Businesses today are constantly grappling with the complexities of managing their physical assets. From towering office complexes to sprawling industrial facilities, buildings are becoming increasingly challenging to operate due to the sheer volume of data required to effectively manage, optimize, and secure them. 

It’s also getting increasingly expensive. Research by Gartner found that providing workspace to one employee costs an organization a whopping $8000 to $14000 annually, with costs only reducing with proper management of the space and the equipment within it. 

Traditionally, managing these physical spaces has been reliant on costly, paper-based systems and manual processes. But with facilities management becoming increasingly complex, these systems are struggling to keep pace – and the burden is falling onto facilities managers to pick up the slack. 

This not only diverts attention away from other, more strategic initiatives but also leads to increased costs, delays, and ultimately a lack of visibility into critical operations.

Computer-aided facility management software (CAFM) has become an effective tool for helping facilities managers stay on top of facilities monitoring and manage their buildings efficiently.

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What is Facility Management Software?

Facility Management Software is a tool designed to streamline and optimize the operations of a facility. It empowers facility managers to efficiently handle a wide range of tasks, from maintenance scheduling and asset management to space utilization and energy consumption tracking. 

Facility management software provides a centralized platform to manage and analyze facility data. This includes information on assets, maintenance history, space allocation, and occupancy. By leveraging this data, facility managers can identify maintenance needs, optimize space utilization, and track key performance indicators. 

Many CAFM software solutions often also incorporate features for work order management, inventory control, and environmental health and safety compliance. By digitizing these processes, provides facility managers with a comprehensive overview of their operations, enabling data-driven decision-making and improved efficiency.

How does facility management software work?

Facility management software acts as a central hub for managing facility-related data and processes. It collects and stores information about a building's assets, including equipment, furniture, and infrastructure, and then organizes and categorizes this data to create a comprehensive digital representation of the facility.

Once this data is inputted, the software can be used to automate various facilities management tasks. For instance, it can generate maintenance schedules based on equipment age, usage, and manufacturer recommendations. The software can optimize space utilization by analyzing occupancy patterns and identifying underutilized areas.

Another key component of CAFM software is its ability to generate reports and analytics. By analyzing data on energy consumption, maintenance costs, and space utilization, facility managers can identify trends, measure performance, and make data-driven decisions to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Key Features of Facility Management Software

CAFM software offers a robust set of features to streamline facility management operations. Some of the core functionalities include:

1. Asset and Inventory Management

One of the core functionalities of asset management in Facility management software is to create a comprehensive asset inventory. This involves cataloguing all assets, from large equipment like HVAC systems to smaller items like office furniture. Facility management allows for tracking asset usage, performance, and depreciation. This information is crucial for determining optimal maintenance schedules, replacement planning, and cost allocation, allowing facilities managers to easily track their location, condition, and value.

2. Space Management

Facility management software can assign spaces to departments, teams, or individuals based on their requirements and organizational structure. The software can visualize space utilization, highlighting areas that are underutilized or overcrowded. This information is crucial for optimizing space allocation and potentially reducing real estate costs. CAFM software is also great for flexible space planning. With features like drag-and-drop functionality, users can experiment with different layouts to accommodate changes in workforce size, departmental structures, or new equipment. The software can also generate reports on space utilization metrics, such as square footage per employee or occupancy rates, to inform decision-making.

3. Maintenance Management

Facility management software systems allow facility managers to create, assign, and track work orders for both preventive and corrective maintenance tasks. These work orders can be generated manually or automatically based on asset conditions, usage, or predefined schedules. Once created, work orders are assigned to maintenance technicians, who can access them through mobile devices for on-the-go updates. 

Facility management software software can also create detailed maintenance schedules based on equipment type, manufacturer recommendations, and usage patterns. By adhering to these schedules, organizations can significantly reduce equipment breakdowns, extend asset lifespan, and optimize maintenance costs.

4. Reporting and analytics 

By collecting and organizing information about facility assets, maintenance history, space utilization, and energy consumption, facility management software generates detailed reports and visualizations to help facility managers stay on top of facility maintenance. These reports provide a comprehensive overview of facility performance and help identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. For instance, maintenance reports can highlight equipment reliability, cost trends, and the effectiveness of preventive maintenance programs, while Space utilization reports can reveal underutilized areas, optimize space allocation, and support real estate decisions. CAFM software also often includes advanced analytics capabilities, such as predictive analytics, which can forecast equipment failures based on historical data. This helps facility managers to schedule maintenance before breakdowns occur, preventing costly downtime and disruptions. 

5. Energy Management 


CAFM software provides robust tools to monitor, analyze, and optimize energy consumption within a facility. They often integrate with building automation systems (BAS) to enable real-time monitoring and control of energy-consuming equipment. This allows facility managers to adjust settings, optimize schedules, and implement energy-saving measures based on occupancy, weather conditions, and other relevant factors.

Best Facility Management Software Systems 

Choosing the best CAFM software for your business depends on the specific requirements, budget, and goals of your organization. 

Here are ten of the best facility management software systems on the market in 2024 based on their popularity with businesses and effectiveness at managing facility operations.