What Reports are Required of an IWMS System?

The reports in an IWMS system are mostly used to make strategic decisions. Utilization of space is one of the more common reasons to invest in an IWMS.

When I was helping a  tech company sell their real estate to another company they told me that the numbers the IWMS system was producing did not line up with the numbers that the real estate company was producing. They told me that I had a couple of hours to figure out why. I found out the real estate company had excluded the vertical penetration of the building. I stayed late and walked all eight buildings with the real estate representative and proved all of my numbers. This resulted in a $30 million increase of the sale of the buildings. This made my job worth the work.

So who are the people that are going to read these reports and learn from them? There are four basic audiences that I break it down into.

1) V and C level

These are CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and all other chief executives and vice presidents. This group is looking for summarized data sheets packed full of numbers that will help them make strategic decisions. They are looking for anomalies so they can dig down and ask questions and figure out why the anomaly exists.

2) Managers/Directors

These people help to drive and accomplish the decisions made by the chief executives and vice presidents. The reports that are tailored for this level are similar to the V and C level, but are more detailed. This allows them to get to the depths of an anomaly and make decisions.

3) Individual Contributor

This level manages the raw data that provides the analysis for the company. They need very granulated reports that allow them to input and modify data for the two previous levels.

4) Staff at Large

The data for this level has basic information like locations of conference rooms, how to submit a work request, how to change the temperature, where are the hotel spaces in every building, etc. These reports allow all staff to search the IWMS system and then schedule or request what they need. 

IWMS reporting at all four of these levels makes for a very strong system. The reports used and produced by the IWMS system justify the expense of the system. While they are not the most expensive systems that exist, they are not the least expensive, either. Sometimes these systems are reduced or removed in order to save money for the company. Without the reports produced directly form the IWMS system, it can take longer to see that there actually are results coming from using the IWMS.

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What Reports are Required of an IWMS System?

The reports in an IWMS system are mostly used to make strategic decisions. Utilization of space is one of the more common reasons to invest in an IWMS.

When I was helping a  tech company sell their real estate to another company they told me that the numbers the IWMS system was producing did not line up with the numbers that the real estate company was producing. They told me that I had a couple of hours to figure out why. I found out the real estate company had excluded the vertical penetration of the building. I stayed late and walked all eight buildings with the real estate representative and proved all of my numbers. This resulted in a $30 million increase of the sale of the buildings. This made my job worth the work.

So who are the people that are going to read these reports and learn from them? There are four basic audiences that I break it down into.

1) V and C level

These are CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and all other chief executives and vice presidents. This group is looking for summarized data sheets packed full of numbers that will help them make strategic decisions. They are looking for anomalies so they can dig down and ask questions and figure out why the anomaly exists.

2) Managers/Directors

These people help to drive and accomplish the decisions made by the chief executives and vice presidents. The reports that are tailored for this level are similar to the V and C level, but are more detailed. This allows them to get to the depths of an anomaly and make decisions.

3) Individual Contributor

This level manages the raw data that provides the analysis for the company. They need very granulated reports that allow them to input and modify data for the two previous levels.

4) Staff at Large

The data for this level has basic information like locations of conference rooms, how to submit a work request, how to change the temperature, where are the hotel spaces in every building, etc. These reports allow all staff to search the IWMS system and then schedule or request what they need. 

IWMS reporting at all four of these levels makes for a very strong system. The reports used and produced by the IWMS system justify the expense of the system. While they are not the most expensive systems that exist, they are not the least expensive, either. Sometimes these systems are reduced or removed in order to save money for the company. Without the reports produced directly form the IWMS system, it can take longer to see that there actually are results coming from using the IWMS.

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KPIs delivered with energy management

Bob: Can you name some KPIs that they got out of this?

Todd: We talked a little bit about the average building usage of energy per square foot as one of the KPIs. Another one is just straight usage. Often a department will come in and say, “How much usage did we have in this area of the county in the last year?” and they’re able to answer that question pretty quickly now. 

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Strategies for defining IWMS needs (extra four)

   

Matt: What are some strategies for helping clients define their main problem?

Bob: Usually when I go and do a demonstration for the first time with a client, I take the first two   or three minutes and ask them what they’re looking for, instead of coming with a preset idea of what I am going to be delivering them. That always gets the juices flowing. It helps me understand that each company has a unique set of requirements that need to be fulfilled. Asking questions and listening to them is our main strategy. Also, asking lots of questions of them when we don’t understand and then delivering within scope, schedule, and cost is important. 

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How much does it cost to install an IWMS system?

Knowing how much a company is going to invest in an IWMS system before they invest in it is naturally what any client is concerned about.

To give just one blanket number is impossible because there are many features that can be bought in an IWMS. It is very customizable. It is similar to looking at the different types of features in a satellite dish TV package, though, unfortunately, satellite TV is not one of the features available in an IWMS.

What features are available?

Features range anywhere from tracking physical space to tracking cost and even building certifications. AutoCAD drawings, highlights by department, occupancy/vacancy, realization and utilization, and asset tracking are some examples of physical space that can be tracked. By means of cost tracking, lease management, capital budgeting, and project management are just a few examples of this. MSDS specifications, LEED building and compliance can be tracked. Even work requests and mainenance can be tracked with features such as building operations, on demand work, preventive maintenance, and housekeeping.

Depending on the combination of options a client wants, IWMS systems can be relatively inexpensive or a large amount of money.

How much does all this cost?

Historically, in the last four years, RSC's proposals were:

• $700 (lowest)
• $370,000 (highest)
• $75,000 (average)

IWMS is very maleable to what companies need and want to track, not only in terms of features, but also cost. RSC is willing and committed to finding this perfect fit for companies.


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Why ARCHIBUS?

Megan: Why ARCHIBUS?

Bob: Very good question. This industry is young and I think that all the systems do a very good job and I think that all the systems have weaknesses. I have worked in the top five in the Gartner Magic Quadrant. The reason I choose ARCHIBUS, with all it’s strengths and it’s failings, is that it is the most flexible. I can, for less time and less money, create a pink elephant. If someone comes and says I want a pink elephant tracked, I can track it. We can create it, the tools are there and we can produce those unique trackings of pink elephants for any client that they want. Red balloons, pink elephants, the sky – whatever it is they want to call it. 

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ARCHIBUS Applications: Energy Management

The purpose of ARCHIBUS' Energy Management Application is to track and manage energy use to control costs, reduce carbon footprint, and mitigate risk, something we all want to do!

Benefits

• Lowers annual energy costs, typically by 5% (or approximately $0.10 – 0.20 USD per square foot of space/year) and reduces carbon footprint
• Provides audit capabilities to easily access, aggregate, and evaluate consumption patterns as the basis to renegotiate rates and consolidate energy providers
• Reduces business risk and exposure to changes in energy costs or carbon emissions regulation through “what-if” analyses
• Improves decision-making by aligning energy spending to organizational priorities
• Energy Management Screenshot

Graphical dashboard views, such as Utility Cost with Consumption (by building and billing period) shown above, simplifies visualization and analysis while improving decision support for energy management strategies

With increasing utility costs, mandates to reduce carbon emissions, and sustainability efforts gaining more visibility, effective energy management has become even more important for organizations. ARCHIBUS Energy Management provides the means to easily aggregate, evaluate, and optimize energy and utility spending decisions to reduce unnecessary consumption and costs. Unlike spreadsheets or finance software alone, Energy Management helps users correlate and manage extensive cost data with real-time facility and infrastructure portfolio information to track energy expenditures against a business plan or objective benchmarks.

*Information for this article provided by ARCHIBUS*

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