# Maintenance KPI Reference: Build an Internal Baseline

> A practical reference for defining planned-work ratio, MTTR, PM compliance, and cost per work order without treating unrelated industry figures as universal targets.

Canonical URL: https://maintenease.com/learn/cmms-benchmarks-2026

## This page is a KPI reference, not a benchmark study

MaintenEase does not currently publish a documented customer cohort, sample period, calculation method, or auditable dataset that would support an original industry benchmark. This page therefore explains how to define and compare maintenance KPIs using your own stable baseline. A number from another industry, asset class, or operating schedule should not become a target without checking whether the populations and formulas are comparable.

## Planned-work ratio

Define which work-order types count as planned before calculating the ratio. A defensible formula is planned work orders completed divided by all maintenance work orders completed in the same period. Some teams use labor hours instead of order count; either method can work, but switching the denominator makes periods incomparable. Record whether inspections, projects, and emergency follow-up work are included.

## Mean Time To Repair (MTTR)

MTTR is total repair-restoration time divided by the number of repair events in the period. State the start and stop events: failure detected, work order opened, technician assigned, repair started, or asset returned to service. Segment by asset class and criticality so a fleet of simple pumps is not compared with complex production lines. Track waiting and active repair separately when the data supports it.

## PM compliance

PM compliance is preventive tasks completed within the defined completion window divided by preventive tasks due in the period. Publish the window with the result, such as due date through seven days late. Exclude canceled schedules only under a documented rule, and do not quietly move due dates after the work is late.

## Cost per work order

Choose whether cost includes technician labor, contractors, parts, freight, downtime, and allocated overhead. Divide the included total by completed work orders for the same period. Report preventive, corrective, and emergency work separately; blending them can hide a changing work mix even when the overall average looks stable.

## Build a comparable internal baseline

Select a period long enough to include normal operating variation, freeze each KPI definition, and note missing records or changes in staffing, production hours, or asset scope. Compare the next period using the same rules. If a definition changes, recalculate the earlier period or start a new series rather than joining unlike values.

## What a real external benchmark would need

Before relying on an external percentile or average, look for the sample size, industries, geography, asset population, data period, inclusion rules, statistic used, missing-data treatment, and sponsor. MaintenEase will not label this page as original research unless those details and the underlying evidence can be published. No MaintenEase customer data is used for the statements on this page.

## FAQ

### Does MaintenEase publish customer benchmarks?

No. MaintenEase does not currently publish the cohort, sample period, method, or auditable dataset required to substantiate original customer benchmarks.

### Can I compare my MTTR with another company?

Only when asset scope, criticality, operating schedule, and start and stop definitions are comparable. Otherwise use the external number as a question prompt, not a target.

### How often should a KPI baseline be updated?

Keep the calculation rules stable and review on an operating cadence that produces enough events to be meaningful. Document scope changes and start a new series when the definition materially changes.

## Related

- https://maintenease.com/learn/mtbf
- https://maintenease.com/learn/mttr
- https://maintenease.com/learn/preventive-maintenance
- https://maintenease.com/learn/cmms