3 Ways AkitaBox Facility Management Software Makes Your CMMS Better

If your organization already uses a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), it may seem counterintuitive to use yet another software platform to make the other system work.

But we’ll let you in on a secret.

Using a facility management platform like AkitaBox in conjunction with a CMMS can actually unlock your facility’s full potential and your team’s success.

Implementing new software, whatever the scale, can seem daunting, but we’re here to help make things simple. Keep reading to find three concrete ways that AkitaBox can supplement your current CMMS program.

Short on time? Skip ahead to download the AkitaBox Features Checklist here.

AkitaBox gives you access to Revit®-powered floor plans

In the age of information, the most successful building management professionals take advantage of technology and software solutions to better understand not only their facilities, but also expected repairs, maintenance and even financial costs for the present and future. The good news is that processes exist to help you get ahead and stay ahead, including building information modeling (BIM).

AkitaBox leverages AutoDesk Revit®, a BIM software used to create intelligent models of your buildings. Our data collection specialists do the work for you by verifying your space and asset data, then creating 2D Revit® models of the revised floor plans within the AkitaBox platform.

The best part? We even add your asset data into the platform, allowing you to overlay different pins to denote the room or equipment location and type.

How, exactly, do Revit® floor plans make your team more efficient?

We’re glad you asked. Benefits your facilities team will see from having intelligent floor plan models include the following:

• Revit® floor plans are more powerful and flexible than standard, PDF-uploaded floor plans.

  From inception to construction, work orders to renovations: your information stays clean, accessible and complete in an intuitive format.

• Revit® floor plans allow your team to update floor plans, even as your building changes.

  By using AkitaBox in conjunction with your CMMS, you ensure that information can change hands during building turnover or go through endless revisions without turning into a disaster.

• Every construction project going forward is done in BIM.

  By storing your floor plans digitally in industry-standard BIM format, your facility information will never get lost or fall prey to disorganization.

2. AkitaBox grants your team visual asset management capabilities

Keeping track of all the spaces and equipment in your facility may seem difficult, but a building management solution like AkitaBox can make it easier. Having the option to overlay standard operating procedures, asset data and space data on respective floors keeps everything tidy and easily accessible.

New to visual asset mapping?

Think of asset mapping in AkitaBox like Google Maps. If you’re looking for a specific location on a geographical map, Google will place a red pin for you to denote where you need to go. By clicking the pin, you gain access to important information you need to know about that location.

Asset mapping in AkitaBox is the same concept. Just pin a specific location (in this instance, on a floor plan) and instantly gain access to important mechanical and space data. Your facilities team can easily flip from a list view of space and assets to a visual, floor plan-based view of your facilities with pins that show where virtually everything is located and documented, saving you tons of time as your technicians plot their routes for the day.

Benefits of visual asset management within AkitaBox include:

•  Visual asset management tools are more intuitive than generic list views of assets.

  Unless you have a facilities team that knows exactly where every piece of equipment is, you could spend hours searching for a specific asset’s location. If it’s highlighted in AkitaBox with a location pin, you’ll be able to pinpoint its exact location and save valuable time during the day.

• Visual asset management tools provide guidance and instant access to information.

  If you’re looking for an innovative way to support your current work order system, AkitaBox’s visual asset management tool is the key. Room and asset pins give facilities teams much-needed context behind building data and can even reduce response time to facility-related emergencies.

• Visual asset management tools enable faster onboarding and faster responses, even if building team members aren’t available.

  Learning a building’s layout can be tough, especially for new hires, third party vendors, and local emergency teams who are not yet familiar with the location of rooms, doors and other critical pieces of equipment. Make their jobs easier by granting access to AkitaBox’s visual floor plans, where they can filter down to the exact items they’re looking for with just a few clicks.

AkitaBox is software beyond your basic work order management system

You probably utilize your CMMS for work orders every day, especially as a way to respond to reactive maintenance. While work orders are critical to delegating tasks and tracking employee workloads, a work order management system is only one small part of what a robust facility management software should encompass.

AkitaBox is software that partners with your CMMS to solve even the most complex facility problems (not just work order management), while also meeting your facilities future needs:

• Use inspection programs to better track and prioritize facility compliance work.

  These tools are especially useful in improving efficiency of inspection rounds and proving compliance with OSHA, the Joint Commission, ACHC and other regulatory agencies. You’ll also maintain digital audit trails and have them available whenever inspectors may need them.

• Provide capital planners the vital condition and risk data of your most strategic assets.

  AkitaBox Capital Management can be used in conjunction with your CMMS to track upcoming major repairs and replacement, with access to asset risk data to better prioritize capital investments. Ultimately, access to this life cycle data helps increase net operating income (NOI) and reduce downtime in your buildings. You’ll even be able to track facility condition assessments (FCI) across your entire portfolio.

• Deliver assurance to customers and occupants that buildings are clean and safe to use.

  AkitaBox understands the importance of building community trust, relieving occupant anxiety, and ensuring that the spaces we inhabit every day are cleaned and disinfected according to recommended government standards. Use AkitaBox’s DeepClean Assurance application to assist custodial teams in following proper cleaning protocols and promoting transparency with stakeholders.

Is AkitaBox right for you?

AkitaBox can easily complement any CMMS or work independently. This is a great option for facilities teams that are looking for more capabilities than a simple CMMS, or are looking to supplement their current one with additional capabilities.

If your team is looking for a platform that provides all the services needed to more proactively manage your buildings through a central, easy-to-access repository of asset and building information, AkitaBox is for you. All this, plus access to unlimited users can bring immense value to your maintenance team, capital planners, security, custodial, IT, and others.

Learn More about AkitaBox’s Key Features

There are a variety of features your organization should look for when investigating building management software solutions. Download AkitaBox’s Feature Checklist to find a comprehensive list of capabilities that our software offers.