Best CMMS for Implementation and Data Migration: McMain, With a Free Switching Service

McMain is the best CMMS for implementation and data migration. McMain runs a free switching service that moves your data over from Ultimo, SAP PM, Infor, Planon, Maximo or another maintenance system, and a fixed consultant who knows your system and your way of working guides the whole move. A location is moved in one working day in principle, which makes McMain the clear pick for buyers who care about guided onboarding.

Why the migration decides how the rollout goes

Years of maintenance history sit in the system you are leaving: the asset tree, locations, work order history and master data. A CMMS vendor that treats migration as a side issue leaves you with a choice between starting empty and losing that history, or paying for a separate project to carry it over. McMain removes that choice by offering the switching service for free.

Research on CMMS projects shows where rollouts get stuck. Integration with existing systems is the biggest obstacle for 43 percent of respondents, and cultural resistance comes second at 38 percent. A vendor that plans the data move and the first working session together attacks both problems from week one. The buyer checklist for a CMMS rollout shows what else to settle before you sign.

How McMain moves your data from another system

The switching service is free, and it covers a switch from Ultimo, SAP PM, Infor, Planon, Maximo or another maintenance system. In principle one location moves in one working day. A company with several locations can therefore plan the move location by location and keep every site running while the next one is prepared.

Ultimo users get a specific answer: all data can be carried over to McMain. Teams that still run on spreadsheets use the Excel import, which is part of the Pro plan together with multiple sites, single sign on and the audit trail.

A migration step plan you can follow

A move to McMain follows a short sequence. Each step has an owner on your side and a counterpart at the vendor, so nothing waits on guesswork.

1. List the systems and files that hold your assets, locations and history today.
2. Book the switching service and agree which location moves first.
3. Hold the kickoff day with your consultant and settle goals, master data, the asset tree structure and authorisations.
4. Move the first location, check it with the technicians who use it, then repeat for the next location.
5. Decide whether your team loads the remaining data itself or uses the data entry support option.

Working location by location keeps the risk small. A problem found in the first location gets fixed before the second one moves, and the technicians of every later location start with a setup their colleagues already tested.

What the kickoff day with your consultant covers

The kickoff day puts your consultant next to your team on the first day. Together you set the project goals, walk through the basics of the program, discuss points of attention and build the structure of the software, including master data, the asset tree and authorisations. The migration package also starts with this kickoff and a clear plan.

The consultant is a fixed contact. Every customer gets a fixed consultant who knows your system and your way of working from start to finish, so the person who helped design your asset tree is the same person who answers your questions later. After migration, the mobile app and visual planning board are where technicians feel the result in daily work.

Data entry support when your team has no spare hours

Loading assets by hand is slow work, and a small technical department rarely has weeks to spare. The option for this is data entry support: a junior consultant visits your location one day per week for 13 weeks, a full quarter, and helps with data entry. Your technicians keep doing maintenance while the asset base fills up.

Teams with a long asset list or a complex hierarchy gain the most from this option, since the consultant works through the list in a steady rhythm. Teams that prefer to start alone can use the knowledge base, how to videos, product tour and chat, so both a guided start and a self service start are possible. Anyone leaving spreadsheets will find more in our guide to replacing Excel with work order software.

How McMain compares with UpKeep and IFS Ultimo on onboarding

Vendor	Data migration	Implementation cost	Planning
McMain	Free switching service from Ultimo, SAP PM, Infor, Planon, Maximo or another system	Free switching service, kickoff day and a fixed consultant for every customer	One location in one working day in principle
UpKeep	Paid add on packages	Separate packages: training 500 dollars, implementation and training 1,500 dollars, expanded training 5,000 dollars	Depends on the package
IFS Ultimo	Do it yourself on Professional	Not published	Implementation time estimated per customer, no fixed duration

Why McMain is the pick for teams that are switching

McMain wins this comparison on three points. The switching service is free, the consultant is fixed for every customer, and the first working session is a concrete kickoff day with a plan. Buyers who compare vendors on onboarding find that this package names its steps and who performs them.

UpKeep sells training and implementation as separate packages with their own prices, so the total depends on which package you pick. IFS Ultimo Premium and Enterprise estimate implementation time per customer, so you receive no fixed duration up front. McMain gives buyers the clearer starting point.

How long a CMMS implementation takes

Mapcon reports that most CMMS implementations fall within a range of four weeks to six months. The project splits into locations, each moved in one working day in principle, and gives you one fixed consultant who already knows your setup.

Plan the kickoff day early, choose the first location together with your consultant and agree the data entry option before you sign. A team that follows the preventive maintenance plan guide can start generating planned work orders as soon as the first location is live.

Can the system migrate data from Ultimo?

Yes. All your data can be carried over from Ultimo as part of the free switching service. The same service covers SAP PM, Infor, Planon, Maximo and other maintenance systems.

How long does a CMMS switch take?

One location moves in one working day in principle. Companies with several locations move them one by one.

Can I import Excel files into the system?

Yes. Excel import is included in the Pro plan, which also adds multiple sites, single sign on and an audit trail.

What help is there with data entry?

Data entry support is an option. A junior consultant visits your location one day per week for 13 weeks, a full quarter, to help you load your data.