Maintenance software is a tool used to assist, control, and manage the maintenance of a business or commercial enterprise. It offers solutions to a variety of business activities such as inventory tracking, work order tracking, service call management, purchasing and receiving management, labor management, asset management, plant maintenance, preventive maintenance scheduling, facilities management, equipment and vehicles management, and security maintenance. Mintenance software is a useful tool for organizations of all sizes – school boards, hospitals, retirement communities, industrial or manufacturing plants, colleges and universities, hotels and resorts, shopping centers, apartment complexes, and governments.
A large number of maintenance software with various levels of complexity are available. The main categories of maintenance software include maintenance management system, asset management software, facilities management and maintenance software, work order tracking software, vehicle maintenance software, and preventative maintenance software.
Work management, preventive and corrective maintenance, inventory and purchase order management, and reporting are the basic functions of maintenance software. Work management involves the proper scheduling and maintenance of engineering and other operational departments. Most maintenance software allows supervisors to distribute work among employees and technicians. Preventive maintenance refers to doing proactive maintenance with a view to prevent system problems. Corrective maintenance is performed to correct a problem that occurs within a system in the course of working.
Maintenance software allows exact recording of data such as spare parts and other materials used in the production process. A purchasing module is also available as part of most maintenance software. It automatically initiates purchases when a particular item reaches a pre-determined reorder level. Reports generated by maintenance software usually include review of total expenses, equipment replacement reports, budget planning reports, and failure analysis and work history reports for specific equipments.