BlueFolder Blog

Field Service Software vs CMMS Software. What’s the Difference?

May 21, 2021

Managing multiple field service technicians and equipment while keeping your business organized and accurate is quite the chore, especially without the right software. There are a few different options to consider when it comes to properly managing your teams and equipment efficiently. Writing everything down by hand just isn’t going to cut it anymore. To grow as a company you have to put systems in place that help you achieve your full potential. That means using software that can assist you with everything from customer management to work order management.

Most companies use either a field service software (or field service management software) or a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). However, many people don’t know the difference between the two or how each one can benefit their companies. While they share similar features and capabilities, a CMMS and an FSM solution both serve different purposes.

To determine which one is right for your company, let’s take a look at what both a CMMS and an FSM solution can offer your company and the key differences between them.

Field Service Software VS CMMS Software

What is CMMS Software?

computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a software program used to manage information about the maintenance operations of a company.

It also allows companies to:

  • Manage work orders
  • Schedule and track preventive maintenance
  • Track employee and equipment certifications
  • Manage inventory
  • Store crucial data about assets and equipment, such as manufacturer, model, serial number, installed location, warranties, user and repair manuals, tech specs, and more

A CMMS comes with benefits that can help your company be much more proactive and efficient about its maintenance operations.

Benefits of a CMMS

A CMMS can benefit your company in multiple ways, including:

  • Reducing maintenance costs by organizing workflows
  • Increasing team productivity
  • Extending equipment lifespan and reducing unexpected breakdowns
  • Improving the customer experience and customer service

Features of CMMS Software

The features of some of the top CMMS software programs include:

  • Work Order Tracking
  • Asset/Equipment Record Management
  • Preventative Maintenance
  • Service History Tracking
  • Calibration Management
  • Technician Management

What is Field Service Software?

Field service management (FSM) software is similar to CMMS software in that includes work order management and the ability to track and schedule equipment maintenance. But FSM software also helps collect field data and track client requests and personnel status, as well as improve operations visibility.

Benefits of Field Service Software

FSM software can help improve work order management and service delivery while enhancing customer service. It will improve your team’s overall efficiency by streamlining work orders between the fieldworker and the company office while making it easier for teams to communicate. FSM software also makes it easy to optimize maintenance routes and check your company’s key metrics and analytics anytime. But more than that, it helps with:

  • Automation
  • Resource optimization
  • Efficiency
  • Oversight and compliance
  • Scalability
  • Accuracy
  • Flexibility
  • Seamless payments
  • Smart field inspections

An FSM allows for smart scheduling and for self-service (which makes your company more efficient and attractive to customers). FSM also increases mobility by bridging the gap between technicians in the field and employees in the office. Your teams can utilize messaging and notifications to stay in sync on open jobs and status.

Features of FSM Software

The best features of FSM software help make life easier for you and your employees. For instance, some of these features allow you to manage customer records, set up recurring jobs, track work orders, assign work orders to your technicians, manage service contracts, and more. With customization options, you can tailor your FSM to meet your needs.

Some of the other top features of FSM software programs include:

  • Dashboards & Reports
  • Quotes & Estimates
  • Task Scheduling
  • Forecasting
  • Service History
  • Billing & Invoicing
  • Inventory Tracking
  • Dispatch Management
  • Fleet Management

Some FSM software programs also have digital signature capture, branded templates and PDFs, voice and search commands, and phone system integrations. Others offer features like intelligent scheduling at the point of booking, open API, a supplier database, and real-time suggestions optimization.

What are the Key Differences?

While they share similarities, there are key differences between field service software vs CMMS software. FSM software is primarily focused on serving external customers and includes tools to help you document and accelerate your service billings, get paid faster, and grow your business. CMMS solutions are typically more geared towards organizations that are performing asset and equipment maintenance for internal customers and don’t require robust customer management tools or billing features.

FSM can help improve communications with field service technicians, improve your response times, listen to customer feedback, use strategic scheduling, and analyze patterns to improve forecasting. FSM is robust enough to handle multiple aspects of your business, offering a customer portal, field service dispatch and scheduling, assignment and work tracking, field service dashboards, asset and equipment tracking, and customization and security capabilities. FSM software is kind of like a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) for a service company.

A CMMS can help you take better control of your maintenance processes, tracking preventive maintenance schedules, analyze equipment most likely to fail, etc. So if you’re a company that with a lot of internal maintenance and operational processes to manage, a CMMS could help.

Equipment-Centric Field Service Solutions

Some field service management solutions, like BlueFolder, are equipment-centric, meaning that they include some features that are typically only found in CMMS solutions. This equipment-centric type of FSM solution is a great fit for service businesses that perform work for external customers but still need many of the asset and equipment tracking and preventive maintenance features of a CMMS.

Managing Field Service Teams and Equipment More Efficiently

Now that you know the key differences between field service software vs CMMS software, you can make an informed decision about which is best for your company. As you’ve learned, a CMMS and an FSM are similar but are clearly not the same thing. If you’re ready to learn more about an equipment-centric FSM solution, schedule a free personalized demo of BlueFolder.