Effective management will ensure that workers receive the proper tools, material and information to build the correct product. Good management will also provide proper communication between the people involved in a project. Profit will be lost due to wasted time and material. Orders for products can be lost if the flow of information is poorly controlled.

Any method that improves control of the flow of information will decrease material waste, increase productivity and business profits. People in business are always looking for better, more efficient methods to achieve this.

Spreadsheets, database files, calendar, and mail programs allow managers to better control work flow using the computer?s ability to store and transmit data; often on an automatic and repeatable basis. Spreadsheets aid in the compiling and manipulating large amounts of data.

Databases allow for collecting, sorting and easy retrieval of records. Electronic calendars can send out automatic notes on scheduled meeting, and help keep track of the progress of plans and programs. Mail programs enable archiving of memos and notes, allowing managers to see who has received and responded to any message. These software programs are very good management tools, but do not cover every area needed to be managed in a company. Equally important is the management of the facility.

Work flow is also affected by the physical layout of the facility. Facility management deals with an effective physical layout plus many other considerations. Communication issues include location of phones and computers, with the routing of phone and computer lines. All of the chemicals that are used need to have their effect on people and environment known and listed.

Different emergency plans for fire or weather need to be addressed. A database for maintenance issues will ensure that repair requests are followed through, as well as having a quick archive of past repairs.

Just as spreadsheets and databases aid in the flow of information, and electronic calendars can ease the creation of schedules, facility management software can aid in the design of office space. By having one software package plan the location of work stations, meeting rooms, shipping area, office space, even break rooms; the overall design can eliminate wasted space, and better coordination between sites.

Add to this the ability to know where phone lines, computer lines and terminals are located and where new ones need to be. The software can print reports listing any environmental concerns, and aid in developing emergency plans. A manager can easily print out a fire-escape plan, or show where to meet in bad weather. Maintenance issues can be better coordinated and show how areas will be affected by the work.

Never putting all your eggs in one basket is a mark of wisdom. Having multiple programs placed into one system, allowing them all to communicate with each other, is a powerful, synergistic tool. Facility management software is designed to be that tool.