In a recent survey among maintenance managers, we asked about the KPIs they consider most important in their day-to-day work. Each participant could select up to three KPIs that they find most relevant.
What was evaluated?
Six experts were asked to rank the following six categories by relevance:
- Utilization
- Availability
- Team performance
- Efficiency
- Spare parts
- Compliance
Each participant created their own ranking from “most important” to “least important.” We then aggregated and weighted all responses. A category that was ranked number one by many received more points than categories mentioned further down the list.
The most important KPIs by category
Utilization
This category focuses on daily operations. Those who want to know how much work has been completed and what’s still pending primarily look at:
- Completed work orders (mentioned by 100% of respondents)
- Number of planned work orders (50%)
These KPIs reveal if work orders are being processed quickly, if there is a backlog, and if work is evenly distributed within the team. Understanding utilization helps to better plan and avoid stress peaks.
Availability
As expected, availability ranked second. More interesting, however, is what maintenance teams focus on in detail:
- Total downtime per asset or site (67%)
- Assets with the highest number of failures (67%)
- Critical failure notifications (50%)
It’s not just about averages, but also about asking targeted questions: Which assets break down most often? Which machines repeatedly waste our time and energy?
Team Performance
When measuring maintenance performance, people often consider downtime and open work orders. However, examining team collaboration can also provide valuable insights. Key KPIs in this category include:
- Completed work orders (67%)
- Available capacity (33%)
- Time to problem resolution (33%)
These figures are especially helpful for resource planning. They highlight potential bottlenecks, demonstrate how evenly tasks are distributed, and identify whether certain job types consistently require more time.
Efficiency
To be efficient in maintenance, rework and delays must be avoided. The KPIs most frequently mentioned by peers were:
- Overdue work orders (83%)
- Follow-up work orders (50%)
- Average processing time per work order (50%)
Efficiency begins when everything works correctly the first time. These KPIs reveal where bottlenecks exist and which steps are too time-consuming.
Spare Parts
Although inventory management is rarely a popular topic, operations stop when parts are missing:
- Total cost of spare parts (83%)
- General inventory level (33%)
- Delayed orders due to missing parts (33%)
Cost and availability need to be balanced. Having the right parts at the right time prevents downtime and frustration for the team.
Compliance
Safety, documentation, and regulatory requirements may not be the most exciting topics, but they are extremely important:
- Deviations (Non-Conformities) (83%)
- Critical findings during inspections (50%)
- Completed inspections (50%)
These KPIs are often mandatory. When analyzed correctly, they highlight structural issues and help eliminate recurring weaknesses.
Next steps – osapiens CMMS Dashboards
Perhaps you recognize some of these results, or maybe you already track some of these KPIs yourself. But what’s next? This is especially important if you’re reworking your reporting or digitizing your processes.
That’s precisely why we developed osapiens CMMS: a digital solution designed specifically for maintenance managers and their teams. It helps you:
- Organize work orders and feedback
- Monitor assets, downtime, and maintenance activities
- Evaluate exactly the KPIs that matter most in your operations