Facilities management software: CAFM and compliance

What facilities management software does

Facilities management software, commonly described as computer-aided facilities management or CAFM, provides a structured record of buildings, assets, planned maintenance and statutory compliance. A CAFM system typically combines an asset register, a helpdesk for reactive requests and a planned preventive maintenance schedule. The asset register underpins planned preventive maintenance because it records the equipment and building elements that require inspection, servicing or testing. The helpdesk records faults and requests, and the maintenance schedule allocates recurring tasks. Compliance records sit alongside these functions, allowing fire safety, asbestos and legionella checks to be scheduled and evidenced. The term IWMS, or integrated workplace management system, is used for software that adds space and real estate functions to the CAFM scope. The distinction is one of breadth rather than a separate compliance purpose. Both CAFM and IWMS can hold maintenance and compliance information, while IWMS extends the record into space utilisation and property matters. Facilities management software therefore acts as a single administrative record for operational, maintenance and compliance activity across a property portfolio, and it supports the scheduling and evidence of recurring statutory checks.

Statutory compliance tracking is a core function of facilities management software. The system records scheduled checks and the evidence produced when each check is completed. For legionella control, HSE guidance L8 sets hot water storage at 60°C or higher, and recording these checks on a schedule is a core job of FM systems. The software can hold the temperature record, the date of the check and the asset to which the result relates. Fire risk assessments are required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and the software can schedule assessment reviews and hold the associated documentation. The duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises creates a further compliance record, including the location and condition of asbestos-containing materials where these are identified. Electrical and gas safety checks form part of the same compliance schedule, with each task linked to an asset and a responsible person. Compliance dashboards and reports draw on the same records. The result is a traceable account of planned maintenance and statutory checks, rather than a set of separate spreadsheets. The asset register underpins planned preventive maintenance and provides the common reference for compliance tasks.

Statutory compliance tracking

Statutory compliance tracking in facilities management software is organised around a schedule, often presented as a table, that links each legal or guidance requirement to a building, an asset, a frequency and an evidence record. The schedule covers fire safety, asbestos, legionella, electrical and gas matters. For legionella control, HSE guidance L8 sets hot water storage at 60°C or higher, and recording these checks on a schedule is a core job of FM systems. The software holds the check result, the date and the asset identifier, so the record can be reviewed as part of an audit. Fire risk assessments are required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises creates a separate record for asbestos-containing materials, including location and condition where identified. Electrical and gas safety checks are scheduled in the same table, with each task assigned to a responsible person and an asset. The table provides a single view of tasks that are due, completed or overdue. It also shows the evidence attached to each completed check. The compliance schedule is therefore an operational record as well as an audit trail.

The compliance record depends on the asset register. Planned preventive maintenance is generated from the register, and each maintenance task can be linked to the relevant statutory check. When a check is completed, the software records the date, the result and the person or contractor responsible. For legionella, the record captures the hot water storage temperature against the guidance level of 60°C or higher. For fire safety, the record captures the fire risk assessment required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and any review date held in the system. For asbestos, the record captures the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises and the location and condition information held for asbestos-containing materials. Electrical and gas checks follow the same pattern, with a scheduled task and an evidence record. Reports can show completed, due and overdue checks by building or asset. The software does not replace the legal duties of the duty holder. It provides a documented schedule and evidence trail that supports the management of those duties. The compliance table and the asset register together give a consistent account of statutory checks and planned maintenance.

Asset registers and planned maintenance

Facilities management software, commonly termed computer-aided facilities management or CAFM, maintains a structured record of buildings, assets, planned maintenance and statutory compliance. The asset register is the foundation of that record. It identifies the equipment and building elements that require attention, together with the information needed to schedule and evidence maintenance. It also gives maintenance teams a single view of the equipment and building elements within the managed estate. For compliance duties such as fire safety, asbestos management and legionella control, the register provides the link between a legal or guidance requirement and the individual item that must be checked. The Health and Safety Executive legionella guidance, for example, sets hot water storage at 60°C or higher, and recording these checks on a schedule is a core job of FM systems. Planned preventive maintenance, or PPM, depends on reliable asset data. Schedules are generated from asset type, location, criticality and statutory interval, and completed work is recorded against the asset. Without a maintained register, PPM becomes a series of disconnected tasks and compliance evidence is difficult to retrieve. The register therefore supports both operational planning and audit trails.

Asset data has several components. A usable register records the asset identifier, description, location, condition, maintenance history and the compliance regime that applies. It also records ownership or responsibility where that information is held. In CAFM systems, these fields support work order generation, planned maintenance scheduling and reporting. The same data supports statutory compliance tasks, including fire risk assessments required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises. Recording checks on a schedule is a core job of FM systems, and the asset register supplies the object against which each check is recorded. Planned preventive maintenance schedules are then attached to assets and reviewed as conditions or requirements change. The quality of the register affects the reliability of the maintenance plan. If assets are missing, duplicated or poorly described, the PPM schedule will reflect those gaps. Regular data validation, clear naming conventions and controlled updates are therefore part of asset management. The result is a maintenance programme that is traceable to individual assets and to the compliance obligations that apply to them.

CAFM vs field service software vs IWMS

CAFM means computer-aided facilities management. It covers buildings, assets, planned maintenance and statutory compliance such as fire safety, asbestos and legionella. Field service software is oriented to the delivery of work by mobile or site based engineers, including the allocation and completion of reactive and planned jobs. CAFM systems include work order functions, but their distinguishing role is the maintenance of asset and compliance records. An IWMS, or integrated workplace management system, adds space and real estate functions to the CAFM scope. The three categories can overlap in practice. A product may combine asset registers, PPM schedules, helpdesk workflows and mobile job completion. A comparison matrix can map the required functions against each category: asset and compliance records, planned maintenance, reactive work orders, mobile engineer activity, space management and real estate. The matrix is a way to test fit against defined requirements rather than a ranking of products. A matrix does not determine the category; it records which functions are required for the estate in question. It also records where functions are shared. The category names describe different centres of gravity, not strict boundaries.

When each category fits depends on the scope of the estate and the duties being managed. CAFM fits where the primary need is to track buildings, assets, planned maintenance and statutory compliance. It provides the asset register and PPM schedule that underpin evidence for fire risk assessments under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises and legionella checks under HSE guidance, including hot water storage at 60°C or higher. Field service software fits where the main workflow is the dispatch, attendance and completion of jobs by engineers, with less emphasis on the long term asset and compliance record. IWMS fits where space and real estate data must be managed alongside facilities operations. The matrix supports a requirement led comparison by showing which functions are essential, desirable or outside scope. Procurement can then assess each option against the same criteria. The distinction matters because overlapping labels can obscure differences in data model, compliance evidence and reporting. A clear view of the required functions sits alongside the category label rather than replacing it. This applies when requirements are being specified.

Working with contractors

A CAFM system provides a single record of buildings, assets and the contractors engaged to maintain them. Contractor portals allow facilities teams and external suppliers to exchange work orders, planned maintenance tasks and completion records in a controlled format. Service level agreements set the response and completion expectations for each task, and the portal records the date, time and evidence attached to the work. This structure supports planned preventive maintenance because asset registers underpin the schedule and give each contractor the relevant equipment history. For statutory compliance, the same record can hold evidence for fire safety checks, asbestos management and legionella control. Fire risk assessments are required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and the duty to manage asbestos applies in non-domestic premises. HSE legionella guidance, including L8, sets hot water storage at 60°C or higher, and recording these checks on a schedule is a core job of FM systems. A contractor portal keeps that evidence with the asset and the work order rather than in separate email trails. The portal also gives the contractor a clear route to submit certificates, photographs and signed worksheets against the relevant asset.

The contractor view links to field service management software, where mobile engineers receive jobs, record attendance and capture evidence at the point of work. In a CAFM environment, the contractor portal is the controlled interface for service level agreement performance and for the evidence needed by the duty holder. Work orders can carry the relevant compliance category, such as fire safety, asbestos or legionella, so that completed tasks are filed against the correct asset and statutory requirement. The portal can show whether a job is open, in progress or closed, and it can hold the contractor's report, certificate or photograph as part of the asset history. This evidence trail supports audit and demonstrates that planned preventive maintenance and statutory checks have been carried out. The arrangement separates the facilities team's compliance record from the contractor's own systems while keeping both parties working from the same work order. For organisations comparing tools, the field service management software explainer sets out how mobile job management connects to the wider facilities record. It also gives the facilities team a single place to review overdue contractor actions and the evidence attached to each action.

Trialling a CAFM system

A trial of a CAFM system can be structured around the compliance records that the organisation already maintains. The checklist can test whether the software holds asset registers that underpin planned preventive maintenance, and whether those registers connect to schedules, work orders and contractor evidence. It can also test the statutory areas named in the article: fire safety, asbestos and legionella. Fire risk assessments are required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and the duty to manage asbestos applies in non-domestic premises. HSE legionella guidance, including L8, sets hot water storage at 60°C or higher, and recording these checks on a schedule is a core job of FM systems. A trial can examine whether the system records those checks against the correct asset, stores the evidence and produces an audit trail. The checklist can cover the contractor portal, service level agreement monitoring and the route by which completed work is accepted and filed. It can also test whether the system distinguishes CAFM from IWMS, because CAFM means computer-aided facilities management while IWMS adds space and real estate.

The second part of the trial checklist can focus on how the CAFM system supports day to day facilities work and the evidence needed for audit. It can test the creation of a work order from a planned maintenance schedule, the attachment of contractor reports and the visibility of service level agreement performance. It can also test how the system records reactive work alongside planned preventive maintenance, and whether the asset history shows both. For compliance, the checklist can include a simulated fire safety check, an asbestos management record and a legionella check at the hot water storage temperature set out in HSE guidance. The trial can examine whether the system sends reminders, records completion and keeps the evidence with the relevant building and asset. The checklist can also cover reporting, user permissions and the contractor portal from the supplier perspective. A short trial with realistic records can show how the system handles the compliance categories named in the article without committing the organisation to a full implementation. It can test whether the contractor portal provides the evidence in a format that the facilities team can store against the asset record.

Costs and implementation

Implementation of facilities management software, also called computer-aided facilities management or CAFM, involves several distinct cost areas. Data loading is often the largest early task. Asset registers, planned preventive maintenance schedules and statutory compliance records must be collected, checked and formatted before migration. Compliance data can include fire risk assessments required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, asbestos registers for the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises, and legionella checks. HSE guidance L8 sets hot water storage at 60°C or higher, and those checks need a schedule and a record. Legacy spreadsheets, paper logs and contractor reports may need cleansing before they can populate a CAFM system. Data loading also covers room and building hierarchies, asset tags and maintenance histories. The quality of the asset register underpins planned preventive maintenance, and reconciliation work can affect the implementation timetable. Licence costs depend on the commercial model in the supplier contract. Contracts set out term, support, service levels, data ownership and exit arrangements. They also define what implementation work is included and what is chargeable separately. A pricing guide can set out the structure of these costs without committing to a single figure.

Contract terms shape the implementation route. A CAFM contract may include software licences, configuration, data migration, training and ongoing support. The split between included work and separately chargeable work is a contractual point, not a technical one. Buyers can ask for a written schedule of responsibilities that identifies who supplies asset data, who validates compliance records and who signs off the system. Implementation planning usually starts with a scope that links the asset register to planned preventive maintenance and statutory compliance. Fire safety, asbestos and legionella records are examples of data that may be migrated or rebuilt. Legionella control under HSE L8 requires hot water storage at 60°C or higher and a record of checks on a schedule. The contract can state how such records are imported, retained and exported. Exit terms matter because compliance records may need to move to another system. The pricing guide covers the main commercial components, including data loading, licences and contracts, and provides a neutral structure for comparing supplier proposals. A clear scope and a documented data set support like for like comparison of proposals.

Frequently asked questions

What is CAFM software?

Computer-aided facilities management software for assets, maintenance and compliance.

What temperature should hot water be stored at for legionella control?

60°C or higher, under HSE guidance.

Is CAFM the same as field service software?

They overlap; CAFM centres on buildings and compliance, field service on engineers and jobs.

Do businesses need a fire risk assessment?

Yes, the responsible person must carry one out under the Fire Safety Order 2005.

What is an asset register?

A record of building assets, their location, condition and maintenance history.