in your organization.

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Table of Contents

• Maintenance Backlog: How Much Is Too Much?

• 6 Recommendations on How To Reduce Maintenance Backlog Through Efficiency-Driven Decision-Making and CMMS Support

• Reduce Your Maintenance Backlog to an Acceptable Level With UpKeep’s Asset Operations Management (AOM) Solution

Maintenance Backlog: How Much Is Too Much?

In the maintenance industry, having a backlog is normal. Although the term “backlog” carries a negative connotation, maintenance backlog isn’t automatically indicative of a problem or breakdown of processes. 

A maintenance backlog includes all work that is scheduled or ready to be scheduled and work that has been approved but is not ready to schedule — so a backlog should always exist. A reasonable backlog is a sign of a healthy maintenance plan. 

Issues begin to arise if the backlog grows to the point that resources are spread too thin to complete scheduled tasks, making it difficult to control the backlog. Industry experts recommend “a ‘total backlog’ of about four weeks, a ‘planning backlog’ of about two to four weeks, and a ‘ready-to-schedule’ backlog of one to two weeks.” 

6 Recommendations on How To Reduce Maintenance Backlog Through Efficiency-Driven Decision-Making and CMMS Support

The overall goal when aiming to reduce maintenance backlog should be to increase efficiency across the board in all stages of planning and scheduling.

UpKeep’s CMMS software is designed to help you manage day-to-day maintenance life cycles. We’ll look at six ways our CMMS can boost efficiency and help reduce maintenance backlog.

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#1: Prioritize Scheduled Work

How each company chooses to prioritize work within their backlog will depend on their goals and type of business. 

Universally speaking, there are a few things to consider when choosing which tasks to complete first:

• ROI: For each task, review and estimate the impact incomplete maintenance may have on production and compare that to the resources required to complete said maintenance. The tasks that have the highest ROI should be prioritized.

• Critical assets: If outstanding work is scheduled for a critical asset, it should not be deferred. Downtime on critical assets can have a major impact on production.

• Timing: How late is the scheduled maintenance? If the maintenance has been missed multiple times (especially on a critical asset), that work should likely be prioritized over tasks that have not been missed.

How Can a CMMS Help Prioritize Work and Reduce Backlog?

One of the main goals of a quality CMMS platform should be to prioritize open work orders to reduce downtime and prolong asset lifecycles.

CMMS software allows you to assign a type and priority to every work order in your queue. The system should let you view every work order in a list or a calendar view and filter orders by priority level.

This type of automation makes it easy to assign the most crucial tasks first. Once tasks have been assigned, technicians will have access to any information related to the task (and the corresponding equipment) that was previously stored in the CMMS — boosting efficiency and resolution time.

#2: Effectively Manage and Allocate Resources

Reducing maintenance backlog will require insight into available resources and how they should be allocated to maximize efficiency. 

Maintenance resources include:

• Technicians: You must know the number of people available and have a working knowledge of their training, skills, and capabilities. Who is the best person to complete each task correctly, in the least amount of time, without creating rework?   

• Parts, supplies, safety equipment, etc.: For the work in your backlog, do you have all the inventory needed to complete each task? If not, the tasks waiting on inventory should be moved to your “planning backlog,” and financial resources must be reviewed.

• Money: Is all scheduled and planned preventive maintenance within your budget? If not, you must be prepared with data and ROI calculations that support requests for additional resources.

• Time: After reviewing your prioritized task list, is the time available to your team going to be enough to complete the scheduled work? If not, how can resources be allocated differently, or will your backlog require additional team members?

How Can a CMMS Help Reduce Maintenance Backlog Through Resource Management?

A comprehensive CMMS software should include tools that make it simple to manage resources.

When reviewing and prioritizing work orders, your CMMS can provide you with accurate parts quantities so you know exactly which work orders can be fulfilled with the parts you have on hand. Accurate inventory knowledge allows maintenance teams to plan ahead for tackling a backlog.

CMMS software also provides data that maintenance teams can use to support requests for additional resources needed to reduce a large backlog:

• If additional personnel is needed, CMMS data on the number of work orders received and completed on a weekly basis can be pulled to demonstrate the cost savings of a new employee vs. overtime pay. 

• If additional funding is needed, CMMS data on breakdowns, downtime, and other losses can be utilized to support updated equipment, tools, or higher-quality parts.

#3: Implement a Scheduled Preventive Maintenance Plan

In addition to manpower and budget, reactive maintenance is one of the most common reasons for a large backlog. If you are constantly being forced to delay scheduled work because resources are diverted to unexpected critical maintenance, your backlog will only grow.

Preventive maintenance plans can help keep backlogs manageable by reducing work requests (because machinery is running smoothly) and minimizing the risk of breakdowns that can pull resources away from scheduled work. 

Address potential issues before they become serious problems with preventive maintenance such as inspections, cleanings, and general upkeep.

How Can a CMMS Reduce Backlog With Preventive Maintenance Scheduling?

CMMS software provides precise scheduling capabilities that allow you to fine-tune your preventive maintenance plan.

UpKeep’s preventive maintenance software makes it easy to repeat work orders based on the amount of time passed and to reschedule work orders based on the date the work was completed. 

Preventive maintenance can also be set to follow a program based on various triggers such as run time, machine cycles, or mileage. 

By preventing the breakdown of assets and achieving the full useful life of your assets, your maintenance backlog will typically consist largely of planned and scheduled work.

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#4: Utilize an Effective Work Order Creation System

A work order system can positively impact a maintenance backlog by helping to establish efficient processes and limit redundant or unnecessary work. 

Work order systems use a database of information about equipment, parts, employees, etc., to help track when, where, and what maintenance needs to be performed.

An effective work order system generates work orders that include a detailed description of an issue and any additional information that provides context for the technician assigned to complete the work quickly while avoiding unnecessary mistakes.

This additional information may include:

• Task lists that are clear and concise.

• Information about the required equipment, parts, and PPE that will be needed to complete the work.

• Pictures, diagrams, and manuals related to the affected equipment.

How Can a CMMS Work Order System Help Reduce Backlog?

Work order management software in a CMMS allows users to identify bottlenecks and understand breakdowns in equipment and processes. This can help maintenance teams reduce their backlog by:

• Optimizing wrench time. 

• Making quick, informed decisions.

• Reducing resolution times.

• Validating staffing requirements to ensure a task will be completed on time.

#5: Have a Mobile Option

Technology has changed how the maintenance industry manages its workload. Cloud-based CMMS software makes it possible to quickly and effectively document progress on the go. 

Embracing mobile technology allows your technicians to complete scheduled work with access to all necessary information directly from a mobile device while on a job site. This ease of access results in improved time management — making it more likely that tasks are completed on schedule. 

How Can Mobile Access To CMMS Software Help Reduce Maintenance Backlog?

A mobile-first platform makes it easy for users to track, access, and manage all maintenance activities — whether they're at a desk or on a job site. 

By integrating CMMS software, you may see a reduction in your maintenance backlog that can be attributed to:

• Streamlined communication

• Reduction in maintenance response time

• Decreased equipment downtime

• Extended asset lifetimes

#6: Integrate Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Capabilities

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) is a modern approach to utilizing technology to maintain a company’s physical equipment. By combining the processes, software, and services a company uses, EAM is a holistic approach to addressing production and manufacturing issues.

EAM allows companies to manage asset lifecycles from acquisition to decommissioning, helping to maximize assets to increase uptime and optimize maintenance operations.

While standalone CMMS software is primarily focused on maintenance-related activities like managing work orders and scheduling preventive maintenance, an EAM platform provides additional management capabilities, including:

• Acquisition

• Operation

• Asset tracking

• Performance monitoring

• Reporting and analytics that enable strategic decision-making 

How Can EAM Create Efficiency and Reduce Backlog?

With devices connected to the internet (IIoT) and the use of AI and advanced analytics, companies can collect data from connected equipment. This data can help maintenance teams track all physical assets, assess overall health and quality, and identify any current or potential issues.

Real-time information about the health and needs of your assets can help you make crucial data-backed decisions related to prioritization and allocation of resources — keeping your backlog in check. 

Reduce Your Maintenance Backlog to an Acceptable Level With UpKeep’s Asset Operations Management (AOM) Solution

UpKeep’s unique software goes beyond the traditional CMMS and EAM — it’s an Asset Operations Management (AOM) platform. Our system makes it simple for all your employees across maintenance, operations, and beyond to access all the information they need to complete their tasks quickly and efficiently.

By removing siloed systems that can create roadblocks for employees and linking technician services, data analytics, and your unique operational blueprint together, our goal is to help your company boost productivity.

Request a demo today, and let us show you how to reduce your maintenance backlog with simplified management processes and collaboration with all relevant maintenance program stakeholders.

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