What are some of the benefits and challenges of using CMMS dashboards and visualizations?

1 Benefits of CMMS dashboards and visualizations

One of the main benefits of using CMMS dashboards and visualizations is that they can help you save time and resources by automating data collection, processing, and reporting. You can easily access and view your maintenance data in various formats, such as charts, graphs, tables, maps, or gauges, depending on your preferences and needs. You can also customize your dashboards and visualizations to show only the information that is relevant and important to you, such as asset condition, work order status, inventory levels, downtime, costs, or compliance. By using CMMS dashboards and visualizations, you can eliminate manual data entry, reduce errors, and improve accuracy and consistency.

2 Challenges of CMMS dashboards and visualizations

However, using CMMS dashboards and visualizations also poses some challenges that you need to overcome. One of the main challenges is data quality and integrity. You need to ensure that your data is complete, accurate, and up-to-date, otherwise your dashboards and visualizations will not reflect the true state of your maintenance performance. You also need to verify that your data sources are reliable, secure, and compatible with your CMMS system. Another challenge is data overload and analysis paralysis. You need to avoid displaying too much or too little data on your dashboards and visualizations, otherwise you will not be able to identify the key trends, patterns, and outliers that matter. You also need to avoid spending too much time on analyzing data, instead of taking action based on the data.

3 How to use CMMS dashboards and visualizations effectively

To use CMMS dashboards and visualizations effectively, you need to follow some best practices and tips. Firstly, it's important to define your maintenance goals and objectives, and align them with your organizational strategy and vision. This will help you determine the relevant KPIs and benchmarks to measure and monitor your maintenance performance. Additionally, choose the right type and format of dashboard and visualization for your purpose and audience. For example, a bar chart or map can compare different assets or locations, while a gauge or timeline can show the progress or status of a work order or project. Incorporate colors, labels, icons, and filters to make your dashboards easy to read, understand, and navigate. Furthermore, update your dashboards regularly and frequently, review them periodically, and share them with stakeholders such as managers, technicians, customers, or suppliers. This will help you communicate your maintenance performance, demonstrate your value and impact, collaborate on tasks and projects with team members or partners, as well as solicit feedback and suggestions.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?