Computer aided facility management (CAFM)

What is computer aided facility management?

Computer aided facility management (CAFM) software helps businesses manage and monitor the various aspects of a facility. This includes space management, and the maintenance and repair of physical assets. Room reservations, visitor management, energy consumption, key control, permits, and other aspects of property management are also handled by CAFM software.

Where is computer aided facility management software used?

CAFM software is primarily used by companies that need a way to organize, manage, and maintain facilities with a lot of assets and employees. Businesses in every sector, including manufacturing, business operations, and real estate management, can use it.

CAFM helps businesses reduce costs, increase productivity, and ensure they are making the best use of their facilities. For example, facility managers will use CAFM software to plan, monitor, and optimize space in a facility. They can also use it to monitor the reactive (opens in new tab), planned (opens in new tab), and preventative (opens in new tab) maintenance of assets as well.

What are the benefits of computer aided facility management?

CAFM software can help your company:

  • Communicate plans with other departments and divisions within your organization. For example, you may want to change the layout of machinery at one facility but want another facility’s layout left unchanged. This can be communicated using CAFM software and illustrated to share with teams.
  • Track maintenance costs so you know what assets you should prioritize when it comes time for repairs or upgrades.
  • Create work orders for repairs so they are completed quickly without unnecessary back-and-forth with contractors.

Computer aided facility management vs. computerized maintenance management software

Computer aided facility management software and computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software share some similarities, but are used in different ways and for different purposes. Below is a table that illustrates some of the differences:

CAFM

CMMS

Manages

Facilities management

Asset and maintenance management

Assists with

Helps facility managers plan, monitor, and optimize space and operations

Helps plan, track, and measure maintenance-related activities and resources

Monitors

Monitors and optimizes facility space and asset maintenance, but also includes specific tools to manage other aspects of a property, like room bookings, energy usage, key control, and permits

Monitors and optimizes scheduling work orders, purchasing inventory, and asset maintenance

Tracks

Tracks facility costs and gives you an overview of where resources are allocated

Tracks asset performance with real-time data

Target market

Targets companies that manage large facilities with public access

Targets asset-intensive, production-heavy companies, like manufacturers

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Manage and optimize your space with computer aided facility management

CAFM software allows users to track data related to their facilities, such as space management, maintenance and repair tasks, employee schedules, energy usage, and tenant satisfaction.

The key to successful computer aided facility management is understanding the needs of your business and staff. By finding the right software for your industry, you can create a customized solution that will save you time and money. Learn more about the differences between CAFM and CMMS software so that you can choose the best solution for your business.

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