A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), known as GMAO in French-speaking regions, is the central software hub for a maintenance department.

Its primary purpose is to move away from paper-based systems and spreadsheets to a single, digital source of truth for all maintenance-related activities.

Its core functions typically include: - **Asset Management:** Maintaining a database of all equipment, including specifications, location, and maintenance history.

- **Work Order Management:** Creating, assigning, tracking, and closing out all maintenance work orders, whether planned or unplanned.

- **Preventive Maintenance Scheduling:** Automating the creation of recurring work orders based on time or usage triggers.

- **Inventory and Spare Parts Management:** Tracking the stock levels of spare parts, managing suppliers, and linking parts to specific assets and work orders.

- **Reporting and Analytics:** Generating reports and KPIs on metrics like downtime, maintenance costs, and team performance.

A modern CMMS is the foundational tool for an efficient maintenance strategy, providing the data and organization needed to reduce costs, increase asset uptime, and ensure compliance.