CAFM Glossary
Facilities teams use overlapping terminology across maintenance, assets, SLAs, and compliance. This glossary keeps definitions simple so stakeholders stay aligned.
A
- AI assistant
- A feature that uses your platform data to provide faster answers and recommended next actions.
- Asset
- Any item you manage and maintain (equipment, systems, fixtures) with a location, service history, and lifecycle.
- Asset registry
- A central list of assets with details like serials, locations, warranties, and maintenance records.
- Audit trail
- A time-stamped record of key system actions and changes (who did what, when).
C
- CAFM (Computer-Aided Facilities Management)
- Software used to manage facilities operations across work, assets, vendors, compliance, and reporting.
- CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System)
- Maintenance-focused software primarily used for work orders and preventive maintenance planning.
- Compliance
- Meeting required standards, policies, or regulations, often supported by inspections and audit-ready logs.
- Corrective maintenance
- Maintenance performed to fix an issue after it’s identified (through a fault, incident, or inspection).
E
- EAM (Enterprise Asset Management)
- A broader asset lifecycle approach that can span finance, procurement, operations, and governance.
- Escalation
- A rule-driven action when an SLA is at risk or approvals are required.
- EquiSense
- Equidesk’s IoT layer that connects sensor signals to alerts and maintenance actions.
G
- Go-live
- The date your team starts using the platform for live operational work.
I
- Inspection
- A structured check to verify condition, compliance, or safety, usually via a checklist.
- Integration
- Connecting the CAFM platform with other systems (ERP, BMS, HR, identity providers) for data sharing.
L
- Location hierarchy
- A structured representation of sites, buildings, floors, and zones so work and assets can be tracked accurately.
O
- Offline mode
- Ability to perform mobile actions without connectivity and sync when internet returns (if enabled).
R
- RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)
- Permissions set by role (admin, supervisor, technician) to control what each user can access.
- Reactive maintenance
- Maintenance performed after a breakdown occurs (often costlier than planned work).
W
- Work order
- A logged task to perform service or maintenance, typically tracked with status, SLA, evidence, and closure details.
- Workflow automation
- Rules that route, schedule, notify, approve, and escalate work automatically.
B
- Backlog
- Outstanding tasks or work orders that have not yet been completed.
- BMS (Building Management System)
- A system that monitors and controls building services such as HVAC, lighting, alarms, and energy.
D
- Dashboard
- A view of key performance metrics like SLA compliance, ageing, backlog, and closures.
- Data migration
- Moving and structuring your current FM data into a new platform.
F
- Field technician
- A team member who executes work on site using mobile workflows.
H
- HSE (Health, Safety & Environment)
- Processes that manage safety, incidents, compliance, and risk controls.
K
- KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
- A measurable metric used to track performance (for example response time or SLA compliance).
M
- MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
- An extra login security layer beyond username/password (e.g., one-time code).
P
- PPM (Planned Preventive Maintenance)
- Scheduled maintenance that reduces breakdowns and extends asset life.
- Priority
- A label or rule that determines urgency and sequencing of work.
S
- SLA (Service Level Agreement)
- Response or resolution targets for service categories, used to track performance.
- SSO (Single Sign-On)
- Login using your organisation’s identity provider (e.g., Microsoft/Google) rather than separate credentials.