The 7 Best Preventive Maintenance Software Solutions for 2024
Looking for preventive maintenance software for your construction business? We’ve reviewed 7 of the best apps on the market to help you!
If you’re running (or working for) a maintenance company, you know sleeping on routine maintenance services is a mortal sin.
These tune-ups may be less exciting than regular service calls (most technicians might agree), but they’re great revenue drivers, especially with inflation forcing consumers to call repair services instead of buying new equipment.
Preventive maintenance is also the go-to service for large corporations. Industrial manufacturers depend on it to stave off unexpected downtimes, which can cost them as much as $50 billion annually.
With the right tools, you can elevate your preventive maintenance services and drive more revenue for your business.
In this article, I’ve reviewed the best preventive maintenance apps so you can replace your clunky spreadsheet, streamline your operations, and get more maintenance calls in the long run.
Top Picks
Below, you’ll find a summary of each app we’ve reviewed, with our scores, each app’s ideal use cases, its pricing, the availability of any free trials or free tiers, and the platforms on which the app is available. Each app has been thoroughly investigated and analyzed for users like you, with pros and cons, key features, integrations, and real user reviews.
Let’s take a look…
9.0 
14-day free trial, (no card needed)
8.1
Contact sales for info
7.9
30 days (no credit card needed)
7.9
30 days (no credit card needed)
7.7
30 days (no credit card needed)
7.4
14 days (no credit card needed)
6.8 
No free trial available
EDITOR’S NOTE: We created Workyard – the first app reviewed here – to address issues we encountered while struggling to track and manage construction payrolls for over 700 workers in over 50 construction businesses. We built the Workyard app from the ground up to support construction companies like yours, with industry-essential features like the industry’s most accurate time clock app with GPS and geofencing, intuitive contractor scheduling, construction cost tracking tools, and more.
Learn more about how Workyard works on our main website, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today to see what Workyard can do for your business.
Workyard
Scoring
Key Features
-
Flexible dispatching calendar with real-time schedule alerts
-
High-accuracy GPS time clock with location and mileage tracking
-
Live road map to optimize technician routing
-
Precise work order tracking and labor cost analysis
-
Customizable dashboard and reports
Automates maintenance scheduling in a few clicks
Real-time schedule alerts via app or email
Offline-capable mobile app
Job progress updates with notes and photos
Lacks optional SMS scheduling notifications
No native CRM integration
Lacks a forever-free version
Highlights
Workyard beats slow, complex, and feature-bloated maintenance apps with its simplified but robust preventive maintenance software–built for all types of field service businesses.
With Workyard’s intuitive, minimalist visual calendar, users can breeze through scheduling. After adding a new task, managers can set it on repeat, and Workyard will automatically populate the calendar with the maintenance schedules.
For urgent maintenance calls, dispatchers simply need to add a new task to the current date, assign a location, and instantly route the service technician to the right locale.
Workyard’s highly accurate time clock tracks every hour spent on maintenance tasks, while its built-in job tracker enables service technicians to send real-time progress updates to the head office.
Let’s dive into Workyard’s key preventive maintenance features…
Visual Task Calendar with Automated Maintenance Scheduling
Workyard’s drag-and-drop calendar makes scheduling effortless. You can set routine maintenance tasks to repeat, and Workyard will automatically populate the calendar for you. This feature is ideal for ensuring regular maintenance schedules are never missed.
The visual calendar in Workyard’s app allows you to toggle between daily, weekly, or monthly views, helping you find the best schedule to match your team’s availability.
Adding a work order is as simple as clicking on the desired date. You can customize each order by setting up a geofenced project location, adding a task watcher, color-coding tasks, and creating checklists.
With Workyard, dispatchers always know where their field workers are, thanks to real-time GPS tracking. This feature helps them make informed decisions quickly, ensuring the right service technician is routed to the right locale.
With Workyard’s dispatching software, you can:
- Assign work orders to individual technicians or teams
- Schedule recurring maintenance tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or annually
- Dispatch emergency maintenance jobs instantly
- Provide customers with ETA based on the technician’s real-time location
- Send scheduling alerts to service technicians via app or email
- Edit multiple work orders at once
- Quickly find scheduled work orders using the search feature
- Display unassigned maintenance jobs in a dedicated staging site
Up-to-the-Minute Maintenance Job Tracking and Management
Through Workyard’s built-in job tracker, managers can set up checklists so service technicians always know what to do next and when it’s time to wrap things up. It also allows the team to exchange progress updates to ensure accurate maintenance job completion and prevent costly rework requests.
To summarize, Workyard’s preventive maintenance management software can help users:
- Create and send detailed task checklists to ensure no crucial step is forgotten
- Send progress updates through notes, photos, receipts, and other file attachments
- Save all maintenance job details and communication to provide proof of work when needed
See why 50,000+ workers and over 10,000 contractors use Workyard (and why business managers like you gave it a stellar score of 4.9 / 5 on Capterra). Explore Workyard and start a 14-day free trial today to see how we can speed up your preventive maintenance services.
Precise GPS Time Clock for Onsite Check-In/Out
Workyard’s GPS time clock ensures maintenance jobs are carried out on time and within budget. Field workers can clock in and out with a tap on their phone, accurately recording hours worked, locations visited, and mileage driven.
Workyard’s mobile app sends reminders to take breaks and automatically inserts meal breaks if workers forget, keeping your business compliant with labor laws.
The time clock syncs to the server in real time, updating timesheets instantly. This allows managers to review, modify, delete, or approve employee time cards anytime, making them ready for payroll processing without the mind-numbing paperwork.
Insightful Work Order Reporting
Workyard channels all tracked time, location, and mileage data to the appropriate projects and cost codes.
Managers can then access this data in the Project Hub of Workyard’s web app, where they can view detailed reports on hours, costs, driving time, and mileage for each project.
This insight allows managers to measure the time and labor spent on each maintenance job. It also helps them identify the strongest and weakest performing service technicians and plan their coaching plans accordingly.
Reviews
Workyard has built a solid reputation for its intuitive user interface and accurate time and location tracking. Users have rated it positively, with business owners and managers on Capterra giving it the highest ratings.
Let’s see what it’s like to use the app through some verified user reviews below.
An iOS user praised Workyard’s ease of use for their crew and appreciated the efficient time tracking compared to previous methods.
iOS Review:
Works well for me and my crew ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I have tried other apps that claim to do time tracking and they end up being so difficult to use that my guys just give up. What’s the point of having an app to track time if nobody uses it? I was skeptical about giving another one a shot but Bill gave me a ring and convinced me to try the free trial. I’m glad he did! My crew uses it every day and I’m finally getting all the info I need with a few mouse clicks instead of searching through binders of time sheets like before.”
The Android user below likewise found Workyard’s app intuitive, particularly when it comes to clocking in and switching job sites.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Great app, makes clocking in and out effortless. Also switching job sites is quik and easy. Great features, including posting job descriptions, progress and pictures.”
For the Capterra user review below, Workyard isn’t only easy to use but also does a great job of providing accurate technician locations.
Capterra Review:
Employees time cards/whereabouts at your fingertips ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This product was simple to implement and it’s ease of use really streamlined my involvement with respect to getting the time sheets to the payroll processor. We are a service business and the crews may have 5 to 12 jobs a day, With the GPS tool I cam let customers know ETAs without bothering employees with calls/texts while they are driving.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
14-day trial with no credit card required
Time Tracking
Annual: $6 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monthly: $8 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Workforce Management
Annual: $13 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monthly: $16 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Manage preventive maintenance schedules with Workyard
See how it works
eMaint
Scoring
Key Features
-
Automated work orders triggered by equipment health
-
Drag-and-drop calendar with overscheduling alerts
-
Work order reports and dashboards for tracking KPIs
-
Comprehensive asset tracking with maintenance history
Highly customizable maintenance scheduling
Low-code integration with ERPs and CRMs
Responsive customer service
Difficulty segregating task views
Complex initial setup
Occasional software glitches
Some features may require a learning curve
Highlights
Using eMaint, you can easily create work orders that trigger automatically based on asset health data such as vibration or temperature. This is a huge time-saver for maintenance companies, where keeping machinery in top shape is crucial.
Plus, the high level of customization in scheduling maintenance tasks means you can fine-tune everything to fit your specific needs.
Whether you’re managing a fleet of vehicles or heavy-duty equipment, the flexibility eMaint offers in organizing and adjusting tasks makes it a favorite among its users.
However, eMaint does have its hiccups.
The biggest complaint from users is the difficulty in segregating preventive maintenance task views. The PM task views and maintenance item lists can be confusing and not very user-friendly, making it hard to manage and track upcoming maintenance due dates efficiently.
The calendar function also feels underdeveloped and tricky to navigate. Users have voiced their frustration with its lack of functionality, wishing for a more intuitive interface.
Reviews
eMaint has mobile apps, but there’s currently no verified user review available in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
Overall, users find eMaint’s preventive maintenance management software to be highly flexible and easy to use, with a strong ability to tailor the system to specific workflows.
However, many users report difficulties with the complex setup process and a less-than-intuitive interface for managing preventive maintenance tasks.
eMaint user Travis R. on Capterra commended the software’s flexibility and ease of use but struggled with its complex setup process.
Capterra Review:
Maintenance software for Absolute Energy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Pros: The flexibility to tailor the system to our work flows. Ease of use. Ability to use the software from an advantage as maintenance. Many options and eMaint staff understand maintenance!Cons: With all the options it is difficult to follow through the setup, Work flows may help stream line this process? Many of the eMaint personnel have better ideas and experience that we did not know going into the process of migrating from another system. This changed are procedures for the better but a lot of group brainstorming has been needed to specify our needs.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
Contact sales for info
Team
$69/mo. per user (up to 3 users)
Professional
$85/mo. per user
Enterprise
Contact sales for pricing
Limble
Scoring
Key Features
-
Automated scheduling with maintenance templates
-
Real-time tracking of work order completion rates
-
Asset hierarchies to keep equipment logs organized
-
Automated maintenance reports, including parts inventory
Easy-to-use interface
Pre-built integrations with software systems
Robust inventory management
Time-consuming initial setup
Free version has limited functionality
Too complex for small teams with fewer assets
Highlights
Limble is a preventive maintenance software with impressive asset management capabilities. Its QR code functionality allows users to quickly access detailed information about their equipment with just a quick scan.
Limble’s customizable fields enable users to tailor asset and maintenance data to their specific needs. Additionally, Limble’s preventive maintenance checklists and instructions are praised for their effectiveness in ensuring thorough and consistent equipment upkeep.
While Limble offers a wealth of features, the initial setup process can be time-consuming and requires a learning curve. In addition, Limble’s customer support is generally responsive, but it relies heavily on chat and email rather than phone support.
Furthermore, some advanced features and functionalities are only available in higher-priced plans, potentially limiting access for smaller organizations.
Reviews
While some users note Limble’s initial setup can be time-consuming and certain advanced features are only available in higher-priced plans, the majority of customers report significant improvements in productivity, reduced downtime, and enhanced asset life.
Check out a few verified reviews for Limble below.
Dillon Cummings found Limble time-saving and user-friendly for technicians but desired enhanced desktop features and easier asset/parts search.
iOS Review:
Awesome App, Highly Recommend ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The app is awesome because it saves time for our technicians having to come to the shop to log their info on the computer and they can just do it out on the floor. It also makes it super easy to add photos which are really helpful when going over the work completed or work requests. I think the app should have more of the features of the desktop version when it comes to viewing the users and activating/deactivating accounts and such. Also maybe improve the asset search and parts search to be a little more easier to use like the desktop version.”
Ivan C. on Capterra praised Limble’s customizable QR codes and preventive maintenance checklists but noted the initial setup has a learning curve.
Capterra Review:
Very customizable ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Pros: The QR codes are a game changer. You are able to customize a lot of fields to include information you want on assets. We have also created unique preventative maintenance checklists and instructions for all our equipment. Editing is relatively easy.Cons: It takes a little bit of a learning curve on how to set things up initially but the customer service chat feature is pretty fast. Customer service does prefer to email or chat so if you are hoping to talk to someone each time, that isn’t their first option. Figuring out the quirks initially is the most time consuming part.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
30 days (no credit card needed)
Basic
Free
Standard
$33/mo. per user
Premium+
$79/mo. per user
Enterprise
Contact sales for pricing
Mapcon
Scoring
Key Features
-
Customizable preventive maintenance checklists
-
Automated scheduling based on time or usage
-
Centralized records of all equipment and repair logs
-
Over 200 maintenance data reports for in-depth analysis
Cost-effective pricing
Comprehensive functionality
Wide range of customization options
Outdated design
Limited integration options
Advanced features require a learning curve
Lacks straightforward pricing
Highlights
Mapcon’s preventive maintenance software caters to a wide range of industries, from manufacturing to facilities management. Its standout feature is the highly customizable maintenance checklists, allowing users to create detailed, tailored maintenance routines for their unique equipment and assets.
Coupled with Mapcon’s centralized asset management capabilities, automated scheduling, and mobile integration, the software empowers maintenance teams to stay on top of their preventive tasks and reduce unplanned downtime.
While Mapcon boasts an extensive feature set, some users have reported that the software’s complexity can be a double-edged sword. The advanced functionalities, such as robust business intelligence reporting, may require more extensive training for non-tech-savvy users.
Mapcon’s integration with third-party systems can be hit-or-miss, while occasional performance issues have also been noted, especially for organizations with large asset databases or high user volumes.
Reviews
On the positive side, users praise Mapcon’s robust work management, task allocation capabilities, and overall ease of use once they become familiar with the system.
However, some users have noted that the software can be challenging to navigate, especially for those without proper training. In addition, the reporting functionality could have been more flexible.
Check out the following verified user review from Capterra to get a more detailed perspective on Mapcon.
A Mapcon user on Capterra praised the software’s work request management and task allocation features but found it complicated to use without proper training.
Capterra Review:
Slightly complex, but overall excellent peice of software. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Pros: I like the fact you must identify who is raising a request on the system, in a arge company this really helps with identifying who to contact should any issues/questions be raised from the request. The management of work and alloction of tasks is a brilliant feature with this software, for this alone I highly recommend it.Cons: I personally find this software quite complicated to use, it took me quite some time before I was able to understand all of the different functions on it. I hadn’t actually realised there was a proper training course available to teach you how to use this program, perhaps if I had taken this course it might not have struggled.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
30 days (no credit card needed)
Tier/Price
Custom pricing via Mapcon’s online calculator
SafetyCulture
Scoring
Key Features
-
Asset management portal for equipment tracking
-
Smart checklists for conducting maintenance checks
-
Comprehensive workflows with recurring schedules
-
Heads Up feature for emergency team notifications
Intuitive, easy-to-use interface
Flexible scheduling with mobile reminders
Offline-capable mobile app
Affordable pricing
Free plan limited to 10 users
Initial setup requires a steep learning curve
Advanced features only available on higher-priced plans
Highlights
SafetyCulture’s Logic-Flow feature creates dynamic templates that adapt based on previous answers. This smart functionality not only streamlines the inspection process but also significantly reduces the time inspectors spend on audits.
With its intuitive interface, SafetyCulture allows users to quickly set up and complete audits, making it a valuable tool for enhancing efficiency in preventive maintenance management.
Reviews often highlight the software’s comprehensive nature and versatility, specifically its extensive customization options for audit checklists. However, SafetyCulture’s steep learning curve can be a hurdle, particularly for those unfamiliar with audit software.
Additionally, while the software offers various customizable options, some users feel it lacks sufficient flexibility for tailoring templates and workflows to meet specific needs.
Reviews
SafetyCulture is praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and effective audit processes, making it popular with both administrators and end-users.
Despite this, some users mention its limited customization options and the lack of Excel integration for data export as downsides.
Check out the following verified reviews for more insights into SafetyCulture.
iOS user BatCrzy commended SafetyCulture for being easy to use but wished for a feature to mark entire sections as N/A for efficiency.
iOS Review:
No Applicable Areas ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The audit itself is easy to use, but it would be more efficient if you could NA an entire section.For example: We have no hazardous or combustible material. It would be nice at the title that we could mark NA and it pass those questions. Another example would be Wire and Cutting. We have no equipment or supply to do this at our location. Just a thought! Thank you.”
SafetyCulture impressed an Android user with its quick, straightforward audits and clear printed reports, improving business section evaluations and action planning.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“simple, fast audit tool, I’ve created several different audits for sections of the business and created action plans from results. printed report is simple and easy to understand.”
Capterra reviewer Braden W. found SafetyCulture simple for both users and administrators but criticized its lack of custom questions and Excel integration for data export.
Capterra Review:
Good for More Than Auditing ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The biggest advantage is the simplicity. Both from a user standpoint as well as an administrator standpoint this software is incredibly simple. The simplicity comes with a cost, there is little room for exceptions or custom questions. This can cause constraint on potential application depending on your operation. Additionally, there is no way to batch export data collected from the software. For example, we wanted to be able to batch export to excel in order to manipulate the data and present it via a customized dashboard. There is no integration with excel, so the raw and/or collated data can only be exported via the preset formatting.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
30 days (no credit card needed)
Free
No cost for up to 10 users
Premium
$29/mo. per user
Enterprise
Contact sales for pricing
UpKeep
Scoring
Key Features
-
Work order calendar with recurring schedule option
-
Automatic work order creation with push notifications
-
Integrated asset management with low-stock alerts
-
Runtime-based preventive maintenance to maximize uptime
-
Customizable dashboards and reporting
24/7 phone, email, and chat support
Offline-capable mobile app
Work order updates with notes and photos
Natively integrated GPS fleet tracking
Complicated interface requires a learning curve
No built-in invoicing feature
No affordable plan for small businesses
Limited out-of-the-box integrations
API access and integration only on the priciest plan
Highlights
UpKeep’s preventive maintenance software keeps maintenance teams ahead of potential equipment failures.
Using its Meters feature, UpKeep generates preventive maintenance tasks based on machine cycles, vehicle mileage, or other measurements, ensuring assets remain in optimal condition.
With UpKeep Analytics, administrators can identify assets that experience the most unplanned downtime. This insight allows them to create regular preventive maintenance schedules, reducing the risk of future breakdowns.
However, UpKeep’s limited out-of-the-box integrations can pose a challenge, especially for businesses that depend on smooth data flow across various platforms. While UpKeep offers an API, Webhooks, and Zapier workflows, these features are only available with its most expensive plan.
Reviews
UpKeep users love the app’s ease of use, effective asset management, and comprehensive preventive maintenance features. However, some users find the cost of additional features to be high and the interface occasionally clunky, particularly with sub-locations and photo uploads.
For more detailed insights, check out the reviews from a few verified users below.
iOS user CStokesReview found UpKeep excellent for asset cataloging and work order management but mentioned the high cost of extra features for small teams.
iOS Review:
Very very happy but paying for it ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It’s incredibly powerful and extremely helpful, does everything I need it to and probably much more. The reason for the 4 starts instead of five is really only because they certainly make you pay for additional features. This probably isn’t an issue for larger companies and is to be expected with powerful commercial programs, it was just notable and something to consider if you’re running a smaller but several person operation, as you will have to pay for each memeber of the team to access whatever tier of functionality they’ll need.”
UpKeep user Kristopher Stanage criticized its clunky interface and limited photo upload options.
Google Play Review:
⭐
“Clunky and not user friendly. Needs an option to upload multiple photos from gallery at once, instead of one at a time. Needs ability to remove photos from tasks in case of accidental upload. Applying filters can reset other filters. User interface is not well laid out or intuitive. If my company didn’t use this application, i would never use it. Update: this app has gotten even worse. I want to go back to using a paper filing system, it sucks so much.”
Rick D. on Capterra found UpKeep easy to use but wished the free version included reporting and had better self-populating fields for sub-locations.
Capterra Review:
Perfect CMMS for my Needs ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Nothing about this software is difficult to use. I do wish more was offered in the free version, such as reporting. I was able to use it during the free trial, but now am using the free version, in which reporting is only available in paid versions. I understand that this is how the company makes money, and I will be making the switch to a paid version when it is approved in our new budget. One thing that bugs me and hope gets fixed, is during the work order creation. I have over 120 locations and sub-locations. When I create a work order and choose the location, you should be able to begin typing the location in the box and it should self-populate the box. Right now, only the main locations will self-populate, not the sub-locations. I only have three main locations, and all the rest are sub-locations, so I have to scroll to search for the exact location I need. It’s nothing major, but just an annoyance, and I hope this will be fixed soon so that any location will self-populate the box when you begin typing it.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
14 days (no credit card needed)
Lite
$20/mo. per user
Starter
$45/mo. per user
Professional
$75/mo. per user
Business Plus
Contact sales for pricing
FMX
Scoring
Key Features
-
Automated scheduling based on time, usage, or condition
-
Work order management with labor cost tracking
-
Equipment maintenance tracking to ensure asset uptime
-
Inventory management with purchase order generation
Centralized maintenance data management
Proactive maintenance results in reliable assets
Wide range of customization options
Initial setup requires a learning curve
Lacks a mobile app
Limited support and training resources
Highlights
FMX is designed to streamline maintenance processes, increase asset productivity, and provide actionable insights.
FMX’s biggest strength is its cloud-based, configurable design. This makes it easy to manage work orders, schedule resources, and track inventory, all from one platform.
Additionally, FMX integrates smoothly with other systems, facilitating seamless collaboration across different departments.
On the flip side, there are a few areas where FMX could improve. The initial setup can be time-consuming and may incur a setup fee, which could be a hurdle for some users.
Moreover, the absence of a mobile application limits on-the-go access, which is often essential for maintenance teams in the field. The software’s advanced features also come with a learning curve, requiring time for users to fully adapt and utilize all functionalities.
Reviews
FMX is praised for its robust integration capabilities, excellent customer support, and ability to save users time and money. However, some users have noted the need for faster software responsiveness and more development of the work order management features.
FMX user Chad R. praised the software’s integration with building automation and customer support but noted the need for faster responsiveness and improved work order features
Capterra Review:
Strong product, great people, needs improvement ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Pros: The commitment of the product specialists and customer support personnel. The integration with the building automation software is wonderful. It saves us time and money.Cons: The responsiveness of the software is fine, but needs to be faster. The scheduling is great, but the work order (tech/maint requests) features need much more development. Please research help desk programs like Cayzu or Zendesk. If you were to improve these modules, your suite would be unstoppable!!! :)”
Pricing
Free Trial?
No free trial available
Tier / Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
The Bottom Line
Thanks to inflation and a growing interest in environmental sustainability, more consumers are forgoing buying new equipment. Instead, they’re relying on regular maintenance services to prolong their equipment’s lifespan and avert unplanned downtimes.
By using robust preventive maintenance software to smoothen your field operations, you can easily gain more loyal customers, earn more recurring revenue, and basically future-proof your business.
Workyard strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and functionality, giving field service businesses the right tools to automate maintenance schedules. It also offers the industry’s most accurate GPS time clock, allowing workers to record their hours and managers to make the right dispatching and routing decisions.
Explore Workyard’s robust maintenance scheduling or sign up for its 14-day free trial to start dispatching maintenance work orders right away.
Our Scoring System Explained
Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 15%
- Job Tracking: 15%
- Integrations: 10%
- Customer Support: 15%
- Company: 5%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Company
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
Preventive maintenance software is a program designed to help organizations plan, schedule, and execute preventive maintenance tasks on their equipment and assets.
The key benefits of preventive maintenance software include:
- Ensures critical equipment and assets receive regular inspections and servicing to prevent breakdowns.
- Provides visibility into maintenance history and performance trends.
- Helps extend the useful life of assets and reduce unplanned downtime.
- Reduces repair costs and lost productivity from equipment failures.
- Automates the creation and assignment of work orders, improving maintenance workflow and productivity.
- Provides detailed reporting on maintenance activities, costs, and key performance indicators to support data-driven decision-making.
In summary, preventive maintenance software is an essential tool for organizations looking to optimize their asset management practices, improve equipment reliability, and reduce operational costs.
Some of the best free preventive maintenance software solutions include:
- MaintainX – Offers a free plan with features like work order management, preventive maintenance scheduling, asset management, and mobile apps.
- Fiix – Provides a free 14-day trial of its intuitive software with features like preventive maintenance scheduling, asset management, and reporting.
- Limble CMMS – Has free and paid options with features like asset management, preventive maintenance scheduling, work order management, and reporting.
- Fracttal – Offers a free version for planning preventive maintenance, creating work orders, and tracking assets using QR codes and NFC tags.
- Odoo—This company offers free and paid options for its feature-rich ERP software, which includes integrated preventive maintenance, manufacturing, warehouse management, and HR tools.
- AssetTiger – Provides a free plan for asset management, preventive maintenance scheduling, and reporting.
- Coast – Offers a free plan with a good selection of preventive maintenance features, including monitoring tools.
These free preventive maintenance software solutions can help streamline maintenance workflows, extend asset lifespans, and reduce costs for small to midsize businesses with basic maintenance needs. The free versions typically include core features like scheduling, work order management, asset tracking, and reporting.
Preventive maintenance software should have the following essential features:
- Work Order Management: The software should allow you to easily generate, assign, and track preventive maintenance work orders. This includes creating checklists and procedures for each task to ensure consistency.
- Asset Management: Maintain a centralized database of all your assets and equipment. Link preventive maintenance tasks to specific assets to ensure each receives the necessary attention.
- Maintenance Scheduling: Schedule preventive maintenance tasks based on equipment usage, manufacturer recommendations, or historical data. Set up notifications and alerts for upcoming tasks to stay on top of schedules.
- Inventory Management: Track spare parts, tools, and supplies needed for maintenance. The software should help you keep the right inventory on hand without overstocking.
- Mobile Accessibility: Technicians should be able to access maintenance schedules and complete tasks using mobile devices. This will improve efficiency and productivity in the field.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate detailed reports on maintenance activities, costs, and key performance indicators. Use this data to make informed decisions and optimize maintenance strategies.
- Sensor Integration and Condition Monitoring: Connect IoT sensors to monitor asset conditions in real time. Set up alerts for abnormal readings to trigger maintenance tasks proactively.
Having these core features in a preventive maintenance software solution will help organizations shift from reactive to proactive maintenance, improving equipment reliability and reducing costs.
No, you do not necessarily need specific hardware for preventive maintenance software. Most modern solutions are cloud-based and can be accessed through any web browser on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
However, there are a few hardware considerations to keep in mind:
- Mobile devices: Many preventive maintenance software providers offer mobile apps for iOS and Android. Using tablets or smartphones allows technicians to access maintenance schedules, complete work orders, and record maintenance activities in the field.
- Barcode scanners: Some preventive maintenance software integrates with barcode scanning hardware to quickly identify assets and parts. This can streamline inventory management and work order processes.
- Sensors: Connecting IoT sensors to monitor equipment conditions can automatically trigger preventive maintenance tasks. Vibration sensors, thermometers, and other monitoring devices can feed data into the software in real time.
- Printers: Printing work orders, reports, and other maintenance documentation may require a basic printer, depending on your needs and processes.
In most cases, a computer or mobile device with an internet connection is sufficient to access and use preventive maintenance software. The software itself is hosted in the cloud, eliminating the need for on-premises servers or specialized hardware.
The key is choosing a preventive maintenance software solution that is flexible, mobile-friendly, and integrates with the hardware and systems you already have in place.
This allows you to leverage the software’s capabilities without significant upfront investments in new equipment.
