Factors to Consider When Implementing an EAM

So far in this blog series, we have covered the industry trends and business drivers for enterprise-wide asset management software. Now that we have laid the foundation for the need for multisite software, we want to highlight the factors to consider when implementing a multisite EAM or CMMS.

These factors determine a company’s level of return on investment from the software and help them to gain the most efficiencies upfront. 

• Purpose-Built Software – First, consider purchasing purpose-built software. Purpose-built software will decrease costs by reducing a number of unnecessary features that come with generic software, provide a support team that is specific to and has an in-depth understanding of the Life Sciences industry and eliminate workarounds. Workarounds are often a result of forcing generic software into a specific purpose. Using generic software across multiple facilities further heightens these issues and costs. In addition, web-based software will save validation time/costs and works best when using it across multiple facilities. While the graphic to the right represents Blue Mountain RAM, it also demonstrates the overall importance of purpose-built EAM software for the Life Sciences.
• Business Process Review – It is important to do a thorough assessment of current business processes prior to implementing multisite software.  This analysis helps to determine how to revise, streamline and improve business processes across all facilities within a company. The image below represents a paper process that has been streamlined as a result of a new multisite EAM solution.
• Extensibility of Functionality (primary and support functions) – When deciding to go multisite and creating a project plan, it is important to consider adding new functional areas to the vision of the replacement software. Let’s say right now, Company A is looking to replace their calibration or maintenance management software. When looking for a new solution to meet their calibration or maintenance needs, they should also consider searching for software that integrates maintenance, calibration and validation as primary functions. This takes effort upfront in determining how to update business processes or merge data from several old software programs and across all facilities into a new, single application that will be multisite. In addition, they should consider adding support functionality such as paperless requests for work, assets inductions, etc., spare parts management and processes & lot management. The graphic below is a representation primary and support functions.
  
• Implementation Styles / Types – An enterprise-wide asset management solution can be implemented in different styles – mentioned below. Identifying which style will be the best fit for an organization’s needs will aid in driving corporate efficiencies.
  • Shared or individual configurations? – With a multisite implementation, a company can either standardize maintenance and calibration processes across all facilities or each facility can share the software application, but have unique business processes.
  • Shared or individual functionality? – As with configurations, facilities can utilize all of the same functionality or individual functionality – for example some facilities may use just maintenance while another facility sharing the software may use maintenance, calibration and validation. 
  • Custom or Template Approach? – Many companies are looking to leverage industry best practices when it comes to maintenance and calibration management. As an example our software, Blue Mountain RAM, offers a custom configuration for companies with unique needs and a Best Practices Template for companies looking to leverage 25 years of industry best practices.
• Scalability and Server Requirements – Companies should consider IT structure and possible areas of manufacturing growth to best determine their IT needs. Things to consider in this area include:
  • Scalability – Companies need to choose a system that will best accommodate their growth needs and provide strong foundation for future scaling in either number of users or facilities.
  • System location – Placement of a server and application depend on a company’s corporate structure and IT policy, however, with 100% web-based, multisite EAM or CMMS software a private cloud can provide significant benefits for the company.

These factors are instrumental in a successful roll-out of an enterprise-wide asset management application.

In our next blog, in the multisite EAM / CMMS series, we’ll cover the overall impact of multisite software on an organization.

Click here to view a recorded version of our “Driving Down Enterprise Compliance Costs with EAM” webinar.

Read the Multisite blog series:

1. Growing Demand for Multisite Software

2. 7 Internal Business Drivers for Multisite EAM/CMMS

3. Factors to Consider When Implementing an EAM

4. Organizational Impact of Multisite EAM/CMMS