Maintenance in M3

We help manufacturing companies manage maintenance through a user-friendly interface, within the same business system that handles finance, inventory, and purchasing.

We help manufacturing companies manage maintenance using a user-friendly interface, within the same business system that handles finance, inventory, and purchasing, rather than in a separate system on the side.

What does maintenance involve for the M3?

Our maintenance interface provides a simple, centralized overview of machines, components, and maintenance activities, designed to be intuitive without the need for extensive training. It is not a standalone system: all data is stored in the same business system as inventory, purchasing, and finance, providing both maintenance staff and management with a shared view to work from.

In many organizations, maintenance is handled in a separate system, disconnected from the rest of the ERP system. This creates duplication of effort and means that maintenance decisions are often made without a complete picture of the costs: a need for spare parts isn’t automatically reflected in the inventory balance, and a costly repair doesn’t show up in financial reporting until much later. It is these kinds of gaps that we address when building maintenance capabilities into M3.

We are identifying where maintenance and finance are currently separated

Before we build anything, we’ll review where maintenance data is currently managed separately from the rest of the system, and what that costs you in terms of duplicate work and reconciliation time.

We link maintenance directly to inventory and purchasing

Any need for spare parts during a maintenance task is immediately reflected in the inventory balance and can be linked to advance purchases, ensuring that the right components are on hand when the work is to be performed.

We give maintenance a prominent role in financial monitoring

Since maintenance is handled within the same system as finance, costs are recorded on an ongoing basis along with other operating expenses, rather than having to be compiled separately afterward.

We’re building an interface that’s easy to use

Maintenance staff should be able to report work orders, component replacements, and deviations directly at the machine, without having to navigate a complex system interface or ask a colleague how to do it.

We are laying the groundwork for predictive maintenance

By consolidating machine history, component replacements, and costs into a single system, it becomes possible to identify patterns that precede breakdowns and take action before an unplanned shutdown occurs.

Why Navcite

We have experience building maintenance solutions for manufacturing companies that use Infor CloudSuite M3, with a focus on ensuring that maintenance is both easy to use and an integrated part of the business system, rather than a standalone system running alongside it. This allows maintenance decisions to be made with a full understanding of the overall cost picture, not just the condition of the machine.

We take responsibility for the entire chain: business systems, integration, decision support, and user interfaces—all handled by a single team. This ensures a single point of contact throughout the entire collaboration, from the initial assessment to day-to-day development.

Questions About Digital Maintenance for the Manufacturing Industry

Why should maintenance be handled in the business system instead of in a separate maintenance system?

With maintenance integrated into the same system as the rest of the ERP, machine data is directly linked to purchasing, inventory, and finance. A need for spare parts is immediately reflected in the inventory balance, and a costly repair is immediately reflected in the financial records, without the need for manual data transfer between systems.

What are the drawbacks of keeping maintenance and ERP separate?

Data on machines, components, and costs ends up in two systems that do not automatically synchronize with each other. This leads to duplicate work, delayed information, and the risk that maintenance decisions are made without a full understanding of the overall cost picture.

Does maintenance automatically affect the inventory balance?

Yes. When a component is used during a maintenance task, it is immediately recorded as used against inventory, which ensures an accurate balance without the need for manual adjustments afterward.

Can the purchase of replacement parts be directly linked to maintenance planning?

Yes. Since purchasing and maintenance are managed in the same system, it is possible to link scheduled maintenance to spare parts needs, ensuring that the right components are on hand before a service call is scheduled.