Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) includes the creation and utilization of Information Technology (IT)-based systems in the built environment. A typical CAFM system is defined as a combination of CAD and/or relational database software with specific abilities for facilities management. The CAFM system will help the facility's manager ensure the organization's assets are fully utilized at the lowest possible cost, while providing benefit to every phase of a building's lifecycle.

The usage of CAFM systems aims to support operational and strategic facility management, i.e. all of the activities associated with administrative, technical, and infrastructural FM tasks when the facility or building is operational, as well as the strategic processes for facilities planning and management.

CAFM systems consist of variety of technologies and information sources that may include object-oriented database systems, Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems, Building Information Models (BIM), and interfaces to other systems such as a Computerized Maintenance Management System. Today most CAFM systems are web-based and provide a host of features including facilities related scheduling and analysis capabilities. Data may be collected from a variety of sources through technology interfaces or human transfer processes. Data may be stored, retrieved, and analyzed from a single data-store.

Most facility managers face a variety of constraints and challenges. The most common issues facing most managers today include:

• Shrinking maintenance budgets
• Resource constraints
• Political priorities
• Unfunded mandates
• Distributed data and data disparities
• Organizational stovepipes

The challenge for facility managers is to overcome these obstacles by utilizing the resources available and convincing leadership that efficiencies and cost savings can be achieved with investments in technology, such as a well planned CAFM system. Mature CAFM systems are important to enable the facility managers to become effective decision makers and provide effective management of facility information.