---
title: "CMMS Blog: Maintenance Tips and Guides — FixAhead"
description: "The FixAhead CMMS blog: answers to the questions maintenance teams ask about their PMs, work orders, spare parts, and CMMS software."
---

# The FixAhead maintenance blog

Answers to the questions maintenance teams ask about their PMs, work orders, spare parts, and CMMS software.

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- ## How to stop running out of spare parts: what to stock and how many

  Weigh each part's cost against the downtime it prevents, set a minimum for each, and check the count against the shelves every month. [Read the post](/blog/how-to-stop-running-out-of-spare-parts/)
- ## How do you know preventive maintenance is really being done?

  A checklist can be signed without the work being done, so look for specific tasks, proof on the steps that matter, and spot checks in person. [Read the post](/blog/how-do-you-know-preventive-maintenance-is-done/)
- ## How do I get the maintenance team to buy in and really use CMMS software?

  Keep entry fast, put a QR code on each machine, give technicians something back, and make the CMMS the only route. [Read the post](/blog/how-to-get-maintenance-team-to-use-cmms/)
- ## How to write PM checklists for hundreds of machines with no manuals

  Group the machines by category, write one short checklist for each, and refine it at every PM visit. [Read the post](/blog/how-to-write-pm-checklists-without-manuals/)
- ## Who creates work orders when operators call maintenance for everything?

  When operators call maintenance for everything, requests and work orders blur together. Here's how to separate them, decide who may submit, and triage before anyone is dispatched. [Read the post](/blog/who-creates-work-orders-when-operators-call-maintenance/)
- ## Work order management in the field: a complete guide

  A field work order runs from assignment to completion on-site, on a phone. [Read the post](/blog/work-order-management-in-the-field/)
- ## How to calculate MTBF and MTTR for your equipment

  MTBF shows how long an asset runs between failures, and MTTR how long it takes to get it back in service. [Read the post](/blog/how-to-calculate-mtbf-mttr/)
- ## The cost of PMs vs unexpected failures

  Reactive maintenance costs more per repair than preventive. Here's why, and how to make the switch without overwhelming your team. [Read the post](/blog/preventive-vs-reactive-maintenance/)
- ## What is CMMS? A complete guide for maintenance teams

  A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) helps you track assets, schedule preventive maintenance, and manage work orders, all in one place. [Read the post](/blog/what-is-cmms/)