CAFM & IT GETTING ON THE
PROPERTY LADDER Whilst sharing information between CAFM modules can achieve a lot, as certain areas of the FM role broaden, there is a need for additional functionality. A case in point is the management of property-related data (building details, tenancy data, lease & contract renewals etc.) where dedicated tools are required.
Property management software acts as a central, searchable repository for the capture and processing of all such data, with the ability to issue timely reminders for key events, such as lease reviews and rent alerts. Consequently, it assists FMs in complying with their property- related KPIs.
Ideally, it should be able to import directly from CAFM systems for detailed analysis of related data, while also supporting management of owned but unmanaged properties that aren’t covered by CAFM systems.
FM software may also be integrated with other software packages. For example, internal customers find it very useful to be able to manage their appointments alongside the booking of meeting rooms and related services such as catering. This can be achieved by integrating room booking software with the Microsoft Outlook/Exchange Calendar so that bookings made or altered in either program are automatically updated in the other – including sending updates to all meeting attendees. Integrating room booking software with visitor management functionality extends these benefits to the visitor’s experience as they arrive, while enhancing security at the same time.
Room booking software can also be linked to interactive room signs located at each room, so that users have instant visibility of room availability and can also make bookings ‘on the fly’, with automatic updating of the central room management software. Any
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‘no shows’ are also automatically reported after a pre-determined time, so that the rooms can be restored to ‘available’ status.
Providing intranet access to services such as room booking, logging help desk requests and visitor management is also a very effective way of improving customer service and minimising the number of calls to the FM department.
FM ON THE MOVE It is now becoming increasingly
common to link office-based FM software to mobile versions on tablet computers and other mobile devices. This is clearly beneficial for allocating tasks and receiving timely updates from mobile operatives but a more ‘sharing’ approach extends this functionality.
For instance, when audits and surveys are being carried out, the data can be entered directly onto the mobile device and synchronised with central systems for sharing with other CAFM modules. For instance, when a routine survey is set up in the asset management system and implemented through the mobile FM service, an unacceptable score can be configured to automatically generate
a help desk task to ensure remedial measures are taken promptly.
SUSTAINABILITY As noted earlier, various aspects
of sustainability management may also fall within the remit of the FM department, and there is typically a lot of sustainability-related data in CAFM modules such as help desk, resource booking and asset management. Again, the ability to share CAFM information with a dedicated sustainability management package will help to reduce the workload and improve overall performance.
Clearly, any such package should be able to import data from a range of sources, including supply chain partners’ systems and from spreadsheets, and enable a wide range of report types for in-depth analysis. For all of these reasons, taking advantage of modern software technologies is clearly the way forward for the harassed FM
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