Choosing Between a Free and a Paid Computerized Maintenance Management System   by Don Mccray

in Business    (submitted 2012-01-31)

If you perform a quick search, you'll find that there are many computerized maintenance management systems available for no cost. In essence, putting together a computerized maintenance management system is not a difficult task, and many programmers get the main elements of it right. Still, the free programs may not be worth the time you spend looking into them, since they typically fail at the aspects of a cmms that you'll really want to have. If implemented correctly, a computerized maintenance management system should be able to morph your ability to run the maintenance depart of the company, but a free program runs the risk of running you aground.

Before you begin, you should be sure to know that you will need to allocate a lot of time and energy to the early stages of making your computerized maintenance management system a working entity. You'll have to input a lot of information prior to beginning--such things like where your items are, who they came from, how much they cost, and what they mean for you are all things that all need to be entered into the system. At the end of the process, though, you'd think you have completed the process for the first and only time.

Yet this is often not the case. You can invest all the time and effort you want into a free computerized maintenance management system, but if it is not correctly programmed to accomplish the tasks you desire, both your time and the program are worthless. This is why you will see companies paying the big bucks for a professional system; the creators of these programs know exactly what needs to be put into the program to make it a successful program. You don't want to end up like countless other businesses that have spent weeks putting together the fragments of a free program with the resulting mess being unable to satisfy their needs.

What will you do when it comes time to update the computerized maintenance management system you got for free, and the creator of the software is no longer around to make improvements to the program? A reputable, reliable company that makes a solid computerized maintenance management system (though you may have to pay for the use) will always be on top of updates and general upkeep that makes your job that much easier.

Then again, there are times when you may not need the level of customer service and care provided by one of the primary cmms companies. Some companies that only need to handle a minimal amount of inventory and have a smaller manufacturing facility might work well with a free CMMS. Looking into the free CMMS options is a good idea no matter what your overall goals, as you can get a feel for your options and what is available when you decide to make your purchase. Whether you choose the free or the paid option for your computerized document management service, it's important to find a CMMS program that will fit your needs.

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Computerized Maintenance Management System