CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management)
CAFM software manages the physical space, assets, and services of a facility from a single system, covering space planning, maintenance, and compliance together. It overlaps with a CMMS but typically adds space and lease management on top of pure maintenance tracking.
Key takeaways
- Manages space, assets, and services from one facility system
- Adds space planning and lease management on top of maintenance
- Strong fit when occupied space, not just equipment, is the focus
- Floor plan, CAD, and BIM handling separates serious tools
- Check integration with HR, finance, and building sensors
What CAFM means
CAFM software is best understood as facility management run from one system rather than a filing cabinet of spreadsheets. It covers the physical space itself, who sits where, how rooms are used, what leases apply, alongside the maintenance and services that keep the building functioning. The unifying idea is that space, assets, and the work done on them are all views of the same building.
In practice a CAFM tool overlaps heavily with a CMMS on the maintenance side, since both raise and track work orders against assets. What sets CAFM apart is the space and occupancy layer: floor plans, move management, room booking, and lease or compliance records. That makes it a natural fit for organizations whose main challenge is managing occupied space, not just servicing equipment.
When evaluating one, be clear about whether you need deep space management or deep maintenance depth, because tools lean one way or the other. Watch for how it handles floor plan data, whether it can import CAD or BIM drawings, and how cleanly it exchanges data with HR, finance, and any building sensors. A tool that looks broad but is shallow in the area you care most about is a common and expensive mistake.
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Where CAFM shows up in how we build.