What is CAFM software?
CAFM stands for computer-aided facility management. It is software that holds the day-to-day running of a building in one system: maintenance, assets, contractors, inspections and the reporting that sits on top.
Most facility teams start with a mix of spreadsheets, email and a shared calendar. That works for one site with a small team. Once there are several buildings, a contractor panel and an owner asking for monthly reports, the gaps show quickly: jobs fall through, warranty details go missing and nobody can say what the plant room cost last year.
A CAFM system closes those gaps by giving every task, asset and supplier a single record.
What does CAFM software cover in MYBOS?
The core of facility work, connected so that one record feeds the next.
- Work orders and cases logged on the web or the mobile app, assigned, tracked and closed with photos
- A maintenance schedule for recurring servicing, so planned work comes round on time
- An asset register with specifications, warranties, manuals and a QR code on each asset
- Contractor management with company details, categories and insurance expiry dates tracked
- Inspections, inventory and invoice approval in the same system as the jobs they relate to
- Analytics and reports across one building or the whole portfolio, exportable to Excel
For the wider picture of how MYBOS runs facilities, see our page on facility management software in Australia.
CAFM, CMMS or BMS: which one do you need?
They solve different problems, and the names get mixed up often.
| System | What it does | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| CAFM | Runs facility operations: maintenance, assets, contractors, space, inspections and reporting | Facility and building managers |
| CMMS | Focuses on maintenance management, usually for equipment and plant | Maintenance and engineering teams |
| BMS | Controls building equipment such as HVAC, lighting and access hardware | Building services engineers |
MYBOS is CAFM and building operations software. It does not control plant or HVAC equipment.
What should you look for in a CAFM system?
Start with how your team actually works, then check the system fits it rather than the other way round.
| Spreadsheets and email | MYBOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Planned maintenance | Reminders in someone's calendar | A schedule that assigns and tracks each task |
| Asset history | Scattered across folders | Kept on the asset record, with a QR code |
| Contractor details | A list that goes out of date | Profiles with insurance expiry flagged |
| Owner reporting | Rebuilt by hand each month | Pulled from the job record |
| More sites | Another spreadsheet | Added to the same dashboard |
Mobile access matters as much as the dashboard. If technicians cannot close a job on site, the record is only ever as good as the office catch-up at the end of the week.