Honest Maintenance Connection Review: Is It a Good CMMS?

Accruent Maintenance Connection centralizes work orders, asset tracking and preventive maintenance across desktop and mobile platforms. Maintenance managers use the software to reduce unplanned downtime through predictive analytics and automated scheduling. But the software’s more advanced features mean higher costs and steeper learning curves. So, how does it compare to other CMMS competitors? Let us break it down for you in this detailed Accruent Maintenance Connection review. 

We test software tools without bias to help teams make informed decisions. We reviewed Accruent Maintenance Connection by watching demo videos and studying honest user feedback to highlight its key strengths and weaknesses to help you decide if it suits your team’s needs.

Why Trust Coast?

At Coast, we take our software reviews seriously. Our review methodology evaluates software across seven critical categories that help differentiate the solutions from one another. Each category receives a score from one to five, with five being the highest, and a maximum possible score of 35 points.

Maintenance Connection Ease of Use

At first glance, Maintenance Connection’s interface looks dated compared to modern software. It’s dense with fields, links and menus, which means the UX lacks a more welcoming, polished feel. It makes finding features a bit tedious compared to more streamlined interfaces. The same applies to adding assets or locations — simple enough once you know where to click, but visually cluttered.

That said, if you or someone within your organization is a long-time user of similar systems, this isn’t as complicated as it may seem. Setup is relatively straightforward, despite being resource-intensive and time-consuming for larger organizations. 

Creating and updating workflows may not be visually appealing, but they accomplish the task efficiently. For example, suppose you’re already within the Work Orders module. In that case, you can click “New,” enter a reason, select the type, adjust the date, specify any other necessary details and then click “Save.” Even searching for specific work orders is easy, since you can use the filtering system to find orders by priority, status or assignment.

Maintenance Connection Mobile ExperienceMC Kinetic, Accruent Maintenance Connection‘s mobile app, is quite handy for field operations. Technicians and maintenance staff can create, view and update work orders from their phones or tablets. They can add detailed notes, attach images and even update statuses in real time, which means project progress is never at a standstill. Supervisors maintain complete visibility into ongoing tasks.

Navigation is quite sleek, featuring an intuitive tile-based layout that makes it easy to find and click into work orders without confusion. Even though it doesn’t offer a one-to-one replica of the desktop interface, it strategically focuses on the most relevant field-use features while maintaining core functionality. The streamlined CMMS design is particularly well-suited for older technicians who may struggle with technology, eliminating unnecessary complexity.

While we couldn’t test the mobile app ourselves, the demo highlighted a smooth notification function most teams would appreciate. Users can choose from in-app pop-ups, emails or SMS alerts. Technicians can even stay productive when working in areas with poor connectivity since the system automatically syncs data once it restores connection.

Maintenance Connection Core Features & Functionality 

Maintenance Connection delivers several key capabilities essential for effective maintenance management. Here’s our assessment of the platform’s core features:

Work Order Management

Maintenance Connection does a great job of simplifying work orders. Teams can create, assign and track orders on both desktops and mobile devices. Real-time updates and relevant document attachments foster seamless communication.

Compared to other CMMS solutions like ServiceChannel, the interface is dated but better organized, so users have an easier time navigating. Both platforms support mobile and real-time updates, but ServiceChannel has visual mapping to track work orders across multiple sites. 

Essentially, Maintenance Connection workflows are ideal for organizations with centralized facilities — teams that don’t need geographic or vendor-facing functionality. A solution like ServiceChannel offers workflows that are better for teams that juggle multisite coordination.

Preventive MaintenanceThe platform handles recurring maintenance through time-based intervals and meter reading triggers via the Rules Manager. 

Still, Maintenance Connection lacks dynamic scheduling capabilities — meaning it can’t automatically adjust tasks based on real-time changes, like equipment overuse. While the calendar view displays scheduled tasks clearly, it’s limited when it comes to modifying recurring schedules.

Asset Management 

With Maintenance Connection, users can track asset details (make, model and serial numbers) and maintenance history on one platform. It makes asset management more efficient and reduces the time spent brainstorming solutions.

Each asset links to specific locations and relevant work orders. It’s viewed in a historical timeline to catch issues. Hierarchies, like parent-child structures, help with asset management, but there are no map-based visuals or mobile-driven intake processes.

Again, for comparison, ServiceChannel lets users link assets to locations using QR code scanning in the mobile app. It offers real-time filtering across sites and includes asset-tagging and vendor access, which Maintenance Connection lacks.

Communications Within Work Orders

Maintenance Connection‘s communication features present mixed results. The software streamlines communication in theory, but users don’t universally accept this claim. 

While it lets users attach notes and documents, making relevant information accessible to everyone, the menu systems make things a bit more complicated to find. Technicians must click around work orders on the desktop, though mobile navigation appears more straightforward. Still, it does not feature live chat features, so technicians have to rely on support documentation, email, phone calls and FAQs.

Reporting & Analytics

Maintenance Connection provides customizable dashboards that focus on work order completion rates, maintenance costs and downtime analytics. 

Users generate targeted reports by refining criteria without disrupting workflows. Role-specific KPI tracking is available, though advanced analytics require platform familiarity.

Unique Features to Maintenance Connection

The Rules Manager automatically assigns work orders based on asset type and priority levels, distinguishing it from basic CMMS solutions. High-priority equipment issues route automatically to the appropriate technicians, reducing response times. 

That said, automation is still limited compared to other enterprise platforms. It requires manual oversight for complex scenarios. For instance, it can’t handle multi-step workflows that depend on real-time variables. If a technician has a varied schedule, or there are recurring failures, then the tool isn’t as helpful. It would require human oversight.

Maintenance Connection Adaptability & Customization

Teams can both create and manage customized reports, all without disrupting workflows or having to refine criteria for targeted results. The Forms Manager extends control to work order fields, allowing you to hide, display or rename existing options across assets, locations and parts areas. We have to note, however, that creating entirely new custom fields isn’t possible.

Dashboard customization allows you to focus on role-specific KPIs, while Grid View controls enable you to adjust the displayed information. Field renaming is straightforward through the Forms Manager interface.

Maintenance Connection handles basic automation through the Rules Manager, including auto-assigning work orders based on asset type or priority. Complex automation features like advanced scheduling remain unavailable, and work orders that require real-time data adjustments necessitate manual monitoring.

Four methods exist for creating work orders, although the variety can be confusing for new users. The most common approach involves clicking the New button while viewing an existing work order. Required fields are non-negotiable, but you can skip optional fields.

Maintenance Connection Customer Support

Accruent Maintenance Connection lacks live support channels for promptly addressing client issues in that there is no live chat or phone support. Customers can submit email requests through the Resource Hub or schedule a call with a representative, but that requires waiting for a response.

Still, they do have top-rate, how-to documentation that touches on everything from work orders to mobile functionality. Paired with demo videos and step-by-step tutorials, go-getter customers have access to solutions. They even have additional reading links that make it easy to find relevant information.

Despite the waiting times, customers seem to mostly enjoy Maintenance Connection. Some reviews are clear, still, citing the lack of live support as a crucial oversight. Assuming a team has a nuanced issue not covered in the documentation, they lack emergency methods to resolve the issue.

Extensive self-help resources partially offset the limitation, but businesses requiring immediate technical assistance may find the support model insufficient for their needs.

Maintenance Connection Pricing

Accruent Maintenance Connection positions itself in the mid-to-high range of CMMS pricing, though the company doesn’t publicly disclose exact costs and requires customers to contact sales for quotes. Competitors offer more transparent and affordable pricing structures.

However, other enterprise solutions command higher prices than Maintenance Connection. NEXGEN Asset Management charges $2,000 per user annually plus $25,000 in installation fees. The platform’s pricing reflects its enterprise focus and comprehensive feature set, but organizations with tighter budgets or simpler requirements may find better value elsewhere. 

Companies should carefully evaluate whether the advanced capabilities justify the premium cost compared to more affordable competitors offering similar core functionality.

Coast: The Better Maintenance Connection Alternative

While Accruent Maintenance Connection serves as a comprehensive CMMS solution for large enterprises, Coast delivers superior value through exceptional adaptability, user-friendly design and affordable pricing. It features customizable workflows and team collaboration, so it’s a top choice for businesses seeking flexibility without complexity.

Its most standout feature, however, is its adaptability. Organizations can tailor Coast to suit their specific operational needs with minimal training. Add the transparent pricing to eliminate the guesswork typically associated with enterprise solutions, and you have a solid choice. That’s why small and mid-size businesses particularly benefit from Coast’s scannable approach and responsive customer support.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of key areas to consider:

Ease of Use
Mobile Experience
Core Features & Functionality
Adaptability & Customization
Customer Support
Pricing
Current Reviews