14 Tips for a Successful CMMS Implementation

CMMS Implementation Guide: 14 Ways To Successfully Implement a CMMS

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.

10 Essential Steps for CMMS Implementation

Before Implementing a New CMMS

The first steps in CMMS implementation happen before 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.

There are some crucial details to plan prior to CMMS implementation, including:

#1. Scope Out the Project

First, it helps to figure out the goals of your CMMS: 

• 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.

#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.

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 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 time directly before and during CMMS implementation is a good time 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 making sure that 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 start 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 pouring over 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.

Post-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.

#8. Utilize CMMS Data 

Plan to utilize the data you gather with the CMMS to improve maintenance efforts and productivity within the entire 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 the CMMS vendor to help you. 

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

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

However, it is important to be aware of common ways that CMMS implementation can fail to avoid repeating others’ mistakes.

4 Common CMMS Implementation Failures

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

There are four really huge ways to 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 often foregone.

A CMMS by itself won’t fix maintenance problems that plague a facility. In order 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 still super important 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 look over 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 adoption — don’t let this kill your CMMS implementation.

#4. Inputting Low-Quality Data Into the CMMS

Finally, the data collection process can kill a CMMS with ease. In other words, if you put in garbage data, you get garbage data 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 30% of companies that are successful in CMMS implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions About CMMS Implementation

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

Considering each of these factors should give you a better understanding of the time a CMMS implementation will take.

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: Leading the Way to a Better Future for Maintenance and Reliability Teams

UpKeep's CMMS software 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.