CAFM | Computer Aided Facility Management

Table of Contents

• What you need to know about Computer Aided Facility Management
• CAFM and CAD
  • Industry standards
  • Graphical and alphanumeric changes
  • Scenario planning
  • Visualize information
• CAFM or IWMS, big differences or marketing hype?
  • Interested in our Computer Aided Facility Management?

What you need to know about Computer Aided Facility Management

Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM) software enables facility managers to plan, execute, and monitor all activities involved in space and workplace management, asset management, reactive and planned preventative maintenance, operational facility services, room reservations, and any other customer service request.

Ultimately, information from computer aided facility management software (CAFM) solutions allows managers to improve long-term planning of space, facilities, maintenance, services and budgets to ensure full alignment with core business needs. If you are interested in learning more about Planon’s CAFM software solution, please contact us to schedule a demo.

CAFM and CAD

A picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, CAFM software integrates CAD drawings in various processes including space management, scenario planning, layout plans, flexible workplaces, moves, and technical management.

Industry standards

To ensure an efficient re-use of CAD drawings with CAFM software, drawings need to comply with conventions for layer structures, polylines, symbols, blocks, text, dimensioning, etc. These can either be your company standards or standards set by bodies such as ISO, CEN, or IFMA. Compliance with these conventions allows you to ease the process of connecting CAD drawings to your CAFM solution and consistently exchanging relevant data including spaces, dimensions, and assets.

Graphical and alphanumeric changes

CAD drawings are only valuable in CAFM systems if they are up-to-date. Updating CAD drawings is usually a specialized job in AutoCAD® that involves moving walls, merging spaces, and reallocating assets or departments. These changes are done quickly and easily in a CAD drawing, but how do you ensure that this new information is updated in the CAFM database? CAFM software handles such data exchange processes in different ways, either by periodically importing revised drawings or real time database information updating . This ensures a consistent connection and reliable integration between CAFM and CAD.

Scenario planning

A key strength of CAD software like AutoCAD® is its ability to create multiple scenarios for processes like space planning, move management, and asset management. When combining these scenarios with a CAFM solution, you can report, compare, and analyze scenarios to ensure the best choice. Once a scenario has been chosen, the CAFM system will automatically update your database and support the processes with project management, workspace management, work order control, and budget management.

Visualize information

When combining CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) and CAD, you can easily visualize real-time database information (including space usage, vacancies, and emergency escape routes) with colored mappings. This graphical visualization helps answer the “where” questions like where departments are located, where assets are situated, or where free space is available. Modern CAFM solutions include viewers to allow a broad audience to query CAD drawings without specialized CAD software. Even apps on mobile phones can be used to query graphical information easily to search for free spaces, workplaces, or to simply find a colleague.

Learn more about CAFM and IWMS

Articles

Real estate management with the new SAP cooperation partner Planon

EY experts discuss the strengths and the potential of the IWMS of SAP’s partner Planon.

Read more

E-book

Report | ESG by the Numbers: Key Findings & Resources

Read this report and gain actionable insights, guidance, and checklists from industry experts to help you make the right decisions around ESG.

Read more

E-book

Buying Guide: Extend SAP S/4HANA to Manage Real Estate and Facilities

Read this guide on selecting, purchasing, and implementing an IWMS to integrate with SAP’s ERP system.

Read more

CAFM or IWMS, big differences or marketing hype?

Several software vendors label their CAFM system with IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System), but what’s the real difference in terms of functionality, technology, and value for your business? The basic difference is that an IWMS integrates five functional domains:

1. Real Estate and Lease Management
2. Facilities and Space Management
3. Asset & Maintenance Management
4. Project Management
5. Environmental Sustainability

Based on this, IWMS differs from CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) offering extended and integrated functionality for real estate, project management, and environmental sustainability. In many cases, traditional CAFM systems are operated from multiple technology platforms whereas true IWMS solutions are based on a single platform and database repository. Read more about IWMS solutions, and find out if that solution meets your needs.

Interested in our Computer Aided Facility Management?

Contact Us

Client Cases

BayWa - Hybrid working thanks to the Planon Workplace App

Case study on using the Planon Workplace App at BayWa to support hybrid working.

Explore now

Client Cases

Digitization of former Berlin airport aided by Planon & Disruptive Technologies

Case study on the digitalization of Tegel Projekt GmbH's building operations using sensors and IWMS.

Explore now

Client Cases

University of Sunderland – Live in just 7 weeks

Live in just 7 weeks! Read about the University of Sunderland’s journey to replace its outdated CAFM system with Planon for immediate maintenance process improvements.

Explore now

All client cases