.png)
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. That’s why Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the backbone of effective maintenance management. Without them, you’re essentially flying blind, hoping your assets stay up and running without really knowing what’s working, or what’s failing spectacularly.
A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) does more than just organize work orders and track spare parts. It gives you the data-driven insights needed to optimize maintenance, reduce downtime and boost operational efficiency. But with so many metrics to track, which ones actually matter?
In this blog, we’ll break down the most critical CMMS KPIs, why they matter, and how you can leverage them to make smarter maintenance decisions. Let’s get started!
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s define what Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are. In the simplest terms, KPIs are measurable values that indicate how well your maintenance operations are performing.
CMMS KPIs matter because they help answer important questions like:
A CMMS makes tracking these KPIs effortless by automating data collection, generating reports, and giving you real-time insights into asset health and performance.
Now, let’s take a look at the key metrics you should be keeping an eye on.
PMP measures the proportion of maintenance activities that are planned versus reactive.
A high PMP indicates effective preventive maintenance, reducing unexpected failures and maintenance costs.
A CMMS schedules and tracks planned maintenance tasks, ensuring adherence to preventive maintenance programs.
MTBF represents the average uptime between equipment failures, reflecting reliability.
Higher MTBF means assets last longer between breakdowns, reducing unplanned downtime.
A CMMS logs failure data and trends, helping optimize maintenance schedules to improve MTBF.
MTTR measures how quickly equipment is repaired and restored to operation.
Lower MTTR indicates efficient troubleshooting and repair processes, minimizing operational disruptions.
A CMMS tracks repair history, providing insights for faster diagnosis and resolution.
OEE evaluates how effectively equipment is utilized.
Higher OEE signifies optimal asset performance, reducing waste and inefficiencies.
A CMMS provides real-time equipment performance tracking, aiding in OEE improvement.
WOCR tracks how efficiently maintenance work orders are completed.
A high WOCR indicates efficient maintenance workflows and resource utilization.
CMMS streamlines work order management, ensuring timely task completion.
Maintenance backlog refers to the total amount of pending maintenance work that has yet to be completed, measured in weeks.
.png)
A well-balanced backlog prevents overdue maintenance, reduces breakdown risks, and ensures efficient resource allocation.
CMMS tracks pending tasks, prioritizes work orders and optimizes scheduling to prevent excessive backlog.
First Time Fix Rate (FTFR) measures the percentage of maintenance tasks resolved successfully on the first attempt without requiring additional visits or parts.
.png)
A high FTFR minimizes downtime, reduces labor costs, and improves overall maintenance efficiency.
CMMS provides technicians with detailed asset histories, checklists, and parts availability, ensuring faster and more effective repairs.
Inventory Turnover Rate (ITR) measures how efficiently spare parts and maintenance inventory are used over a given period. A higher rate indicates effective inventory management and reduced carrying costs.
.png)
A high turnover rate prevents overstocking and reduces the risk of obsolete inventory, while a low rate may indicate excess stock and tied-up capital.
CMMS tracks inventory usage in real time, automates reordering, and prevents overstocking or stockouts, ensuring optimal inventory levels.
Emergency Maintenance Percentage (EMP) measures the proportion of maintenance work classified as urgent or unplanned, indicating how reactive your maintenance operations are.
.png)
A high percentage indicates excessive reactive maintenance, leading to increased costs, safety risks, and operational disruptions.
CMMS enables preventive maintenance scheduling, reducing emergency repairs by identifying issues before they become critical.
Downtime Percentage (DP) measures the proportion of time that equipment is non-operational due to failures, repairs, or maintenance activities.
.png)
High downtime leads to production losses, increased operational costs, and reduced asset efficiency.
CMMS streamlines preventive maintenance and real-time tracking to minimize unplanned downtime and improve asset reliability.
Schedule Compliance Rate (SCR) measures how effectively maintenance tasks are completed as per the planned schedule within a given period.
.png)
A high schedule compliance rate ensures proactive maintenance, preventing unexpected failures and costly downtime.
CMMS automates scheduling, tracks task completion, and sends alerts to improve adherence to planned maintenance activities.
So, now that we’ve covered the what, let’s talk about the how. Here’s how you can use a CMMS to improve these KPIs and optimize maintenance performance:
Instead of waiting for equipment to fail, use your CMMS to schedule routine maintenance. This reduces unplanned downtime and extends asset lifespan.
Leverage your CMMS’s analytics and reporting features to identify performance trends and make informed decisions on maintenance strategies and resource allocation.
Ensure all work orders are properly logged, assigned, and tracked within your CMMS. This boosts technician efficiency and work order completion rates.
Your CMMS can track parts usage and automatically reorder supplies to prevent shortages and excess stock, keeping inventory costs in check.
Regularly review your KPI metrics to set benchmarks, measure performance improvements, and adjust strategies accordingly.
Tired of manually pulling data from different tools just to calculate a few metrics? FieldEx CMMS simplifies KPI tracking by turning your day-to-day maintenance activity into live performance dashboards.
As work orders are completed, preventive tasks are scheduled, or breakdowns logged, FieldEx updates your metrics automatically, like uptime %, MTBF, MTTR and compliance rates.
You can tailor dashboards to show exactly what matters to your team, from top-level trends to asset-specific stats. It’s essentially like having a command center for maintenance performance.
FieldEx doesn’t just track KPIs; it helps you act on them.
Set alerts for SLA risks or overdue tasks before they turn into big problems. No more guessing. Just actionable data when you need it.
Tracking KPIs is the first step. Improving them? That’s where the magic happens. Here are a few proven strategies to help your numbers move in the right direction:
Shift toward preventive maintenance to improve uptime and reduce MTTR.
Use templates so tasks are executed consistently, which improves data quality and completion rates.
High cost per event? Use FieldEx reports to flag outliers and schedule inspections.
Clear SOPs and regular skill refreshers keep technicians aligned – and KPIs up.
Treat KPIs as a feedback loop, not a one-and-done report. Monthly reviews help you stay agile.
Small optimizations across the board can drive big gains over time, especially when you have tools that do the heavy lifting.
Tracking the right CMMS KPIs is the difference between a chaotic, reactive maintenance approach and a well-oiled, efficient operation. By focusing on key metrics like downtime, MTBF, work order completion rates, and inventory turnover, maintenance teams can optimize performance, reduce costs, and improve asset reliability.
If you’re ready to start measuring what matters, FieldEx offers a growing library of free tools to help you get going today:
Download any of these tools from our Resources page and start using them right away.
Or, if you'd rather skip the manual effort, book a free demo with FieldEx to see how easy real-time KPI tracking can be. Or simply reach out with any questions you may have. We’re here to help.
A CMMS KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a measurable metric used to track how well your maintenance operations are performing. Examples include equipment downtime, MTTR (mean time to repair), PM compliance, and cost per maintenance event.
Some of the most important CMMS KPIs include:
KPIs help maintenance teams make smarter decisions, improve equipment uptime, reduce unplanned downtime, and optimize labor and inventory costs. They also provide clear performance data to share with leadership.
MTTR = Total Repair Time ÷ Number of Repairs
Your CMMS tracks the duration of each repair task, making this metric easy to calculate and monitor over time.
Yes, modern systems like FieldEx CMMS offer real-time dashboards that automatically track KPIs as work orders are completed, parts are used, and maintenance tasks are logged.
Monthly reviews are ideal for most teams. High-volume operations may need to track KPIs weekly. Use CMMS dashboards to monitor trends continuously and spot issues early.
A strong preventive maintenance (PM) compliance rate is 90% or higher. This means most scheduled tasks are completed on time, reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns.
While spreadsheets can work for small teams, using a dedicated CMMS like FieldEx automates tracking, improves accuracy, and gives you actionable insights without the manual effort.
The most effective way is to use a modern CMMS platform that automates tracking, calculates key metrics like MTTR and downtime %, and provides real-time visibility into your maintenance performance.
With FieldEx CMMS, you get built-in dashboards, smart alerts and effortless reporting, so you can make data-driven decisions without juggling spreadsheets.
Want to see FieldEx in action? Book a free demo today, or reach out with any questions you may have. We’re here to help.
.avif)
.avif)
This website and its content are the property of FieldEx and are protected by copyright laws. © 2025 FieldEx. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited, except with our express written permission.
FieldEx Sdn Bhd 201201031545 (1016032-M)