The Essential CMMS Implementation Guide: Best Practices and Challenges When Putting a Computerized Maintenance Management System Into Action

While most facilities can benefit from CMMS software, it’s not always clear how to implement one successfully. 

In fact, CMMS implementation can be a task fraught with headaches, with over 70% of new CMMS projects failing to launch, according to a recent survey we conducted.

However, there are some simple steps every organization can take before, during, and after their CMMS implementation to ensure their system is a success. Check out our step-by-step guide that will help you develop and realize a CMMS implementation plan.

10 Crucial CMMS Implementation Steps

Before Implementing a New CMMS

The first steps in CMMS implementation happen before your CMMS software is even selected. 

While it may be tempting to save time and jump right into the first good-looking CMMS you find, a solid plan will create a more error-free end product. Trust us, the time and money saved from a lack of troubleshooting will ultimately be worth it.

Here are some important details to plan prior to CMMS implementation.

#1. Scope Out the Project

This helps to figure out the goals of your CMMS. Consider: 

• What does the facility want to track? 
• Which areas need this implementation the most? 
• What features are necessary for the facility to run at maximum uptime? 
• How much money is allocated for this CMMS project? 

An organization should be realistic about its costs and timeline. Having an inadequate budget could mean spending a lot of money for no end product whatsoever.

#2. Select Your CMMS Wisely

Don’t be afraid to shop around. 

Rather than going off of one person’s recommendation or the first search result, it’s beneficial to look at a range of different CMMS products to figure out which ones offer the necessary functionality. The scope of a project will determine the needs for a CMMS.

UpKeep is a mobile-first, full-featured CMMS solution that gives every maintenance and reliability team the tools and information they need to run operations efficiently and effectively. Request a demo to see how it all works together to make your life on the job easier.

#3. Get Stakeholders Involved

Prior to CMMS implementation, everyone involved in this decision-making process needs to be on board. 

Having the approval of managers, maintenance teams, and other key stakeholders is essential for a smooth launch. These stakeholders should be aware of new developments and the plan moving forward.

UpKeep’s user-friendly CMMS is designed to cater to the needs of maintenance teams, enabling them to:

• Collaborate seamlessly
• Schedule preventive tasks; and 
• Monitor asset performance

Our solutions contribute to cost savings, improved asset longevity, and overall operational excellence for organizations seeking to optimize their maintenance practices in today's fast-paced business environment.

During CMMS Implementation

Next comes the implementation of the CMMS software. 

This process is not quite as simple as installing and configuring the software. In fact, this may even be the most complex step of the entire process, depending on the asset management system already in place. 

Having said that, the periods directly before and during CMMS implementation are good times to gather data and make sure the transition between old and new systems goes as smoothly as possible.

#4. Have a Dedicated Migration Team

Migration can be difficult or easy, depending on the level of initial effort. 

For example, a facility that expects a migration to go smoothly without sifting through its data, cleaning it out, and managing assets beforehand might have a rude awakening come CMMS implementation day.

It’s helpful to have a team dedicated to migrating assets, and there are even services to help a facility do this if the task looks too daunting. 

At UpKeep, we offer data migration services to larger organizations that want to port data over from previous maintenance software.

#5. Meet With Teams Regularly

Plan a realistic kickoff date and make sure every involved team has it circled on their calendars.

During CMMS implementation, schedule constant meetings with key stakeholders to ensure their department is being given the attention it needs. 

These check-ins are vital to ensuring there’s always a finger on the CMMS’s pulse. 

Check-in with the CMMS provider is also important. Your account manager can help you stay on track to achieve a successful CMMS implementation.

#6. Implement Incrementally

It’s not always prudent to try and implement everything as quickly as possible. 

Adopting a CMMS has a learning curve for everyone involved, not just for the employees submitting work orders. It can be helpful to first integrate the CMMS in one area to demonstrate its worth before rolling it out to the rest of the company.

#7. Provide Training

Figure out which documentation needs exist and fill those needs through avenues such as: 

• Training courses
• Operation manuals; and
• FAQs 

If they exist, use the CMMS vendor’s training services. If not, dedicate employee time to the intensive study of training materials. 

It can also be helpful to have technical writers develop material as it is being implemented so that documentation is always up-to-date.

After CMMS Implementation

The CMMS has been implemented, so the job is complete, right? 

Wrong. A CMMS is like any other piece of equipment: it needs maintenance, supervision, and repairs when necessary. This can mean a lot of different things for different facilities. Be sure to add these elements to your CMMS implementation plan.

#8. Utilize CMMS Data 

Plan to utilize the data you gather with your CMMS to improve maintenance efforts and productivity within your facility. 

Data can be used to diagnose the operating reliability of a specific asset, an area, or even the entire facility. To reach these diagnoses, it’s often helpful to turn data into visual maintenance reports.

#9. Improve Maintenance Scheduling

Use the data gathered to improve preventive or predictive maintenance schedules. 

This is critical if you want to:

• Reduce costs
• Improve safety
• Extend asset lifetime; and
• Increase productivity

If this functionality doesn’t exist, work with the vendor on a solution.

#10. Track Budgets

Use the CMMS to figure out where the organization’s budget is going awry by tracking:

• Vendor costs
• Parts costs; and 
• Overtime

This can be a vital statistic to help an organization maintain peak profitability and lower overall maintenance costs.

Throughout the entire CMMS implementation process, lean on your chosen vendor to help you. 

During pre-implementation, have them perform product demonstrations for your entire team to make sure the CMMS is a good fit for everyone. During implementation, get their help with data migration. After implementation, ask them for ways to use the data you’ve collected.

By following the steps above during CMMS implementation, you’ll be setting yourself up for success in using your new system. 

4 Common CMMS Implementation Failures To Avoid

Often, organizations feel using new software is easy, so they forego a lot of the critical planning and strategies that would make CMMS implementation successful.

There are four huge ways companies may mess up a CMMS implementation, and most failed projects suffer from one or more of the following mishaps.

#1. Lack of Planning

Planning is a vital step in the CMMS implementation process — and one that is, unfortunately, often skipped.

A CMMS by itself won’t fix maintenance problems that plague a facility. To implement a CMMS properly (or even choose the right software), a facility needs to create an action plan that includes the answers to these critical questions:

• What kinds of data do they want to track?
• What kind of functionality do they need?
• What kind of budget do they have?
• Do they have stakeholder approval and buy-in?

Immediately investing in a CMMS without a plan is a massive mistake that can kill a project before it even gets off the ground.

#2. Implementation Mishaps

The step with the widest variety of places to fail is probably in the implementation step.

There’s more to this than just installing the software and starting work orders. CMMS implementation involves answering many critical questions, including:

• How is data being migrated from previous systems?
• Is there a PM plan designed and ready to be scheduled?
• Is everyone communicating about when things are rolling out?
• Has the software been tested in an area before being rolled out to the whole facility?

At this stage, communication, testing, and planning are vital parts of the CMMS implementation process.

#3. Little to No CMMS Training

When a new asset comes to a facility, maintenance staff need to be trained on usage and maintenance tasks. The same is true of a CMMS, but many facilities continue to overlook this step.

Training should not be a one-and-done. 

Continuous training is incredibly important, especially if a CMMS receives updates for new features. When an organization skimps on training, maintenance staff won’t know how to use the system that’s supposed to make their job easier.

Besides, it’s proven that training increases user adoption — don’t let this kill your CMMS implementation process.

#4. Inputting Low-Quality Data Into the CMMS

Finally, the wrong kind of data collection process can easily kill a CMMS implementation plan. In other words — garbage in, garbage out.

Maintenance teams need to understand what kinds of data they need to input. 

Hands-on training can help with this. If technicians are shown how to populate work orders with useful, quality information, the data you get out will be actionable.

By following these steps and avoiding the most common implementation failures, you’ll join the ranks of the companies that are successfully implementing their CMMS.

Frequently Asked Questions About CMMS Implementation 

Why Do You Need To Implement a CMMS for Your Company?

An easy-to-use, high-powered CMMS will enable you to truly take control of your asset maintenance and reliability. With the right product, you’ll be able to:

• Access the product anytime, anywhere
• Have access to centralized Enterprise Access Management
• Create a powerful preventive maintenance program
• Organized a company-wide work order request system
• Easily plan facility management
• Simplify inventory management
• And more

Request a demo and see how CMMS software from UpKeep works.

How Long Does CMMS Implementation Typically Take?

The amount of time it takes to implement a CMMS can vary based on a few factors, including:

• The size of your business 
• How difficult your CMMS software is to use
• The number and types of CMMS features you're trying to implement
• Whether you have complete buy-in from your internal stakeholders

What Are Some Common Challenges of CMMS Implementation?

Challenges to CMMS implementation may include things like: 

• Resistance to change among your stakeholders
• Data migration issues
• Failure to properly train your staff 
• Underestimating the time and resources needed
• Integration complexities with existing systems
• Aligning the CMMS features with organizational processes

What Factors Should Be Considered When Selecting a CMMS?

When you’re choosing the best CMMS for your business, you’ll want to consider factors such as:

• Ease of use
• Scalability
• Integration capabilities
• Cost
• Support 
• Training provided by the vendor
• Customizability
• Mobile access
• Reporting and analytics features
• User feedback 

How Can Stakeholder Buy-In Be Encouraged During CMMS Implementation?

Getting stakeholders on board is critical to the success of CMMS implementation and is most successful when they are: 

• Involved early on in the implementation process
• Given comprehensive training
• Informed of the benefits of the CMMS
• Provided with ongoing support
• Encouraged to give feedback to address concerns and suggestions

How Is the Success of CMMS Implementation Measured?

The success of your CMMS implementation can be evaluated by examining key performance indicators (KPIs), including: 

• Reduced downtime
• Improved maintenance efficiency
• Increased asset lifespan
• Lower maintenance costs
• Level of user satisfaction
• The extent to which the system supports your organization's goals

UpKeep’s CMMS Solution Helps Maintenance and Reliability Teams Put Their Best Foot Forward

The CMMS software from UpKeep is more than just a CMMS — it's also an Asset Operations Management (AOM) platform. An AOM platform threads together your technician services, passive and active data, and unique operational blueprint, making it easier and faster for every employee to get everything they need to do their job successfully.

Our CMMS integrates with your existing tech stack, so teams can eliminate the silos around workflow, information, and data that hinder productivity and efficiency.

UpKeep's AOM is the only tool with CMMS software purpose-built to:

• Manage multi-location, day-to-day maintenance life cycles.
• Optimize asset utilization.
• Gain insights into real-time performance data.
• Employ an ecosystem approach.
• Bridge the gaps between maintenance, reliability, and operations.
• Be intuitive enough for every employee to use.

Start your free trial today.