CAFM vs IWMS: Which Is Right For Me? Your Ultimate Guide

If you’re new to FM software, grappling with acronyms like CAFM (Computer Aided Facility Management) and IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System) is enough to leave anyone feeling puzzled.

To make matters even more confusing, both FM software solutions appear similar on the surface; however they each have their own distinct purpose and nuances.

Not to worry: to help you understand what sets both CAFM and IWMS software apart, SFG20’s technical experts have put together this jargon-free guide, which will give you an overview of both platforms, covering key differences alongside pros, cons and costs.

What is Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM)?

Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) is a software platform that provides a digital centralised overview of all your important facilities management operations. It automates key functions and allows you to manage a building's assets, tools, processes and occupants within a building, all from one platform.

From space and asset management to planned preventive maintenance and property lease management, CAFM systems put the power in your hands to schedule maintenance tasks, monitor assets as well as organise data and track work orders.

Instead of relying on complicated spreadsheets and physical documents prone to getting lost, a CAFM enables you to log, report and monitor data while overseeing the day-to-day running of your facility.

Who are CAFM Systems for?

CAFM software is primarily used by people within facility management teams and departments, as it enables the management of the workplace and the potential maintenance of building elements.

The integration of elements of CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software can provide powerful visualisation tools, making it easier for those without an engineering background to understand and interpret data clearly.

CAFM software does not have full-blown CAD capabilities, but usually has some form of visualisation platform and a methodology to store and view 2D drawings and/or 3D models. Further integration may be achieved by integration with BIM/CAD platforms.

Due to its versatility, CAFM software is employed across a diverse range of organisations and industries, including those within the government, healthcare, education and retail sectors.

What are the Key Features/Uses of CAFM Systems?

Space Management

When combined with CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and BIM (Building Information Modelling) software, CAFM can provide graphical representations of facility layouts, enabling users to track occupancy and optimise space utilisation. CAFM systems can also help to monitor room capacity and movement, allowing you to identify how frequently spaces are being used.

Move Management

CAFM systems can aid with planning, executing and tracking the moves of equipment, furniture and people from one location to another.

Asset Management

CAFM software can be utilised to track and maintain assets and equipment, allowing users to schedule maintenance activities and monitor/track their conditions and performance over time.

Room Reservations

CAFM systems typically include a room reservation module that allows you and your team to easily book and manage meeting rooms and other shared spaces. This feature provides real-time visibility into room availability and occupancy status, preventing double bookings and over-bookings.

Inventory Tracking

With a CAFM system, you can monitor stock levels and consumption rates of consumable items such as office supplies and cleaning materials. The system can also automate restock requests and track inventory movements and locations, ensuring efficient inventory management.

Contractor Management

CAFM systems enable you to oversee and collaborate with external contractors and subcontractors. By maintaining records of contractor certifications, licenses and insurance details, the system helps verify compliance with relevant regulations.

Real Estate Management

CAFM systems store and maintain accurate records of lease, rent and tenure agreements, along with associated data such as critical release dates, terms, renewal options and costs. You can also configure the system to send automated notifications to alert you of upcoming lease renewals, expirations and other critical information.

Maintenance Management

While not all CAFM systems include maintenance modules, those that do offer valuable features such as scheduling and tracking both preventive and reactive maintenance tasks. They allow you to oversee and manage the complete work order lifecycle from creation to assignment and completion as well as track maintenance histories and performance data to support proactive maintenance strategies.

What are the Pros of Using a CAFM System?

Reduced Costs

CAFM systems provide accurate operational and asset data, enabling faster, more informed decisions, better resource management and extended asset life, all contributing to reduced operational costs.

It can help to optimise space management by ensuring you are using your space in the most efficient and effective way possible. Excessive space can cost money you do not need to spend.

If the CAFM system includes a maintenance module which can recognise compliance or statutory tasks with compliance tracking, organisations can avoid fines, penalties, and costly reactive repairs.

When assessing a CAFM system’s ROI, consider organisation size, asset volume and regulatory exposure.

Larger facilities often see higher cost savings, while smaller organisations can benefit from streamlined processes and reduced manual workload. Flexible pricing models can often make CAFM adoption accessible and scalable.

Increased Asset Lifespan

Proactive management of assets and equipment maximises their lifespan, reducing the need for costly replacements and minimising downtime.

The same is true of balancing up the use of space. High-use spaces tend to experience greater wear and tear, which costs money to address. Ensuring similar-type spaces experience similar usage can minimise wear and tear.

Accurate Data

Certain CAFM systems may the capability to have IoT sensors integrated with in them, offering real-time data and analytics that stores and captures various forms of built environment information and serves as a single point of reference.

This ensures informed, strategic decision-making alongside useful report generation which can provide actionable insights and allow you to track key performance indicators.

However, it’s important to note that most CAFM systems are based on the uploading of a snapshot of data which can go out of date if not managed properly. For example, drawings not being updated when refurbishment work has taken place, or if an asset register is not amended after assets have been added or removed.

Data within CAFM systems needs to be kept up to date to act as the Single Point of Truth – after all, your data is only as good as the processes that are put in place to manage it.

Data Integration

Advancements in software development have now made it possible for CAFM software to be integrated with other data streams and platforms such as CMMS, IoT sensors, ERP systems, BIM/Digital Twins, CDEs and SFG20’s smart new software solution Facilities-iQ.

Boosted Employee Well-being

CAFM benefits can extend to staff as they enable you to maintain comfortable room temperatures (when tied into real-time sensors and the BMS), facilitate easy booking of meeting rooms and allow for the quick reporting of maintenance issues.

Improved Productivity and Communication

CAFM systems automate many tasks including maintenance scheduling, inventory management, work order tracking and space optimisation, streamlining facility management processes and saving time

CAFM software also provides all stakeholders with access to real-time facility information with alerts and notifications for critical events and is often accessible from any location and device even in challenging environments such as plant rooms.

What are the Cons of Using a CAFM System?

Data Security Considerations

As CAFM systems store large amounts of sensitive data, they can become vulnerable to cyber threats if not properly secured. Similarly, CAFM technology can be susceptible to errors if the data is not accurately maintained and kept up to date.

Ongoing Maintenance and Updates

CAFM software, like most software platforms, requires regular maintenance, updates and backups which can demand extra time and effort

If you want to adapt the platform to your existing processes, you’ll need to consider the limitations on future system upgrades as new updates are rolled out, as these are normally aimed at the unmodified ‘”off-the-shelf" or “out-of-the-box" version.

This can mean that your version may become outdated and possibly insecure if you cannot receive the update.

Internal System Integration

CAFM systems may not seamlessly integrate with other internal business systems like HR and Finance, often requiring manual data entry or exchange. On top of this, some software developers use close protocol coding which limits integration to their own products

What is an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS)?

An Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) is an all-in-one suite of solutions that integrates and consolidates many functionalities found in other FM systems such as CAFM and Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software

Encompassing an extensive range of functionalities including real estate management, space planning, asset maintenance, project management and sustainability tracking, IWMS is considered to be the most feature-rich facilities management platform

It works by capturing, generating and consolidating data and metrics related to the five vital functional areas of real estate and facilities management, providing an aerial view of all of your organisation’s key operations.

An IWMS combines these 5 key areas:

• Facilities Management
• Real Estate and Properties Management
• Operations and Maintenance Management
• Sustainability and Energy Management
• Capital Project Management

Who is an IWMS for?

IWMS solutions are suitable for Facilities Services Providers, Real Estate firms, Landlords, Managing Agents and Corporate Occupiers and can be particularly beneficial for organisations with large property portfolios across multiple locations.

Examples of organisations that use IWMS software include commercial office buildings, hospitals and healthcare facilities, large educational campuses, manufacturing facilities and data centres.

What are the Key Features/Uses of an IWMS?

Data Integration

IWMS consolidates data from diverse sources like CAD drawings, maintenance records, lease agreements and sensor data into a unified database, providing a single point of access for valuable insights.

Unified Analytics and Reporting

The centralised data enables comprehensive reporting and analytics on space utilisation, maintenance needs, energy efficiency and other key aspects of facilities management.

Functional Modules

An IWMS typically includes several integrated modules, each serving specific organisational requirements. These include:

• Space Management
• Asset Management
• Maintenance Management

• Lease Management

What Are The Pros Of Using an IWMS?

All-Inclusive Solution

IWMS combines all of the top features from other facility management software including CAFM and CMMS into a single platform, providing thorough visibility into your facilities management operations.

Streamlined Data Management

IWMS acts as a centralised database, consolidating and storing data like floor plans, asset information, maintenance records and occupancy data.

Workflow and Automation

IWMS streamlines processes for managing tasks, approvals and notifications, helping to reduce manual effort while saving time and improving productivity.

Analytics and Reporting

IWMS offers comprehensive reporting and analytics, providing insights into workplace performance, resource utilisation and cost-saving opportunities.

Remote Access

IWMS is usually available on desktop and mobile, enabling remote access and collaboration.

Improved Communication

IWMS serves as a communication hub, allowing employees to submit service requests, report issues and easily access information from one place.

Enhanced Employee Experience

IWMS can free up time by automating repetitive tasks such as manual data entry alongside helping to design and manage flexible work arrangements which can all lead to improved employee satisfaction, engagement and productivity.

What are the Cons of Using an IWMS?

Cost

Due to its comprehensive feature set, implementing an IWMS system can require a significant investment, particularly for organisations with complex facilities or multiple sites.

If you’re a smaller organisation, you may adopt core modules initially and expand later, optimising cost-efficiency.

Evaluating total cost of ownership, including software, training, integration and ongoing support against potential operational savings and compliance benefits helps assess ROI and justify investment decisions.

Customisation Challenges

Customised IWMS software can take longer to set up and may make future upgrades more difficult and costly. Moreover, undoing changes can also be challenging.

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

As IWMS handles sensitive workplace data, it requires robust cybersecurity measures and compliance with relevant data privacy regulations.

CAFM vs IWMS: What are the Differences?

In short, CAFM focuses primarily on space and asset management, while an IWMS offers a broader scope of capabilities focusing on the 5 core areas of Facilities Management, connecting other core FM software features into one all-inclusive system.

IWMS and CAFM Integration with FM Ecosystems

Both CAFM and IWMS systems can integrate seamlessly with existing facilities management ecosystems, connecting with tools such as CMMS, building automation, and IoT platforms. These integrations enable real-time data exchange, ensuring asset registers, maintenance schedules and compliance records are always accurate and up-to-date.

With fully-integrated systems, you can benefit from reduced errors and streamlined workflows.

Integration also allows facility managers to consolidate reporting, giving you the ability to make data-driven decisions across multiple sites. This connectivity transforms fragmented FM processes into a cohesive, efficient ecosystem that improves operational efficiency, compliance, and asset management.

How Much Does CAFM Software Cost?

The cost of CAFM software can vary significantly depending on several factors. For basic systems with less functionality, prices can start from a few hundred pounds per month while more comprehensive solutions can cost thousands of pounds and may require a one-time upfront fee.

How Much Does IWMS Software Cost?

There is no fixed figure for the cost of IWMS as it’s largely dependent on your organisation’s individual needs, such as the number of licenses you require and the support packages that you choose.

How Do I Choose a CAFM or IWMS?

1. Understand Your Needs

Assess your organisation’s current and future requirements for a CAFM or IWMS, aligning them with strategic goals. Consider how the system can scale with business growth while supporting consistent operational standards and regulatory compliance.

2. Evaluate Features and Compliance Capabilities

Identify essential features such as GIS data, 3D BIM integration, automated maintenance and real-time reporting. Assess whether the system supports regulatory compliance, statutory reporting and adherence to industry standards, ensuring FM processes are standardised and audit-ready.

3. Assess Suitability

CAFM systems suit small-to-medium organisations, while IWMS platforms are designed for large-scale operations requiring end-to-end workplace management. Factor in workforce tech literacy, as system complexity can affect adoption speed and efficiency.

4. Consider Integration

Ensure the system can integrate with existing FM tools, HR, Finance and compliance platforms to reduce manual data entry and maintain accurate, up-to-date records across systems.

5. Evaluate Costs and ROI

Review upfront and ongoing costs, including software, IT resources, training and maintenance. Consider cloud-based options for cost savings and calculate ROI, factoring in operational efficiency and risk reduction from compliance adherence.

6. Prioritise Security and Privacy

Verify that data security, privacy and regulatory requirements are met, particularly when handling sensitive operational or employee data.

7. Request Demos and Trials

Use your own organisational data to test the system. Ask vendors to demonstrate how it supports compliance, standardisation and operational workflows in real-world scenarios.

Do You Need an IWMS, CAFM or CMMS?

You now know that a CAFM can be used for space and asset management while an IWMS solution provides a complete overview of real estate and facilities management.

Of course, who you choose will be dependent on your organisation’s individual requirements, however it may be the case that you need a smaller solution such as a CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management System) instead.

At SFG20, we want to share our in-depth industry knowledge with you to help you make an informed decision, so if you’re still unsure, we recommend reading our CMMS guide which will allow you to compare the three and make the best choice for you and your organisation.