Picture this: you schedule maintenance for a quick repair and discover a spare part is not on-hand, forcing operations to a sudden standstill. What do you do? Chances are, you submit an emergency work order to get operations in motion and then figure out where to find another part.
In the scenario described above, it’s likely that you’re experiencing inventory stockout. This is not unusual, considering most organizations will experience stockout at some point in time. What’s surprising? You don’t have to.
By integrating your spare parts management system with computerized maintenance management software (CMMS), your team can have access to cohesive metrics. Instead of having disparate data across several different software portals, system integration helps organizations gain control of parts and material inventories within one central portal.
To learn the top benefits of CMMS integration with spare parts management, continue reading below.
Cut costs with CMMS integration
Spare parts management is essential to the operations of nearly every organization. Why? Without it in place, facilities risk losing money, frustrating customers and slowing the production schedule.
To ensure the right parts are in the right place at the right time, organizations utilize CMMS to improve spare parts management and cut costs. In fact, SelectHub states that CMMS usage helps facilities prioritize organized inventory and keep accurate stock levels to keep operation running smoothly.
Beyond that, organizations can optimize inventory, de-clutter data, trim time and save money on rush parts orders. For instance, if you always have spare parts or inventory in stock, there’s less chance of emergency work orders coming through that cannot be fulfilled due to stockout. Money can also be saved with bulk part ordering. This helps maintenance teams cut cost with CMMS integration.
However, if you do experience stockout, the likelihood of downtime will increase as you wait for those parts to come in. This situation equates to more overtime, interruptions to production schedules and low customer satisfaction. Luckily with system integration, maintenance teams can track asset health and inventory levels to eliminate downtime from occurring. As a result, organization cuts costs with fewer emergency work orders and replacements.
Optimize inventory operations with automation
The first step to successful integration is organized data. Organizations that historically relied on spreadsheets to control inventory processes have found that paperwork was prone to error and often times lost in the shuffle of operations. By integrating spare parts management on a CMMS, maintenance teams can optimize inventory operations.
With automated inventory control, organizations can reorder items within the system as existing parts are used, or use automated re-ordering to prevent stockout from occurring.
Additionally, the CMMS provides a central database of equipment with detailed manufacturer, location and status information. Technicians can access part and material information from anywhere in the field and perform maintenance as needed. In doing so, technicians are guaranteed to have the right equipment at the right time. And as a result, maintenance teams save time when it comes to repairing or replacing equipment because of the automation features within a CMMS.
Simplify data with spare parts management
By integrating inventory details with CMMS, organizations have access to a wealth of information. From inventory levels to maintenance history details, facilities are able to streamline operations across multiple sites and locations without jumping back and fourth between systems.
This provides teams with a more holistic view of operations. From there, organizations can focus their efforts elsewhere. Instead of having to tend to unexpected repairs, replacements and reorders, technicians can be out in the field servicing equipment on a preventive-scheduled basis. Management can focus on setting measurable benchmarks and defining key performance indicators.
The benefits from achieving this level of integration are clear in the way organizations optimize inventory control processes, all while cutting costs. To learn more about the benefits of spare parts management and CMMS integration, watch a free demo of Maintenance Connection.
