A class 1.5 CMMS is a special type of Computerized Maintenance Management System that is defined by the following general list of features:

• Cloud-based only
• Completely user-configurable
• Non-modular software
• Limited vendor support
• Active user-to-user support through on line communities
• No customization (but request of new features may be done through user community ports)
• On training materials only
• Recurring payments (usually per month)

This type of CMMS was first described in an article featured on the Feb / Mar 2014 issue of uptime magazine. The article further describes that this type of solution is specifically aimed at small to medium sized companies that have the need for a robust CMMS solution that is as low cost as possible.

The only way to not sacrifice advanced functionality and still keep costs low is to have limited vendor-to-user support and replace that with a dynamic community where users help each other directly. This way vendors can lower operating costs due to not having the need for large user support departments and can pass those savings along to their clients.

It is very interesting to note that those user communities become very active and rapidly users from each industry start to emerge. Those key users adapt the system to a particular market making it work better to the benefit of all.

Although no software customization is a basic requirement of a class 1.5 CMMS, what actually happens is that new functionalities (or adjustments to existing program features) are voted on through the user community. This results on a more focused and usable system that users definitely feel as their own since they have a clear channel to contribute to how the system should be developed.

A class 1.5 CMMS is not for everyone. Users need to be prepared to provide at least minimal input in the community and that implies that some time needs to be spent on the configuration / usage of the system. If you are a very large company this may not be feasible and you may be better off paying for those services from an external consultancy firm. It's basically a question of available capital versus available time.

There's no doubt in the industry at this moment in time that most of the CMMS installations that will happen in the near future will be of class 1.5 systems. All companies that deal with maintenance (either internally to maintain their own equipment or externally as maintenance service providers) will run with the assistance of a CMMS, the only question is what type will the CMMS be?