CAFM: running the buildings
Computer-aided facilities management. Built around sites and the work done on them: reactive jobs, planned maintenance, assets, compliance, clients and contractors.
CMMS: maintaining the assets
Computerised maintenance management system. Built around assets and their upkeep, often inside one organisation’s own estate or factory. Strong on work orders and maintenance history.
FSM: running the engineers
Field service management. Built around engineers in vans: scheduling, dispatch, quotes and invoices, across many trades and customers.
Which one do you need?
- In-house team, own buildings. A CMMS or a light CAFM.
- Single-trade contractor, lots of engineers. FSM.
- FM or maintenance company, other people’s buildings, subcontractors. CAFM.
Most FM companies end up needing a bit of all three: the site and compliance view of CAFM, the asset history of a CMMS, and the quoting and engineer side of FSM. That is the gap docket is built for.