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    Glossary

    Unlocking the Benefits of EAM Software for Your Business.

    The global Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software market has experienced rapid advancement in recent years. EAM solutions have become increasingly important for businesses, with more organizations recognizing the advantages they offer. EAM software helps to optimize asset utilization, streamline maintenance schedules, reduce operational costs, enhance disaster recovery and provide real-time reports that facilitate decision-making.

    To gain insight into how EAM software stands apart from CMMS software, it's important to understand the following key points:

    • Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software is a comprehensive system designed to optimize the utilization of physical assets throughout their lifecycle.

    • EAM software provides organizations with improved asset uptime and reliability, enhanced inventory management and the ability to transform their operational processes.

    • EAM software providers offer solutions to help organizations manage their assets, optimize maintenance and improve operational efficiency by leveraging data analytics, machine learning and AI-powered remote monitoring.

    What is Enterprise Asset Management Software?

    EAM software is a comprehensive system designed to facilitate the management of an organization's assets and equipment, providing features to track performance and associated costs. Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) is a process designed to optimize the utilization of physical assets throughout their lifecycle, with the aim of reducing costs, enhancing quality and efficiency and protecting health, safety and the environment.

    The primary objective of EAM software is to maximize returns and optimize production from assets by collecting data on asset performance and determining the optimal time for maintenance activities. EAM software generally follows the ISO 55001:2014 standard and offers a range of features, including the ability to monitor and regulate asset reliability and quality, gain real-time insights into a networked asset's performance and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

    EAM is widely employed by industries that depend heavily on costly and intricate physical assets, such as vehicles, plants and heavy machinery. The shipbuilding, mining, energy, government, utilities, aerospace and defense sectors are notable users of EAM. This highlights the widespread use and success of this system. EAM software can be utilized to automate laborious and potentially error-prone tasks, thereby optimizing maintenance processes.

    Advanced features offer a range of possibilities. These include multi-site transparency, digital transformation as well as modernizing maintenance operations. While rudimentary EAM tasks can be managed using paper or office productivity software, such as spreadsheets, EAM software provides a comprehensive solution, enabling users to maintain an accurate and comprehensive database of assets, including detailed characteristics and histories, as well as documents related to regulatory compliance.

    Features of EAM Software

    EAM software is distinguished by its asset lifecycle management, supply chain management, maintenance scheduling and planning, preventive and predictive maintenance, asset tracking, inventory management and reporting capabilities. Asset lifecycle management in EAM software is a comprehensive approach to managing an asset from acquisition to disposal. It encompasses activities such as asset tracking, maintenance scheduling and cost management to ensure the asset is utilized in an optimal manner.

    EAM software enables the efficient management of goods and services from procurement to delivery, including tasks such as inventory management, vendor management and procurement management. Maintenance scheduling and planning in an EAM software system involves creating and managing maintenance schedules for assets, taking into account factors such as usage, age and condition. This includes tasks such as work order management and labor management.

    Preventive and predictive maintenance in EAM software is an approach that utilizes data and analytics to anticipate when maintenance is necessary, thereby avoiding equipment failure and downtime. This includes activities such as condition monitoring and asset health management. Asset tracking in EAM software enables organizations to monitor the location, status and condition of their assets in real time. This is accomplished through the use of RFID tracking and GPS tracking.

    EAM software enables efficient inventory management of spare parts and materials necessary for maintenance and repair tasks, including activities such as stock control and reorder point management. Additionally, EAM software enables users to generate reports on asset performance, maintenance activities and other key metrics, as well as provide data visualization and analytics capabilities.

    Benefits of EAM Software

    EAM software can revolutionize organizational practices by providing a comprehensive overview of current operations, highlighting areas of potential improvement and implementing new and improved processes. The greatest benefit of EAM software is the improved uptime and reliability of assets, which can be achieved through its ability to facilitate preventive maintenance.

    EAM software facilitates inventory management by enabling the customization of par levels, monitoring each component as it moves through facilities and automatically allocating the necessary parts when a work order is created. Furthermore, it enables organizations to embed knowledge into their work order templates, allowing for the preservation of valuable information even when senior technicians depart or transition to other companies.

    In addition to enhanced asset uptime and dependability, the utilization of EAM software enables organizations to transform their operational processes, identify areas of deficiency that need to be addressed and deploy updated workflows, checklists and processes to ensure technicians adhere to them.

    How Does EAM Software Work?

    A picture of a maintenance manager looking at a computer screen with asset maintenance data

    Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software is a comprehensive system that enables organizations to effectively manage their physical assets and infrastructure from acquisition to disposal. It collects and stores asset data in the cloud, providing a unified view of an organization's assets throughout its entire lifecycle.

    EAM software provides a comprehensive suite of features, including asset lifecycle management, work order management, MRO materials management, labor management, service contract management, financial management, reporting and analytics. It leverages this collected asset data to inform asset strategy, thereby optimizing productivity and proactively scheduling maintenance requests.

    Additionally, EAM software offers a comprehensive perspective of an organization's physical assets and infrastructure throughout its entire lifecycle, enabling more informed decisions and more efficient asset management.

    Applications of EAM Software

    EAM software is a powerful tool used to manage and maintain an organization's assets and equipment. It offers a range of features, including asset life-cycle management, preventive maintenance scheduling, inventory management, materials management, procurement plans and demand planning tools. Organizations across a variety of industries, such as manufacturing, healthcare, energy, transportation and telecommunications, have seen the advantages of incorporating EAM software into their operations.

    EAM software provides a wide range of benefits for businesses, including improved visibility into asset performance, better preventive maintenance tasks, improved corrective maintenance processes, enhanced maintenance practices and more efficient business processes. By utilizing an EAM system, organizations can gain real-time insight into the performance and condition of their assets. This real-time visibility allows organizations to better plan and schedule maintenance tasks and activities, as well as optimize their asset management and maintenance management processes. Additionally, EAM software helps organizations streamline their procurement and inventory management processes, reducing costs and improving efficiency.

    EAM software can also be used to track and analyze asset performance and maintenance, helping organizations identify areas where performance could be improved. This is especially valuable for organizations that need to adhere to certain compliance and safety standards. EAM software is also beneficial in helping organizations better plan and optimize maintenance schedules. This can help reduce downtime, save money and ensure that assets are properly maintained.

    In comparison to Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software, Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provides other features and functions, such as asset tracking, asset life-cycle management, materials management and demand planning tools. Additionally, EAM systems can be used to help organizations identify and analyze key performance indicators and make data-driven decisions about asset management and maintenance processes.

    A picture of a computer screen with a dashboard of asset management software

    A picture of a maintenance team working on an asset

    A picture of a computer screen with a dashboard of key performance indicators

    A picture of a computer screen with a comparison of EAM and CMMS software

    Key Features and Functions of EAM Software

    EAM software is equipped with a range of features and functions that are essential for efficient asset management. These features include asset tracking, remote monitoring, AI-powered capabilities, multi-site transparency, digital transformation and modern maintenance. With these features, businesses can track the location, status and condition of their assets in real-time, identify potential issues before they become major problems through remote monitoring and optimize asset utilization, reduce downtime, maximize asset performance and streamline maintenance planning.

    EAM software also provides businesses with multi-site transparency, allowing them to manage assets across multiple locations from a single platform. This feature enables businesses to optimize asset utilization, reduce maintenance costs and improve asset performance, ultimately resulting in increased efficiency and cost savings.

    EAM software offers digital transformation capabilities, such as enhanced mobile capabilities, sophisticated reporting and dashboards and automated workflows, which enable organizations to optimize their asset management processes and maximize efficiency. Lastly, modern maintenance in EAM software offers features such as preventive and predictive maintenance, automated work order generation and spare parts inventory management, all of which are driven by data-driven insights.

    EAM vs. CMMS Software

    A picture of a maintenance team working with a cloud-based software

    EAM Software is a more comprehensive solution than Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software, incorporating multiple business functions, while CMMS Software is specifically designed to manage maintenance operations. Both EAM and CMMS software is utilized to effectively manage enterprise assets and they share some similar functionalities.

    EAM software offers a comprehensive solution for asset lifecycle management, resulting in improved efficiency, decreased downtime and enhanced asset performance. CMMS software can facilitate the optimization of maintenance management operations, minimize downtime and extend the lifespan of assets.

    EAM software helps organizations mitigate risk, reduce costs and extend asset life cycles. It is an important tool for optimizing the use of assets and minimizing the total cost of ownership. EAM software can help businesses leverage data to better understand their asset performance and make strategic decisions.

    CMMS software, on the other hand, is designed to help organizations manage maintenance operations with the goal of minimizing maintenance costs. It provides a centralized system for tracking and managing maintenance tasks, allowing for improved scheduling and tracking of work orders.

    Providers of EAM Software

    EAM modules are specialized software components that are designed to facilitate the management and utilization of physical assets. These modules are integrated with ERP systems to provide a centralized database for asset information, maintenance schedules and work orders. 

    Recent developments in the EAM market have seen a shift from traditional asset management to asset performance management, which leverages data analytics and machine learning to maximize asset performance.

    Additionally, providers are now managing the entire product lifecycle, from design to disposal. This enables organizations to maintain accurate records of their assets, enabling maintenance teams and facility managers to identify potential issues before they escalate, as well as enabling asset managers to optimize their supply chain.

    EAM software helps organizations maximize the performance of their assets while minimizing risk and cost. AI-powered remote monitoring provides real-time asset data to organization managers, while enterprise asset management (EAM) software provides the tools necessary to manage an organization’s assets. EAM systems provide the functionality to maintain asset records, optimize maintenance and improve operational efficiency.

    EAM software helps organizations create a comprehensive view of their assets, enabling better decision-making and greater asset utilization. Enterprise asset management is an important part of any ERP system and it is essential for organizations to evaluate their EAM needs and select the best software for their needs. EAM software should be able to integrate with other enterprise software systems, such as CMMS software and cloud-based software, to enable seamless collaboration and communication.

    Wrap Up

    Enterprise Asset Management software is an irreplaceable tool in the modern business environment. Its comprehensive suite of features and functions enables businesses to optimize their asset utilization while providing visibility into their performance. With predictive maintenance capabilities, businesses can anticipate equipment failure, drastically reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

    EAM software serves to connect all aspects of an organization's asset management, helping to streamline processes at every stage of its life cycle. This unified system combined with top-of-the-line analytics helps businesses gain efficient access to data for informed decisions and improved production. Furthermore, there are various solutions available from numerous vendors that specialize in meeting the needs of all different types of organizations.

    In short, EAM software delivers unparalleled value to businesses as they strive to achieve maximum productivity and profitability with their assets. From improving asset efficiency to gaining insights through AI-powered analytics, EAM is essential for organizations looking to unlock the true potential of their business.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is EAM software?

    EAM software is an integrated system of tools and processes for managing, maintaining and optimizing organizational assets. It provides intuitive features to track, analyze and optimize performance over the entire asset lifecycle ranging from acquisition to disposal.

    EAM software helps organizations plan and manage their assets, reducing unplanned downtime, improving asset performance and avoiding supply shortages.

    Is SAP an ERP or EAM?

    SAP is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and an EAM (Enterprise Asset Management), providing a comprehensive platform for maintaining and managing organizational assets with ease.

    What is the difference between EAM and CMMS?

    EAM and CMMS differ in their focus; EAM adopts a more sweeping approach, covering the entire asset lifecycle, while CMMS specializes in the maintenance of specific equipment and machinery.

    Thus, EAM enables greater control over asset management for complete system performance, while CMMS prioritizes the efficient functioning of individual components.

    What is the difference between ERP and EAM?

    ERP is a comprehensive business software system that incorporates many elements of organizations, such as finance, sales and production. It is designed to streamline processes, improve organization-wide communication and eliminate incompatible systems and technologies.

    EAM, on the other hand, is primarily used to manage physical assets such as buildings and machinery. While related, ERP and EAM have distinctly different functions and capabilities.

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